Over a decade ago, I had a spiritual awakening that shocked my existence. I wasn’t aware of spirituality, energy, meditation or anything of that nature. I was going about my day and then boom, it was like a lightswitch! I haven’t been the same since.
A spiritual awakening can be frightening, blissful and chaotic all at the same time. I had never felt that amount of pure stillness before, it felt like a waterfall of energy had been unleashed from within. I felt free.
I was lost, confused and in a state of shock. I remember wishing for any guidance during those moments, but that fell short. If your life is changing around you and you’re feeling vivid at the same time, it might be a spiritual awakening!
Let’s get into the 3 major signs of a spiritual awakening.
1. Your perception shifts
For most people, their awakening will come in a sudden “ah-ha” moment. What happens during the initial part of the awakening is that you are witnessing life “behind the veil”. The irony is that you aren’t looking behind anything, you’re only seeing what life, the universe and everything is truly like for the first time.
When you question who the “I” is within the mind and the “I” thought (or ego) starts to lose its vice grip on reality, you lose attachment to thoughts that kept you in the dream world. The reality is that humans have thoughts, but these thoughts are only thoughts. It’s an illusion, and the moment thought loses ownership of itself, your perception shifts.
You’ll notice an almost physical perception shift. It will go from feeling like “I” am in control to what feels like watching a movie. It’s consciousness experiencing itself, without an “I” or a “doer” within the mind. Thought is occurring without ownership.
This is the quintessential understanding that spiritual awakening brings forth. If you’re questioning your spiritual awakening, dig deep and ask yourself “
Who am I?”. Let the thought ruminate around in the mind, don’t force it or look for an answer. The truth will show itself if it’s ready.
2. You feel incredible amounts of energy
When the illusion is destroyed, it’s as if the
energy that is flowing all around us is felt for the first time. It can be described as a kundalini experience. When I first woke up, I started to notice how everything was slightly different.
Smells smelled better and when I laughed, I was really laughing. I felt as if I was experiencing life for the first time, and that’s what a spiritual awakening is! It’s when you get access to the energy that the ego has blocked off for years.
It has a certain taste to it. The dam that’s holding your energy in is removed, and all that energy has to go somewhere. If you aren’t experiencing this, that’s ok. Everyone experiences their
spiritual awakening differently.
Some wake up instantaneously and have an incredible otherworld experience while others creep into their spiritual awakening slowly. It might be an “ah-ha” moment for you. If your spiritual awakening isn’t 100% like mine, that doesn’t mean anything wrong. Everyone has their own unique journey.
3. You feel a deep sense of introspection
Spiritual awakening forces you to reflect on your life up until that point. Is what you’re spending your time on in line with your purpose?
A true awakening does not end. It’s a path that you’ll have to go through for the rest of your life. I went through phases where I felt I was in line with my purpose, only for life to come crashing down before me. It’s a flow that you’ll learn how to dance with, but in the beginning it can be disorienting.
The initial phase is meant for
deep introspection. You’ll reflect back on what you've done and where you’re going. You’ll question yourself, your friends, your career. It might even drive you to isolation for months if not years.
It’s ok to feel like you’ve lost your motivation. It’s normal to question your life and ponder what has meaning to you. You might want to change your job, find new friends or hobbies. Your spiritual awakening forces you to let go of previous egoic structures and it can be difficult. That’s why you need to be patient in the beginning and give yourself space and time.
Final Thoughts
When you have a spiritual awakening, it might feel disorienting or confusing at first. But when you look deep within your inner being, there is no doubt of your awakening. It’s an
unshakeable feeling that only you can confirm.
It’s better to be doubtful about your awakening than to be adamant. Question it, see if it goes away. It’s important to make the distinction that it’s not an experience that can be forced, it’s a flow that must be seen in reality. You’ll know it’s real when it’s happening.