The Spiritual Ego and the God Realm

In what might be the beginning of a series ‘Common Shadows in the World of Spirituality’, today’s post dedicated to the spiritual ego and the ‘God Realm’.

In spiritual circles these days, especially in the west and on Instagram, there’s a kind of normalization, sometimes even celebration, of spiritual narcissism—an obsession with self, personal power, follower count, radiance, success, etc.

And indeed it can be incredibly intoxicating to spiritually awaken. It’s not just our spirits that awaken. As our awakening begins to transform us deeply as a human, our grandiose personal transformation becomes the perfect breeding ground for deeper layers of our ego to develop.

The Kundalini rises, the life force accumulates and our face begins to shine, our wisdom is bright, we feel empowered and powerful, and we notice a different response from the world. We become magnetic, receive praise, admiration, gain influence, and develop new abilities and siddhis. Increased charisma, power of speech, power to heal, manifest, endless creative life force energy… we maybe even learn to read minds, transmit energy, or channel.

We start to wield a kind of magic. Yet are unconscious of more subtle layers of our ego that are distorting this spiritual power.

It’s like a young sorcerer leaving mentorship too soon; we intoxicate and potentially even harm ourselves and others with a newly discovered magic that we haven’t yet learned to control or fully honor.

This state is sometimes referred to as the ‘God Realm’ in Buddhism—where it is described as one of the six realms of delusion.

It is good to know that it is a whole one sixth of these realms that is solely dedicated to describe the spiritual ego and all its ways. Which shows us how much part of the spiritual journey it actually is. Something that we almost all have to go through in some form or another on this path.

Yet, while a very natural and often unavoidable part of spiritual evolution, it’s not where we’re want to stay.

In the god realm, we might have some new level of freedom, yet we are still far from free.

We might like to believe that we’ve transcended ourselves - yet thinking that we’re more enlightened than we are doesn’t mean we truly embody divinity on earth.

Even though we might advocate oneness and portray ourselves as humble, deep down, we may feel as though we’re a little bit more special, ‘the chosen one’, that the universe favors a little more than others with our special mission on earth, although we would never say this out loud.

Even though we find perfect comfort in our self-created spiritual bubble, not much is needed to trigger us into our old patterns.

And rather than selflessly serving others with our gifts, we get lost and caught up in the pursuit of power and admiration, creating a facade of how far we have come.

To wake up from the god realm, we have to get really - really - honest with ourselves and face our own superiority complex, egotistical motives and addictions.

The god realm is a refined and addictive realm of delusion, and one that not many people, including spiritual teachers, have fully traversed, and so we have to be very alert and honest with ourselves in the process, continuously.

Luckily we can find antidotes, by deeply reflecting on our motives, learning to laugh at ourselves, and occasionally stepping away from the roles of teacher, coach, or guide.

Also the transmission and company of truly humble teachers for inspiration will help—and to keep some healthy distance from those still operating in the god realm.

As well as spending time in community, in equal circles with others, making friends, being vulnerable, grounding in nature, contemplating our mortality, remembering how small we are.

Keeping friends close that call us out and remind us to not take us too seriously.

I’m curious what your journey has been and your insights on the spiritual ego?