9 Common challenges beginners face in spirituality and how to overcome them

Challenges and solutions

1. Not knowing a starting point

There is a lot of information floating on the internet, and with that also comes the numerous choices, followers, and gurus actively trying to recruit new members into their fold.

• Find and understand your roots, values, beliefs, and what you aspire to be your way of life. This will help you to single out the best spirituality practice you want to adhere to.

• Pick one cross-sectional exercise and just begin without necessarily being affiliated with a particular spiritual movement. Praying to a higher power is simple enough, and almost everyone can do it.

2. Skepticism/doubt

It is natural that when a belief system is being challenged or changed, there come conflicting feelings. Questions as to whether one is on the right path or not are consistent, especially in the face of no immediate tangible outcome.

• Pick a practice that speaks to the depths of your soul. It is important not to rush into any spiritual practice presented to you to avoid a lot of self-doubt and sabotage.

• Doubt is natural, so learn to accept doubt. Question, challenge, explore, and experiment where doubt occurs so as to get clarity. Do not be stuck in a skepticism loop, as being lukewarm in spirituality gets you nowhere.

3. Impatience with progress

Spirituality demands blind faith in most instances. There are no instantly answered prayers or fast-working spells and miracles. Progress takes time, anywhere between weeks to years, and patience is needed.

• Set small, realistic goals and strides. Don’t go about performing heavy-duty spells expecting an outcome the day after. Start with simple practices and exercises that bring you fulfillment, and over time, graduate to the more complex ones.

• Be humble and patient by giving yourself time to grow into the spirituality and become gradually strong in the process.

• Track your small consistency patterns and wins, because something should happen and change even if it's slow or over a long period of time. Stagnation is a red flag.

4. Emotional jumble

The shift that happens spiritually can leave one in a concoction of emotions. Sometimes the change is drastic with contrasting practices, opinions, and beliefs. Unlearning to relearn afresh could lead one into confusion and emotional overwhelm. Feelings like fear of the unknown or guilt of changing belief systems may induce emotional chaos.

• Stay emotionally grounded and stable. Include emotional stability as a way of life. That practice cushions you from the impact of spiritual changes. Practices like mindfulness, journaling, and physical activity should be part of your daily routine.

5. Busy schedules

Normal functioning adults have other commitments outside spirituality. These socioeconomical factors may lead to overwhelming and conflicting schedules and responsibilities. This creates a hindrance to practicing spirituality through insufficient time, privacy, burnout, and space.

• Pick easy activities that can be done on the go, as long as you get a breathing space such as lunch breaks (spiritual meditation over lunch break and mindful movement on your way home from work). 

• Prepare beforehand for the spiritual activities you will be doing for the day. Set affirmations and any needed tools like noise blockers or support.

• Attach activities to mandatory repetitive activities of the day. (Praying after waking up or just before bed, that way you won’t forget.)

6. Societal pressure

An existing social circle of friends or families may not be in support of your new way of spiritual life. Certain members might even castigate you for abandoning the previous set religion or spiritual practices, especially if you were born into one. This may lead to external pressure to abandon your spirituality or lead to social isolation and loneliness as your existing social circle begins to crumble.

• Find and join a like-minded spiritual group where openness is encouraged. Do join a cult, but a free movement/club that you can freely question and walk out of if need be.

• Be sure of the spiritual path you are embarking on and ensure you accept the changes that come with it fully. This will avoid falling into temptations and pressure to revert back to the old way of life.

• Set healthy boundaries when necessary.

7. Spiritual burnout/dryness

Settling into new practices can become tiresome as the body is yet to adjust to new behaviors (fasting, night vigil, and heavy mantras over long periods of time). At times, before a person fully integrates into the practices, it can feel dry and unmotivating to conduct. It could also be because one is trying so hard to fit in that they overdo everything and become exhausted in the process.

• Start practicing with simplicity and gentleness. You don’t have to partake in something if you still don’t understand it well enough or know the correct way to do it.

• Prioritize rest from spiritual activities by embracing a holistic approach to life. Engage in other social activities and events, and be sure to get enough sleep and rest.

• Add a little bit of fun or creativity to spiritual activities to avoid being bored or burned out. An example could be a colorful praise and thanksgiving ceremony with unique offerings other than the traditional chants and dances.

8. Too many traditions

There are many spiritual practices rooted in traditional (ancestral magic of the land), religious (Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, etc.), philosophical (Taoism, stoicism, Confucianism), and natural practices (forests, animals, seasons).  

While they all hold a truth in their own accord, mixing spirituality to become a trader of all and master of none does not strengthen but rather makes an individual more spiritually vulnerable.

• Identify one core area of practice and become a master of its ways.

• Learn how to borrow from other practices only when necessary.

• Pay homage once in a while. (Giving your ancestors respect from time to time is not a sin if your main practice is stoicism).

9. Personal crisis

As a person, being spiritual does not exempt you from facing personal problems. Spiritual people still face trauma, financial challenges, new conflicting ideologies, and even cultures.

• Accept and work on internal past and present issues; go to therapy if needed, but do not use religion as a scapegoat.

• Keep on exploring new insights and filter what to keep and what to change (that which is no longer serving you in life.)

• Have steady emotional coping mechanism in place