The spiritual awakening process is a deep subject and isn’t always easy to understand, and it takes years to un-layer the mind’s preoccupation with anger and hurt. Nor is it easy to get to the core of mental suffering. If it were, everyone would be enjoying enlightenment by now.

Sometimes I minimalize the path of the spiritual awakening symptoms, making it seem effortless. I remember difficulties on my spiritual path and times when it wasn’t easy. It’s challenging to let go of what we believe is true and think something completely different. At my spiritual awakening in 1986, no one understood what I was going through. Regardless of your spiritual journey or happiness path—you’ll have to look at your own “stuff” to wake up on the other side of the ego.

Helping You Understand Spiritual Awakening

Dismantling the ego’s control is often a long practice through meditation. Usually done in silent retreats (because in silence, everything will come up for review) or through self-inquiry by working through issues consciously.

One dynamic way to work through problems is in relationships. Because your partner is a mirror of you. In relationships or friendships whatever you see in your friends or partners is also in you. Often things go unresolved but also aspects you admire. It’s not always verbatim-a-tit-for-tat, but you’ll see yourself in others. Generally, we don’t pay attention to the things we love unless we are more self-aware. Only then, can we honor another person’s traits? This idea is the basis of mindfulness and living awakened.

I like to neutralize the duality of good vs. bad or right vs. wrong in my work with clients. I say, there isn’t anything negative. Fear or anger is not negative. Often limiting life experiences, fear is not harmful nor should it be stopping you from doing anything. It’s perfectly OK to have anger or fear as long as these feelings are not directed at others or you are harming yourself.