A is for: Ascension Paths
This post is the beginning of a series I’m so excited about: “The ABC’s of What I’ve Learned as a Medium and Intuitive Healer.” This is my full-time career, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned!
Ascension Paths
I’m excited and scared to begin with ascension paths, as they’re one of two topics on which I see hands down the most misinformation (I’m already dreading writing the post “T is for Twin Flame” for the same reason). These paths are a huge focus of my practice and research. I’ve begun to guide people through moving through these paths with more intention, which has been a great joy!
An ascension path is a specific lesson which helps us build our skills, confidence, or abilities in a particular area. A gut feeling moves us in a new direction, ultimately helping us live in service of ourselves, our higher self, everyone around us, and our sense of purpose. These are big lessons, and one cannot be the same after as they were when they started!
Ascension paths are chosen by one’s spirit guides and higher self, based entirely on what one needs to do, be, or feel better at the time. What we see as our needs and what our guides and higher selves see as our needs are often differing! They are looking at a very over-arching view, including this lifetime, the ones which came before it, and what will need to come after it. While each is extremely personal and unique, there are sixteen steps each of us must go through each time we complete a path, and these steps will follow.
For each of us, our first ascension path is our spiritual awakening, and while the inciting moment is different for everyone, it happens at the first moment we recognize ourselves as part of a larger whole. Many people who believe they have been through their spiritual awakening have not - it's important to note it has nothing to do with psychic ability. In every case, one’s spiritual awakening is sparked by recognizing the world beyond themselves and people other than themselves. After our awakening, hopefully we complete the cycle several or many more times throughout our lives! One really needs this first, most fundamental lesson - we cannot do or learn anything else important until we realize we are not the only being who matters and that ours is not the only agenda of import.
Through an ascension path we address attachments which have held us back, release harmful karma, let go of thoughts and feelings which don't serve us so our behavior can shift, and so much more, all heavily guided and watched over. A path takes as long as we make it take - we can choose to go through an entire path in a matter of days or weeks, though they naturally take months and can take years when one is avoiding a step or steps.
Generationally speaking, I’m seeing this happen so differently than ever before! For older generations, I see that most have gone through 1-2 of these paths by their forties and fifties. In millennials, I regularly see they went through their first path in their twenties or so. With Gen Z, I’m finding way more kids able to understand these lessons, able to go through their spiritual awakening and understand oneness at a younger age. My son is 18, and he and many of his friends whom I’ve had the chance to work with have had their spiritual awakenings and are seeing expressions of their past-life gifts already and have been for a few years. Older souls are also being born more often as we move forward, as we need older souls here to usher in a time of oneness and drop the rugged individualism and hatred the global culture has taught if we are to save the planet we stand on.
Spirit thinks it's important to note - when we hear the word "ascension" we tend to think immediately of what that means in material terms. Our ascension path can be very physical or material, but more often we have to complete trials which show that we can and will do the inner work. The important thing to remember is that this inner work - paths which teach us to be humble, malleable, kind, diligent, hard-working - these shifts on the inside create huge shifts in our material world due to each releasing karma and the fact that as we change and grow, we carry ourselves differently, and we may not always make those correlations.
Here are examples of ascension paths I’ve had come up in readings over the last three months:
Showing restraint
The influence of teachers and students
Integrating new awareness with less anxiety
Knowing when to apply pressure and when to release it
Uniting seemingly opposing energy
Intentional joy and excitement
Reconnecting to inspiration
Learning to choose what you really want
As you can see, we’re very likely to have a mental or emotional path, as all changes to our outer circumstances have to begin with an inner shift to our vibrations, or they will ultimately be short-lived. Our circumstances aren’t creating our energy, our energy is creating our circumstances. Trying to change circumstances without changing what caused them is an ill-working bandaid, and the wound will eventually bleed through.
Because ascension paths are so important to me and such a big part of my personal practice as well as something I teach, I have spent time developing this with Spirit very closely. I have channeled the order of the steps and exactly how they want each step explained, as this is what each step is in their eyes and not with our biases.
The steps also make so much sense intuitively if we pay attention to how we’ve integrated large changes in the past. We have to acknowledge a lesson a *long* time before we’re really ready to learn it. We have to see what we’ve done wrong before we’re ready to really let go. This makes sense on a deep level because it’s true, because this is how we always go through and have gone through the biggest changes in our lives.
Each of these steps is given an ideal time-frame, but know that we are in each step until we complete it! In extreme cases, people remain on one path for years. In other extreme cases, they fly through one in a matter of weeks and even days. This goes for as long as we make it go!
Steps On Every Ascension Path
1. Initiation
Initiation is all about determination, and where the determination in us meets that of our guides and higher self. We’ve shown that we’re ready to grow or change in a big way, and now they’re determined to help us do so. During initiation, our higher self and spirit guides set this path up for us, and it's time to root into the purpose of this particular lesson. Spirit describes the initiation step as really weird. We don't feel like us, and we're not even really sure what that means! We can sense that everything is about to change, but again, we don’t really know what that means yet.
Initiation takes many crazy forms depending on what our overarching lesson is. During initiation, we’re likely to be presented with the same situations or people over and over. We find that things which have never bothered us suddenly do: we’re very irritated with a behavior of our own which has never upset us, a concept or pattern in our lives which we’ve never noticed, etc. The initiation is the beginning, and whether we recognize it or not, we’re starting something big.
The initiation step can ideally be measured in up to two months as we notice something within us is shifting.
2. Transition
Transition is all about recovery. Initiations can be intense and are incredibly confusing, they range in time but generally last months, and before we can continue down the path, we need to dedicate time to energetically recovering from whatever form our initiation took. Our spirit guides give us a small break from the path, no new things generally upset us during this time, and we rest and get ready.
The transition step can ideally be measured in up to three weeks.
3. Activation
Even though the initiation is the beginning, activation is like the second beginning within a beginning. We can’t help but think about all that stuff and how it really bothered us recently! What the heck was that about? Activation is about reflecting on this and everything that led to it. We're maybe already exhausted but the trip is just beginning! This is the point at which we reflect on the initiation and why that resistance suddenly showed up in our life, possibly sensing that we have miles to go before we sleep. We will find ourselves naturally reflecting on things from our entire life which have to do with the path we’re on. I find that here, very non-intuitive people also start to realize something is happening, even if they have no context for what.
The activation step can ideally be measured in around one week as we reflect on why this new bothersome thing is in our life.
4. Lesson
Spirit describes the lesson phase simply: attachments are addressed. "Attachments" here are usually not physical - they're more like sentimental attachments to thoughts or belief systems which don't serve us, feelings which are hurting us - whatever our path has to do with, this is the lesson we need to learn to get to it. If our path is about being more patient, this step is to show us why we’re impatient. If our path is to do with gratitude, this step is to show us why we don’t feel grateful.
This is inherently tied to the purpose of the path. An ascension path is a lesson, and this step is the lesson, the big one. This is death and rebirth. One cannot go back to the way one was before this step took place. But, there is so much more to do. Here, we only address the attachments, and we have a long way to go before we’re ready to let go of them.
Remember: what we’re addressing here is the thing keeping us in vibrational opposition to the theme of the particular path we’re on. One will be in this step until the attachment has been addressed.
The lesson step can ideally be measured in less than one week as we see the lesson underneath what we’ve been reflecting on (but I regularly see clients stuck here for months and in extreme cases, years).
5. Energetic Adjustments
Spirit describes this as them strengthening our energetic boundaries, now that we have begun a new path of growth!
That's how big of an energetic deal addressing an attachment is - it requires new energetic underworkings. Really think about that! Just addressing something that holds us back is such a monumental task that we require new energetic boundaries afterward. How exciting is that? Once our sentimental attachments have been addressed, our subtle energy must shift to continue on.
What this actually entails is our subtle vibration rising so we’re in closer alignment to our higher self and to Spirit: an aspect of our chakras may be cleansed and healed, or our auric layers filled in and cleansed, etc.
For many of us, this step comes with unpleasant physical symptoms, especially upon waking, as these energetic shifts happen in our sleep or in deep meditation. (Many call these “alchemical mutations,” I just work with a lot of bankers and grocers and have gotten used to calling these “energetic adjustments” so as not to frighten the normies.)
The Energetic Adjustments step happens in one or two days.
6. Karmic Release
This is the time in which we release any karma associated with, and thus holding us back from, the particular path! Much of our trepidation about others comes from negative karma and experiences from this or past lives. When we're in a time of karmic release, these experiences are falling away as we clear our energy, and we feel unburdened. We feel safe. We wear our heart on our sleeve, and we seek out those who would be kind to it.
Karma isn’t really how we’ve been taught to understand it (in most cases). It’s essentially stuck and sitting energy in our subtle energy systems which makes us more likely to behave the same way repetitively. The first time we come up against a lesson, we may make a deposit into our positive or negative energetic bank, so to speak, and the next and every subsequent time we come up on that lesson, it’s easier to do what we did the first time. This is karma! It ensures situations repeat until we understand the underworkings of them.
So during this time, we release some of that stuck energy - any we were holding pertaining to the path. (I’ve watched many release up to seven “spots” of karma from their energetic systems during one ascension path, making it up to seven times easier to behave differently in the future. I also notice with clients and as I’ve worked on myself, a lot of these “first lessons” happened when we were children or teens and didn’t realize we were being presented with a lesson in the first place, and we just do the same thing forever afterward without thought because we’re on that vibration and have that karma from then on.)
Spirit defines this time as one of deep connection. We can't help but seek connection as we release toxic karma. Karmic release also comes with a lot of memories! The next three steps are arguably the most memory-filled - you’ll find yourself bombarded with memories to do with forgiveness and compassion, especially, which are each a vital part of every path and every day and lesson on this Earth. A lot of the karma we release has to do with not forgiving ourselves or others, or not showing ourselves or others enough compassion.
The karmic release step can ideally be measured in up to one month.
7. Revelation
Spirit describes this step as the one in which we can’t help but make amends! This is the step in which we see (and we will be in this step until we do). We see what we've done to ourselves and to others, we see situations in our lives with more clarity, and because we understand our own motives better than ever, we also understand that others' motives weren't to hurt us. Especially now that we’re clear of the karma which had been holding us back, we can forgive ourselves and others and move on. Again, all in regard to our current path theme.
Revelation can ideally be measured in up to three months, and think about that! Isn’t it interesting that one of the steps which regularly takes us longest is the one in which we have to see clearly what we’ve done to ourselves and others? We don’t like this!
8. Shadow Work
This phase in a word: instability. When we do shadow work, we look at the qualities we've even hidden from ourselves, and everything feels so strange and sometimes painful we aren't sure who we are. Of course, we've just been through seven other crazy steps, and now we're ready to take a look into our darker depths. It's necessary for healing and for taking any more steps down the path - that doesn't make it hurt any less.
And again, note here how much these steps build on one another! We can’t do shadow work until we’ve released the karma which was formerly making us see the situation incorrectly. Once we release karma in step six and see ourselves and others clearly in step seven, only then are we ready to do any meaningful shadow work. Many clients assume all parts of the journey should be difficult and they should do shadow work the whole time, but really, nope! It actually holds one back during a lot of the other steps, and is best utilized right here. I find a lot of pain because people try to shadow work their way through the whole cycle, and not every step is meant to suck quite this bad. We can actually get in our own way by looking for healing in shadow work before we can do any meaningful shadow work.
Even though we still have half the cycle, for a lot of people, this step feels like the final hump! This is usually the last very difficult step.
The shadow work step can ideally be measured in around two weeks as we see what we’ve hidden from ourselves in regard to this big lesson. (While this one should ideally be fast, I see people stuck here or in revelation more than any others! These are simply not steps most of us enjoy. The longest I’ve seen so far is four years in this step. I don’t say that to shame anyone - it’s just important to note! I regularly see us stuck here for years at a time because one who does not want to look into their subconscious and the ways they’re creating their own chaos just won’t.)
9. Downloads
Ask Spirit about downloads and the first thing they say is: "Wow, downloads make you guys grumpy." They also say if there's a phase that's likely to make us "childishly lash out," or be "incredibly overly sensitive," it's this one. Now that we’ve gone through most of the difficult steps, we’re in for more energetic adjustments! Downloads happen again in our sleep (or in very deep meditation), and it's exhausting. We're tired, we're emotional, don't mess with us.
Downloads ideally can be measured in days - unfortunately we have to be in very deep sleep or meditation, and if we do not get enough sleep and good sleep, we can add resistance and time to this process.
10. Sowing
Sowing is the setting of intentions. Unless we make a point to find out, we don’t see this step - our higher self makes these intentions for us and for the future, given everything we’ve learned and our new abilities through this path which is changing us. Here, our higher self and spirit guides set up the external life situations we’ll soon be seeing as a result of this inner work! These are healthy intentions, planted with our healthiest self in mind. This usually includes a plan to add new structure to our lives, since we will soon have a new skill or ability.
Sowing can usually be measured in three or four days.
11. Letting Go
This phase is defined by the new beliefs and awareness which we've attained, and how we're now in a position to let beliefs which didn't serve us fall away! This is a huge step and can occasionally be a difficult one, as even after all this work, it is not always easy to integrate new awareness and it takes a while until the old stops creeping in. Now that we've had time to truly think on them and see how they never fit to begin with, we should let attachments fall away. Again, our attachments are likely to be thoughts or feelings which don’t help us, whatever has held us back in regard to this particular path.
Letting go can ideally be measured in weeks or up to two months, depending on the situation. Sometimes it’s very quick, but the more convoluted the belief, the more gradual this is likely to go.
12. Milestone
Yay! A milestone is of course a huge achievement, and it's time to celebrate. This milestone is when we step into purposeful collaboration with our higher self. We recognize that we did inner work and listened to our inner voice and we changed! I usually see this when someone is given a clear opportunity to behave how they used to behave, and this is the first time they act with their new abilities, from a place of new awareness and having let painful information go. This is about being in complete flow with the Universe. The milestone is the first moment when we realize something has changed, we notice it in ourselves, we see that we are a different person now than we were recently, and we tend to become very excited about the possibilities in the future.
The milestone step can ideally be measured in three or four days.
13. Paradigm Shift
This is a turning point among a list of turning points. This is the "We're not in Kansas anymore" moment. Things cannot be how they used to be, and we wouldn't want them to be! We’re cycling up through huge, karmic lessons and integrating what we've learned and now we see everything differently than we ever have. When we see our paradigm shift, we recognize that we have changed for the better, irrevocably, and that nothing will ever be the same. It’s really building upon the milestone with more external examples of how we have and our life has changed.
This phase can ideally be measured in around three weeks as you integrate your new paradigm.
14. Upgrades
Spirit calls upgrades "a reason to stop complaining," which is one of my favorite things. It's common to mix up downloads and upgrades (I think it’s because they both sound like computer talk), but upgrades don't happen overnight - they're actually a gradual shift. Really, this is the step most of us have been waiting for! Upgrades are the changes we see to our outer life and circumstances as a result of our inner work. While these upgrades may not always be as huge as we want them to be, they're proof we build our world from the inside out, and they're a reminder that life is what we make it. Whatever our current path: this is the step in which we see our outer world truly reflect our new inner awareness, in a general sense.
Upgrades ideally can be measured in up to three months.
15. Reaping
Reaping is often thought of as the time of getting what we want, and it is! To some degree. It's also much more than that, and has more to do with our higher self than with us. If you’ve been paying attention, you know we've already been getting what we want for some time by now. This is really where we’re supposed to learn that getting what we want is very quick and even the feelings which result from it are short-lived - this is meant to show us that growing and reaping are an ever-present cycle, and we will feel best if we just go with it.
Reaping is the time after we've finished most of this cycle, seen exterior shifts, have attained what we set out to attain, and our higher self is already on the lookout for what big change will come next. People tend to handle this two different ways! Either we get very excited and feel liberated and free, recognizing all that’s just happened to us, or we get caught feeling anxious about all the unknowns coming, sensing that the cycle will just begin again soon.
Reaping can ideally be measured in around two weeks.
16. Embodying Higher Self
Embodying our higher self is a profoundly touching experience - a moment of deep knowing that we are on the right path, pure inspiration and hope. This often comes as a moment felt in sleep or in meditation, followed by an inner calmness and peace until this cycle officially completes!
This can ideally be measured in months.
Through my Etsy store, I offer PDF Ascension Path Readings which go through paths you’ve completed, how you handle the steps, etc.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear what you think about this and how you’ve felt about ascension paths in your experience!