The Shock of Spiritual Awakening Part 1: Honoring our Creations

Many spiritual teachers and authors frequently present the concept of how to powerfully create our reality by "feeling" good.

The emphasis is on holding onto positive feelings as we spiritually awaken to free ourselves from the matrix. To do this we are told to  control our emotional reactions. I agree, in part, with this idea, but I feel that it is actually the second step. Let me explain exactly what I mean. 

The first step can be acknowledging what we are, in fact, feeling, thinking, imagining, or fearing. This can be a little shocking. Rushing in with affirmations or prayers to clean up things and feel better at the first sign of fear can actually slow down the manifestation process. Avoiding emotional pain is sometimes known as Spiritual Bypassing. 

The Hidden Side of Spiritual Practices

The reality is that "stuff" is coming up. As we learn to consciously create our lives we are forced to grow, change, and shift. In that process it’s normal for anxieties to surface. We can even feel pessimistic. If we deny our true feelings as they arise, or try to automatically redirect them, we may be missing the point.

I do see more and more people in our society experiencing the shock of spiritual awakening. What is a spiritual awakening shock? It can be a new idea, an expanded perception, or an unexpected event that acts as a catalyst for a sudden life change or spiritual transformation. Crisis and chaos may soon follow. We may even be rocked to the roots of our deepest selves and forced to examine things we had been avoiding. 

If we have, in fact, all lived lifetimes before as reincarnation suggests, and are rapidly letting go of past limits and cherished fears in the current life, can we also allow ourselves the time to grieve over those lost realities, relationships, and behaviors?

The Age of Integration

We live in the age of healing and integration. Many people in society are attempting to resolve and heal old issues, raise their conscious awareness and say goodbye to outdated approaches, practices, and philosophies as they evolve. We seek wholeness. 

As people on a deeper path of spiritual awakening, we are often inspired to heal, share insights, or simply be more conscious with others in our lives. Helping each other to realize that there are positive alternatives to a negative situation can be simple and mutually rewarding. 

What happens, however, when a strongly "charged" issue comes to the surface? 

What do we do when we are shocked, shaken, stirred, and rearranged in our own personal and planetary evolution, or in service to others? 

Riding the Shock of Spiritual Awakening

How can you ease into these profound spiritual shifts? How can you honor the life experiences you created even as you are seeking to change them? Let me show you some approaches that transform shocks in positive and loving ways. I will address this as if you are personally experiencing it, but these ideas can also be helpful when dealing with others handling it as well. 

1. Spiritual Awakening Shock - Why?

There are many reasons why, when, and how we get shocked. Some have made previous soul agreements or contracts to be born into this life to learn certain lessons. We can make agreements to be born into a family, form romantic relationships or business partnerships. Soul agreements can often be uncovered by exploring your Akashic Records.  I often sense these with my clients as I get impressions of their past life patterns.  So it is quite common to intend to have a wonderful life and then, at a certain age, suffer a traumatic event or loss to grow spiritually. 

If you experience shocking events and sincerely believe that you create your reality through agreements and attraction, you might find yourself asking, why would I do this? Why would I agree to this? There are many answers to agreements you made and then forgot: 

•  To move yourself forward in your growth and evolution as a soul, To clear out energies/people/beliefs out of your aura or life 
•  To be of service to others on their path 
•  To raise the consciousness of the planet
•  To explore the human condition

These are just some of the many reasons. It helps to focus less on why and more on what can be done now to create wholeness. 

2. Acceptance and Allowance

Make it easy on yourself. Whatever you are going through, practice acceptance and allowance. Loving ourselves unconditionally, and knowing we deserve it - no matter what, is one of the major belief systems we have agreed to embody for others to see. 

Watch my video on self-love and deservability HERE

You may actually be fulfilling your agreements by experiencing negativity, pain, or setbacks - not by being perfect or happy 24 hours a day. We are exploring and learning, and we are loved. You may not always know what the agreements are in a situation. Refrain from judgment or assigning a negative meaning. 

If you are a highly sensitive person, or HSP, you might feel overwhelmed by these feelings and challenges. But there is a difference between being aware of negativity and experiencing it. It is only negative if you choose to see it that way. You can use shocking situations from the perspective of, "What is asking to be healed or released here?" 

3. Triggers are your Friends?

As you probably know, I am not talking about talking about actual weapons with triggers. I’m talking about emotional or energetic triggers that shock you. It may be a look, a thought, a chance encounter, an event, or someone getting in your space and triggering some sensitive area within you. 

We live in a reflective universe. We attract symbols in the form of people and events. These show us what we are holding in our consciousness, and most often, in our unconscious. Understanding the symbol, getting the message or insight when shocked, often helps usher in a bigger and better reality of greater wholeness for you.

I recall one time being on the receiving end of a heavy dose of harsh criticism. Some of it was helpful but much seemed over the top and extreme. Stunned, I sat in my car afterwards trying to make sense of what had just happened. A question floated into my mind; Is this person doing something to me that I do to myself?  Yes, I admitted to myself. 

I set high personal standards and then would berate myself if I felt I fell short. So the shock of the incident was helpful. It was reflecting how unfair I was being with myself.  Just saying to yourself, "This doesn't feel very good in this moment, but how is it helpful to me?" can take much of the edge off and expand your awareness.

 4. Honor the Process

If you get shocked, there may be a good reason. The universe is really trying to help you. Enlightenment is in large part about seeing through illusions to experience liberation. When illusions dissolve before our eyes it is shocking. 

Watch out for the desire to control the experience. I see many people in denial about their pain. Others rush in to use one of their healing/consciousness techniques to remedy it. That can be a wise approach if done with awareness. It can also end up being Spiritual Bypassing, a way to avoid your fears, issues, or beliefs. 

It’s okay to let go of the "Fix it this instant to stop the suffering," approach.  When you get shocked, it can be disorientating, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Ask yourself, "How can I honor this process? What am I learning from this experience?" It may last a moment, hours, a week, or more. It may be a long, dark night of the soul, or simply a moment to shift your consciousness. Just let it be what it is, feel it out, experience the shock, and learn from it. It is not a mistake. Your reactions are normal. It’s okay to go through a Dark Night of the Soul, read more HERE

Patiently Honoring your Feelings

I recall a scene from movie where a man surprised his wife by suddenly asking for a divorce. Even though he had been happily married for years, the husband had met a new woman. After great inner turmoil, he decided he now wanted to live with her instead. The wife was understandably shocked.  Immediately she went in to a deep depression. 

Trying to be helpful as time passed, one of her daughters confronted her mother. With good intentions, the daughter told her that months had now gone by and that she needed to move on. The wife bluntly replied to her daughter that she was not ready, that she needed time to grieve and when she was done, she would decide how and when to move on with her life. 

I love that scene because the woman honored herself, her feelings, and her reality. It was an organic, emotional healing process. She did not need to force herself to smile, think positive, or set an intention. Rather than oversimplifying our process to avoid feeling bad, we can look at the healing and inner growth aspects of pain.

In Part 2 we will go more deeply into the aspects of the shock of spiritual awakening. If you are experiencing such a shock, know that help is available to you. We are here to love and support each other in our growth. You are not alone. If you become overwhelmed, get help from a caring practitioner. 

A combination of inner awareness and external support is a good way to ensure an easier path for you as you weather the shocks that  of awareness and heal and evolve yourself. I would love to be your guide on your own journey to find deeper meaning, purpose and self-mastery. You can book a free exploratory call with me where we can assess your current challenges and see if there is a way to help you quickly step into your full power.