Let’s be real for a moment.
There comes a time when our spiritual practices harm us more than help us.
Yet most of us are so invested in protecting our fragile egos from the truth, that we live in a state of denial or total oblivion to what is happening.
When our spiritual practices reinforce, bolster, and underhandedly inflate our senses of self (i.e., our egos) this is spiritual materialism. And it’s a toxic form of spirituality.
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What is Spiritual Materialism?
Originally coined by Buddhist meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in his book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, spiritual materialism is what happens when we use spiritual concepts, practices, and tools to reinforce the false sense of self, the ego. As the ego is the source of all our suffering, bolstering the ego through spiritual practice is totally at odds with the whole point of the spiritual path.
As Trungpa writes,
No matter what the practice or teaching, ego loves to wait in ambush to appropriate spirituality for its own survival and gain.
We need to be honest with ourselves and realize that we aren’t immune to spiritual materialism. As we all have an ego, its mission is to survive, no matter what it takes, because it is terrified of the prospect of non-existence. Yet being free of the ego is the very definition of enlightenment according to all major non-dualistic spiritual traditions.
Examples of Spiritual Materialism
There’s a mess inside you: You clean the outside.
― The Dhammapada
Examining our own paths and practices closely, most of us will be able to find instances of spiritual materialism quite easily. All we have to do is ask, “how is this belief/practice/tool reinforcing the ego (the separate sense of self).”
In fact, the deeper we look, the more instances of spiritual materialism we’ll find. But the point is to not be judgmental, but instead to be aware and compassionate with ourselves. The best way to learn is through our mistakes – and to always reflect with a discerning eye on our own drives and incentives.
But often, it can be hard to turn an objective eye on ourselves. Sometimes, it’s best to learn from examples or the behavior of others.
Here are four common examples of spiritual materialism that can often be found in the spiritual marketplace of life:
- “Owning” and indirectly claiming special status due to certain gifts (e.g., clairvoyance, ability to read auras, communicate with spirits, etc.) which all reinforces the separate sense of self or ego
- Literally buying into the spiritual marketplace: chasing after endless workshops, methods, tools, trinkets, and techniques which all promise to make you a wiser, more intuitive, more blissful, more “spiritual” person
- Practicing meditation with the hidden agenda of trying to avoid suffering by becoming peaceful/detached all the time (when the reality is that emotions/mind are always fluctuating, which is normal and natural – we can’t avoid them forever)
- Using the law of attraction to attract all of your desires (because that “would make you happier” than being grateful for what you already have)
… and the list goes on.
Now comes the difficult moment: can you recognize any of this behavior within yourself?
It takes honesty and humility to admit where we’ve got lost. But being willing to tell the truth about ourselves is a central part of the spiritual path.
11 Signs You’re Falling into Spiritual Materialism
Spiritual materialism is an attachment to the spiritual path as a solid accomplishment or possession. It is said that spiritual materialism is the hardest to overcome. The imagery that is used is that of golden chains; you’re not just in chains, you’re in golden chains. And you love your chains because they’re so beautiful and shiny. But you’re not free. You’re just trapped in a bigger and better trap. The point of spiritual practice is to become free, not to build a tap that may have the appearance of a mansion but is still a prison.
– M. Caplan
Have you fallen into spiritual materialism?
Don’t worry if you say a hesitant “yes” – we all have to some extent. No one is perfect. However, taking an honest look at ourselves is an important part of shadow work: it will help to prevent us from stumbling, falling, and getting sidetracked in the future. It might be painful to admit, but it’s damn important work.
Here are the eleven crucial signs of spiritual materialism to pay attention to:
1. Spiritual elitism
… using spiritual ‘achievements’ or ‘gifts’ to disconnect from and feel superior to others.
2. Cultural appropriation
… using the specific words, practices, or ways of life of other cultures for your own profit/self-image (while simultaneously trivializing them).
3. Creating a spiritual resume
… keeping a list of all the important spiritual people, workshops, certifications, etc. that you’ve achieved to impress yourself and others.
4. Spiritual shopping sprees
… habitually buying spiritual trinkets/tools/items or accumulating the blessings and initiations from sages, shamans, saints, etc. to somehow feel more “special,” “awakened,” “aligned” or spiritually worthy.
5. Future obsession
… believing that “if I do ___, I’LL get to this special elevated state in the future” without living in the present moment or recognizing the fundamental ego-centricity of this driving belief
6. McSpirituality
… seeking out spiritual practices/teachers that are always bigger and better, and promise “instant joy/abundance/bliss/enlightenment” and quick fixes
7. Focusing only on the positive
… so that the ego avoids the reality of its own shadow (i.e., its hidden pain, wounds, and deceptions), it focuses on the purely positive aspects of spirituality, aka. “Think positive thoughts,” “be high vibe,” “love and light,” “good vibes only“
8. InstaSpirituality
… focusing on aesthetically-pleasing spiritual practices that are “Instagram-worthy” while neglecting the deeper and messier aspects of spiritual transformation that can’t fit into a pretty picture
9. Hollywood spirituality
… rather than honoring the ordinary magic of everyday life, you seek lights-and-glamor spirituality and seek after supernatural experiences like angelic visitations, seeing visions, meeting UFOs, spirit guides, teachers with ‘extrasensory’ abilities, etc.
10. Self-improvement addiction
… you flit around from teacher to teacher, practice to practice, in search of becoming “more healed,” spiritually awakened, etc. not realizing that by constantly trying to improve yourself, you are never happy and are constantly reinforcing the illusory ego that feels broken
11. Spiritual narcissism (aka. the spiritual ego)
… this is the climactic result of spiritual materialism: the ego becoming so big, so bulletproof, that it not only unconsciously believes it is more “awakened” than others, but it will do anything to reinforce that “specialness” including harming others through arrogance and narcissism
Wowza … this is a confronting list, no?
Let’s sit with these eleven signs and be honest with ourselves. How many can you relate to?
As we can see, spiritual materialism is what occurs when spirituality feeds the ego – when we take something Divine and try to possess it as our own, when we are fuelled with ego-centric motives. Again, we all have this tendency, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
How to Stop Spiritual Materialism
The reality is that so long as we are still attached to our egos, there will always be some level of spiritual materialism on our paths creeping in here and there.
Until the moment of recognition – the moment where we shift from the ego to Oneness, Non-Duality, Cosmic Consciousness, whatever you call it – the ego will find ways of using spirituality to bolster its existence.
How do we stop spiritual materialism? We find moments of liberation through practices such as:
- Self-awareness
- Shadow work
- Self-inquiry
- Meditation
We can also seek out guidance and opinions from trusted friends and spiritual advisors/mentors. Simply asking, “In what areas might I be deluding myself?” to ourselves and others goes a long way in helping us be free of self-deception and practice spiritual discernment.
So tell me …
What is your experience with spiritual materialism? Are there any other types I haven’t listed in this article? Please share below!
How can you tell the difference between something your soul wants and something your ego wants? Like if my soul wants to share things with others and be able to create an income from this, how can you tell if this is your authentic Self and not your ego?
Good article. But the ideas about the ego are distorted. We have an ego because it’s meant to be a tool for discernment. It is the *illusions* that a wounded ego has that are the source of suffering, not the ego itself. Many people misinterpret what Buddhist teachings said about the ego, which is that we should work to be free from the *Maya* (illusions) that the ego develops. When one can *heal* the ego of its wounds and dispell the Maya, then one will know true freedom.
Thanks for writing this helpful post, Luna!
These actions resonated most with me: number 5 (Thinking “If only I do __ practice, I’ll get into an elevated state) and number 10 (going from practice to practice to try and become “more healed”). I now see that these tendencies make sense, as self-worth and self-esteem have been tender, wound-filled personal areas for me. I’m thankful that this is changing though!
Thank you for your honesty and authenticity in sharing this Evelyn! I can definitely relate to falling into these practices as well (many times). Self-awareness is key though!
I agree with much of what you are saying, but not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, iv e so much fun and great learning experiences whilst on the new age path.
OK, there was spiritual arrogance etc, but there were a lot of things that made me a better person, enriched my life and kept me sane! Better to be addicted to spiritual searching, than many other addictions, I have been guilty as charged, but what part of life doesn’t involve the ego!
That said,
“Better to be addicted to spiritual searching, than many other addictions,” – yes, I agree with you there. :)
I definitely love my crystals and incense and bath salts seasoned for each day of the week, LOL! Maybe I have experiences in the bath, or maybe there’s just something in there to get me stoned ! I don’t *depend* on them, though. I *enjoy* using it, and I think I benefit from having regular practices or rituals in place.
I guess I’m wondering if it’s pathological to use these things in general, or if it’s a particular way that people use them that makes it pathological.
I’m definitely into the mystical mumbo jumbo. I also think it’s something anybody can do, so at least I don’t suffer from elitism.
I have a mentor who encourages me to believe many things that take a lot of audacity to believe, and I think that it is an individual thing concerning some of my own self esteem issues. Not really sure what else to think about it.
“I guess I’m wondering if it’s pathological to use these things in general, or if it’s a particular way that people use them that makes it pathological.” – good question. To me, it’s the way we approach them which makes it an issue. ;)
Thank you for sharing this article. I am experiencing a good practice with the dichotomy of “to have” and “to be” (as formulated by Fromm in his book To have or to be). Whenever I insist to have, to reach s., to gain etc. I have immediately a feeling comming from ego-centered behaviour and have chance to transform that by leaving it into experience like just go through it, just doing it, just to be…
This is one of your best articles.
Having lived around Glastonbury (which I described to a friend as an ‘esoteric scrapyard’), I think that your 11 points have pretty well nailed spiritual materialism for what it is.
I tend to think that if one cannot discover or actualise ‘spirituality’ via introspection or self-reflection without resorting to (external) paraphernalia, then it will always be elusive.
But if you can sense the Sun or Moon smiling upon you and can smile in return, or if you can feel the elemental embrace of the storm wind and embrace it in return, or if you can stand in awe and wonder at the opening of the first blossoms of spring, or even more simply feel gratitude towards all of the people, factors and circumstances that have gotten you to the very point in life where you stand (even the bad ones: yes, it can be difficult to accept (let alone embrace) the adversity that has helped you to be so strong), then you are probably on the right path.
It is often at our point of greatest vulnerability or weakness that we find our greatest strength, which comes from within; and no technique or initiation or ritual or box of tricks or bag of crystals can give us this.
Thank you.
I bless the ground that you walk upon and the air that you breathe, as you surely do.
Interesting write-up useful and sensible. It appears Aletheia Luna may have fallen into the same ‘trap’ she is asking others to avoid; that is, advertising credentials about this so-called “spiritual awakening” as a result of apparent “existential crisis”. It’s understandable for marketing reasons, which is fine. All good wishes.
great article. I instantly recognized my mother in a lot of these signs. I was raised to focus only on “love and light”. What ended up happening is when I needed to deal with a lot of my pain I was always told to see it in love and forgive. I was told that only be in a state of love and light and not to focus on the darkness because it was “low vibration”. This was of thinking landed me in a mental institution on some serious drugs. I became severely depressed because I was never taught how to cope. I always looked up to my mother and believed she was some kind of guru. When I got older I realized that she did not have all the answers. I don’t blame her because I feel she did the best she knew how to do. I have since really worked on myself and I am following my purpose. I had to be alone to do so and get away from outside influence, but I am so much better for it.
Thank you for sharing this Stacy <3
I loved this. I think I have been spiritually materialistic in the past, and now as I’m going through a spiritual awakening I’m being cautious to not slip back into it. I do have a question. I’d like to have some reiki to help with some needed physical/ emotional/ mental healing. Would that still be spiritual materialism? Or is it when I become reliant on the practice to “feel better” versus working through it?
Hi Amber. Reiki is fine – but depending on it to make you feel better (and giving away your power to the reiki practitioner in the process) starts entering the shadow territory. We all need help and guidance from others, but whether that guidance helps or hinders us lies in our own intention.
I love this article so much … I used to be caught in this and I’m so grateful that I was able to get out (knock on wood :)) … seriously though, it is so important to be conscious and honest with yourself and one’s motives because one can get sucked into things like that very easily anytime.
Thank you for writing this article and bringing the awareness … it is such a gem <3
Thank you, Barchi. <3
Amen.
I think if we’re honest we all have or may at some point fall into spiritual materialism. It may in fact be a necessary thing for some of us to experience in order to evolve. The important thing is that we check in with ourselves. I realized at some point along my journey that everyone’s truth is Their truth, not mine. Their experiences are theirs, not mines. And while other people’s truths, experiences, and guidance can be useful- it is not coming from me. Self-inquiry is the best inquiry. Going within oneself will always trump spiritual materialism. For me, the idea of constant positivity and being surrounded by people who seemed to always be happy and ignore any emotions that they didn’t seem to be positive, was more detrimental for my growth. I had to realize that we give our emotions and experiences labels. What appears to be bad or wrong all depends upon one’s perception. When I stopped trying to label my emotions and experiences or allow others to, I realized everything just is and it is my mind that seeks to analyze, categorize, and label my emotions and experiences.