How do you bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth? It’s what I like to call Spiritual Agility, and that’s what we’re here to talk about today.
How did I go from suicidal alcoholic to Emmy Award-winner and 4x bestselling author? The answer was—and still is—Spiritual Agility. A long time ago I realized my mission is to bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth. In fact, everything I do is my attempt to help you bridge that gap. But until now, I’ve never directly said it out loud. (Why not, you might ask?! Well, we’ll get to that in another article.)
Oh gosh—do we have an exciting journey to go on today!
But before you and I get into that, let me share with you a bit about my spiritual journey. It’s been a long road.
My Spiritual Journey
When I was 14 years old, before the day that changed everything, I was a big believer in God.
Now, there are a ton of different words used to describe what I call “God.” You might say, Source, Spirit, Universe, Something Bigger, Beloved, Creator, Jesus, The Field, Father, or Light. You might even call it intuition or Higher Self.
It doesn’t matter what name you use, but it is important to name that thing bigger than you so you can build a more intimate relationship with it. You could even call it “Sam.” 🙂
Because of my love for God, at the age of 14, I announced to my parents that I wanted to be a minister. Yep. Not the choir director or the wife of a minister, but the actual minister; the one who stood behind the pulpit. I loved God so much I wanted to talk to him and about him all day, every day.
But then that terrible day happened. In a matter of seconds, I was the sole witness to my father murdering my mother and then committing suicide.
When the bullets stopped flying, the first words I heard––the first words that flashed through my mind––words I’d heard so often at church and had believed wholeheartedly, were: “God will not give you more than you can handle.”
Over and over again:
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
Well, sorry God—this was too much for me to handle. Watching my parents die, and not being able to stop it, was too big of a test! I ran to my mother’s room, knelt down next to her bed, clasped my hands in prayer, placed them on top of her rose flowered bedspread, and whispered, “God, please keep my mother alive. If she lives, I will keep my promise and do your bidding. If she dies, I can’t promise anything.”
My mother died.
God gave me a test that I believed was just too big for me.
A few hours later, we received the official call from the hospital telling us that both of our parents were dead. At that instant, I put a line between me and God.
I still loved Him, but I could no longer trust Him. I remember so vividly what I believed that day, “I love you, God, but if I keep following you, you’ll take someone else away from me.”
How do you find the good in something that bad?
The funny thing was I didn’t get angry at God. I didn’t blame him. Instead, I blamed myself because I didn’t stop my father. I didn’t grab the gun or jump in front of my mother. I failed to protect her. I failed God’s test.
For the next 20 years, I believed because I didn’t save my mother, I didn’t have a right to be happy. I mean, how can you be happy when your mother’s dead?!
The nightmares began just days after my life was forever changed. Every night in my dreams, my father would chase me through the woods and aim his gun at my back and shoot until there were no bullets left. I would wake up some mornings feeling like I had a dozen or more bullet holes lodged in my body. Some days I didn’t know how I would ever be able to get out of bed.
I could not shake the feeling it was my fault, so I tried a new friend: Alcohol. I blacked out. But that wasn’t so bad. Blacking out meant I wouldn’t remember my father or the gun when I woke up in the morning. Drinking became the only way I could sleep.
With so little sleep, my father dying from suicide, and the incessant voice in my head blaming me for everything, it may not be surprising that I myself turned to suicide. I tried three times. I failed three times.
But, I promise, my life wasn’t all self-destructive. During those same 20 years, I was also reading self-help books, going to spiritual classes, meeting with a therapist, working with a shaman, receiving energy healings, you name it. I was doing anything I could do to try and help myself.
But none of it pierced the fear that kept echoing inside my head that it was my fault. I thought if I didn’t stay vigilant, God would surely test me again.
During this time, I could not even say the word “God.” If you said it, I would shift the word in my head to Divine, or Light, or Source—anything but “God.”
For 20 years, I only cared about Human Reality. I didn’t trust that spiritual part because it was not safe.
For 20 years, I put God over there. But God would not let me go. God would tap me on the shoulder and I would say the same thing every time: “Love ya, but don’t trust ya.”
When we’re going through something hard, all of our beliefs come up for review. We question everything. Everything we thought we knew to be true comes up for review.
I only fully came back to God when I understood the difference between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth and how to bridge that gap.
So, let’s get started. First, we’ll figure out where you currently are in your relationship with God and then move through defining the differences and connections between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth.
How Close Are You With God?
How close do you feel with God?
Let’s put a number to that. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you with God? Are you at a 3 or a 7? Write that number down.
Now, the second question is:
What percent of the time do you follow what God tells you to do?
Write that number down too. There is no right or wrong answer.
If your number is anything below 100%, where is it that you’re unwilling to listen? What’s holding you back? Do you struggle to distinguish fear from God (like I did for so long)? Fear of surrendering is often what’s holding me back from listening to God.
Do any of these sound familiar? I want you to write down 1-12 on a piece of paper. Yep—Don’t wait. Do that right now. Got your 1-12 listed?
Okay, now, read through these questions and answer “Yes” on the ones that apply to you.
- Do you catch yourself complaining or comparing yourself to others?
- Is it difficult to let go and surrender? Is it difficult to get out of your comfort zone?
- Do you beat yourself up way too regularly?
- Do you feel frustrated with your spiritual practice?
- Do you feel stuck and not know what to do about it?
- Do you doubt yourself when you’re making decisions?
- Do you blame yourself for things that don’t work out?
- Do you secretly believe the world is hard or out to get you?
- Do you get caught up in rehashing the past?
- Are you lacking a foundational philosophy for your life?
- Do you find yourself people-pleasing or procrastinating?
- Are you unsure why your life is the way it is?
How many of those questions did you answer yes to?
Read them over again. Which one hits you hardest?
So here’s the key to all of this. The odd numbers are Human Reality. The even numbers are Spiritual Truth. Which ones did you say yes to more often?
Human Reality
- Do you catch yourself complaining or comparing yourself to others?
- Do you beat yourself up way too regularly?
- Do you feel stuck and not know what to do about it?
- Do you blame yourself for things that don’t work out?
- Do you get caught up in rehashing the past?
- Do you find yourself people-pleasing or procrastinating?
Spiritual Truth
- Is it difficult to let go and surrender? Is it difficult to get out of your comfort zone?
- Do you feel frustrated with your spiritual practice?
- Do you doubt yourself when you’re making decisions?
- Do you secretly believe the world is hard or out to get you?
- Are you lacking a foundational philosophy for your life?
- Are you unsure why your life is the way it is?
Do you get stuck more often on the Human Reality aspect or the Spiritual Truth side? Usually, it’s one or the other, but you may have an even split.
Knowing where you stand will help you recognize patterns in yourself and help you attain Spiritual Agility, which is the true key to all this.
Spiritual Agility is the crux of everything. In order to live a life that is truly fearless, we must bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth. It is the reason I do Fearless Living.
So many people are stuck focusing on one or the other. You’re either owning your Human Reality and not surrendering enough Spiritual Truth or the other way around. But it’s in balancing both of these key elements of our lives that we can finally find wholeness. To be fearless, we must bridge this gap.
Let’s dig into both Human Reality and Spiritual Truth to better understand how they differ and how they are deeply connected.
Defining Human Reality
Most of us are more often caught in Human Reality. We’re caught up in the external world because we’re human. It’s what we see, hear, feel, touch, and experience every day.
Human Reality Includes:
- Decision making
- Mental Health
- Sleep
- Communication Skills
- Our Five Senses
- Self-Care
- Thoughts
- Emotional Intelligence
- Relationships
- Identity
- Self-Worth
- Balance
- Personal Power
- Beliefs
- Confidence
- Organization
- Culture Feelings
If any of these resonate with you, write them down. What stands out to you?
What connects you to your humanness?
Human Reality is:
- Consciousness and Self-Awareness: The ability to be aware of oneself, to have subjective experiences, and to possess a sense of individual identity.
- Perception and Sensory Experiences: The ability to perceive and interpret the world through the senses—Sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
- Emotions and Feelings: The range of emotions and feelings that humans experience, which shape our responses, motivations, and overall subjective wellbeing.
- Thoughts and Cognitive Processes: The capacity for thinking, reasoning, problem solving, memory, imagination, and other mental processes that contribute to human intelligence and understanding.
- Social and Cultural Influence: The impact of social interactions, relationships, and cultural contexts on shaping human behavior, values, beliefs, and identities.
- Plus, let’s not forget our biblical and physical aspects, personal identity and self-concept, relationships and interactions, language and communication, beliefs and worldview.
We could talk about Human Reality for days. Human Reality is all of these things and so much more.
Above are the categories that are encompassed in Human Reality. Think about how you can personalize this. Jot down some aspects of Human Reality that you have trouble with. Mental health? Emotional regulation? What are the things you wrestle with in your Human Reality? What makes it hard to remember Spiritual Truth? Stop reading. Yes—stop reading right now and jot down your thoughts.
How do we filter these things effectively? Write down the word “filter.” How do we filter our senses, emotional life, self-awareness, thoughts, processes, society, and so on?
When I was going through my most difficult time, it felt like everything was conflicting. I kept having to look in my toolbox for more tools. Every skill was competing. I did not have a mental model to apply to everything. I would switch things all the time from reality to the spiritual, which made me confused and conflicted.
When you are conflicted, that’s when Spiritual Agility comes in. When we’re conflicted, we need Spiritual Agility. Sometimes I can be deep in Spiritual Truth, and something human happens, and I am back in Human Reality.
Both sides are what make us whole. Only with both Human Reality AND Spiritual Truth can we see clearly and live the life our soul intended™.
Defining Spiritual Truth
The other side of the coin is Spiritual Truth. So, what is that exactly?
Spiritual Truth includes:
- Intuition
- Soul
- Spiritual Principles
- Mystical Experience
- Meaning of Life
- Purpose
- Dreams
- Energetic Field
- I Am
- Shamanic Practices
- Mindfulness
- Prayer
- Chanting
- Oneness
- Higher Consciousness
- Universal Truth
- Angels and Guides
And SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more!
Spiritual Truth, just like Human Reality, is subjective. We want to believe there is a Spiritual Truth that is THE truth, yet we need to remember that other people’s Spiritual Truth may not align with our own.
Too often, we don’t lean on our tools, skills, mantras, and the things that support us in order to remind us what our Spiritual Truth is. So many of us, like me for decades, don’t know how to hold on to our Spiritual Truth. However, you must make it crystal clear to yourself so that you can hang on to it—No matter your current Human Reality.
But that’s not how Spiritual Truth works. It’s different from Human Reality, and it will feel different.
Spiritual Truth is:
- Transcendence and Higher Realities: Belief in and exploration of realities or dimensions beyond the physical and material world, such as the divine, higher consciousness, or transcendent states of being.
- Inner Experience and Intuition: Subjective experience, intuition, and inner wisdom, providing insights that go beyond logical reasoning or empirical evidence.
- Meaning and Purpose: Existential questions offering frameworks, philosophies, or beliefs that provide guidance and a sense of significance.
- Connection and Oneness: Interconnectedness of all things and the recognition of a deeper unity or oneness that extends beyond individual identities and separateness.
- Universal Truths and Wisdom: Transcend cultural, religious, or individual boundaries, offering insights that resonate with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Mystical and Contemplative Experiences: Offer glimpses of deeper truths or a direct connection with the divine or transcendent aspects of reality.
Since Spiritual Truth is more difficult to define, also keep in mind the following:
- Spiritual Truth allows you to explore the deeper questions about existence, purpose, and the nature of reality beyond what can be observed or measured in the physical world.
- You can relate to the realm of spirituality, metaphysics, or the divine. It involves insights, principles, or beliefs about the nature of reality, existence, and the deeper aspects of human experience.
- It can be deeply personal and can vary among individuals, communities, and cultures.
- It can involve intuitive or transcendent insights. A source of guidance, meaning, and connection for individuals seeking a broader understanding of themselves and the universe.
- It also includes the nature of the soul or consciousness, the existence of higher powers or a divine presence, the purpose and meaning of life, and the interconnectedness of all things.
We want to care for our humanness but be grounded in our Spiritual Truth.
Transcendent States
We’ve all had transcendent states. You’ve had them. I’ve had them. They may have lasted a millisecond. They may have felt like certainty, a big knowing beyond understanding, or an out of body experience.
Have you ever felt absolutely certain of something—A connection, lightness, a feeling of being understood? These experiences are mystical and magical, and most of us forget we’ve even had them because they rarely last more than a millisecond.
Transcendent states can be achieved through various means, including meditation, prayer, contemplation, spiritual practices, or intense moments of awe or inspiration. During these states, individuals may report a deep state of peace, unity, interconnectedness, or a heightened sense of reality.
Time may even seem to slow down or become irrelevant, and the boundaries between the self and the external world may dissolve.
Because we’re so entrenched in Human Reality, we can’t catch the moment. We can’t embrace it and allow it to flow all over us. Usually when we can’t catch it, it’s because of Human Reality.
We haven’t slept, eaten, been hugged or touched. We haven’t had our needs met in Human Reality. When our needs aren’t being met in Human Reality, it’s easy to slip out of Spiritual Truth.
Your Human Reality is taking charge and coming to the forefront, which is keeping you from holding on to those special spiritual moments. It’s one reason why we must take care of our humanness. The more we embrace and lean on our human needs, the more we can live in our Spiritual Truth.
“The more you embrace your Human Reality, the more divine your experience.” - Rhonda Britten.
Instead of bypassing our humanness and pretending it doesn’t matter in favor of living in our spiritual world, we must build a bridge between them.
Spiritual Agility: Bridging the Gap Between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth
We are here to bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth, not choose one over the other. It’s a dance. We are here to be fully human and fully spiritual. That’s why we need Spiritual Agility, so we can move through those moments.
The more we deny our bodies and only want to be spiritual, the less whole we are.
The more you silo yourself in one or the other, the less power you have to overcome fear and focus on your goals, dreams, and aspirations.
Which one is it for you? Are you more comfortable living in Human Reality or Spiritual Truth? One is usually your go-to. What takes you off course? The more you know what takes you off course, the more you can take your power back.
We must dance with the divine and our humanness.
How do you thrive in the world successfully? How do you bridge this gap?
Here are some questions to ask yourself about Spiritual Truth:
- “What is the personal philosophy you apply to your own life?”
- “What are the foundational principles you lean on during good and bad times?”
- “What are your beliefs about the divine and intuition?”
- “What do you believe is the meaning of life?”
- “Why are we—you—here?”
Answer these questions. Take time to deeply think about them. This is your homework. In order to truly live our beliefs, we must examine them. That is how we grow.
We don’t do the hard work of crawling through glass in this world because it’s fun. We do it because it brings us to our Spiritual Truth. The tough times mean you are becoming more masterful. Most of us beat ourselves up instead of transcending and actually living our spiritual principles.
It’s easy to get caught in Human Reality; it’s what we see, it’s what we touch, it’s everywhere.
But remember: Your body is meant to support you. Your feelings, thoughts, desires, etc.—It’s all meant to support your spiritual evolution. We need to train ourselves to be comfortable with our Human Reality so that our bodies trust us when we need to take a risk.
So often, Human Reality and Spiritual Truth seem in conflict with each other. They seem to have different goals and focus. But we must build the bridge between the two. This is the path of Spiritual Agility.
And the thing that blocks Spiritual Agility?
FEAR.
Fear feels more real than Spiritual Truth. So fear wins. Many times it wins because we don’t know how to move through Human Reality—through fear—in order to activate, expand, and engage our spiritual consciousness.
This is why I was confused for so many years. I never thought about fear. I never thought I was afraid. But now I know to filter Human Reality and Spiritual Truth through the lens of fear.
Fear stops us from living with Spiritual Agility.
I, Rhonda Britten, want to live my purpose. I want my Human Reality to support my Spiritual Truth and my Spiritual Truth to support my Human Reality so I can move through any moments of embarrassment or fear. I can move through Human Reality leaning on my Spiritual Truth. Human Reality means knowing you will experience fear. Fear is part of Human Reality. It’s how our brains are wired!
We must transcend our Human Reality through Spiritual Truth in order to move past fear.
Transcend by Living Fearlessly
My mother died at 39 years old. She’d been married to my father for 20 years. And for the first time, she was stepping out to claim her own life. She was leaving him. For the first time, she was ready to live without fear.
And she was murdered.
She is why I am devoted to bridging this gap and fighting fear to help everyone live the life their soul intended. Just like my mom was about to.
Every time I make a conscious choice to master and embrace my Human Reality by leaning on my Spiritual Truth, my mother’s death was not in vain. Just praying or meditating is not enough. They’re valuable tools, but they’re not enough on their own to master Human Reality and Spiritual Truth.
What do you need to experience Spiritual Agility?
The answer is Fearlessness. You must master fear to transcend.
Being fearless does not mean you don’t have fear. Fear is a part of Human Reality. Fearless Living means you know how to befriend fear and have it walk beside you without it having power over you.
Many of us are taught to do belief work, but it doesn’t get to the root of the issue. I want to get to the root of the issue.
Affirmations aren’t powerful enough because we often don’t believe in what we’re saying. Repeating an affirmation over and over again is not enough to master fear. Meditation and prayer, and other tools like energy work, inner child work, tarot, astrology, and psychic readings, do not teach you how to create boundaries and say what you need to say. Trust me. I’ve done them all!
This is where Fearless You comes in.
Most tools, resources, and programs:
- Lack holistic tools that work in all situations and with all people.
- Have limited practical application because there’s no time to skill-build and, therefore, no INTEGRATION!
- Provide minimal support from teachers.
- Lack personal interaction; therefore, personal questions are not answered.
- Don’t have a clearly defined mental model for fear.
- Lack coaching experience since most coaches aren’t coaching. They are teaching or advising or consulting and have not coached a variety of clients over thousands of hours.
- Have limited accountability and fail to inspire because they do not have structure or frequent live classes.
- Do not provide community connection, so you won’t find a sense of belonging.
Fearless You has all this and more. If the connection between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth interests you, if these topics resonate with you, join our growing community in Fearless You and live with Spiritual Agility.
I can’t wait to see you there!
This article is based on a live course on Spiritual Agility. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to learn about upcoming courses and events! 💗
How do you bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth? It’s what I like to call Spiritual Agility, and that’s what we’re here to talk about today.
How did I go from suicidal alcoholic to Emmy Award-winner and 4x bestselling author? The answer was—and still is—Spiritual Agility. A long time ago I realized my mission is to bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth. In fact, everything I do is my attempt to help you bridge that gap. But until now, I’ve never directly said it out loud. (Why not, you might ask?! Well, we’ll get to that in another article.)
Oh gosh—do we have an exciting journey to go on today!
But before you and I get into that, let me share with you a bit about my spiritual journey. It’s been a long road.
My Spiritual Journey
When I was 14 years old, before the day that changed everything, I was a big believer in God.
Now, there are a ton of different words used to describe what I call “God.” You might say, Source, Spirit, Universe, Something Bigger, Beloved, Creator, Jesus, The Field, Father, or Light. You might even call it intuition or Higher Self.
It doesn’t matter what name you use, but it is important to name that thing bigger than you so you can build a more intimate relationship with it. You could even call it “Sam.” 🙂
Because of my love for God, at the age of 14, I announced to my parents that I wanted to be a minister. Yep. Not the choir director or the wife of a minister, but the actual minister; the one who stood behind the pulpit. I loved God so much I wanted to talk to him and about him all day, every day.
But then that terrible day happened. In a matter of seconds, I was the sole witness to my father murdering my mother and then committing suicide.
When the bullets stopped flying, the first words I heard––the first words that flashed through my mind––words I’d heard so often at church and had believed wholeheartedly, were: “God will not give you more than you can handle.”
Over and over again:
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
“God will not give you more than you can handle.”
Well, sorry God—this was too much for me to handle. Watching my parents die, and not being able to stop it, was too big of a test! I ran to my mother’s room, knelt down next to her bed, clasped my hands in prayer, placed them on top of her rose flowered bedspread, and whispered, “God, please keep my mother alive. If she lives, I will keep my promise and do your bidding. If she dies, I can’t promise anything.”
My mother died.
God gave me a test that I believed was just too big for me.
A few hours later, we received the official call from the hospital telling us that both of our parents were dead. At that instant, I put a line between me and God.
I still loved Him, but I could no longer trust Him. I remember so vividly what I believed that day, “I love you, God, but if I keep following you, you’ll take someone else away from me.”
How do you find the good in something that bad?
The funny thing was I didn’t get angry at God. I didn’t blame him. Instead, I blamed myself because I didn’t stop my father. I didn’t grab the gun or jump in front of my mother. I failed to protect her. I failed God’s test.
For the next 20 years, I believed because I didn’t save my mother, I didn’t have a right to be happy. I mean, how can you be happy when your mother’s dead?!
The nightmares began just days after my life was forever changed. Every night in my dreams, my father would chase me through the woods and aim his gun at my back and shoot until there were no bullets left. I would wake up some mornings feeling like I had a dozen or more bullet holes lodged in my body. Some days I didn’t know how I would ever be able to get out of bed.
I could not shake the feeling it was my fault, so I tried a new friend: Alcohol. I blacked out. But that wasn’t so bad. Blacking out meant I wouldn’t remember my father or the gun when I woke up in the morning. Drinking became the only way I could sleep.
With so little sleep, my father dying from suicide, and the incessant voice in my head blaming me for everything, it may not be surprising that I myself turned to suicide. I tried three times. I failed three times.
But, I promise, my life wasn’t all self-destructive. During those same 20 years, I was also reading self-help books, going to spiritual classes, meeting with a therapist, working with a shaman, receiving energy healings, you name it. I was doing anything I could do to try and help myself.
But none of it pierced the fear that kept echoing inside my head that it was my fault. I thought if I didn’t stay vigilant, God would surely test me again.
During this time, I could not even say the word “God.” If you said it, I would shift the word in my head to Divine, or Light, or Source—anything but “God.”
For 20 years, I only cared about Human Reality. I didn’t trust that spiritual part because it was not safe.
For 20 years, I put God over there. But God would not let me go. God would tap me on the shoulder and I would say the same thing every time: “Love ya, but don’t trust ya.”
When we’re going through something hard, all of our beliefs come up for review. We question everything. Everything we thought we knew to be true comes up for review.
I only fully came back to God when I understood the difference between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth and how to bridge that gap.
So, let’s get started. First, we’ll figure out where you currently are in your relationship with God and then move through defining the differences and connections between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth.
How Close Are You With God?
How close do you feel with God?
Let’s put a number to that. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you with God? Are you at a 3 or a 7? Write that number down.
Now, the second question is:
What percent of the time do you follow what God tells you to do?
Write that number down too. There is no right or wrong answer.
If your number is anything below 100%, where is it that you’re unwilling to listen? What’s holding you back? Do you struggle to distinguish fear from God (like I did for so long)? Fear of surrendering is often what’s holding me back from listening to God.
Do any of these sound familiar? I want you to write down 1-12 on a piece of paper. Yep—Don’t wait. Do that right now. Got your 1-12 listed?
Okay, now, read through these questions and answer “Yes” on the ones that apply to you.
- Do you catch yourself complaining or comparing yourself to others?
- Is it difficult to let go and surrender? Is it difficult to get out of your comfort zone?
- Do you beat yourself up way too regularly?
- Do you feel frustrated with your spiritual practice?
- Do you feel stuck and not know what to do about it?
- Do you doubt yourself when you’re making decisions?
- Do you blame yourself for things that don’t work out?
- Do you secretly believe the world is hard or out to get you?
- Do you get caught up in rehashing the past?
- Are you lacking a foundational philosophy for your life?
- Do you find yourself people-pleasing or procrastinating?
- Are you unsure why your life is the way it is?
How many of those questions did you answer yes to?
Read them over again. Which one hits you hardest?
So here’s the key to all of this. The odd numbers are Human Reality. The even numbers are Spiritual Truth. Which ones did you say yes to more often?
Human Reality
- Do you catch yourself complaining or comparing yourself to others?
- Do you beat yourself up way too regularly?
- Do you feel stuck and not know what to do about it?
- Do you blame yourself for things that don’t work out?
- Do you get caught up in rehashing the past?
- Do you find yourself people-pleasing or procrastinating?
Spiritual Truth
- Is it difficult to let go and surrender? Is it difficult to get out of your comfort zone?
- Do you feel frustrated with your spiritual practice?
- Do you doubt yourself when you’re making decisions?
- Do you secretly believe the world is hard or out to get you?
- Are you lacking a foundational philosophy for your life?
- Are you unsure why your life is the way it is?
Do you get stuck more often on the Human Reality aspect or the Spiritual Truth side? Usually, it’s one or the other, but you may have an even split.
Knowing where you stand will help you recognize patterns in yourself and help you attain Spiritual Agility, which is the true key to all this.
Spiritual Agility is the crux of everything. In order to live a life that is truly fearless, we must bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth. It is the reason I do Fearless Living.
So many people are stuck focusing on one or the other. You’re either owning your Human Reality and not surrendering enough Spiritual Truth or the other way around. But it’s in balancing both of these key elements of our lives that we can finally find wholeness. To be fearless, we must bridge this gap.
Let’s dig into both Human Reality and Spiritual Truth to better understand how they differ and how they are deeply connected.
Defining Human Reality
Most of us are more often caught in Human Reality. We’re caught up in the external world because we’re human. It’s what we see, hear, feel, touch, and experience every day.
Human Reality Includes:
- Decision making
- Mental Health
- Sleep
- Communication Skills
- Our Five Senses
- Self-Care
- Thoughts
- Emotional Intelligence
- Relationships
- Identity
- Self-Worth
- Balance
- Personal Power
- Beliefs
- Confidence
- Organization
- Culture Feelings
If any of these resonate with you, write them down. What stands out to you?
What connects you to your humanness?
Human Reality is:
- Consciousness and Self-Awareness: The ability to be aware of oneself, to have subjective experiences, and to possess a sense of individual identity.
- Perception and Sensory Experiences: The ability to perceive and interpret the world through the senses—Sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
- Emotions and Feelings: The range of emotions and feelings that humans experience, which shape our responses, motivations, and overall subjective wellbeing.
- Thoughts and Cognitive Processes: The capacity for thinking, reasoning, problem solving, memory, imagination, and other mental processes that contribute to human intelligence and understanding.
- Social and Cultural Influence: The impact of social interactions, relationships, and cultural contexts on shaping human behavior, values, beliefs, and identities.
- Plus, let’s not forget our biblical and physical aspects, personal identity and self-concept, relationships and interactions, language and communication, beliefs and worldview.
We could talk about Human Reality for days. Human Reality is all of these things and so much more.
Above are the categories that are encompassed in Human Reality. Think about how you can personalize this. Jot down some aspects of Human Reality that you have trouble with. Mental health? Emotional regulation? What are the things you wrestle with in your Human Reality? What makes it hard to remember Spiritual Truth? Stop reading. Yes—stop reading right now and jot down your thoughts.
How do we filter these things effectively? Write down the word “filter.” How do we filter our senses, emotional life, self-awareness, thoughts, processes, society, and so on?
When I was going through my most difficult time, it felt like everything was conflicting. I kept having to look in my toolbox for more tools. Every skill was competing. I did not have a mental model to apply to everything. I would switch things all the time from reality to the spiritual, which made me confused and conflicted.
When you are conflicted, that’s when Spiritual Agility comes in. When we’re conflicted, we need Spiritual Agility. Sometimes I can be deep in Spiritual Truth, and something human happens, and I am back in Human Reality.
Both sides are what make us whole. Only with both Human Reality AND Spiritual Truth can we see clearly and live the life our soul intended™.
Defining Spiritual Truth
The other side of the coin is Spiritual Truth. So, what is that exactly?
Spiritual Truth includes:
- Intuition
- Soul
- Spiritual Principles
- Mystical Experience
- Meaning of Life
- Purpose
- Dreams
- Energetic Field
- I Am
- Shamanic Practices
- Mindfulness
- Prayer
- Chanting
- Oneness
- Higher Consciousness
- Universal Truth
- Angels and Guides
And SOOOOOOOOOOOO much more!
Spiritual Truth, just like Human Reality, is subjective. We want to believe there is a Spiritual Truth that is THE truth, yet we need to remember that other people’s Spiritual Truth may not align with our own.
Too often, we don’t lean on our tools, skills, mantras, and the things that support us in order to remind us what our Spiritual Truth is. So many of us, like me for decades, don’t know how to hold on to our Spiritual Truth. However, you must make it crystal clear to yourself so that you can hang on to it—No matter your current Human Reality.
But that’s not how Spiritual Truth works. It’s different from Human Reality, and it will feel different.
Spiritual Truth is:
- Transcendence and Higher Realities: Belief in and exploration of realities or dimensions beyond the physical and material world, such as the divine, higher consciousness, or transcendent states of being.
- Inner Experience and Intuition: Subjective experience, intuition, and inner wisdom, providing insights that go beyond logical reasoning or empirical evidence.
- Meaning and Purpose: Existential questions offering frameworks, philosophies, or beliefs that provide guidance and a sense of significance.
- Connection and Oneness: Interconnectedness of all things and the recognition of a deeper unity or oneness that extends beyond individual identities and separateness.
- Universal Truths and Wisdom: Transcend cultural, religious, or individual boundaries, offering insights that resonate with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Mystical and Contemplative Experiences: Offer glimpses of deeper truths or a direct connection with the divine or transcendent aspects of reality.
Since Spiritual Truth is more difficult to define, also keep in mind the following:
- Spiritual Truth allows you to explore the deeper questions about existence, purpose, and the nature of reality beyond what can be observed or measured in the physical world.
- You can relate to the realm of spirituality, metaphysics, or the divine. It involves insights, principles, or beliefs about the nature of reality, existence, and the deeper aspects of human experience.
- It can be deeply personal and can vary among individuals, communities, and cultures.
- It can involve intuitive or transcendent insights. A source of guidance, meaning, and connection for individuals seeking a broader understanding of themselves and the universe.
- It also includes the nature of the soul or consciousness, the existence of higher powers or a divine presence, the purpose and meaning of life, and the interconnectedness of all things.
We want to care for our humanness but be grounded in our Spiritual Truth.
Transcendent States
We’ve all had transcendent states. You’ve had them. I’ve had them. They may have lasted a millisecond. They may have felt like certainty, a big knowing beyond understanding, or an out of body experience.
Have you ever felt absolutely certain of something—A connection, lightness, a feeling of being understood? These experiences are mystical and magical, and most of us forget we’ve even had them because they rarely last more than a millisecond.
Transcendent states can be achieved through various means, including meditation, prayer, contemplation, spiritual practices, or intense moments of awe or inspiration. During these states, individuals may report a deep state of peace, unity, interconnectedness, or a heightened sense of reality.
Time may even seem to slow down or become irrelevant, and the boundaries between the self and the external world may dissolve.
Because we’re so entrenched in Human Reality, we can’t catch the moment. We can’t embrace it and allow it to flow all over us. Usually when we can’t catch it, it’s because of Human Reality.
We haven’t slept, eaten, been hugged or touched. We haven’t had our needs met in Human Reality. When our needs aren’t being met in Human Reality, it’s easy to slip out of Spiritual Truth.
Your Human Reality is taking charge and coming to the forefront, which is keeping you from holding on to those special spiritual moments. It’s one reason why we must take care of our humanness. The more we embrace and lean on our human needs, the more we can live in our Spiritual Truth.
“The more you embrace your Human Reality, the more divine your experience.” - Rhonda Britten.
Instead of bypassing our humanness and pretending it doesn’t matter in favor of living in our spiritual world, we must build a bridge between them.
Spiritual Agility: Bridging the Gap Between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth
We are here to bridge the gap between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth, not choose one over the other. It’s a dance. We are here to be fully human and fully spiritual. That’s why we need Spiritual Agility, so we can move through those moments.
The more we deny our bodies and only want to be spiritual, the less whole we are.
The more you silo yourself in one or the other, the less power you have to overcome fear and focus on your goals, dreams, and aspirations.
Which one is it for you? Are you more comfortable living in Human Reality or Spiritual Truth? One is usually your go-to. What takes you off course? The more you know what takes you off course, the more you can take your power back.
We must dance with the divine and our humanness.
How do you thrive in the world successfully? How do you bridge this gap?
Here are some questions to ask yourself about Spiritual Truth:
- “What is the personal philosophy you apply to your own life?”
- “What are the foundational principles you lean on during good and bad times?”
- “What are your beliefs about the divine and intuition?”
- “What do you believe is the meaning of life?”
- “Why are we—you—here?”
Answer these questions. Take time to deeply think about them. This is your homework. In order to truly live our beliefs, we must examine them. That is how we grow.
We don’t do the hard work of crawling through glass in this world because it’s fun. We do it because it brings us to our Spiritual Truth. The tough times mean you are becoming more masterful. Most of us beat ourselves up instead of transcending and actually living our spiritual principles.
It’s easy to get caught in Human Reality; it’s what we see, it’s what we touch, it’s everywhere.
But remember: Your body is meant to support you. Your feelings, thoughts, desires, etc.—It’s all meant to support your spiritual evolution. We need to train ourselves to be comfortable with our Human Reality so that our bodies trust us when we need to take a risk.
So often, Human Reality and Spiritual Truth seem in conflict with each other. They seem to have different goals and focus. But we must build the bridge between the two. This is the path of Spiritual Agility.
And the thing that blocks Spiritual Agility?
FEAR.
Fear feels more real than Spiritual Truth. So fear wins. Many times it wins because we don’t know how to move through Human Reality—through fear—in order to activate, expand, and engage our spiritual consciousness.
This is why I was confused for so many years. I never thought about fear. I never thought I was afraid. But now I know to filter Human Reality and Spiritual Truth through the lens of fear.
Fear stops us from living with Spiritual Agility.
I, Rhonda Britten, want to live my purpose. I want my Human Reality to support my Spiritual Truth and my Spiritual Truth to support my Human Reality so I can move through any moments of embarrassment or fear. I can move through Human Reality leaning on my Spiritual Truth. Human Reality means knowing you will experience fear. Fear is part of Human Reality. It’s how our brains are wired!
We must transcend our Human Reality through Spiritual Truth in order to move past fear.
Transcend by Living Fearlessly
My mother died at 39 years old. She’d been married to my father for 20 years. And for the first time, she was stepping out to claim her own life. She was leaving him. For the first time, she was ready to live without fear.
And she was murdered.
She is why I am devoted to bridging this gap and fighting fear to help everyone live the life their soul intended. Just like my mom was about to.
Every time I make a conscious choice to master and embrace my Human Reality by leaning on my Spiritual Truth, my mother’s death was not in vain. Just praying or meditating is not enough. They’re valuable tools, but they’re not enough on their own to master Human Reality and Spiritual Truth.
What do you need to experience Spiritual Agility?
The answer is Fearlessness. You must master fear to transcend.
Being fearless does not mean you don’t have fear. Fear is a part of Human Reality. Fearless Living means you know how to befriend fear and have it walk beside you without it having power over you.
Many of us are taught to do belief work, but it doesn’t get to the root of the issue. I want to get to the root of the issue.
Affirmations aren’t powerful enough because we often don’t believe in what we’re saying. Repeating an affirmation over and over again is not enough to master fear. Meditation and prayer, and other tools like energy work, inner child work, tarot, astrology, and psychic readings, do not teach you how to create boundaries and say what you need to say. Trust me. I’ve done them all!
This is where Fearless You comes in.
Most tools, resources, and programs:
- Lack holistic tools that work in all situations and with all people.
- Have limited practical application because there’s no time to skill-build and, therefore, no INTEGRATION!
- Provide minimal support from teachers.
- Lack personal interaction; therefore, personal questions are not answered.
- Don’t have a clearly defined mental model for fear.
- Lack coaching experience since most coaches aren’t coaching. They are teaching or advising or consulting and have not coached a variety of clients over thousands of hours.
- Have limited accountability and fail to inspire because they do not have structure or frequent live classes.
- Do not provide community connection, so you won’t find a sense of belonging.
Fearless You has all this and more. If the connection between Human Reality and Spiritual Truth interests you, if these topics resonate with you, join our growing community in Fearless You and live with Spiritual Agility.
I can’t wait to see you there!
This article is based on a live course on Spiritual Agility. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to learn about upcoming courses and events! 💗
