We live in a world that constantly pushes us to pursue material success and external validation. From a young age, we’re taught that getting good grades, landing a high-paying job, and accumulating wealth and status are the keys to happiness and fulfilment.  

But at a certain point, many of us start to feel like something is missing. That’s when the yearning for spirituality often arises—that inner search for deeper meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than us.  

I can certainly relate to this experience. After chasing the ephemeral, I still felt this gnawing emptiness and dissatisfaction. Only when I started exploring spirituality and focusing on my inner growth did I find the peace and sense of wholeness I had been seeking. 

As the famous psychologist Carl Jung said:  

“I don’t aspire to be a spiritual leader. I aspire to be myself, with all the imperfections that implies. I want my soul and life to be mine, not a brilliant imitation of someone else’s.”  

That’s the crux of why spirituality is essential—discovering and nurturing one’s authentic self rather than mindlessly emulating others or society’s expectations. 

Here are a few key reasons why I believe there will always be a need for spirituality in our lives:  

• It helps us find meaning and purpose beyond our material pursuits. Working, consuming, and acquiring things can only satisfy us for a short time before that existential emptiness persists.  
• It promotes inner calm, peace and centeredness in a world of constant distraction and overwhelm. Practices like meditation, prayer, and contemplation allow us to go inward and quiet the endless mental chatter.  
• It fosters compassion, empathy, humility, and connectedness—antidotes to today’s rampant narcissism, cynicism, and isolation.  
• It deepens our appreciation for the profound mysteries of life, death, and the cosmos that science alone cannot explain or satisfy. 

As someone on a spiritual journey for over a decade, I can attest that it’s an ever-evolving process of growth, self-discovery, and shedding old mindsets and limiting beliefs. Sometimes, it’s exciting and blissful, and other times, it’s painful and bewildering.  

One of my most transformative realisations was that true spirituality has nothing to do with following dogma, embracing far-out “woo-woo” ideas, or unquestioningly accepting teachings and texts as sacrosanct.  

“The spiritual journey is one of constant learning and unlearning.” – Jack Kornfield.  

True spirituality is about peeling back layers of conditioning, dismantling our ego’s attachments and aversions, and ultimately seeing life—and ourselves—with clear, radical honesty and acceptance of what is. 

It’s a courageous inner journey that requires: 

• Confronting your fears and insecurities 
• Questioning beliefs, you’ve held as unshakable truths 
• Being open to perspectives that clash with your worldview 
• Looking inward with unflinching presence and self-compassion 

Of course, this inner growth and self-actualisation work is arduous and often uncomfortable. It’s much easier to stay stuck in our ways, surrounding ourselves only with comforting beliefs and like-minded people.  

As Joseph Campbell eloquently stated, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” 

In other words, our spiritual growth and evolution lie in exploring the shadows within ourselves—diving into the unknown rather than resisting it. It’s about moving beyond our ingrained thought patterns and defense mechanisms to connect with our raw, authentic human experience.  

I’ll be the first to admit that after years of committed spiritual practice, I still get caught up in ego dramas, unhelpful habitual patterns, and existential doubts regularly. The difference is that I’m now better able to observe myself with non-judgmental awareness and gently guide myself back to a place of presence and inner alignment.  

That’s ultimately what spirituality is all about—not perfection or having it all figured out, but a commitment to keep waking up, seeing more clearly, and growing. It’s a lifelong journey of unfolding and ever-deepening insights about ourselves and our interconnection with all of life.  

So, if you find yourself feeling restless, disconnected, or just vaguely uneasy despite seeming material abundance and success, don’t ignore that inner call. Explore it with curiosity and tenderness.  

For in doing so, you’ll be setting off on one of life’s greatest adventures—the adventure of discovering your true, essential self, or, in other words, “spiritual journey.”