What’s the Real Purpose of Stress?

Stress! Even the mere mention of the word can evoke feelings of angst and impending doom. But what if I told you that stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing? What if it was actually a hidden doorway to a deeper understanding of yourself and the universe? Discover how to use stress as a tool, transforming it from a source of suffering into a gateway to your authentic self and a more fulfilling life.

Stress is our body’s natural response to any challenge, big or small, real or imagined. It’s the nervous flutter before a first date, the chaos of hosting a kid’s birthday party, or the surprise of an unexpected visit from the in-laws. And let’s not even mention public speaking (wait, I think I just did – whoops, my bad)! Any stress, real or conjured by our minds, triggers our body to initiate the same strategy, straight from the play book, every single time – the fight or flight response. It doesn’t matter what type of stress it is either. If we perceive it as a harmful event, attack, or threat to survival, it’s game on!

Let me draw on a totally hypothetical event from my youth (ahem) to convey what the stress response is all about. Imagine you’re at your friend’s house, engrossed in a terrifying Freddy Krueger flick. Suddenly, you feel a tickle on your neck and hear a chilling voice whisper ‘Freddy’s back!’. You whip around to see a hand, menacingly close to your face, a pocket knife wedged between each finger! In that instant, your body goes to DEFCON 1. Your heart feels like a jackhammer in your chest, your breathing is like a blacksmith’s bellows, your eyes are wide saucers of fear. Your senses are on high alert as you decide whether to ‘take Freddy on’ or flee for your life.

That’s the fight or flight response! Regardless of whether we choose to stand our ground or bolt for the door (or even freeze, close our eyes, and mentally escape), our body puts the foot on the accelerator and prepares for action. Our sympathetic nervous system ramps up, flooding our bloodstream with a cocktail of chemicals, such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). These substances are a powerful combo. They ramp up our heart rate and blood pressure to pump more blood to our muscles. Our breathing gets faster and deeper, delivering a boost of oxygen to our muscles, heart, and brain.  Our body starts breaking down fat and protein stores, converting it to glucose for a quick energy boost. Our pupils dilate, letting us take in more of our surroundings. We become hyper-alert and laser-focused on the situation at hand. Once the perceived threat has passed – and you realise it’s just your friend using your stress response as group entertainment – the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, to help you chill out and calm down again.

All of these responses are super helpful if you are actually facing a life-threatening situation, like a surprise visit from Freddy Kreuger (in which case I’d definitely recommend the ‘flight’ option!) But what if the stress is less about physical danger and more about, say, your mischievous dog swiping your neighbour’s brand-new work boots and burying them in some unknown location (aargh – thanks a lot Bonnie!)?

Not all stress is about evading physical danger. Sometimes the mind perceives something as a threat (such as a difficult conversation with a neighbour about their missing boots!) and freaks out. All of a sudden that awkward chat has morphed into a life-and-death situation, and boom, you’re off flooding your body with stress hormones again!

If the stress isn’t resolved or alleviated in a timely manner, these chemicals run amok and cause havoc in our bodies.  Long-term stress can lead to fluid retention, high blood pressure, heart disease, impaired immune function, digestive issues, headaches, back pain, sleep disturbances, altered appetite, weight changes, obesity, sexual dysfunction, high blood glucose levels (hello diabetes) – and the list goes on.

While it might seem like a radical concept, stress isn’t always the enemy. Think about the thrill of finally mastering that tricky song on your guitar – sure, it was stressful learning it, but in a good way. Or the excitement of planning a trip abroad, or the exhilaration (or maybe pure relief) of crushing your first presentation at work. Even training for a half-marathon, if that’s your thing, can be a positive kind of stress. That’s called ‘eustress’ – the kind of stress that pushes us to grow, sharpens our focus, and leaves us feeling more energized and resilient. It’s the stress that comes from stepping outside our comfort zone and challenging ourselves. After all, we don’t learn and grow by playing it safe, right? Who knew stress could actually be a good thing?

On the other hand, there’s the kind of long-term stress that can lead to feelings of overwhelm and burnout – the distress that lingers from ongoing challenges like relationship issues or financial worries (ugh!). The stress that develops when we’ve travelled so far out of our comfort zone that nothing looks familiar anymore. The kind of stress that leaves us lost and flailing, unable to find a solid footing!

Then there’s the sneaky kind of stress that hides beneath the surface. We’ve got our unconscious stress, which is like a hidden program running deep in our system, influencing our reactions without us even realizing it. And then there’s our subconscious stress, which is tucked away a little closer to the surface. There’s often an awareness of something lurking in our periphery, like a song we can’t quite remember the lyrics to, but we can hear the hum of the melody in the back of our mind. When we finally become aware of a subconscious stress, the response is usually along the lines of ‘I sorta already knew that, on some level’. When we become aware of an unconscious stress it can seem completely new and unfamiliar, like we’re hearing the tune for the first time.

Whether it’s ‘good’ stress, ‘bad’ stress, or the hidden kind, our body initially reacts in the same way – with the classic ‘fight-or-flight’ response. It’s an automatic reaction triggered by anything our brain perceives as a threat.

Now, let’s explore the less tangible realm of stress – spiritual stress. No, I’m not talking about religion or dogma, although that can be one way to understand spirituality. I’m talking about those deeper questions we all ponder, like the meaning of life, our purpose, or our connection to something larger than ourselves. It’s that feeling of emptiness, deep yearning, or unease when those things seem to be lacking or absent. These feelings are often subtle and easily dismissed or drowned out in the business of our day-to-day lives.

Spiritual stress can arise from existential angst concerning the big questions like ‘Who am I?’ or ‘What happens after death?’. It can stem from a sense of disconnection from nature, other people, or even from ourselves. Moral or ethical dilemmas that challenge our values, force us to confront difficult choices, or witness suffering in the world, can also trigger the stress response.

If we don’t acknowledge this deeper spiritual stress, it can start to impact our mental and emotional wellbeing. The quiet whispers of our spirit become louder with signs that are harder to ignore, such as increased anxiety, depressed mood, rumination, irritability, trouble concentrating, sleep problems, changes in appetite, and social withdrawal. These stresses tend to be more persistent and disruptive, urging us to pause and pay attention. 

If we continue to disregard the mental warning signs, our stress can eventually manifest physically, leading to some of the long-term stress issues mentioned earlier. These physical symptoms are harder to tune out and are often the final nudge that motivates us to take action and seek change.   

Perhaps the most fundamental source of spiritual stress is the denial or rejection of our true nature. When we try to suppress or deny who we truly are – our authentic selves, our deepest values, or our unique gifts – it creates an internal conflict that presents as stress. This denial can stem from societal pressures, fear of judgment, past experiences, or limiting beliefs that hold us back from embracing our full potential. Of course, this then begs the question…..What is our authentic self?

The answer to that question requires a multidimensional approach!

The 3^rd dimension is the realm of our material, tangible, reality – the one we experience through our five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. It is also perceived as a duality (two parts) where things are characterised in terms of opposites, such as good/bad, happy/sad, me/you, fear/love. This duality allows for measurements and judgements to be made. We constantly rank ourselves, others, and our life experiences on self-determined scales, somewhere between these two opposite points, paving the way for comparison, competition, and valuing certain outcomes over others.

This exists beyond our 3D understanding of matter, in much the same way that our thoughts aren’t physical. Just like our thoughts, that doesn’t mean that the 5D doesn’t influence our 3D lived experience. The 5^th dimension is non-dual, so there is no separation into two parts. The ramifications of this unified singular perspective are huge! If there are no opposites, then there is no way to measure between two points, so judgements can’t be made. As such, there is acceptance of all things, with no insistence that they be any different to what they are. If everything is a cohesive whole, then there is also no separation of the individual from everything else. There is no ‘me’ and ‘you’. The 3D ‘ego-mind’ is not distinct from the rest of our consciousness, including our subconscious and unconscious mind. My 5D consciousness is the same as yours, which is the same as everyone else’s. Even time and space are perceived differently in the 5^th dimension. There is no past and future, so all time is in the same moment of ‘now’.

So, how does all of this dimension stuff relate to stress?

Well, in order to fully grasp the root cause of stress, we need to understand the interplay between two aspects of our being that seem separate, from a 3D perspective:

• The 3D Ego-Self: This is the ‘self’ that forms our identity. It is the part of us we call ‘I’ – a mental construct that we name and to which we attach our personality, our roles, and our beliefs about who we are in the world – an individual, separate from everything and everyone else. The ego’s main priority is to ensure your survival in the 3D world – its very existence! It knows how to navigate duality and rules of this dimension. It’s an expert at planning, predicting, and anticipating anything that might threaten its carefully constructed narrative of who it is, and its fragile sense of safety or worth. It has an arsenal of protective strategies at its disposal, such as defence mechanisms, seeking external validation, maintaining a sense of control, and rigid adherence to beliefs. Change and uncertainty are its worst nightmare (possibly worse than anything on Elm Street)! The ego’s strategies, motivated by self-preservation, often create the very suffering they are trying to avoid. Ironically, the very things the ego most desires – love, acceptance, and belonging – are all accessible by surrendering to the truth of its fifth-dimensional nature.
• The 5D Authentic Self: This is the true essence of who we are outside the lens of 3D duality. It is the boundless consciousness that exists beyond the limitations of the ego and our self-imposed identity. This ‘5D consciousness’ is described by many terms, such as Source, The Universe, The God Within, The Void, Spirit, and more. The illusion of separation dissolves in the 5^th dimension to reveal the interconnectedness of all things and an innate sense of belonging. This expanded state of awareness allows the 5D self to see the bigger picture. As a part of the whole, our 5D authentic self has nothing to fear. In the 3^rd dimension, fear often blocks our ability to love unconditionally. We may fear vulnerability, rejection, or loss, causing us to withhold love or place conditions on it. With nothing to fear in the 5^th dimension, our authentic self is free to love unconditionally. In the absence of judgement, our authentic self is able to accept and embrace itself and others fully, with all our perceived flaws and imperfections. The 5D self is able to recognize the inherent worth and beauty in all of creation. It’s able to be fully present in the moment, free from worries of the past and anxieties of the future. The lack of separation also paves the way for collaboration, as opposed to competition.

Stress arises when our ‘3D ego-self’ acts in ways that are out of alignment with our deeper ‘5D authentic self’.

The ego often resists or denies our core truth because it perceives it as a threat to its established identity or sense of security. It may fear judgment, rejection, or the unknown consequences of embracing our authentic selves. This internal discord creates stress, stemming from the ego’s:

• Resistance to “What Is”: The ego resists anything that threatens its sense of control, security, or identity. This includes change, uncertainty, difficult emotions, and challenging external circumstances. It prefers the familiar and predictable, even if it’s uncomfortable, in order to prepare for and anticipate what lies ahead.
• Denial of Core Truth: The ego often denies or suppresses aspects of our core truth, including our values, true passions and desires, intuition, emotions, and interconnectedness. It does so in order to conform to societal expectations, please others, fit in, achieve external measures of success, avoid ‘negative’ feelings, and reinforce the illusion of separation.

Stress, therefore, is not the enemy. It’s a messenger! A valuable signal that something is out of alignment between our everyday self and our deeper truth. When we are aligned with our innate 5D nature, we tend to experience flow, peace, and purpose. When we’re out of alignment, we experience stress. It’s like a warning light on the dashboard of our being, alerting us to the fact that we’re straying from the path of authenticity. Stress often challenges the ‘story’ we tell ourselves about who we are, exposing its fragility. It pushes us to reevaluate our identity, shining a light on our limiting beliefs, fears, and insecurities. It guides us to rewrite the story of who we are over and over again, letting go of our limiting definitions with each edit, until eventually we become every story ever written – the universal story of our authentic 5D self.

Viewed this way, stress becomes a powerful catalyst on our inner journey of self-discovery. It provides an opportunity for self-exploration, expanding our awareness, steering us back towards our true nature as part of a larger, interconnected whole. We get to choose whether we gently follow its guidance, or whether we resist every step of the way.

The way stress presents can provide clues about where the misalignment lies. The root cause of two people’s knee pain, for example, can be vastly different. Look for clues in:

• Feelings: Tune in to the feelings that arise when you focus on your stress and allow yourself to really connect with them. Engaging with our feelings, from the heart, allows us to connect with our stress outside the protective influence of the ego-mind. The truth is felt intuitively, rather than interpreted – and potentially distorted – mentally.

If that seems too overwhelming initially – like you’re about to open the emotional floodgates – try connecting with the most superficial feeling first. Feelings are the language of the heart and the heart is the access point for the 5^th dimension. Resisting or denying our feelings blocks our access to the 5D perspective for creative solutions and new choices. Once you understand the message the feeling is bringing, you can let it go. Its job is done!

• Verbal Hints: Listen to your own words. The phrases we use can indicate the origins of our stress. For example, the actions of a particular person may make you ‘sick to your stomach’. Perhaps this is a linguistic breadcrumb trail guiding you towards the root of your digestive issues? Or a frustrating situation may ‘make your blood boil’. Maybe this turn of phrase is offering insight into the hidden stresses relating to your high blood pressure?

• External Mirrors: Other people are often great mirrors, reflecting our own resistance to the truth back at us. Our external world is a reflection of our internal world. Instead of rejecting somebody whose qualities you dislike, delve a bit deeper into exactly what bothers you. Do you share that same trait or quality? Maybe you have a limiting rule about how people are supposed to behave. How do they make you feel or, more accurately, how are you choosing to feel? Are they a reminder of another time when you felt that way?

• Body Language: Notice what your posture, facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact, and movement reveals about your internal state. Do you walk as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders? Do your feet drag, suggesting a reluctance to move forward? On the plus side, this works both ways! Changing your body language – like adopting a ‘happier’ walking style (faster pace and greater arm swaying) – can improve mood.  ‘Faking it till you make it’, with positive body language, could be a useful strategy!

The more we resist and deny our core truth, the more intense the stress becomes. This creates a vicious cycle:

• Misalignment: We act out of alignment with our 5D self (e.g., we stay in a job we hate, we suppress our emotions, we deny our intuition).
• Stress Signal: This misalignment triggers a stress response (e.g., anxiety, physical tension, feelings of emptiness).
• Resistance: The ego, fearing the discomfort of the stress, resists it further (e.g., we distract ourselves with work, we numb ourselves with substances, we blame others).
• Increased Stress: This resistance amplifies the stress, creating a more intense signal.
• Reinforced Misalignment: The increased stress reinforces the ego’s belief that it needs to control and protect itself, leading to further misalignment.

This cycle continues until we break it by paying attention to the stress signal and addressing the underlying misalignment.

True stress relief comes not from trying to control external circumstances (which is often impossible), but from shifting our internal state. This involves:

• Acceptance: Accepting “what is,” including our difficult emotions, challenging situations, and the uncertainty of life. This doesn’t mean passively resigning ourselves to suffering though. It means acknowledging the reality of the present moment without resistance. In order to make any changes, we have to start from where we are at. Constructive change can’t be made from some imagined or idealised reality that exists far off in the ‘ether’. You have to start from the truth of who you are ‘here and now’ to effectively apply any deeper wisdom and knowing.
• Self-Exploration: Turning inward and exploring the root causes of our stress. This requires courage, honesty, and a willingness to question our beliefs and assumptions. Key questions to ask ourselves include:
  • What am I resisting or denying?
  • What truth might I be avoiding?
  • Where am I out of alignment with my values?
  • What am I truly afraid of?
  • What limiting beliefs are holding me back?
  • What does my intuition tell me?
  • What do I genuinely desire?
  • Does this feeling remind me of other times?
  • Am I bringing old stress into the present?
• Surrender: This means letting go of the ego’s controlling grip and trusting in our authentic self and the flow of life. Surrender isn’t passively giving up, but an active and powerful choice to stop resisting our core truth and ‘what is’. It requires the ability to recognize what you are resisting, whether it be pushing against reality, holding on to how we think things should be, or fighting uncomfortable feelings. It’s similar to the way that nature operates according to inherent laws and rhythms – in a ‘universal flow’. A tree doesn’t resist the changing seasons, shedding its leaves (well, the deciduous ones do at least!), going dormant, and budding anew, in harmony with natural cycles. Animals instinctively know how to rest, heal, or seek what they need. When we cease the struggle against the present moment and our inner experience, we align with this flow. This alignment frees our bodies to activate their innate healing mechanisms – the inherent wisdom within that knows how to restore balance and facilitate healing. Surrendering to the guidance of our 5D consciousness, allows us to trust the process of growth, even when it’s uncomfortable or uncertain. It removes the need to control the outcome, opening us up to possibilities we may not have considered.

Embracing stress as a teacher, rather than an enemy, can lead to amazing personal growth and transformation. The process of addressing the underlying misalignments results in:

• Greater Self-Awareness: A deeper understanding of our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and patterns.
• Emotional Healing: Releasing suppressed emotions and healing past wounds.
• Increased Authenticity: Living in greater alignment with our true selves.
• Stronger Intuition: Developing a deeper and clearer connection to our inner wisdom.
• Greater Resilience: Building the capacity to cope with life’s challenges with more grace and equanimity.
• Expanded Consciousness: Seeing the bigger picture of the 5^th dimension and integrating it into our 3D awareness.

Perception plays a big part in our stress response. What is stressful to one person may not be stressful to another. When was the last time you had butterflies in your tummy? That sensation can either be associated with feelings of nervousness, or feelings of excitement. Same sensation, it just depends on your perspective and how you choose to view the situation. Understanding that our perception plays a big part in our stress response is a key factor in learning how to deal with it.

This is where the broader 5D perspective, an understanding central to approaches like Fifth-dimensional Alchemy, can be very useful. It allows us to view our experiences outside the narrative and trappings of our 3D identity, opening up alternative ways of perceiving the situation with honesty, compassion, and non-judgemental exploration, acknowledging any limiting 3D beliefs about who you are that are no longer serving you well. It enables us to view the situation from the ‘now’, without dragging any old baggage or future worries, from this lifetime or others, into the moment (which can intensify stress). The 5^th dimension allows for exploration of infinite options to support you to adopt a new perspective or frame of reference regarding who you are and what is possible for you.

Practices that focus on opening the brow (Ajna) and heart (Anahata) chakras can be useful tools for enhancing your 5D connection. Chakras are subtle energy centres within the human body that originate from ancient Indian spiritual traditions. The brow chakra, or third eye chakra, is located in the centre of the forehead, between the eyebrows. It is associated with perception, intuition, and inner wisdom, acting as a gateway to higher consciousness. The heart chakra is found in the centre of the chest and is associated with love, compassion, acceptance, and connection. Feelings are the realm of the heart chakra. It acts as a bridge between the physical, material aspects and the spiritual, mental aspects. Tuning into the heart and what you’re feeling right now can help anchor you in the present, instead of getting stuck in your head or worrying about the past or future.

Always be sure to balance the opening of the brow chakra with grounding practices that connect you to the earth and balance your other chakras, especially the root chakra. Being too focused on the upper chakras without grounding can lead to feeling uncentered or disconnected from reality.

The fifth dimension is an eternal ‘now’ because there is no duality of past and future. Consequently, we have to be in the ‘now’ in the third dimension in order to connect with the 5^th dimension. The 3D present moment is also the place where the 5D information must be applied, to the person you are now, as opposed to who you used to be in the past or who you hope to become in the future. Practices that develop present moment awareness can facilitate your ability to connect with your 5D consciousness. Mindfulness meditation is a valuable technique that encourages focus on the present experience and its associated sensations and emotions. It involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgement or attachment.

Sometimes, despite our efforts, we can struggle to find the gentle and loving path to alignment with our 5D authentic self on our own. This is where an approach like Fifth-dimensional Alchemy can offer valuable support. As a 5D Alchemy practitioner, Kathy Walker uses her abilities as a psychic channel to help you connect with and integrate 5D perspectives into your current experience. She helps you find that place of inner calm, even amidst the storm, allowing you to see things more clearly and tap into your intuition.

She intuitively connects to the 5D perspective to identify the root cause of your stress, whether it be conscious, subconscious, or unconscious. This exploration may involve gently reframing defining moments from your past that have significantly shaped your identity and beliefs. Other lifetimes (past or future) may even be influencing your current stressful experience. Central to this process is supporting you to move from resisting your truth, to embracing it. By doing so, you redefine your current narrative around stress, freeing you to extract the learning and growth it affords. Facilitating the profound shift towards acceptance and surrender, especially when resistance is deep-seated, is a core element of the 5D Alchemy process. A key aspect of this guidance focuses on ensuring that all insights are brought back and applied practically in your everyday ‘now’.

It’s important to acknowledge that the goal isn’t to get to some final finish-line where challenges cease to exist. Life will always present ‘opportunities’ for growth. We need the contrast to truly appreciate the good times and learn from the full spectrum of human experience. The value lies, not in reaching some ‘stress-free’ end point, but in the growth and transformation that occurs along the way. It’s about the journey, not the destination. How you choose to perceive those challenges, and any potential stress associated with them, is up to you. You can choose to resist them, and continue fuelling the stress cycle. Or, you can use them constructively, to actively shape your experience and your life’s narrative. 5D Alchemy aims to support you in choosing the latter path, allowing stress to guide you home to your true self.

From a 5D Alchemy perspective, the true purpose of stress isn’t to break us, but to awaken us. It serves as a powerful catalyst for a journey of self-discovery – a call from your authentic 5D self, urging your 3D ego towards greater alignment and truth. As we learn to accept, explore, and surrender to its guidance, stress becomes less of a foe and more of a wise teacher. It constantly nudges us towards greater self-awareness, deep healing, expanded consciousness, and the recognition that we are not just our own story, but part of a much larger, universal narrative. The journey with stress is not about achieving some mythical state of perpetual bliss, but about rewriting the story of who we are by reframing how we respond to its powerful messages. We get to choose whether we allow stress to gently guide us to our true nature or continue to fight its lessons. Ultimately, it’s about taking control of your life and your own journey by using stress as the key to creating a more conscious, empowered, and fulfilling existence, realising that you are more than you ever imagined!