“The reason people awaken is because they have finally stopped agreeing
to things that insult their soul.” Anonymous

I was recently teaching a young woman how to meditate. When asked why she wanted to learn, she shared that she had been experiencing mild anxiety and depression for some time. She wanted to feel more peaceful inside and her counselor recommended she give meditation a try.

What we uncovered as the session progressed, surprised both of us. This young woman was experiencing the inner conflict and turmoil that often accompanies the process of awakening.

As her story unfolded, she told me that she had no idea who she was. The majority of her life decisions were based on what she felt she should do and not what she felt she wanted to do. She explained that she didn’t seem to fit in with many of her friends and family who were urging her to get a certain type of job in order to make a good living. She was feeling torn between the messages that she had received about what she needed to do to be successful and what fed her deeper interests and passions.

What has this scenario got to do with awakening?

My client was beginning to feel the pull of her Soul and the deeper truths about who she was at her core. She was feeling confused about the origin of her inner turmoil. She had yet to become aware of the difference between her conditioned, habitual thinking and the yearnings of her Soul. These yearnings represented a blueprint for who she was meant to become.

She did not understand that there was a life force greater than her at work behind the scenes, creating conditions inviting her to awaken. And that entering into the process is voluntary with consequences if/when we don’t respond.

Are You Listening?

The sad truth, however, is that the majority of people who receive this invitation have no idea that it’s an invitation.

When we ignore, deny or turn our back on the invitation because we don’t see it for what it is, we often experience symptoms such as emotional issues, physical health problems, relationship challenges and jobs that don’t feel aligned.

More and more people are being called to make this shift. It is a normal part of the evolution of our consciousness. Unfortunately, most do not understand what is happening. This awakening process is misunderstood. People experiencing awakening react as if there’s something wrong when in fact it’s a natural and beautiful, albeit often difficult, process of growth and change.

As we continued to explore what this awakening felt like for her, this young woman experienced a sense of relief. She was curious about spirituality and was feeling drawn to learn more about a creative life force that she intuitively knew played a significant role in her life. She went on to explain that she found herself asking the big questions in life: What is the purpose of my life? Why am I here? Why have I suffered in my life when most of my peers seem to be happy?

All of these signs pointed to the realization that this woman was being invited to awaken. This awakening involves a process whereby we shift our worldviews and begin to see things differently and more clearly.

What is Awakening?

Awakening reveals that which had previously been hidden from our view. It’s about awareness. When we become aware, we wake up from the over-identification with our minds and our perpetual thoughts. We then realize that we are the awareness of our thoughts and not the thoughts themselves.

Our awakening calls us to shed the beliefs and habits that no longer serve us in order to step fully into who we’re meant to become.

In my practice as a life coach for the spiritually minded, I’m seeing an emerging pattern. More and more people are feeling this inner urge to awaken. Unfortunately many are not aware of what this inner pull and restlessness are all about. And even if they are aware, most are lacking the tools to support them on this inner journey of exploration, discovery, healing, and growth.

Meditation and mindfulness are necessary tools for the awakening journey. They teach us how to look inside ourselves and find the answers in order to live in alignment with our Souls.

Our community would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below if you feel you have or are in the process of awakening. What does it feel like? Do you have the tools that you need to aid you in the process?