Spiritual growth is a funny thing…it’s happening all the time, yet we rarely notice it in the moment. It’s like trying to watch your hair grow. You don’t see the changes day by day, but then one day you look in the mirror and think, Wait, how and when did that happen?
Since spiritual growth is subtle, expansive, and deeply personal, metaphors can help us make sense of it. They give shape to the unseen, making the journey a little more relatable. After years of exploring different teachings, traditions, and my own winding path, these five metaphors have stuck with me as the most resonant ways to describe spiritual growth.
The Unfolding of a Flower
Imagine a flower in the process of blooming. At first, it’s a tightly closed bud, holding all its potential inside. Then, slowly, petal by petal, it opens—not because it’s forcing itself to, but because that’s its nature. Sunlight, water, and time do the work.
Spiritual growth is a lot like this. We don’t have to make ourselves grow; we just need to create the right conditions, self-awareness, compassion, presence, and allow the unfolding to happen. And just like a flower doesn’t judge its own pace, we don’t need to rush our own expansion.
Why it works: This metaphor reminds us that growth is natural, beautiful, and unhurried… even when we feel stuck.
Climbing a Mountain with No Top
Most of us think of spiritual growth like climbing a mountain: start at the bottom, work your way up, and eventually reach the summit—enlightenment! But what if the mountain has no peak? What if the whole point is just taking the steps?
This metaphor shifts the focus from some far-off destination to the present moment. Each step becomes its own reward. Sometimes the path is steep; other times, you find a peaceful plateau where you can rest and take in the view. There’s no “final level” to unlock—just deeper layers of understanding, presence, and love.
Why it works: It takes the pressure off “achieving” spirituality and turns it into a lifelong journey of curiosity.
The Layers of an Onion
This is my favorite one. Peeling an onion is messy, sometimes tear-inducing, and reveals layer after layer. Spiritual growth is similar. We think we’ve figured something out, only to discover there’s more beneath the surface.
Maybe you’ve worked through a fear, only to uncover a deeper insecurity underneath. Or you think you’ve mastered patience… and then life throws a traffic jam, a delayed flight, or a painfully slow internet connection your way. Each layer peeled back brings a mix of discomfort and clarity.
Why it works: It normalizes the fact that growth isn’t linear—it’s cyclical, sometimes repetitive, and always revealing.
The Sculptor and the Stone
Michelangelo famously said that his sculptures were already inside the marble—he just had to chip away the excess to reveal them. Spiritual growth can feel like that.
We’re not so much adding wisdom as we are removing what covers it: old beliefs, fears, attachments, and ego-driven stories. The true self is already there, waiting to be uncovered. Every challenge, moment of mindfulness, or act of letting go is another chip in the stone.
Why it works: It reframes personal growth as a process of unlearning rather than just gathering more knowledge.
The Spiral Staircase
Growth isn’t a straight line… it’s a spiral. You might face the same fears, doubts, or lessons again and again, but each time you’re meeting them from a slightly higher perspective.
Think of it like walking up a spiral staircase: at first, it might feel like you’re just looping around, but in reality, you’re rising with every turn. That’s why old challenges resurface—not because you failed, but because you’re ready to face them with new awareness.
Why it works: It helps us stop seeing “repeats” as setbacks, and instead as signs of progress.
Pick Your Own Metaphor
The beauty of metaphors is that they’re personal. Maybe none of these fully resonate with you, and that’s totally okay. The best metaphor is the one that makes your journey feel clearer, lighter, or more meaningful.
So, what’s yours? Is spiritual growth like a river carving its path? A seed becoming a tree? A game of spiritual “leveling up”? Whatever it is, if it helps you make sense of the process… then it’s the right one.
