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in 2006, my own spiritual emergency turned my reality Inside-out. For the first two years i lost my mind to spiritual psychosis. Now I am a counselor in Durango, CO, and spiritual coach, specializing in helping people with spiritual emergency triggered by things like spiritual practice, near death experiences, substances, or traumatic events.
What Is a Spiritual Emergency?
A spiritual emergency, also known as a spiritual crisis, is not your run-of-the-mill bad day or even a tough year. It’s a profound unsettling experience where you’re thrust into intense spiritual or mystical states of consciousness.
Think of it as a cosmic wake-up call, one that doesn’t always feel gentle. These experiences can range from feeling like you’re dissolving into the universe (spiritual death and rebirth, anyone?) to grappling with a completely new sense of identity or a peak experience so overwhelming it leaves you questioning everything.
Symptoms include:
*Symptoms, while they can be difficult, are not necessarily bad things
- Cycles of psychological death and rebirth
- Depression and anxiety
- Profound sense of isolation
- Disassociation and disconnection from reality
*Symptoms, while they can be difficult, are not necessarily bad things
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” – Christine Caine
Transformative Potential of Spiritual Emergencies
What sets a spiritual emergency apart from the usual life challenges is its transformative potential. This isn’t just about surviving a tough time; it’s about emerging on the other side with a new sense of purpose, clarity, and maybe even some supercharged intuition.
Yes, it’s messy, confusing, and exhausting. But it can also be deeply rewarding, like finding a hidden treasure—if the treasure was a clearer understanding of your soul’s purpose.
You’re not alone, and you’re not broken. You’re on the edge of something extraordinary.
Spiritual Emergence vs. Spiritual Emergency
Ever had one of those moments where life just clicks, like all the puzzle pieces of your existence suddenly form a coherent picture? That’s spiritual emergence—the kind of experience where you feel deeply connected to yourself, others, and even the universe.
But then there’s spiritual emergency. This is more like being handed that same backstage pass, only to realize the lights are too bright, the music’s too loud, and you’re not entirely sure where the exit is. Instead of clarity, there’s confusion.
Instead of feeling grounded and inspired, you’re overwhelmed and destabilized.
The Fine Line Between the Two
The difference between spiritual emergence and spiritual emergency often comes down to intensity and integration.
Emergence is manageable; you can weave the insights and experiences into your daily life. Emergency, however, feels like a tidal wave—too much, too fast, and too overwhelming to process. It’s the difference between being gently nudged awake and having a bucket of ice water dumped on you.
Symptoms, Types, and Triggers of Spiritual Emergency
Spiritual Emergency Symptoms
A spiritual emergency can manifest in a variety of ways, often blending physical, emotional, and mystical experiences. Common symptoms include:
- Emotional Upheaval: Intense feelings of fear, joy, grief, or love that seem to come out of nowhere.
- Visions and Mystical Experiences: Seeing symbols, lights, or even divine figures, often accompanied by a sense of awe or connection.
- Heightened Awareness: A sharp sensitivity to your surroundings, emotions, and even other people’s energy.
- Numinous Experiences: Moments of profound spiritual connection or oneness with the universe that feel deeply sacred.
Types of Spiritual Emergencies
Spiritual emergencies come in all shapes and sizes—like life’s unexpected plot twists, but with a cosmic twist. These experiences can range from a mild existential wobble to full-blown “what-is-reality” meltdowns. While every journey is unique, most spiritual emergencies fit into one (or sometimes more) of these six categories. Let’s break them down—quickly, clearly, and with a dash of humor to keep things grounded.
1. Psychosis
This is when someone’s perception of reality takes a sharp left turn. Think delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia, often tied to spiritual or religious themes. It’s like suddenly starring in a metaphysical thriller without a script.
2. Existential Crisis
Cue the dramatic music: this is the classic “What does it all mean?” moment. When faced with questions of purpose, impermanence, and the grand design of the universe, it’s easy to feel like you’re spiraling into an existential black hole.
3. Identity Crisis
Who are you…really? When a spiritual awakening shakes up your sense of self, it can lead to some serious soul-searching. Losing your old identity is hard; finding your new one can be even harder. Welcome to the ultimate cosmic rebrand.
4. Alienation/Isolation Crisis
Spiritual growth can sometimes feel like losing your RSVP to the human connection party. Whether it’s feeling alienated from loved ones or questioning your place in the world, this crisis is all about navigating relationships and rediscovering where you belong.
5. Crisis of the Heart
Grief, moral dilemmas, overwhelming compassion—it’s all about the big emotions. It’s like your heart suddenly got upgraded to handle universal empathy, and now it’s short-circuiting.
6. Energetic Crisis
Imagine plugging a 5-watt bulb into a 100-watt socket. That’s what an energetic crisis feels like. Think intense physical sensations, overwhelming energy surges, and a body that’s trying to keep up with the cosmic current.
How They Overlap
Here’s the kicker: these emergencies don’t always show up alone. They love to crash each other’s parties. For example:
- Religious Deconstruction: Sometimes life forces us to test our beliefs and confront our doubts.
- Dark Night of the Soul: When existential crisis meets a crisis of the heart. Cue despair and questioning everything.
- Kundalini Syndrome: Energetic crisis shakes hands with psychosis. Intense energy and reality distortions abound.
- Ego Death: The unholy mashup of identity crisis and existential crisis, where you’re left questioning who you are and why it matters.
Spiritual emergencies might be chaotic, but understanding their types can bring clarity—and maybe even a little humor—to the process. After all, growth often comes wrapped in a bit of cosmic drama.
Triggers of Spiritual Emergencies
Spiritual emergencies take many forms, each with its own unique characteristics and challenges. Here are some of the most common types:
Kundalini Awakening
A kundalini awakening is one of the most well-known types of spiritual emergencies involving the awakening of dormant spiritual energy, often described as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine.
Symptoms can include intense physical sensations like heat or tingling, emotional turbulence, and shifts in perception.
While it can lead to profound spiritual growth, the process—sometimes referred to as kundalini syndrome or kundalini psychosis—can also feel overwhelming if not properly guided.
Mystical Experiences and Altered States of Consciousness
These are moments of profound connection, often described as religious ecstasy or peak experiences.
Individuals may feel a sense of oneness with the universe, encounter divine figures, or gain sudden, deep insights into the nature of reality.
For a lot of people, like myself, these experiences disrupt daily life and require integration to fully understand their impact.
Spiritual Death and Rebirth
A spiritual death and rebirth often feels like losing one’s identity, followed by a reawakening into a new sense of self. Some would call it the shamanic journey.
This process is deeply transformative but can be disorienting, as it may involve releasing old beliefs, patterns, or attachments.
This type of spiritual emergency after a near death experience is common as we are forced to face a broader understanding of existence.
Activation of the Central Archetype
Imagine being thrust into the role of the cosmic lead actor—center stage, all eyes on you in a play about creation, destruction, and rebirth.
Activation of the central archetype feels like this. It’s an intense spiritual crisis where profound themes like life, death, and the clash of opposites—light versus dark, masculine versus feminine—bubble up from the depths of your psyche.
Psychic Opening
Now picture a floodgate swinging open, releasing waves of psychic phenomena—extrasensory perception, out-of-body experiences, and eerie synchronicities that defy logic like seeing events before the happen or knowing what people will say before they say it.
A psychic opening feels overwhelming, like tuning into every radio station at once. This form of spiritual emergency invites us to explore heightened states of awareness but also challenges us to stay grounded amidst extraordinary experiences.
Traumatic Life Events and PTSD
Major life events can serve as catalysts for spiritual emergencies, from grief and loss to near death experiences. For some, the intensity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can lead to experiences of spiritual death and rebirth or a spiritual identity crisis.
These painful moments can crack open the door to profound spiritual growth.
Psychedelic or Peak Experiences
For others, spiritual emergencies are triggered by psychedelic experiences or peak states of consciousness.
Substances like psilocybin, Ketamine, or LSD, as well as profound meditative states, can push individuals into altered states of consciousness that sometimes require careful integration to avoid feeling destabilized.
Religious Experiences or Paranormal Encounters
Experiences of religious ecstasy, profound visions, or even encounters with the paranormal can act as triggers for a spiritual emergency.
My own spiritual psychosis went on until I found support aftermath of a Near Death Experience (NDE) I had while I was dead for over ten minutes.
For some, these transpersonal emergencies become the foundation for a new spiritual perspective, while others may feel destabilized without the proper support.
“The only way out is through.” – Robert Frost
How to Respond to a Spiritual Emergency
A spiritual emergency is like being caught in a storm without a compass. But just like any storm, there are ways to steady yourself and find your way through.
Immediate Steps
When a spiritual emergency strikes, grounding yourself is crucial. Think of it as anchoring your ship in a turbulent sea. Grounding techniques like deep breathing, walking in nature, or even holding onto something solid can help you stay present.
Self-care practices—like staying hydrated, eating nourishing foods, and getting enough sleep—become some of the most important factors when lack of sleep and malnutrition make paranoia worse.
You’re not meant to go through this alone. Reach out to trusted friends, family, or mentors who can provide a listening ear and a steady presence. If you’re connected to a spiritual community or teacher, they can also offer guidance tailored to your unique experience.
When to Seek Help
Sometimes, it gets too overwhelming to navigate on your own. If your experience starts to interfere with daily functioning or feels more chaotic than transformative, it’s time to seek professional support.
Therapists familiar with spiritual emergencies, transpersonal healers, or spiritual coaches, or traditional healers can help you make sense of what’s happening and provide tools to cope.
Remember, a spiritual emergency isn’t the end of your story—it’s a pivotal chapter. It can become a turning point that leads to deeper understanding, growth, and even joy.
Treatment for Spiritual Emergency
Holistic and Therapeutic Approaches
When using a therapy specifically tailored for spiritual emergencies, a psycho spiritual therapy and holistic approaches that combine therapeutic and spiritual practices often yields the best results.
Transpersonal counseling is specifically designed to promote psycho spiritual healing and address the unique challenges of spiritual emergencies.
Therapists trained in this field can help individuals navigate altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, and spiritual identity crises with empathy and expertise.
Somatic practices for grounding and mindfulness are also essential tools for integration. Somatic therapy, yoga, breathwork, and mindful movement, provide a safe way to process emotions and integrate spiritual insights into daily life.
Treatment Modalities
In many cases, combining modern psychiatry with psycho spiritual healing creates a balanced path to recovery.
Psychiatric support may be necessary for managing spiritual psychosis symptoms or religious psychosis, while spiritual modalities can address the deeper existential questions that often arise.
Practitioners like Christina and Stanislav Grof have pioneered methods that integrate spiritual perspectives into therapeutic frameworks, emphasizing the transformative potential of spiritual emergencies.
Techniques such as Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Grof, encourage individuals to access altered states of consciousness in a safe, guided environment.
Case Studies and Examples
Turns out to not be psychosis:
Stanislav Grof’s groundbreaking work has paved the way for understanding and treating spiritual emergencies.
For example, one case involved an individual experiencing vivid mystical visions that were initially mistaken for psychosis. Through transpersonal counseling and Holotropic Breathwork sessions, the person was able to integrate their experiences, ultimately finding a renewed sense of purpose and spiritual connection.
NDE survivor:
Another example involved a person navigating a profound near-death experience that triggered a spiritual awakening.
This one was me, and with the guidance of a therapist trained in transpersonal psychology, I was able to process the trauma of the event while embracing the transformative insights it offered.
Resources for Navigating a Spiritual Emergency
Self-Help Practices
One powerful way to regain your bearings is through self-help practices. Journaling, for instance, allows you to process overwhelming emotions and make sense of mystical or numinous experiences.
A friend once described journaling during their spiritual emergency as “a way to have a conversation with my soul.”
Mindfulness and connecting with nature my most used resources and are equally grounding. Imagine standing barefoot on the earth, feeling its steady presence beneath you, or taking a deep breath under a canopy of trees.
Developing awareness of triggers, such as a being around certain people, talking about certain topics, or sensory overload, also helps build resilience and understanding.
Community Support
No one should navigate a spiritual emergency alone. Finding spiritual support groups or communities can provide the sense of belonging and validation that is often missing during these experiences.
Whether it’s a local meditation group or a subreddit dedicated to awakening, being among others who “get it” can make all the difference.
I remember my first support group. During a particularly intense spiritual crisis, a friend recommended a small spiritual discussion group. At first, I hesitated, worried I wouldn’t fit in. But within moments of sharing my experience, I was met with nods of understanding and words of encouragement. It was like finding an anchor in a stormy sea.
Professional Help
My own spiritual emergency took a new turn when I found a transpersonal counselor. I had no idea they existed.
Therapists trained in spiritual emergencies or transpersonal psychology can provide a safe, structured environment to explore what’s happening. And they can help differentiate between spiritual awakening and potential medical conditions.
Professionals specializing in spiritual psychosis treatment or religious psychosis can also offer strategies to stabilize the experience while preserving its transformative potential.
Explore Personalized Support
Book a consultation with a therapist specializing in spiritual emergencies to receive personalized treatment options. Whether you’re navigating a spiritual identity crisis or seeking support for altered states of consciousness, professional guidance can make all the difference.
Conclusion
Spiritual emergencies, while often overwhelming, have the potential to lead to profound personal growth. They can act as catalysts for spiritual death and rebirth, offering opportunities to rediscover purpose, meaning, and a deeper connection to the universe. With the right support, these experiences can transform challenges into stepping stones for a richer, more fulfilling life.