A spiritual awakening can lead to a great sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment. However, initially, you may find discomfort in your new perception of reality.Â
In my previous article, Awaken Your Potential: The Evolving Stages of a Spiritual Awakening, I spoke about how spiritual awakenings are often preceded by life-changing events. Pivotal life moments, such as a sudden loss, a serious illness, a divorce, or a career change, can elicit a shift in your perspective and launch you on a spiritual path. Â
As your journey unfolds, the feelings and sensations that come forth can be unfamiliar and even unnerving at times. You may notice an evolving sense of self and heightened emotions. If you don’t recognize such changes as symptoms of a spiritual journey, it can be unsettling.Â
To navigate your ongoing journey, it is helpful to understand that the stages of spiritual awakening are evolving and not linear; there will be periods of ebb and flow. In order to receive the full benefits of your journey, it’s valuable to honor and nurture your emotions, sensations, and introspective impressions.Â
Understanding Your Spiritual Awakening
Emotional Responses
Post-awakening, it can be common to experience a surge of heightened emotions. As your journey continues, you might find yourself oscillating between moments of profound joy and deep sorrow. It’s important to embrace the highs and navigate the lows with grace and understanding.Â
Heightened sensitivity is a blessing that you can use as a tool to navigate your journey towards enlightenment. Here are some of the emotions you may experience:
Profound Joy: You might feel profound joy as you see the world in a new light, realizing deeper connections and greater passion. This newfound perspective can make you feel more alive and aligned with your purpose, which allows even the smallest of moments to produce unimagined joy.Â
Deep Sorrow: The process of awakening often brings deep sorrow, since it might mean coming to terms with past traumas, injustices, or personal losses. You may also feel grief over what might have been, or have difficulty adjusting to changes happening externally and internally in your life.
Excitement: As you develop heightened intuition, you may experience excitement about the synchronicities and signs that guide you. It could feel like the universe is communicating with you in a more direct way, and you become eager to see where this path leads.
Confusion: You might feel confusion as a result of the whirlwind of emotions and energies you’re tuning into. It could even be challenging to distinguish your feelings from those of people around you, making it necessary to navigate a new depth of empathy.
Fear: Awakening can bring fear of stepping into the unknown or letting go of old beliefs and structures that no longer serve you. You might be afraid of what you’ll discover about yourself or the world.
Peace: Amidst the chaos, there can be moments of peace, where you feel deeply connected to your inner self and the universe. This comes from understanding and accepting the natural flow of life, with its ups and downs.
Compassion: Your heightened sensitivity tends to foster increased compassion, as you become more attuned to the feelings and struggles of others. You may find yourself understanding and empathizing with people on a deeper level, with a greater desire to help and uplift others.
Handling Your Emotions
Embrace your heightened emotions instead of shying away from them. These feelings are signals of growth and indicate that you are tuning in to your inner self. During your awakening, it’s important to give yourself space to experience the emotions fully. Simple practices like mindful meditation, deep breathing, or even taking a walk in nature can help you connect with these deeper aspects of yourself.
It’s also vital to give yourself the grace to evolve, to learn, and to adapt. Engaging in meaningful conversations, reading enriching literature, and becoming a part of a supportive community can provide nourishment for your evolving soul.Â
A New Sense of Self
The journey of spiritual growth is continuous, filled with moments of lucidity or confusion. As you embrace these intrinsic aspects of your journey, you’ll experience an overall sense of clarity and see things you may have overlooked before. This includes a new sense of self.Â
Since this version of you is new, it might come as a surprise when you handle situations differently. Instead of reacting as your ego did in the past, you pause to consider how you will choose to respond. At times, this might be surprising. Yet, keep in mind that a spiritual journey tends to be fueled by faith. Accordingly, positive responses could authentically be the most likely outcomes of your new sense of self.Â
The Gifts Of A Spiritual Awakening
As you become more receptive to the voice within, you learn how to trust your intuition. This enhanced intuition becomes your guiding force, allowing you to see things from a new point of view, understand situations better, and discover greater fulfillment and passion.Â
Material pursuits often fade in importance. Instead, your emphasis will be on personal development, enriching experiences, and meaningful relationships. A heightened awareness of energy vibrations can lead to distancing yourself from relationships that don’t serve you, while making new connections that support your evolving self.Â
Your ability to more intensely feel your emotions, along with the energy of others, is a true gift of your spiritual awakening. Embrace the highs and lows with an open heart. Trust that the universe is guiding you towards the most benevolent outcome for your highest potential.Â