What is a Spiritual Awakening?
According to wikipedia, "a spiritual awakening usually involves a realization or opening to a sacred dimension of reality and may or may not be a religious experience. Often a spiritual awakening has lasting effects upon one's life. The term "spiritual awakening" may be used to refer to any of a wide range of experiences including being born again, near-death experiences, and mystical experiences such as liberation and enlightenment".
I chose to use this definition because it fits what I experienced. I find that most people I encounter define spiritual awakening in a much different way, so I often explain my own experience and its personal significance to me. For me, at least, the spiritual awakening I experienced resulted in me completely changing my beliefs about God, the world and the human existence in general. My religious upbringing taught me that we were created by God and lived one life. If we were good, and followed God's rules, got baptized, and asked for forgiveness of our sins, then we went to heaven. If we were bad, did not get "saved" (baptized) and continually sinned (which we could not avoid since we are mere humans) then we would be condemned to Hell. After my spiritual awakening I threw out all of what I had been taught about God and religion because it did not fit with my experience. No longer did I concern myself with sin or heaven or hell. No longer did I feel this was the only time I would live in a human body. It was as if I shattered a barrier that was put up around me by my family, society and environment. When it was gone, I was left with an entire world I had no human memory of but was somehow familiar. It was exciting and exhilarating. I felt like an explorer embarking on an adventure to explore a new world.
What caused my spiritual awakening? For me, at least, it was meditation. Wikipedia puts meditation at the top of the list of causes of spiritual experiences, along with praying, music, dance, exercise, and near death experiences (NDE) among others. Does this mean that anyone who does these sorts of activities will have a spiritual awakening? No. It doesn't even mean you will have a spiritual experience.
Another question I am asked was, "Were you looking to have a spiritual awakening?" The answer is always, "No". I was looking for happiness when I decided to meditate. I was trying to heal the wounds that resulted from my father's death. I wanted to make my peace with him. That was my only intention when I meditated.
If I could go back and change when I had my spiritual awakening, would I change it or put a stop to it? No. I have pondered on this question and concluded that if I had my awakening too soon, then I would not have survived it. I would not have been psychologically or mentally ready. If I had it later then I would not have survived long enough to have it since I was in a state of mental and psychological strain, depression and despair. My spiritual awakening occurred at the exact right moment. I would not change it for anything.
Can you make yourself have a spiritual awakening? YES. But be careful. It is not what you think it to be. A spiritual awakening will shatter your world and force you to pick up all the pieces and put it back together without a picture or map to guide you. You will be forced to reconcile with yourself and others. You will be forced to confront your own demons and ultimately yourself. If you resist, it becomes more difficult to avoid and you can be thrust into mental instability and psychosis. It is a difficult journey and many don't survive it. I am surprised I did. If you force yourself into a spiritual awakening when you are not mentally, psychological and spiritually ready, you increase your chances of failure three fold. The result of this failure is not one I would wish on anybody.
I will not tell you how to bring about your own spiritual awakening because to force one to occur is not safe. It either will happen on its own, naturally, when it is meant to, or it will not.
Another question I often hear is, "Do you have to be in contact with your guides to have a spiritual awakening?" The answer is always "No". My guide(s) did not bring about my spiritual awakening but played a crucial role in it. Will that be the case with everyone? No.
Another assumption people have about spiritual awakening is that the end result will be that they will suddenly be able to see/perceive the future of themselves and others and be able to speak with the dead. This is also not the case. Yes, your perceptions increase beyond your wildest dreams, but that does not mean you will have mystical powers or become superhuman. You will be propelled to a place that intensifies the abilities you already possess, whatever they may be, whether you are aware of them or not.
I also want to explain that my spiritual awakening occurred over many years. It was not just one experience, it was/is many, and it continues to a lesser degree now. It is an on-going process that will not end until I leave this body and may even continue over subsequent lifetimes if I desire it to. Once you awaken, you do not go back to sleep, no matter how much you desire it. You are forever changed.
I will describe the very moment I awakened and started my spiritual journey. I was given a book by Sylvia Browne called "Life on the Other Side". I was fascinated by the book and what she wrote about life on the Other Side resonated with me. Included in the book is a meditation. I decided to try it, even though I had no idea how to meditate properly and had never done a meditation before. It was a meditation to meet my spirit guide.
When I started the meditation, I remember thinking it was too easy and wouldn't work. Then, when I asked if my guide was present I remember feeling like my father was there. I felt a chill cover my body. It started at the base of my neck and the radiated down my spine and into my fingers and toes. It intensified and filled me with energy. I was buzzing with energy! I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard, "I love you". Instantly I viewed memories of the difficult times I had with my father when he was living. I was reminded of my regrets and heard him say, "It is okay. I love you." I felt forgiven. I felt loved and I felt peace. I cried and cried. All my concerns and regrets vanished. I was able to tell my father I was sorry, that I loved him and that I hoped he forgave me. He told me he did. I saw his face and felt his presence so strongly that any doubts I might have had that he was there with me vanished. When he left my side I felt peace. The experience was profound. I realized that my father was indeed on the Other Side, he was happy and he was watching over me. I knew something had changed in me; however, I did not fully realize all that had changed until the next meditation I did. This was my first meditation that marked the beginning of my awakening.
The meditation did not bring forth my guide. It brought forth my father. This is normal since family take precedence over spirit guides. Once my father had said his peace, there was no other family member in spirit that needed to speak with me. That left an opening for my guide(s). The next time I meditated, my father did not come through. Instead, I met Leslie, a highly excitable, bubbly, tiny red head, who claimed she was my spirit guide. After that, I was unable to shut off the connection and started to realize that the meditation opened up more than I bargained for.
I tried to stop what I started but I couldn't. I resisted and panicked. I convinced myself I was crazy. This lasted for weeks. I hated that what I thought were my private thoughts were not private. When I had a thought, wondering about something, I got an answer. When I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, I would be prompted to consider things about my life. I felt like I had my own personal shrink in my head! "Why do you do that?" was a common question, typically the question would come along with a visual of what it was referring to. When I refused to answer, it would be repeated. When I did answer, I would be shown past results of my actions and asked to consider them. I felt like I was in a psychologists office getting therapy. In a way, I was. There was no avoiding myself anymore. I was forced to confront that which I had avoided about myself. I was not fun but it was necessary.
That was just the beginning. I won't go into it right now, as it is for another post, but it gives you a glimpse into my spiritual awakening. Will yours be this way? Likely not. A spiritual awakening is unique to the individual. Yours will be yours and though you will search for others who had an awakening just like yours, you will not find anyone to have exactly the same experience.
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