A spiritual awakening can feel like a profound shift in your reality—a transformative experience that changes how you perceive yourself and the world around you. While some spiritual awakenings are spontaneous, most often they’re triggered by significant life events such as crisis, catastrophe, loss, hardship, or a prolonged experience of deep suffering. A spiritual awakening invites you to explore the deeper layers of existence. It can bring both clarity and challenge, manifesting as physical, emotional, or spiritual changes. Recognizing the symptoms of a spiritual awakening, whether physical or emotional, can help you navigate this powerful journey of self-discovery.
What is spiritual awakening?
At its core, spiritual awakening is the process of coming into alignment with your true Self. It’s a journey of self-discovery that opens your awareness to the interconnectedness of life and the universe. This awakening often feels like peeling back the layers of your identity, shedding limiting beliefs, and uncovering your authentic purpose. While the experience can be deeply personal and unique to each individual, it universally fosters a greater sense of inner peace, clarity, and connection to something greater than oneself.
How to recognize spiritual awakening: 10 symptoms
Spiritual awakenings often bring noticeable changes to your body, mind, and emotions. These transformations are not merely symbolic; they can show up as tangible physical sensations and shifts. For example, many individuals experience changes in energy levels, sleep patterns, or bodily sensations as their inner and outer worlds come into alignment. It’s important to note that while some symptoms are common, everyone’s spiritual awakening journey is unique.
How do I know if I went through a spiritual awakening?
A spiritual awakening is marked by a heightened sense of awareness and a shift in how you perceive the world. If you find yourself questioning old beliefs, experiencing sudden bursts of intuition, or feeling an inexplicable pull toward self-discovery, you might be in the midst of a spiritual awakening.
1. Changes in Sleep Patterns
During a spiritual awakening, your sleep patterns may shift dramatically. You might experience periods of insomnia or wake up at unusual hours, often with a sense of restlessness or clarity. This is your body’s way of processing the energetic shifts occurring within you.
2. Heightened Sensitivity to Energy
You may become more aware of the energy around you, including other people’s emotions and the vibrations of your environment. This heightened sensitivity can feel overwhelming but is a sign of your deepening connection to the universe.
3. Intense Dreams or Visions
Vivid dreams, symbolic visions, or recurring themes in your subconscious mind may surface. These experiences often carry messages from your Higher Self, guiding you toward greater understanding.
4. Feeling Lost, Sad, or Depressed
As old aspects of your identity fall away, it’s common to feel lost or disconnected. This sadness or depression stems from letting go of past attachments and beliefs that no longer serve you, creating space for your true Self to emerge.
5. A Strong Desire to Learn About Spirituality
You may feel an urge to study spiritual books, teachers, or practices that previously held little interest. This curiosity reflects your Soul’s yearning to explore The Luminous Path of awakening and embark on the Grand Odyssey into Soulfulness.
6. Changes in Appetite or Diet
Your body might crave different foods or go through periods of fasting or cleansing. These shifts often align with your body’s need to support its energetic transformation.
7. Heightened Empathy and Compassion
As your awareness expands, you may find yourself deeply attuned to the emotions and experiences of others. This heightened empathy fosters a greater sense of interconnectedness and unity.
8. Increased Intuition
Your intuition may become stronger and more reliable. You might experience sudden insights or a sense of knowing that guides your decisions and actions.
9. Feeling a Sense of Gratitude
A newfound appreciation for life, nature, and the small joys of everyday existence often accompanies a spiritual awakening. Gratitude becomes a powerful tool for aligning with your higher self.
10. Physical Sensations or Tingling
Some individuals report experiencing tingling sensations, vibrations, or warmth in their body, often in alignment with their chakras. These physical symptoms are a sign of energy flowing through you more freely.
Spiritual Awakening Signs
Beyond the physical symptoms, spiritual awakenings often bring profound emotional, psychological, and spiritual shifts. You may notice a strong desire to re-evaluate your life’s purpose, love relationships and friendships, seek solitude, or develop a deeper sense of empathy for others. These signs reflect your evolving inner world as you align with your true Self or Higher Self which we also call our Soul. So, in this sense by awakening and becoming more authentically our true Self – aka our Soul – we literally become more Soulful.
Questioning Old Beliefs
A hallmark sign of spiritual awakening is the urge to question long-held beliefs and societal norms. This process can feel disorienting but ultimately leads to greater clarity and personal empowerment as we start to align more and more with the values and principles of our Higher Self and release the enculturated conditioned beliefs in the form of values, principles, theories, doctrines, and dogmas that our upbringing, society, culture, religion, etc. imposed on us.
Feeling a Pull Toward Solitude
You may find yourself craving quiet moments of introspection and solitude. This time alone helps you process the profound changes you’re experiencing and reconnect with your inner truth.
Re-evaluating Material Pursuits
One of the most significant signs of a spiritual awakening is the realization that pursuits in the material world—such as fame, fortune, applause, and the accumulation of possessions—lose their significance. What once seemed rewarding no longer fulfills you in the same way. Instead, “all the things money can’t buy” take on greater importance. Love, purpose, deeper meaning, and virtues like integrity, nobility, honor, and purity (in terms of Sattva) become the true treasures of life.
Other signs may include a heightened sense of gratitude, a novel feeling of interconnectedness with the entire world around us, or a newfound passion for creative expression and learning.
What to Do If You Have a Spiritual Awakening
Navigating a spiritual awakening can feel overwhelming, but there are practical steps you can take to embrace the journey. Begin with practices that ground you, such as meditation, journaling, or spending time in nature. Consider seeking guidance from a spiritual mentor or joining a supportive community to help you make sense of your experiences. Above all, approach this journey with self-compassion and patience, recognizing that it’s an ongoing process of growth and discovery. As I explain in my book Love+Truth:
“Once awakened, we may choose to go on our journey of awakening when we feel ready, but the journey itself is no longer an option.”
Find Your True Self Through Spiritual Awakening
A spiritual awakening is a profound opportunity to align with your higher purpose and uncover your true Self. While the journey may be challenging at times, it is also deeply rewarding. Embrace the process as an evolving path of self-discovery, growth, and connection to something greater than yourself. If you’re ready to take the next step on your journey, consider reaching out for guidance or support.
Book a coaching session or sign up for our newsletter to stay connected and continue your path toward transformation.
