Are you having a spiritual awakening?

The phrase “awakening” or “having a spiritual awakening” is becoming a more common household term. As we move into an age of having an expanded awareness, in part due to the expansion of thought through technology, and in part due to the natural evolution of mankind, there can be some confusion as to what it means, to have an awakening. What is a spiritual awakening?

Let us explore what is a spiritual awakening and some of the signs that one may experience, and, most importantly, why does a spiritual awakening occur? Or, what steps may one take to be able to awaken further? 

The defination according to Webster’s is:

Awakening 1. noun. The act of waking. It can also refer to other forms of new or sudden consciousness. Whenever we sleep, and then wake up from that sleep, whether that be at night, or from an afternoon nap, we wake up and regain consciousness. 

There are different types of epiphanies or realizations that may fall under the heading of awakening. This comes at any time there is a realization, or what I call “A–HA” moments, where it feels like a lightbulb has gone off. These are life altering moments that give a shift in the perception of life, and it will often feel like you were not fully awake or conscious before these moments. 

A spiritual awakening is also referred to as ascension. In some Eastern cultures the term Enlightment has been used to describe this process, reaching a state of bliss or Nirvana. In our Western culture the term “enlightment” may often refer to a state of cognition or of gaining knowledge. Awakening is not a process of learning, but rather that of unlearning. It is a remembering of the soul as the Ego mind loosens its grip ever so slightly upon the Self.

The term awakening was made popular by the famed psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who was an underling of the famous psychiatrist Sigmund Freud. Jung referred to the experience of awakening as returning to the original Self. The true nature. Which is soul. 

With a spiritual awakening the Ego, also known as the Lower Self begins to loosen its grip and there is a reconnecting with the Higher Self or Soul. 

The Ego has also been referred to by Taoists as the acquired mind. This means that there is a part of us that has become acquired or conditioned through the experience of the collective, or that which surrounds us. Our family, our schooling, or cultural traditions and religion. All of this is instilled upon us as young minds. This is our society and how it has structured our perception of Self. There is a structure that has been provided to us that tells us how to behave or act and provides structure. The ego or the lower Self is comfortable in a structured concept.

There is another aspect of ourselves however that is unnoticed. This is what both Freud and Jung would refer to as unconscious. The process of making the unconscious self conscious, is the journey of becoming aware of the true Self. This experience of becoming aware of the true self has always been a part of the human journey. 

A spiritual awakening has many causes and may often occur spontaneously. It is often precipitated by a cracking of the Ego Self where there has been great contemplation of the individual on a spiritual level. Any thoughts that inspire an analysis of one’s life and its meaning. A contemplation of the purpose of existence, what is the meaning of experience, and any thoughts that involve re-evaluating of one’s own beliefs and desires. This contemplation creates a shift in perspective and loosen’s the grip of the ego on the self. 

Awakening is often a painful process. Perhaps a good analogy is that of growing pains. Many awakenings have been ignited by stressful events like death of a loved one, loss of a job, illness, change of location,  a  mid-life crisis or even positive experiences like pregnancy. These stressors may initiate contemplation that causes a spiritual awakening. In traditional esoteric thought, these events are orchestrated by the Higher Self to bring about a shift in perception thereby bringing about a spiritual awakening. These are often not pleasant experiences and can be quite painful. These are referred to as The Dark Night Of The Soul. This is deeply connected with a spiritual awakening. This experience may be thought of as preparation for a new beginning, especially as the Dark Night may feel so intense that you are actually dying. It is a dying of sorts, the death of the Ego mind. It may feel as though everything that you have identified with is being pulled away. These dark night experiences may be more than once, as we may need to grow more than once in life, and a peeling away is required. Although usually the experiences will lessen in intensity with each time.

This is the process of becoming one with the Self. A process of becoming whole. Whereas the Ego is a fragmented concept, the true Self is whole.

What are some of the signs one may experience when having a Spiritual Awakening?

A re-evaluation on life and its meaning.

There is often a renewed sense of spiritual beliefs or looking at outworn beliefs that are no longer in alignment with the new perspective. This may involve making life changes to support the new perspective, like change of job or home.

There is often a sense of being alone.

Spiritual awakening is often painful and it may feel like we are all alone, or that we do not belong anywhere.

There is a loss of interest in things.

Things that were once enjoyable may no longer be of interest or give joy. These are usually things of a material nature. 

There is a change of relationships

Relationships may often change and become strained as there is a change in the way the individual has been. This transformation may change the dynamics of a relationship. It is important to be able to express the need for patience in relationships as the individual is experiencing and inner change. 

You Feel More Connected With Nature

There is a deeper feeling of connectedness with the world around you and nature, especially with animals.

Greater Intuition

There is a sense of heightened senses or intuition. This may be around people, places, or things. There is more of a sense of being tuned into The Now.

More Physical Disruptions

There may be some physical experiences, like sleep disturbances. There may also be the experience of feeling a heightened energy or the opposite, fatigue and brain fog. The latter is often defined as ascension symptoms or ascension flu. These of course must be ruled out for physical symptoms if persistent. 

Aversion to Negativity

Anything negative or violent will feel like an assault on your senses. Your heightened sensitivity will not allow for negative talk or viewing of violence. 

Seeking Authenticity

There will be a feeling of not needing attention or seeking to just observe situations. There will be less of a need to be involved in drama. 

Synchronicities

There will be a noticed increase in signs and synchronicities. The meaningful coincidences of life. This is due to the greater recognition of the interconnectedness of life. Existence will seem more interactive with you rather than separate. 

Many Spiritual Teachers

There is a saying, “When the student is ready, the Master appears”. With a spiritual awakening, suddenly, a teacher may appear with perfect timing. These are not actual spiritual teachers, but those that may provide a moment of guidance in a unassuming way, such as the words a child speaks, a gentle stranger in the store, or observing this in others around us.

A spiritual awakening is deeply intertwined with the Dark Night Of The Soul, and can feel painful both physically, and emotionally. Each time there is a shift in the experience of the ego, there becomes a greater integration of the many parts of our Self into the whole. There may be a feeling of being lied to or mislead by our society. This process has always been a part of the human experience, as the individual rises above basic animal survival needs and aligns with the spiritual nature of the Self, which is Divine. This Divine spark is embodiment of the Divine qualities itself, compassionate, loving, intuitive, and knowing. 

As we awaken, we become more aware and in alignment with this truth.

If you wish to have an awakening:

There are activities or processes that we may use in order to initiate an awakening, or go further with one. Let me point out by saying that if there is a contemplation of desiring an awakening, then already there has been a shift in awareness. 

Look to clear your mind and your space.

In looking to clear and de clutter your physical space, it begins the awareness process that you are more than you material belongings. It creates space for new awareness and attitudes. One that is not as intricately tied into the physical things. De cluttering your mind is also essential. Learn to quiet your mind though meditation, exercise, prayer, and spiritual practices. This will further help develop your intuition. Develop your own practices to bring your awareness to your spiritual self. 

Begin to be aware of your beliefs

By having awareness and evaluating all of our beliefs and attitudes towards life and the things in it, we can become more conscious of what is the driving force in our life. Are your beliefs supporting your personal growth? Which is essentially your spiritual growth. Be mindful that your thoughts are putting out the energy into not only your own life, but the consciousness at large. Your attitude and beliefs have the power to make great shifts in your life and in other’s. 

Create Solitude and Reconnect

Quite often our lives are busy with the hum of distractions, which cause us to be...well, distracted. Take time to reconnect with nature, get away from social media and screen time. Create meaningful moments in each day for yourself and for those close to you. Be in nature as much as you can. There is a great energy and spirit in nature. Allow the nature to speak to your intuitive self. It is both magical and healing.

Practice Good Health

Look after your physical well Be–ing. Eating well, staying physically active and exercising the best that you can, will keep your energy in high gear. Remember, your body is a temple. It houses your Soul.

Although we cannot force an awakening, through awareness and contemplation we can let go of the hold the Ego self has and become more whole and integrated to our true nature. Having a spiritual awakening may be a chaotic and frightening event, or a beautiful, sublime experience. Allow to release any pre conceived ideas on what this may look like for you.  Our spiritual journey is ever unfolding and awakening is not a one time event. Even when you may believe that you have become fully awake, know that it is ever evolving. Learn to let go from expectations as you seek to become ever more aware of your authentic self and the world around you. Self inquiry is the tool for growth. By having the focus of ourself and going within there is a greater awareness and the ability to identify when ego may have stepped in and created traps in certain beliefs and assumptions. 

Having an awakening is not about achieving certain goals. Sometimes people have the mistaken belief that having a breakdown is a spiritual awakening, nor is it about making certain changes in our life in the belief that it will bring an awakened state. An awakening is about listening to our soul. It is the beginning of a spiritual path. Without this inner calling, we may continue to go along the material path of seeking the empty callings of the world, one of fame, money, power. A spiritual awakening shifts this focus to something much deeper. 

An awakening is a call to go deeper in life and may bring with it a sense of turmoil. Awakenings can be quite unpleasant and painful, although I do believe that they are orchestrated by our Higher Self/Soul to wake us up. An awakening will bring to your awareness the illusions and traps of this world. 

Remember that this is a process that tends to happen in waves and not all at once. This could be too powerful of an awareness to integrate all at once. We peel back layers, just like an onion, layers of illusion and ego, in cycles of change. Just as the snake sheds it’s skin to grow, so do we shed layers in order to accommodate growth. 

Spiritual awakenings happen for a variety of reasons and experiences but is a calling out of our soul for growth.

In seeking the wisdom of your soul and understanding that everything in this world is transient in nature, everything but the divine nature of your soul, you will be able to honour the journey that is ever unfolding. Be conscious of any inner healing that must occur that can help to facilitate this process. A spiritual awakening is not a one-time event, but rather occurs in a series of events, one that may be precipitated by a large event  but is too a gradual state of awareness or unfolding consciousness. Creating space for this to occur is important to facilitate it. By spiritualizing our life we are able to create space for this to occur and support any future awakening or realizations. By spending time in meditation and mindfulness we are allowing for this to occur. So too, is any creative processes, whether by through writing, drawing, music or even baking or craft work, we are allowing for this by learning to slow down the rational mind and connect with our spiritual and creative nature. Spending time in nature is a wonderful way to connect with a sense of awe and gratitude for that of creation. You are a part of creation, and therefore connected with everything. Be sure to journal regularly to connect with inspiration and intuition from your soul and will further support awakening.

Most of all, be patient with yourself in this process. You are remembering your divine connection.

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Lorraine Appleyard is a Certified Spiritual Medium and Psychic, a Reiki Master and Spiritual teacher. Experiences with spirit as a child had Lorraine always aware of the world of spirit. It was in her early teens Lorraine sought and understanding of these experiences. Lorraine has spent over three decades of spiritual seeking, the study of comparative religion, philosophy, theology, all things esoteric and metaphysical, and the study of the human mind. Psychic and mediumship development also occurred during this time. Lorraine is a proud member of Best American Psychics, tested to be accurate and ethical. Working for almost 30 years as a nurse, has allowed Lorraine to clairvoyantly view the state of the aura with wellness and disease, using her intuition to gain a deeper perspective of what was occurring, and allowed for the study of the mind and mental health through a spiritual perspective. You may join Lorraine in her dedicated Facebook groups for development, Soul Light Solutions and Mediumship Development and Support, Global. Look for her weekly broadcasts Speaking with Spirit, for guidance and demonstration of psychic and mediumship abilities.