Spiritual Awakening [What It Is, Symptoms, Stages & How to Experience It]

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Spiritual awakening is one of the most confusing, alienating experiences one has to go through. But, at the end of the day, it is the most profound and beautiful thing because it occurs at the moment you need it the most. We are here to guide you through the signs and symptoms that occur during this process.

What Is a Spiritual Awakening?

In many cultures and religions, people experience the same awakening but it bears a different name (enlightenment, nirvana, or bliss). The idea was popularized by Carl Jung, a famed psychiatrist. He believed that through this process we come back to our original Self and free ourselves from the constraints of the Ego.

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Why Does Spiritual Awakening Happen?

You’re most likely to undergo spiritual rebirth if you’ve experienced certain trauma in your life such as losing your loved ones, or you felt detached from the world as if you didn’t fit in. It doesn’t happen overnight but it’s the moment when everything you’ve kept inside yourself comes to the surface and you cannot carry the burden any longer.

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Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening

If you closely listen to what the Universe has to say, you will understand that spiritual signs are all around you. Here are the most common signs:

You Become Self-Aware

When you focus on yourself and pay attention to who you are and what makes you tick, you are one step closer to spirituality.

You Can Finally Let Go of Attachments

It is common to realize that unhealthy attachments are the root of suffering. Letting go of the attachments is a sign that you are on your way to spiritual ascension.

You Change Your Past Habits and Routines

As you slowly become spiritually awake, it is natural for your daily routine to change. The things that brought you joy in the past are now substituted by new things that become a high priority (e.g. spending more time in nature).

Your Dreams Become More Vivid

As your waking life becomes more vivid, your dreams become vivid as well. Your dreams are the soul’s attempt to transfer the negative energy from the subconscious into the conscious.

You Have an Increased Sense of Intuition

Becoming more intuitive is another sign of spiritual ascension. You start listening to your inner voice which was always there but buried deep beneath the layers of your ego.

You Experience Common Synchronicities

Has it ever happened to you to think of someone you haven’t seen in a long time, only to run into them the next day? This means you are experiencing something which is only a sign that you are on your spiritual path. Also, you might constantly be seeing angel numbers.

You Become More Empathetic and Compassionate

People who are on their spiritual path can become very compassionate and show more empathy toward others. A heightened sense of empathy results in compassion toward those who suffer and even trying to share their grief or despair with them.

You’re More Accepting Towards Other People

You stop passing judgment. You accept people for who they are and who they want to be.

You Start to Recognize Authenticity

Trying to prove yourself or fitting into the place society planned for you is no longer your aspiration in life. You are comfortable with the actions you take and the choices you make.

You Experience Physical Symptoms

The physical symptoms of spiritual awakening include feeling dizzy for a few days or having trouble sleeping.

Your Senses Are Heightened

It is normal for your senses to become heightened as you become more tuned in to the present moment. Your focus will increase, as well as your auditory perception. You will hear lower frequencies that you couldn’t hear before. Your sense of touch may also become more developed.

Key Takeaways

Spiritual rebirth is a profound experience.
It usually happens because of a certain trauma you have experienced in your life.
Spiritual signs are all around us if you care to look for them.
You might feel as if you are becoming more self-aware or as if your senses are heightened.

Stages of Spiritual Awakening

Everyone’s spiritual journey is unique but everyone goes through the spiritual awakening stages:

Stage One – The Beginning

This is just the beginning of your spiritual journey where you start questioning everything around you. As you start the journey towards spirituality, it is natural for you to slowly clear out things from your life (habits, relationships) and make place for the new ones. You may get a feeling of despair, frustration, and loneliness like something is missing yet you don’t know what it is. Don’t worry, it’s okay to feel this way because it’s all part of the process.

Stage Two – The Darkness

While in this stage, you may feel as if you were dying. In a way, you are – the old you die and a new you is born. The second stage is also known as spiritual purging. It is the stage where your soul brings everything that should be cured to the surface. It is by far the hardest stage to go through because you may feel that life is pointless and that you don’t belong anywhere in this world. While it can lead to depression, it can also function as a path to personal fulfillment because once you’ve hit rock bottom the only way to go is UP. This might be a stage when you need support, so it’s a good idea to check out online therapies that can help.

Stage Three – Curiosity

The moment you’ve made it through the darkness, you slowly embark on a journey of self-awareness. Writing, art, spending more time outdoors, and doing things you’ve never done before, are all very common behavior changes. You might even change your circle of friends because you felt like you were in a rut with your previous group of friends and will now feel a tendency to choose friends that share the same beliefs as you do. This stage is also called the sponge stage because just as the sponge absorbs water, you absorb new ideas and beliefs. Slowly but surely, you are becoming spiritually awake.

Stage Four – Rebirth

The name of this stage derives from the Japanese Buddhist term “satori” – awakening or comprehension. Before this stage, you were in the midst of confusion and inner struggles. But now, you’ve finally discovered your true self. From this stage onwards you decide to dedicate your time and soul to things that make you feel most alive.

Stage Five – Soul Growth

If you thought that you’ve already reached spiritual enlightenment, you still have a lot ahead. The fifth stage is probably the longest. It may take months, years, or even decades to get where you want to be. Here, the soul is growing and you implement new rituals and routines that help your soul thrive. The goal here is to follow your intuition because it will always lead you in the right direction.

Stage Six – Surrender

You’ve already done much internal work and you live in balance and harmony like never before. At this moment, the missing piece of the puzzle is to finally let go of the person you thought you should be in order to be who you are. In this phase, you’ll let go of everything that is holding you back. By this point, you are deeply aligned with your true self and the only thing left to do is to allow your true self to shine. You need to have faith that the Universe is working on your behalf, uplifting and guiding you every step of the way.

Stage Seven – The New You

The last step of spiritual awakening lies in achieving divinity, light, and love. The ego finally dies, and the soul awakens. You become fully aware of your purpose – to shine with your brightest light and serve the world.

DID YOU KNOW: The journey one has to go through can be metaphorically presented as a transformation from a caterpillar still wrapped in its cocoon (the first few stages when you are still questioning everything) into a beautiful butterfly (freed from any constraints).

How to Have a Spiritual Awakening?

To trigger spirituality you need to experience it practically as well as emotionally. Here’s what you can do:

Meditate

Living constantly in a rush and hardly managing to complete daily tasks, you can lose touch with your inner self. It’s important to take some time and devote it to yourself. No matter whether in the morning or late at night, take 10 minutes to meditate. Only through meditation can you quieten the mind and let the soul speak.

Laugh

We all know that laughter is the best form of therapy. But, what laughter has got to do with the spiritual awakening process? Well, laughter unburdens you and takes you far beyond the influence of your ego. In reality, it is the cure for the damage done by your ego. Try laughing even in the darkest times because laughter triggers the release of endorphins (happy hormones). Laughing till your stomach hurts and appreciating every single thing that brings you joy is important.

Dance

Dance is probably the oldest enlightenment practice. It is the ultimate expression of who we are beyond our names, titles, and achievements. Through dance, we allow our minds to be in the present moment. For a moment we get immersed in the rhythm and the beat, fully forget who we are, and let the spirit soar. Get on the dance floor, close your eyes, and let the music take you away.

Volunteer

As the last stage is about finding out that the true purpose of our lives is about service to the world, it is understandable that through volunteering we can experience spiritual awareness. We see a greater change within ourselves by helping those in need and those whose voice remains unheard. Try volunteering once in a while and you’ll find inner peace.

Practice Gratitude

There are three ways in which you can express gratitude. The first one is noticing the good things happening to you – each day think of three things you are grateful for or keep a gratitude journal where you’ll document the random acts of kindness that made your day. The second one is to savor the moments of gratitude – stop for a second, look around at the things you are grateful for. And the last one is to express heartfelt gratitude to everything around you every single day.

DID YOU KNOW: Small simple rituals can bring comfort and calmness to your soul if you practice them daily.

Conclusion

Through spiritual rebirth, you will come to understand that the present is your true home and there is no place for the past and the future in it. Enjoy the sensations and feelings that you experience today, meditate, laugh, explore your inner self, and learn to be the amazing, beautiful you.

FAQ

What is spiritual enlightenment?

Spiritual enlightenment is a sudden realization of what is truly important in your life. It frees you from feelings of despair and fills you with hope and gratitude.Spiritual enlightenment is a sudden realization of what is truly important in your life. It frees you from feelings of despair and fills you with hope and gratitude.

Can I stop an awakening?

Unfortunately, no. Once you start your spiritual journey you need to know that the only way to go is forward.

How long does a spiritual awakening last?

The process is long and hard, and it is impossible to predict how long it will last. We are all unique and we undergo a spiritual awakening at our own pace, so it may take months, years, or even decades.

ABOUT AUTHOR

I've loved writing since I can remember, and back in high school, I started loving psychology as well. So I majored in it while dabbling in spirituality and yoga on the side.

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