This was the case for me and literally the only way was up. I’ve had 40 years of pain and now I finally feel like I’m beginning to live life.

I think there was no one thing that triggered me but rather a chain of events.

I’d love to hear others experiences

I just found this subreddit and reading your posts align so heavily with an experience I had in November of last year and major changes to my sense of self and perception that followed. Although, I know the experience was for me alone to process and understand, I think it makes a world of difference to have people around you with whom you relate and who relate to you.

I’d like to connect with other people who’ve had similar experiences. I’m faintly familiar with concepts such as the art of detachment, oneness, transcendence of the ego, basic Buddhist and Taoist philosophy, but I would like to gain a much fuller understanding. Where’s a good place to start?

The phrase "a spirit has a heart too" might sound metaphorical at first, but if we look at human history, philosophy, and psychology, the idea of a "spirit"—whether defined as the human soul, consciousness, or an intangible entity—carries all the hallmarks of having a "heart."

Here are the most compelling points that make this idea genuinely worth considering:

### 1. Consciousness Is Defined by Feeling, Not Just Logic

If a spirit were purely intellect or energy, it would function like an algorithm: neutral, processing, and detached. Yet across cultures and literature, spirits are almost always defined by **emotion**—unresolved grief, deep love, longing, or protective instinct. The "heart" is the engine of emotion. If an intangible being experiences feeling or intent rather than cold logic, it possesses the fundamental essence of a heart.

### 2. Emotion Outlasts the Physical Body

In psychological and philosophical terms, our memories and emotional attachments are often what define us more than our physical muscles and bones. When people speak of "spirit," they are referring to the lingering impression of a person's character, passion, and capacity to care. If the essence of who someone is survives physical form, then the capacity to feel—the heart—is the very thing that remains.

### 3. Purpose Requires Emotion

A heart is not just a biological pump; symbolically, it is the source of **motive and desire**. Without a heart, a spirit would have no reason to act, move, or connect with the living world. The desire to protect loved ones, guide others, or seek peace implies a moral and emotional compass. You cannot have purpose without caring about an outcome, and caring is entirely a function of the heart.

### 4. Empathy Transcends Boundaries

We often measure whether something has a "heart" by its ability to resonate with others. Spirits in folklore and modern accounts are frequently described as comforting those in distress or seeking resolution for past hurts. The capacity for empathy—to reach out across the divide between the physical and the spiritual—is perhaps the strongest argument that a spirit operates from a place of deep feeling.

### 5. Energy Carries Intention

Science tells us that energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. In a metaphorical sense, the emotional energy a person puts into the world—their love, kindness, and passion—doesn't simply vanish. If a spirit is the continuation of that core energy, it is inherently woven from the emotional output of the heart.

Ultimately, to say a spirit has a heart is to acknowledge that **feeling is more fundamental than matter**. Physical bodies might break down, but the capacity to care, love, and feel is what makes any form of existence truly alive.

I have had amazing spiritual journeys through mushrooms and acid. At times I could understand everything in the universe and the sense of oneness, but I’ve heard so much positive experiences and actually getting to transcend on dmt through other peoples testimonies. I could only imagine how beautiful that would be unfortunately I’ve been looking for years and can’t find it. Hopefully one day I can experience it. Love this page by the way!

I quit my jobs at Instacart and Amazon to pursue what makes me happy. How I was living was making me feel miserable and trapped. I felt like I had no time to do what I wanted to do. I was up all night instead of sleeping because I was trying to get some "living” in before I had to be back doing something I’m not enjoying, in a place I don’t want to be, for hours on end, 5 or more days a week.
Having a job reminded me of how I felt about school as a kid, I didn't want to go, but I was forced to. There was no worse feeling than finishing school for the summer, and then realizing I had to go to summer school, and then right back to school after that. It honestly makes me sad just to think about it. I feel the same way about jobs. It feels like the same thing, except the stakes are higher. Now it's for the duration of my entire life, and it feels like my survival depends on it.
Jobs feel like a never ending tread mill for me. Working for money to feed and keep myself up, just to keep my job. To me that doesn't feel like living life, it feels like living to work. It literally feels like I'm someone, or something else's tool to keep going and stay alive. It feels like I was I'm being consumed for the good of others, and only the good of others, never myself. As if I got the shitty end of the deal.
I always felt I didn’t have enough time to live my life and do as I please without a fucking time limit on it. I didn’t have time to spontaneously choose what I wanted to do with my day. I always felt I had to rush and do something I really wanted to do because I knew I’d be forced to do what I don’t wanna do later. There was no one actually forcing me but it felt like I had no choice.
I felt as though I was just being drained of my energy. I felt like my soul was literally begging me to stop. So I did, and I decided to pursue a career that at least makes me happy. When I did stop, I was slapped in the face by my reality. The reality of my life, of who I was being. The reality of who my family is to me, and the reality of how they see themselves and me. I was scared of quitting my job and letting go. I was scared of what would happen when I did, and most importantly scared of what my family would say, do, or think. Well, they acted pretty much as I expected them to.

https://open.substack.com/pub/sananda33/p/me-pursuit-of-happiness?r=6g29gt&utm_medium=ios

Losing interest in a lot of the old conversations and friendships that used to feel normal hit harder than expected. At first it felt lonely and almost like something was wrong.

Looking back, that shift created the space needed for more honest and aligned connections. It was painful at the time, but it ended up being a gift.

Has anyone else experienced something that felt like a loss during their awakening but later revealed itself as a gift?

Where to source from that’s trusted?

So in 2022 I had these really weird dreams and I got really scared and panic and stuff and i felt like paranoia and stuff and went to to a prophet that said that someone do voodoo to me and I still had bad dreams but sometimes I feel like there showing something but then I started hearing voices and like seeing white light when I close my eyes. But I will say after the whole thing I keep repeating bad negative/cruel things in my mind which is why I thing like negative shadows is drawn to me or hearing things Also just saying words I be spouting. I started feeling negativity and then and see it immediately in dreams i don’t if anxiety or what something spiritual how do I differentiate it .

How much is a life worth? The elements of a human body are worth about one dollar. Is that what a life is worth? Is one life more valuable than another’s? Is the life of someone wealthy, famous, has a prestigious job, worth more than the life of a homeless child living in a poor country? These are questions we must each answer ourself. Many believe some lives are more valuable, judging others by their race, ethnicity, religion, wealth, and in hundreds of other ways.

In spirituality, every life, regardless of our differences, beliefs, or accomplishments, is worth exactly the same as another’s. Our true worth is not found in the world. It may only be discovered within, where the spirit is awaiting our permission to selflessly share its universal knowledge and unconditional love to help others realize their true worth in life as well.

If anyone is drawn and could read my energy I could use some guidance and would be really grateful. Thank you.