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Metaphysics

What is metaphysics?

The term metaphysics describes a branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality and deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space.

Metaphysics studies the relationship between mind and matter, between substance and attribute, and between potentiality and actuality. As such, spirituality can be thought of synonymously with metaphysics.

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Spirit, Science, and Metaphysics

Spirit, Science, and Metaphysics

You can’t be anti-science AND be spiritual. Here’s why.

Spirit, Science, and Metaphysics

Spirit, Science, and Metaphysics

You can’t be anti-science AND be spiritual. Here’s why.

New to spirituality?

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@ASHRISING ON INSTAGRAM

Some people pride themselves on getting out of the

Some people pride themselves on getting out of their comfort zones, and certainly, if you do what you always did, get you'll get what you've always gotten. But like anything, this all depends on context.

If you're talking about doing something you've never done before, like move across the country, and that scares you, that's an opportunity you might miss because of your comfort zone. It might be worth the risk.

If you're talking about doing something you've never done before that might actually violate your personal values, and expose you to harmful relationship dynamics, that's a whole other ballgame. That's risky behavior because you don't recognize risk when you see it.

Sometimes our comfort zones exist because we've been severely traumatized, and pushing ourselves out of them too fast, too soon is just like the trauma that created them in the first place. This is harmful.

Sometimes, because of abuse, we don't actually fully understand what our comfort level is. We ignore our discomfort because that's what our abusers taught us to do, and when we come up against some similar, subtle, but potentially harmful experiences, we stick around too long, not realizing what's happening until it's too late.

Those with people-pleasing or codependent tendencies are not great at recognizing risk or when their boundaries are being violated, and a lot of folks think that pushing through this is somehow conquering their fear in the name of spirituality. If you're a recovering people pleaser, or have a history of trauma and abuse, I urge you to ignore the comfort zone messaging on Instagram when it comes to really personal things like relationships, sex, and things which are directly tied to your physical and emotional well-being.

There are certain species of pyrophytic wildflower

There are certain species of pyrophytic wildflowers whose seeds are only capable of germination after being exposed to extreme heat. They literally require the destructive force of a forest fire to crack open and begin to grow.

From the ash of everything that has burned down around them, they are catalyzed, transformed, and set on a path to blossom.

You’re going to burn through many versions of yourself on this journey.

The growth is in the forgiving.

— Notes to Self

#healing #spirituality #personaldevelopment #writingtoheal #personalgrowth #instadaily #motivation #words #honestlyworded #thoughtoftheday #lifequotes #soul #wordsthatheal #instagood #lifeadvice #spilledink #wordsofwisdom #highervibes #writer #healer #lightworker #awakening #quoteoftheday #lifequotes #reflectingoutloud

Honor your process and allow everyone to feel. Le

Honor your process and allow everyone to feel.

Learn more about bypassing and gaslighting: https://inmysacredspace.com/project/spiritual-bypassing/

#spiritualbypassing #spiritualgaslighting #spirituality #wellness #wellnessthatworks #wellnessjourney #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth

We have a problem in New Age spirituality today wh

We have a problem in New Age spirituality today where the prematurely enlightened have placed the desires of the unexamined ego—money, fame, material possessions, success—on the same level as, and in many cases above, the mission and purpose of a higher calling, which wills the healing and liberation of all beings...not just self.

As a result, we have droves of spiritual influencers and business coaches operating from the same level of ego that produced the existing power imbalances in our society which are destroying our planet.

Their only concern is manifesting their desired outcome. The "inner work" is only discussed in the context of its role in helping one manifest that outcome. It's about building six and seven-figure businesses, finding your ideal client, making enough money to work four days a week, and maintaining a positive attitude so that you can manifest all the things you've always wanted, own your own business, and work from anywhere.

There's little talk of self-exploration and awareness, except to become aware of your manifestation blocks. There's little talk of healing, except to the degree that it allows you to get what you want. There's little talk of mission, purpose, and service to the collective, except for its ability to bring you clients and recognition and money.

There's no discussion about who gets left behind because of your business practices. There's no talk about accessibility, equity, fairness, or anyone else's freedom but your own—and those who can afford to pay your fees.

What about the consequences of those business practices? What about asking yourself why you have those desires in the first place? What about helping people heal? What about healing our broken society? What about your duty to anyone other than yourself?

If this is your primary motivation, you're not bringing forth a New Age, you're just recreating old paradigm with yourself in power.

For those in the know, this spiritual narcissism i

For those in the know, this spiritual narcissism is known as “spiritual ego” and it’s quite rampant. One thing I’d like to emphasize about the second study is that they actually interviewed people who were studying to become spiritual practitioners (specifically energy workers). I don’t find it surprising, but it should be alarming that the people studying to become practitioners are exhibiting narcissistic thought patterns in regard to themselves in relation to spiritual practice, when that is literally the antithesis of spiritual practice—and they’re studying to go out into the world to work with the public.

Narcissists are attracted to positions of power, particularly self-appointed ones.

Please be discerning in who you choose to work with. If you need some help evaluating who is the real deal, here’s a couple of posts that can help:

inmysacredspace.com/spiritual-abuse

inmysacredspace.com/credibility

I’m doing posts by request now, apparently? 🤷

I’m doing posts by request now, apparently? 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 If you’ve got a topic you’d like me to tackle, feel free to DM me. Here’s one from yesterday on spirituality + [insert any controversial subject, but especially those which are political in nature].

People engage in spiritual bypassing for all sorts of reasons, but it typically has to do with avoiding accountability or their own uncomfortable emotions.

You can avoid spiritual bypassing by asking yourself a few questions and answering honestly:

—Pause and examine your emotional state. Ask yourself what emotions you’re feeling. Name them. Is there shame underneath?

—Who is sitting in a position of power in the dynamic in question? Is it you or someone else? The person (or group) with the power is the person with the responsibility for leadership and wielding that power responsibly, and they are the ones who are accountable.

—Is the person or situation triggering this feeling attacking your character (shaming) Or are they holding you accountable for actions (guilt)?

—Are you attempting to bypass accountability by setting a boundary, or avoiding dealing with the situation, subject matter, or the feelings they trigger? Or is it a healthy boundary?

—Does this situation remind you of any past instances where you were abused? Does it evoke emotions attached to a painful memory?

—Does avoiding accountability for or remaining silent about this subject, culture, or action result in other people being harmed? (This is the part of spirituality where we recognize our obligation to the collective)

—Does NOT setting a boundary result in your own harm?

Answering these questions really requires us to dig into the nuances between shame, guilt, accountability, power, and what belongs to us vs. what doesn’t. They’ll give you a clear idea, though, of whether you’re engaging in bypassing by avoiding social responsibility/accountability or not.

I’ve written about this topic a lot, and you can find some of my other posts here:

inmysacredspace.com/separation-consciousness

inmysacredspace.com/shadow-work

Inmysacredspace.com/cancel-culture

I once had a conversation with a man who told me t

I once had a conversation with a man who told me that legacy was very important to him. But what he really meant by legacy wasn’t to be remembered for his impact on the world, it was simply that he be remembered.

That’s not a legacy, that’s just fame, and it’s hollow.

In contrast, I couldn’t give three flying fucks if anyone remembers my name when I’m dead (I’d honestly prefer not to be known even while I’m alive).

I care about the change I initiate while I’m here and it’s exponential growth after I’m gone. I’d be content to be like one of those people who contributes a household item we use every single day that’s completely changed how we live, but nobody knows who the fuck came up with it. Like the guy who invented the wheel—the innovators that history forgot.

I don’t want to create inventions, of course. I just want to help people heal in some small way, and make the world generally more aware of itself. Nobody needs to know who did it, just that it needed to be done—and it was.

That’s true purpose. It doesn’t ask for the spotlight. Just the result.

Some people pride themselves on getting out of the

Some people pride themselves on getting out of their comfort zones, and certainly, if you do what you always did, get you'll get what you've always gotten. But like anything, this all depends on context.

If you're talking about doing something you've never done before, like move across the country, and that scares you, that's an opportunity you might miss because of your comfort zone. It might be worth the risk.

If you're talking about doing something you've never done before that might actually violate your personal values, and expose you to harmful relationship dynamics, that's a whole other ballgame. That's risky behavior because you don't recognize risk when you see it.

Sometimes our comfort zones exist because we've been severely traumatized, and pushing ourselves out of them too fast, too soon is just like the trauma that created them in the first place. This is harmful.

Sometimes, because of abuse, we don't actually fully understand what our comfort level is. We ignore our discomfort because that's what our abusers taught us to do, and when we come up against some similar, subtle, but potentially harmful experiences, we stick around too long, not realizing what's happening until it's too late.

Those with people-pleasing or codependent tendencies are not great at recognizing risk or when their boundaries are being violated, and a lot of folks think that pushing through this is somehow conquering their fear in the name of spirituality. If you're a recovering people pleaser, or have a history of trauma and abuse, I urge you to ignore the comfort zone messaging on Instagram when it comes to really personal things like relationships, sex, and things which are directly tied to your physical and emotional well-being.

There are certain species of pyrophytic wildflower

There are certain species of pyrophytic wildflowers whose seeds are only capable of germination after being exposed to extreme heat. They literally require the destructive force of a forest fire to crack open and begin to grow.

From the ash of everything that has burned down around them, they are catalyzed, transformed, and set on a path to blossom.

You’re going to burn through many versions of yourself on this journey.

The growth is in the forgiving.

— Notes to Self

#healing #spirituality #personaldevelopment #writingtoheal #personalgrowth #instadaily #motivation #words #honestlyworded #thoughtoftheday #lifequotes #soul #wordsthatheal #instagood #lifeadvice #spilledink #wordsofwisdom #highervibes #writer #healer #lightworker #awakening #quoteoftheday #lifequotes #reflectingoutloud

Honor your process and allow everyone to feel. Le

Honor your process and allow everyone to feel.

Learn more about bypassing and gaslighting: https://inmysacredspace.com/project/spiritual-bypassing/

#spiritualbypassing #spiritualgaslighting #spirituality #wellness #wellnessthatworks #wellnessjourney #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth

We have a problem in New Age spirituality today wh

We have a problem in New Age spirituality today where the prematurely enlightened have placed the desires of the unexamined ego—money, fame, material possessions, success—on the same level as, and in many cases above, the mission and purpose of a higher calling, which wills the healing and liberation of all beings...not just self.

As a result, we have droves of spiritual influencers and business coaches operating from the same level of ego that produced the existing power imbalances in our society which are destroying our planet.

Their only concern is manifesting their desired outcome. The "inner work" is only discussed in the context of its role in helping one manifest that outcome. It's about building six and seven-figure businesses, finding your ideal client, making enough money to work four days a week, and maintaining a positive attitude so that you can manifest all the things you've always wanted, own your own business, and work from anywhere.

There's little talk of self-exploration and awareness, except to become aware of your manifestation blocks. There's little talk of healing, except to the degree that it allows you to get what you want. There's little talk of mission, purpose, and service to the collective, except for its ability to bring you clients and recognition and money.

There's no discussion about who gets left behind because of your business practices. There's no talk about accessibility, equity, fairness, or anyone else's freedom but your own—and those who can afford to pay your fees.

What about the consequences of those business practices? What about asking yourself why you have those desires in the first place? What about helping people heal? What about healing our broken society? What about your duty to anyone other than yourself?

If this is your primary motivation, you're not bringing forth a New Age, you're just recreating old paradigm with yourself in power.

For those in the know, this spiritual narcissism i

For those in the know, this spiritual narcissism is known as “spiritual ego” and it’s quite rampant. One thing I’d like to emphasize about the second study is that they actually interviewed people who were studying to become spiritual practitioners (specifically energy workers). I don’t find it surprising, but it should be alarming that the people studying to become practitioners are exhibiting narcissistic thought patterns in regard to themselves in relation to spiritual practice, when that is literally the antithesis of spiritual practice—and they’re studying to go out into the world to work with the public.

Narcissists are attracted to positions of power, particularly self-appointed ones.

Please be discerning in who you choose to work with. If you need some help evaluating who is the real deal, here’s a couple of posts that can help:

inmysacredspace.com/spiritual-abuse

inmysacredspace.com/credibility

I’m doing posts by request now, apparently? 🤷

I’m doing posts by request now, apparently? 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 If you’ve got a topic you’d like me to tackle, feel free to DM me. Here’s one from yesterday on spirituality + [insert any controversial subject, but especially those which are political in nature].

People engage in spiritual bypassing for all sorts of reasons, but it typically has to do with avoiding accountability or their own uncomfortable emotions.

You can avoid spiritual bypassing by asking yourself a few questions and answering honestly:

—Pause and examine your emotional state. Ask yourself what emotions you’re feeling. Name them. Is there shame underneath?

—Who is sitting in a position of power in the dynamic in question? Is it you or someone else? The person (or group) with the power is the person with the responsibility for leadership and wielding that power responsibly, and they are the ones who are accountable.

—Is the person or situation triggering this feeling attacking your character (shaming) Or are they holding you accountable for actions (guilt)?

—Are you attempting to bypass accountability by setting a boundary, or avoiding dealing with the situation, subject matter, or the feelings they trigger? Or is it a healthy boundary?

—Does this situation remind you of any past instances where you were abused? Does it evoke emotions attached to a painful memory?

—Does avoiding accountability for or remaining silent about this subject, culture, or action result in other people being harmed? (This is the part of spirituality where we recognize our obligation to the collective)

—Does NOT setting a boundary result in your own harm?

Answering these questions really requires us to dig into the nuances between shame, guilt, accountability, power, and what belongs to us vs. what doesn’t. They’ll give you a clear idea, though, of whether you’re engaging in bypassing by avoiding social responsibility/accountability or not.

I’ve written about this topic a lot, and you can find some of my other posts here:

inmysacredspace.com/separation-consciousness

inmysacredspace.com/shadow-work

Inmysacredspace.com/cancel-culture

I once had a conversation with a man who told me t

I once had a conversation with a man who told me that legacy was very important to him. But what he really meant by legacy wasn’t to be remembered for his impact on the world, it was simply that he be remembered.

That’s not a legacy, that’s just fame, and it’s hollow.

In contrast, I couldn’t give three flying fucks if anyone remembers my name when I’m dead (I’d honestly prefer not to be known even while I’m alive).

I care about the change I initiate while I’m here and it’s exponential growth after I’m gone. I’d be content to be like one of those people who contributes a household item we use every single day that’s completely changed how we live, but nobody knows who the fuck came up with it. Like the guy who invented the wheel—the innovators that history forgot.

I don’t want to create inventions, of course. I just want to help people heal in some small way, and make the world generally more aware of itself. Nobody needs to know who did it, just that it needed to be done—and it was.

That’s true purpose. It doesn’t ask for the spotlight. Just the result.

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