r/spirituality

Hi everyone,

Have you ever wondered why your thoughts sometimes change the way things show up for you?

Maybe you decide to focus on gratitude and, suddenly, more good things happen.

It makes me feel like life might be more like a dream than a set of gears.

I’ve been exploring this idea (how our minds and the universe work together), and I wrote about it in a little book called Ætherveil.

It combines old wisdom with new science to demonstrate that we all share a unified field of consciousness.

It’s written in simple language, so anyone can enjoy it.

I’d love to know what you think: do your thoughts shape your world?

Here’s a link if you wanna read it. Aetherveil

I’m curious to hear your experiences or questions. Thanks for reading!

(TL;DR - I'm a new author and wanted to share the first book that I've written. It's a non-fiction compilation of religious, spiritual, metaphysical, philosophical, and historical docs, in a neutral tone. With 'As above, So Below' being the main principle of life, it's been echoed so much that it's gone mute. This is a reminder that the universe happens through you, not to you. )

I'm 24F and I'm only realising this now.

School, maths, foreign languages, arts & crafts, hobbies, university degrees, skills. I could never truly learn anything well with pressure and stress. I love learning for the sake of learning, not cuz parents are terrorising me or cuz there's an exam/grades coming up. I always found everything was moving way too fast for me. And it's not to say I'm slow, I understand patterns and logic very well, I just wanna take my time to absorb, practice and learn in depth because I love knowledge, not cuz I have to. I couldn't learn coding for statistics within 4 weeks of my Master's, especially as someone who had "math trauma" from elementary school in the mere sight of numbers and needed a whole ass reapprochment to learning. That shit takes time. But of course your university syllabus won't wait for you so you either catch up or drown. Plus, you're an adult after all.

Same goes for experiences, travel, hangouts, work and relationships. Anything remotely rushed where I feel pushed cuz of time, obligations or hurry I immediately shut off and can't enjoy. I will do it mechanically cuz it has to be done, but it has ultimately lost its meaning for me. My brain cannot follow through.

I live in a metropolis with a lot of rush and fast-paced lifestyle. Everybody panicky, closed off, always on the go, often times rude and stern, lives dictated by clocks, rules, schedules, running to catch trains, trams, metros. Nobody pauses ever. The life we've built has no space for any of that whatsoever. Just pure overstimulation 24/7. Im only realising how im so not built for all that noise and insanity. I commute daily and it has completely fried my nervous system and reflexes. Like it's actually not funny for a 24yo. I have zero energy considering I'm in my peak youth years. Coming from an island in the Mediterranean with slow life, endless sun, enjoyment, happy people taking their time with gathering their ingredients cooking healthy nutritious meals, enjoying coffee gatherings, companion, nobody running anywhere, appreciating stillness with joy and taking stuff for what it is... Modern life is all about wanting everything fast, ready, now, in the moment. The human element is essentially fading away, I'm seeing it more and more all around me folks looking and acting brain-fried, almost non-human, not much different from bots really. Interactions don't feel real anymore, people don't feel real anymore.

Im wondering if living on autopilot like this makes people enjoy moments of their life which are worth enjoying, or whether their dopamine receptors are completely destroyed. I've been living for 6 years outside of my home country and all this overstimulation of urban big city life has completely numbed me to the point I'm starting to question why everybody has turned so desensitised (myself included). I rarely get pleasure from anything anymore. The burnout and disillusionment are so real. Imagine looking back at milestones you achieved and literally not even remembering or feeling anything about it. Or that it happened in the first place. Everything feels so fleeting, so insignificant, so easy to forget and move on from. My days are wasted on public transport commuting, rushing to manage and eat quick during my breaks, running to class, to work, to the train station, to catch the bus, to have the energy to cook at night for tomorrow, to shower, aaaand wake up early to do it all over again. Additionally, you see how there are no accommodations for the elderly or people with disabilities. Nobody wants to wait, you see it daily, everybody is impatient and gets all irritated when someone is slower or needs more time/help to catch up. Im seriously thinking what the heck has capitalism done? It's all either you move fast or get left behind.

If you were to ask me what success or my version of happiness looks like, I would tell you to have enough money/resources to support that very lifestyle (not because I'm thirsty or greedy). Be the master of my own time, pace, and terms. Reside in my ideal location and be present for my loved ones, doing things that truly matter. Evolving as a person, taking care of my body and spirit. Engage in activities that make me feel alive and connected to who I am instead of prioritising all the madness and stress-inducing shit for survival. A regulated nervous system, a seafront home, calm low-lighting, relaxing jazz/soulful house music, taking my time to cook fresh with all my love and dedication, spend time with my dogs, not waking up every morning with an insane anxiety knot on my stomach worrying about money, deadlines, commute, meetings, or co-living with toxic people who spike up my cortisol from the second I open my eyes in the morning. Growing my own food in my garden, watering my plants, returning back to my passions of painting, reading, writing, creating music. Nowhere to go, not feeling chased. No disgusting alarm sounds making my body shake, not being told what to do or where to be, not being interrogated or having to be held accountable for whatever choices I have/haven't made, not being forced to abide by anyone's rules or schedules. Not feeling guilty for living slow and enjoying.

I cannot tell you how hard this is starting to hit as I'm approaching full frontal lobe development...

This decade marks the turning point for humanity, a new sunrise ushering in the light of consciousness to shine upon the stagnant darkness that has, for far too long, found residence here on Earth. While we still find ourselves at the infancy stage of the Great Awakening, there are clear signs that change in human consciousness is indeed taking place.

I asked Grok to compile metrics on the growth of this community over the last 5 years, but since Reddit does not disclose this data, only estimates were available. Still my findings were both illuminating and eye opening. Let me share the numbers with you:

"What is available (approximate data points from scattered public references)

• Early 2021 (around February): ~190,000–200,000 members.
• 2025–early 2026: ~550,000–568,000 members (most recent references point to the upper end).

This means the community roughly 2.75×–3× larger today than it was five years ago—an average of roughly +60,000–75,000 new members per year. Growth was almost certainly strongest during the 2020–2023 COVID period when interest in spirituality, wellness, and personal transformation surged globally."

Thank you Grok.

There you have it! This community has tripled in size over the past 5 years! That is amazing! If you are one of those people, I salute you and welcome you to this community of like minded individuals seeking to understand more deeply, our Earthly experiences from a spiritual perspective.

It is also necessary to identify that we are speaking of TWO distinct kinds of AWAKENING going on at this pivotal time in history. There is an awakening to the truth, that is to say, what is REALLY going on as compared to what we are TOLD is going on in the world. The Epstein Files are a classic example of this kind of awakening to the truth. Shocking and brutal to assimilate in an already challenging climate of rising inflation, rampantly dangerous levels of permitted immigration into Western cultures, and the ever present threat of war.

Then there is the SPIRITUAL AWAKENING, when we begin to recognize our true nature, and explore our divine heritage, and what that means going forward, navigating into unknown territory.

Only the bravest and most intrepid souls will ever read these lines of text. And together we will help anchor the energies of divine light, so that the world continues its evolution of consciousness, towards freedom and a return to wholeness.

It seems counterintuitive. If we come from an all-knowing Source, why be stripped of our memories and incarnate to learn “lessons”? What if we don’t want to incarnate and just stay on the other side in peace?

I feel exhausted all the time.

I am tired of working for no reward. Tired of being told I should work harder when I have no energy left to give.

Tired of being misunderstood. Tired of being around narcissists, manipulators and gaslighters who make life miserable for me.

Tired of rich people making decisions for others which have no affect on them.

Life is EXHAUSTING.

So in my life i have often felt drawn to fighting,

i dont like hurting people but i just like the fight itself.

Often i dont even feel scared.

It is weird somehow and i cant explain it because im not a violent/angry person at all.

so yeah i wanted to ask If someone has an idea of why it could be that i like Combat so much.

What is déjà vu? I mean yes I definitely think it can be a sign of your on the right path or your brain just having a sneaky little memory time jump… Recently I have been noticing déjà vu as soon as it comes on, you know how usually it lasts a little and it’s like woah déjà vu… Now I don’t even get to experience the feeling of déjà vu, I notice it and just know how it plays out, I’m not sure if it makes much sense but it’s been happening since Christmas. I’ve had intense and very frequent déjà vu scenarios my whole life. I’d like to think there is more to it, well I feel that there is a lot more to it. There is a sense of profound knowing, love and guidance during those times and it always just feels so out of body. Should I do an energy check in that moment, open up a flow of nonconscious thought, could it be a sign or some kind of message? Is it even this big of a deal orrr??

Just wanted to hear some thoughts, theories or fun stories!! xoxo

I don’t really know how to explain this properly, but I’ll try.

Ever since I broke up with my ex, something shifted in me. At first I was just sad, but then I started questioning everything, life, reality, myself. I got into spirituality, then things like manifestation, and even topics like astral projection and consciousness.

At some point, I stopped distracting myself with social media (Bc I didn’t want it to influence/ Impact me about spirituality) and just sat with my thoughts. And since then, I feel like kinda gone lol…

It’s like I’m constantly aware. Before, I used to feel like I was on autopilot most of the time, but now I feel present almost 24/7. I’m aware of my thoughts, my surroundings, everything. Like I can feel fucking time, who tf feels time?? And it won’t go away

At first it felt peaceful, but now it’s starting to feel intense and confusing. (Writing this makes me feel emotional asf idk why)

I’ve also started having thoughts like:

everything is happening inside my mind

I’m alone in my own consciousness

I can shape or create my reality

And that’s where I started getting kinda uneasy

Because now I’m questioning, Is this some kind of spiritual awakening? Or is this the beginning of psychosis? Bc I know I’m not dumb

I also tried to ground myself at one point by questioning everything from the opposite side. Like I even looked up on Reddit whether spirituality is just fake or all in people’s heads, just to calm myself down.

Maybe my mind is just going too far with all of this.

The thing is, I feel aware. I don’t feel completely disconnected or out of control. But at the same time, reality feels off. Almost like there is something, I just can’t reach it yet. It’s frustrating because I can’t fully explain what I mean, but the feeling is very real.

Am I just crazy yall?

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about why so many of us feel "programmed" to just work, consume, and wait for the end. We’re often told that spirituality is something you have to "go and do"—at a retreat, in a temple, or sitting on a mat for hours.

My philosophy is a bit different:

I believe that the whole of life is a meditation. Every small chore done with love, care, and awareness is a spiritual act. Whether you are washing a dish, walking to your car, or brewing tea, that moment is an opportunity to reclaim your soul from the "noise" of the modern world.

Why I wrote "What a ride!": I wanted to capture the dialogue we all have internally—the conversation between Life, Death, and the Soul. \* The Goal: To learn how to still the thoughts and ignore the negative programming that tells us we aren't "doing enough."

\* The Realization: We spend so much time "packing for a trip we never take" that we miss the magnificent beauty right in front of us.

If you’re here because you’re looking to slow down, simplify, or "rewire" how you see your daily routine, I’d love to connect. Life is a wild ride—we might as well be awake for it.

I’d love to hear from you: What is one "small chore" in your day that you find peace in?

I’m sorry if this post doesn’t belong here - i don’t know where else to post this. I’m feeling quite alone with my journey.

I beleive in a higher power, god if you will - that’s about all I know. I know no definition of what that means or the qualities of god, but I beleive there is something higher in the universe.

I constantly get hung up on whether I should find a religion, or find a way to define this belief. But nothing ever resonates. I’m very put off by structured religion, no disrespect intended, but I feel as though any man made institution of god strays me away further from a connection. Ie. Having to follow a load of rules. Nothing resonates.

I feel like the universe and me have a relationship, but it’s very lonely to not have a community to share these views with.

Sorry if this doesn’t make a whole load of sense. I guess I’m just looking for advice

i don't know if this is allowed but i don't have anyone irl to ask so I'm posting here.. We're still waiting for the official diagnosis, I'm praying that he'll be able to walk again. so if anyone could send some good energy for his recovery it would mean a lot 🙏

After battling cancer, i’ve been trying to find a job for almost 2 1/2 years. I’ve been trying to find any reason why I’m not being accepted. I experienced being ghosted, scammed, and low-balled. I honestly don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I’m trying to stay positive and keeping my faith.

Lately I’ve been reflecting on something simple but powerful — controlling the mind doesn’t happen instantly, it’s more like a slow, patient process.

I came across a perspective that suggested instead of suppressing thoughts, we should guide the mind धीरे-धीरे (gradually), with awareness and consistency. That idea really stayed with me.

It made me wonder —
Do you try to control your mind, or do you train it over time?

Would love to know what has actually worked for you in real life—meditation, discipline, spiritual teachings, or something else?

I recently listened to a talk on this, and one line stayed with me:
“Don’t force the mind, gently train it.”

Let’s be honest with ourselves, the world should’ve never happened in the first place and it’s a burden to our spirits. I don’t care about growth, discipline, self realization and all this nonsense that we think is worth a damn, I stopped caring because it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s a waste of time. I don’t care how bad the world has gotten, that’s not on me nor is it my responsibility to give a toss. Life is still pointless and is objectively a prison, it’s limiting and ran by evil clowns that think they are the shit, they’re losers. There’s nothing in the world that matters, it’s a shit design and I wouldn’t be surprised if the demiurge is real and the lesser deity who created it. The true God is probably just chilling, without an ounce of giving a fuck respectfully. God simply is, without moral authority and judgment. Why should I care about a world that has done me dirty starting from childhood to now? I don’t care if it were to end tomorrow, the world is not my friend and I’m against bringing souls here. Consider me spiritual nihilistic if that’s a term, because regardless of my knowing of spirits, life is still meaningless and is a cycle of suffering. The best thing we can do as sovereign beings, is to transcend physical reality. I’m done. I’m tired of people trying to save a world that never saved you back. Be God, be free.

Hey,

I am 28F. I have had several traumatic experiences(acc. to me idk how others view it) such as SA and different struggles related to my purpose and even just work to make money.

I have been practiced spirituality recently in a different way than I used to(with better intentions while still feeling helpless and defeated)..The SA was when i was 12 years old and i couldn’t start or even accept to start my healing journey until i was 22( from ages 22-24 it was literally just pain and grief and just my emotions bursting out).

what i am trying to say in this paragraph is that: I have years of suppressed emotions.. in fact i feel that my soul is suppressed tbh.

Though I did make some progress when I dived deeper into spirituality and some religious practices. It made me way more calm and helped me through things as well.

Anyway, I have realized that I would feel closer to being a human being if I reprogram my subconscious mind. I don’t know where to start? Do i need a structure? what do I do, how do I work on it?

Any suggestions?

Okay so firstly my mom is okay, it's Easter and I'm spending time at her place.

Okay so I was having a dream were I was having a secret relationship with this guy it's a dream that keeps repeating itself but in different situations and different settings and I like them. I'm very alone and depressed these past few months and yeah it's comforting.

But today he just appeared in the dream and I heard my mom call me like waking me up. Like close to me. When I woke up she was like busy far away from me. At first I paid no attention to these dreams because it's just a way for my brain to find comfort in my difficult life. But since they keep coming back. And they're very vivid. And with this incident I'm thinking maybe it's something else.

I was friends with. This guy was my "friend situationship"s best friend. But we were very close he was depressed too and since I wasn't happy in my fake relationship I often lost myself thinking about what if I chose him. (there was reasons why it may have been a bad idea anyways)

I kept searching a meaning for it but couldn't and thought this place might be where I find my answer

Trigger warning-- this involves a few details about my dog's passing (not in graphic detail though). It was as peaceful as it could be.

He was 14 and a half, lovely lovely pup-- we were connected on such a deep level-- almost like we could read each others' minds. I had him for eight years. He had a lot of health issues, though, but luckily I had the time and money to care for him properly. But he had back issues, a heart murmur, skin issues, dry eye issues, pancreatitis tendencies... but with good veterinary care, everything was under control for a very long time. Ultimately, congestive heart failure due to the murmur got him.

Yesterday, I took him into the vet to see what was wrong... he was acting sick and belly was hurting. And it turns out he had multi organ failure. The only decision to be made was to help him pass. As I cuddled him, the vet was administering the medicines to help him cross over, and I had my eyes closed sort of cuddled up into his neck. I saw a flash of white light with my eyes closed....almost like the flash went through me, if that makes sense. I am aware that it could have been my eyes playing tricks on me-- but is this a thing that happens to people when someone around them dies? I am not telling people in my life about this... but just wanted to know if anyone else out there had a similar experience.

The Witness is sometimes called the Observer but in the system of the real Enneagram knowledge that name is applied to the mechanical ego fixation of the 5 point. The distinction here is important because in the Observer fixation the detachment is not neutral but rather the mechanical ego is observing from a position of alienation from others and society. The Witness arises when the mind is calm and focused and watches from a position of real detachment.

To produce the witness in the Arica Integral system the mind is focused on the Kath point, known in Chinese martial arts as the Tan Tien, in Japanese as the Hara (literally belly). The actual point of focus is three finger widths below the navel and a couple of inches in (unless one has a large belly with a lot of fat and then the measurement is a little different). It is a point of equilibrium of the body and in a mirror we see the point half way from the bottom of the feet to the top of the head (and in a couple of inches). In some traditions it is called the movement center and in Tai Chi is the center which all else responds to. Focusing here, in the Arica School, while focusing on the center of a Yantra (the Universal Logos) for a little while immediately produces the Witness.

The Witness is critical to all successful meditative processes. If it does not arise the meditation accomplishes nothing. As noted early, this is also called the Observer, meaning the Witness, and is recognized as the same as that which is witnessed. Other traditions may say that the Observer and the observed are same. In Integral Philosophy and in ancient Greek philosophy, this is saying that all we see is our own minds. That what we observe/Witness is only our own senses and the world inside of our minds that is created from the sensory input (and sometimes our imagination).

That we do not see the external world directly is, in fact, physiologically true. The world that we see is actually a recreation in our brains from the sensory input and a deep recognition of this produces a state where everything we see has a sense of being flat, without depth. Because, in fact, that is what we are actually seeing and it is only our brains creating the sense of depth. You can close one eye and still see depth without using the stereoscopic vision of both eyes. This is the brain giving that illusion and in fact it is the brain giving the illusion that what we are watching is the world when in reality it is only our own minds we are watching. We sometimes experience this directly and look at something and not recognize what it is and then after sometime it resolves into something we recognize. This is our “pattern recognition” process not working fast enough to immediately create the illusion of what we call “the world”.

At first my path into spirituality helped me see life with more perspective. But as my awareness has grown, it has become harder to simply focus on the positive, because i now see more clearly the suffering and imbalance that exists in the world.

My struggle is understanding my role in this reality. If life contains both light and darkness, and part of being here is learning acceptance, should the focus be maintaining inner balance, raising my own vibration and trying to influence others through that presence?

Or does awareness bring responsibility? If i see injustice, harm or what feels deeply wrong, am i ment to stand against it and resist it?

Sometimes i question whether this desire to change the world comes from ego (the part that finds it easier to look outwards than inward). But other times, it feels like something deeper, as if consciousness refuses indifference.

How do i know when acceptance is wisdom, and when actions are necessary?

How do i act without loosing clarity or becoming consumed by conflict?

I don't think i must fix the world but my soul won't abandon what is true. Accept reality as it is... so i don't become fractured by it, but i still refuse to let it remain as it is... Be compassionate towards the world, but not compliant with what harms it.