Making necessary sacrifices on the spiritual path

There's much talk in spiritual circles about creating a new life in alignment with who you are. So, the focus tends to be on what you want to invite into your life. Typically, it's a more loving relationship, more financial freedom, a greater sense of community or more courage to take a certain step. Notice the theme here is about attracting more of something. However, what people often overlook is what has to be sacrificed in order to create a more aligned life.

We are essentially being invited to let go of an old paradigm. To embrace death as an energy. As I've defined in my book 'Awakening through Change', death is simply the breaking down of one reality in order to make space for another. It is essential to embrace if we want to make positive change in our lives.

In fact the current planetary shift taking place is inviting no less than a complete letting go of everything that keeps to in the old, worn out paradigm that society is built around.

At a basic level, just take some time to throw some unneeded stuff out and you'll see what that opens up for you. A new wardrobe that more accurately expresses your uniqueness, for example. However, you can take this deeper. Often more challenging is to let go of a particular way of being, a way of communicating, the way you deal with triggers, or the way you approach boundaries. It could be the inner judgment of a particular lifestyle or the fear of not having enough.

Hardest, but often most transformational are letting go of a particular person or relationship, or a living situation.

So, the first question: what are you prepared to sacrifice to create a more aligned life? This can great a measure of grief, especially if you have a great emotional connection to what or whomever you're letting you of. There will likely be a period of what feels like emptiness where all you can think about is getting it/them back. This is the hardest part - the dark night before the sun rises again. It's imperative to hold your ground here and remember why you made the sacrifice. Know too that what's on the other side is totally worth it! In weeks, months and years from now you'll look back and see it as an essential step you took. (Note: particularly with letting go of partner relationships, it can potentially take years to fully realise this).

There was a time not so long ago when I felt I was buckling under the pressure of all the things I was holding energy for. It created a inner conflict between how I felt I needed to act in order to support those around me and how I felt to orientate myself in life - essentially the devotion and commitment to spiritual mastery. This created outer conflict in my closest relationships. Eventually, I collapsed under the pressure. After a period of reflection that I fondly call my 'desert time' I emerged with a new sense of how to approach my life. I realised that in order for people to relate to the true me I would have to shatter some expectations from others, which would cause some pain. However, they would have the opportunity to relate to the newly emerging me, even if that me was even less conventional and non-compromising than before.

How to identify what to give up?

You have to be aware of what's keeping you in the old paradigm, the old version of you. It's likely to be whatever keeps you in the comfortable and familiar. Whatever prevents you from going deeper and raising higher, being the fullest and highest version of you possible. There will be investment in it of course, likely emotional, otherwise it won't feel like a sacrifice at all. Perhaps what you're being called to give up is giving you sense of warmth or home for example.

How to let the old paradigm go?

Here's a step-by-step rundown of how to do it:

1. Identify what is keeping you in the old paradigm (see above)

2. Notice what keeps you invested in that old paradigm and work to release that. It helps to embrace a feeling of excitment, adventure or anticipation for what's to come. It's also essential to embrace the unknown.

3. Work with any fear that comes up by accepting the fear in your field fully. Becoming the observer of it means you are not owned by it anymore. Therefore, you can act in your best interest even when there is fear present.

4. Embrace the void - the space in-between. Know that this won't last and keep reminding yourself why you are doing this.

5. Lean into any new ways of being that arise. They could be creative ideas, a sense of freedom, adventure or potential for example.

6. See what wants to create from there. Follow your flow and intuition in this regard as much as possible.

It is for sure one of the hardest and most necessary things for consciously transforming people to do. It will feel like sacrifice. Yet, the rewards are absolutely priceless.

Warm wishes,

Richard