Awakening Techniques

How To Have Your First Spiritual Awakening (Beginner’s Guide)

If you’re reading this you likely feel called to pursue a spiritual inner journey. Spiritual awakening is not an easy thing to pursue and it will be challenging and frustrating at times. All seekers who search wide and far will find what they’re looking for in the glorious “spiritual awakening”. It can be a daunting task figuring out how to start this massive spiritual undertaking. It’s hard to know where to even begin with all of the information dumped on us at every turn we make. This will be a complete guide for beginners who want to embark on an inner journey to spiritual awakening. Everything you need to know to start your spiritual awakening journey is here for you. So let’s begin. What is Spiritual Awakening? Before we dive into how to have an awakening we need to determine what an awakening even is. A spiritual awakening is a term that refers to the process of experiencing existential truth by shifting or expanding your consciousness. Awakening is fundamentally something you must experience with your awareness. It is not a concept you can grasp with your thinking mind. Types of Awakening There are all kinds of awakenings you can have. What type of awakening are you pursuing? Let’s get specific. Nondualism The most general form of awakening that most seek for their first inner journey is a non-dual awakening. This is the experience of unity with everything around you. In a nondual awakening nothing is separate from anything else in your awareness. Your sense of self vanishes. In this profound perspective shift everything in your awareness is all part of one thing. Including your body and thoughts. You no longer own or identify with your body, mind, or thoughts in a nondual awakening. You simply observe them Other forms of awakening There are a couple other awakenings you can have that can be trickier to experience including: For this guide we’re going to focus on having a nondual awakening. Why Pursue Awakening? You may say “well why should I go through all of this work for awakening?” Something inside of you intuitively knows that awakening is the path forward for your life. There’s something inside calling you towards this experience. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here reading this. Benefits of Spiritual Awakening Awakening will allow for a more peaceful and expansive life. After awakening you create space between your awareness and life’s drama. You don’t get as stuck in the suffering around you after waking up. There are many benefits people report after having a spiritual awakening including: Everyone will of course experience different things, but most find that the problems that once troubled them are less bothersome after awakening. Awakening creates some cushion between you and your suffering. Preparing For Awakening Before we embark on the journey and practices of awakening there are some things we should prep with. Setting an intention The first thing we should do is set an intention. Figure out your “why”. Do you simply feel called to this experience? Are you attempting to live a happier, more expansive life? Do you want to evolve spiritually? Find your why and set an intention that the next phase of your life will be for waking up. Writing this down will help solidify this intention into reality. Don’t underestimate the power of simple intention. Your subconscious self takes these things very seriously. Optional preparation There are some things you can do that may help with the process of waking up spiritually that aren’t necessarily essential. Here are some things you can do to optimize this journey: These are some additional things that will help the process, but aren’t essential. How To Have a Spiritual Awakening Here we go, now we’re getting into the meat of it! These are the things you can actively start doing to have a spiritual awakening. Some of these things will be techniques while others will just be tips. All are not in any particular order. Meditation For Awakening Cultivating your conscious awareness is a foundational and non-negotiable part of the path to awakening. You must start some sort of mindful practice to grow your ability to use and tap into your conscious awareness. Whether you start a meditation habit or bring mindfulness to a daily activity, you must be practicing mindfulness. I recommend you start up a simple mindfulness meditation habit for just 10 minutes everyday to start. A shift in our consciousness is how awakening happens. This can only occur if you’re strengthening and expanding your awareness. Self Inquiry A particularly potent form of meditation for spiritual awakening is self inquiry meditation. Self inquiry meditation adds an extra step to regular mindfulness meditation. Self inquiry adds a simple question to your practice, “Who am I? Who am I really?” This facilitates deeper and deeper self reflection during meditation. This question helps the meditator continually turn their awareness back on itself. Working With a Guru If you want to properly wake up and do it fast, then you should find an awakening coach, teacher, or guru. There are people who dedicate their lives to helping people wake up and they can be really good at it. Find someone who can guide you in this experience and you wil Signs and Symptoms of Awakening As you begin to wake up and having deeper spiritual experiences there are some spiritual awakening signs that you are close to a consciousness breakthrough. You will begin to feel these as you come close to your awakening: The moment of awakening itself will happen in as an instantaneous shift in awareness, but you will experience some warning before this happens such as the symptoms listed above. Awakening Common Challenges There are two major challenges that beginner seekers face on their journey to spiritual awakening. Resistance The first of these challenges is encountering resistance in spiritual practice. The shift in awareness necessary for awakening can sometimes feel scary to jump into. During meditation practice you can feel yourself getting

How To Have Your First Spiritual Awakening (Beginner’s Guide) Read More »

Fasting For Spiritual Awakening (How To Fast For Breakthroughs)

If you’re on the journey to awakening you’re likely trying all kinds of techniques and practices. One such practice that can aid in a consciousness breakthrough is fasting. Are wondering if fasting is worth it for spiritual awakening? And if so, how do you do it and for how long? Let’s find out together in today’s post. Key Takeaways Fasting as a spiritual practice The practice of fasting can be found in just about every world religion and spiritual tradition out there. Why? Because fasting really does have spiritual benefits. Christians often fast and pray during specific seasons of the year. Muslims fast during Ramadan. Other traditions fast simply for it’s cognitive and consciousness enhancing effects. Humans in general have been fasting both intentionally and unintentionally out of necessity for tens of thousands of years. Spiritual Benefits of Fasting There are several reasons to fast for spiritual growth and awakening. Here are some spiritual benefits of fasting: Heightened awareness The greatest benefit of fasting is it’s consciousness enhancing effect. Fasting creates conditions in the body such as ketosis which enhance focus and hone your awareness. Fasting can create a mindset of clear consciousness that is conducive to having spiritual insights. Having clear awareness is the foundation of awakening. Cleansing Many spiritual traditions fast for the purpose of cleansing. The Hindu tradition believes that fasting can cleanse the mind, body, and spirit. There is real scientific evidence to back. Research shows that fasting can: This can have a compounding positive effect on your mind and body. Having an optimized mind and body will make the experience of awakening easier to achieve. Practicing discipline and focus Some spiritual traditions simply fast as a practice of discipline. Developing discipline through fasting can give you an edge during meditation and other spiritual practices that aid in awakening. How to Fast for Spiritual Breakthroughs Fasting for spiritual insights is relatively simply, but there are a few things you should know before starting your fast. Set Your intention The first step in a spiritual fast is to set your intention. Setting an intention may not seem that important, but it can really make a big difference. State that the purpose of this fast is to help you break into greater consciousness. This will give a sense of focus and purpose to your fast. Don’t go into a fast without a proper reason, otherwise you may not receive the outcome you hope for. Where focus goes, energy flows. Choose what type of fast There are many different types of fasts you can choose to try including: These are the main types of fasting. One isn’t better than the other, however I’d recommend an intermittent fast for your first attempt. Determine how long you will fast Before you begin should determine how long your fast will go for. There’s no right or wrong answer here and you should always listen to your body if you feel the duration is getting too long to handle. However, to enter into a state of ketosis, which creates many of the consciousness enhancing benefits you’re likely looking for, you should fast for at least 12 hours. Meditation and fasting If you’re attempting to fast for the purpose of having an awakening meditation can be very effective. Meditating while fasting will compound the consciousness expanding effects of both. This can be a particularly potent combination for spiritual awakening and existential insights. Try to set aside 20 to 30 minutes to meditate during the peak of your fast for the best results. Breaking your fast If you’re breaking a fast of less than 36 hours then simply eat a regular sized meal that you would normally eat at that time of day. If you’re breaking a fast of more than 36 hours then eat a high protein snack of roughly 200 calories first around an hour before your true sized meal. This will allow your gut to reengage and mitigate unpleasant refeeding syndrome symptoms. Fasting Challenges Fasting, especially your first few time, can be more challenging than you anticipated. Let’s talk about how to overcome some of these common challenges. Weight loss Some people find that fasting can cause unexpected weight loss. For some this is a pleasant surprise, while others aren’t as happy about this aspect of their spiritual practice. If this is a concern of yours simply fast for shorter periods of time and eat plenty of calories before and after your fast. see also how spiritual awakening can cause weight loss. Feeling weak and/or dizzy A common concern during a fast for spiritual growth is weakness and dizziness. This happens quite commonly for first time fasters. If this happens to you make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and not being over active. Take it easy on fast days. The emphasis of this type of fast should be on slowing down and going inward, so limit your physical activity on fast days. If you ever feel to weak or uncomfortable simply break your fast with the recommended guidelines above. Hunger and cravings Many people at the beginning of their fast will feel very hungry and experience cravings for food. This is very normal and should be expected. Eventually later on in a fast these cravings will tone down. While your hunger and cravings are present simply observe it and mindfully tap into the unpleasant experience. Use this as a focus point for your meditation until it goes away. Tips on fasting for awakening Here are 2 extra things to keep in mind while fasting for awakening. Stay hydrated Make sure you’re not getting dehydrated during your fast. Drink plenty of water throughout your spiritual fast. Listen to your body Finally, make sure you’re listening to your body. If you ever become too weak or dizzy it may be time to break the fast. Overdoing it for the sake of a spiritual breakthrough is not worth an accidental trip to the ER. Stay in touch with your body and take it

Fasting For Spiritual Awakening (How To Fast For Breakthroughs) Read More »

How To Awaken Through Self-Inquiry Meditation

One of the most well known meditation techniques for spiritual awakening is self-inquiry, known in the Hindu tradition as Jnana yoga. This powerful technique involves questioning your thoughts and beliefs to gain insight into your true nature. By examining the stories we tell ourselves, we can begin to see through them and discover a deeper sense of peace and freedom. self-inquiry involves gaining insight into who we truly are by diving deeper and deeper behind the layers of identity we’ve placed on our consciousness. To begin practicing self-inquiry meditation, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of meditation. If you don’t know how to meditation please see my article on basic mindfulness meditation. With a solid foundation in place, you can begin to prepare for self inquiry meditation. Key Takeaways Fundamentals of Self-Inquiry Meditation What is self inquiry? Self inquiry is the meditative practice of exploring the “I” by questioning what the self really is. This may involve asking yourself simple questions like “Who am I?” or “What is the nature of my existence?” As you continue to explore these questions, you may begin to experience moments of insight and clarity. However, it’s important to be aware of the way your ego likes to trick you in this process. Understanding the Self Self-inquiry meditation is a practice that involves questioning the nature of the self. It’s a process of self-discovery that helps you to understand who you are and what your true nature is. The self is fundamentally a made up construct of our mind. The self that we think we are is simply a thought. Your body, your thoughts, and your identify are not really what you are. The self you think you are is just a set of thoughts and constructs that you’ve been conditioned to believe is you since your birth. As you continue to practice self-inquiry, you may find that your understanding of yourself evolves and changes. Any thought that arises of “self” is not the true self. This is because who we really are is beyond thought altogether. It’s something you must simply become aware of. The Role of the Observer The observer is a key aspect of self-inquiry meditation. It is the part of you that is able to observe your thoughts, emotions, and sensations without becoming attached to them. This is why basic mindfulness meditation is important for cultivating the observer. To cultivate the observer, start by simply observing your thoughts without judgment or analysis. Notice the thoughts that arise and let them pass without becoming attached to them. As you continue to practice, you may find that your ability to observe becomes stronger and easier. This can lead to greater clarity and insight into the nature of the self. This practice paired with continually turning in on the self and questioning it can lead to an awakening of true self. Preparing for Meditation Creating a Conducive Environment Creating a peaceful and quiet environment can help you focus and relax during your meditation. Here are some to consider before starting your self-inquiry practice: The Practice of Self-Inquiry Below is one of my favorite guided meditations for self-inquiry. I highly suggest this for a first dive into self-inquiry. The Questioning Technique To begin, sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and let your mind settle. Then, ask yourself a question such as “Who am I?” or “What am I really?” Allow the question to sink in and observe any thoughts or feelings that arise. Don’t try to answer the question with your mind, rather use your awareness to try and go deeper. Focusing the Mind As you continue to ask yourself these questions, you may notice that your mind becomes distracted or wanders off. This is very normal. When you notice your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the question of “who am I?” Deepening Awareness As you practice self-inquiry, you may begin to notice a shift in your awareness. You’ll start to see through constructs of the mind and reality. Insights can happen in a single moment and be a profound experience. You can have many awakenings this way, going deeper each time. You can keep going back to self-inquiry even after you’ve your first awakening. Challenges and Obstacles False Answers As you practice self-inquiry your mind will want to answer the question you’re presenting to yourself. Any answer you think of is not what we’re looking for. Sometimes we can even trick ourselves with very subtle thoughts. Any visualization or feeling you come up with is not it. You will know when it happens. What you’re looking for is a shift in awareness that is greater than the mind or any thought. It’s more like an a-ha eureka moment. Dealing with Distractions When practicing any kind of meditation distractions are to be expected. Our mind likes to focus on noise and mental chatter. To deal with these tempting distractions simply acknowledge them without judgment and gently return to the self inquiry practice. Self Inquiry FAQs Can self-inquiry meditation lead to a spiritual awakening? Yes, self-inquiry meditation can absolutely cause an awakening. In fact it’s one of the most well known practices used to intentionally achieve spiritual awakening today. Is Jnana yoga the same thing as self-inquiry? Jnana yoga and self inquiry are essentially the same practices. Jnana yoga is simply the original Yogic practice created in India that founded the method of questioning the self through meditation. Self inquiry is the Westernized name for Jnana yoga. How long does self-inquiry take to work? Results from self inquiry are different for everyone. Some people will experience an awakening within a few days of practicing self-inquiry while others will struggle with it for years before having breakthroughs.

How To Awaken Through Self-Inquiry Meditation Read More »

How To Meditate For Spiritual Awakening

Meditation has long been held as an important practice for spiritual growth. The earliest known evidence of meditation used for spiritual enrichment is back in 1500 BCE from the Hindu Vedic literature. Spiritual awakening, enlightenment, and meditation have gone hand in hand since the beginning of spiritual pursuit in human history. So, how exactly do you meditate for spiritual awakening? Here’s the formula: Intention + Mindful observation + Habit Those 3 simple steps will create more spiritual growth than you could ever hope for if you do so consistently. What is Spiritual Awakening? Spiritual awakening refers to the process of “waking up” to profound spiritual truth. A spiritual awakening is a profound experience that shifts your consciousness and understanding of reality. The process of waking up spiritually happens when you gain understanding and insight into the nature of reality. Can you see how meditation might help here? Meditation puts you face to face with reality. The more time you spend being present with reality and observing life the more insights you will find. Can Meditation Help With Enlightenment? Meditation can help raise your consciousness, hone your awareness, and ultimately aid you in attaining enlightenment. In fact, meditation is a central practice on the path towards universal consciousness. Some form of meditation can be found in every great spiritual tradition for this very reason. The Buddhist and Hindu traditions have a particularly strong practice of meditation. Enlightenment is a bit different from awakening. Awakening is the process of attaining enlightenment. Enlightenment is the end goal of complete understanding of the nature of the universe. Meditation can help you have a spiritual awakening and attain enlightenment. Best Types of Meditation For Spiritual Awakening It’s true that meditation is one of the most powerful tools for spiritual growth, but which type of meditation is best? Mindfulness Meditation The simplest type of meditation is also the most useful for spiritual growth. This simple type of meditation is known as mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves consciously observing everything and anything that appears. This an be anything from thoughts & emotions to feelings, sights, and sounds. Mindfulness is a good one to start with as it is the basis of all other types of meditation. You don’t always need to go complex to get what you want. In fact, this simple type of meditation may be most beneficial for your journey towards awakening. Vipassana Meditation Vipassana meditation is a specific type of meditation that is designed to help you awaken. Vipassana is believed to be the meditation taught by Buddha and roughly translates as “insight meditation”. Vipassana is based in mindfulness meditation, but it’s a bit different. The practice of Vipassana instructs the meditator to be completely nonreactive. No matter the discomfort or desire to quit, Vipassana meditation continues until the session is finished. The reason Vipassana meditation sessions are laid out in this way is so that you can begin to see the nature of your suffering. After deep Vipassana sessions, meditators report having powerful spiritual breakthroughs. Vipassana meditation sessions are notoriously long. Some retreats involve meditating for several hours a day for days on end. Transcendental Meditation Transcendental meditation’s (aka TM) purpose is to get you into a deep state of relaxed alertness where you can transcend your mind and access greater consciousness. This particular technique involves mindfully focusing on a specific sound in your environment to bring you into a deep meditative state. The focus on a particular sound in transcendental meditation is known as a silent mantra. A mantra is simply something you repeat over and over again or refocus your attention onto. This refocusing over and over again brings you into deep present alertness. The state of mind that TM gets you into is perfect for having spiritual insights and will be very helpful on your journey towards enlightenment. Tracking Your Spiritual Progress How do you know where you are in the process of waking up? Are you fully enlightened after a single awakening? Not quite. Meditation will help you progress down the spiritual path, but having even a couple of awakenings from meditation doesn’t mean you’re enlightened now and finished with your spiritual journey. There is a well documented path towards enlightenment in the Buddhist tradition. Find out what stage of your spiritual journey you’re in here. Happy meditating spiritual seeker!

How To Meditate For Spiritual Awakening Read More »

11 Causes Of Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual awakening is one of the most mysterious and elusive events a human can have. Perhaps you’ve even decided that you want to experience awakening for yourself. How do you even experience it? What are the things that cause a spiritual awakening? Core Insights What Causes Spiritual Awakening? Many things can cause a spiritual awakening. There are certain spiritual techniques that can trigger a spiritual awakening as well as the possibility of it happening by random chance or by working with a guru. There are many potential factors that can cause a spiritual awakening you should know about. Here are all of the things that can cause a spiritual awakening: Traumatic Events According to current spiritual awakening statistics, the most common cause of spiritual awakening is “psychological turmoil” causing around 23.6% of awakenings. This psychological turmoil can mean many things including: Spiritual awakenings are like a life ring thrown to a drowning sailor. They’re your brain’s last option. A break from your current reality becomes a way to detach from all of the pain being experienced. These breaks from reality allow detachment from your ego. When you hit rock bottom the only way out is into something greater. This is when spiritual awakening is most likely to happen. Major Life Transitions Major changes in our lives can shake things up so much that we trigger an awakening. During these periods of drastic change we can begin to view reality from a new point of view. If the perspective shift is just right or intense enough, it can cause a spiritual awakening. Some of these major life events include: This is also a reason why spiritual awakenings can be lonely and hard. Spiritual Practices & Meditation There are many spiritual practices and techniques that have been developed over many thousands of years that can aid in the awakening process. I triggered a kundalini awakening in myself after practicing a particularly powerful visualization technique in 2023. Here are some practices and techniques that may cause a spiritual awakening: Some are more potent than others. Different practices may be right for you depending on the speed and intensity you want for your spiritual growth. According to research done on the causes of spiritual awakening, meditation was the cause of spiritual awakening 13% of the time. Spending Time In Nature There is something spiritually profound about spending time deep in nature. It connects us back to our spiritual roots. Spending time in nature reminds us of the interconnectedness of all things including ourselves with the rest of existence. In the face of vast beauty you can’t help but feel insignificant. These realizations come much more naturally in nature than they do in our regular life. According to the research spending time in nature was a cause of spiritual awakening 18% of the time. Spontaneous Awakening Sometimes there is no reason for a spiritual awakening. It may just strike you like lightning for no apparent reason. Some people are meant to awaken from birth. You could say it’s their destiny in a way. Another way of explaining this is karma. Everyone has a unique karma or destined life path they are going to follow due to past actions in this and past lifetimes. Some people’s karma involves spiritual awakening while others’ does not. For some people awakening happens randomly and naturally. Some advanced souls just stumble upon profound spiritual experiences, insights, and awakenings naturally. Working With A Guru One thing that is guaranteed to speed up the awakening process is working with a spiritual master. If you’re learning from a guru who is enlightened or awakened they will be able to pass on that information and wisdom to you faster than you could attain it on your own. If the guru is enlightened enough, they can give you direct spiritual downloads just by being in your presence or by touching you. This direct transfer of divine grace is known as shaktipat in the Hindu tradition. The bigger problem is actually finding a truly enlightened guru. Psychedelics Something that can cause a spiritual awakening in you in a very immediate way are psychedelics. Psychedelics are potent substances that drastically change your consciousness. Many report that the states encountered are blissful, divine, and expansive. Others report that psychedelics helped them achieve breakthroughs in their understanding of the divine. These substances include: A common experience on high doses of these substances is the dissolution of the ego and mergence with divine consciousness. Divine Grace It may be entirely possible that your spiritual awakening was divinely orchestrated. You may have spirit guides working to help you wake up in this lifetime. You may have no control or say in the matter and simply be blessed with an awakening from seemingly nowhere. This spiritual experience may be given to you as a gift randomly by the divine. Near Death Experiences Near death experiences are commonly reported to be mystical and transcendent experiences. Near death experiences are sometimes also out of body experiences, leading to realizations that there is more to life than just the physical body. People who experienced a near death situation come back to say their perspective on reality is forever changed. During the period of death many people say they peak behind the veil and merge with universal consciousness before being revived and coming back to life. Reading Spiritual Books Reading literature by the most enlightened beings to walk the earth can also cause spiritual awakening. By reading spiritual books you’re directly downloading information from spiritual masters. These books can shift your perspective in just the right way to cause a profound spiritual insight or awakening These books can also teach you specific techniques and practices that cause spiritual awakening. By practicing what you learn in these books you can get closer to awakening yourself. Guided Meditations There are guided meditations just sitting on YouTube and around the internet that will guide you into a spiritual awakening. Some of these guided meditation are lead by highly

11 Causes Of Spiritual Awakening Read More »

Discover the 6 stages of awakening and find out where you are in your spiritual journey.

This quiz will take only 1 minute to complete 

Take the quiz now