As a world swirls with distractions, noise, competition and constant stimulation, the notion of being “spiritually awake” has grown in popularity. In many ways a lot of people speak about awakening as if it was some sort of supernatural event or some sort of sudden illumination or some sort of magical metamorphosis and they think that there are some people that are enlightened and some people that aren’t. In the world of social media, spiritual awakening is frequently envisioned through a lens of crystal collection, meditation retreats, pretty photos of the sunsets, and a constant stream of positivity. However, real spiritual awakening does far exceed trends, fleeting moments of euphoric emotion, and superficial appearances.
The spiritual awakened one does not flee from reality, they see reality more clearly than ever before. It is the evolution of consciousness that brings about a shift in the way that a person experiences themselves, others and life itself. Spiritual awakening is not the process of becoming perfect, superior, or separated from people. Instead, it is a matter of being utterly honest and conscious, compassionate and in line with truth.
Spiritual awakening is essentially an awakening from what is dubbed as unconscious living. The vast majority of people live their lives based on their habits, fears, social conditioning, desires and external validation without ever asking themselves why they think, feel or act that way. The spiritually awake individual starts to ask questions about everything: their identity that they have picked up, what they have been told to believe in, the constant striving for status and even about reality itself. This questioning doesn’t have to be a rejection of the world, but it does often make for a more true and real relationship with the world.
The first step toward spiritual awakening is when a person recognizes that all he or she can accomplish in the outside world will not bring lasting satisfaction. Society tells us to pursue success, wealth, beauty, recognition and things. Although these experiences can provide a momentary sense of gratification, they can’t fill the human soul. When a person becomes spiritually awakened, even if they have success in their life outwardly, they sense a void. This inner emptiness doesn’t have to be depression and failure, it can be an invitation to the soul to look beyond material success and achievement.
The more the person awakens the more they realize about the ego. The ego is not bad, it is the mind’s structure through which we interact with the world. When people are fully identified with the ego, however, they start to think they are just their status, appearance, opinions, achievements, or social identity. When the veil of the layers is lifted, spiritual awakening shows there’s something deeper below. A person begins to realize what a significant role fear, insecurity, comparison and seeking approval have played in their life.
This can be a pain in the ass. Spiritual awakening is painful before it is peaceful, in fact. For many people, waking up is a dream come true, but for most, it is often a combination of unpleasant surprises, unmet expectations, emotional hang-ups and delusions. It can be a sense of losing an old identity. Relationships can evolve and priorities priorities can change and old thoughts and ways of thinking may not seem relevant. The awakened one might be confused, lonely or emotionally charged not being able to comfortably exist in unconscious patterns.
This discomfort is, however, of some benefit. When consciousness expands, inner pain becomes visible, as darkness becomes visible when light enters a room. Spiritual awakening is not about denying that darkness exists, it’s about having the courage to see dark and live with it. A spiritually aware individual realizes that healing happens when one is not denied, but rather through awareness, compassion, and responsibility.
The other key factor in spiritual awakening is increased self-awareness. People behave in automatic ways to life without analyzing thoughts or feelings. They get angry and don’t know why, they get anxious and don’t know where, they make snap judgments and don’t know where they are going. Spiritual awakening brings in the interval between stimulus and reaction. Someone starts to watch their inner world rather than being ruled by it.
This self-awareness leads to higher EI levels. A spiritually aware person is not an emotionless person, they have a strong feeling. The difference here is that they don’t let emotions take over their actions anymore. They know that feelings are not permanent states of being. Anger, sadness, fear and joy are all recognised and not over-experienced. This emotional intelligence can contribute to greater inner stability and resilience.
Awakening is a natural way of increasing compassion. An unconscious individual is likely to make a “us” vs. “them” distinction. They make harsh judgments about others and don’t notice their own problems. The spiritually awake person starts to realize that all human beings have their own share of pain, fears, conditioning and struggles. This knowledge does not justify bad conduct, it engenders empathy. The awakened person sees the human in another person, rather than an enemy or competitor.
This is a spirit of compassion not just in human relationships. For many spiritually alert individuals, their awareness of nature, animals, and environment builds deeper. They do not see the Earth as something they can use up, but one that is alive and on which they live. They start to feel connected — they realize that all life is connected, beyond the scope of the ego’s ability to perceive.
Pure light and infinite love be with us!