Spirituality is all about discovering our inner self, the part of us which is beyond the physical, mortal or limited existence. While there are many of us who discover our spiritual truth through regular meditation and spiritual training, some of us experience an awakening all of a sudden, whether through dreams or near death experience.
With proper practice and wise guidance we can gracefully handle all the new awareness being opened up throughout our journey
Here are a few pointers to help us understand the inner changes we experience as the real symptoms of spiritual growth. If we are experiencing these changes in our life to some or the other extent, it is a sign that we are following the right spiritual path and practice. If yet to experience them, especially if stuck in negative symptoms or experiences …then it is merely a matter of time we will move on to the next level, provided we keep meditating and learning constantly from the right sources:
1.) From Outer to Inner Awareness
Spiritual growth is accompanied with psychic, emotional, physical and mental changes as our inner senses are opened up. We become more perceptive and sensitive to the hidden nature of reality. Before spiritual awakening people saw the world with only their limited five senses, dismissing any spiritual information given by others as ‘unscientific’. After spiritual awakening we can more easily experience the astral or subtle dimension, see more meaning in dreams and receive messages in meditative state. The unconscious is made conscious helping us in healing unknown blocks as they are revealed to us.
2. From Negativity to Positive Transformation
As hidden blockages and negativity are brought up into our conscious awareness it can be uncomfortable to some people at first. Through the right spiritual training and inner work we learn how to release our fears. Slowly psychic disturbances reduce, whether insomnia, nightmares or disturbing visions, physical pain or discomfort as blocks are being healed, or emotional highs or lows as we shift from material to spiritual awareness. We attract more positive people, situations, energies…We accept new and positive changes in our hobbies, career, relationships, beliefs and attitudes as our inner vibrations transform for the better.
3. From Stress to Peace
Before spiritual awakening people usually saw the world as a fixed reality that they had limited power over. Day to day life was stressful and fearsome for many of us then. Through the right spiritual study and meditation we gain inner stillness and peace of mind. We begin to see how peace is always within us and can be found anywhere and at anytime regardless of situations. Slowly our inner peace starts radiating all around us to create waves of peace everywhere we go. At times people can automatically feel and sense the calm and healing waves of peaceful energy flowing in and around us too.
4. From Anger to Understanding
Before spiritual awakening we would have felt upset at others, whether family, teachers, colleagues, society, politics, god or deity….blaming them for all problems and difficulties. As our spiritual awareness rises we begin to realize how we create our own life experiences at a deep inner level. We understand that everyone is going through their own cycles of learning just like we are. We can empathize and understand the reasons for their issues, their fears or worries while remaining detached at the same time; allowing them to learn and focusing on what we must learn. We begin to also detach from our own expectations from them thereby putting ourselves in a place of real power.
5. From Victim to Magical Being
Spiritual awakening helps us see how we are manifesting our own life experiences from moment to moment. We are no longer victims of fate or destiny, helpless and incapable of influencing our own life situations. Instead of blaming stars and planets for the patterns of our life we begin to realize how celestial bodies and everything in nature merely guides us through intuition and symbolism, toward our own inner psyche. We start applying this wisdom to transform our own inner energy, our beliefs and our vibrations with the result that our own life improves and transforms from inside out.
6. From Pity to Respect
With enhanced spiritual awareness we are less likely to feel sad or unhappy about the state of the world. Instead, we start feeling more positive about the potential and capacity of the world to change. There is a sense of respect for everyone as a divine being who has their own positive energy or power hidden within them. Instead of seeing people as under-privileged, lesser-fortunate or vulnerable, we recognize their potential for complete and total transformation. We serve them best by helping them realize their own power instead of merely handing them some spare change.
7. From Guilt to Self-transformation
Being spiritually aware also helps us gain power over our own hidden blockages, addictions or fears. Instead of feeling guilty or regretful about something we did or did not do, we focus on the present moment from where we can create transformation. When we see our problems and mistakes as lessons and learn what we should from them, they stop bothering us repeatedly. Our own inner patterns are reset through this learning. We replace our own self-limiting ways of thinking, feeling or behaving with those that serve our highest good.
8. From Disease to Wellness
Spiritual work and meditation enhance and improve the energy flowing through us. When we know that it is energy that is manifesting as our physical life, we begin to master our own inner state. This leads to a better well-being and deeper healing that unites our mind, body and spirit as one. Through proper and dedicated practice we learn how to be less affected by the outer world and how to maintain inner balance. Dependence on medication and drugs reduces automatically with the right meditative practice.
9. From Hunger to Contentment
Those who lived solely in the material dimension and seldom tried meditation were likely to be engrossed in the endless search for pleasure, entertainment, fame, wealth and status, life after life. On the other hand by enhancing our spiritual awareness we discover a deeper part of us which is forever happy, peaceful and content in itself. Instead of seeking constant stimulation through food, sex, internet, socializing or shopping we start feeling more and more satisfied from within. This way we discover the true meaning of abundance consciousness.
10. From Ego to Humility
Most conflicts, enmities and power struggles were caused due to a feeling of separation between ‘me’ and ‘the rest of the world’. Our ego was hurt easily when we were spiritually unaware of who we are. Spiritual practice helps us learn that the world and our personal self are deeply interwoven; that everyone is somewhere connected to us, and we to them. We see a great divine being in every person and thing uniting us as one greater Self. This way there is no scope for pride, egotism, inferiority or superiority – just a recognition that everything and everyone is simply here to teach us the higher truth.
11. From Selfishness to Love
Spiritual ignorance has been the root cause of all evil, having manifested as hate, attacks, corruption, lack of ethics or anything that was harmful in nature. Through spiritual awareness we all are now realizing the real meaning of love. We have truly begun to grow as spiritual beings when we discover unconditional love and compassion. Instead of trying to serve our lower, limited, physical selves at the expense of others, we begin to realize the value of being harmless, kind, forgiving and positive towards every being regardless of how they are.
12. From Illusion to Truth
Spiritual realization and awakening are the real ways to be truly liberated and freed from the illusions of ups and downs, suffering and pleasure, happiness and sorrow. Deep within us is pure peace and bliss. This true happiness does not depend on whether or not we have something or someone in our life. We realize that outer life is merely an illusion manifesting through a play of our desires and wants, fears and hopes, conscious and unconscious thoughts. We discover our innermost truth which is infinitely more satisfying than anything can ever be. This sets us free!
