There is always that point in our lives where we begin to question almost everything we are used to. It doesn’t just work, right? When your attention begins to drift from earthly attachments or what is considered human concerns. Then, you are probably going through the spiritual awakening process. But how do we understand our true selves? Where do we start from?
What is Spiritual Awakening?
What does it really mean to be spiritually awakened? Awakening in a sense is what we would call “getting woke”. Basically, it is a realization and expansion of your previous perspective. In this vain, spiritual awakening is simply a realization and an expansion process at a very deep level (spiritual level). Generally, it can occur very spontaneous through;
- Prayers
- Meditation
- Contemplation and other spiritual practices.
Basically, it is to awaken senses and connection to the spiritual. And it helps us integrate this change in our lives.
What happens when you are spiritually awakened?
Your spiritual awakening may, for example, give you feelings of relief, joy, grace, and wisdom. It’s possible that doing so will help you gain a deeper insight into who you are and other aspects of your life. The realization can pave the way for acceptance as well as the manifestation of other positive things.
Causes of Spiritual Awakening
Basically, the spiritual awakening process can be caused by many things. However it happens, it is completely normal. Some causes of spiritual awakening can be;
- Life-changing experiences: Like losing a job or life-threatening situations like a car accident. However, it usually ends up quite revealing.
- Near-death experiences or mental or medical illnesses like depression, anxiety or pandemics and even epidemics, etc.
Spiritual awakening can be quite random… So ultimately, it can be anything that pushes or encourages you to “look at your life from a more spiritual perspective”. Basically, pushing you out of your comfort zone.
How to Start Your Spiritual Awakening
1. Examine your beliefs:
Before you can be spiritually awakened, you have to examine yourself or basically your beliefs in your life. When you start growing to be conscious and intentional of what enters into your heart like what you accept and what you don’t. Then you are one step on the spiritual journey.
2. Expand your mind:
One thing with anyone that wants to be spiritually awakened is always their curiosity or need I say “their drive to know or find what’s missing”. So basically, this is not difficult.
3. In general, you should learn to let go:
Spiritual awakening is all about change basically. That is, how you would like o go deeper than you already know and learn about yourself, your purpose and why you exist. So letting go at times may seem difficult but when you truly want to be awakened, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Spiritual Awakening Process
Trust me, you’re not going crazy. You’re just waking up to reality. Spiritual awakening often does that. Generally, we have 12 stages or processes to spiritual awakening and they are;
1. Deep Frustration and Confusion:
Basically, this is the first stage of a spiritual awakening. You’d feel strong frustration about your life, and even stronger confusion about who you are. In addition, you’d feel a burning desire to change all the elements in your life.
2. New Process:
Ok, here what would you see? Transformations, but how? Looking deep into yourself, you’d see there’s still something meaning and you probably might want to tap into it.
3. Internal tug of war:
What causes these internal wars though? Well, the answer is simplebasically, an imbalance. Generally, your physical and spiritual life comes crashing. You are not in touch with your spiritual side and there is the constant turmoil that causes doubt in your heart.
4. Detachment:
Basically trying to understand your purpose is not easy. But this process is necessary. However, you can lose some friendships and relationships.
5. Ray of Hope:
Generally, the turmoil reduces here. Answers might come n though. But, you might lose friends here. In addition, most people change their beliefs and values to get what they want here.
6. Start of spiritual journey/growth:
It’s a new road, a new journey in general. But this does not mean you are taking a physical journey. However, a spiritual one. Spiritual growth is bound to occur but at this point, it hasn’t started yet.
7. Truth:
You basically begin to learn and understand hidden and deep truths about yourself and your existence.
8. Becoming more in touch with spiritual side:
You are coming to understand your true purpose. Here, you’d begin to see a little of it more clearly.
9. Realization your true nature and expansion of your mind:
When you start realizing who you are, that a huge part of your life is spiritual, then you are definitely here in your spiritual awakening journey.
10. Acceptance:
Surrendering and giving yourself in total. Remember when I said the journey has begun but no growth yet? This is where the growth starts basically. When you have totally surrendered to this newfound treasure in your life, then your spiritual growth starts.
11. Gratitude:
Basically, you are happy about what is going on in your life. The happiness and joy in your heart best explain this particular phase of spiritual awakening.
12. Deeper sense/ consciousness:
When you start living with the understanding of what you’re learning in this journey. What understanding though? Understanding who you are, and how spirituality is not just a huge part of your life but your totality. Well, then you are at this final phase of spiritual awakening.
Spiritual Awakening Symptoms
There are a lot of signs you’d notice when you or someone around you is going through a spiritual awakening.
- Changes in personalities generally.
- Little or no worry of earthly attachments anymore. Basically, you know what you want and when it’s not there, you don’t really care about anything else.
- Silence in regular hangs unlike before. When you hang out with friends, you’d know that that thrill or drive is no longer there.
- You would start to understand the meaning of your dreams and connect with them. Furthermore, your daily life (physical life) would be simplified through your dreams.
- Spiritual awakening can be quite transformative. Your life and relationships would change or shift though. And basically, not everyone would appreciate the changes in your life.
- Spirituality becomes a huge part of your life. It becomes impossible for you to ignore spirituality even though you try. There is this new and profound desire to understand your true nature, and basically, this becomes your new drive.
How long do spiritual awakenings last?
According to several online surveys on how long spiritual awakenings last, 21.1% of all participants reported that the peak of their experience lasted only minutes, 10.5% reported that it lasted only hours, 7.9% reported that it lasted days, 9.2% reported that it lasted weeks, 14.5% reported that it lasted months, and 7.9% reported that it lasted years, and 28.9% reported that it was still ongoing.
Spiritual Awakening Test
1. You can no longer appreciate or even tolerate drama or gossip;
a. Yes
b. I tolerate it
c. No, I enjoy good “gist”.
2. You question what life and existence is all about;
a. Never
b. Rarely
c. Yes
3. Basically, you prefer and enjoy spending time alone;
a. Yes it clears my head.
b. Never, I don’t like being alone
c. Sometimes, but I prefer spending time with others.
4. You feel there is a special purpose for you in general;
a. No I don’t
b. I don’t know what I want
c. Yes, I think so
5. Generally, you always feel overwhelmed by what is happening in the world and most specifically, things around you;
a. No, not really
b. Sometimes though
c. Yes, always
6. You don’t recognize yourself;
a. I am the same as ever, confident
b. Sometimes though
c. I am becoming a very different person
7. Your friends can’t recognize yourself
a. No, I am the same as ever
b. Rarely
c. My reactions and perspectives are starting to change
8. Many areas of your life are at breaking points
a. My life is quite constant
b. Some things seems to be ending and falling apart
c. My life is being turned upside down
9. Influx of insights or visions challenging your current beliefs and points of view
a. Nothing is challenging my beliefs or points of view
b. I am starting to be more open and questioning certain of my beliefs
c. Definitely questioning and reviewing what I believe
10. You don’t feel like you quite ‘fit in’ with people like you used to
a. Doesn’t apply
b. Somewhat applies
c Definitely applies
11. You can no longer do certain things (turn a blind eye, keep a job that doesn’t fulfill you, maintain certain friendships, etc.)
a. Doesn’t apply
b. Somewhat applies
c. Definitely applies
Generally, this test will help you understand what it how you think and if you are on your path to spiritual awakening. When answering this test, and almost all your answers was the option “c”, then you are definitely on the path of spiritual awakening. It’s not a bad or weird thing . It’s something we’d all go through right? When you want to begin your spiritual path, don’t be too cautious of the friends you might lose or changes in your personality. All that matters is you basically.
Why is spiritual awakening hard?
When you have a spiritual awakening, you are forced to face the fact that many of your decisions, actions, beliefs, and relationships may be operating on autopilot, linked to past traumas and patterns, or may be a part of wish fulfillment and egoistic, self-placating tactics.
Conclusion
The process of spiritual awakening is not automatic. That is, it’s not something that happens only once. It is a process that happens in stages, processes. Generally, it’s a little bit like the birthing process. Basically, there are waves of difficult inner and outer episodes (contractions) that bring us a little closer to the ultimate goal of knowing and understanding our true nature and the reality around us.
Spiritual Awakening FAQs
How can I be spiritually awakened?
You can only be spiritually awakened when you’re ready. You can’t force it. It only happens when you begin to see faults in your life and pray deeply for change.
What are some signs of spiritual awakening?
Some basic signs are hunger and/or curiosity to know and understand your true nature and purpose in life.
