consciousness
Finding Peace and Joy In The ‘No-thingness’
Like Neo in the movie The Matrix (1999) our minds occasionally slip into luminous moments of complete stillness and clarity — tiny mental pauses where all thinking stops just long enough for us to glimpse the truth of all existence.
In these fleeting spaces between our thoughts, it becomes clear that the comings and goings of life are just that… temporary ‘blips’ of experience that arise and pass through our awareness.
I have come to know these moments as realizations of ‘no-thingness.’
In these brief pauses, something quietly opens up within us. We notice the obvious — what has always been there — hidden behind the busy waking mind and its constant commentary. Our awareness shifts from being consumed by temporary events to seeing what’s always there: the background, the container, the eternal.
These silent mental breaks reveal something much deeper and greater than our own existence and awareness.
There’s a word for this in ancient Sanskrit: svabhāva. It means one’s true nature — the essence of who we are beneath the roles, stories, and conditioning. The term is used in many yogic and Vedantic texts to describe the innate reality or unconditioned self beyond our human ego and thoughts.
Our true authentic self is not something we become. It’s something we remember. When we glimpse the silence between thoughts, we’re not discovering something new — we’re reconnecting with our original divine self. Not the self that reacts and worries, but the self that simply is. Svabhāva is the part of us that doesn’t come and go. It’s the constant presence behind every changing moment. It is the essence of living a truly conscious life.
What You Should Know About Spiritual Awakening
We live in a world that worships results. We proudly proclaim them: “I lost twenty pounds,” or “I was voted employee of the month.”
Tangible achievements deserve recognition. But in the spiritual realm, such milestones don’t exist in the same way. The universe does not operate according to human rules. The metaphysical realms cannot be measured by physical standards.
This is why when it comes time for us to experience a spiritual awakening — also known as an epiphany, illumination or inner shift — there is no outward certificate of success. It’s not something that can be counted or checked off a list. It happens organically, quietly, often unpredictably. And when it comes, it is only the beginning.
Think of it as a small ball of snow set in motion at the top of a hill. As it rolls down, it grows larger and more powerful, accumulating mass and momentum. That’s what spiritual awakening does: it starts with a whisper and becomes a roar. The journey that follows isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.
But what exactly is a spiritual awakening? At its core, spiritual awakening is the moment when you begin to perceive reality through a higher, expanded lens. It is a fundamental shift in consciousness — a sudden or gradual realization that there is more to life than what meets the eye.
A sudden awakening is known as “satori” in Zen Buddhism — a sudden moment of awakening or enlightenment. Satori is a flash of insight into the true nature of reality—an experience where the ego momentarily drops away, and one perceives life with profound clarity and unity.
Reclaim Your Power With Higher Consciousness
To fully embrace the divine love, guidance and support that surrounds you, your heart and mind must open and expand with increasing inner confidence and soul alignment.
This natural progression follows your initial spiritual awakening and allows your higher self to unfold. As you align more deeply with the universal flow, you gain access to higher states of consciousness and greater spiritual clarity.
As you embark on this transformative spiritual path, you may feel an acceleration of energy in and around you. This sensation is not random; it is a direct reflection of the profound shifts that are taking place on a soul level.
The energy of your environment also begins to shift in response, creating a dynamic interplay between your evolving consciousness and the world around you.
Throughout this process, your ancestors, spirit guides, and angels walk beside you, whether you consciously recognize their presence or not.
One of the fundamental truths about the spiritual realms is that energy moves much faster at higher frequencies. The higher dimensions operate at a refined vibrational level that is different from the density of our everyday physical reality.
As you attune to these higher frequencies, you will begin to notice an inner transformation — one that affects your thoughts, emotions, and overall perception of life.
The Sacred Invitation Of A Spring Renewal
With the first delicate buds unfurling and the air perfumed with the invigorating scent of nature’s reawakening, Spring has officially arrived. This sacred season carries with it the powerful energies of change, whispering to us of transformation, renewal and new beginnings.
But as exhilarating as change can be, it often comes with uncertainty, excitement, and sometimes even fear. We find ourselves at a crossroads between the comfort of the known and the vast potential of what lies ahead.
During the winter months, we instinctively retreated inward — both physically, as we sought warmth from the cold, and spiritually, as we turned our awareness inward to reflect, heal, and dream. Without even realizing it, we entered the sacred cave of our inner wisdom and nurtured the seeds of our soul’s deepest desires.
Now, as the earth awakens and the air becomes warmer, so does the essence of our being, ready to give birth to something new and profound.
Although you may not fully understand what is unfolding within you, your soul is always aware. It has been preparing you for this moment, nurturing the visions and intentions that you have been quietly cultivating in the silence of winter.
Sometimes new beginnings manifest as external changes — a career change, a move to a new home, or new relationships. Other times they unfold as inner changes — an awakening of self-love, a renewed sense of purpose, or a deepened spiritual connection.
Unlock The Door To Mental Freedom
We’ve all been there — lost in thought, replaying a conversation from years ago, wishing we’d said something different, or fixating on something that hasn’t happened yet and probably never will.
Our minds have a clever way of trapping us in the past, or pulling us too far into the future. In the process, we miss the beauty and joy of the present moment.
Being fully present is the key to happiness — the hidden treasure of everyday joy and fulfillment.
When we embrace the here and now, we experience true mental freedom. Instead of being burdened by past regrets or future fears, we begin to see life as it is — vibrant, alive, sometimes challenging, but always full of infinite possibilities and countless blessings waiting to be appreciated!
Think about the last time you were fully immersed in any experience. Maybe it was watching a sunset where the sky lit up with color, listening to music that made your soul soar, or laughing with a friend until your stomach hurt. In those moments, you weren’t dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about tomorrow’s to-do list — you were just there, experiencing life in real time.
Now, think about how often you are distracted by the constant pull of digital technology that keeps you from being fully present. Your phone pinging with notifications, drawing your attention away from the people and experiences around you.
From Skeptic To Believer In One Night!
As a child, I often eavesdropped on my parents’ heated arguments. Late one Saturday night, during one of these usual “ear-to-the-door” sessions, things seemed surprisingly less intense than usual. Instead of the customary shouting, I heard what sounded more like a lighthearted debate.
I could clearly hear my mother daring my father to “go with her” that Sunday night.
It wasn’t until years later that I learned the true nature of the dare. My mother had managed to persuade my father to accompany her to a spiritualist service in a London church.
To this day I am not sure how she managed to persuade him to go, but it turned out to be a life-changing experience for my father. I imagine it was also a great relief for my mother, who finally had a partner who shared her faith and passion.
Raised a Catholic and later a devout spiritualist, my mother often endured the ridicule of my father, who made fun of her faith in God and her beliefs about heaven and the afterlife.
But her dare marked the beginning of a significant change for him. While my father had never embraced organized religion or spirituality, he was about to have a profound spiritual awakening.
So, off they went. As “luck” would have it, Joseph Benjamin, a well-known spiritualist medium at the time, was one of the guest speakers at the church that weekend. My father later admitted that as he bundled up in his winter coat and scarf, he secretly hoped that he could make a quick getaway after the service and perhaps stop for a beer or two at his favorite local pub! Continue reading
The Mysterious Phenomenon Of Spiritual Chills
Chills and goosebumps are fascinating responses in the human body, rooted in biology and physiology, but also shrouded in mystery.
These physical reactions are mostly triggered by cold temperatures, strong emotions such as fear, excitement, or awe, or as part of the fight-or-flight response.
But not all instances of shivering, goosebumps, or the “heebie jeebies” are rooted in physical stimuli. Some occur for no apparent reason, suggesting a deeper, more metaphysical significance.
While science attributes shivers and goosebumps solely to primal survival mechanisms, a spiritual perspective offers another level of understanding – one that links these sensations to supernatural phenomena and spiritual encounters.
Goosebumps and shivers are ancient responses inherited from our primal ancestors. When our ancestors faced cold temperatures, their body hair stood up to trap heat and provide insulation.
Similarly, when threatened, their hair would stand up, making them appear larger and more intimidating to predators. We also see this response in the fur on our cats and dogs when they go into fight or flight mode. In humans, the function is just not as pronounced due to our sparse body hair, but the response persists.
This mechanism, called piloerection, causes the tiny muscles at the base of each hair follicle to contract, making the hair stand on end and creating the characteristic bumps we call goosebumps – so named because they resemble the skin of plucked poultry. This reaction is part of the body’s autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary responses.