The Path to Spiritual Enlightenment: Traditions, Guides, and Pitfalls on the Journey (5 of 7)

The Path to Spiritual Enlightenment – Part 5 of 7

Do you long for something more?

More meaning. More clarity. More you.

In this article, we explore the most well-known paths to spiritual enlightenment – from yoga and Buddhism to Sufism and shamanism. But more important than which path you choose is who guides you there.

Without a competent guide, you risk walking in circles. Or getting caught in the most insidious trap of all: false awakening – where the ego dresses in spiritual garb and pretends to have transformed.

We also look at why psychedelics rarely lead to lasting transformation. And what it actually takes to come home to yourself.

Throughout this article series on spiritual enlightenment, we have journeyed deep into humanity’s spiritual nature. It has been a voyage through layer upon layer of what we believe ourselves to be – all the way down to the core of what we truly are.

We began with our first birth as innocent, pure beings. That state of complete presence and openness that every child enters the world with. A state without filters, without defenses, without the mental walls we later build around ourselves.

Then we explored the transformative process of shamanic death – that deep inner transformation where the ego must release its iron grip on our consciousness. We looked at the healing of “The Dark Night of the Soul,” that dark night so many spiritual seekers must pass through before dawn arrives.

We have seen how we can find our way back to unity and rediscover our enlightened, divine self. A state that shatters the ego’s limitations and fills life with light, meaning, and harmony.

Not as an escape from reality. But as a deeper presence within it.

We have also seen why spiritual enlightenment should be one of life’s most important priorities. Not just for your own transformation – though that alone is reason enough – but also to contribute to a better world. For when one person awakens, it sends ripples out to everyone and everything around them.

In this fifth article, we take a new perspective.

We examine a selection of different paths that can lead to spiritual enlightenment and self-realization. For there isn’t just one way up the mountain. There are many. And while they all lead toward the same summit, the terrain is different on each of them.

Spiritual enlightenment is not a one-dimensional journey.

It is a complex, deeply personal process that can take many forms. Depending on tradition, culture, and individual experience. Depending on who you are, where you come from, and what your soul needs to awaken.

From the deep stillness of meditation and the nature-based practices of shamanism to the contemplative paths of mysticism – there exists a rich spectrum of trails that can all lead toward the same goal:

A deep understanding of your true nature. An experience of unity with all that is.

This article will present a small selection of such paths and how each, in its own way, can open the door to the transformative state of spiritual enlightenment. We will look at what unites them, what distinguishes them, and how you can find the path that resonates with your own soul.

Whether you seek guidance from ancient traditions, modern practices, or a blend of both – I invite you to dive into this topic with an open mind and a curious heart.

Let your intuition guide you. Feel what draws you. For whatever path you choose, all authentic spiritual journeys lead you back to the same timeless truth:

Your enlightened, divine essence.

It has been there all along. Waiting for you to come home.

The Guide – The Most Important Key

On the path toward spiritual enlightenment and self-realization, there are many traditions, methods, and practices that promise to lead you to the goal.

From meditation and shamanic rituals to mystical contemplations and energy work. From silent retreats in the mountains to intense ceremonies by the fire. The choices can seem overwhelming.

The internet is brimming with offerings. Books fill the shelves. Courses and workshops are organized every weekend. All promising transformation. All promising to show you the way.

But regardless of which path you choose, one factor is decisive for your success:

The quality of the guidance you receive.

A competent guide, teacher, guru, or mentor is not just support along the way. They’re not just someone who can answer questions or recommend a book.

They are often the difference between finding the light and getting lost in the darkness.

Let me explain why.

Why Is the Guide So Important?

Achieving spiritual enlightenment is not just about mastering techniques or understanding philosophical concepts. It’s not about reading the right books or attending the right courses.

It is a profound inner transformation. A transformation that touches every fiber of your being. That turns upside down everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world.

This transformation requires more than intellectual insight. It requires experience, wisdom, and an accurate understanding of the hidden barriers that can arise along the way.

For the path is not straight. It’s full of turns, dead ends, and dangerous chasms. Full of illusions that look like truth. Full of traps that the ego lays out to keep you captive.

An experienced guide has walked the path themselves. They have stumbled into the same holes. They have stood at the same crossroads. They have felt the same confusion and fear.

But they have also found the way through.

They know the terrain – both the open paths and the hidden pitfalls. They know where it’s safe to rest and where it’s dangerous to stop. They can see when you’re on the right course and when you’ve begun to wander in circles.

Their role is to be a safety, a guide, and a catalyst for your own growth. Not to do the work for you, but to show you that the work can be done. That the goal can be reached. That you have it in you.

Without a competent guide, you risk:

• Misinterpreting experiences: Spiritual awakening can often involve challenging or confusing experiences. Visions that don’t make sense. Emotions that surge up from the depths. Experiences that shake the very foundation of who you think you are. Without guidance, you can misunderstand or even fear what’s happening. What could have been a breakthrough instead becomes a source of anxiety. An opening becomes a closing.

• Getting stuck: It’s easy to encounter inner resistance or stagnation when the ego and old patterns try to hold you back. The ego is a master at creating distractions, excuses, and doubt. It will do everything it can to survive. A guide can help you see and overcome such blockages – blockages you yourself might not even know exist because they’ve become so normal to you.

• Being trapped in illusions: Without a guide, there’s a great risk of being trapped in the ego’s need for validation. Or in the illusion of “false awakening” – where you believe you’ve reached the goal before the journey has truly begun. Where the ego has dressed itself in spiritual clothing and pretends to have transformed. This is perhaps the most dangerous pitfall of all, because it feels so real. So right. So final.

• Harming yourself: Spiritual practice can be powerful. Some techniques can trigger processes that are difficult to handle alone. Kundalini awakening, intense purification processes, or encounters with suppressed traumas can be overwhelming without proper support. A competent guide knows how to navigate these processes safely.

The Guide’s Role in Different Traditions

Historically, the most well-known spiritual traditions have emphasized the indispensable role of the guide. This is not coincidental. It is wisdom distilled from thousands of years of experience.

In yoga and tantra, the guru has always been a link between the seeker and the divine. The word “guru” itself means “one who brings light to darkness.” The guru is not just a teacher who transmits knowledge. They are a living example of what is possible. A bridge between what you are and what you can become.

In shamanic cultures around the world, the shaman transmits mystical knowledge and leads the student through transformative rituals. The shaman has themselves undergone a deep initiation – often through illness, near-death experience, or intense visionary journey. They have been to the other side and returned. They know the territory.

In Sufism, the mystical heart of Islam, the relationship between master and student is sacred. The student surrenders to the master’s guidance, not out of blind obedience, but out of trust that the master can see what the student cannot yet see.

Even Buddha – Siddhartha Gautama – who achieved enlightenment on his own after years of intense practice, sought guidance from teachers in the early stages of his journey. He studied under several masters before finding his own way. He understood that even one who must find their own path needs guidance in the beginning.

What makes the guide unique is not just their knowledge of methods and techniques. You can find that in books.

It is their ability to see where you are in your development. And what is necessary for you to take the next step. Right now. In exactly your situation.

A guide doesn’t walk the path for you. They cannot. No one can walk your path for you.

But they help you navigate through the unknown landscapes of your own consciousness. They hold the light when you walk through darkness. They remind you of who you really are when you’ve forgotten.

How to Find a Competent Guide?

Not everyone who claims to be a guide has the necessary experience or integrity to guide others.

This is important to understand. The wrong guide can lead you further from the goal – not closer. They can strengthen the ego instead of dissolving it. Create dependency instead of freedom. Confuse instead of clarify.

In an age where “spiritual teacher” has become a popular title, it’s more important than ever to be discerning. Many have perhaps had some powerful experiences, read some books, and believe they’re ready to guide others. But spiritual enlightenment is not the same as having had some mystical experiences.

Here are some criteria to consider when seeking a guide:

• Experience and insight: An authentic guide has themselves experienced what they share with others. They don’t speak from books alone, but from lived life and undergone transformation. You can hear it in their voice. See it in their eyes. They speak of enlightenment not as a distant ideal, but as something they know from the inside.

• Ability to see you: A good guide is not preoccupied with themselves. They are focused on supporting your growth. They see your unique needs and challenges – and meet you where you are. Not where they wish you would be. Not where it fits best for their system or method. But exactly where you actually are.

• Integrity and humility: A true guide is free from the ego’s need for power or control. They don’t seek followers or admirers. They know their role is to lead you to become your own guide – not to create dependency. They celebrate when you no longer need them. That’s the sign they’ve done their job.

• Resonance: Do you feel deep trust and connection with the guide? Not blind admiration – that’s a warning sign. But a quiet knowing that this person can help you. A feeling of recognition. A true guide will inspire you to go deeper into your own journey. Not hold you back. Not make you small.

• Authenticity: The truth about a guide’s authenticity is found in their personal life. How do they handle challenges, people, and ethics when the public spotlight isn’t shining on them? How do they treat the waiter at the restaurant? How do they react when someone disagrees with them? An authentic guide always lives their wisdom. Not just in the classroom, but every day. In every action. In every encounter.

• Results: Look at their students. Not just what they say, but how they live. Have they found more peace? More love? More meaning? Have they become more authentic, or just more “spiritual” on the surface? The fruit reveals the tree’s quality.

The Importance of a Guide for the Final Step: From the 6th to the 7th Chakra

As you move through the seven main chakras (see the article “The Journey Back to Unity and Our Enlightened Nature!”), the journey toward spiritual enlightenment is usually a gradual process. Each chakra opens new dimensions of insight and consciousness.

Through the root chakra, you find grounding and security. Through the sacral chakra, you discover creativity and emotions. The solar plexus gives you will and personal power. The heart chakra opens to love. The throat chakra to expression. The third eye to intuition and insight.

Each step brings you closer.

But the final step – from the 6th chakra (the third eye) to the 7th chakra (the crown chakra) – is of an entirely different character.

This is not just another step on the ladder. It is a leap into the unknown.

This step is often called “falling upward.” You must either jump or fall into a bottomless chasm where you have no idea what awaits you. Everything you’ve built up – all knowledge, all experiences, your entire identity – must be released.

It requires a complete transcendence of the ego and the mind’s limitations.

Think of it as standing on the edge of a cliff. Behind you is everything you know. Everything you’ve spent your whole life building. Before you is only void. Nothing to hold onto. Nothing to land on.

And you must jump.

This is something very few can achieve on their own. Meditation or technique alone is rarely enough. You can meditate for twenty years and still stand at the edge of that cliff, unable to take the final step.

It often requires an impulse from a guide who can transmit a higher conscious state. One who has jumped themselves and knows that it’s not a fall down, but an ascension.

This is often known as shaktipat.

Shaktipat is a transmission of higher spiritual consciousness from the guide to the student. It’s not just instruction or guidance. It’s a direct energetic transmission – a spark that ignites the flame.

This energy functions as a bridge between the personal and the trancidental. It helps the student break through the final illusions that keep them bound to duality. The last walls between you and infinity.

Without such a transmission – which can only be given by a guide who has themselves reached spiritual enlightenment – most will remain at the level of intuition and insight (6th chakra).

They will have glimpses of truth. Moments of clarity. Perhaps even deep mystical experiences.

But they will not experience the total unity and timelessness that the crown chakra represents. The permanent transformation. The homecoming.

This explains why many who meditate for years, even with great dedication, don’t reach the final step. It’s not because they’re not trying hard enough. Not because they’re doing something wrong.

It’s because meditation alone cannot take you there.

The meditation process is a powerful tool for quieting the mind. For cleansing, preparing, and opening. But without the final “push” from a competent guide, it will be like climbing to the edge of a cliff without knowing how to jump.

You stand there. Ready. But something holds you back.

The guide doesn’t just give instructions. They also give the energy and support necessary to take the leap into unity. They hold you in the fall. Or rather – they show you that there is no fall. Only freedom.

The Path Is Limited Without a Suitable Guide

Even the best path or method will have limited effect without proper guidance.

Many seek enlightenment through reading books, attending workshops, or trying various techniques on their own. That’s understandable. We live in a time when information is available everywhere. When “do it yourself” has become an ideal.

And let me be clear: It can provide valuable insight. Books can inspire. Workshops can open doors. Personal practice is invaluable.

But it’s like trying to cross an unknown landscape without a map or compass.

You can get some distance. You can discover beautiful places. You can learn a lot about the terrain.

But without a competent guide, the risk is great of getting stuck, getting lost, or worst of all – giving up the journey entirely. Believing that the goal doesn’t exist. Or that it’s not for you.

Spiritual enlightenment and self-realization are not destinations reached through chance or trial-and-error. It is a profound developmental process that requires both dedication and proper support.

By finding a competent guide – one who not only shows the way but also holds a light for you when the darkness seems impenetrable – you increase your chances of not just starting the journey, but actually arriving.

At complete freedom. At the homecoming you’ve longed for all your life.

False Awakening: When the Ego Dresses in Spiritual Garb

One of the greatest pitfalls on the path toward spiritual enlightenment is what’s called false awakening.

This is perhaps the most insidious trap on the entire journey. Because it feels so real. So right. So final.

False awakening happens when the ego, rather than being overcome, finds subtle ways to strengthen its position. It dresses in spiritual garb and pretends to have transformed.

But inside, everything remains the same.

The ego is a master of survival. It has evolved over millions of years to protect itself. And when it sees that spiritual development threatens its existence, it does something brilliant: It becomes spiritual.

Instead of fighting against the spiritual journey, the ego takes control of it. It becomes the “spiritual person.” The “enlightened one.” The one who “has understood.”

And suddenly you have a spiritual ego that’s even harder to see through than the old, ordinary ego.

False awakening can give an illusion of progress – the feeling of having reached a higher state of consciousness – without the inner transformation actually having taken place.

You can have powerful experiences. Mystical visions. Feelings of unity and love. All of this can be real.

But the question is: Have you transformed? Or have you just acquired a new, finer mask?

Signs of false awakening can be:

• A conviction of your own special enlightenment – the feeling that you’ve achieved something most others haven’t

• The need to display yourself as spiritual – making sure others know how far you’ve come

• A feeling of superiority over others – subtle condescension toward those who “haven’t understood”

• Criticism of other people’s “lower” consciousness level – judgment wrapped in spiritual language

• Resistance to being corrected or challenged – because you “already know”

• Using spiritual language to avoid taking responsibility or facing difficult emotions

These illusions can create stagnation. They prevent the honest self-examination necessary for true growth. How can you develop further if you believe you’ve already arrived?

Spiritual enlightenment is not about “being spiritual” in others’ eyes. It’s not about feeling better than others. It’s not about having the right opinions or using the right words.

It’s about experiencing deep unity and freedom. Liberated from the ego’s need for validation and control. Liberated from the need to be something special at all.

Paradoxically, one of the clearest signs of genuine enlightenment is that the person doesn’t feel enlightened. They just feel… normal. Present. Whole. Without the need to be anything other than what they are.

Navigating away from false awakening requires humility, devotion, self-insight, and guidance from a competent guide who can help you see through the ego’s masks.

A good guide will never flatter you. They will challenge you. They will hold up a mirror that shows you what you don’t want to see. For that’s where the growth lies.

The Most Well-Known Paths That Can Lead to Spiritual Enlightenment

Throughout history, humanity has developed a multitude of spiritual traditions and practices. In every culture, on every continent, in every era, people have sought answers to the same deep questions:

Who am I really? What’s the meaning of all this? Is there something more than what the eye can see?

And time and again, the answers have pointed in the same direction: Toward a higher state of consciousness. Toward a deep understanding of our true nature. Toward what we might call enlightenment.

These traditions offer structured paths to spiritual enlightenment. Each with unique methods, philosophy, and perspectives – but all aimed at breaking through the ego’s illusions and reuniting the individual with their true divine nature.

It’s like many paths up the same mountain. The terrain is different. The views along the way vary. Some paths are steep and direct, others wind gradually upward. But all lead to the same summit.

Here are some of the most well-known paths.

Yoga and Tantra

From the ancient Vedic traditions of India – traditions stretching back thousands of years – yoga and tantra have developed as powerful systems for spiritual growth.

Yoga is today best known for its physical postures, but originally it was a comprehensive path to self-realization. The word “yoga” itself means “union” or “joining” – the union of the individual soul with universal consciousness.

Yoga is not just about the physical body, although the body is used as a tool. It’s about quieting the mind and uniting body, mind, and soul into one harmonious whole.

There are many forms of yoga, each with its own focus:

Raja Yoga (the royal path) focuses on meditation and control of the mind. It is a systematic path through eight stages, from ethical principles to deep samadhi – that state where the distinction between the one who meditates and the object of meditation disappears.

Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) emphasizes love for the divine. Here, the heart is the tool. Through prayer, song, and devotion, the ego dissolves in love.

Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) uses the intellect and self-inquiry to discern between the real and the unreal, the eternal and the transient.

Tantra goes beyond the duality of body and soul. Where many spiritual traditions view the body and material world as obstacles, tantra embraces everything. Nothing is excluded. Everything is sacred.

Tantra uses various forms of energy work to transform sexual and vital energy into a higher state of consciousness. It is a path that embraces the whole human being – including what we often hide or feel ashamed of.

Through tantra, we learn that enlightenment isn’t found somewhere “up there” away from life, but in the midst of life itself. In the body. In the senses. In the moment.

Buddhism’s Paths to Awakening

Over 2,500 years ago, a man sat beneath a tree in India and decided not to rise until he had found the truth. After days of intense meditation, he awakened – and became known as Buddha, “the awakened one.”

The Buddhism that grew from this awakening provides clear guidelines for achieving enlightenment through discipline, ethical living, and meditation. It has evolved into several main branches, each with its own approach:

• Theravada is the oldest form of Buddhism and focuses on the individual’s own effort to achieve Nirvana through meditation and insight. Here, the path is carefully mapped: The Four Noble Truths explain the nature of suffering, and the Eightfold Path shows how to free oneself from it. It’s a path that requires discipline and perseverance but promises complete liberation from suffering.
• Mahayana emphasizes compassion and the wish to achieve enlightenment not only for oneself but to help all sentient beings. Here, the ideal is the bodhisattva – one who postpones their own complete liberation to help others on the path. Zen Buddhism, which belongs here, is known for its minimalist approach – emphasizing meditation and being completely present in the moment. No extra decoration. Just this. Now.
• Chan Buddhism is a Chinese branch of Mahayana that emphasizes intuitive insight, direct experience, and meditation practice. Chan is the precursor to Japanese Zen and shares its focus on immediate awakening. It’s not something you gradually work toward – it’s something you suddenly see. Like waking from a dream.
• Vajrayana is known as the Diamond Path. It uses tantric techniques, visualizations, mantras, and complex rituals for spiritual growth. It’s an intense and powerful path that requires close guidance from a qualified teacher. But for those who are ready, it can also be the fastest path to awakening.

Christian Mystical Traditions

Christianity also contains mystical traditions that have inspired many on the path to enlightenment. Traditions that have often been overlooked – or even suppressed – in the institutional church, but that have never completely disappeared.

The Christian mystics sought not just to believe in God, but to experience God. Directly. Personally. Without intermediaries.

• Contemplative prayer was practiced by mystics such as John of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila. John described the famous “dark night of the soul” – that painful process where all human conceptions of God must die for direct experience to arise. Teresa mapped the soul’s journey through seven mansions toward the innermost union with the divine. Contemplative prayer focuses on uniting the soul with God through inner stillness and surrender. Not asking for anything. Just being. In God’s presence.
• The Jesus Prayer is a short, repetitive prayer that helps focus the mind and open the heart to divine grace. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” Repeated thousands of times, until the words sink from the head to the heart, until the whole body prays. It’s a practice reminiscent of mantra meditation in Eastern traditions – showing how different paths often meet at the same depth.

Sufism

The mystical branch of Islam, Sufism, seeks a direct experience of the divine through love and devotion. Where orthodox Islam focuses on the outer form of the law, Sufism dives into the law’s inner meaning.

The Sufis speak of God as the Beloved. The path to God is the path of love. And the goal is fana – the annihilation of the false self in God’s infinite reality.

• Dhikr is repetition of divine names to achieve unity with God. “Allah” is repeated rhythmically, with the breath, with the heartbeat, until the distinction between the one who repeats and what is repeated disappears. It’s a practice that quiets the mind and brings the heart to life. Like gradually polishing the mirror of the heart until it reflects only The One.
• Sufi dance is a transcendental practice where movement and music bring participants into a state of ecstasy and contact with the divine. The famous “whirling dervishes” are an example of this. With one hand toward heaven and the other toward earth, they spin around their own axis – like planets around the sun, like the soul around its divine center. In this spinning, the self dissolves, and only the dance remains.

Taoism and Zen

The philosophical traditions of the East focus on harmony with the universe and unity with nature’s rhythms. Here, the goal is not to conquer nature or overcome the body, but to flow with life’s natural current.

• Taoism teaches that enlightenment comes through following the Tao – the natural flow of the universe. “The Tao that can be expressed in words is not the eternal Tao,” begins the Tao Te Ching. It is something that must be experienced, not understood. Not by fighting against life, but by flowing with it. Like water that always finds the way down, that always adapts to the terrain, and that over time can wear down even the hardest rock. Wu wei – non-action – is not passivity, but action in harmony with the nature of things.
• Zen emphasizes spontaneous insight and simplicity through deep meditation (zazen) and koans – puzzles that shatter the boundaries of reason. “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Such questions cannot be solved by the intellect. They are designed to short-circuit the usual thinking patterns and open for direct insight. In Zen, awakening is not something distant. It’s available here and now. In this moment. In this breath. In this cup of tea.

Karma Yoga and Selfless Service

The Hindu tradition also emphasizes the path to enlightenment through selfless action and service to others. For those who cannot sit still for hours meditating, there’s another path: The path of action.

Karma Yoga is about performing actions without attachment to the results. This is perhaps one of the most challenging forms of yoga, because it requires a complete reversal in how we usually relate to what we do.

Usually, we act to achieve something. We work for money. We help to be liked. We give to get back.

Karma yoga turns this upside down: You act, but you let go of the result. Not because the result doesn’t matter, but because it’s not yours to control. Your job is the action itself. The fruits belong to the universe.

Everything you do becomes an expression of the divine in life. Not for personal gain, but as a gift to the world. Are you washing dishes? That’s yoga. Are you helping a neighbor? That’s yoga. Are you doing your job with full presence? That’s yoga.

Through this practice, the ego gradually dissolves. Because the ego lives on attachment to results. When that attachment is released, the ego has nothing to hold onto.

Psychedelic Spiritual Exploration – And Its Limitations

Throughout history, psychedelic substances such as ayahuasca, peyote, and psilocybin have been used in various traditions to induce deep altered states of consciousness. This is nothing new. Indigenous cultures worldwide have used plants and mushrooms as part of their spiritual practices for thousands of years.

These substances can provide powerful experiences. Experiences of transcendence, connection to the universe, and insight into the nature of existence. Many who have used them report life-changing moments of clarity and coherence.

But there are critical limitations to this approach. Limitations that mean psychedelic experiences rarely lead to stable enlightenment or lasting self-realization.

Let me be clear about this. Because misuse of psychedelic substances – which unfortunately is becoming more and more popular in various esoteric circles – can actually block your own path to freedom and your divine nature.

Not because the experiences aren’t real. But because they can create an illusion of progress that prevents the real work.

Why Psychedelics Don’t Lead to Stable States of Unity

1. Temporariness and Lack of Integration

Psychedelic substances can provide brief experiences of unity and connection with the divine. During the trip, you may feel that you understand everything. That all boundaries are dissolved. That you are one with the universe.

But these experiences are rarely lasting.

When the effect of the substance wears off, most fall back into their usual mental patterns and ego-driven states. Everyday life takes over. The worries come back. The ego resumes its place on the throne.

Without continuous work on self-development and consciousness, the insights often become incomplete and difficult to integrate into everyday life. You remember that you experienced something enormous. But you can’t grasp it. Can’t hold onto it. Can’t bring it with you into Monday morning.

You wake up the next morning. And everything is as before.

Perhaps with a memory of something beautiful. But just a memory. Not a lasting transformation.

2. Absence of Inner Dedication and Practice

Spiritual enlightenment requires gradual development. Dedication, insight, self-examination. Day after day. Year after year. This includes practices such as meditation, self-reflection, and energy work – practices that slowly change your fundamental way of being and perspective.

It’s like building muscles. You can’t take a pill and wake up strong. You have to train. Consistently. Over time.

Psychedelics skip this necessary development.

They give a glimpse of the potential goal without building a solid foundation. It’s like being transported to the mountain’s summit by helicopter. You see the view. But you don’t have the strength to stay there. You haven’t walked the path. Your body isn’t adapted to the altitude.

Thus, you often lack the tools needed to stabilize such states. When the helicopter disappears, you have to go back down. Because you can’t survive up there.

3. Lack of Control Over the Experience

Under psychedelic substances, you can be thrown into an overwhelming experience without the ability to control or interpret what’s happening. You’re a passenger, not a driver.

Without proper guidance or a safe framework, this can lead to confusion, anxiety, or even trauma. “Bad trips” are not just unpleasant – they can leave scars that take a long time to heal.

And it’s difficult to know whether the experiences represent a real connection to higher consciousness – or just a projection of your own subconscious mind. When you see beautiful visions, is it the universe’s truth? Or is it the brain’s fireworks under chemical influence?

This is not a question that can be answered during the trip. And that’s a problem.

Quick Results – An Illusory Approach to Enlightenment

In today’s society, many seek efficiency and quick results. We want everything now. Immediately. With a click.

That’s understandable. We live in a busy world where time is a scarce resource. Where we’re used to technology accelerating everything.

But it’s tempting to believe that spiritual enlightenment can also be achieved quickly and without effort. That there’s a shortcut. A hack. A pill.

Many see psychedelics as exactly this – a “fast track” to unity and self-realization. Take this substance, and you’ll see the truth. Experience wholeness. Become enlightened.

They overlook the fact that enlightenment is a deep and long-term transformation. It requires patience, dedication, and sustained work. Not because the universe is stingy. But because the transformation must happen at all levels – not just the visionary one.

Spiritual enlightenment is not about a single experience or vision. It’s about a fundamental change in the way you relate to yourself and the world. In every moment. Not just during the trip.

Psychedelics can provide a moment’s insight. A glimpse behind the veil. But without the inner structure that develops through practice, reflection, and guidance, these insights will quickly disappear. Like dreams you forget when the day takes over.

The ego can also use these experiences to strengthen its own identity – by creating an illusion of progress that actually prevents deeper development. “I have seen the secrets of the universe,” says the ego proudly. And suddenly the spiritual ego is even stronger than the ordinary one.

This is false awakening in its pure form.

It’s like building a house without a foundation. It can look impressive for a while. The walls are up. The roof is in place. But it will quickly collapse under pressure. When the storm comes. When life tests you.

Many who seek enlightenment through psychedelic experiences either experience stagnation – they stay in the same place year after year – or they become trapped in an endless search for the next ecstatic experience. Always chasing the next “enlightenment kick.” Without understanding that real enlightenment requires a healthy, gradual awakening through inner work.

Not a series of drug experiences, no matter how beautiful they may be.

Are They Real Spiritual Experiences or Subconscious Constructions?

Psychedelic experiences are known to produce very vivid visions, feelings of unity, and contact with “spiritual beings” or higher consciousnesses. People meet gods, angels, ancestors. They see geometric patterns of unimaginable complexity. They experience time stopping and space expanding.

These are real experiences in the sense that the person truly experiences them. But the question goes deeper:

Is it impossible to objectively determine whether these experiences stem from something outside you – from a greater reality – or whether they’re just a product of the brain’s activity under the influence of drugs?

Here are some challenges to consider:

The role of the subconscious: Psychedelic substances tend to amplify and bring forth subconscious thoughts, memories, and emotions. Everything that’s buried comes to the surface. Many of the “spiritual” experiences can be deeply symbolic and meaningful on a personal level. But it’s not certain they reflect universal truths. They can be projections of your own psychological patterns and traumas. Your own hopes and fears dressed in cosmic garments.

Lack of verifiability: In a psychedelic state, the experiences are highly subjective. There’s no way to validate whether they represent something objective outside yourself. You can’t bring back evidence. Unlike paths such as yoga or Zen, where experiences are gradually confirmed through deeper insight and stable transformation over time, psychedelic experiences often remain isolated and unconfirmed. Beautiful islands of experience, without bridges to the mainland of daily life.

No control over the ego’s illusions: The ego can still play a role during psychedelic experiences. In fact, the ego can be particularly active when it feels threatened. This can lead to illusions of enlightenment – a false sense of progress where you believe you’ve achieved something deeper without having undergone the necessary inner transformation. The ego can even use the experience to feel even more special: “I have seen things others haven’t seen.”

Spiritual Enlightenment Requires Stability

Spiritual enlightenment is a lasting state. Not a moment. Not an experience. A state.

It cannot be achieved through temporary chemical states, any more than lasting happiness can be achieved through intoxication.

Enlightenment is about creating a stable connection with your true nature. A connection that holds. Day after day. In good times and bad. Where the ego’s illusions are overcome – not just paused – and the mind is in permanent peace.

Psychedelic experiences can give glimpses of this goal. Brief insights into what’s possible. Like seeing the sunrise through a crack in the curtains.

But they lack the necessary structures to maintain and integrate the state in the long term. The crack closes. The darkness returns. And you lie there wondering if what you saw was real.

As a supplement to deeper practice – under the guidance of an experienced teacher – psychedelic ceremonies can sometimes open doors to insight and healing. In the right context, with the right intention and support, they can have their place.

But they are far from sufficient as a complete path to spiritual enlightenment.

Without inner dedication, reflection, and continuous work, they remain only fascinating but brief experiences. Interesting stories to tell. But not transformation.

Not homecoming.

The Primordial Shamanic Path to Unity and Spiritual Enlightenment

At Yggdrasil Shamanic School, I offer my students a unique path to enlightenment called “The Primordial Shamanic Path to Unity and Spiritual Enlightenment.”

This path is deeply rooted in ancient traditions – wisdom that has been passed down through generations, distilled and refined over thousands of years. But it is adapted to our modern times. Because we don’t live in the past. We live here and now, with modern challenges and modern opportunities.

In our tradition, we do not use psychedelic substances.

The path to enlightenment does not require such means. It never has. Enlightenment is achieved through inner work, dedication, and guidance – not through temporary chemical experiences.

We focus on lasting transformation that is integrated into your daily life. Not fleeting experiences that disappear when the sun rises. Not “highs” you must chase again and again.

But a stable, lasting change in who you are and how you live.

Through a structured and profound developmental process, combined with personal guidance, I help students navigate this fascinating and transformative journey. Step by step. With support all the way.

The school is built on ancient wisdom and tradition, but adapted to modern humanity’s need for wholeness and balance. Because we’re not supposed to escape from our lives. We’re supposed to live them – fully and completely.

This path offers a holistic practice that leads you back to your true nature. It connects you with the rhythms and wisdom of the universe. With nature’s intelligence. With the forces that have held the cosmos together since the dawn of time.

Through this process, we seek not only to overcome the ego’s illusions – although that is central. We also seek to regain contact with nature’s power, our spiritual roots, and our innate joyful essence.

Because joy is not something we must find. It is something we already are. Beneath all the layers of fear and false identities.

This is a journey that unites the soul with the divine through practical, down-to-earth methods and deep transformation. Not through escape, but through presence. Not through leaving the world, but through truly entering it.

The goal is not just to learn about enlightenment. To read about it. To discuss it.

It is to live it – as a lasting and integrated part of your everyday life.

In our tradition, we don’t seek to escape from the material world. We don’t withdraw to a remote place or an ashram. We don’t leave family, work, and responsibility to sit on a mountaintop and meditate.

Instead, it’s about living with one foot solidly anchored in our material life – in work, family, everyday life – and one foot in our divine nature.

This balance between the earthly and the spiritual creates a life that is both meaningful and complete. Where heaven and earth meet. In you.

Through this approach, we learn to embrace and love both sides of our existence – the practical and the transcendent. We use this union to create harmony, joy, and meaning in both our inner and outer lives.

This is the core of the primordial shamanic path: To live fully and wholeheartedly, anchored in both our human and our divine nature.

Not one or the other. Both. Simultaneously. As one.

The Core of the Primordial Shamanic Path

The Primordial Shamanic Path is built on timeless wisdom and practical methods that unite the earthly and the divine. Theory and practice. Insight and action.

This path provides a holistic framework and structure for self-realization. It’s not a random collection of techniques, but an integrated system where each part supports the others. Where everything is connected.

Through key principles and powerful tools, it leads us back to our true nature while achieving balance between material life and the transcendental dimension.

Here are some of the fundamental elements that form the core of this tradition:

The Path of the Heart:

At the core of our tradition lies the path of the heart – a deep connection to our authentic self and our divine nature. The heart is not just an organ that pumps blood. It is the gateway to the soul. The center of our deepest wisdom.

The path of the heart is not just a metaphor. It’s a life philosophy and practice that invites us to live with openness, authenticity, and integrity. To meet the world from the heart’s space, not from the head alone.

The 9 Pillars for Finding the Path of the Heart make it practical and tangible to live in harmony with the heart in daily life. Not as a distant ideal, but as something you can practice here and now. In every decision. In every encounter. In every moment.

Unity with Nature’s Rhythms:

The primordial shamanic path teaches us to synchronize our lives with nature’s cycles and healthy rhythms. We have forgotten this in our modern world of artificial light and constant availability. We have cut the connection to the sun and moon, the seasons and tides.

But nature is the very essence of balance and harmony. It knows something we’ve forgotten. About growth and rest. About death and rebirth. About the flow of energy through all things.

Restoring this connection involves listening to nature’s wisdom through active use of nature, elemental work, and observation and experience of nature’s rhythms and interplay. It’s about finding your place in the great web of life.

Shamanic Magic and Powerful Tools:

The path includes the use of advanced rune magic and shamanic rituals to activate hidden potential, dissolve complex karmic structures, and strengthen the connection to our spiritual core.

The runes are not just ancient letters. They are Divine Archetypes – keys to the mysteries of the universe. Each rune carries a unique energy and wisdom that has been used for thousands of years for transformation and insight.

These tools are deeply anchored in our ancestors’ traditions and bring the primordial power back into our modern lives. Not as nostalgia, but as living force.

Shamanic Death and the Second Birth:

A central element of this path is shamanic death – a deep inner transformation where the ego loses its power and we experience the “second birth.” This is not a physical death, but a death of the false self. An end to the person you thought you were.

Through this process, we free ourselves from old patterns, fear, karma, and illusions that keep us trapped. Everything that no longer serves us must die for the new to be born.

We rediscover our true essence. The one we were before we started believing all the lies about who we had to be.

Spiritual Self-Regulation and Balance:

Through the 7 Golden Keys, we learn the art of mastering consciousness, self-responsibility, character strength, and emotional balance. These are not just fine words. They are practical tools for navigating life with greater peace and clarity.

The 7 Golden Keys provide a stable platform for achieving spiritual enlightenment. Because enlightenment is not just a state – it’s a way of living that requires certain fundamental skills.

The 4 Shamanic Heart Guides:

Through guidance from the 4 Shamanic Heart Guides, the heart opens to forgiveness, love, and healing. These guides are not abstract ideas, but living forces you can work with directly.

They help us build bridges between our human experience – with all its wounds and imperfections – and our enlightened nature. Because we don’t need to become perfect to awaken. We need to embrace all that we are.

The 9 Primordial Dragons:

At Yggdrasil Shamanic School, the 9 Primordial Dragons are the guardians and protectors of our shamanic tradition and the primordial shamanic path.

These powerful beings represent the fundamental aspects of the universe and function as guides, transformers, and guardians on the path toward enlightenment. They are not symbols or metaphors – they are real forces you can meet and work with.

They relate to the transcendental transition between time and space and the timeless and spaceless. Between the world we know and the world that lies beyond. Through their unique presence, the 9 Primordial Dragons help the student transcend time and space, so they can gain direct experience of unity in the infinite and boundless.

The dragons’ wisdom and power provide support in overcoming deep inner challenges, dissolving complex karmic bonds, and strengthening the connection to both cosmos, nature, and your own soul.

The Purpose of the Primordial Shamanic Path

The primordial shamanic path is not just a spiritual practice. It’s not something you do a few hours a week and then forget the rest of the time.

It’s a lifestyle. A way of being in the world. A way of seeing, feeling, and acting that permeates everything you do.

This lifestyle leads you toward wholeness, self-realization, and a stable state of enlightenment.

The goal is to experience deep unity with all that exists. To know – not just believe, but know – that you are one with everything. That the separation was an illusion. That you have never been alone.

The goal is to free yourself from fear and suffering. Not by suppressing them or fleeing from them, but by seeing through them. Seeing them for what they are. Letting them dissolve in the light of your awakened consciousness.

The goal is to live a life filled with joy, love, meaning, and clarity. Not because everything goes your way – it doesn’t – but because you’ve found something in yourself that cannot be shaken by external circumstances.

This is a journey back to the timeless and spaceless, where we become one with our original divine nature.

Our material reality can be compared to a single grain of sand.

A limited part of what we experience and identify with. This grain of sand represents our experience of time, space, karma, intellect, and ego – everything that limits us to a narrow perspective on life and existence.

Your body. Your thoughts. Your feelings. Your history. Your problems. Your dreams. All of this is the grain of sand.

But our true nature is like the Sahara Desert.

Infinite. Boundless. Filled with freedom.

Most people live their entire lives without realizing they are more than the grain of sand. They believe the grain of sand is all that exists. They live in it. Worry about it. Defend it. Try to make it bigger, finer, more impressive.

They polish their grain of sand endlessly. Compare it to others’ grains of sand. Feel better or worse based on the grain’s qualities.

Without realizing they are surrounded by an infinite desert of possibilities. That they are the desert, not just the grain of sand.

Through the primordial shamanic path, we learn to recognize our Sahara – our complete nature – and transcend the limitations that the grain of sand represents.

We don’t stop having a grain of sand. We don’t stop having a body, thoughts, feelings, a history. But we stop believing that’s all we are. We see the grain of sand in its context. As a small, precious part of something infinitely larger.

When we touch this Sahara within ourselves, our perspective on life is totally transformed.

The experience of suffering, fear, and meaninglessness melts away like dew in the sun. Not because the problems disappear – they’re still there – but because we see them from an entirely different place. From the desert’s infinity, not from the grain of sand’s confinement.

We see the world through the eyes of love and unity. We feel connection where we once felt separation. We find meaning where we once found emptiness.

In this state, we become able to live with balance and harmony between the material world and the timeless, spaceless existence that is our essence.

This is where we experience the full liberation that leads us to a self-realized life.

This is where we finally come home.

Can I Become Enlightened?

Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking: “All this sounds fantastic. But is it really possible for me? Isn’t enlightenment something for specially chosen people? Monks in the Himalayas? Yogis in India? People with special abilities I don’t have?”

Spiritual enlightenment is available to everyone willing to engage in developing their consciousness.

Yes, for you too.

Regardless of background. Regardless of age. Regardless of what you have or haven’t done. Regardless of how far away you feel right now.

Because enlightenment is not something you must achieve in the traditional sense. It’s something you already are. You’ve just forgotten it. The layers of ego, fear, and false identities have hidden it.

The journey is not about becoming something you’re not. It’s about removing what hides what you already are.

Ultimately, spiritual enlightenment is the process of regaining our complete consciousness. And using it to perceive the world as it really is. Not through the filter of fear, expectations, and old wounds. But directly. Clearly. Truly.

In a world dominated by distractions, suffering, fear, limitations, and illusions, this is more important than ever.

Look around. See how many live in quiet desperation. Chasing things that never satisfy. Filling the emptiness with entertainment, intoxication, consumption. Without finding what they’re really looking for.

Enlightenment lets you break free from the limitations of the senses and ego. See the ultimate truth. Live a life with clarity, purpose, meaning, and fulfillment.

Not because life becomes problem-free. But because you relate to problems from an entirely different place.

How Long Does It Take?

This is a question I’m often asked. And I understand why. We want to know what we’re getting into. How long this will take. Whether it’s realistic.

The journey toward spiritual enlightenment is as unique as the person walking it.

There is no universal timeframe. No one can say “do this for three years, and you’ll be enlightened.” The path depends on where you start, your dedication, the challenges you encounter, and how receptive you are to transformation and change.

For some, insight and awakening can happen quickly – like a sudden breakthrough. A moment when everything falls into place. When the veil falls and truth reveals itself in all its simplicity.

For others, it’s a gradual process that requires years of continuous self-examination, practice, and guidance. Layer upon layer of illusion that must be seen through. Wounds that must be healed. Patterns that must be broken.

What matters most is not how quickly you reach the goal.

What matters is that you’re moving in the right direction. One step at a time.

Every step on the path has value. Not just the goal. Because with each step, life becomes a little easier. A little clearer. A little more meaningful. You don’t need to be fully enlightened to reap the benefits of walking this path.

Spiritual enlightenment is about lasting transformation. This depth cannot be rushed. You can’t cheat your way to it. You can’t buy a shortcut.

But with the right guide, patience, and authenticity in the process, the journey will lead you where you’re meant to be.

At your own perfect pace.

Your Most Important Priority?

The path to spiritual enlightenment should be your most important priority in life.

That’s a big claim. I know. In a world full of pressing tasks, responsibilities, and obligations, it can seem almost arrogant to say that spiritual development should come first.

But let me explain why I feel so strongly about this:

Because it gives you the ability to see beyond the illusions of the physical world and experience the ultimate truth.

Think of it this way: Everything else you do in life – your job, your relationships, your hobbies, your goals – all of this is done from a certain level of consciousness. From a certain perspective. Through a certain filter.

If that filter is distorted – full of fear, illusions, and false assumptions – everything you do will bear its mark. You’ll chase goals that don’t give you what you really seek. You’ll create problems you then have to solve. You’ll misunderstand others and be misunderstood yourself.

But when you expand your consciousness and break through the layers of perception that distort reality, everything changes.

You can live a life with clarity, peace, and deeper understanding. You make better decisions. You see people more clearly. You find meaning where you once found emptiness. You meet adversity with calm instead of panic.

The path to enlightenment can be challenging. It requires a suitable guide or mentor. It requires the courage to see what you might not want to see. The willingness to release what no longer serves you.

But it is the most rewarding journey you can embark on.

Because it leads to the realization of existence’s true nature. Your true nature. And there is no greater gift than that.