Spiritual Snobbery & Gatekeeping An Opinion

This talk explores the subtle ways spiritual snobbery can appear in modern spiritual spaces and how it can make people feel excluded or “not spiritual enough.” I share my own reflections on topics like mental health medication, class barriers, comparison, and the pressure to appear spiritually perfect. All opinions are simply mine, offered from my own lived experience, and I’m just a human exploring these ideas with curiosity and care. You can expect a gentle, reassuring conversation that encourages belonging and reminds you that every path is valid. My hope is that you leave this talk feeling welcomed, seen, and supported exactly as you are.

Reviews

This is exactly how I have felt about spirituality for years, it stops being spiritual when it becomes an industry and there are 'rules' that are more than treating each other with decency. Well said! 👏

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections. I listen with an open mind and heart. My feelings are we find our tribe within this world and sometimes as we grow these change and we move on. There are many paths offered and we find what we need along our journey. At this stage of my journey my energy resonates with your thoughts and teachings and I am grateful to listen to them. Thank you

This is why you are my go-to teacher on Insight Timer. I completely agree with everything you have said. I am only 6 months into my mindfulness 'journey', but it has already transformed my life. I have lived with depression on and off for 50 years. I am absolutely fed up with the whole 'antidepressants are bad' brigade. They help to keep me safe. They don't turn you into some lesser form of yourself. I have also lived with ME for 15 years and my meditation practice, together with psychotherapy and CBT, pacing and all the other little things I have to do to get through each day, has really helped me so much. I'm not sure, personally, about the word spirituality. I guess it means different things to different people, but I still understand exactly what you are talking about. It shouldn't be the preserve of social media influencers and South London yummy mummies. As a person disabled by chronic illness, I fully endorse the idea that these practices should be freely available to all. We get very little support via the NHS and many struggle with the cost of help which is so valuable to them. I am incredibly lucky that I do have the means, but I am deeply concerned for those who do not. I really want to find a way to share the lessons I have learned on my mental health and chronic illness journey for free. Thank you Mark x