If you’ve stumbled upon this blog post, chances are you’re experiencing something profound and perhaps a bit overwhelming – a spiritual awakening. This journey is as beautiful as it is challenging, and you’re not alone in navigating these turbulent times, even when it feels that way. Let’s dive into understanding and managing the maelstrom of changes you might be encountering.
Emotional Turbulence: Understanding the Storm Within
During a spiritual awakening, it’s common to experience what is known as “emotional turbulence.” This is when long-suppressed emotions and past traumas surface, often unexpectedly. And always when it’s inconvenient. Imagine your psyche as a deep ocean where forgotten feelings have been dormant. Spiritual awakening stirs these waters, bringing everything to the surface.
Take Joanne, for instance. She began her spiritual journey and soon found herself confronting emotions from a childhood she thought she’d moved past. It was overwhelming, and she struggled to understand why now, and why at this moment when she felt she was in a good place. Some would say that the time is now because she’s strong enough to deal with the things that lay at the bottom of the ocean for so long. A healed innder-child is a crucial step in Joan’s healing process and yours.
What can you do when experiencing emotional turbulence?
- Seek Professional Help: There’s absolutely no shame in seeking therapy or counselling. Professionals can offer guidance tailored to your unique experience.
- Journaling and Meditation: Both are powerful tools. Journaling offers a way to externalise and understand your emotions, while meditation helps in finding inner calm amidst the storm.
Most people find that Journaling and meditation can support them through their spiritual awakening. However, if you have buried some harsh, partially dealt with trauma then a therapist can be the support you are desiring.
Feeling of Isolation: You’re Not Alone
As you grow spiritually, your perceptions and values evolve, and this can create a gap between you and your previous social circles. It’s like living in a new world where everything looks familiar yet feels different. You may feel that you’re on the outside looking in.
John, a bank manager, started feeling disconnected from his old friends who didn’t share his newfound interests in spirituality and self-growth. This isolation was painful but also led him to seek out new communities where he felt more aligned. In this scenario, John found some of his tribe when he decided to join a firewalk. Firewalking wasn’t something he’d always fancied doing, however, he found the fire was calling him. He found himself drawn more and more towards flames, and when he saw the ad for firewalking he knew this was for him. His friends thought he was bonkers, and joked about him having a midlife crisis. They teased him by saying he’d start going to the gym soon, and trade his car in for a Porsche. John just smiled through their comments, but he couldn’t help but think they’d show a little more interest in trying to grow as human beings.
- Find Your Tribe: Look for spiritual or self-discovery groups, online or in your community.
- Communicate: Talk to your loved ones about your journey. You might be surprised by their openness and support.
Most people find that a lot of people are more spiritually aware than they thought once they start talking about it. And if they’re not? Don’t worry, you’ll soon find them online. In fact, you can join my community here https://www.facebook.com/groups/597232801043622.
You’ll find when you are around people going through the same that you’ll no longer feel alone.
Existential Crisis: The Quest for Meaning
imagine it as a profound crossroads in one’s life, a time when you start to deeply question the very foundations of your existence. It’s like taking a step back and looking at your life through a new, questioning lens. An existential crisis often involves pondering big, philosophical questions: “What is my purpose in life?” “Who am I, really?” “What is the meaning behind all of this?” These are the sorts of questions that have puzzled philosophers, artists, and thinkers for centuries. During such a crisis, these questions become very personal and can feel quite overwhelming.
It’s interesting to note that this experience can come at different times for different people. For some, it might hit during mid-life, often referred to as a ‘mid-life crisis’. This is a time when you might look back at the first half of your life and wonder about the path you’ve taken and where it’s leading you. It can be triggered by significant life events like reaching a certain age, career changes, or children leaving home. These events can prompt a reevaluation of what you’ve achieved and what you truly value.
For others, an existential crisis might come much earlier. Young adults, for example, might face these questions as they step into the world, making choices about their careers, relationships, and beliefs. In this stage of life, the crisis is often about finding one’s place in the world and deciding the kind of person they want to be.
Regardless of when it occurs, an existential crisis can be both daunting and transformative. It can lead to feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and dissatisfaction. But, it’s also an opportunity for profound personal growth. It can be the catalyst that propels you towards a deeper understanding of yourself and what you want from life.
Emma, a graphic designer, went through a phase where she questioned everything about her life. She felt it was just her and wondered if there was something wrong. As a calm, and generally focused person she struggled when she found she had more questions, and that she needed the answers. She felt she’d regressed back to childhood as she was constantly asking “why”. Through exploring various philosophies and spiritual teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, she found a sense of clarity, direction and the answers she was looking for. She also discovered that in Buddhism you are encouraged to question everything, that questioning is a form of understanding.
- Explore: Delve into different philosophies and spiritual texts. They can provide new perspectives and insights.
- Seek Guidance: A spiritual teacher or mentor can offer valuable advice and support.
Be still for a moment and see where you are being called to. It might be reading the bible (many people find this spiritual), it might be reading Deepak Chopra, or it might be reading something by Eckhart Tolle. Reading helps answer your questions. It gives you more questions and you start to journey down the spiritual path that you create for yourself.
Physical Manifestations: The Body’s Language
The emotional and psychological upheaval of a spiritual awakening can sometimes manifest physically. Symptoms like fatigue, restlessness, or unexplained aches are your body’s way of responding to internal changes.
Alex began experiencing unexplained headaches and fatigue during his awakening. Upon consulting a doctor, he realised these were manifestations of his psychological changes and started incorporating more balance into his lifestyle.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Ensure you’re eating well, staying active, and getting enough rest. A spiritual awakening is tiring!
- Medical Consultation: It’s wise to see a healthcare professional for persistent physical symptoms.
Integrating the New Self
Embracing the new version of yourself and aligning your life with your new values and perceptions is a vital part of this journey. It can be disorientating. It can be hard for the people around you. You might want to explore vegetarianism more, but find you’re surrounded by carnivores. The things you once enjoyed doing – clubbing and staying up late may no longer interest you.
After her awakening, Lisa found that her career in advertising no longer resonated with her. She took gradual steps to transition into a role more aligned with her values, eventually finding fulfillment in environmental activism.
- Gradual Changes: Implement small, manageable changes in your life to reflect your new values.
- Patience and Self-Compassion: Be gentle with yourself. This is a journey, not a race.
I’d love to hear about your experiences and insights. Feel free to share your journey in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe for more content on spiritual awakenings and personal development.
Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. What you’re experiencing is a normal, albeit intense, part of spiritual awakening. Embrace the process, be kind to yourself, and know that this journey is leading you towards a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.
Unpacking the re-membering of land, lineage and the fire inside, Lottie is the founder here at the Wild Soul Tribe.
Lottie believes in walking the path less travels, which has taken her from living in Burkina Faso, to trekking some of the biggest mountains in the world.
Now growing within her Irish heritage, Lottie supports others to experience a little adventure AND inner peace.