Enlightened master Sri Ramana Maharshi became enlightened at just 16 years of age in 1896. There are many examples throughout history of people who have had spiritual awakenings early in life, so this isn’t a secluded event.
But what does it mean if you have a spiritual awakening or enlightenment experience at a young age? Is spiritual awakening at a young age even possible for you?
Spiritual awakening can happen at any age. Though the average age of spiritual awakening is 28.7 years of age according to a recent 2023 study, enlightenment experiences can happen significantly earlier in life.
> see also How Many People Are Spiritually Awake? (Awakening Statistics)
What is a spiritual awakening?
Spiritual awakening refers to the experience of shifting your consciousness through profound spiritual realization. They are moments in time where you have a perspective altering spiritual insight.
Enlightenment on the other hand is a term that refers to complete and absolute understanding of the universe and reality.
A spiritual awakening is how we become more enlightened.
Can You Have A Spiritual Awakening At A Young Age?
The age of the physical human being does not matter here, it is the age of the soul that matters. If you are an old and spiritually advanced soul, then you will experience spiritual awakening much earlier in your life.
Spiritual awakening can happen at any age. There are plenty of examples of young people becoming enlightened or having spiritual awakenings throughout history.
The most notable example of a young person experiencing spiritual awakening is Ramana Maharshi. He was just 16 when he become fully enlightened! Could you imagine if you were that wise before becoming a legal adult?
WHAT STAGE OF YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY ARE YOU IN?
WHAT STAGE OF YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY ARE YOU IN?
Discover the 6 stages of awakening and find out where you are in your journey.
In the Hindu literature there are stories of Krishna being completely awake and enlightened as a baby!
Though the vast majority of people that do end up having a spiritual awakening experience will have one in adulthood. A study in 2023 found that the average age of spiritual awakening is 28.7 years of age.
What Does It Mean To Wake Up At A Young Age?
If you are experiencing spiritual awakening in your teens or early 20s it means that you have an old and spiritually advanced soul.
This means you’ve done a lot of spiritual development in past lives. The part of you that is infinite and without physical form (your soul) is well developed and has been in physical form for probably hundreds if not thousands of lifetimes before this one.
You are probably nearing the end of your reincarnations in the physical form on Earth if you have a spiritual awakening that young.
Conclusion
You can have a spiritual awakening at any age. It is not the age of the physical being that matters, rather it is the age and development of the soul. Everyone is at a different place in their spiritual path, so you shouldn’t be too worried if you either haven’t had a spiritual awakening yet or are experiencing spiritual awakening at a very young age. Go with flow of your path and allow your life to unfold how the soul desires.
Good luck spiritual seeker 🙂
Hi, I’m Ryan. I’m a meditation teacher, spiritual seeker, and founder of nurtureyourspirit.org. I’m glad you’re here! I founded Nurture Your Spirit because of my love of meditation, spirituality, and spiritual awakening.
