Signs of a Spiritual Awakening
The signs of a
spiritual awakening are similar to the signs of a physical awakening when we
try to get out of bed.
First of all,
in physical awakening we reach a point in our consciousness when we are no
longer satisfied with just lying down in bed. We are tired in just lying down.
Our body is telling us to rise up. The sign here is the uneasiness we feel as
we lie in bed. This uneasiness gently pushes us to wake up.
So also, in
spiritual awakening we become aware that we are no longer satisfied with the
state of our spiritual life. Our spirit is telling us to move on. This is the
sign of spiritual uneasiness. We are not satisfied with our state of
spirituality. We want to rise above our current level of spirituality.
Secondly, in
physical awakening the light being shed over our eyes by the early rays of the
sun (if we are not sleeping in a room closed to incoming light) would activate
the nerves around our face to tell us that it is morning already and that we
need to wake up and do our work. The sign here is the flash of light over our
face, first faint, but it gets brighter as the morning moves on.
So also in
spiritual awakening the light from the Spirit who brings to birth all other
spirits would shine on our spirits to signal us that it is already the morning
of our spiritual life and that we have work to do. The sign here is the
enlightenment of the Spirit falling upon our consciousness, telling us that it
is time to wake up from our spiritual slumber and rise up to do the work he has
assigned for us to do.
Thirdly, in
physical awakening we wake up because back of our consciousness we have planned
already a work to be done during that day. Usually during the night before we
sleep we are thinking of our work the next day. So when morning comes, our mind
remembers this work and we are led to wake up to do this work, whether that
work is part of our daily routine or something that is out of the usual
routine.
So also in
spiritual awakening the sign that we are going to awaken spiritually is that
our spiritual consciousness tells us that there is much work to be done for
others in the world. And so we wake up spiritually. We come to our spiritual
senses, as it were.
Fourthly, in
physical awakening sometimes we are awakened because there is a danger that
faces us. Somebody is shouting that a house has caught fire or a burglary is
occurring. We are awakened by a strange sound and we rise up to see what the
meaning of this strange sound is. This may be accompanied by a state of confusion.
So also in
spiritual awakening we may be awakened by somebody shouting at our spirits that
there is danger around. This shouting may come from a preacher who tells us
that we are in danger of getting lost in our lives, we are slipping away from
the meaning of our existence. It may come from a book we are quietly reading,
telling us that the earth is being engulfed in a danger of immense proportion.
The sign here is this shouting of danger heard by our spirits. This danger may
be the prevalence of wickedness around. Because of this somebody prays for it,
a form of shouting to heaven, an acknowledgement of sins and failures.
Confusion may ensue but enlightenment follows with the spiritual awakening.
Fifthly, in a
room of crowded people sleeping, such as in a transport terminal or in an
evacuation center, physically we wake up because we sense somebody else has
already waken up and soon all the others will be awakened also. We do not want
to be the last to wake up. So we wake up. The sign here is the motion of the
first risers from sleep.
So also in
spiritual awakening there are others who wake up ahead of us and we heard about
them or read about them and we also want to wake up spiritually, that is. We
are curious what this spiritual awakening is that is happening to other
individuals. And we do not want to be the last to wake up spiritually. The sign
here is the initiative of these pioneers in spiritual awakening.
All over the
world spirituality has become a favorite topic of discussion, especially among
sociologists and business people. We do not want to be the last to take
advantage of these new developments in society and the business world.
Sixthly, in
physical awakening we may be awakened by hunger and/or thirst. We feel we are
hungry and we need to wake up, rise and prepare something for breakfast. The
sign here is our feeling of physical hunger. This feeling tells us it is time
to wake up. Those who have consumed alcohol the night before would feel thirsty
in the morning. A cup of cold water or another round of alcoholic drink is what
they crave for, now that they are alcoholics.
So also in
spiritual awakening we feel spiritual hunger or spiritual thirst, our spirits
are hungry for better things in life, not just more of this world's goods such
as wealth, or physical pleasure or fame. Our spirits are longing for the values
that ultimately matter, like enduring love, encompassing care for the
environment, compassion for the disadvantaged in life.
Seventhly, if
we are on an excursion or field trip on a high mountain we may be awakened by a
desire to see the beautiful view around us. We can hardly wait for the first
streaks of dawn to reveal the beauty of the plain before us.
So also in
spiritual awakening we may have begun an adventure in the walk of the spirit
and we can hardly wait for the unfolding of this spirit before our eyes and so
we wake up spiritually to behold this splendor displaying its wonder within us.
The sign here is the desire to contemplate this spiritual beauty within us. We
want to experience our oneness with others and the entire universe.
So, these are
the seven signs of a spiritual awakening:
1) spiritual
uneasiness, dissatisfaction with our state of spirituality;
2) the enlightenment of the Spirit coming upon us, enlightening our existence;
3) the consciousness of work for others, not for our own only, a sense of mission;
4) the shouting of danger heard by our spirits;
5) there is an initiative of others in spiritual awakening;
6) the feeling of spiritual hunger or spiritual thirst, our spirits are hungry for better values in life;
7) the desire to contemplate the spiritual beauty within us.
2) the enlightenment of the Spirit coming upon us, enlightening our existence;
3) the consciousness of work for others, not for our own only, a sense of mission;
4) the shouting of danger heard by our spirits;
5) there is an initiative of others in spiritual awakening;
6) the feeling of spiritual hunger or spiritual thirst, our spirits are hungry for better values in life;
7) the desire to contemplate the spiritual beauty within us.
Now these seven
signs can be experienced individually or socially. It can be experienced by one
person or by a group of persons or even a whole nation. A nation can be so
dissatisfied with the spiritual state of its citizens that people will begin to
pray for its awakening spiritually. This happened to England in the time of
George Whitefield and the Wesley Brothers in the 18th century. A prophet may
arise and shout that there is danger to the nation or to the churches. And then
pockets of people hear this shouting. This happened to A. W. Tozer, the prophet
of the 20th century. Today we are benefiting from the shouting of this prophet.
And shall we go on to recount the beauty of the inner consciousness revealed to
us by Eckhart Tolle of our own times, when simultaneously more than 2 million
people participated in a seminar series last 2008 hosted by Oprah Winfrey over
the Internet about the coming forth of a new earth, dubbed as "the first
world teaching seminar, free of charge, on the internet!"?
Spiritual
awakening is happening all around us. The signs are all there! Woe to the
person who goes on sleeping in these exciting times of the Spirit.
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