Why I’m Questioning the "Know-It-Alls" in Spirituality

The Fine Line Between Spiritual Discovery and Dogma

In the world of spiritual exploration, there is an uptake in interest regarding skills that push the boundaries of perception. Among these, out-of-body experiences (OOBEs) have gained significant traction. While these experiences can be profound, they are also subjective, delicate, and deeply personal. Unfortunately, this very nature makes the territory ripe for exploitation.

I have fallen into the trap myself. I have spent time really enjoying a speaker, only to realize later that there was something I should have questioned. I don’t want to name names because everyone is on their own journey, but I want to offer some questions that I now ask myself. I’m writing this with my chest (not literally), with my heart.

The Trap of Certainty

As with any new, exciting skill, there will always be grifters, narcissists hiding in spirituality, or self-proclaimed know-it-alls. These individuals often capitalize on the human desire for certainty. If you are telling people exactly what is in the afterlife, that is an easy sell.

These individuals arrive with a map of the afterlife, a blueprint of consciousness, or a set of rules for how to correctly astral project, all delivered with absolute, unshakable confidence. While I believe astral projection is a natural human capacity, something we likely do while asleep, I take issue with the claim that one person holds the entire blueprint of consciousness.

Even Bob Monroe, one of the most famous OOBE pioneers, never claimed to have all the answers. He focused on experience and sharing that discovery with others. It was never about the 12 levels of heaven or the idea that “space is not real”. The fact is, we don’t have all the answers. I personally feel that we are here to experience, explore, and learn, not to possess absolute knowledge, maybe I’m wrong but I feel that in my heart.

Confirmation Bias and Charisma

We must be careful about confirmation bias, which is that inner pull to believe something just because the speaker looks the part of a messiah or claims to have accomplished something rare and that this person confirms a conspiracy in mind or a narrative you believe. Confidence is not proof, and charisma is not consciousness. If a teacher refuses to provide evidence because they claim people will just say it is AI, that is a red flag. I am all for being open-minded, but extraordinary claims require a bit more than just a straight face.

Discovery vs. Dogma

How do we tell a true explorer from a dogmatic authority? It comes down to their language:

• Teaching Discovery: This approach frames insights as “This is what I found” or “This perspective helped me.” It holds space for you to disagree and invites you to develop your own compass. Green flag.

• Teaching Dogma: This approach frames insights as “This is exactly how it is” or “This is what you need to do.” It demands that you accept their map as the literal terrain. Red flag.

The Mask of the Narcissist

A teacher who claims to understand consciousness in its entirety is likely ignoring the most fundamental part of the human experience: the fact that we are all still learning. A narcissistic teacher often uses spiritual knowledge to demand reverence, exhibiting:

• An Inability to Handle Dissent: If you question them, you are labeled as not evolved enough or blocked by fear. Fear is a real, healthy human instinct. It keeps us safe. If someone tells you that feeling fear is the opposite of love or a spiritual block, they are disregarding your basic humanity. I’m pretty sure if we didn’t experience fear, we would not be human. We’d be leaving babies on their own in the street or being ran over by cars because if you live only in love and light then nothing will happen, right?

• The Chosen One Complex: They position themselves as the only source of pure truth, implying everyone else is a charlatan. Nobody is chosen, and nobody is extra special in a way that exempts them from the human condition.

• Constant Hero-Worship: They require students to mirror their own successes rather than finding their own path. Spiritual growth is not a cookie-cutter experience; it is uniquely individual.

How Cults Form in the Shadows

Cults do not start with robes and rituals; they start with subtle erosions of autonomy. It begins when someone tells you that your gut feeling, that internal “off” sensation, is actually your own ego preventing you from higher truths. By undermining your ability to trust your own discernment, they begin to replace your internal voice with their own.

If you see massive bootcamps promising instantaneous healing, or leaders who suddenly claim their job is done after a dramatic, performative realization, think critically. If it looks cult-like, it probably is. Claiming someone is levitating but it only happens in their own camps, question it. Once you get sucked in and you’ve paid thousands to join the membership, you start to feel special and before you know it, you feel chosen and you start to be a follower even if the person you’re following isn’t even engaging with you personally.

Final Thoughts

Let people have their own journeys. We are meant to learn, grow, and explore, not to have all the answers handed to us on a silver platter. True spiritual growth happens in the space between what we know and what we are still discovering.

We need fear to survive and love to care for one another. You cannot simply sit in pure love and expect life to be handed to you. I may be overthinking it, and I am perfectly okay with being wrong, but I will never claim to have all the answers.

I would love to hear your views on this. Have you ever had a moment where you snapped out of it while listening to a speaker who seemed too good to be true?