The spiritual ego is an ego that has clothed itself in white to avoid looking at the unpalatable ‘shadow’ aspects of its existence.

Essentially, it is a psychological distortion and a form of spiritual bypassing that can occur during the process of spiritual awakening.

It typically manifests in those with underdeveloped egos whose personal psychology is disordered, either as a result of unresolved trauma in the bodymind system or because they are lacking in contemplative/reflective skills such as those cultivated through psychotherapy and meditation.

If the psychic container is not robust enough to tolerate the alchemical heat a spiritual awakening generates, it blocks the evolving process by donning a spiritual disguise and convincing oneself that transformation has taken place.

In effect, it is a clever form of defence that uses spirituality to safeguard the integrity of the Self until it is strong enough to continue with the transformation process.

As the psyche evolves in response to movement in the upper chakras (transpersonal realms), areas of fragility within one’s personal psychology (lower chakras) are amplified.

If these areas are not stabilised, psychological distortions can occur, such as the development of a spiritual ego/identity. This is common in new-age spiritual circles.

If the spiritual ego is not seen through and the upper chakras are continually developed without lower chakra integration, more serious psychological distortions/adaptations can develop, such as dissociation, psychosis, schizophrenia, and/or a messiah/saviour complex. Such adaptations are incredibly difficult to treat without long-term psychotherapy and/or pharmaceutical intervention.

Spiritual awakening is a natural part of the evolution of human consciousness, however, it is largely unrecognised and thus unsupported in Western culture due to our lack of connection to “spirit” and the transpersonal planes of existence.

Consequently, those undergoing this evolutionary rite of passage are challenged to find adequate support and containment to help with the integration of mystical experiences.

Psychological distortions are sadly rife in Western culture and knowledgeable guides are few and far between.

The upshot is, that while none of us want to experience the dark side of our personalities, confronting our shortcomings is essential to our spiritual and psychological well-being, and only in this way can we create positive change within ourselves and our world.