My Spiritual Journey

I had big plans when I was little. I was going to run away and join the circus, I was going to rescue a monkey and live like Pippi Longstocking, I was going to move to Antarctica and befriend the penguins, but then society robbed me of my childhood innocence. As I grew older and arguably wiser, I learned about the inhumane treatment of circus animals, the legal issues associated with pet monkeys, and the growing concern of global warming for penguins. Like I said, society robbed me of my innocence, but it also ignited a fire in my soul. As the years passed, I continued to educate myself on animal abuse and climate change. I transitioned to a plant-based diet and made a conscious effort to reduce my environmental footprint, and that’s when the most beautiful happened. As soon as I began taking care of our creatures and our planet, Mother Nature began taking care of me.

This all came about shortly after a series of sudden life-changing events. My father passed away unexpectedly, I lost my visa to stay in the United States, my long-term relationship came to an end, and I moved back to Norway; needless to say, I was in a very vulnerable state at the time. This was the catalyst for, what I now refer to as, my ten-month spiritual journey. I fled to the mountains to seek solitude, I embarked on a solo backpacking trip to find myself, I moved across the world to start over, all while doing some serious soul-searching. Little did I know that these three decisions would become the monumental stepping-stones in my journey to spiritual enlightenment.

Just days after my father’s funeral, I drove to our family’s cabin in the mountains with my dog Cody. I felt completely lost, extremely broken, and utterly confused. It was as if the universe had turned against me. Despite this state of inner turmoil, being surrounded by nature made me feel incredibly alive. I danced on mountaintops by day and stargazed by night, allowing the energy of the universe to flow through my delicate soul. It was here that I developed a newfound appreciation for our planet and threw myself into the plant-based lifestyle. I experienced the inner workings of the earth like I never had before and I connected with my father in ways I never thought possible. Somehow I had unlocked the doors to new dimensions and I entered, what I believed to be, a newly awakened state. After a few weeks in the mountains, I returned to civilization with a renewed sense of self-awareness, mental clarity, and inner peace.

From the mountains, I headed straight for the cities to continue on my path of spiritual growth and self-discovery. In the span of four months, I traveled to upwards of twenty cities in over ten countries, sharing hostel dorms with hundreds of strangers, some of whom became close friends. The transition from seeking solitude in the mountains to cultivating human connection in foreign environments was a tough one to navigate at first. It was here that I learned to trust my intuition and subconsciously leaned further into my inner knowing. As I explored the local cultures and religions in each of the places I visited, my initial discomfort lessened and I was able to channel the energy of others and harness it as my own. The people I encountered and the ways of life I observed inspired me to reflect on my own lifestyle and beliefs. In doing so, I felt an overwhelming desire to dig even deeper into my spirituality and uncover my true self once and for all.

As soon as I returned to Norway, I knew I didn’t belong. My physical body was present, but my mind and soul were elsewhere. I guess what they say is true, traveling really does change you. That’s when I booked a one-way ticket to Canada, solely because I felt an intense calling to do so. Just before I left for the airport, my mother handed me The Pocket, a book written by Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön on the principles of Buddhism and the foundations of meditation and mindfulness. The teachings in this book truly shook me to my core. For the first time on my spiritual journey, I felt like I had found a philosophy that understood me. Yoga and meditation became a part of my daily routine and both the physical and mental transformations were remarkable. But Buddhism wasn’t the only spiritual practice that started to resonate with me.

One day, I was wandering through the aisles of a bookstore when the title Witches of America caught my eye. It’s a memoir written by journalist Alex Mar about her experience with modern Paganism and witchcraft. I was immediately captivated by the world of earth-based spirituality and began researching things like the moon cycles and the five elements of nature – fire, water, air, earth, and spirit. I learned that my astrological sign, the Taurus, is associated with the earth element and I could finally explain my unusual connection to our creatures and our planet. Then I stumbled upon Kim Krans, the artist and author of The Wild Unknown, and I quickly took an interest in her mystic and psychic teachings. I purchased The Tarot Deck and began reading cards regularly. I simply couldn’t deny the pure magic and mystery that I uncovered within the deck and each reading brought me closer to the universe and my true self.

Over the past ten months, my physical, emotional, and mental needs have clearly shifted, and my thoughts on spirituality have drastically changed. I used to believe that the spiritual world wasn’t for me, since I didn’t grow up in a religious household, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Embarking on this journey of spiritual awakening has given me a new zest for life and has enhanced my existence in ways I never could have imagined. Spirituality is all-encompassing and I encourage everyone to explore the avenues that resonate with them, no two journeys will ever be alike. Since opening my heart and my soul to our universe, I have seen it work in beautifully mysterious ways, and I know this is just the beginning. I truly believe that there is more to life than our physical time here on earth and although I can’t be certain of what the future holds, it’s that very uncertainty that excites me.

With ♡, Julia Elizabeth