Enlightenment Doesn’t Need a Fucking Dress Code

Somewhere along the way, spirituality got a little fucking fancy and complicated.

By Brian Collins “ The Rabid Monk” , Co-Founder of Life in Synergy®

If this question has ever lived in your body, this article found you for a reason.

There. I said it….oooh, how friggin’ brave of me.

We took something as ancient, raw, intimate, and human as the search for meaning and somehow managed to give it a dress code.

Now enlightenment apparently needs the right crystals, the right retreat, the right vocabulary, the right meditation cushion, the right Instagram sunset, and preferably a photograph of you staring thoughtfully toward a mountain while wearing $240 linen pants.

Jesus Or Buddha, Goddess Lakshmi or whomever….Pick your guy or girl.

I grew up in old schoold South Boston. Spiritual enlightenment wasn't exactly being discussed between trips to the corner store for packs of “butts” for my Ma and Dad.

Nobody was comparing chakras.

Nobody was announcing that Mercury was in retrograde because somebody keyed their Buick.

And maybe that's part of why I've always had a little punk rock in me when it comes to spirituality.

Because I don't give a damn how spiritual somebody looks.

I want to know how they behave when someone pisses them off.

I want to know how they treat the waiter.

I want to know what happens when their partner tells them something they don't want to hear.

I want to know who they become when nobody is watching.

That's spirituality.

Not the costume.

Not the vocabulary.

Not the performance.

The Spiritual Ego Is Still an Ego

There's a particularly sneaky little trap waiting for people who begin doing inner work.

You start learning.

You become more aware.

You meditate.

You understand energy.

You recognize patterns.

You learn about consciousness, trauma, karma, intuition, manifestation, vibration, the subconscious mind and perhaps a dozen other ways of describing the strange machinery operating beneath human behavior.

And then one day, without realizing it, the ego slips through the back door wearing a fucking halo.

Suddenly you're not simply growing.

You're more evolved.

Other people are "low vibration."

Your family is "unconscious."

Someone who disagrees with you is "not awakened yet."

And congratulations.

You have successfully transformed ordinary arrogance into absolute spiritual arrogance.

Same ego.

Better wardrobe.

Real spiritual development should make us less impressed with ourselves, not more.

Because the deeper you travel into yourself, the more clearly you begin to see just how complicated being human actually is.

You discover your contradictions.

Your wounds.

Your defenses.

Your repeating patterns.

Your bullshit.

And instead of making you superior to other people, that awareness should make you considerably more compassionate toward them.

Stop Trying to Look Enlightened

At Life in Synergy®, Helena and I have spent years talking about recurring human patterns because those patterns don't care how spiritual you think you are.

You can meditate every morning and still emotionally punish your spouse.

You can own fifty crystals and still refuse to apologize.

You can talk endlessly about unconditional love while placing conditions on everybody around you.

You can preach peace and create chaos everywhere you go.

That's why one of the principles we teach is 100% of your 50%.

In any relationship, interaction, conflict or energetic exchange, you don't control the other person's half.

You control yours.

Your reactions.

Your honesty.

Your behavior.

Your energy.

Your willingness to look inward.

That's the work.

And sometimes the most spiritually advanced sentence a human being can say isn't some ancient Sanskrit mantra.

It's:

"I was wrong."

Try chanting that one three times.

It'll clear a room faster than sage.

Spirituality Should Get Dirt Under Its Fingernails

I believe spirituality belongs in ordinary life.

At the kitchen table.

In traffic.

During an argument.

Standing in the supermarket.

When the contractor screws something up.

When somebody insults you.

When you're scared.

When you're jealous.

When you're exhausted.

When the universe isn't cooperating with the beautiful little plan you made for it.

Anybody can feel peaceful sitting beside a waterfall.

Let's see how enlightened you are when somebody cuts you off on the Mass Pike.

That's the laboratory.

Life.

Not the retreat.

Not the ceremony.

Not the social media post afterward.

The ordinary moments when your unconscious patterns collide with reality are where consciousness actually gets built.

That's why the Apex Life in Synergy® Program isn't about teaching people how to appear spiritually developed.

It's about recognizing the patterns running underneath their lives and learning how to meet those patterns differently.

Because awareness that never changes behavior is just intellectual decoration.

You Don't Need My Spirituality

Here's another thing that occasionally pisses me off about the spiritual world.

Everyone seems desperate to convince everyone else that their path is the path.

I don't buy it.

Your relationship with consciousness, God, the universe, Source, nature, existence — whatever language makes sense to you — is yours.

It should be explored.

Questioned.

Tested.

Experienced.

You shouldn't believe something simply because Helena says it.

You shouldn't believe something because I say it.

You shouldn't believe something because some guy with 2.7 million followers with a head mic whispers it over flute music.

Take what resonates.

Challenge what doesn't.

Pay attention to what life teaches you.

Because genuine spiritual growth requires curiosity.

And curiosity requires enough humility to admit:

“I might not know”, I can offer you a shit load of amazing info that I learned over my lifetime..but I do not know everything and anyone who tell you that they do, well, I then have a bridge for you to purchase.

Those four words ( “I might not know”) have probably opened more doors to consciousness than centuries of spiritual certainty.

Maybe Enlightenment Looks Surprisingly Ordinary

Maybe the truly awakened person isn't floating six inches above the ground. Maybe they're simply kinder than they used to be.

Maybe they listen better. Maybe they stopped blaming everybody else for their unhappiness.

Maybe they finally recognized a pattern they've repeated for thirty years.

Maybe they apologized to their kid.

Maybe they forgave themselves.

Maybe they learned how to sit quietly without needing the world to validate them.

Maybe they stopped trying to win every argument.

Maybe they finally understood what it means to bring 100% to their 50%.

That's not glamorous.

Nobody's selling tickets to it.

But I'll take that human being over the spiritual peacock every damn time.

Because spirituality isn't about becoming impressive.

It's about becoming real.

And perhaps enlightenment isn't somewhere above humanity after all.

Maybe it's buried right in the middle of it.

Underneath the ego.

Underneath the performance.

Underneath everything we've been told we're supposed to become.

Waiting patiently for us to stop pretending long enough to finally meet ourselves.

If This Article Found You...

Maybe there's nothing wrong with questioning the spiritual world.

Maybe questioning it is part of the spiritual journey.

Take off the costume.

Put down the script.

Forget about looking awakened.

Go live.

Pay attention to what triggers you.

Notice what keeps repeating.

Own your 50%.

Love fiercely.

Apologize when you're wrong.

Laugh at yourself occasionally.

And for God's sake, don't become so enlightened that you become unbearable at dinner.

Return to One.

Life in Synergy®, founded by Helena Collins and Brian Collins, is dedicated to helping individuals understand recurring life patterns, cultivate inner peace, and develop higher levels of consciousness through multi-award-winning online educational programs. The Apex Life in Synergy® Program, Synergistics Fitness Method®, EFV Keys, and Helena Collins’ bestselling Nutritional Alignment® integrate spiritual wellness, behavioral insight, subconscious awareness, and practical personal transformation into one comprehensive educational system. Discover more at lifeinsynergy.com.

Finding Light in the Maze of a Self-Reflection of ones head up ones own Ass: A Journey Within

Ass in deep meditation Life in Synergy.com

In the grand tapestry of life, there are moments that urge us to take a step back, to dive deep into the labyrinth of our own making, seeking truths and confronting illusions.

The phrase "placing one's head up one's own ass" might elicit a chuckle or a wince, but beyond its crudeness lies a profound opportunity for introspection and growth. It's about those times when we find ourselves justifying actions that, deep down, we know diverge from our true path or values. At the heart of human nature is a deep-seated need to feel justified in our actions and beliefs. This instinct can sometimes lead us into a spiral of self-deception, where we twist logic and emotions to suit our narrative. But why do we do this? The reasons are as varied as they are complex, ranging from fear and insecurity to pride and a deep desire for acceptance.

The journey of pulling ourselves out of this metaphorical contortion is neither simple nor comfortable. It demands vulnerability, courage, and an unwavering commitment to self-honesty.

Here are a few steps to illuminate this path:

1. Embrace Vulnerability: Admitting to ourselves that we might be lost is a form of strength, not weakness. Vulnerability is the ground from which growth can sprout.

2. Seek Wisdom in Stillness: In the noise of daily life, our inner voice becomes a whisper. Cultivating moments of stillness through meditation, nature walks, or simply being in silence can help us reconnect with our inner wisdom.

3. Courage to Confront: Facing the parts of ourselves we've ignored or buried requires courage. This process is not about self-flagellation but about acknowledging our imperfections and learning from them.

4. Forgiveness: Forgiveness, both for ourselves and others, releases us from the chains of past actions and attitudes. It opens the door to healing and transformation.

5. Guidance from the Universe or whatever the heck you believe in: For those of us on a spiritual path, seeking guidance from the universe, our higher self, or a higher power can provide clarity and assurance. Whether it's through prayer, oracle cards, or simply asking for signs, this guidance can be a beacon in our journey.

The Transformation?

Emerging from this deep colon based introspection, we find ourselves transformed. Our justifications and self-deceptions, once seemingly insurmountable walls, become stepping stones. We learn that our greatest challenges also hold the key to our most profound growth.

A Beacon for Others to find the light within ones ass

By sharing our journey into the dark recesses of our own tush, we become lighthouses for those navigating their own storms of self-justification. Our vulnerability becomes a bridge, connecting hearts and fostering a deeper understanding and compassion. In the end, placing our "head up our own ass" isn't a condemnation but a call to adventure—a challenge to delve into the depths of our being, to emerge wiser, kinder, and more authentically ourselves.

So let's embrace this journey with open hearts, butts and minds, for it is in our deepest reflections that we find our brightest light.

Brian Collins

Boston’s In your face, no BS Spiritual Teacher

“Collins brand of spirituality and meditation-one worlds away from sitting crossed on a Yoga cushion-is a welcome break for those tired of New Age-y jargon” — Boston Magazine