How to Overcome Spiritual Overwhelm

As a mystic, do you ever feel guilty for lacking clarity or purpose, letting your emotions run away with you, or feeling like you don’t want to do anything spiritual for a while? In other words, are you overwhelmed by the insane amount of spiritual “must dos” on the internet? 

Do moon rituals, DIY this, make that, journal, energy clear, protect yourself, sling cards, speak to your guides, ground, raise your vibration, open your third eye, take action…

All while still trying to balance work, family, and friends?

In case you didn’t know, you aren’t the only one, and I hear from more and more mystics every day who are experiencing the overwhelm of showing up for a spiritual practice that isn’t providing results or feels like too much to manage. 

And TBH, I was feeling the same way at the end of 2022. To the point that I questioned whether or not I actually wanted to continue having any spiritual practice at all. I still have a box of crystals on the floor from packing everything up in a rebellious act of “I’m over it!” 

Don’t worry; I’m not quitting spirituality just yet. But it got me thinking about ways to overcome spiritual overwhelm, and I discovered a few ways which have helped right my ship. Here’s a list of five things that allowed me to refocus and eliminate some of the drama of having too much on my spiritual plate. 

Minimize your spiritual practices.

There is no need to do every spiritual practice you come across. Limiting your journey to no more than 1-3 practices at a time helps you to focus more on what’s essential for your spiritual growth. You can always switch up your methods or add something else if you feel something is no longer providing you with the desired results, which brings me to number 2. 

Re-evaluate your goals.

Your spiritual goals may be outdated, or you may have never taken the time to establish them in the first place. Revisit your dreams and desires and ask yourself if you actually have a spiritual practice that supports these goals. Overwhelm is often caused by lack of clarity, so use this time to figure out your needs; then, you can build a practice that is intentional, manageable, and based on both who you are right now and who you’d like to be, not what’s trending on the internet. 

Take a break altogether.

Your spiritual practice is a journey, and just like a road trip, breaks are occasionally required. Make space to focus on traditional self-care like rest and hydration, and significantly reducing your daily load or rituals. There will always be another moon, sabbat, or reading at another time, and because this is your personal journey, no that you are never missing out on what is meant for you. 

Keep it Personal.

This one is for those who feel pressure to share your spiritual practice with others or on the internet. Of course, sharing your experiences is fine, but it shouldn’t feel like another to-do list item or an obligation, even if spirituality is your business. Consider keeping some or even all of your spiritual journey to yourself. This removes the pressure to explain what you’re doing, to do things in a certain way, or to show up when you don’t feel called to do so. 

You are a ritual tool.

Having ritual tools and other goodies to incorporate into your spiritual practice is lovely but unnecessary. You are the only ritual tool you genuinely need; everything else is nice to have as an enhancement but not critical. Spiritual consumerism IS consumerism, even in the name of spiritual self-care. Eliminate anything you do not use regularly and establish a list of purchase parameters moving forward. If something doesn’t fit your guidelines, it’s a no. 

As a personal example, I had nearly 300 different tarot and oracle decks at the end of last year, but I only used about 20 or some, and half are ones I’ve written myself. While these decks are all beautiful, at the end of the day, I was hoarding many beautiful things that had no real purpose for where I am right now. I’ve lovingly donated almost all and have only kept things that resonate with me. 

Are you feeling spiritually overwhelmed? What are some of your pain points regarding your spiritual practice? Comment below, and let’s talk about it!