Life IS About Learning to Integrate…The Closest Thing You’ll Get To “Doctrine” From Me…
I had someone ask me about a comment I made on the Sacred Circles NC Community Facebook group – It was a funny reel with David from Schitt’s Creek and it was captioned– “Them: It gets easier after your spiritual awakening…” Then at the bottom… “Me every time a new level unlocks…” Then it shows the many faces of pain, confusion, etc of David. I stated in my share: “I was just talking with my friend and fellow spiritual leader Bohdi Deva Ma at her Monday night group about this very topic. Expanding into greater understanding is brilliant - but then there's the equal low... And then finally the integration.” One of the SCNC community members asked if I would expand on what I meant. So this is what I wrote…
That’s such a great question! *IMO* (and for some humble friends I've talked with who’ve been on this path awhile), spiritual awakening isn’t a one-time peak moment - it’s an ongoing unfolding. Every new level of insight and “enlightenment” often brings both an expansion and a contraction… a high followed by a low, often just as deep as the high was bright.
The key to healthy integration isn’t to chase the highs or fear the lows, but to learn to trust yourself through both - and embrace that life will have both, no matter how much we resist. The highs aren’t permanent, and the lows aren’t a failure (even if the same issue arises again, you’re not the same person you were last time).
They’re simply waves and rhythms innate to being human.
To me, real awakening is less about staying in constant bliss or thinking you’ve “arrived” (which can lean into spiritual bypassing), and more about cultivating a Centered peace - trusting yourself to ride whatever comes, as best you can. As well as nurturing friends and community, while learning tools that you can rely on through the rough patches.
Self-trust - to enjoy the highs fully and to move through the lows without losing yourself - deepens us more than any single moment of elation ever could. (This is why I think it’s so important)
And personally, I go against the cultural idea that “losing the ego” means you’ll never get triggered again. Instead, IMO it’s about identifying less with the triggers. Not making a low moment mean, “I’m still broken, unlovable, or lacking.” Or letting stories run wild in our minds. ALSO not clinging to the highs as proof of being “chosen” or more special than others (I see this a lot. Hey - we all want to feel special and recognized for our wisdom, don’t we? Well if no one has told you lately - you ARE special and your wisdom is needed! But I digress…)
This is also why I think Michael Singer teaches that even as you “awaken,” don’t quit your day job. Enlightenment isn't about abandoning ego identity. There's nothing wrong with knowing yourself as a teacher, an accountant, a sister, a parent, a healer, etc. Those roles matter and help give you structure in this 3D life.
However, true awakening goes beyond what you DO (Ego Identification) into who you are BECOMING (Spiritual Essence).
Spiritual Essence often asks - What are you here to GIVE? What part of you doesn’t change, even as your roles (Ego Identities) shift and change? (We went into this at our Five Pillars of Purpose workshop back in June 2025).
Lastly, for me, awakening is about remembering that we’re all works in progress — a delicate dance between honest self-evaluation and grace (allowing ourselves to not be perfect). And anyone you meet on the road can be a wise teacher if you have ears that hear and eyes that see.
I don’t know who might need that today or any day you might be reading this - but I hope if you’re caught in the “I have to heal/fix myself” merry-go-round or if you are pushing for some “arrival” point in your journey when you’ll finally KNOW you’ve made it (feel safe/on predictable, solid ground). Or you’re looking for just the right spiritual leader who can tell you “the right way” to get to where you want to go - I ask you to take a deep breath…
And find that CENTER within YOURSELF.
Self trust is about knowing you are OK right now - as you are. AND… You are going to change. It’s about knowing you are your own authority. It’s about knowing your needs and how to meet what you can yourself, and knowing who you can rely on to meet what you can’t meet yourself (because we are both sovereign AND interdependent Beings). You are worthy of love - most especially love from YOURSELF (do you like yourself when you look in the mirror?). Your insights have equal importance to anyone else - even a guru- and your experiences are valid. Keep going!
Enjoy where you are - because you’ll never be here again.
Enjoy the light moments, and lean on your trusted circle through the hard ones. You are in your own unique unfolding… Embrace it! I hope this lands for anyone who needs it.
Much Love -
Reh