Authentic Growth vs. Spiritual Bypass

To say, “everything happens for a reason” or “all is in perfect divine order,” might come naturally when times are smooth and non-violent. Shraddha is Sanskrit for “faith; belief or purpose.” Even, perhaps faith or belief in purpose.

Our own level of faith can get complicated when facing personal challenges or when we’re especially aware of / or worried about tragedies near and far. Add in heated discussions and conflicting views on morality and grief... well, overwhelm is understandable.

We turn to friends, teachers and community for information and guidance. Positive inspiration and influence abounds in commercialized wellness spaces and social media.

And here lies an important distinction:

Optimism can bring needed comfort, but spiritual bypassing – dismissing complex issues with simplistic spiritual explanations or sharing lovely thoughts and methods while avoiding authentic soul-searching and expression — can be stifling.

Growth happens when we process feelings and experiences constructively, giving and getting support when needed. Magical manifesting is possible (!) but real, lasting solutions come through self-study over time. Simply put, we can probably agree that sage and crystals alone might not dissipate all the darkness.

Thankfully, gracefully — yoga does offer practices and perspectives to help us feel centered and clearer: mindful movement, stillness, breath and contemplation do connect us to our own wisdom.

After good yoga classes, we feel better because we’ve moved energy in our bodies and relaxed our minds, which are essential to healing.

Samadhi teachers are living proof, through our own tribulations — that yoga has the power to calm and center us. In the Sangha (like-hearted community) we see souls soothed time and time again, contributing to our collective shraddha.

And, we all admit: there is always more inner work to be done.

Thank YOU for your shared efforts to slow down, connect and exude peaceful energy into the world. It might not be a magical fix for all the brokenness, but we faithfully believe that it does make a difference.

And, p.s. we sure do love sage and crystals, too!