What is a spiritual awakening?
If you would have asked me a few years ago what a spiritual awakening is, I would have said, discovering you have a psychic gift, seeing spirits, or perhaps even a near death experience. It had to be dramatic and other worldly to prove the existence of the ‘other side’.
Since my own awakening in 2020, I see things a bit differently and I think that perhaps my experience may be quite common.
It was during the covid pandemic, I was turning 40. The perfect time for a midlife crisis perhaps. I was looking for purpose and meaning. What is a midlife crisis if not a chance to awaken to the possibility of there being more to life. Some people would rather deal with this midlife crisis, by spending money on extravagant things, getting a sports car or maybe even having an affair in a bid to find that thing that’s missing from your life, but if you just take the chance to look inwards you might start to find the answers.
My journey of healing and self discovery started very simply, with a book that I read, one rainy day while I was waiting in the car for my son to finish football training. We weren’t able to watch them training, due to covid restrictions, so I took a book that I had recently bought after watching a facebook interview with the author.
The book was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I read the book and it resonated so deeply with me, it felt as though a veil had been lifted and I was able to see things clearly for the first time. From this moment on, I deep dived into all things spiritual. I found an amazing podcast (Highest Self Podcast) and listened to hundreds of episodes, as I went on a hunt to find my purpose in life and connect with my intuition.
Along the way I believe that I did receive signs from my guides that led me to train as a hypnotherapist. This was something that was absolutely terrifying for me, as someone who has always been painfully shy, this was such a leap of faith for me to take. I came to the conclusion that we are all here for a reason, to learn and grow and overcome challenges. My biggest challenge in my life, was my low confidence, shyness and social anxiety. If I could overcome this and help others to do the same, how amazing would that be?
So, even though I believe that this was a spiritual awakening that set me on the path I was destined to be on, I always downplayed it. Who am I to say I have had a spiritual awakening? I’m not psychic, I haven’t had a crazy out of body experience that has rocked my world. It was just me, following the breadcrumbs with the belief that they would lead me to where I need to be.
Now I realise that spiritual awakenings are simply your awareness expanding, they don’t have to be big or loud or dramatic. They can be very slow and happen over a number of years and you will probably have more than one awakening. My first awakening, was the realisation that I am here for more than looking after everyone else. As a wife, mum of two and a chronic people pleaser, I was always making sure everyone else was ok but putting myself and my needs to the bottom of the pile. I realised that I am here for a reason, I have my own purpose to pursue and that its ok to do this and put myself, my goals and my dreams first sometimes. Awakenings are a chance to move on from an old identity that no longer serves us and step into a new version of ourselves.
If you find yourself questioning your life, I urge you to stop looking for external and material things to fill that hole. Take some time to sit quietly and look inwards. Start to follow the breadcrumbs of things that light you up and bring you joy. Start putting yourself first sometimes. Start believing that your dreams can become a reality. You only live once, why not start creating the life that you want.