Are we coddling ourselves with spiritual practices?

Ayauasca retreats, cacao ceremonies, chanting meditations, inner child work... these modalities and practices can have a deeply healing impact on people. And I'm all for it - resolving personal and collective trauma offers immense potential for transformation into a healthy world for all.

But... it also seems to me that spiritual offerings - emerged from beautiful intentions - sometimes unwittingly encourage not taking responsibility in the world around us.

In the clip below, Dr. Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti explains how we miss the point of certain spiritual practices.

I've attended many such events in the past, but at some point I started to question - what am I doing here, really?  

Am I still healing trauma? Or am I avoiding maturity?

(The answer was a bit of both).

That’s where the topic eldership came to mind - sharing wisdom by putting your ego aside for the greater good. So you might say that activism, especially by those who are not directly affected by the problems they are trying to solve, leans towards a kind of eldership.

But as I’ve discovered in my self, and seen in others, it can also be driven by a personal need for validation, saviourism, and thinking we know best how others should act.

That’s not a criticism - it’s an invitation to reflect on how we can evoke the wise Self in us, benefiting our own well-being and resilience in a challenging environment.

We can ask ourselves: ‘How am I still seeking comfort in certain practices, and what would that look like in my daily work and mission, if I got in touch with my inner elder?’

Want to find out for yourself? Get in touch for a free exploration session.