As a coach, I’m seeing more and more people going through a spiritual awakening. Here I explore the signs, symptoms, and solutions to dealing with such an awakening, using my own experiences. My journey is detailed in my fourth novel, WATER. Even though it’s part of a series, the book can be read as a stand-alone novel. You can get a copy here.
1. Sudden opening Not all but many people going through a spiritual awakening experience a sudden psychic opening. They know and see things they’ve never seen before. It feels like a lightning strike. For me, I went through a divorce and was at the Financial Times in London when the strike hit me — I could hear everyone’s thoughts. Not just thoughts, but their spirits. Even the trees began speaking to me. It’s at this stage that many people end up in psychiatrist’s office for a diagnosis. For me, I knew what was happening was important and I didn’t want to be labeled as sick. I knew it was a spiritual perceptual shift. For more on the debate over spiritual awakening vs psychosis, watch this TedX talk. 2. Spiritual Depression What worked before no longer works for you. Marriage, work, friendships — they aren’t aligned with who you’re becoming. How can you tell the difference between spiritual depression and regular depression? With regular depression, you can find your way again to loving the things you loved before. With spiritual depression, there is a great call to find a new way. When the lightning strike came at the FT for me, I just knew in my gut I could no longer be a journalist. There was simply no question. But oh how much I didn’t want to give up my jet-setting journalism life. WATER, my fourth novel, opens with the dark night of the soul I suffered on my journey. The transformation can be very emotionally difficult — for me it was like my skin was being ripped from my body. 3. The Call You’ll feel called to something but you won’t know what. I spent three years trying to figure out what I was being called to do. 4. The Walkabout You’ll need to spend some time just experimenting with new spiritual modalities. There is no other way. Take any online or in-person course that sparks you. For me, first it was doing a religious walkabout where every Sunday I went to a different religious service — from Presbyterian, to Unitarian, to Quaker meetings. Then it was classes in tarot and reiki and shamanism. At the time, I’d been a journalist and all of these alternative metaphysical modalities seemed so whack to me. So weird. But the despair was so great, I felt pushed into finding answers. 5. Rejection of the Call At some point, you will reject this new calling, probably in a spectacular fashion. I went back to journalism, to the Seattle PI to be specific. Within months my arms gave out (thoracic outlet syndrome). You’ll try to go backwards, and the consequences will be swift and brutal. 6. Spiritual Illness Many many people I’ve coached, including myself, went through an illness as part of their call. Our bodies scream at us that we need to change. Our illnesses themselves are the impetus that thrust us upon our spiritual quests. 7. Old Rules do not Apply You’ll find on this new journey that old hierarchical rules do not apply. You’ll try to get a “promotion” or “climb a business ladder” and it just won’t work. The new spiritual life isn’t about climbing up and being “above” others. It’s a spiral of spiritual growth that you’ll spend the rest of your life deepening into. Accepting this can save you a whole boat-load of pain. 8. Others Will Not Understand Already it’s tough enough on this new path as you veer between depression and giddy enlightenment (sometimes for years) and on top of that people will think you’ve gone stark-raving bonkers. You might have folks make fun of you. You might lose friends. Such is the journey of the spiritual warrior. I know some of my old journalist friends thought I was crazy. 9. You May Be Alone for a Phase To really hear what’s being said to you by spirit, to really ascertain what this new calling is all about, you’ll probably have a phase of being alone. Many many many people do. Own it. Use it. Love it. You’re being called to help save the world in a deeper way than others living “normal” lives will every understand. The calling is sacred and important. 10. Spiritual and Creative Volcano What most people find behind Door No. 1 is a whole playground of spiritual healing power and sublime creativity. I was a hard-partying wild-child expat, and could not believe I was being called to become a metaphysical coach to help heal people. I truly could not believe I was being chosen for such a spiritual path. Me? Me? I found I could channel and speak to spirits in a way most people couldn’t. Then there are the latent artistic talents that explode from just below the surface. This has happened with every client I’ve coached. As a book coach, I work with someone on a novel for a few years, and suddenly they find their voice and become a professional singer or actress or dancer. It’s shocking and beautiful to me how much creativity we have just waiting to get out. If you’re going through a spiritual awakening, it can feel like you’re losing your mind. You ARE! The mind has been molded by a toxic society and it must be lost so the true soul can be found. I offer one-time readings and ongoing coaching. Contact me if you’re interested and good luck! Join us for more conversations around spirit and creativity on Facebook group. Big loves! Caroline Allen Metaphysical novelist, visual artist, coach Award-winning author of Earth, Air, Fire, Water CarolineAllen.com info@carolineallen.com |