Spiritual Spaces, Spoiled by Privilege: Where to Find the Real Ones

In a quiet meditation hall, a soft chant fills the air. Incense wafts through the room, creating an ambiance of peace. Yet, amidst the calming energy, an undercurrent of tension hums. It’s not the sacred vibrations causing this dissonance but something far more profane: the unwelcome intrusion of privilege and pretense.

From overpriced retreats that promise "inner peace" while exploiting local communities to workshops where wisdom is repackaged, commodified, and resold by the very culture that disregarded it for centuries, spiritual spaces in America are increasingly colonized by those who miss the point. The result? An environment that often alienates the very people whose ancestral practices form its foundation.

Let’s talk about what’s going on here—and where to find the authentic, unspoiled spaces you need to thrive.

The Mirage of Inclusivity

At first glance, many spiritual spaces seem inclusive. They have the right buzzwords: “diverse,” “safe,” “welcoming.” You’ll see a smattering of international decor—Tibetan prayer flags, African masks, Indian mandalas. There’s chai at the tea station and a playlist that blends lo-fi beats with chanting monks. It all looks perfect.

Scratch the surface, though, and you’ll often find something else: a performance of inclusivity masking an ecosystem built for—and by—privilege. The same people who feel “called” to yoga after a trip to Bali also find it inconceivable to question why Indigenous lands remain unreturned, why urban gentrification thrives, or why their personal journeys always seem to have such high costs for others.

The Problem of Misplaced Leadership

One hallmark of these spaces is leadership that often lacks real spiritual depth. Leaders are frequently individuals who attended a few weekend workshops, slapped together a certification, and branded themselves as experts. They market a sanitized, Instagram-worthy version of spirituality, devoid of the lived experience that true practitioners carry.

And they cater to an audience that is willing to pay top dollar for the façade. These spaces aren’t about healing or liberation; they’re about consumption. The marginalized, whose lives are shaped by resilience and authenticity, are rarely the faces of leadership in these spaces. When they are present, they’re often tokenized or pushed to the margins of decision-making.

How Privilege Spoils Spiritual Energy

Privilege taints spiritual spaces not just structurally but energetically. Real spiritual work is messy, vulnerable, and uncomfortable. It involves unlearning ego, facing hard truths, and dismantling the very systems of oppression that privilege depends on. But in these co-opted spaces, those hard truths are often softened, if not ignored altogether, to avoid alienating paying customers.

Meanwhile, marginalized individuals are frequently treated as the “help” in these spaces—expected to provide cultural wisdom or labor for little recognition or compensation. Their struggles are viewed as sources of “inspiration” rather than calls for justice.

How to Find (and Build) Authentic Spiritual Spaces

If you’ve ever felt out of place in these environments, you’re not imagining things. But take heart—authentic spaces do exist. Here’s how to find or build them:

1. Seek Community-Led SpacesLook for spaces led by individuals who embody the wisdom they share. These leaders are often deeply connected to their own cultural or spiritual traditions and open to creating inclusive, equitable environments.

2. Ask Hard QuestionsDoes this space pay homage to the traditions it draws from? Are its leaders accountable to the communities they claim to represent? Do they address systemic issues, or do they gloss over them? If the answers are unsatisfactory, keep looking.

3. Build Your Own SpaceIf you can’t find what you’re looking for, consider creating it. Authenticity begins with you. Gather like-minded individuals, share your practices, and set clear boundaries around respect and accountability.

4. Trust Your InstinctsEnergy doesn’t lie. If something feels off, trust that feeling. True spiritual spaces are about liberation, not oppression.

   
   

A Gentle Warning for the Culprits

To the facilitators, leaders, and organizations who see spirituality as just another marketable commodity: beware. The marginalized voices you’ve been sidelining are growing louder, more confident, and more united. Your carefully curated masks of politeness and good intentions won’t hold forever.

A reckoning is coming. True spiritual work can’t be bought, sold, or faked, and the people who embody it are reclaiming their power. You may find your overpriced workshops empty, your hashtags irrelevant, and your spaces stripped of their glow.