Simple Tips to Navigate A Spiritual Awakening
My first BIG spiritual awakening was in 2010. A big part of my life flipped upside down that year. The hope I had for my life and my future was turned on its head and I was forced to look at myself, my behaviors and my expectations of other people more intentionally. It was a time of taking full accountability for all of myself.
It was a year that I will never forget. It launched me into my first layer of intense inner work, inner healing and reintroduced me to the world of embracing spirituality as a way of living and finally allowing my spiritual gifts to be seen and worked with. It was messy, heart breaking, freeing, enlightening and so painful all at the same time.
I felt more connected to a truly real and raw part of myself that I didn’t really know but was excited to and yet, at the same time, it felt disorienting as f**k.
Moving through a spiritual awakening (whatever that may be for you) is akin to navigating a spiritual depression. It’s a time that breaks you open and launches you into uncharted and often chaotic waters. It’s an exploration into the depths of your own heart, your traumas, your desires and your deep seated beliefs.
As the journey unfolds, the waves of change can be both exhilarating and wildly challenging to process and integrate. I’m writing this because I’ve been there - many times and I know they’ll be more layers of myself to peel back in the years to come and more life moments that invite me to deconstruct my sense of Self yet again.
Here are some practical tips that I found along my awakening path that helped me to navigate and embrace the transformative currents of a spiritual awakening.
1. Embrace the Unfolding Journey:
A spiritual awakening is not a destination but a continuous unfolding of self-awareness. Try your hardest to embrace the journey without rushing to reach a predetermined endpoint. I struggled with this in 2010. I learned from that experience that it’s so important to give yourself the grace to grow, learn, and evolve at your own pace. Recognize that the path to spiritual awakening is a unique and personal journey and there is no one-size-fits-all timeline. Plus, it is my belief that we never really “arrive” in our healing journey. As humans, we are forever unfolding new layers of self and for that - I’m thankful. It keeps life interesting and meaningful.
2. Cultivate Mindfulness and Presence:
In the whirlwind of personal change, try to anchor yourself in the present moment through mindfulness as much as possible. Engage in practices such as meditation, breathwork, somatic awareness (this is part of the work I facilitate with clients), or mindful walks. These practices create a sanctuary of stillness amidst the internal/external chaos, offering an invitation to personal clarity and internal calm. By staying present, you open yourself to the richness of the unfolding spiritual journey, one moment at a time. Surrender to the process.
3. Trust the Process of Detoxification:
As you move through a spiritual awakening, you may find yourself shedding old patterns, beliefs and relationships that no longer serve your highest good or purpose. Trust the process of this detoxification, even if it feels really uncomfortable and/or challenging.
There can be so much grief that comes up with the layers that are being shed in a spiritual awakening - especially when we have to let go of people/souls we don’t want to or we feel we’re not ready to.
In our culture, we don’t talk enough about the stages of grief that we move through when we cross this rickety bridge of letting go of certain people, ideas and our expectations for ourselves and our future. But please know and trust this–– releasing the old is essential for making space for the new and getting to the other side of healing and personal growth. Your life is always unfolding for your Soul’s highest path, even when it doesn’t feel that way. On the other side on that rickety bridge is inner transformation and a higher state of consciousness just waiting to emerge from you.
4. Connect with Like-Minded Souls:
Seeking connection with others undergoing similar spiritual journeys can provide invaluable support. Surround yourself with like-minded souls who understand and empathize with the nuances of the awakening process.
Find “your people” –– people you can talk to about these things, things of depth. Find people who won’t judge you, who will see you and hear you with love and acceptance in their heart. Join spiritual communities, attend workshops, or engage in online forums to share experiences, insights, and encouragement.
If these people are not in your current inner circle, you’ll have to #DSD ‘do something different’. Get uncomfortable and reach out to find these spiritually minded people in your community. They’re out there. They exist and they are lovely. Hi, I’m one of them. ☺
5. Nurture Self-Compassion:
Throughout a spiritual awakening, you may encounter moments of complete and utter self-doubt, confusion, or deep vulnerability. Cultivate self-compassion by treating yourself with kindness and understanding.
Embrace the idea that it's okay not to have all the answers and that the journey is about growth, not perfection. I have been around the block and have had my fair share of deep spiritual encounters, several dark nights of the soul and big awakenings and the more I move through each layer, the more I realize - there’s so much I don’t know. :) Please be patient and gentle with yourself as you navigate the uncharted territories of awakening. Your future self will thank you for this tenderness.
6. Explore Various Spiritual Practices:
Diversify your toolkit of spiritual practices to discover what resonates with you. There’s a lot out there! Whether it's meditation, prayer, yoga, chanting, energy healing, breathwork, etc. - explore all different modalities to find what aligns with your unique path. This exploration allows you to tailor your spiritual journey, creating a customized roadmap that resonates with your Soul and beingness. And that my friend, is key.
7. Really Listen to Your Intuition:
In the external noise, listen closely to the whispers of your intuition. Intuition speaks calmly and with quiet confidence. Trust your inner guidance to lead you on the right path. Intuition is a powerful compass during a spiritual awakening, providing insights, nudges and revelations that may guide you towards profound transformation and self-discovery.
One of the many layers of my work is helping clients to attune to their intuition more consistently by helping them exercise and develop it, so that they can be led by their inner wisdom instead of their fear, confusion and inner chaos.
8. Learn to LOVE Moments of Solitude:
In the midst of this crazy, upside-down and bustling world, honor the importance of solitude. Create sacred moments of quiet reflection, allowing space for introspection and connection with your inner self. Solitude becomes a sanctuary where you can recharge, gain clarity, and deepen your connection to the spiritual realms.
Work to rinse off the cultural conditioning of ‘more is better’ and practice leaning hard into being comfortable with the purity of solitude. Cultivate solitude as a sacred practice, especially when you’re moving through a raw and vulnerable time of awakening.
Navigating a spiritual awakening is a deeply personal and transformative experience. Work to embrace the uncertainties, honor the process of growth and trust the intuitive guidance that unfolds from within. As you sail through the uncharted waters of awakening, remember that each wave and challenge is an opportunity for profound spiritual evolution and self expansion. Learn to embrace the journey with an open heart and let the transformative currents guide you towards the expansive horizons of your awakened self.
I’m rooting for you. I’m here for you.
PS: If you need support and guidance as you navigate your own spiritual awakening, book a free 1:1 consult call today.