Going through a spiritual awakening is intense. It can be beautiful, but also a highly confusing experience in your life. Spiritual awakenings tend to occur when we least expect them so it is impossible to plan or predict what or when one may occur. When a spiritual awakening does occur, your life is typically turned upside down, but you will feel wonderful from the transitory experience.
Why Does It Happen?
There are a few reasons for a spiritual awakening. One reason is the assumption that has been proven by science that we are made up of energy and awareness that flows through a molecular structure comprised of atoms that are mostly pure space. The rest of the atom is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Energy is what makes things seem solid. The movement of this energy through matter manifests in different forms. This all adds up to us not being physical beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a physical experience. We are part of this manifestation so we can evolve. This means that any single event that happens to us, good and bad, serves a purpose to evolve. Spiritual awakenings, as well as other related things, are meant to accelerate out evolution journey.
How It Feels
When a simple awakening experience occurs, we experience a new vision of the world as if it is new and colorful. Everything will appear more profound and alive. We are almost seeing the world anew and things seem simple and right as problems fade away. This may intensify as we become more aware of the energy. The consciousness gives life to the objects we once perceived inanimate. We are suddenly allowed to experience the beauty and perfection that can now be seen everywhere. In Sanskrit, this is called Brahman or the spirit of the universe that pervades everything and creates an interconnectedness.
There are more intense awakenings that can lead to a boundless ecstasy that goes beyond the world of forms, making the divine very clear. There is an obvious perception and knowledge that is authentic, simple, and has always been present. Spiritual experiences are much like thoughts in that they come and go, but are important when they are present as well as before and after. These awakenings change us from the inside. A spiritual awakening has the ability to change our thoughts, habits, tastes, behaviors, and much more.
The feelings you experience during an awakening will not be the same for everyone. It depends on different factors like the type of awakening, your specific path, and karma. During the awakening, the common factor is often that of emptiness because our sadness is released and it is replaced with peace, freedom, and lightness. The ego-mind that generated the worries, anxieties, and problems is finally at peace. We can begin to dissolve into unity. It can feel as though in a single instant that everything we held certain melt away to make room for joy and truth. We began to realize what was always inside, that we are all part of the universal Self. We can perceive this sense of unity because our energy is the same that pervades everything in the universe and we can finally see because our eyes have been opened.
The bliss felt during an awakening experience is not joy brought on by something or someone, but one that simply exists. It originates from our essence. This bliss is our true nature. The huge amount of energy coming from the awakening calms our whirlwind of thought and the false image of self goes so that joy can surface and be revealed. It is for this reason that we need to meditate and calm the mind, letting go and emerging into our natural state of peace and allowing it to shine.
Dark Night of the Soul
One component that may happen with a spiritual awakening is what mystics call “the dark night of the soul.” This is a time of suffering that can precede the awakening. This is a period when the divine is pushing us through the pain as a necessary process so we can be born anew. Suffering is powerful because it forces us into the present where we can change and have a shift in perception and perspective. During this time, we may feel disconnected or forgotten by the divine. There may be a sadness that feels deep and impossible. Even though it is not easy in there moments, we must remember it is just a phase that will pass. You can choose to let it overwhelm you and remain helpless or you can take on an active role to start working on the Self. It is always better to be proactive to end the feeling as soon as possible. Just as not everyone’s awakening is the same, the dark night is not either. Some people may not even experience one at all.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
When you get to this point you will meet a guide or find a philosophy to follow that resonates with all that is inside you. This will show you how things are different and that it is possible to live in bliss. It is then possible to have insights, moments of great peace, and pleasure without cause. This is a time of wonder, gratitude, joy, and hope, as well as rebirth. Whether we like it or not, life is about change and this honeymoon type period will end. You will eventually reach a point of frustration and possibly exhaustion with the practices that brought you to that point. You may begin wanting even more and to get to the point that the research ends and you just exist within your peace. You want pure happiness always which means you are in the most prolific period where you can integrate lessons learned, experience deeper change, and experience tangible spirituality.
After Awakening
When a definitive awakening occurs, to put it simply, personal identifications move to the background and there is a great and permanent understanding of the consciousness. Your Self will be in the foreground instead of hidden away. Some of the after awakening features include peace, simplicity, stability, and contentment. While the spiritual awakening does not change your life, it will change how you respond and interact with life. It is about bringing the divine into your daily life.
Keep in mind that the stages are not precise or linear, instead often being chaotic, confusing, and painful, but wonderful. Your path will also be totally unique. After the spiritual experience we should stabilize this type of experience, though many will get lost and keep searching. It we get lost, we risk losing the thing is that is the most important. Stay true to the journey, even when it is challenging. It will pay off in the end.
