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ยป Home ยป Spiritual Calling

How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Illuminating Steps)

by Mateo Sol ยท Updated: Apr 2, 2025 ยท 228 Comments

AI generated image of a spiritual wanderer wolf on the peak of a mountain starting its spiritual journey
Spiritual journey of awakening image

There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.
You feel it, don’t you?

โ€“ Rumi

Welcome, dear spiritual wanderer.

You’ve come to this page seeking guidance, and that’s what we intend to give you wholeheartedly.

Before you begin, we want to honor your self-sovereignty and inner instincts, so:


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Please remember to not accept anything as being “true” that I write or anything that anyone on the spiritual journey says/writes/teaches without first checking in with your own inner knowing.

No one is infallible, no matter what degree of awakening they have embodied, so I strongly encourage you to think for yourself, find out for yourself, and always, always trust your intuition. (This advice can save you a lot of pain on your journey!)

With that said:

If you’re short on time, scroll down to see the Table of Contents. Otherwise, I guarantee that this article is worth reading from start to finish (that’s why it’s the ‘Start Here’ page!).


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Let’s begin with the uncomfortable truth:

Most of us in the modern world have resigned ourselves to a cliched existence, indulging in endless distractions.

We go through life with minimal or pseudo-faith and avoid comprehending the emptinessย of our lives. We are endlessly haunted by theย shallowness of our relationships, neurotic issues,ย andย inescapable loneliness.

And yet there’s so much more to us as a species than what we really know.


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You and I carry the most mysterious and magnificent qualities within us imaginable. Yet, we unknowingly guard and protect the greatest gift that is ourย Souls fromย the world.

It’s so easy for us to feel meaningless when weย perceive ourselves as mere cogs in society’s machine.

The truth is that we are much more than slaves of 9 to 5 jobs. We are capable ofย creating deeplyย meaningful, mystical, and fulfilling lives. We are capable of finding our true calling and personal destiny.

For centuries, indigenous people throughout the world have known that to fully explore the depths of theย Soul and reunite with Spirit, we must go on a spiritual journey into the unknown lands within ourselves.

Many ancient cultures had Elders and Shamans to encourage and oversee these journeys toward a deeper spiritual existence.

Sadly, these days in our own culture, we have lost such sacred rites and rituals. Instead, orthodox religion has replaced livingย spirituality with a theoretical god, dismissing, and outlawing personal experimentation andย union with the Divine.

On this page, my aim is to help you start navigating your spiritual journey, be a lone wolf, and listen to your soulโ€™s calling to reunite with Spirit.

(If you need extra in-depth support after reading this article, I highly recommend checking out our Spiritual Awakening Bundle and Shadow & Light Membership โ€“ these offerings can offer tremendous illumination and empowerment on your journey.)

Table of contents

  • What is the Spiritual Journey?
  • 12 Signs You’re Called to the Spiritual Journey (the Ancient Hero/ine’s Path)
  • The 3 Worlds of the Spiritual Journey (Which Are You Inhabiting?)
  • Inner Work vs. Soul Work
  • 5 Phases of the Spiritual Wanderer’s Journey
  • How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Steps)

What is the Spiritual Journey?

Image of a lone wolf on a spiritual journey

The spiritual journey is a personal quest we undertake to reconnect with our Souls, release attachment to the ego, and rediscover our True Nature.

In a nutshell, the spiritual journey is about returning to the Centre of our being: it’s a path traditionally undertaken by saints, shamans, mystics, and sages.

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But in this day and age where times have changed, and we’re suffering from collective soul loss, the spiritual journey is open and accessible to all people (and no longer just ascetics, monks, and other holy people).

Indeed, listening to our Soul’s calling of reuniting with Spirit is our deepest longing and highest calling as a species.

12 Signs You’re Called to the Spiritual Journey (the Ancient Hero/ine’s Path)

How to go on a spiritual journey image

People have felt aย pull toward something greater than themselves since the beginning of time.

Ancient cultures had many stories that illustrated the journey to fulfilling one’s destiny and experiencing Wholeness or Enlightenment. These journeys are what mythologist Joseph Campbell described as the “Calls to Adventure.“

A call to adventure is something we all experience at least once in life. When we embark on this adventure, we begin the process of gaining self-understanding, reclaiming our precious Soul gifts, and dissolving the blockages that obscure our Inner Light.

The archetype of the hero/heroine discovering their true spiritual nature goes back thousands of years.

The Greeks told the story of Orpheus, who descended into the underworld to rescue his bride, Eurydice, from Hades. The Nordic people had their hero-warrior Beowulf, and the Sumerians wrote of Inanna, who battled her sister in the dark world.

Throughout history, there have been so many stories of individuals who have struggled through hardship to find themselves. But of what importance are they to our path?

Essentially, these hero/ines symbolize our spiritual journeys, that is, leaving everything familiar behind, entering the unknown, encountering numerous unconscious monsters, and finally returning back home with a sense of renewed fulfillment and wisdom.

Here are 12 signs you’re being called to walk the spiritual journey of awakening:

  1. You feel lost in life
  2. You long for a place that feels like your ‘true home’
  3. You keep wondering what your meaning or purpose is
  4. You feel like you have a big destiny to fulfill (which is yet to be revealed)
  5. You sense that there’s much more to life than meets the eye
  6. You’re experiencing strange synchronicities, signs, and omens
  7. You’re shedding your old self and you’re transforming, but you don’t know who you truly are yet
  8. There’s a sense of nostalgia and nagging longing for something you can’t pinpoint
  9. You experience bouts of melancholy, depression, and existential crisis
  10. You feel extra sensitive and fragile
  11. A lot of what you once valued seems meaningless and empty
  12. It feels like the rug has been pulled out from underneath you, and you’re falling into a void

Can you relate to any of the above signs? If you can, you’re most certainly being called to embark on the spiritual journey.

The 3 Worlds of the Spiritual Journey (Which Are You Inhabiting?)

Image of a mystical tree symbolic of the spiritual journey

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Donโ€™t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Donโ€™t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Donโ€™t go back to sleep.

โ€“ Rumiย 

At some point in life, we all experience the “call to adventure.”

Often, our journeys startย when we experience a suddenย spiritual awakening, kundalini awakening, or dark night of the soul. Often, without wanting to, we are cast onto the path of inner exploration.

Like you, I have wandered these paths and have, at times, wound up lost and confused. For this reason, I find it useful to map out the spiritual journey in a way that helps the human mind know where it is and where it will go next.

My Andean ancestry speaks of three worlds that we can experience in life: the Upper World (Hanaq Pacha), the Middle World (Kay Pacha), and the Lower World (Ukhu Pacha).


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In many traditions and mythologies, these three worlds correspond to the different realms of Self.

The Upper World is the home of Spirit, the Underworld the home of Souls, and the Middle World is the home of the physical body and human ego.

Different practices and techniques are used in each of the three realms to help us spiritually mature and rediscover joy, peace, and nondual wholeness.

Below, I’ll explore each of these three realms with you:

Middle World

Image of a woman walking down a road in a forest

Purpose: Personality development

In our everyday lives, we function within the middle world. The middle world is responsible for our ego development, and yet many people on the spiritual path ignore this vital element of inner growth.

Without developing a healthy personality, our spiritual growth reaches a dead end because we are more prone to falling into many spiritual traps and pitfalls down the line (such as spiritual narcissism, spiritual materialism, and more).

In life, we all begin within the middle world or physical realm. As children and teenagers, we go through various years of personality change and growth.

Finally, as adults, we have all developed unique personalities. Yet many of us fail to continue our self-development, getting lost in corporate jobs and the pursuit of money, status, and fame.

The goal of the middle world path is to develop a healthy personality or ego. Tasks involved in this process include the exploration of core emotional wounds, self-love, and the cultivation of authenticity.

A healthy adult ego will be able to love freely, be vulnerable, express creativity, and display empathy towards others โ€“ which are vital in every area of life.

We cannot develop a healthy personality by using techniques from the Upper or Under World, such as meditation or shadow work.

Instead, we must use inner work techniques that pertain to ego development and healing, such as assertiveness training, non-violent communication techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, NLP, and other psychological avenues of self-development.

Under World

Image of a dark forest that represents the spiritual journey

Purpose: Soul discovery

Our Soul is the vital, mysterious, and wild core of our individual selves. It is the unique essence within each of us that goes deeper than our personalities.

Inner Child Test image

Think of your Soul as a stream that is connected to the ocean of Spirit. Our Souls contain our destiny, purpose, gifts, and the ultimate significance of our individual lives. To access these deep layers and qualities, we must descend into the Under World of our unconscious minds.

Unfortunately, for thousands of years, our culture has “protected” us from the hardships and dangers of the descent into the Soul. This has been done through the establishment of comfortable, predictable, and clockwork lives that revolve around material pleasures and shallow values.

In fact, thanks to religious thought, the descent into our Under Worlds has been condemned as “evil” and wayward.ย Only Shamanic cultures and a few Western mystical schools like Hermeticism and Alchemy have dedicated themselves to exploring the Under World.

The descent into the Under World has been so feared and avoided because it is a perilous journey. There is a reason why Christianity referred to this place as “hell.”

Within our Under Worlds lie our repressed thoughts, feelings, desires, traumas, and denied gifts. Often when we descend, or inscend, into ourselves, we come across many demons, ghastly creatures, and other parts of our Shadow Selves that we’ve been unconsciously hiding from.

Yet despite the fact that the Under World journey can be such a harrowing and haunting experience, it is ultimately a powerful odyssey. Only by descending into our personal Under Worlds can we truly embrace our true life calling, talents, gifts, and deepest values.

Under World, or deeper inner work techniques, include practices that allow us to access altered states of consciousness. These may include practices such asย lucid dreaming, drumming, shadow work, shamanic trances, breathwork, vision quests, etc.

Upper World

Image of a forest and the colorful night sky

Purpose: Uniting with Spirit

The Upper World journey, or that of the ascent, is what we oftenย refer to as Self-Realization.

There comes a moment in our journey between the middle world and the underworld in which an equilibrium or inner spaciousness forms, allowingย us to move up into the Upper World.

For example, it’s much harder to spiritually awaken to the Upper Worldย when our unconscious minds are plagued withย deep childhood traumas (that stem from the underworld), trust issues (under world problem), and poor self-esteem (middle world problem).

The practice of inner work is what allows this inner space to emerge because it dissolves the contractions of the ego that hide our True Nature as Divine Consciousness.

We enter the path of ascent up into the Upper World when we learn to surrender our ego identification (known as ego death) and Soul identification.

It’s at this point of the path that soul work is needed โ€“ soul work, in this case, refers to doing the soul’s work of letting go, opening, and merging back into its original home of Spirit.

The experience and realization that the personal identity (or ego) is an illusory thought construct, and who we truly are is Infinite Consciousness, is what has been referred to as Self-Realization, Christ Consciousness, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, or Enlightenment.

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This shift of consciousness involves our Infinite, Divine, Eternal, and Absolute Nature awakening from the dream of the separate egoic self.

Techniques used to induce this inner shift of being are often found in the mystical schools ofย Zen, Kundalini, Taoism, Sufism, and disciplines such as meditation, self-inquiry, and yoga.

Note:ย Unfortunately, many people in the spiritual community believe that spiritual ascension is all that is needed to experience peace and wholeness. As a result, the middle world and under world paths have been cast aside as if they don’t matter.

However, only focusing on your “higher chakras,” cultivating positivity and Oneness with Spirit, creates lopsided individuals. When the darker and more down-to-earth elements of self-growth are ignored, the result is imbalanced and unhealthy individuals.

As such, here on lonerwolf, we try to focus on exploring all three realms (the middle, under, and upper world) to create balance.

Inner Work vs. Soul Work

Image of a pure white light symbolic of the soul

In the previous section, I mentioned inner work and soul work a few times. But what’s the difference? And how do both relate to the spiritual journey?

Within this website and the work of Aletheia and I, inner work refers to the active exploration, illumination, and dissolution of blockages within the psyche.

Inner work is a psychological process that helps us to heal and find inner harmony and wholeness on a human level.

Examples of inner work practices include the practice of self-love, inner child work, shadow work, body work, and anything that involves actively finding and releasing the contractions within the mind.

On the other hand, soul work is the more passive and receptive process of opening, surrendering, and resting within our True Nature (also known as Consciousness, Presence, Nondual Awareness, and Spirit).

Soul work is, quite literally, doing the soul’s work of remembering and returning back to Source as our Ultimate Home and True Nature.

Examples of soul work practices include self-inquiry, prayer, contemplation, meditation, mirror work, and anything that involves cultivating a sense of being.

Both inner work and soul work are needed on our spiritual journeys to help us both wake up on a spiritual level and grow up on a human level.

To avoid lopsided development and getting possessed by unresolved inner shadows (which can and do arise no matter what level of realization we’ve had), we need to explore both our human psychology and relax into our birthless, deathless True Nature.

Inner work makes the inner space for soul work to take place. Soul work helps to illuminate and sharpen our inner work.

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Both go hand-in-hand and are vital allies on our spiritual awakening journeys. As you get familiar with this website and our work, you’ll hear about both inner work and soul work.

5 Phases of the Spiritual Wanderer’s Journey

Image of a lone wolf in a dark forest

Roughly speaking, there are about five phases of the spiritual journey (although, of course, there could be many more โ€“ but I’m just sharing the phases I’m presently aware of).

I refer to these as ‘phases‘ and not stages because the spiritual wanderer’s journey is not a linear process that has a start and end; it is cyclical. It’s like the moon. It’s a spiraling dance of energy that is ever-deepening and changing โ€“ there is no “end,” even after you’ve had an enlightened shift in awareness.

Here’s a visual diagram of the Wanderer’s Journey, which is the spiritual wheel of transformation that we base our work around on this website:

Image of The Spiritual Wanderer's Journey

Below, you’ll find the five phases ruled by the Seeker, Apprentice, Warrior, Mystic, and Sage archetypes.

I’ve also linked each phase to the ten different parts of the journey that Aletheia and I have discovered, crystallized, and defined after many years on the path:

1. Soul-searching

(Ruled by the Seeker archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Wanderer’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

  • The Spiritual Calling
  • Resisting the Path

Summary: Phase one of the spiritual journey begins with a deep craving and longing for something more than mundane daily life.

There may be a sense that life has become a dry, desolate, meaningless, and barren wasteland without some kind of spiritual dimension.

This type of existential crisis can arise spontaneously due to a traumatic situation, mental or physical health issues, or simply due to one’s sensitive temperament.

The result is a search for meaning, purpose, and greater spiritual connection โ€“ or what is commonly known as soul searching.

2. Awakening & learning

(Ruled by the Apprentice archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Wanderer’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

  • Finding Guidance
  • Starting the Journey

Summary: Awakening and learning is the next phase of the spiritual journey. Once one has listened to the ‘call to adventure’ and has begun searching for answers, the sense of inner deadness and stagnation lifts. The veil is pulled from our eyes. We awaken to fresh possibilities, new horizons, and deep insights.


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There is renewed hope, ecstatic zest for life, joyful anticipation, and a passion for learning, exploring, and growing. It’s as if the sun has finally emerged from its slumber, and we’re bathed in the dawning light of spiritual awakening.

3. Death & demons

(Ruled by the Warrior archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Wanderer’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

  • Turning Inwards
  • Facing the Darkness

Summary: As our spiritual journey matures, we eventually face a crossroads. To continue growing, we must enter through the gates of our personal Underworld and face our demons. We learn that the spiritual journey is beautiful, yes. But it’s also demanding.

If we’re sincere about authentic spiritual growth, we need to illuminate our inner darkness, explore our shadow selves, and heal our buried traumas. This death of the spiritual ‘high’ of the previous phase can lead to much fear and confusion.

The result is often an experience of the Dark Night of the Soul, a glimpse of ego death, or even a spiritual emergency where we step out of the ‘sunshine and rainbows’ world into the moonlit world of ghosts and ghouls.

4. Rebirth & reward

(Ruled by the Mystic archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Wanderer’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

  • Illumination
  • Traps & Pitfalls

Summary: Eventually, we emerge from the other side of the Dark Night of the Soul, existential crisis, or ego death glimpse. We have been to hell and back and we’ve had our hearts ripped open and our minds excavated. But we arise victorious with heart and Soul blazing bright with clarity.

This rebirth and reward phase often results in mystical experiences, moments of Satori (Enlightened awareness), and blissful heart openings.

We may go through a new level of awakening, this time at an energetic level, via an experience known as the Kundalini awakening.

However, this experience is not all love and light. There are many lurking shadows and spiritual traps to be wary of.

5. Illumination & sharing

(Ruled by the Sage archetype.)

This phase is divided into the following two parts (also linked to on the Wanderer’s Journey page). Feel free to click on any for further guidance:

  • Rebirth
  • Integration

Summary: After the body, heart, and mind undergo this cleansing and purging journey, a deeper level of Illumination may begin to arise within us. We’ll begin to integrate all the lessons we’ve learned, bringing them into our daily lives.


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This is the moment where we truly start walking the talk, integrating both the human and Divine aspects of our lived experience. As such, there is a strong desire within us to share what we’ve realized through the grace of Divinity (our True Nature) with those who need support.

We may adopt the role of teacher, guide, creator, or mentor โ€“ or otherwise, embrace new ways of helping others through the power of creativity.

Perhaps the key defining quality of this phase is a strong connection to one’s True Nature and sometimes a non-dual shift in awareness. There’s an intimate, inner-lived experience of the Divine as one’s true face, authentic essence, and ultimate home.

***

Again, the above five phases are by no means linear or static โ€“ they are cyclical and ever-deepening. Gradually, we discover that we are Life itself and that what we have longed and searched for has always been right here, right now!

How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Steps)

Image of a wolf on a journey in a forest

Everyone’s spiritual journey is unique, ever-changing, and ongoing.

There is no single point at which we stop this inner transformation. In fact, the whole mistaken idea of reaching a state of “perfection” really only equals death and stagnation.

And what happens when things stop growing and flowing? They become lethargic, break down, rot, and disintegrate.

While the demands for constant growth and evolution may be difficult to handle at times, they are necessary grit for the inner pearl to develop.

If you wish to find truth, peace, profound love, deep freedom, and your ultimate home, beginning your spiritual journey is not only important but crucial.

Understandably, you might feel a bit intimidated and lost, not knowing where to start. As someone who has been on the spiritual journey for a long time and who has devoted their entire life’s work to the inner call, here are my tips:

1. Be gentle and go at your own pace

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and a little inundated by the influx of information when first beginning your spiritual journey. My advice is to go slowly, be gentle, and go at your own pace. You don’t need to know every tiny detail of every field of wisdom ever created. (I know it’s tempting!)

Besides, everything that you’re learning about is already within you. Yes, you have all the answers you need at a Soul level because you are an expression of the Divine at your core. Everyone else is just a mirror of that.

So cut yourself some slack. The key is to go gently but deeply โ€“ that is how you will learn and grow the most.

2. Tune into the deepest yearning of your heart โ€“ your holy longing

What is it that you truly, deeply yearn for, above all else? What is the most ancient longing of your heart and Soul?


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There are a myriad of reasons why people enter the spiritual journey, many of them stories created by the mind to build a better-looking ego.

But beneath the desires of the mind, what does your heart want? Your heart is the doorway to your Soul, and your Soul is a unique expression of Spirit. So listen to your heart’s yearnings.

How do you listen to your heart? One of the best ways is to place a soft hand over your heart, let all thoughts go, and drop into a sense of stillness. Then ask yourself, “What is it that I truly, deeply yearn for, above all else?”

Do you long for peace, truth, freedom, love, happiness, healing, or something else? There are no right or wrong answers. The heart wants what it wants.

But be aware that the mind may jump in and try to concoct a bunch of ideas, artificial longings, and idealistic stories. What you need to do is listen for the still, small, quiet voice within that responds with gentle clarity (not the loud, anxious, and abrasive voice of the mind).

Finding your holy longing will provide you with the fuel and compass to direct your spiritual search.

Instead of being outwardly led by the egoic self, you’ll be inwardly led by the heart and Soul. You may even find that as you progress through your spiritual journey, your holy longing will evolve and mature. Let it!

3. Pay attention to philosophies, tools, or practices that intrigue you

Once you’ve figured out your holy longing, simply pay attention. Notice what spiritual fields, ideas, philosophies, and practices call to you that relate to your deepest calling.

The spiritual journey doesn’t have to be something dry, monotone, and repetitive (unless you want it to be). This is a quest that can be playful, joyful, and passionate.

In fact, you’ll likely get the most out of your spiritual path if you approach it from this heart-centered place.

Neuroscience has proven that we learn the most when we’re having fun โ€“ so find your bliss. Walk a path with heart. This is the path you’re meant to be on.

4. Go deep-diving

Image of a moon reflected on the ocean

One of the main issues that often arises on the spiritual path is a certain kind of spiritual materialism or spiritual window-shopping.

Jumping from practice to practice can be useful at the beginning (to become familiar with the territory).

But if we get into the addictive habit of finding the “next and best” spiritual practice, tool, workshop, etc., we are doing ourselves a great disservice.

We are not only approaching spirituality with a materialistic mindset, but we’re also avoiding the fundamental purpose of the spiritual path: to discover our True Nature.


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Once you’ve done some dabbling here and there (this might involve watching YouTube videos, reading books, attending workshops, etc.), it’s time to slow down and commit to something.

Don’t worry if you discover later down the road that the path you’re on is not for you โ€“ remember that you can always change routes.

What’s important is that you slow down and commit to something to begin with โ€“ this is the only way to extract the nutrients, deep essential truths, and embodied wisdom that contribute to your awakening.

So go deep-diving and commit to something all the way through to the end. What paths, practices, and teachings speak to you on a profound level? What has benefited you the most?

Begin to circle around that topic, practice, or path and dedicate your full attention to it. (And if there are a handful of paths, that’s okay too; stick with them, although it’s generally best to keep your focus simple.)

5. Be aware of sharks

You’ll meet many people on your spiritual path (whether online or in the flesh), and while some of these people will genuinely have your best interests in mind, others won’t.

Yes, there are many ‘spiritual sharks’ out there, aka., there are sleazy, snake-oil salesmen and women who are incentivized to use you for personal gain.

There are also some people โ€“ typically leaders of spiritual communities or certain gurus โ€“ who are totally unaware of their unconscious shadow motivations (but are equally as dangerous). So be discerning.

Learn to trust your intuition and gut instincts. Tap into your inner lone wolf: that primal wisdom you carry inside that drove you to begin this quest to begin with.

Even if you do fall into the jaws of a shark, know that you can get out. Not only that, but you can actually use the experience as a lesson and fuel to grow even stronger.

No one can take away your power from you unless you willingly give it to them. And even if you do, you can get it back.

6. Record what you’ve learned and experienced

We hear a lot of pretty-sounding words and mystical ideas on the spiritual path. But all of them mean little if we don’t actively find ways of absorbing them into our being.

One of the simplest ways of recording what you’ve learned and experienced is simply through the act of journaling.

Have a special journal or diary that you dedicate to writing down your thoughts, experiences, ideas, and discoveries. You don’t need to be a good writer (or even good at spelling/grammar) to do this โ€“ forget about that!

What matters is that you have a solid record that you can refer back to throughout your journey. (Learn more about how to journal.)


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There are also other ways of recording what you’ve learned and experienced, such as creating pieces of art or composing music.

Find whatever creative outlet suits you the most โ€“ that might even include creating a vlog where you go into your daily experience (and you can keep this private or share it with others).

Here are a variety of inner work Journals that we’ve created that might help you get started. ยป

7. Integrate and embody your spirituality

It’s easy to go spiritual window shopping and jump onto whatever new and exciting bandwagon emerges. But it takes much more strength of character, sincerity, and courage to integrate and embody what you’ve learned actively.

To integrate means to absorb something into your being and to make it a living and breathing part of you.

To embody means to be an expression of what you have learned: to be the change you’re looking for, to infuse your life with the essence of what you’ve discovered.

There are numerous ways to integrate and embody your spirituality, but remember that this is an organic process that takes time. You cannot rush or force spiritual integration or embodiment โ€“ it is the natural product of spiritual ripening and maturation.

There are, however, numerous ways to begin the integration and embodiment part of your journey. Some of these inner work and soul work practices include:

  • Meditation
  • Mindfulness
  • Contemplation
  • Breathwork
  • Shadow Work
  • Self-love
  • Inner child work
  • Self-Inquiry

Anything that helps you to slow down, be introspective, and go inwards while encouraging present-moment awareness will help you to integrate and embody what you experience.

Instead of being a magical-sounding idea, you will actively live and express qualities such as lovingkindness, presence, and wisdom. But first, you need to be sincere and dedicated to this path.

Note:

In my honest opinion, no spiritual journey is balanced (or healthy) without some level of psychological healing.

We need to focus not just on ascending to the Upper World but also on working with the Middle and Under World. See the following articles for more guidance:

  • What is Inner Work? (& Why Most People Are Terrified By it)
  • Spiritual Psychology: Why Meditation Isnโ€™t Enough

The Spiritual Journey is a Valley, Not a Mountain

Image of a golden valley symbolic of the spiritual journey

Wisdom tells me I am nothing, love tells me I am everything. Between the two, my life flows.

โ€• Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Contrary to popular depiction, the spiritual journeyย isn’t like climbing a mountain.

We rarely start at the bottom and climb to the top. Instead, for most of us, the spiritual journey is like hiking through a series of beautiful but perilous range of valleys.

Our spiritual journeys alternate between periods of descending and ascending.

In one period of our lives, we may cultivate our connection with Spirit, while in other parts, we may descend to the Soul to heal core wounds or the middle world to develop self-care.

Finally, it is very possible and also quite common to get hung up in these valleys. Many of us become lost, distracted, and even forget why we were trying to get to the top of the mountain in the first place. (See our article on traps of spiritual growth for more guidance.)

However, with the appropriate guidance, sincerity, and persistence, we can make our way through.

In the end, you’ll find that the spiritual journey is like a mystical marriage between the ego, the Soul, and the Spirit. One cannot exist without the other. The whole experience is a nondual expression of Life living itself.

I truly hope this guide has given you a place to start. This whole website is based on giving free guidance for the spiritual awakening journey, so please feel welcome to poke around and learn some more.

It’s our calling in life to help you with this. And it’s an honor for the two of us to be your supporters on this journey.

To stay connected and get free weekly Soul-centered guidance, you’re welcome to subscribe to our LonerWolf Howl newsletter.

I also recommend checking out our collection of premium resources that can help you tremendously on your spiritual journey. You’ll find everything from books, journals, meditations, and more!

It’s a joy to continue this journey with you as guides and companions!

If you need more help, we offer 3 powerful ways to guide you on your inner journey:

1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Feeling lost or uncertain about your path and purpose in life? Gain clarity and focus by learning about the five archetypes of awakening within you. Discover your deeper path and purpose using our in-depth psychospiritual map. Includes 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, and a premium test.

2. Shadow & Light Membership: Seeking ongoing support for your spiritual journey? Receive weekly intuitive guidance and learn to embrace your whole self, including your shadow side. Deepen your self-love and receive personal support from us.

3. Spiritual Awakening Bundle: Ready to soul search and dive deep? Access our complete "essentials" collection of beloved journals and eBooks. Includes five enlightening eBooks and seven guided journals, plus two special bonuses to further illuminate your path.

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About Mateo Sol

Mateo Sol is a spiritual educator, guide, entrepreneur, and co-founder of one of the most influential and widely read spiritual websites on the internet. Born into a family with a history of drug addiction and mental illness, he was taught about the plight of the human condition from a young age. His mission is to help others experience freedom, wholeness, and peace in all stages of life. [Read More]

(228) Comments

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  1. John Bernstein says

    May 26, 2020 at 5:06 am

    Yes, I do see what you expresses here as valid and essential to a good life. I have come to see the spiritual path as not only made up of development of persona/psyche/ego but of an earthly โ€œsoul pathโ€ that I perceive as ever expanding our soulโ€™s awareness. As it is said in the Kabbalistic tradition, itโ€™s a Tikkune or soul correction. Our โ€œsoul pathโ€ is indelibly a part of our โ€œspiritual journeyโ€ which is beyond time and space and is a journey through the infinite Cosmos where we learn in many formats and in many places, not just Earth.

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      May 27, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      I agree the spiritual journey brings together the personal/ego path as well as that ‘soul path’, it’s all-encompassing as any type of division would only be a mental construct. I like the Kabbalah ‘Tikkune’ term as a soul correction, thank you for sharing John :).

      Reply
  2. Debbie Bragnalo says

    August 20, 2019 at 3:42 am

    I finally found someone like you Mateo Sol who will understand my spiritual journey. My family doctor quoted ” I have never dealt with such compilcated person like you” Wow that should didnt make me feel good !!! You see 10 years ago I was given the most painful unbearable phone call. You need to come to the hospital your daughter was in a fatal car accident. Left broken hearted and in shock for over 3 months my life has changed forever. I feel my soul so empty, struggling each day surving the aftermath of lonliness and isolating myself from others. I am gtateful that I found Loner Wolf

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      August 21, 2019 at 11:37 am

      Thank you Debbie for your lovely comment. It’s really a shame how much of modern medicine is materialism centric, it doesn’t bring elements of the spiritual/transpersonal into their framework to begin understanding the crisis you experienced and what that might awaken in a person. I’ve had a similar discussion with my GP and their little education on the power of food diet and effects on health. I’m happy you found us as well :)

      Reply
    • paul says

      March 26, 2020 at 5:12 am

      As long as you follow, you will never find your true path. IKYA
      Take a look at this website ……IKYA.org

      Reply
    • Jaclyn K Thompson says

      November 14, 2023 at 9:23 pm

      I’m sorry for your loss. Hugs. You can do this!

      Reply
  3. Donna Chan says

    February 04, 2019 at 3:08 pm

    Going through this journey now for a few years. Thank you so much for this article, which so concisely and wholly weaves together these three worlds.

    Reply
  4. Zina says

    October 03, 2018 at 5:59 am

    I really love everything I read about the soul, inner child and emotions. I’m a master life coach and NLP Practitioner and I can relate so much to my knowledge and I’m interested in taking courses or workshop in the soul healing for wholeness and oneness, could be please reply back about how, where and when can I do this. With love and gratitude โค๏ธ Zina

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      October 03, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      Dear Zina,

      Thank you for your interest in our work. NLP is a wonderful psychological tool but you’re right, it can become way more powerful when balanced with a spiritual path alongside it. We plan on offering more books and courses in the coming months so keep an eye out for that :).

      Reply
  5. Jiakim says

    January 23, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    In the middle world. Is a perilous time, suddenly me is something serious and important.

    Reply
  6. manoj says

    August 04, 2017 at 2:44 pm

    I have started journey through these valley on reading this article and other articles of this website 8 months ago.

    And I finally experiencing the mystical marriage of soul,ego and SPIRIT.

    I capitalised spirit word because it was very haunting experience I felt for reclaiming my ultimate spirit

    I am studying MBBS.But I felt dark night of soul experience at this stage. If I didn’t accidentally open this lonerwolf website I can definitely tell I might have miss minimum 6 years of future or even more or even my entire life.

    But I am blessed finally by your passion on creation of this lonerwolf website and writing many articles.

    Thankyou so much sol and luna from my heart

    Reply
  7. Rochelle Anne Lusher says

    December 11, 2016 at 4:38 am

    I’ve lost lots of soul pieces and I don’t know how to get them back. I think I know where some of them might be but I don’t have a shaman or healer person to help me and the ones who advertise their gifts are either very costly or fake. Can’t I just retrieve my own soul pieces by myself. They are mine after all wouldn’t they just naturally want to come home?

    Reply
    • Michaela says

      August 15, 2017 at 12:59 am

      Hello. THis might be helpfull for you http://sacredhealingsworldwide.com/documents/Calling%20Back%20Your%20Own%20Fragmented%20Soul%20Pieces%209-10-11.pdf. There is meditation for soul retrieval. :)

      Reply
  8. Yusuef Waheeda says

    March 29, 2016 at 11:00 am

    Beautiful article, easy to understand and to follow. The journey itself is legendary for the ones who sees it, the moment it starts, you can’t stop it, it is addictive, luring, tempting, and breathtaking…….just wonderful joyous all around experience that transforms surviving into glorious living.

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      March 29, 2016 at 11:17 am

      See you through the valleys my friend :)

      Reply
  9. Olga says

    March 26, 2016 at 6:38 am

    Thanks a lot for this article. Iยดve had such notions for some time, but you put it all so clear. I tried different ways to develop spirituality, but something resists inside of me, something in this “positive thinking”, dismissing the ego, and so on, feels somehow fake, superficial. I thought that I just donยดt try hard enough, or am incapable. Iยดm making some steps now to explore the unconscious, but somehow this is difficult as well, I feel lost and weak. Sometimes it feels like I have some notion, but it is just a notion, and never becomes clear. Just donยดt know where to go and what to do.

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      March 26, 2016 at 6:50 pm

      Hola Olga,

      It’s a perilous path as there is no map or direction. You can spend a lifetime lost in the valleys without the direction of those who’ve been through those roads. We hope to be able to expand on these topics in our future work, with practical exercises and more one-on-one sessions.

      At least you’re on the right track, you’re aware of the problem your facing.

      Warmly,

      Sol

      Reply
  10. GreenWings says

    March 26, 2016 at 2:51 am

    Loved this article! Explained alot to me but I have a question. It’s a weird one. For a few months now, probably for almost a year I’ve been experiencing alot of changes. Is there a possibility that one’s soul can travel between these worlds (upper, middle and lower) and other dimensions? I don’t know if I haven’t protected myself well enoug when I used to meditate because nowadays it feels like I’m floating between different dimensions and not being able to control it.
    Most of the times it feels like my soul walks outside of my body all the time. It feels like I’m constantly in a dream world. I hope you understand what I wrote.

    Namaste!

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      March 26, 2016 at 6:48 pm

      Hola GreenWings,

      It is possible to be in the ‘twilight’ per se, the bridge between worlds. In my culture they thought of it is as Hucha and Sumi, the two energies that are responsible for the access to these worlds. Hucha is the ‘heavy’ energy that our bodies accumulate, it lowers you to the underworld. Sumi elevates you.

      Usually it is related to the imbalance of these energies which can be solved by exercises in ‘grounding’ or presence. No matter what world we find ourselves in, full completely presence or awareness creates roots. Like a tree, strong roots in the ground, so that our branches can touch the heavens. Without roots, the tree is pushes around by the wind from the ground (underworld) to the sky (upperworld), with no control.

      Warmly,

      Sol

      Reply
      • GreenWings says

        March 27, 2016 at 8:17 pm

        Thank you for responding back!
        “Without roots, the tree is pushes around by the wind from the ground (underworld) to the sky (upperworld), with no control.” This is exactly how I feel at this moment in life. Thank you for it in the right words!

        I’ve read alot of articles about being outdoors, like in the woods to ground yourself but do you have any tips for a girl who doesn’t enjoy being outside so much, on how to ground myself?

        Namaste!

        Reply
        • Mateo says

          March 29, 2016 at 11:15 am

          You’re welcome. I’ve found the most helpful technique for those wanting a strong grounding in any situation is to find the bridge between the external and internal worlds.

          A great example is your breathing for instance. Completely focusing on the quality of air, the temperature, how it feels when it goes into you and out of you is a perfect “soil” you can use for your roots.

          Reply
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