Lasting Healing: How to avoid spiritual bypassing

In our quest to live fulfilling and meaningful lives, many of us turn to spirituality to find solace and direction. And while exploring our faith has the power to change our lives for the better, it's essential to beware of spiritual bypassing.

Spiritual bypassing refers to the use of spiritual concepts to avoid facing one's emotional and psychological challenges or to downplay the intensity of the pain an individual goes through. In this situation, people seek a quick fix, hoping that prayer and meditation will solve their problems when, in reality, they need to face what they are going through to find healing. 

People often use spirituality to evade their problems by coming up with something that seems to helpful, but, in reality, only exacerbates the situation. In this blog post, we'll explore what spiritual bypassing is and how to avoid it.

The Dark Side of Spirituality

Just because something is spiritual doesn't necessarily mean that it's wholesome or virtuous. Spiritual bypassing, for instance, is prevalent in the Christian faith where individuals often use religion to avoid facing their emotional struggles. In these cases, people use the Bible to justify their behavior or to escape accountability. They may say things like: "I'm just going to pray and fast until God sorts things out," "It's all in the Lord's hands now," or "It's all part of God's plan.”  While there's nothing wrong with praying or believing that God will work things out, using those ideas to escape responsibility or to downplay the intensity of our struggles is an example of spiritual bypassing. True spirituality seeks to enlighten us but also demands that we do the work necessary to affect change in our lives.

How to Avoid Spiritual Bypassing

The following are practical steps to help you avoid spiritual bypassing, embrace your emotions, and find lasting healing;

1. Acknowledge your emotions

The first step towards healing is acknowledging your emotions. It's not healthy to run from your feelings or to bury them deep within you. Ignoring your emotions can cause deep-seated internal damage and cut us off from experiencing deep joy. So, when you experience emotional pain, acknowledge it, identify it, and take it seriously.

2. Don't Rush the Process

Modern society loves instant gratification. However, healing is a process that takes time. Therefore, avoid rushing the process by seeking quick fixes. If you've faced traumas, take your time in finding the help you need to understand and navigate your emotions. Healing from traumas is not an overnight process, and that's okay. Take things one day at a time and embrace the journey.

3. Practice Open Communication

Talking about one's emotions and struggles is challenging, but it is crucial in finding lasting healing. Instead of bottling your feelings, find people you trust, like family members, friends, or qualified professionals who can listen without judgment and offer you practical support.

4. Find Balance

True spirituality advocates for balance. Spiritual practices such as prayer, confession, and meditation are great, but they shouldn't be a substitute for therapy or medication (if necessary). Seeking professional help shows that you're taking full responsibility for your healing and overall well-being.

5. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment without judgment or interpretation. Learning to be mindful can help us to connect our emotions and thoughts and understand the root of our struggles. Mindfulness can be practiced in many ways such as meditation or even in everyday activities such as walking or cooking.

Final Thoughts

Spiritual bypassing often causes more harm than good. Embracing our emotions and working through them may seem scary, but fighting them can cause more and longer-lasting internal damage. The true path to spiritual growth requires facing our emotions head-on and taking responsibility for our actions. True healing takes time and patience, and that's okay. Remember, healing is a process of daily small wins. After all, the journey is everything.