Table of Contents
About: Spiritual Awakening
How to Cultivate a Spiritual Awakening
Tools for a Spiritual Awakening
Tips for a Spiritual Awakening
About: Spiritual Awakening
You are not your mind.
To have a spiritual awakening you must go within and not without. Look out for egotistical desires to overcomplicate your spiritual awakening by indulging in consumerism of spiritual products, or trying to intellectualize spirituality. While using certain items, such as crystals to help clear your energy is not a bad thing, it’s not going to determine whether or not you will have a spiritual awakening. Same with reading all the spiritual texts. Again, this provides insights that can certainly be helpful, but there is no amount of knowledge that will create a spiritual awakening. One much only go within. Everything you need to have a spiritual awakening is already within you.
We must separate from our ego and realize that our “personality” is not who we really are. It is a costume that we are wearing in this life. Who we are transcends our ego, our personality, and all of our judgments.
There is no button to push to have a spiritual awakening and there is no 3-step process. These are concepts that need to be integrated. There is no timeline. If you feel a sense of urgency or frustration that it hasn’t happened, than those feelings are at the root of what’s holding you back. Allow. Don’t force.
Learning how to be in the “Now” as described by Eckart Tolle has been an essential part of my spiritual awakening. I had to realize that I am not my mind. I am not my thoughts. I am the observer of my thoughts, the ever-present connection to all that is. The state of Being is recognizing that we are all connected to one energy. We are one. Some refer to this energy as God, the universe, the Higher Self. Labels don’t matter. The mind loves labels.
Our identity with our thinking allows our ego to create a false vision of “who I am.” This description that we identify with permeates all areas of our life. I am a mother, a counselor, etc. This “I am (fill in the blank)” belief allows us to create a separation between us and the other. This illusion of separation is manifested by the ego and keeps us from understanding our true essence.
How to cultivate a spiritual awakening
A Journey Within
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's easy to get caught up in the external world, constantly chasing after success, validation, and fulfillment. However, true fulfillment often lies not in the material realm, but within ourselves. Cultivating a spiritual awakening is about embarking on a journey inward, discovering the depths of our being, and finding peace and contentment in the present moment.
Here are some essential steps to guide you on this transformative journey:
Go within
The first step towards spiritual awakening is to turn your gaze inward. Take the time to disconnect from the noise of the external world and explore the rich landscape of your inner being. Eckart Tolle said that the “Kingdom of Heaven” that Jesus referred to is within us and to enter into it is simply ot gain awareness of our inner spaciousness, the state of who we are without the chatter of our minds forming judgements about literally everything. It is to be in a state of consciousness without thought.
This can be done through practices such as meditation, mindfulness, or simply spending quiet moments in introspection. By going within, you can tap into a wellspring of wisdom, intuition, and clarity that resides at the core of your being.
Realize that You're Not Your Mind:
One of the most profound realizations on the path to spiritual awakening is the understanding that you are not your mind. The incessant chatter of the mind, with its endless stream of thoughts, beliefs, and judgments, often obscures our true essence. By observing the mind without getting entangled in its web, you can begin to disidentify from its fluctuations and connect with the deeper dimension of consciousness that lies beyond the realm of thought.
Thoughts are frequently just one’s ego talking to us. Telling us that we need to achieve more, buy that outfit to look better to other people or to judge others. Our ego is telling us that we are either not as good as others or better than others. When in a state on conscious spaciousness, we separate from the ego and see that we are all one and that these thoughts are not who we are in our truest essence.
Forgive Yourself:
As you delve deeper into your inner journey, you may encounter aspects of yourself that you're not proud of – past mistakes, regrets, or shortcomings. It's essential to practice self-compassion and forgiveness as you navigate these inner landscapes. Recognize that you are human, prone to imperfection, and that growth often arises from acknowledging and learning from your mistakes. By forgiving yourself, you can release the burden of guilt and shame and move forward with greater clarity and self-love.
You may also realize that everything that happens is a result of karma that we’ve carried through lifetimes. These things have all lead you down your awakening journey.
Forgive Others:
Just as important as forgiving yourself is extending forgiveness to others. Holding onto grudges, resentment, or anger towards others only serves to perpetuate your own suffering. Recognize that everyone is on their own journey, grappling with their own challenges and insecurities. By letting go of past grievances and embracing forgiveness, you can free yourself from the shackles of negativity and cultivate greater peace and harmony in your relationships.
“Forgiveness does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of the past into hope for our future.” -Lewis B. Smedes
Tools for a spiritual awakening
While none of these tools will “cause” a spiritual awakening, these things can be adjuncts to your awakening process.
· Meditation-helps to go within and quiet the mind and ego. It's important to note that meditation gets easier with practice, but even as someone who meditates regularly, I still have trouble on certain days. This is ok. Don't judge your experience.
· Journaling-explore your thoughts and ego. (See our post "A Comprehensive List of Shadow Work Prompts)
· Past life regression-gain insights as to why you brought certain challenges into your current life-this may help you to forgive others or yourself
· Spiritual counseling-working with a spiritual counselor can help tremendously along your spiritual journey to gain new insights and have someone help you to explore your ego and thinking
· Energy healing-energy healing can help open chacras, remove entity attachments, close portals, and seal the aura.
Tips for having a spiritual awakening
· Don’t watch the news
Remove from negative media and social media, anything that elicits thoughts of separateness. Eckart Tolle points out that the ego likes to see the “otherness in others.” It likes to find reasons to see ourselves as separate from others. Watching the news is a great way to do this. We might think “look at those people!” And feel anger or disgust. This creates ideas that we think are our own. But they are not.
· Radical Acceptance
Don’t judge yourself or your experience. Just allow. Don’t try to “force” a spiritual awakening. Just be. Be in acceptance of where you are and what is without judgement.
· Get out in Nature
Being in a nature environment you can feel a sense of peace because being in nature can cause perceiving without thinking. Without the distractions of the outside world you can just be and observe the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of nature.
Also, nature causes energetic healing because the vibration of a natural surrounding is high than that of being in a city. Connect with the earth, put your bare feet on the ground, if safe to do so and just observe.
Conclusion
Cultivating a spiritual awakening is a deeply personal and transformative journey that requires patience, perseverance, and self-reflection. By going within, realizing that you're not your mind, and practicing forgiveness – both towards yourself and others – you can awaken to the inherent wisdom, love, and joy that reside at the core of your being. Embrace this journey with an open heart and a curious mind, and watch as it unfolds into a path of profound growth, healing, and awakening.