Ultimate Guide to Spiritual Awakening and the Path to Enlightenment

Historical and cultural perspectives on spiritual awakening

In the past, there wasn’t as much separation between spirituality and religion as we have today. In many historical periods in the western world and around the globe, participation in religion has been mandatory, and people’s spiritual growth more often overlapped with their religious experience. Today religion is a choice in the western world, but many people still want to experience deeper states of consciousness formerly dominated by religious institutions.
And, many spiritual people today also hold deep religious beliefs: The two concepts overlap.

Many traditions of faith have special words for the altered states of mind accompanying a spiritual awakening, such as:

• achieving enlightenment, 
• nirvana, 
• kenosis, 
• revelation
• salvation
• moksha 

The common thread uniting these experiences is a falling away of concern for material existence and a profound sense of connection to an eternal source of energy, creativity, or the divine.
Many societies also recognize a growth of spiritual awareness in adolescence. Some cultures link this period to rites of passage into adulthood. Some psychological research suggests a lack of this type of experience for modern teenagers in the western world might be linked to an increase in depression, substance abuse, and risky behaviors in this age group. [4]

Stages of spiritual awakening

Although different cultures have different words and paths toward spiritual development, there are commonalities among them. In one study, the authors interviewed 34 spiritual teachers of high repute and acknowledged wisdom from around the world and developed what they call the Spiritual Awakening Evolution model (SAE.) This model identified four phases of spiritual development, regardless of culture: [5]

• A shift in perception
• Engaging in practices that support this shift
• Surrendering to the process
• A lifelong evolution of the person’s spiritual path from then on

From these results, we can see that, while each person’s ownpath is unique, the broad outline of the process is similar for everyone who has this experience.

Common misconceptions about spiritual awakening

One big misconception about spiritual awakening is it’s a destination you reach, and the journey is over. However, awakening to your spiritual path is a lifelong process. A person might have one or more intense periods of transformation and then a slow, and sometimes backward, path for a time.

Other misunderstandings include:

• A single spiritual teacher, mentor, or philosophy can provide all the wisdom you need to awaken spiritually.

However, exploring with multiple teachers and methods often enhances the process.

• Spirituality and religion are the same.

They are not, although they often overlap. However, a person can be spiritual without belonging to a religion or belong to a religion without developing spiritual awareness.

• Spiritually developed people are perfect.

No one is perfect, and awakening spiritually does not mean you will become flawless. However, as you develop a deeper connection to pure consciousness, your attitude toward flaws and mistakes evolves. You can learn to see them as guideposts, showing where to improve, rather than weaknesses to hide or become defensive about.

• A spiritual journey is a steady, even growth of spiritual attainment.

It’s usually more like a wavy spiral, involving periods of accelerated growth and other times of doubt and even regression. The important point is to stay persistent with your journey, wherever it takes you.

• Very few people experience spiritual awakening.

The researcher and author Steve Taylor reports in his book The Leap: Psychology of Spiritual Awakening [6] that “waking up to a more intense reality” happens all the time for ordinary people, even when they are not intentionally pursuing this goal and they lack knowledge of practices for spiritual awakening.

Spontaneous and gradual spiritual awakenings

Research from 2018 reveals that spiritual awakenings happen in two main ways: gradual and rapid. [7] Rapid development of spiritual awareness happens as a person’s sense of self suddenly dissolves and they experience a spontaneous, sudden burst of energy, recognized by some as a kundalini awakening. [8] A rapid awakening can happen after an intense period of psychological distress, such as the death of a loved one, life threatening illnesses or addictions, or ending a significant relationship.

On the other hand, gradual awakenings often occur without a traumatic spark igniting the process. The person might be consciously trying to develop spiritually, or it may happen slowly without their realizing, until one day, they recognize their perspective on life has changed dramatically for the better. This process can happen in stages over many years.

In addition, the type of awakening a person experiences can be influence by their innate temperament. For example, a more introspective person’s awakening might be enhanced by solitude, and a more extroverted person might come to theirs through a soul mate relationship or connection to a spiritually-minded community.

Can an atheist be spiritual?

Being spiritual implies an acceptance of a higher power of some kind, so you might think that spiritual awakenings are not possible for an atheist who rejects all belief in the divine.

However, atheists can and do report experiences that sound a lot like a spiritual awakening. [9] Often, as for many others, an atheist arrives at this experience after a profound life changing event.

While an atheist’s encounter might not involve a divinity, it might instead be filled with wonder, awe, and surrender to the mysteries of the natural world. Philosophy might replace religious experience on their path to spiritual enlightenment. Curiosity and awe at the enduring truth of mathematics, the mind-bending implications of quantum physics, and a feeling of non-duality with nature and the universe can all be experienced as forms of a higher power.

The science behind spiritual awakening [10]

Spirituality and science might not seem like concepts that belong together, but increasingly they are. Researchers in psychology, brain science and imaging, and human physiology are probing the physical nature of these mystical and religious experiences and confirming changes in the brains and lives of people who have them. Many studies examines how spiritual awakenings help people overcome substance abuse.

Other researchers are looking at what happens in the brain when people have mystical experiences. They have found that the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain where self-awareness happens, is a primary site of changes in the brain for those who awaken. [11] These changes in the brain then affect the person’s ability to think more clearly and process emotions more easily.

Emotional response happens in a part of the brain called the amygdala. Several studies have found that regular, deep meditation and prayer calm the amygdala, relieving physical symptoms of anger and reducing emotional turmoil.

In addition, the parietal cortex, a brain region responsible for the sense of self and spatial awareness, becomes less active when a person develops spiritually. The decrease in brain activity in this area might be what leads to a dissolving of ego and a feeling of being connected to others and the universe.

There are also studies looking at how engaging in spiritual paths like affirmations, prayer, and mindfulness can change the Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain. The DMN is a web of interconnected brain areas that actuate when a person’s mind is wandering and not focused on the world around them. Spiritual practices decrease DMN activity, resulting in a lessening of ego and a greater feeling of interconnectedness with others. Others are exploring how the pineal gland is involved in deepening spirituality.

Those who have a spiritual experience also show an increase in brain plasticity, meaning their brains become more adaptable to change and new ways of thinking. Brain researchers have even found that regular spiritual practice increases the density of grey matter in parts of the brain controlling regulation of emotions, empathy, and self-awareness.

Regularly engaging in spiritual activities such as meditation, prayer, and gratitude also increase a person’s ability to handle stress, resulting in a greater feeling of inner peace when facing difficult situations in life. [12]

Finally, much research has focused on the role of spiritual awakening in those who are seeking to overcome addiction to alcohol or drugs. Recovering people who develop an increased awareness of the spiritual perspective frequently undergo a deep transformation, allowing them to remain sober and drug-free. [13, 14]

1. Heightened self-awareness

One of the first symptoms of a spiritual awakening is often a heightened awareness of negative habits and a desire to change them. It’s common for us to live on a kind of psychological autopilot, without observing ourselves, how we interact with others, and what we really feel. As a growing spirituality emerges, a person often finds themselves asking questions like,

• Why am I always so defensive?
• Why do I always choose abusive partners?
• Why am I doing things I don’t really enjoy?
• Why can’t I stop these old negative habits?

When you are asking yourself these types of questions, you are at a perfect point for engaging in mindfulness: being full aware in the present moment without judgement about it. While simply watching yourself and your reactions without judgement might not sound like you’re doing much, this practice can have profound consequences in how you deal with life’s challenges, and it can even change the structure of your brain, making it easier to go through life in the future. [15]

Physical signs of spiritual awakening

As you open to a deeper reality, you might find you have:

• More or less energy than usual
• Brain fog
• A new feeling of being alive
• You’re sleeping more or less than previously
• Vivid or profound dreams
• A greater feeling of relaxation - or of turmoil - as you go through your day.

In addition, many people report the following physical changes while they awaken:

• Their senses of taste, touch, or smell becomes more sensitive. For example, the odor of a cleaning product or personal care product suddenly becomes unpleasant.
• They become intolerant of foods they used to enjoy. For example, perhaps they used to love fast food and suddenly it repels them.
• Eating habits can change in other ways, like developing a desire to become vegetarian or suddenly wanting to eat ethnic foods that previously weren’t appealing.

Heightened intuition

Intuition is sometimes called a “gut feeling” because it is a way of knowing that emerges from the body instead of the mind. Many people who undergo a newfound sense of spiritual connection report they experience an intuition awakening For example, you might know who is calling before picking up the phone or sense you should go to a particular place, where you coincidently meet someone you need to see.

Self-Reflection and Self-Inquiry

As you become awake to realities beyond the material world, it is common to reflect on your true nature and true self. You may wonder:

• Do I really like the people I’m hanging out with?
• Would I be more content in a different type of work?
• Have I hurt people and need to apologize or make amends?

Here are some tools that can help you engage in this self-inquiry:

Gratitude and Acceptance

Developing feelings of gratitude and acceptance is central to evolving spiritually. We often focus on what blocks our happiness: what we don’t like, don’t have, and don’t enjoy. However, if you start to look closely, there are always things to be grateful for, such as:

• The soothing physical sensations of a hot cup of tea in your hand
• The unconditional love of a pet
• Beauty in the natural world

One study on the power of gratitude for improving people’s lives surveyed 750 students, measuring the degree of their feelings of gratitude and comparing it to how well they coped with challenges, how much social support they had, and their overall sense of well-being.

The results? Those students who expressed a higher level of gratitude had better coping skills, a more cohesive social network, and a higher degree of overall well-being that those with less. [18]

Expressing gratitude and developing acceptance can have a life changing positive effect on your quality of life and awakening process.

Accepting the Impermanence of Life

One of the greatest sources of fear for most people is the fear of death. However, as we release old ways of perceiving and attachments, the impermanence of life becomes easier to bear. Perhaps this happens because gaining a deeper spiritual perspective means seeing oneself as an integral part of something much greater than yourself.

For others, spiritual development includes a belief that the spirit, soul, or consciousness is distinct from the physical body, and when the body dies, part of us continues to exist. Even if we can never prove an afterlife to be true, believing in an eternal soul sometimes helps in overcome a fear of dying. Listening to stories about peoples near death experiences can cultivate a newfound curiosity about one’s true nature as pure consciousness.

How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Enhance Your Spiritual Journey

As a person develops spiritually, they often desire to live a healthier lifestyle. It’s also true that by adopting healthier ways of living, you can enhance or accelerate your spiritual life and self-discovery. For example, you might decide to:

• Quit tobacco, alcohol, or drug use
• Start exercising more
• Reduce or eliminate processed foods
• Get more sleep
• Avoid movies or video games depicting violence
• Reduce stress by taking hot baths, saunas, or getting massages

Meditation and Contemplation

We talked about meditation, breath work, and mindfulness. However, there are a variety of ways to engage in these spiritual paths besides sitting in a classic lotus posture and meditating. For example, you can:

• Take a walk in nature
• Study yoga, tai-chi, or another martial art
• Dance
• Listen to relaxing music or scared sounds
• Help others

In each of these activities we are called to be present in the moment, an essential part of awakening our spiritual side.

Prayer and Affirmations

Some people who are not religious have a hard time with the idea of praying. If that’s you, consider this: Even if you do not believe in any type of divine entity, prayer can work by keeping your mind attuned to positive thoughts and gratitude. Prayer does not need to be religious. It can also be a way to connect with deeper levels of your own mind.

Navigating resistance and fear

The world we live in is highly focused on the material, making it difficult for many people to accept there is a spiritual dimension. In this case, you might encounter internal resistance and even fear as you attempt to grow spiritually. Here are some tips for overcoming these roadblocks.

• Challenge negative thoughts with positive affirmations.
• Practice self-care by eating healthy food, getting plenty of sleep, and engaging in relaxing activities you enjoy.
• Remind yourself daily that what you are doing is difficult and often slow. Be patient with yourself and don’t expect rapid progress.

Dealing with skepticism and criticism

As you progress in your spiritual awakening, you might tell family and friends and find they’re uninterested, skeptical, or disapproving.

To overcome this, seek out other people who are going through similar experiences or are farther along on their journey. You might find such people at a meditation center, a yoga class, or an online forum. If you can’t find people in real life who support you, consider turning to books and videos.

A challenging aspect of awakening spiritually for many people is letting go of relationships with others who are not developing their spiritual nature. However, it’s often necessary to do so, or at least, to avoid talking about your experience with them.

Managing the "dark night of the soul"

The “dark night of the soul” is a phrase that often comes up when people are developing spiritually. It may occur at the start of the journey or later, but it involves a period of feeling depressed and cut off from your soul or any higher power. For some, it’s the trigger that starts their spiritual unfolding. For others, it doesn’t happen at all.

Ironically, feeling desperately cut off from the divine can be a sign you are ready for a spiritual awakening. Your dark night might include:

• Feelings of intense isolation or alienation 
• Depressed mood
• Feelings of despair
• Reduced motivation for work and life in general
• Disgust with the world

This experience can be disheartening, but it’s often necessary. You can avoid allowing the dark night to dissuade you from your spiritual path by using the techniques discussed in this article, such as:

• Yoga
• Breathing techniques
• Affirmations
• Connecting with others pursuing a similar path
• Spending time in nature
• Journaling

Don’t let it stop you from your path! Instead, try to welcome it as the shedding away your old self, replacing it with a new and deeper version of your true self.

Finding like-minded individuals and communities

For some of us, the spiritual journey is something we do alone. However, for many, finding like-minded people and groups provides crucial support.  As mentioned earlier, it is not uncommon to have friends and family dismiss the experience. This social disapproval can make a challenging process harder. So, here are places to consider looking for support:

• Spirituality bookstores: Many large cities have bookstores specializing in spirituality. Besides reading material, these businesses also often have bulletin boards, newsletters, and websites listing groups, meetings, and events you can join.
• Meditation and yoga centers and retreats: Many large and small cities have meditation centers, yoga classes, and other local events centered on spirituality.
•  Natural food stores: As discussed above, eating healthy food is a significant part of spiritual development for many people, and these businesses often have bulletin boards and newsletters with information on events, classes, and social media groups.
• Houses of worship: Churches and temples, monasteries, and religious retreat centers are other place to consider finding a community of spiritually evolving new friends.
• Sobriety groups like AA also provide spiritual fellowship.

Seeking guidance from spiritual mentors

You can connect with a spiritual mentor in-person or by looking for videos and books written by these people. Eckhart Tolle and Joe Dispenza are two authors with many books on this subject. Finding a mentor and following their advice is extremely helpful for many, but don’t be afraid to explore with several different mentors to broaden your perspective and seek out those who can help you most.

The importance of open-mindedness and humility

A spiritual awakening is by definition an opening of one’s mind to new possibilities, so keeping an open mind and staying humble is always part of the journey. For example, you might start out thinking the idea of praying is ridiculous. This happened to the author Mary Karr, as she writes about in her memoire, Lit. She grew up in an atheistic family and had never prayed in her life, until she bottomed out as an alcoholic and her friends in an AA meeting suggested she try getting on her knees and praying.

At first, she reports her attempts to kneel and pray were more like a break dance move than a devotion. However, as she continued, she found being open-minded and humble about prayer opened many doors of understanding in her life.

Balancing the material and spiritual aspects of life

Deepening our spiritual selves does not mean we give up on everything in material life. We still have to eat, pay the rent, go to work, etc. The trick is to find the right balance of time and energy between material and spiritual pursuits. Here are a few ideas on how to do that:

• Set aside a specific time each day for meditation, prayer, listening to sacred music, or reading spiritual texts or philosophy.
• Set aside a specific day of the week where you only engage in activities related to your spiritual development.
• Read spiritually themed books or sacred texts or listen to spiritually elevating music at night before sleep.
• Join a spirituality group with regular meetings and make attending a priority.
• Use mindfulness any time in your busy life when you feel overwhelmed or think of it.

Mindful decision-making and ethical choices

Each day we make dozens of small and large decisions, and each one gives us an opportunity for self-exploration of our true nature, using mindfulness and ethical thinking skills. The trick is to slow down and take a bit more time when faced with a decision, asking yourself, “How can this moment play a role in my spiritual awakening?”

Nurturing relationships and practicing compassion

Whenever we interact with others, we have an opportunity to engage in compassion and empathy. Doing this means overcoming an ingrained tendency to feel judgmental when we see others behaving in ways we don’t like. Here are a few ideas for changing those old patterns:

• When you encounter someone you dislike, use it as an opportunity to engage in mindfulness by resisting the urge to judge. Instead, try observing them with newfound curiosity.
• Look for opportunities to help others by volunteering at a food bank, an animal shelter, or helping a neighbor.
• Spend time with people you love, and look for ways to do small things for them, such as making a cup of tea, offering a ride, or doing an errand.
• Perhaps most important of all is practicing compassion for yourself and nurturing your relationship with your spiritually evolving self!

Embracing the lifelong nature of spiritual awakening

As we mentioned earlier, spiritual development is not a destination but an ongoing process. If you realizing this, you will be better prepared for the ups and downs and lifelong nature of this experience.

Coping with setbacks and challenges

It is pretty much inevitable that we experience setbacks and challenges along the way. These can include:

• Criticism from friends, co-workers, family, and yourself.
• External events shifting your focus, for example, needing to find a new job or moving.
• The natural ups and downs inherent in the process of enlightenment.
• Working with the wrong (for you) mentor or method.

Even if these setbacks try your patience and make you want to give up, don’t. Instead, work to see each one as another opportunity to renew your commitment.

Cultivating patience and perseverance

Engaging in meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and breathing techniques can help you develop more patience and perseverance with multiple benefits:

• Lowering heart rate and blood pressure
• Reducing overall stress
• Thinking more clearly
• Staying present in the moment

X. Conclusion

Having a spiritual awakening is a deeply personal journey toward the true self that unfolds differently for everyone. For some, it’s a sudden transformation, occurring after a personal tragedy. For others, it’s a gradual process taking years or decades. The commonality in all such experiences is the individual moving away from values of the material world and finding new meaning, purpose, and direction in values like compassion, a search for truth, and feeling connected to something greater than ourselves. In the process, those who develop their soul’s potential achieve true joy, sustained happiness, and inner peace.

XI. FAQ

What are the signs of a spiritual awakening and enlightenment?

Some common signs are:

• A strong desire to find one’s true purpose
• Increased empathy and connection to others
• Experiencing a “dark night of the soul”
• Heightened intuition and sensitivity
• Decreased concern for material success and increased concern for spiritual growth.

What causes or triggers a spiritual awakening experience?

Often, they are triggered by a difficult experience, such as bottoming out on drugs or alcohol, ending a relationship, losing a job, a life-threatening illness, or a near death experience. However, many people also come gradually to a heightened awareness of the spiritual, without any single triggering event.

What does a spiritual awakening feel like?

You might experience intense emotions such as bliss or periods of darkness and despair. You will feel a falling away of your old self as it is replaced by a deeper consciousness of the spiritual world.

What happens during a spiritual enlightenment?

Awakenings and enlightenments are transformations of one’s inner life and perceptions, leading to meaningful changes in how a person lives and feels. You are likely to feel a greater empathy for others, more alive and present in the moment, and less concerned about money, possessions, and social status.

How long does a spiritual awakening last?

Awakening spiritually is a process without end. However, it often includes intense periods – such as a dark night of the soul or moments of oceanic bliss – followed by a return of being calmly mindful to the present.