Spirituality is supposed to heal.

But sometimes, it harms.

And not just in subtle ways, but in ways that leave real damage.

Over the last few years, I’ve spent time in spiritual communities—from LA to Pisac, in coaching circles, healing retreats, and wellness tech spaces.

And the more I’ve seen, the clearer it’s become:

There’s a shadow side to this work. And we’re not talking about it enough.

We talk about integration. Alignment. Embodiment.

But what happens when spirituality becomes a mask? A brand? A tool for control?

This post isn’t a takedown. It’s a mirror.

Because I’ve been inside these spaces. I’ve seen the harm. I’ve stayed silent before. And I’ve also had to unlearn a lot of the same conditioning I once believed in.

Here are 9 dangers I believe more of us need to name—clearly and without performance.

1️⃣ Consumerism & Overpriced Spirituality

When healing becomes a luxury market

Spiritual work used to be rooted in community. In teachers who gave generously. In practices passed down with care.

Now?

We’ve sold $10K group programs that promise enlightenment.

Masterclasses that cost more than rent.

And coaching offers that say, “If you really believed in yourself, you’d invest in this.”

It’s not just about pricing. It’s about pressure.

What I’ve seen:

• People taking out loans to join containers that they’re not emotionally ready for
• Coaches equating your spiritual worth with your ability to pay
• Exclusive “high frequency” offers that shame those who opt out

Yes, healing has value. And yes, facilitators should be paid.

But when the price of entry becomes the new gatekeeping, it’s no longer healing. It’s just capitalism in spiritual clothing.

2️⃣ Buzzwords & Overpromises

When language replaces depth

“5D consciousness.”

“Light codes.”

“Quantum upgrades.”

“DNA activation.”

“Aligned abundance.”

At first, these phrases sound expansive.

But over time, they blur reality. They become catch-all words that promise more than they deliver.

I’ve joined courses that were 90% language and 10% substance.

I’ve paid thousands for programs that gave me high-vibe slides and surface-level calls—without structure, depth, or support.

The real harm: It creates expectation inflation. People keep chasing the next high, the next promise, the next “activation”—instead of doing the slow, human work of change.

If a teaching can’t be explained in clear, grounded terms, it’s probably not embodied.

3️⃣ Guru Worship & Cult-Like Thinking

When spiritual teachers are placed above accountability

It starts small.

You trust their insights.

You admire their story.

You start quoting them, repeating their frameworks, following their every word.

And slowly, you forget to think for yourself.

This is common across healing modalities, coaching certifications, plant medicine, and even personal development brands.

What I’ve seen:

• Leaders who don’t allow questions
• Communities that protect the teacher at the cost of the student
• Harm that gets spiritualized as “your mirror” instead of being named as abuse

Personal story: I once trusted someone who crossed a clear boundary during a session. I froze. I didn’t report it. I told myself maybe I was too sensitive. That’s what happens when you put someone on a pedestal—it becomes harder to leave, harder to speak.

You can respect a teacher and still disagree with them.

You can receive from someone and still walk away.

4️⃣ Pretending & Performance Spirituality

When healing becomes an aesthetic

There’s a certain look now.

White linen. Oracle decks. Ceremonial everything.

Shamans in leather vests. Goddesses in gold crowns. Instagram feeds are curated to look like a sacred altar.

None of this is wrong, on its own.

But what I’ve seen in Pisac, LA, and parts of Bali is that performance often replaces depth.

People dress the part, but can’t hold conflict.

Host ceremonies but don’t study lineage.

Speak about trauma but never name their own patterns.

Real spirituality isn’t loud.

It’s honest. Messy. Unbranded.

You don’t need a crystal crown to be a clear channel.

You just need integrity.

5️⃣ Spiritual Manipulation & Sexual Exploitation

When intimacy is weaponized in the name of healing

This is one of the most devastating—and common—abuses I’ve seen.

It shows up when:

• A healer tells someone they’re “twin flames” or have a “divine soul contract.”
• A teacher initiates sexual intimacy under the guise of activation or energy work
• A mentor crosses boundaries during a vulnerable moment and then blames the person for being “unintegrated.”

I’ve heard more stories than I can count.

Especially from women in their 20s and 30s who enter healing spaces hoping for support, and leave feeling violated and ashamed.

It’s not always overt. That’s what makes it confusing.

But if someone uses spiritual language to override your “no,” that’s abuse.

You never owe access to your body in the name of healing. Ever.

6️⃣ Misrepresentation of Ancient Traditions

When sacred practices are stripped of context

Yoga turned into a hot body workout.

Ayahuasca is offered by people with no training.

Indigenous rituals are sold as weekend packages for self-discovery.

These traditions were never meant to be commodified like this.

And too often, they’re used without lineage, respect, or responsibility.

I’ve seen people in Pisac claim to be shamans after two months of ceremony.

I’ve seen rituals from Andean and Amazonian cultures posted online without consent.

And I’ve seen medicine work administered by people who don’t know how to respond when something goes wrong.

It’s not enough to have an experience. You need context. Training. Mentorship. Accountability.

Honor the source. Honor the history. Honor the people who still live these traditions every day.

7️⃣ Unqualified Individuals Offering Healing

When there’s no training, no support, and no safety net

We’re in an era of self-initiation.

Anyone can call themselves a coach, a guide, or a facilitator.

And while lived experience matters—a lot—it’s not a replacement for skill.

I’ve seen:

• People leading breathwork without trauma training
• Coaches diagnosing mental health issues without credentials
• Retreat leaders offering plant medicine with no integration plan

And when someone has a panic attack, or a memory resurfaces, or a trauma response is triggered, no one in the room knows what to do.

Healing isn’t just about light. It’s about capacity.

And if you can’t hold someone fully, you shouldn’t be taking their money.

8️⃣ Spiritual Ego & Superiority

When humility gets replaced with hierarchy

This is the flip side of elitism.

Where people preach humility, but operate from superiority.

Where every conversation becomes a performance of “how much inner work” they’ve done.

I’ve heard phrases like:

• “I cleared that years ago.”
• “That’s just projection.”
• “You’re not in my frequency.”

The irony? The more healed someone claims to be, the more fragile their ego often is.

I’m not immune to this either.

There were moments when I used my spiritual language to shut down conversations.

To feel more in control. More “developed.”

But all it did was isolate me from people who were trying to love me as I was.

The point isn’t to be more evolved. It’s to be more human.

9️⃣ Fear-Based Teachings & Division

When “consciousness” is used to control

This is subtle, but it’s everywhere.

• “If you don’t do this practice, you’ll stay in low vibration.”
• “If you don’t invest, you’re blocking your abundance.”
• “If you’re not seeing results, it’s because of your shadow.”

These teachings use fear to keep people compliant.

They disguise hierarchy as empowerment.

And they prey on seekers who are still learning to trust themselves.

True guidance helps you think clearly, not to depend on the teacher.

And if the only way to grow is to stay in the container forever… that’s not growth. That’s control.

So, Where Does That Leave Us?

Not hopeless.

Not jaded.

But awake.

We can still believe in healing.

We can still trust energy.

We can still honor teachers.

But we need to bring the same awareness we practice on the mat, in meditation, in ceremony, to the systems we participate in.

You don’t need to reject spirituality.

But you do need to stay rooted.

Trust your body.

Ask real questions.

And when in doubt, walk away.