Are you thinking about spirituality or wondering how to start your spiritual journey? Many people often have lots of questions about “spirituality”, the “first steps on a spiritual journey” or “how do I know I’m awakening spiritually”? 

Starting a spiritual journey can feel confusing. Where do I begin? What practices should I try? Is it okay to explore different things considering my religion? What stages will come next?

The truth is, everybody’s spiritual path and spiritual journey is different,  but every person on their path to spiritual growth starts exactly where you are now: curious, hesitant, confused, overwhelmed, but feeling deeply called…..

What is a spiritual journey?

A spiritual journey is not about religion (unless you want it to be).

A spiritual journey is deeply personal and  unique to each person because it’s about becoming the real you without any masks, or external programming. Unlike many organized religions, spirituality doesn’t require following specific set laws or rules to belong or practice. Spirituality mostly involves self-discovery and exploration of your  inner world – your  thoughts, your feelings, your values, and your beliefs.

Starting your spiritual journey will involve:

• Discovering your true self beyond who you have/ were conditioned to be
• Connecting deeper with something greater (God, the Universe, Higher Self – whatever resonates with you as you grow spiritually)
• Living with more peace, purpose, and values that are true to you

Why start a spiritual journey?

Most people getting started with spirituality or experiencing a spiritual awakening feel called to start a spiritual journey  for different reasons. Some are: 

• Seeking answers to life’s big questions (Why am I here? What’s my purpose?)
• Healing emotional wounds (childhood trauma, past trauma, or feelings of being  “stuck”)
• Desiring a deeper connection – to themselves, to the world around them, or the divine
• Experiencing unexplainable life events that spark curiosity and they feel the need to seek more knowledge

Whatever your reason, it is valid and your spiritual path is yours to shape. This time, you have the freedom to choose what your spiritual journey looks like without anyone telling you what it is or should be. 

How to start a spiritual journey alone or with no experience

Starting a spiritual journey can bring up lots of fear, resistance, and doubts especially if you have been a firm believer in modern religion. You will always wonder – is what I’m doing right? What will my friends and family think about me? How do I know if I’m doing the right thing? 

All these questions arise when you are in the first stages of your spiritual awakening and may keep coming up through the different stages of your spiritual awakening journey. And that is normal, just flow with your curiosity and see where it takes you.

Here are some common blocks, questions, feelings, or fears that might come up when starting your spiritual journey and how to navigate them:

1. “I don’t know where to begin”

Start small. You can start by reading blogs like these or more of our spiritual resources to understand what spirituality is all about. You don’t need to read every spiritual text – but you can explore different spiritual traditions if you feel called to.

Follow what lights you up. There are so many beginner spiritual practices from different religions, times,  and regions. Choose what works for you and makes you feel better. It can be 5 minutes of mindful breathing, 10 minutes of meditation or creating an altar for your ancestors (do what you feel called to do)

2. “What if I do it wrong?”

There’s no “right” way or wrong way.  Spirituality is about experimenting and listening to your intuition. Feel free to explore various religious philosophies, practices, and perspectives without being bound by a particular rule or belief.

Ask yourself: Does this practice make me feel more open, peaceful, or alive? If yes, you can keep doing it, if no, you can stop doing it and try something else. 

With time, you’ll find your rhythm. 

3. “I’m afraid of losing myself”

Spiritual awakening isn’t about losing yourself, it’s about becoming yourself. It’s remembering who you truly are.  Many times, the idea of spiritual awakening is associated with losing who you have been or who you have known yourself to be, or who your family and friends have known you to be. What if that is exactly what you need for your life to become better? This is especially true in most cases where people suppress their thoughts, emotions, or desires to comply with people, places, or systems.

Your spiritual journey helps you remember who your “true self” is when you remove the “false self” identity built on identifications like (sister, parent, worker, friend) or built to survive the limitations of this world. 

4. “Is what I’m doing right, considering my religion?”

You are doing nothing wrong. You don’t have to filter the spiritual path you take through the religion system rules. Spirituality is about aligning with what resonates with you. Maybe the better question is “does my religion align with my soul”? Or “does my religion make me feel sinful for questioning it” ? 

Spirituality calls you to deeper truths that awaken you to who you really are. Honestly, its liberating.

There is no deadline for starting your spiritual journey and for spiritual growth. Because once you start, it never ends – you keep growing and discovering every single day. Some days you’ll have the energy and feel enlightened, others, you’ll question certain things and that’s normal. The key is to stay gentle with yourself, trust your intuition, and trust the process.

Our spiritual awakening for beginners version 1 is designed to support you through how to start your spiritual journey. It provides guidance on:

• Identifying the signs of a spiritual awakening
• The challenges you might face on your spiritual journey
• The benefits of a spiritual awakening
• How to start your spiritual journey 
• Tools and spiritual practices for beginners
• The role of the ego in spiritual awakening
• Top myths about spiritual awakening 
• The importance of shadow work

The spiritual awakening for beginners version 2 provides guidance on: 

• The stages of a spiritual awakening
• What to avoid in your awakening journey 
• How to stay grounded in your awakening journey 
• Tools and practices for continuous spiritual growth

Your spiritual awakening journey starts with a single step. Whether you’re curious, feeling confused, or just tired of your current life –  we are here to support you.

With love,

The Spiritual Collective