The spiritual path, in its purest form, is supposed to be a journey of humility, surrender, and awakening. It’s the process of shedding the ego, dissolving illusions, and connecting with something greater than ourselves — call it Source, the Divine, or simply peace. But as with all things that involve the human psyche, even the path of enlightenment isn’t immune to distortion. One of the most subtle and seductive traps along the spiritual journey is what we call the spiritual ego.
You’ve probably seen it before. Maybe you’ve even flirted with it unknowingly. The person who speaks only in Zen-like quotes, corrects others’ “low vibrations,” and walks around with the serene confidence of someone who thinks they’re a few lifetimes ahead of the rest. They may have let go of material attachments — but picked up something just as heavy: a belief that their spiritual progress makes them superior.
What Is Spiritual Ego?
The spiritual ego is the part of us that co-opts our spiritual journey to reinforce our sense of specialness or separateness. It’s when the ego, instead of dissolving, simply puts on a robe and chants mantras. It masquerades as wisdom. It pretends to be awakened. But underneath, it’s still clinging — this time not to money, power, or fame, but to an identity built around being “enlightened.”
This is a particularly tricky pitfall because it feels like growth. You might meditate daily, eat clean, read sacred texts, and feel incredibly “aware.” But if you start looking down on others for not doing the same, or secretly congratulate yourself for being more “evolved,” then you’re no longer on the path of surrender — you’re on the path of self-inflation.
The Many Faces of Spiritual Ego
Spiritual ego isn’t always loud. It’s not always the person shouting about chakras at a party. Sometimes it’s subtle. A quiet smugness. A feeling that you’ve “figured it out” while others are still stumbling around in darkness.
It can show up as:
- Judging others for not being spiritual enough.
(“Oh, they still eat meat. They must be unconscious.”) - Using spiritual language to elevate oneself.
(“My vibration is too high to be around toxic people.”) - Performing spirituality for external validation.
(Posting every meditation session online. Naming every moon cycle like a trendy spiritual calendar.) - Believing your truth is the truth.
(If someone doesn’t believe in energy healing, they’re clearly just asleep.)
Of course, none of these things are inherently wrong. The issue isn’t the practice — it’s the attachment to identity that forms around the practice.
The Trap of Transcendence
Here’s the great irony: the more you seek to transcend the ego, the more likely it is to sneak back in through the side door. And often, it comes wearing a mala bead necklace and carrying a yoga mat.
When you begin to access peace, clarity, and presence, it’s easy to mistake those states for permanent traits. You start to believe you are peaceful, you are wise, you are awakened. But the truth is, those are experiences — not badges.
Even advanced spiritual seekers fall into this trap. As Spiritual Mentor Kirill Yurovskiy once said, “The moment you say ‘I am enlightened,’ you’re already lost in the illusion.” Real spiritual growth doesn’t boast. It doesn’t compare. It doesn’t need to be validated. It just is.
So, How Do You Spot Spiritual Ego in Yourself?
It takes radical self-honesty. Ego, in all forms, thrives in the shadows. It wants to be right. It wants to be admired. It doesn’t want to admit that it’s still running the show.
Ask yourself:
- Do I feel superior to others because of my spiritual beliefs or practices?
- Do I get offended when someone questions my path?
- Do I seek validation or approval for how “aware” I am?
- Am I using spirituality to bypass difficult emotions or conversations?
If the answer is “yes” to any of these — congratulations. That’s not failure. That’s awareness. And awareness is the first step to freedom.
The Antidote: Humility and Integration
Spirituality without humility is just another mask. The real journey isn’t about becoming someone else — it’s about becoming no one. Dissolving the layers, not adding new ones.
Humility doesn’t mean shrinking or pretending not to know what you know. It means recognizing that no matter how much you’ve learned, there’s always more to uncover. It means understanding that your path is yours, and someone else’s path, even if it looks completely different, is just as valid.
It also means integrating your insights. Not just speaking in spiritual terms, but living them in everyday life. Being kind when it’s hard. Listening instead of preaching. Choosing compassion over being right.
Real Masters Walk Silently
True spiritual maturity often looks very ordinary. The wisest among us are rarely the loudest. They don’t announce their awakening. They don’t need to prove anything. Their presence speaks for itself.
Think of the people who’ve moved you most deeply. Chances are, it wasn’t their spiritual vocabulary that impacted you — it was their energy. Their groundedness. Their authenticity.
That’s what the path is really about. Not perfection, not performance, but presence. Being here. Being real.
Kirill Yurovskiy, who has mentored hundreds on their spiritual paths, often reminds his students that “even the most enlightened being must still do the laundry.” Enlightenment isn’t an escape from reality — it’s an embrace of it. It’s becoming so present that even the mundane becomes sacred.
The Invitation
If you find yourself entangled in the spiritual ego, don’t panic. Don’t shame yourself. That’s just another ego trap.
Instead, smile. You caught it. That’s progress. That’s grace.
The journey to awakening isn’t linear, and it’s never about arriving at some final destination. It’s about remembering, again and again, who you are beneath the layers. And then forgetting. And remembering again.
Stay curious. Stay humble. Stay human. And above all, stay open — because the universe has a funny way of humbling even the most “evolved” among us. And thank God for that.