Spiritual Awakening ‘Turns On The Light’

What exactly is a spiritual awakening, and is there a way you can tell if you are having one? Here are some ways to be aware of what is happening to you.

The first sign is usually when you are no longer living in a ‘dream world,’ where you used to see everything through your human ego and you were overly focused on the future and your past. This is a clear sign that you are becoming more spiritually aware. You have a greater awareness of your individual self and the connection between that and everything else. Things start to come into better focus in your life and make more sense.

When you closely examine various religions and faith traditions, there is usually a common thread that describes this state of heightened awareness as nirvana, enlightenment, or awakening. This new consciousness happens when you stop being the observer, and instead ask yourself, who is observing?

Many people go through life on ‘autopilot,’ because that is what they were taught, or they simply fell into a routine without giving much thought to who they really are, or what they truly need or desire to make their life meaningful. Asking such questions about yourself is important for your personal growth and self-realization. It is ‘turning the light on’ so to speak. The first step in growth is always the awareness of the present moment followed by an impulse to change something.

Awakening is about liberating yourself from the prison that is the world of the mind and daring to be here as all that you are ~ Leonard Jacobson

Attachment

Spiritual consciousness also guides us to become less attached. The unconscious are not aware that they have attachments. Attachments are usually how you define yourself. You may define yourself by the car you drive, the shoes you wear, what you eat, who you spend time with, who you vote for, what you read, and how you spend your money. Typical attachments include:

I’m smart.
I’m popular.
I’m a cat lover.
I’m vegan.
I’m a yogi.
I’m always late.
I can’t eat gluten.

It is very important to remember who you are inside, and how you really want to live. It is easy to fall into the trap of what other people think. It really does not matter at the end of the day. It is how you really want to live a more meaningful life that really matters. Do what is important to you, and do not follow the crowd. Remember it is okay to be just you.

The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can’t be organized or regulated. It isn’t true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth ~ Ram Dass

Fear

When we are spiritually aware we feel less overwhelmed and fearful, and begin to focus more on living fully in the present moment. We begin to see the positive in our life and no longer dwell on the negative. You begin to enjoy things, and you feel better about the future. You let go of the past and live in the present and look forward to the future. Inner peace removes the fear.

Compassion

Have you ever thought of someone, and then the phone rang and it was them on calling? This is intuition and it is an expression of our connected energy. We are spiritually connected to everyone and everything in our world. Empathy is a form of intuition. It is our ability to feel or sense what others are feeling. Compassion is our response to perceived empathy.

Individuals who are experiencing a spiritual awakening often begin to notice both a heightened sense of intuition, and an increased feeling of compassion and empathy. It is a more action-oriented compassion that feels normal, natural, and fulfilling. When we become spiritually aware, we begin to step outside ourselves and we start to look at things a bit differently. We are no longer so self-absorbed. One area of compassion that is often neglected, however, is self-compassion.

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul ~ Swami Vivekananda

Well-Being

Awakened people also have a level of well-being that seems to be more consistent. The mind-body-soul connection is restored, which translates to people who are not only happier, but also healthier. Practices to enhance your spiritual awakening include meditation, spending time outside, laughter, dancing, connecting with your community, volunteering, and practicing gratitude.

Cultivating the inner peace of spiritual consciousness means you are more solid, and nothing can disturb you. Nothing. If you remember this, you will always remain centered and grounded. It doesn’t mean that things don’t go wrong in your life, it just means that when things do go badly, you will no longer be going on an emotional roller-coaster. You will fall back on your inner spiritual strength to remain grounded.