When Spiritual Emergence Becomes Spiritual Emergency

As we transform and new openings appear in our lives—often in unexpected ways—we may experience a sudden awakening: an awakening to a life with new meanings, or perhaps no meanings at all—to life as it is. To purpose, or to the shattering of the belief systems we once held. Through this awakening, our former worldview can completely fall apart.

Sometimes we have a mystical experience that is deeply challenging. We may encounter beings or spiritual guides we never believed were possible, and then begin to wonder if we are losing our sanity.

Overall, spiritual emergence can lead to spiritual emergency not because of the experience itself, but because of attachment to a storyline. That attachment is often the main source of suffering and is what creates the spiritual emergency.

For example, we may experience the void and feel terrified. We may experience life as having no meaning—life simply is. This can make everything feel lifeless, because there is no good or bad, just what is. This is a profound shattering of one’s worldview, belief system, and perspective.

At that point, we have a choice. We can accept the experience as it is and feel our emotions without becoming attached to them. Or we can become attached to emotions such as fear, lifelessness, and hopelessness. When that attachment takes hold, spiritual emergence can turn into spiritual emergency—because we don’t know how to integrate this new worldview. We are too afraid, or too overwhelmed by hopelessness, and we are not giving space to what is about to emerge.

Or we may experience bliss—an overwhelming sense of love—whether spontaneous or through a journey. We experience unity, the mystical sense of being divine, being one with the divine, with no boundaries between beings. All of us—humanity as a whole—are felt as one, held in love.

Then we come back to ordinary life and realize how much suffering exists in the world: people harming one another, war, family conflict, or even the struggle to meet basic needs. We then struggle to integrate that blissful experience into daily life, because it feels like it doesn’t fit. It feels contradictory. It feels like we must choose between oneness and bliss, or being a separate being with unresolved emotions and pain, rather than accepting that we can be both as experienced.

This struggle can lead to spiritual emergency—even though the original experience itself was spiritual emergence. The emergency arises from attachment: wanting to always remain in that bliss, refusing to experience darkness. The clinging, the refusal to let go—that is the spiritual emergency.

If, instead, we trust—whether we trust the universe, our higher self, the divine, or whatever belief system resonates—if we trust the process, we can let go of attachment and allow things to unfold naturally.

If we can let go of needing to know what comes next—now that our worldview has been shattered, now that the old story is gone—if we can stop rushing to attach to a new story, and instead be okay with uncertainty, okay with having no story at all…

If we can let go of all storylines, we can rest in the present moment. And in this process, do not underestimate the power of community support.

That’s when spiritual emergence can continue to unfold without turning into spiritual emergency.