Healing and Hypnotherapy Volume 5, Issue -2, 1 August 2020 | Page 22

is a complete surrender; a fundamental shift in the way we approach life.

Attachment is perhaps the most common trap that sabotages our spiritual
growth. On one hand, attachment to ideas helps us to grow, but ultimately,
those ideas that we are unwilling to let go of end up stagnating our growth.
When ideas become protection blankets rather than catalysts for our
growth, there is a big problem. We need to realize that freedom cannot be
experienced through the mind. Freedom is felt when we can be liberated
from attachment to our thoughts.
11. The trap of relying on external answers
As we progress through our spiritual paths it is normal, and beneficial, for us
to seek out external support. Reading books, attending workshops and
seminars, going to retreats, practicing holistic techniques, and getting a
personal guru all help us experience spiritual growth. However, after a
while, it is common for us to become too dependent on external answers for
our freedom and happiness. This pitfall can be seen in many spiritual
seeker’s obsession and glorification of their gurus (in other words,
projecting and disowning their divinity onto another).

Eventually, as we become accustomed to constantly searching outside of
ourselves for answers, we forget the presence of our own Souls. We forget
that our ultimate source of guidance and wisdom comes from within us, and
instead, we keep chasing things outside of ourselves that we believe will
“enlighten” us.

We need to stop, pause, and reflect on our spiritual journeys. Are we
seeking out first-hand experience or second-hand experience given to us by
others? Don’t forget to look within for your answers as well because it is by
connecting with your Soul that you will ultimately experience freedom.
In order to see through and extricate ourselves from these traps, we need to
be radically honest with ourselves. We need to be willing to see that we