3 Phases of Feminine Spiritual Growth

When you’re standing in the dark, struggling, it can be hard to see anything else because, by definition, you’re in a shadowy place of blackness. The dark may show up as feeling stuck, depressed, alone, hopeless, uncertain, or just plain scared about life. Or thinking you are not worthy of your dreams, goals, or deepest desires. Being in this deep emotional unrest means we often cannot see our way through it or know that something else is on the other side.

I experienced a phase of depression in my early 20s that was crippling. In addition to feeling alone, anxious, worried, and completely out of my element, daily life felt overwhelming. I could only take each day hour by hour, until I gained a bit of emotional momentum and was able to shake off the temporary anxieties that felt oh so heavy. As I emerged on the other side of that experience, I began to gain more understanding and perspective around the real messages that were trying to be heard from within my soul.

Over the past 25 years of spiritual study and growth, I’ve learned that there is always more of YOU to discover in each phase of growth, no matter how together you think you have it, or how powerless you may feel in any given moment. Spiritual growth is a personal, internal, sacred, emotional experience viewed by invitation only. It is different from the visual, public, physical hero’s journey that we often see in movies.

Knowing all of this is one thing; experiencing it is quite another. So I felt deeply compelled to write The Modern Heroine’s Journey of Consciousness because it is vital to know that you are not truly lost, or even likely to stay in the darkness for long. There is a path ahead; there is a light coming. Surprisingly, being in a dark place is actually the middle phase of a process. So yay, you’re halfway there in a sense!

Here are the three phases of The Modern Heroine’s Journey of Consciousness:

First Phase: The Opening
The Unconscious Self answers a Call of the Soul to go beyond known bounds. Curiosity, a yearning, deep questions, a crisis, or any type of catalyst can spark the desire to spiritually explore and open up to know Self more. The overarching theme is the desire to leave what is known to venture forward and discover what is not yet known.

Second Phase: The Deepening
Discomfort emerges as an inner battle brews around all energies being carried within, but new opportunities, exciting developments, and like-minded friends arrive, as well. This is the phase when new spiritual classes, teachers, healing modalities, and resources are explored. Questions come up, unconscious patterns are noticed, inner programming is challenged, and deep work is required. A Dark Night of the Soul is typical.

Third Phase: The Renewal
The Renewal is a spiritual connection back to the pure essence of your Soul’s energy. Much has been changed, realized, and altered that has formed a different version of Self. The journey may be uncomfortable and the desire to own your new energy will be strong. Like a spiritual boomerang, the Renewal is about returning with high vibrating intentions as a Master of your own Consciousness.

Rest assured, you are not alone in what you’re feeling—and it can be a game changer to see the path ahead even if you do not know how or when it will show up. The struggle is actually showing you where your skin is too tight and where you are ready to grow more into your soul’s light.

I hope this simple understanding brings you comfort and a deeper sense of trust that a path is unfolding for you that is probably much better than what you can even envision for yourself. And it’s okay if you cannot see it yet—you do not have to know all of the answers or have it all figured out. You only have to turn on one little candle that feels right for you, no matter how small the flame may be, and instantly that small flicker will change the all-encompassing darkness into a place of greater light within your being.