Losing Interest in Life’s Activities

Question:

Dear Ariel,

As I progress down the spiritual path, it seems that I’m beginning to lose interest in activities I used to be passionate about. It feels almost as if I’m losing interest in things that used to be very important to me. Is this normal? Is anything wrong?

Thanks,

I.

My response:

Hey I,

Don’t worry. This is very normal, a natural part of spiritual growth in fact. There’s nothing wrong with letting go of activities you used to be very interested in as your level of consciousness continues to increase.

It may seem, at least on the surface, that something of value is being lost. What used to be a source of excitement and joy is no longer providing much of value.

What happens is as the ego progressively weakens, it grows less and less attached to external circumstances. As you begin to realize that nothing outside of you will make you happy and that true happiness is only available within, the things you used to be attached to with naturally be let go of on their own.

This is a natural and healthy process. It’s like you’re “growing out of” your old conditioning.

From the external perspective, it often seems like the spiritual aspirant is withdrawing from the world, but that’s not truly what’s happening.

True renunciation is not about going off to meditate on a mountain and escaping the world.

(It can certainly be a very helpful process, however.)

Rather, renunciation is about letting go of all desires and attachments. Renunciation is always in the mind. It’s about turning inward instead of constantly being focused outward.

Eventually this path leads one to totally accepting any and all circumstances. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a person sits back and does nothing, Instead, the choice is made from a place of complete freedom where no matter what happens, the person is already happy and completely fulfilled. From this state, one is truly free to enjoy themselves into the activity and invest their heart and soul fully, without the constant fear of what might happen should they fail.

You can’t struggle your way to joy.

You can only joy your way to joy.

This process of gradually losing interest in the things of this world is a very natural occurrence. It’s part of letting go and going with the flow. Eventually one becomes fully “in this world, but not of it.” At this state, there are no attachments any which way and there is finally a realized state of total freedom and liberation.

At this state of enlightened consciousness, One is free to be or do anything without suffering. This is liberation.

Thanks for your question.

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