The 4 Levels of Spiritual Advancement

May 13, 2009 - PRLog -- Whether we pray or meditate, bow our heads or kneel on the floor, we are actively seeking connection with the source of all spiritual energy.  Some of us have gone through multiple levels of advancement, and continue to seek knowledge and growth.  Others may be comfortable where they are and content with the knowledge they’ve acquired thus far.  It may be helpful, however, to understand the various levels of spiritual development to recognize what we’ve been through, where we are, what potential lies ahead in our future.

Here are the 4 levels of spiritual advancement:

Level 1: Awakening of Self

This is where the spiritual path begins. It usual starts with a period of discontent in our lives.  We are unhappy, dissatisfied, and longing for a better way to live.  This discontent reaches a level where we have a single abrupt experience that awakens us.  It is sudden, intense, and joyous.  For some, this can be an “ah-ha” moment.  For others, this may be a religious experience during a ritual or prayer.  Still, for others, it could come from something read, something heard, a near-death experience or from an experience that briefly connects us with spirituality in a way we didn’t know was possible.

This awakening then sets us on a path to pursue a better way to live, and a desire to serve others.

Level 2:  Purification of Self

This is the most difficult stage.  It entails chipping away the superfluous parts of our character through simplification and self-knowledge.  We want to follow the will of God, and are willing to do so by giving up our personal desires.  We are also willing to sacrifice more in order to serve others.  

As we proceed through this phase, we begin to embrace the concept of detachment.  We understand more about our egos through self-analysis and contemplation.  We realize that there is more here than meets the eye, and endeavor to go deeper within ourselves to understand.

Level 3:  Illumination of Self

Here, we begin to detatch from the beliefs we assumed without question, and develop our own understandings.  We no longer value keeping up with the Joneses, and we re-orient our lives accordingly.  Rather than focusing on what lies outside of ourselves, we turn inwards for deep introspection.  Rather than looking towards the sky for our answers, we turn inwards towards that part of us that is spiritual energy to find true connection.  At this level, we want to explore the consciousness of reality.

While in this phase, we can temporarily reject the concept of self-sacrifice and the surrender of our personal goals.  Both of these can be harmful to character development.  However, as we move deeper into the self, we re-affirm the need for character development.  This affirmation is based on shedding the illusions of societal beliefs and myths, and re-discovering our original oneness.  It’s not about what we learn, but about what we unlearn.

Level 4:  Unification of Self

At this level, we as seekers find what we were in search of.  We go through a profound change in our thinking and our personality.  In essence, we are no longer divided.  We are at one with ourselves, and have found lasting peace and true happiness.  We find peace through the lack of inner turbulence that comes from living life believing that we are separate from spiritual energy. We find happiness from knowing who we really are and our place in life.

This unification of self also brings the understanding that we are not subjugated to spirituality, but are one with it.  We are all a part of that spiritual energy, and therefore connected as one by spiritual energy.  Rather than seeking an authority figure outside of ourselves, we find our answers within through spiritual connection.

Conclusion

The unconditional love that comes from direct connection with spiritual energy is priceless.  We all chase it, whether we know it or not.  We seek it in having fancy cars, great job titles, lots of money, popularity or important roles in other people’s lives.  Ultimately, we will all find that these are not the activities or possessions that lead us to finding our true self-value.

You must consider if you want to continue as you were, or begin seeking a deeper truth.  Decide if you are ok with the illusions of self-esteem, the shadows of a life well lived, and the deceptive echos of another’s words.  Or, decide if it is worth it for you to pursue peace of mind, true happiness and unconditional love in the only place you can ever find it.  That is, within yourself.

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James LeGrand is the publisher of www.SpiritualIndividual.com, a free weekly newsletter that presents solutions to life’s issues through the lens of self-help, wisdom, philosophy and spirituality. He is the author of an Amazon.com best seller in Religion and Spirituality titled "Evolve!", and an Expert Author with SelfGrowth.com & EzineArticles.com. James LeGrand is a Life Strategist, a Radio Personality, a Fortune 500 Vice President, and a Sifu in Shaolin Kungfu, which has been known for centuries as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment.