Cults can be a vehicle for spiritual growth as well as a trap. But one thing that defines them as a cult is that they do intend, consciously or not, to be a trap.
A typical cult will suggest that their way is “the” way, and that the only way forward is through them and “The Teacher.” This may be said overtly or subtly, explicitly or implied – it doesn’t really matter – the message is the same.
Accessing outside resources is discouraged, managed or outright banned. Students are told that the “easiest way to get confused is to mix and match.” And whilst spiritual shopping is certainly a trap, so is spiritual dogmatism. They have mistaken the unreal for the real.
The truth is that the only way is the way you figure out for yourself, and that you can learn from everybody. On some level we all know this and are crying out for spiritual community that recognises it.
When one understands the unconscious, they realise that “everyone is right and everyone is wrong.” All spiritual teachings if they are true must be compatible with all others. At the same time, any literal interpretation of a symbolic message is inevitably going to be proven false eventually. The obstacle was never in supposedly conflicting teachings, it was in missing the underlying truth.
Spiritual Self-Sovereignty does not mean learning from no one. It means learning from everyone. It means learning from heroes but without projecting your inner hero onto them. It means seeing that the heroism you see in others is a part of you.
The Seven Habits of Individuation are a path for spiritual development that deconstructs practices from across the world’s spiritual traditions, and most advanced teachers, and consolidates them into a simple model. By incorporating Jungian psychology, the Seven Habits explain not just what works, but why it works, so that you can apply it to your own personal journey and move forward without conflict. They are compatible with all major religions and spiritual traditions.
Shadow Work is a way of life, not only something you do with a coach. It is the true remit of all spiritual leaders.
