Our professional experience involving meditation, psychic perception, past life regression, and comprehensive astrology and numerology tells us that when a soul chooses to incarnate and live a life as a yogi, nun, or another, similar “spiritual” existence, it’s often because of a desire, even a need (on a soul level), to work on or experience more spirituality, or soul-searching. Contrary to popular belief, we’ve found that it isn’t reflective of automatic spiritual awareness, sorry.
In fact, it’s certainly possible that the 27 year-old butcher at the grocery store, the 53 year-old mail carrier, the 19 year-old construction worker, or the attractive, provocatively dressed, 45 year-old woman who’s a fan of subtle cosmetic surgery and occasional cocktails, for example, are closer to being self-actualized than any yogi you will ever meet.
A homeless person, professional boxer, military general, and a rock star, for instance, might all be far more spiritually adept than the yogi featured in the best-seller. The insights a musician relays through her lyrics could very well have far more of an mystical impact on your life than what you would find visiting a sanctuary, place of worship, or reading the teachings of a prominent cleric.
You will eventually discover that it’s possible to encounter more wisdom in your own backyard than it is on the other side of the planet in some dreamy, far-off place. Our apologies if this notion is far less exotic and spiritually romantic, but we’ve found it to be the truth. Such ideas may not sell a lot of books, but they will give you a new perspective.
Assuming the theory of reincarnation is valid (it has yet to be proved invalid), your soul (not your personality) chooses to experience various existences on Earth (and elsewhere) to learn and grow. One lifetime might include 40 years working on a farm, another might include being a merchant, and yet another might be all about family, children, friends, and experiencing the richness of the emotional side of life.
One of the more spiritually enlightening lifetimes for anyone might include 30 years of solitary confinement in prison. Would such an experience be fated? We believe so. Remember, soul progression happens through infinite circumstances and through multiple lifetimes and often may not appear logical, from an earthly perspective.
Years ago, a past life regression client of ours saw glimpses of herself as a castaway on an island in S.E. Asia sometime in the 15th century A.D. At the end of the session, we guided her to view that lifetime from a higher-self perspective. She casually reported, still in a meditative state, that the extensive isolation in that life, among others, was vital to her soul growth because, after her basic survival needs were met, she (in that life, a he) had no other choice but to go within and reflect.
What happens when you go within, such as when you meditate? You get your own answers and you gain clarity about your life, your path, and eventually the meaning of life. You become the “higher being” who knows best. Meditation, or better, even if only for a short time, a monastic, or solitary existence can be like a spiritual boot camp for earthlings who have, for whatever reason, ignored their spiritual side. Might a person living a monastic existence already be self-actualized? Yes, and we can discern such things through our work.
A review of her (the woman who had the castaway lifetime) comprehensive charts shows a much higher level of knowingness, as reflected by dozens of key indicators and subsequent patterns. In our professional opinion, she has earned the awareness through past life experience, and no amount of study in an ashram or temple in this life (aside from helping her to remember her innate wisdom) would give her that now.
The point we are making is that truly spiritual people often appear otherwise to many who are conditioned to think that one must be of a certain age or part of a structured faith or discipline to have divine insight.
At the same time, we believe that there is a place for all the various spiritual adherents and their respective leaders in this world. They are doing exactly as they are predestined to do, and we respect all faiths and all practitioners, as long as they are not hurting others.
Copyright © 2007 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo