Why My Spiritual Ascension Is Selfish — And Why It Must Become Collective

In the quiet hours of meditation, in the books we read, and in the rituals we perform, many of us on the spiritual path have begun to feel an uncomfortable truth rise within us: this journey, so deeply personal, may also be selfish. This isn’t a condemnation, but a call for reflection.

Spiritual ascension — often understood as the rising of one’s consciousness, the shedding of ego, or the return to a state of unity — is deeply transformative. But if we are honest, the pursuit can become insular. It becomes about “my vibration,” “my peace,” “my detachment,” while others, sometimes even those closest to us, continue to suffer under the weight of the same illusions we’re trying to escape.

The Illusion of Solo Liberation

There’s a seductive lie we sometimes fall into on the spiritual path: that we can transcend while remaining untouched by the world. That we can awaken without being concerned with the suffering of others. That our liberation is our own.

But awakening is not isolation — it is interconnection. The moment we believe we can be free while others are in chains, we are still caught in the illusion of separation.

Buddhism teaches us about bodhicitta — the intention to awaken for the benefit of all beings. Hinduism speaks of seva, selfless service. Indigenous wisdom across the globe reminds us that the health of the individual is inseparable from the health of the community. And yet, in modern spiritual culture, we risk turning liberation into a solo sport.

The Trap of Spiritual Bypassing

Focusing only on personal ascension while ignoring the suffering around us can quickly turn into spiritual bypassing — using spiritual practices to avoid real-world responsibilities, traumas, or the pain of others. We say, “Everything is happening as it should,” or “They are on their own path,” not as wisdom, but as an escape from compassion and engagement.

True spiritual growth does not insulate us from suffering — it sensitizes us to it. As we become more aware of our inner world, we must also become more attuned to the cries of others. Otherwise, our so-called ascension is just another ego project.

From “Me” to “We”: Ascension as a Shared Path

What if the goal isn’t to ascend alone but to rise together?

What if every step you take toward awakening could be used as a light for others still finding their way?

Imagine a form of spiritual ascension that includes:

• Listening deeply to others’ struggles, instead of assuming they “just don’t get it yet.”

• Creating safe spaces where people can explore their own healing, rather than modeling perfection.

• Serving those who are spiritually or materially impoverished, not from pity, but from love.

• Teaching with humility, not to convert, but to inspire.

This is not about preaching or saving anyone. It’s about showing up, again and again, as someone committed to their healing and the collective liberation of all beings.

Liberation Without the World Is Not Liberation

If we ascend while others suffer — are we really free?

No mountain peak is truly sacred unless we bring the wisdom we found there back to the village. No enlightenment is full until the light we carry helps dissolve the darkness around us.

The path forward is not to abandon our personal growth, but to deepen it — until it stretches into compassion, into justice, into collective awakening.

We are all in this together. And in the end, no one is free until we all are.

Divad