Embodying Your Spiritual Authenticity
When my chapter first appeared in print, I had a visceral reaction.
“Oh no! Now it’s out there!”
I felt vulnerable, exposed and liberated. No more hiding. No more downplaying. No more filtering myself to appear “normal.”
OK then. Yes—I am a Mystic.
That declaration was a turning point. And as soon as I owned it publicly, something remarkable happened: several new women clients showed up, each quietly claiming their own spiritual authority. And they hadn’t even read my chapter yet.
They just knew.
What Is a Mystic, Anyway?
A mystic is someone who longs to go beyond rituals, symbols, and doctrine to directly experience God. It’s not about knowing more about God. It’s about knowing God—in your body, in your breath, in the silence between thoughts.
As Barbara Brown Taylor writes in An Altar in the World,
“People are dying to know more God in their bodies. Not more about God. More God.”
I felt a kinship with the author’s words that resonated deeply in my bones and blood. When I am in meditation, I’m not thinking about God. I feel communion with the Divine. I feel held, whole, and nourished. That feeling doesn’t ask for anyone’s approval. It just is.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need to call yourself a mystic to live a spiritually authentic life. You only need to feel the nudge that says, There’s more. I want a deeper connection. I want to know—not just believe. Follow that nudge to start a new kind of relationship with the Divine that lives in your body and breath, not just your beliefs.
Saint Teresa of Ávila: A Model of Radical Spiritual Authenticity
Saint Teresa of Ávila, the 16th-century Spanish mystic, knew this truth too. She didn’t just talk about God—she embodied her relationship with the Divine. She was so fully attuned to the presence of God within that her mystical experiences brought her into direct conflict with Church authorities. Twice, she was called before the Spanish Inquisition. Twice, she stood her ground—and her life was spared.
Teresa insisted that spirituality wasn’t about escaping the body or the world. She taught that real spiritual growth happens when we’re fully present—in prayer, in action, in suffering, and in love. That’s spiritual authority. That’s authenticity.
And it’s the kind of embodied spiritual leadership the world needs now.
A Personal Search for Truth
As a teen and young adult, I struggled with the differences between religion and spirituality. I saw how different faiths tried to justify themselves as the “one true path.” I wondered: What about the rest of the world?
During 6am Bible studies, I questioned my leaders. In sidewalk cafés in France, I questioned my Muslim friends. I asked everyone some version of the same thing: What about the people who were born into a culture and religion different from your religious faith?
Their answers were thoughtful, but never satisfying.
I continued to study, pray, meditate, and listen deeply for guidance.
One day, while sitting in the college library, I had a flash of insight:
We humans have a basic instinctual, spiritual need to connect with the Divine, the one God of all people, like the basic human need for food, water and belonging.
I understood the difference between religion and spirituality: Religion is a group agreement about the Divine. Spirituality is your personal relationship with the Divine.
Both have value. But when someone’s unique spiritual experience is dismissed or judged as “wrong,” it creates a wound—a rupture between soul and society. I’ve felt that wound. Maybe you have too.
Over years of practice, I found my spiritual grounding by listening inward. I discovered that Divine Love is not separate from me—it’s within me. It’s the light in my cells, the breath in my lungs, the energy that animates all life. I came to see myself as a co-creator with the Divine of my life experience, not a passive recipient of fate.
Mysticism Is a Universal Language of the Soul
Mysticism—the direct, embodied experience of the sacred—is not a modern invention or a fringe phenomenon. It’s a thread that runs through nearly every spiritual tradition across time and culture.
In Judaism, Kabbalists map the Tree of Life as a journey of divine relationship and inner union with the Creator.
In Islam, Sufis dance and chant their way into communion with the Beloved. Poets like Rumi and Hafiz don’t describe God as an idea, but as a Lover—felt in every breath and longing.
In Hinduism, yogic traditions unite breath and devotion in the pursuit of oneness with Brahman. Union with the Divine isn’t a theory—it’s an embodied state.
In Christianity, mystics like Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen wrote about visions of divine light and deep inner communion. St. Teresa of Ávila described visions so intimate, so radiant, they transcend words.
In Buddhism, the present moment is the doorway to divine awareness and awakening to the sacred in every moment, in every cell of the body.
In Indigenous and earth-honoring traditions around the world, the body and the earth are seen as sacred vessels. Spirit is found in every rock, river, drumbeat, and prayer.
Each of these mystical traditions points to a truth that cannot be fully captured in doctrine:
The sacred is not only found out there.
It is alive in here—within the breath,
body, and soul of every human being.
The Nervous System Cost of Hiding
For years, I downplayed my deeper knowing. I tucked away mystical experiences and quiet nudges of Spirit. I tried to be “normal”—not too spiritual, not too weird, not too much.
But what happens when we deny that truth—when we hide our sacred knowing to avoid judgment?
The body keeps the score.
When we silence our spiritual voice or disconnect from our sacred identity, the nervous system reacts. We may feel anxious without reason, depleted, foggy, or ungrounded. Sometimes, we override our intuition just to avoid conflict or rejection. It takes energy to perform, to pretend, to dim your light so others don’t feel uncomfortable. Over time, it leads to burnout.
In trauma-informed language, this is called fawning—shaping ourselves to meet others’ expectations. Spiritually, it’s a kind of soul suppression.
But here’s the good news:
Your nervous system relaxes when your soul feels safe to speak.
Your body softens when you live aligned with your truth.
Your energy returns when you stop performing and start embodying.
That’s the spiritual power of authenticity—not as a trend, but as a nervous system reset and a soul realignment.
Jazz Living: Spiritual Practice with Flexibility
My spiritual life is an improvisational dance that I call Jazz Living. It includes both structure and flow.
The structure is my commitment to daily sacred time and showing up for the Divine every day. Sometimes that’s a guided meditation. Sometimes it’s walking in the woods and listening to Spirit in the wind and trees.
The improvisational flow is how I respond in the moment. It’s Intuitive. Receptive. Alive. I’m listening: What’s needed today? Jazz Living is how I stay tuned in to the rhythm of my soul.
This is what reclaiming spiritual authority looks like. Embodying your spiritual authority might look different than someone else’s. It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s listening deeply. Trusting what you hear. And following your own sacred rhythm.
You Are Not Separate
In my chapter, I wrote about my experience of unworthiness, rooted in early religious teachings on original sin. But I’ve rewritten that narrative. My mantra became:
“Divine Love is in all creation and in me.
Divine Love is all-forgiving of everything.
Therefore, Divine Love in me can forgive myself.”
This inner knowing heals the illusion of separation. I am not broken. I am not lost. I am a vessel for Divine expression. And so is each one of us.
When we reconnect with that truth, we stop waiting for approval or fulfillment from outside ourselves. We remember we are plugged into Source. We shine from within.
Reflection Questions
If this resonates with you, here are a few questions to deepen your own exploration:
- Where have you been hiding your spiritual truth to avoid judgment or conflict?
- What would it feel like to reclaim your spiritual voice—even if no one else understood?
- How do you experience the sacred in your body—not just your mind?
- What kind of spiritual structure supports you? And where can you allow more improvisational flow?
- How does your nervous system respond when you speak your truth?
Ready to Reclaim Your Connection?
If you’re craving soul-alignment and more experience of God, it’s time to embody your spiritual knowing.
Explore these ideas in depth in my chapter The Courage to Be Seen: Reclaiming Your Voice, Power, and Purpose in The Wellness Universe Guide to Complete Self-Care: 25 Tools for Transformation
And join me in my upcoming class where we’ll explore embodied spirituality: how to embody your Divine connection in daily life.
This class is for anyone longing to start living their spiritual truth from the inside out.
Embody Your Inner Wisdom: Toggle to Soul
Tuesday, October 7, 12pm ET
https://bit.ly/ATJLeahS
Use access code LeahS30 for a 30% discount.
You’re Not Alone
If you’ve been quietly sensing there’s more to your spiritual life—more God, not just more about God—you’re not alone.
This is the call of the mystic. Reclaim your spiritual power. The world needs your voice, your presence, and your truth.
Reach out if you would like to chat about your spiritual journey. I would love to hear your story of soul embodiment.
Connect with Leah on The Wellness Universe and follow her on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Leah Skurdal guides people to up-level their stress resilience to improve relationships. Leah shares intuitive insights in private Energy Healing to address the roots of disharmony. As an inspirational speaker and published author, Leah offers lively classes, experiential workshops, and keynotes.
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