Do you find yourself deeply immersed in your spiritual journey one day—perhaps even obsessively so—and then completely thrown off track the next? Or maybe you can’t find the energy for it at all, despite an inner knowing that it’s something you’re meant to explore.
To begin understanding where spirituality belongs in our lives, we can turn to a well-known psychologist: Abraham Maslow.
Maslow developed a framework called the Hierarchy of Needs, shaped like a pyramid. The pyramid illustrates the progression of human needs, from basic physical survival to the ultimate realisation of purpose. As Maslow theorised, we must meet the foundational needs before we can rise and self-actualise. Interestingly, it’s not just a model for psychological wellbeing—it’s a roadmap for spiritual awakening.
The Pyramid of Needs
Maslow’s pyramid includes five key levels:
Physiological Needs
Safety Needs
Love & Belonging
Self-Esteem
Self-Actualisation
Let’s journey through each of these levels with a spiritual lens to see how they relate to your awakening.
1. Physiological Needs: Your Foundation for Growth
This base level includes essentials like food, water, sleep, shelter, and most crucially—homeostasis. Homeostasis is your body’s balanced state, when everything is functioning optimally. But many of us today struggle not with access to water or clothes, but with homeostasis itself.
Why?
The answer is often chronic anxiety, triggered by trauma. When we exist in a state of fight or flight, our body chemistry changes. We feel panic, disconnection, or depression—and our nervous system becomes used to this state. It becomes your new normal.
To restore inner peace (or zero point), you must release trauma and retrain the body and mind. Techniques like KCR/Body Alignment, CBT, Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Meditation, and Sound Therapy can be powerful allies in this process. You don’t need them all—find the methods that resonate with you.
Remember, your basic needs don’t have to be luxurious—they only need to be enough. Reframing our sense of “lack” can free us from chasing what we already have.
2. Safety Needs: A Sense of Security
This level includes four aspects:
Personal Security
This includes freedom from actual danger (like domestic abuse), but also perceived threats. Anxiety and irrational fears can hold you back just as much as real ones. Tools like CBT or hypnotherapy can help resolve these inner fears.
This includes freedom from actual danger (like domestic abuse), but also perceived threats. Anxiety and irrational fears can hold you back just as much as real ones. Tools like CBT or hypnotherapy can help resolve these inner fears.
Emotional Security
Many emotional wounds stem from childhood or toxic relationships. Whether it’s narcissistic abuse or bullying, these experiences can damage confidence and self-esteem. Healing this layer often requires both boundary-setting and trauma work.
Many emotional wounds stem from childhood or toxic relationships. Whether it’s narcissistic abuse or bullying, these experiences can damage confidence and self-esteem. Healing this layer often requires both boundary-setting and trauma work.
Financial Security
True security isn’t about being rich—it’s about learning to live within your means. Let go of the constant pursuit of “more.” Simplicity often holds the key to peace.
True security isn’t about being rich—it’s about learning to live within your means. Let go of the constant pursuit of “more.” Simplicity often holds the key to peace.
Health & Wellbeing
This one is vital. Without health, we’re playing spiritual snakes and ladders—ascending, only to fall again. Whether through conventional or holistic methods, tending to your health lays the groundwork for everything else.
This one is vital. Without health, we’re playing spiritual snakes and ladders—ascending, only to fall again. Whether through conventional or holistic methods, tending to your health lays the groundwork for everything else.
3. Love & Belonging: The Need for Connection
Here we focus on relationships: family, friendships, and intimacy. But from a spiritual view, this means energetic connection. Surround yourself with souls who resonate with you. If your current circle drains you, seek new groups where your spirit feels nourished.
As John Donne said, “No man is an island.”
We rise together, or not at all.
We rise together, or not at all.
Families can often be the source of our deepest wounds—but also our greatest lessons. Practise forgiveness where you can, and build loving relationships with those who uplift your energy.
Intimacy doesn’t just mean romance or sex—it’s the capacity to deeply connect with yourself, with others, and with life itself.
4. Self-Esteem: Ego or Essence?
Most of us are taught that esteem comes from status, recognition, or respect—especially from external sources. But these are fragile foundations. Lose the job, the relationship, or the title, and your identity crumbles.
Instead, real self-esteem is rooted in your spiritual connection—your sense of being part of something bigger.
“Choose Life,” said Wham (and later Trainspotting).
The spiritual evolution of that is: Choose Connection.
The spiritual evolution of that is: Choose Connection.
True confidence comes from knowing you are here for a reason, and that helping others—being in service—offers the greatest satisfaction and meaning of all.
5. Self-Actualisation: The Awakening to Your Divine Purpose
At the peak of Maslow’s pyramid lies Self-Actualisation—the realisation of your full potential. In spiritual terms, this is where you awaken to your divine purpose.
This is why you’re here.
As you quieten the daily noise, you begin to hear the voice of your soul. Old wisdom returns. Intuition sharpens. And if you haven’t yet uncovered your purpose—don’t worry. Keep going. It will come at the perfect time.
Interestingly, in his later years, Maslow added a sixth level: Transcendence. This is the desire to go beyond even the self—to touch the infinite, to exist in higher states of consciousness. A concept deeply aligned with ancient spiritual traditions and energetic teachings.
Want to see something cool? Look at the chakra system—it mirrors Maslow’s pyramid. The same truths, passed down through different languages and ages.
The Pyramidion: A Symbol of Spiritual Rarity
The tip of a pyramid is called the Pyramidion, and it’s symbolic that so few of them survive. The same is true spiritually—very few people reach this place. But that’s changing. More and more people are awakening each day. Maybe you are one of them.
So… Where Does Spirituality Fit Into My Life?
It doesn’t.
It is your life’s purpose.
Your job isn’t to fit spirituality into your existing life—it’s to live in such a way that you reconnect with your divine self, meet others on that frequency, and take your rightful place in the evolution of human consciousness.
You are not waiting for the world to change.
You are the change the world has been waiting for.