Spiritual crisis is often also referred to as ‘spiritual emergency’, ‘spiritual emergence’, ‘Kundalini awakening’ , or ‘spiritual awakening’. In the U.S. spiritual crisis is provided for by the inclusion of ‘spiritual or religious problem’ in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5) used by American psychiatrists.
Spiritual crisis is sometimes understood in a generic sense and applied to any major life or religious crisis, such as bereavement or loss of faith. However, it is also used in a more specific sense to describe a range of unusual or anomalous experiences that cause concern, distress, or dysfunction in an individual’s life. If managed appropriately these crises can become an opportunity for personal growth and transformation.
Catherine Lucas, founder of the Spiritual Crisis Network (SCN) in the U.K., reports that the experience can make daily life very difficult for people going through it and result in unnecessary hospitalisation, isolation, and an inability to work. She lists its characteristics as: being very intense; difficult to cope with, causing confusion of inner and outer worlds, with pains and trouble sleeping, powerful emotions; a sense of loss or ego-death; ego-inflation; confused thinking; a sense of the importance of symbolism and myth; meaningful coincidences; seeing flashbacks or spirits; and feeling strong energies. This can include anomalous experiences such as kundalini, Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and mystical states, amongst many others.
Stanislav and Christina Grof, founders of transpersonal psychology and the Spiritual Emergence Network (SEN) in the U.S., coined the term 'spiritual emergency' as a play on words to emphasise the potential for positive transformation and personal growth that can emerge from such experiences. In 1989 they outlined ten categories of spiritual emergency: i) shamanic crisis, ii) Kundalini Awakening, iii) unitive or peak experiences, iv) ‘renewal through return to the centre’, v) psychic opening, vi) past life experiences, vii) spirit communication and channelling, viii) Near-Death Experiences, ix) UFO encounters, and x) possession states.
The transpersonal understanding is that spiritual emergence is a natural part of every human being’s journey through life. Normally, this takes place slowly and without precipitating a crisis. However, in some cases something triggers a crisis during the process.
Spiritucal crisis can be associated with any of the following:
Spiritual crisis is sometimes understood in a generic sense and applied to any major life or religious crisis, such as bereavement or loss of faith. However, it is also used in a more specific sense to describe a range of unusual or anomalous experiences that cause concern, distress, or dysfunction in an individual’s life. If managed appropriately these crises can become an opportunity for personal growth and transformation.
Catherine Lucas, founder of the Spiritual Crisis Network (SCN) in the U.K., reports that the experience can make daily life very difficult for people going through it and result in unnecessary hospitalisation, isolation, and an inability to work. She lists its characteristics as: being very intense; difficult to cope with, causing confusion of inner and outer worlds, with pains and trouble sleeping, powerful emotions; a sense of loss or ego-death; ego-inflation; confused thinking; a sense of the importance of symbolism and myth; meaningful coincidences; seeing flashbacks or spirits; and feeling strong energies. This can include anomalous experiences such as kundalini, Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and mystical states, amongst many others.
Stanislav and Christina Grof, founders of transpersonal psychology and the Spiritual Emergence Network (SEN) in the U.S., coined the term 'spiritual emergency' as a play on words to emphasise the potential for positive transformation and personal growth that can emerge from such experiences. In 1989 they outlined ten categories of spiritual emergency: i) shamanic crisis, ii) Kundalini Awakening, iii) unitive or peak experiences, iv) ‘renewal through return to the centre’, v) psychic opening, vi) past life experiences, vii) spirit communication and channelling, viii) Near-Death Experiences, ix) UFO encounters, and x) possession states.
The transpersonal understanding is that spiritual emergence is a natural part of every human being’s journey through life. Normally, this takes place slowly and without precipitating a crisis. However, in some cases something triggers a crisis during the process.
Spiritucal crisis can be associated with any of the following:
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The symbol used at the top of this page to denote spiritual crisis is a form of the rune Hagall from the Northern Tradition. Of this rune Edred Thorsson says it:
'...is a rune of crisis and possible misfortune. But it is also the ice seed (grain). This is the cosmic seed of of the beginning of all things. It is the cosmos in seed form...If basic seed concepts are listened to and acted upon, a good outcome can perhaps be expected. The present situation must be changed - based on higher principles.' Similar ideas are conveyed by the Lightening Struck Tower card of the tarot and images of putrefaction or Nigredo in alchemy. Both of these images portray destructive stages but ultimately as part of a process of growth and transformation.
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I am a registered Spiritual Emergence Coach with the IMHU and one of the Directors of the Spiritual Crisis Network (SCN) in the UK. I assist the SCN by responding to people going through spiritual emergency, co-facilitating the SCN Sheffield peer-support group, and providing training and awareness sessions. I am also currently planning PhD research into spiritual emergency with the Alef Trust, Professional Development Foundation, and Canterbury Christ Church University.
