The Myth of Spiritual Perfection

In the spiritual quest for enlightenment, we often strive for perfection.  We think that the closer we get to finding our spiritual source, the closer we should be to this ideal.  In order to be spiritually pure, we must eliminate all those parts of us we don’t like, those parts that limit us, that are selfish, ugly, messy and/or socially unacceptable. 

In thinking like this we make the mistake of attaching our physical ideals to our spiritual aspirations.  We look at those who seem to have everything: an abundant lifestyle, a successful career, a healthy body, as somehow being rewarded for being better than we are.  We ourselves, who are struggling in various aspects of our lives, see ourselves as less worthy, less valuable, less close to the spiritual perfection we long for.  And part of the reason we long for spiritual perfection, is the illusion that once attained, all our problems will melt away.

Nothing could be further from the truth.  (But it’s not as bad as it sounds).

Much of the anguish about our problems stems from the belief that the presence of problems in our lives means that there is something spiritually wrong with us, and consequently we are unworthy and will never attain the enlightenment we seek.

Perfection is an invention of the physical world.  Perfection could only happen if, in fact, we lived in a world where stasis was the only reality.

But stasis is an illusion, even in the physical world.

In the energetic realm stasis does not exist.  Energy is in constant motion.  Perfection means stasis. Stasis is death.

When we expand our reality to include the energy dimension, we realize that the quest for perfection is not well thought out.  Even in physical reality, the most perfect creation can always be improved upon.  The evolution of the human species depends on the continuous flow of energy that cannot stay still, no matter what.  We need look no further than the rapid flow of technology today for proof of this claim.

No matter what our problems, they are here to serve us; to move us forward, to test our ingenuity, to guide us to opportunities we wouldn’t have encountered if we had not had to solve these challenges in our lives.

There is no such thing as spiritual perfection because we never stop growing and experiencing all of creation as creative beings.  We never stop wanting and needing to experience life events that help us gather wisdom and compassion.

Expanding into the energy dimension doesn’t mean that our problems will vanish.  But it does mean we can tackle them with an entirely different attitude. When we see them from a soul perspective with knowledge of the energetic rules that govern them, we no longer judge ourselves and others harshly, we are excited by the challenges they bring, and we know there is a solution even if we don’t know what it is at the moment.

We realize that spiritual enlightenment has nothing to do with having problems, but everything to do with how we look at them.

There is also a tendency to think that spiritual perfection means unity, that spiritual enlightenment means we will all return to some sort of primordial place where there is no polarity, and that all our problems here on Earth are the result of this planet’s dualistic nature.  There is a real yearning by many for a return to a place where dualism and opposition don’t exist.

However, dualism is necessary for keeping us safe on Earth and for the growth of consciousness.  Physical pain and pleasure help us avoid things that will hurt us and attract things that give us joy.  Duality also grows consciousness by attracting our awareness to new and different experiences that widen our horizons and broaden our understanding of ourselves and others.

Both perfection and unity mean we would be stuck in one place, and could go no further.  In fact, the growth of consciousness through experiences that include opposition is imperative for the continued evolution of both the human species and our individual spiritual lives.

Returning to unity would negate not only duality but diversity.  Returning to unity would expunge the glorious diversity in the physical world that delights our senses and sparks our curiosity.  Returning to unity would relegate us to huddling in compounds with only those who think and look like we do. Returning to unity would negate the very reason for the creation of the universe (both physical and energetic), in the first place.

All of our greatest creations depend on the tension of opposition as it ebbs and flows and comes back into balance.  Without duality we would have no literature, art or music. Without polarity there would be no drama to entertain us in books and movies.  Without the tension between sounds and tones, music would be lifeless and boring.  Without opposing colors and shapes, visual arts would be nonexistent.

The good news is that duality doesn’t have to be full of friction, conflict, war and destruction.  As we begin to expand our reality into the energy dimension, we can begin to see duality in its purist form, as a necessary vehicle for both physical survival and the growth of consciousness. In an expanded reality, duality becomes a necessary tool that has both positive and negative elements.  It is up to each of us as to which we choose.

Spiritual perfection is a myth.  Perfection does not exist in the energetic world because the energetic realm never stops moving, never stays still., never stops evolving. Even after enlightenment we must still “chop wood and carry water”.  Growing spiritual awareness does not eliminate our challenges, it just changes the way we think about them.

You can learn more about the energy realm in my book, “It’s All About Energy:  Adventures in Expanded Reality”, found on Amazon, and on my website, www.transformationalexpansion.com.