What is spiritual growth?
Wow, that is a big question.
And honestly, there is no perfect or simple answer.
As you have probably already realized, spiritual growth is difficult to define.
Spiritual growth and inner development is a universal theme for people all over the world, and from all types of faith.
In a sense, every person is on their own spiritual journey, whether they realize it or not.
The desire for growth, inner peace, happiness, and a sense of meaning and purpose are all signs of a desire for spiritual growth.
Whether you view spirituality from a religious or non-denominational point of view, you must find your own path.
True spiritual growth is the desire to search for meaning, or a greater depth of understanding about life, its origins, and what you should do with your life.
In this article, I want to explore some of the ideas of how to develop spiritual maturity, and how to grow as a spiritual person.
What Does Spiritual Growth Mean?
Spiritual growth is the process of looking for deeper meaning, life purpose, and a sense of inner peace.
Most people who are on a path of personal growth or self-improvement will at some stage begin to seek a spiritual understanding.
Generally speaking, most people are consumed with their worldly challenges such as work and career, family, health, and other life problems.
Speaking for myself, as a child and young adult, the concept of spiritual growth seemed pointless, boring, and not necessary. However, as I have matured and developed into an adult, the desire for a spiritual life has become more important.
Spiritual growth takes a deeper view of life and the inner world of each person.
Whether a person decides to take up a spiritual practice, or whether they simply view themselves as ‘more spiritual’ both ways lead a person along a path to deeper meaning and fulfillment.
What Does Spiritual Growth Look Like?
Spiritual growth is an inner process. For this reason, there are very few visual or tangible ways that you can measure or ‘prove’ that you are growing spiritually.
While there is no dedicated path to spiritual progress, there are signs that a person is on the path of spiritual growth.
You might think of your personal spiritual growth as a form of inner strength, or deeper wisdom. And whether you label it spiritual strength, spiritual wisdom, or simply evolving as a person, the benefits are the same.
With this in mind, here are seven ways that I have observed spiritual growth in myself and in others:
More Focus on Inner Peace, Presence, and Calm
When you seek more inner peace and a sense of calm in your life, this is a sign of spiritual growth and development.
There is no greater way to find calm in your life than to simply sit, breathe, and be in the present moment.
This practice of calm presence is at the core of the teachings of Eckhart Tolle in ‘The Power of Now’: “All you can do is create a space for transformation to happen, for grace and love to enter.”
Spiritual growth is greatly helped by finding a place of calm and centredness so that you can let your development happen to you.
Less Focus on Financial or Material Gain
Another way to notice you are growing spiritually is that you are seeking fewer material things, and fewer symbols of success.
This is a common theme throughout many types of religions. In the Christian faith, Jesus Christ says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
In the Buddhist faith, the Buddha taught that while a person can enjoy material comforts without leaning into excess, it is wise to put forth effort to develop the spiritual aspects of our lives.
While there is nothing wrong with having financial goals and ambitions, at some point they begin to matter less. The desire for meaning, purpose, and a sense of inner worth begins to take precedence over the need for material or world success.
Moving past the need for excess money, or financial gain is a sort of spiritual discernment. Often it comes after a person has achieved some level of financial control and safety and security.
Tolerance of the Differences of Others
As a person grows in their spiritual development, there is a tendency to view others in a more tolerant and accepting way.
Differences of opinion, opposite life choices, and conflicting beliefs tend to be less aggravating when you are on a path of spiritual growth.
The desire to have peace and connection with others will usually stem from a sense of oneness, unity, and connection with the world.
Greater Acceptance of Difficulties in Life
All of us will experience times of pain, struggle, fear, and loss in our lives. That is a reality of being alive, and trying to avoid these aspects will only cause more suffering.
When people begin to grow spiritually, they find that their struggles and troubles begin to become more bearable.
The spiritual perspective offers another level of dimension and purpose that can help reduce the attachment we feel to difficulties. It can also help with perseverance in challenging situations and when you feel like giving up.
This does not mean that as a spiritual person, you must simply suffer in silence, or live an unhappy life. Rather it means that you take a different perspective of any challenges, setbacks, or misfortunes. You see them as a chance to grow, to evolve, and to integrate your spiritual perspective into your life.
Acceptance of your difficulties is a sign of spiritual maturity, and it usually through the challenges and problems of life that we gain the most personal growth.
A Sense of Unity and Connectedness to Others
All spiritual practices espouse the concept of unity and oneness with others. As a part of spiritual growth, there is a tendency to have more of a communal view of other people and their importance in the world.
The modern world is extremely focused on the individual, and what matters to each person. However, from the perspective of spiritual people, the needs of others are equally important to our own needs.
As the Dalai Lama has explained, “The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.”
As your sense of spirituality increases, you will find that your focus on your own needs and interests may become less important, and connecting with others at a deeper level becomes more of a focus.
You may start to perceive that your spirtual goals become more important than material possesions or worldly achievements.
A Greater Focus on Kindness and Contribution
Leading on from the desire for unity and connectedness comes a desire to be more compassionate, kind, and contribute in some way.
Whether this desire is towards helping other people, improving the natural world, taking care of animals, or helping to increase spiritual awareness, there are many ways to spread kindness.
There are many inner rewards of becoming a kinder person, and they meld well with spiritual growth. Most religions and forms of spiritual discipline also espouse the practice of giving to others and doing things that are helpful and supportive.
An Interest in the After Life, and the Soul’s Purpose
Many people who desire spiritual growth are looking for an understanding of what happens after life ends. Whether this interest is triggered by losing a loved one, or they are concerned about their own existence, many people seek spiritual growth as a way to find answers.
As a person grows in maturity, there is also a fear of aging for some, and this increases the need for faith in something larger than themselves.
Spiritual growth often goes hand in hand with growing older. Maturity brings a broader view of life and makes people seek spiritual development.
What Does Spiritual Growth Feel Like?
It can be hard to define exactly what spiritual growth feels like, however, when you experience it, you will know.
Similar to physical growth, sometimes spiritual progress can include pain or struggle. When you exercise a muscle, it helps it to grow. When you begin exploring your greater life purpose, and understanding what life means to you, it can cause some emotional struggle, uncertainty, and even fear.
Some of the negative feelings you may experience when growing spiritually are:
- Uncertainty about the big questions in life
- Fear or Anxiety about your life purpose
- Sense of Malaise or Disinterest in normal life
Just know that it is ok to feel uncertain or lost when you are figuring out what to do for your personal spiritual growth.
On the flipside, you can also experience a great deal of positive emotions when you are growing spiritually.
Some of the positive feelings you can experience are:
- A simple sense of joy in life
- More presence in the current moment
- Practicing ‘letting go’ of what doesn’t matter
- Seeing the connection with others
- Connection to nature and animals
- Greater sense of purpose and meaning
Often the negative feelings we experience as we start to seek spiritual growth can lead us to more rewarding and positive emotions. The key is to keep searching and exploring for yourself.
Is There a ‘True’ Path To Spiritual Growth?
If you are interested in spiritual growth and developing your sense of faith, it can take time to land on the best way.
Of course, there is no exact way or ‘true’ path to practice spirituality, or to learn what to do for spiritual growth, except to keep testing things for yourself.
Some of the common ways that a person can grow spiritually are focusing on their inner development, exploring religious faiths, seeking spiritual guidance from mentors, and also practices such as journaling, prayer, and meditation.
As you explore the world of spirituality for yourself, you will find your way.
The key is to be open to what speaks to you and to keep discovering your inner growth as you dive deeper into your spiritual life.
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