A spiritual awakening process can mean many different things. It can bring about a lot of new experiences, and the release of many things that no longer feel resonate.

A spiritual awakening is often experienced as a “waking up” to new perspectives, new beliefs, and a whole new sense of what is important in life.

It is common to wonder what your purpose is and to discover that things you used to enjoy in your life no longer fulfill you. There can be a great deal of questioning, and it may seem as though you are looking at life through a new lens.

My Spiritual Awakening Process

After spending much of my life living in pursuit of the great American dream to be successful and live a life that others respected, I had forgotten who I was.  To be fair, I am not sure I ever truly knew who I was.  It really seemed as though life was a series of exercises in trying to fit in, be acceptable, and above all be successful.

I worked hard and played hard. For all intents and purposes, and from an outside perspective, I had a pretty great life; but underneath the exterior trappings, I felt there was something missing. For years, I covered over that feeling with food, money, vacations, work, and many other distractions that kept me from feeling the longing that lived in my heart.

Until I just couldn’t deny the truth any longer. I was in the beginning stages of a massive transition, which later I came to know as a spiritual awakening. On good days it felt similar to a total life reevaluation, and on bad days it felt like I was losing my mind. Yes, there was something missing, and I had no freaking idea what it was. After following all of the “rules” over the years, it felt like I was coloring way outside of the lines.

I felt equal parts excitement and terror. I didn’t know how to reconcile these two extremely different emotions.  That “something that was missing” was demanding to be found.  So I began looking for it, asking myself the tough questions, and seeing what rose to the surface.

Throughout this process, there were emotional symptoms – like crying for what seemed to be no real reason.  I felt annoyed and restless about things that didn’t use to bother me. It felt like I was standing on the periphery of my life that used to feel comfortable, and now felt strangely distant.  I even experienced physical symptoms.  It is as if my body started waking me up through aches, pains, weight struggles, and the list went on. All of my old tricks with my body weren’t working anymore, and it too wanted a new level of focus and attention.

The bottom line is that nothing felt the same as in the past. Life as I knew it was changing; I was changing. It felt like I was on a freight train going a hundred miles an hour and unsure of the destination.  The big question that weighed on my mind and heart during all of the inner upheavals was, “Am I going to listen to the faint whisper of my heart that is moving me into unfamiliar territory or am I going to try and drown it out?”

The truth is that I did some of both and found out intimately all of the nooks and crannies of spiritual awakening. I learned about the thought processes, fears, trials, wins, the shift in energy that is required, and the step-by-step process that unfolds.  One miraculous night in my then 1-year-old son’s bedroom, I was shown this profound four-step process that is the anatomy of transformation that we undergo during a spiritual awakening.  Since that night, I have gone on to teach hundreds of people about this process, and they have gone on to create their heart’s desires in the world.  Through the pains we go through in life, purpose is born and we, as human beings, are awakened.

The Signs of A Spiritual Awakening

Here are some spiritual awakening signs and symptoms. This is a list of the most common things that you may be experiencing if you are on the cusp of a spiritual awakening, or in the midst of one. See how many are true for you today and how many you may have experienced in the past:

• You know something has to change. Do you ever get the feeling that you need to break through and make some powerful choices but feel unsure about the right next steps?
• You are dealing with physical pain or diagnosis. Your body is communicating that changes need to happen with new aches and pains.
• You are having new physical sensations. Do you feel a different and warming sensation coming over you at certain times that you cannot explain?
• You feel like something is missing in your life, but aren’t sure what it is. There’s a nagging feeling of being incomplete, a feeling that there is a bigger thing for you out there, and possibly a new frequency to live at.
• You start asking deep questions. Are you finding yourself introspecting about life in general and wanting to go deeper?
• You feel more emotional than you used to. Emotions are more present, and you are beginning to experience a wider range of emotions.
• You desire more purpose and meaning in your life. Your current life experience isn’t satisfying. You wonder what else may bring more joy and fulfillment.
• You realize that you have been taught to believe in certain ways. It’s time to separate out other people’s perspectives from your own.  You begin to see that you made many choices in life to gain acceptance and love.
• You see through the illusion. The “ideal” life is something you thought you wanted before, but now, you realize that it’s actually an illusion of societal norms. You are finally past that and want to live authentically according to YOU.
• You find yourself seeking the truth. Is what you know and see really your personal truth?
• You have experienced a loss or painful event. This loss is the turning point of your life. This was when you started to question everything – which led you to seek your own inner truth.
• You feel lost and alone. The people around you are not aware that there is a spiritual awakening happening within you. You go through your daily routine, but feel a sense of loneliness in your current reality.
• You are equally excited and scared about change. Change is good, but change is scary. You aren’t sure if it will make your life better, so you end up questioning yourself and running different scenarios through your mind.
• You start questioning if it is possible to be fulfilled. The feeling of emptiness encourages you to look deeper.  You desire to find the things that will give you a sense of fulfillment.
• You find yourself wanting to spend more “me” time. Spending me-time with yourself is your way to go within and filter out all of the worldly distractions to find what’s truly important to you.
• You are feeling more sensitive. Because you are honest with yourself, you are able to open up to the environment and feel the world around you in a deeper and more profound way.
• You begin to see through to people’s true intentions. There is truth in others and you start to see it.  You observe people’s actions and motivations.
• You may start distancing yourself from certain people in your life. Negative or judgmental people have no place in your life, and you start pulling away. You want to connect with new people who understand and support you.
• You become aware of the ways you have held yourself back. More is possible, and you are beginning to believe that. You know you have the potential, but have always talked yourself out of it.
• You become very aware of your fears and doubts. They’re there, always a part of every process, but acknowledging them seems like a better idea now instead of ignoring them.
• You may start seeing number sequences or seeing signs in nature. Do you see 1111, or 555 or 222 a lot? Whatever combination of numbers you are seeing, they are messages related to your life right now.
• You want to know why you are here. You desire to understand your existence. What is the bigger picture?  What is my purpose?
• You start wanting to spend more time in nature. Connecting with nature is a natural instinct. Being with the trees, the mountains, the sea – they make you feel one with a larger Universe.
• You begin seeking a meditation practice. Clearing your mind and getting rid of the noise around you has become valuable to you.
• You feel a deep desire for peace and quiet. The quiet has a special appeal for you. It is where you can hear your inner voice, admiration, or critic, clearly.  It is where the truth has a voice.
• Your intuition is increasingly accurate. You used to only ‘feel’ it sometimes but now you are feeling more connected.
• You have a desire to help others. You’re not just concerned with your own life, but you want to share your gifts with others.
• You desire to make the world a better place. The struggle and suffering in the world had come to your attention and you want to help alleviate that in your own way.
• You feel more courage to seek the truth. There is less fear of facing the truth, or you are at least open to looking at it.
• You are able to love more fully. You are beginning to see that you are worthy of love and able to give it and receive it.

If you are experiencing these signs or symptoms, know that you are supported; and this is the beginning of more truth, love, and connection. As the process unfolds, it is common for people to wonder, “Why did I have a spiritual awakening?” The process of a spiritual awakening comes with many emotions, but once you see through the veil and illusions you will develop your own relationship with your inner truth. Then you’ll be able to share more love and goodness with the world. You are on the path to a life filled with more joy and fulfillment.