The Myth Of Spiritual Life Lessons

By Anthon St. Maarten

It is not true that we are meant to live a challenging, tormented life to learn certain spiritual or life 'lessons.' Believing that we are flawed, broken beings who have come here to 'learn' a few things the hard way, is merely a justification some offer to make sense of the bad things that sometimes happen to good people.

The irony is that those who choose to believe this myth will most likely have to face one trial and tribulation after the other, just as they anticipated. If someone's circumstance offers a plethora of opportunity, while their life is seemingly awash with a "weeping and gnashing of teeth," it is usually because they choose it to be so. The hardship and suffering we see in this world is man-made. Misery is something we often tend to inflict on ourselves, and each other. It is not of Spirit, Source or God.

Someone once asked spiritual teacher Abraham-Hicks, "Why do dogs risk getting bugs in their eyes when they stick their heads out of car windows." The response was telling and most profound, "Because the contrast of the bugs in the eye is a small price to pay for the exhilaration of that ride, and it is exactly the same way you felt when you made the decision to come into this physical existence. 

It is exactly the way you felt when you knew there would be contrast and you said, 'the ride is going to be worth it!” If there is any spiritual 'lesson' that must learned in this lifetime, then it is that we are the creators of our own reality, and the designers of our own life journey. Your experiences in this lifetime is what you choose it to be. You are the architect of your own destiny. 

The only thing suffering teaches us is that we are capable of suffering ~ Melvin Jules Bukiet

If you consciously choose to sign up for some sort of 'metaphysical boot camp' or 'hell on earth' then that is undoubtedly the life experience you will have. If not, there is much that you can do to bring to an end all the self-inflicted misery you choose to expose yourself to. And if the torment is inflicted upon you by others, the solution is equally simple: nobody has the power to imprison your mind, dictate your emotions, or enslave your soul… unless you let them. Voluntary suffering results from not being in alignment with your higher self and your true destiny.

Planet Earth is not a cosmic classroom or a dungeon of punishment. It is a playground, an adventure camp, a leading-edge laboratory of expansion and creation. Your life path is not a ‘test of character’ or some kind of ‘metaphysical curriculum’. It is simply an incredible adventure. You did not come into this physical dimension to suffer all manner of hardship, adversity or pain, to make you a 'stronger person' or a 'more spiritual being.' You are not going to receive some kind of divine medal, or academic achievement star next to your name, when you finally kick the bucket. You cannot become more spiritual, because you already are all of that completely. You are born of spirit and you are a powerful creator of your own life experience. You are a divine being, a deity in jeans and a t-shirt.

Your journey along the path of life is all about the perspective you choose. Some of us prefer to learn lessons, while others choose to explore and enjoy all that life has to offer. Do we all make 'mistakes' along the way. Sure, we do! But some of us prefer to make discoveries, instead of mistakes. Coming to a newfound awareness through exploration of all that life has to offer is very different from 'learning the hard way' by making mistakes. Discovery exudes a quest for abundance, prosperity, gratitude and well-being, while making errors smacks of a lack consciousness, victimhood and a scarcity mentality.

There is no beauty in sadness. No honor in suffering. No growth in fear. No relief in hate. It’s just a waste of perfectly good happiness ~ Katerina Stoykova Klemer

Believing that we are here to learn through our mistakes, receive punishment for our bad karma, or fix issues from a past life, is an insult to our true spiritual heritage. It supports the assumption that Spirit, Source or God is somehow incompetent, or made some sort of mistake. We are created in the image of the Divine; we are an expression and a celebration of the Divine. We are not flawed, or sub-standard, or weak, or ignorant.

We may be temporarily disconnected, misguided or confused, but at our core we are not defective or second-rate. Your soul knows its true mission. We are not here to make mistakes. We are here to make discoveries, to become aware, to unveil, to observe and to celebrate. And once we have begun to achieve that, we are meant to teach, guide and heal others. We are meant to be of service and make the world a better place. 

Does this mean that the suffering and deprivation of, for example, innocent children, the frail, or the elderly, is also a self-inflicted choice? Certainly not. But somewhere, somehow their suffering came into existence because of choices the rest of us made... or did not make. It certainly was not Spirit, Source, or God's choosing. We have created a manic world, nauseous with the pursuit of material wealth. Many also bear their cross of imagined deprivation, while their fellow human beings remain paralyzed by real poverty. We drown in the thick sweetness of our sensual excess, and our shameless opulence, while our discontent souls suffocate in the arid wasteland of spiritual deprivation.

Instead of using the suffering of the innocent as a justification to excuse ourselves from our own voluntary misery, we should strive to find inner healing and realignment with our inherent spiritual nature and purpose. For without it we are of no use to the rest of humanity, and certainly incapable of truly serving the planet. Healing the world starts with healing yourself. Starving children, tortured animals, or victims of genocide, are not the ones reading this message. This was not written for them, or about them. If you wish to end suffering in our world, you can begin by ending your own suffering and getting on board with life.

I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end ~ Albert Schweitzer

​You may not like to hear this in the midst of your current agony and anguish, but you are indeed a flawless, crystal clear, meta-dimensional snapshot of God’s image in high-definition Technicolor.  There is nothing we are supposed to learn, there is no exam to pass. In our original form we were perfection personified. We come from a faultless state of Pure Consciousness and Celestial Power. We are the product of Infinite Creative Intelligence and Everlasting Unconditional Love. And we still are that original cosmic entity, but we chose this human life to enjoy an amazing physical experience, combined with a profound spiritual adventure, to contribute to the expansion of the universe and the greater good. ​​

Why do bad things happen to good people? Mostly it is our own doing. We create most of our own reality experience. If you look back in honest retrospect you will often find the choice or decision that brought you to your moment of calamity. The rest is universal law, and Divine intervention. Without contrast this journey would be a monotone, uninspiring affair that will not ignite within us the desire to achieve, discover and create more. If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.

Instead of coming into this time-space reality to ‘graduate’, we are here to achieve two simple goals: to have a spiritual escapade, and to fulfill a meaningful human mission. Spiritually you are here to evolve and expand your already perfect spiritual beingness. Yes, indeed, you are such an awesome metaphysical marvel that the Universe wants even more of you! And your ultimate soul purpose is not achieved through suffering or lack, but through enthusiastic exploration and seeking a thrilling reality experience. Combined with your spiritual quest, your human mission in this lifetime is to create or achieve something meaningful that will make the world a better place. Your true life calling is to one day leave behind some sort of legacy that will ensure an even more exhilarating and fulfilling Earth experience for future generations. And if you believe in reincarnation, those future generations are very likely to include you.

We are all cosmic shareholders in this amazing adventure camp called Planet Earth. It is a spiritual playground with timeshare, and each and every one of us has a duty towards its continued upkeep, improvement and expansion. But you don’t have to become rich and famous, or highly spiritual to achieve this, neither do you have to be Newton, Ghandi, Picasso, or the Pope, to complete your human mission successfully. To each his own. Each person’s life purpose is unique and equally meaningful. There is profound power in leading an ordinary life. Mother Teresa was once asked what ordinary people can do to promote world peace. Her answer was uncomplicated: "Go home and love your family”.

© 2013 Anthon St. Maarten

---

About The Author

Anthon St. Maarten is an international psychic medium and destiny coach. He is also a sought-after inspirational speaker, metaphysical teacher and spiritual author, with a special interest in New Thought spirituality, metaphysics, sacred sites, parapsychology, mediumship and psychic phenomena. He is the author of the bestselling spirituality handbook Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny. Anthon's psychic reading and consultation services are available online and by phone to clients globally.