4 Stages of a Spiritual Awakening & How to Recognize Them

Every once in a while, the world opens itself up to us and completely flips everything we thought we knew on its head. When tragedy, major changes, or eye-opening experiences happen, our lives are changed forever. These are the moments that open us up to deep spiritual enlightenment.

Are you feeling a profound shift within yourself, questioning your beliefs and the meaning of life? If so, you may be experiencing the first signs of a spiritual awakening – a journey that can lead you to a deeper connection with your true self and a greater awareness of the world around you. This transformative experience can bring positive changes to your daily life, but it can also be accompanied by emotional turmoil and uncomfortable physical symptoms as you navigate the spiritual awakening process.

Let’s dive deeper into what a spiritual awakening is, the symptoms it brings along, and how to navigate the journey as we’re going through it.

Jump To:

• What is a spiritual awakening?
• What causes a spiritual awakening?
• Spiritual awakening stages
• Spiritual awakening symptoms
• How do you navigate a spiritual awakening?
• Final thoughts

What is a Spiritual Awakening?

A spiritual awakening is a personal journey of self-discovery that opens your eyes to a new way of seeing the world and your role in it. It often begins with a transformative experience or a series of events that prompt you to question your old belief systems and explore your spiritual side. Spiritual enlightenment involves shedding the layers of conditioning and societal expectations that have blurred the lines of who you are at your core, allowing you to re-connect with your higher self and transcend the 3D world.

Many people begin to feel like their current life-situation is too “small” for them during a spiritual awakening and have an intense desire to feel more expansive, fulfilled, and purposeful. The 3D goals and material possessions that previously felt so important begin to feel meaningless and shallow compared to newly found depth of being part of something so much bigger.

What Causes a Spiritual Awakening?

Sometimes there is an obvious trigger for a spiritual awakening like life-changing news or trauma. Other times, the awakening comes on as more of a surprise – almost like an otherworldly “download” of new information and a new perspective. Let’s take a look at some of the most common factors that may lead to a spiritual awakening.

Life-changing event

Significant experiences like a near-death experience, the loss of a loved one, or a major health crisis can shake the foundations of your reality and prompt you to seek a deeper meaning in life. The phrase “It’s always darkest before the dawn,” applies nicely here. When we run into extremely challenging chapters in life, we often come out the other side feeling like something’s gotta give. We become more open to drastically different points of view and ways of approaching the world when the things we’d previously believed to be fool-proof stop working. If you’ve been going through a very difficult chapter in life, you may be on the edge of a profound spiritual awakening and new relationship with your higher self.

Emotional trauma or pain

Unresolved emotional wounds or prolonged periods of emotional distress can lead you to seek healing and personal growth through spiritual practices. It’s not true to say that you have to go through something terrible to eligible for a spiritual awakening, but that’s often where it begins. When we discover how painful life can be, we’re often compelled to discover the other side of the coin. How wonderful can it be? What is the path to peace and happiness? When we begin asking these questions with an open heart, the answer often comes in the form of spiritual guidance.

Dissatisfaction with daily life

A growing sense of emptiness or a lack of fulfillment in your personal or professional life can inspire you to explore your spiritual journey and find a deeper connection with your true self. This is more of the slow-burn approach to a spiritual awakening, but your higher self knows you are meant for more than a menial life with monotonous days. If we spend long enough feeling uninspired and trapped in a life that is too small for us, it can become a powerful catalyst to expanding our consciousness and awakening our inner wisdom. This journey often begins with engaging in shadow work, or intentionally looking within to find the parts of ourselves we’ve been ignoring.

Unprecedented spiritual experience

Sometimes a spiritual awakening can come seemingly out of nowhere thanks to undeniable signs or synchronicities from the universe. Experiencing recurring symbols, numbers, or unexplained coincidences can be signs from the greater consciousness or your spirit guides, nudging you toward your spiritual path. It’s possible for your inner being to attract these kinds of signs and synchronicities into your experience in such a powerful way that it forces your eyes open to the larger forces at play. Sometimes the pull of the “other side” simply becomes too strong for us to ignore and we are led to pursue a spiritual journey towards enlightenment.

Spiritual Awakening Stages

While every individual’s spiritual awakening journey is unique, there are a few common stages that many people experience. If you’re in the middle of your own spiritual journey, you’ll probably recognize which stage you’re in!

The call

This initial stage often involves a transformative experience or a series of events that challenge your old belief systems and prompt you to seek a deeper understanding of life. The call can be a confusing time. It’s an invitation to shed your old identity and begin listening to your inner self rather than outside influences. Often, the call comes alongside a major life change that forces you to see things in a new light. It’s possible to experience the call of a spiritual awakening and choose to bury your head in the sand through numbing or distraction. If you choose to answer the call, it’s likely going to get harder before it gets easier. But have faith – the light at the end of the tunnel is so worth it.

The dark night of the soul

As you begin to shed your old beliefs and patterns, you may experience intense negative emotions, confusion, and a sense of disconnect from your outer world and material possessions. The next stage, the dark night of the soul, can be a painful part of the process of spiritual awakening involving intense internal work. In a way, going through a spiritual awakening is like experiencing the death of your old self. It’s not easy to let go of beliefs, patterns, and even people that used to serve you. It can feel lonely and scary to be so far outside your comfort zone. Just remember, the dark night of the soul doesn’t last forever and just like a butterfly who emerges from a dark cocoon, you will come out the other side more beautiful than ever.

(Related: What Is The Dark Night Of The Soul?)

The awakening

During the awakening stage, you start to experience a profound shift in your perspective, gaining a greater awareness of your true self and the interconnectedness of all things. During this phase of your spiritual awakening, the need to know more and go deeper into the mystic realm can feel all-consuming. There are infinite avenues into the world of the mystic but some of the most common are meditation, aura readings, psychedelics, tarot, astrology, chakra health, crystals, and essential oils. This is a fun and incredibly eye-opening time filled with spiritual experiences and curiosity.

Integration

Once you’ve awakened to your spiritual nature, the final stage is to integrate your newfound insights and spiritual values into your everyday life and daily routine, creating positive changes and finding inner peace. This phase might take a long time to complete. It can be challenging to stay true to your newfound sense of self around friends, family, coworkers, etc who already have a preconceived idea about who you are. It’s easy to get sucked back into the demands of the 3D world and lose sight of your spiritual connection. It’s okay to take your time and be patient with yourself as you learn to integrate the spiritual world with the material world! In fact, for most of us, the integration stage is a lifelong practice.

Spiritual Awakening Symptoms

\As you embark on this transformative journey, you may experience a range of signs and symptoms during the different stages of spiritual awakening. You may recognize some of these as obviously part of your awakening, or perhaps these will give you some insight that you’re on the brink of something you didn’t even realize. Either way, here are some of the signs and symptoms the universe sends when you’re experiencing enlightenment.

Vivid dreams, daydreams, and out-of-body experiences

The universe often speaks to us through our subconscious minds and the best time for this is while we’re asleep or extremely relaxed. If you find yourself zoning out more often and having vivid, intense dreams or out-of-body experiences, it may be your consciousness exploring the spiritual realm.

Increased intuitive abilities and psychic experiences

During a spiritual awakening, your third eye chakra will also experience an awakening. Your third eye chakra allows you to connect with your higher consciousness and tap into your intuition and psychic abilities.

A pull towards spiritual practices like meditation or yoga

A spiritual awakening invites us to begin spending our time differently than ever before. You may suddenly find yourself wanting to do more “woo-woo” things like meditation, yoga, drum circles, or full moon rituals. A hunger for a spiritual practice is your spirit’s way of staying grounded in our material world.

Asking existential questions

Questioning your life’s purpose and exploring your spiritual values is a huge part of a spiritual awakening. Don’t be surprised if you start contemplating the meaning of life, your true purpose in this lifetime, and what’s really important to you. This is one of the most beautiful and fulfilling gifts of a spiritual awakening and allows you to connect with your authentic self on a deeper level.

Increased sensitivity to energy and the natural world

During your awakening, you’ll likely become more aware than ever that everything, including you, is energy. If you suddenly feel more tuned in to your own energy and the energy of the natural world around you – realizing how connected everything is – it’s likely a symptom of your spiritual awakening. Eventually you’ll learn to tap into this energy and use the law of attraction to create your ideal life.

Physical symptoms 

As you get in touch with your spirituality, you may experience physical sensations like body aches, headaches, and sleep pattern disturbances. Noticeable changes in the way your body feels can be an indication that your energy is shifting in a big way. Your physical body is just as much a part of you as your spirituality and the two are constantly exchanging information.

Emotional intensity

Becoming more tapped into the spiritual world can include intense feelings of love, joy, and a deeper connection with others, as well as bouts of sadness, anger, or anxiety. Human beings are complex spiritual beings and our emotions are indicators of the depth we are capable of experiencing. Try not to judge yourself for your range of emotions! It’s just your spirit’s way of recalibrating with the new information you’re taking in.

Exhaustion and the need to recharge alone

Before a spiritual awakening, many people are uncomfortable spending time alone. After, being alone can become one of the most comfortable places to be!

A desire to spend more time in nature

​Nature is a direct conduit of the power of the cosmos. During a spiritual awakening, the true beauty of the natural world becomes undeniable and we begin to feel more connected than ever to trees, plants, flowers, sunsets, water etc. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself suddenly becoming and outdoors-y person!

A strong desire for changes in relationships, careers, or living situations

The path of awakening often includes drastic changes to the way your life looks. Once you’ve opened your eyes to the bigger picture of life, it becomes nearly impossible to keep living in the same circumstances you were before. If you feel a sudden urge to make new friends with like-minded individuals and change your scenery, don’t be alarmed. It’s just part of the process.

An interest in new hobbies

​Since a spiritual awakening involves such a drastic shift in your energy and vibrations, you may find yourself suddenly open to and interested in things you’d never paid attention to before. This is a fun part of the process – enjoy exploring parts of yourself you never knew you had!

Increased gratitude for the little things in life

The newfound perspective of a spiritual awakening makes it impossible to be bogged down by the stressors of the 3D world like we used to. Part of the “ego death” you’ll experience during this process is a new appreciation for the little things that make life beautiful. Suddenly we realize that everything doesn’t have to be perfect for it to be beautiful and worthy of gratitude.

New ideas and inspiration

The universe has a way of breathing new life and vitality into us through ideas and inspiration. When you become aligned with the cosmos and the energy of the universe, don’t be surprised if you become a wealth of innovative thinking.

A detachment from the physical world

During this transformative process, the things that used to feel so important to us can quickly become small and meaningless compared to the spiritual development we’re going through. You may lose your attachment to physical possessions, goals, or ideals that used to seem sacred.

Increased empathy and compassion

Once you feel the “one-ness” between yourself, other people, and the whole universe, it’s impossible to remain selfish or blind to the needs of others. A spiritual awakening is often accompanied by a new perspective on your role in the world and contribution to the wellbeing of others. 

How Do You Navigate a Spiritual Awakening?

Navigating a spiritual awakening can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you through this process:

1. Practice mindfulness and present moment awareness. This will help you stay grounded and centered as you navigate the emotional roller coaster of spiritual growth.
2. Seek guidance from spiritual teachers, mentors, or support groups who have gone through a similar experience and can offer wisdom and encouragement.
3. Engage in spiritual practices like meditation, yoga, or energy work to cultivate a deeper spiritual connection and inner peace.
4. Be patient and kind to yourself. The spiritual awakening process can be intense, and it’s essential to honor your emotions and take care of your basic needs, both physical and emotional.
5. Let go of attachments to material possessions, societal expectations, and old belief systems that no longer serve your higher self.
6. Embrace the changes and view them as opportunities for personal growth and a deeper understanding of your true nature and purpose.
7. Stay open to receiving guidance from the universe, your spirit guides, or a higher power, and trust that you are being guided towards a better place.
8. Pay no mind to toxic people (even family members or friends) and focus on your own journey – trust that the right people will stay and new people will enter your life

Final Thoughts

A spiritual awakening is an intense and powerful journey of self-discovery and personal growth. While the path may be challenging at times, it can ultimately lead you to a profound shift in consciousness, a deeper connection with your spiritual being, and a greater sense of fulfillment in your life. By recognizing the signs of spiritual awakening, embracing the process with an open heart and mind, and seeking guidance from spiritual mentors and practices, you can navigate this transformative experience and emerge with a greater awareness of your authentic higher self and a deeper understanding of the world around you.

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