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Who would’ve thought that spiritual tantrums would offer some profound insight into who you are on a deeper level. This episode unpacks spiritual tantrums and how to navigate spiritual tantrums including perspectives on how to shift the way you see and feel about spiritual tantrums in your personal growth and development journey.
Spiritual Tantrums - All the feels
Hello beautiful soul, how have you been feeling this week?
Collectively in human design we’ve had the energy of the feels. Deep feelings.
I’ve observed this within myself as an emotional authority in human design as well as in sessions with clients too.
It’s those heavier, harder hitting feelings. The feelings you can’t run away from or ignore. The acute awareness and pressure of how deeply you are feeling something.
When we feel so much it can bottle up and then come exploding out. At times we don’t know what to do with all these feelings and so accordingly, I thought it would be really interesting to delve into the concept of spiritual tantrums this week.
What are spiritual tantrums?
Spiritual tantrums are those moments when our emotions seem to spiral out of control, challenging our ego and inner peace. Things aren’t going the way we want. It renders you feeling powerless, helpless, defeated, deflated and disheartened.
It’s not just children who have tantrums, as adults we do too. Perhaps our inner child within feeling frustrated at how life is going and what is unfolding for us.
Thus a tantrum arises, we want to scream, beg, kick, cry and twist the arm of the universe to have something done exactly in the way we want, how we want it and when we want it. If only! We know life doesn’t work like this.
Even though we know deep down what needs to be done and letting self discipline and self responsibility kick in… no I don’t want to adult today. No I don’t want to be conscious and aware today. No I don’t want to be here now in the present moment. No this sucks, it’s not real, everything I’ve been trying to manifest hasn’t happened yet it’s all fake.
Spiritual tantrum meanings
Sometimes the tantrum calls for a deep frustration, rage that has us boiling, figurative steam blowing out of your ears – the ego cries it’s not fair!
Other it calls for retreating into a corner or fetal position sulking and sadness, feeling sorry for oneself – the ego cries poor me.
Some moments you hear yourself whispering but it’s not fair, I did everything I was supposed to. I do all the right things yet nothing – the ego cries I’m feeling entitled.
The ego jumps into default, why is this happening, what did I do to deserve this?
Are spiritual tantrums bad?
All valid responses too I might add, we are human after all! When things aren’t going our way it does suck. It can induce anger. It can induce tears.
What spiritual tantrums mean for your growth
A spiritual temper tantrum is normal. It’s often a symptom things are changing around you in a way that’s stretching your normal tolerance, it’s uncomfortable, it’s edgy. It’s showing you that you’re going beyond your established limits, to break free often from repetitive patterns and anything else that holds you back. It’s an authentic part of the human experience.
Like most children who have a tantrum, throwing every toy possible out of the cot, getting louder, whining, getting mopier, begging, pleading, bargaining… we hope that through the outburst things will go away, but cooling reality quickly comes into play. You can throw as many tantrums as you want, it doesn’t mean you’ll get your way. It doesn’t mean you’ll get the full undividing attention of the universe.
The universe is your loving parent
Seeing the universe as our parent, the most loving and strongest force will not give into our tantrums because the universe and life itself has a grand plan for our greatest growth and expansion. The greatest commitment the universe made to you is taking on the full responsibility to see your highest evolution in this lifetime.
Spiritual tantrums can be healthy
Having a spiritual tantrum from time to time is healthy, in honouring the emotions that arise but we ought to be conscious of how this plays out in our life, if this impacts other people, doing it publicly vs privately within a safe space with support.
Spiritual tantrums journaling prompts
Can we see that when we throw a tantrum that this is an invitation from the universe to go deeper within ourselves. The tantrums aren’t bad, they give us an opportunity to get to courageously face our inner turmoil head on and reveal where are needs aren’t being met (by ourselves, not the universe… what if the outward tantrum isn’t to the universe but a mirror to ourselves and perhaps our inner child seeking our full attention.
Perhaps these emotional eruptions are not random; they are messengers, delivering important insights about our inner landscape. Can you ask yourself some questions such as:
What is the underlying cause of my emotional reaction? What is this really about?
What unmet needs are driving these intense feelings?
What patterns or beliefs am I holding onto that no longer serve me?
Am I feeling empowered or hindered?
Cause of spiritual tantrums
The answers will vary from person to person but often the root cause can stem from unmet expectations. The clash and contrast between our internal expectations and external reality. Maybe it’s a result of spiritual bypassing, ignoring and pretending things are okay, that we are at peace and not honouring the truth and shadows within bubbling to the surface.
What to do when having a spiritual tantrum
Take inspiration from dealing with tantrums whether toddlers or adults (I’ve seen my fair share back in the day especially working in retail!) that time out, taking a step back and space can do wonders, that kindness and love help. That guidance and talking to someone can be soothing.
Spiritual tantrums mindset shift
In closing of this episode, amongst my own musings, some pearls of perspective to share to help you shift out of spiritual tantrums:
- That underneath it all we do are not in control of the timing and timelines of life, the universe is. We don’t know for sure what will or could happen in 5 minutes let alone a month or 5 years.
- That sometimes we want to run when we haven’t mastered walking yet. That maybe you haven’t done all the necessary ground work yet.
- You can’t eat non stop or you would get bored and sick. You need time to chew, swallow, digest and have a break even if the banquet is incredible.
- The age old quote: “Sometimes what screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how is it supposed to be.” Perhaps the universe has the knowledge and vision of what is in our best interests and not ourselves.
Spiritual tantrums are a stark, tough yet beautiful reminder that the path of spiritual growth and development is not always smooth or linear; it’s messy, raw, and very human. By meeting spiritual tantrums with curiosity, self awareness and compassion we can use them to further springboard our growth and development. May we continue to honour the full spectrum of all our emotions to be more aligned and authentic in life.
