Spiritual Enlightenment: What Does It Feel Like? — Gareth Michael
Enlightenment has been written and talked about throughout the centuries by many spiritual teachers. While the journey that brings someone into a place of enlightenment can differ vastly from one person to the next, emotions have a huge part to play in the process for everyone. But what is spiritual enlightenment, and what does it mean to be spiritually enlightened?
In this blog we’ll answer questions such as ‘What is a spiritual enlightenment?’, and ‘What does enlightenment feel like?’ Read on to discover more about the spiritual enlightenment meaning, and the symptoms you might experience along the way.
What does it mean to be enlightened spiritually?
Many people wonder, ‘What does spiritual enlightenment mean?’ The simple summary is that enlightenment is the process of allowing yourself to become both equally connected, emotionally and spiritually, in your human day-to-day life. Enlightenment is to understand and to be one with all that’s around you, and everything that’s within you. Some who experience becoming spiritually enlightened keep it to themselves, while others want to share the experience, and their newfound wisdom and knowledge, with others. Sharing knowledge about spiritual growth through text, videos and public speaking has led to many different understandings and ideas of enlightenment.
As part of the journey to spiritual enlightenment, there is a process of spiritual awakening. But what is a spiritual awakening? It can be defined as becoming more conscious and aware of yourself and the connection that you have with everything in this universe.
While many focus on the spiritual part of enlightenment, few understand the importance of emotions when it comes to exploring enlightenment and the understanding of your own spiritual path. Spiritual enlightenment doesn’t mean losing the feeling of your emotions. Instead, it means gaining an understanding of their importance as part of your human and spiritual journey.
Enlightenment definition
This refers to the state of understanding something and gaining knowledge, insight or clarity. In a spiritual sense this is a profound and transformative experience which takes us beyond our current awareness and human nature. This deep spiritual awakening takes us to a place of higher truth where we begin to become aware of our connection to the universe.
Many people on a spiritual journey go through a process of enlightenment, meaning they are awakening to a higher state of consciousness, and able to go beyond the limits of our physical world. This process is all about the significance of the journey, rather than a final goal.
Enlightenment thoughts date back to the eighteenth century, where the scientific revolution saw many enlightenment thinkers laying the groundwork for future ideas. Some of the best known thinkers included Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, René Descartes, Jean Jacques Rousseau.
Frederick the Great was a prominent monarch during the 18th centuries. During his reign over Prussia, he implemented policies and reforms that reflected enlightenment ideals. Other important philosophers with ideas of the time that were thought to be ahead of themselves included Immanuel Kant, Denis Diderot, David Hume and John Locke, who is often regarded as one of the most influential figures.
What does it mean to be enlightened spiritually?
Many people wonder, ‘What does spiritual enlightenment mean?’ Very simply it is the process of allowing yourself to become emotionally and spiritually connected to - or ‘at one with’ - all that’s around you, and everything that’s within you.
Some who experience becoming spiritually enlightened keep it to themselves, while others want to share the experience, and their newfound wisdom and knowledge with others. Sharing knowledge about spiritual growth through text, videos and public speaking has led to many different understandings and ideas.
As we begin this journey, we will go through a process of spiritual awakening. But what is enlightenment’s connection to spiritual awakening? It can be defined as becoming more conscious and aware of yourself and the connection that you have with everything in this universe.
Few understand the importance of emotions when it comes to exploring this process and the understanding of your own spiritual path. Becoming awakened doesn’t mean losing the feeling of your emotions. Instead, it means gaining an understanding of their importance as part of your human and spiritual journey.
What causes a spiritual awakening?
Many people have tried to come up with a step-by-step guide to becoming enlightened through spiritual practices, but the secret to this process can only be found in each individual's own personal journey.
So often, people run into problems because they’re trying to replicate someone else’s journey too closely. But when it comes to the spiritual journey, two individuals' spiritual paths will not look the same. Our awakening may be triggered gradually, or by sudden life-changing events that cause us to look at life differently.
If you want to become personally enlightened, you have to understand and feel your own experiences, good and bad. Once you’re able to feel a sense of connection with the areas of your life that created who you are, you will be able to understand, process and feel the emotions that lead you to your own experience.
What are the symptoms of a spiritual awakening?
Awakening symptoms range from feeling disconnected in your current life, to experiencing increased empathy as you begin to feel more connected to your inner and outer world. You may also experience physical symptoms of spiritual awakening, such as changes in sleep patterns, tiredness, brain fog, and heightened senses.
There are many stages of spiritual awakening before reaching spiritual enlightenment, but what does this feel like once we’ve reached it?
The path to enlightenment is known as the ‘Road Less Travelled’ for a good reason. To be at one with the self and to be enlightened, you have to make the journey to understand every part of you. This includes your mental, physical and emotional health, and each of these areas relate to what your soul has come here to experience.
You’re the only one who can fully understand your journey as you’re the only one that has experienced it. You might be able to relate to others’ symptoms, and talk about spiritual enlightenment experiences, but it will always only be your own journey for you to grow and learn from first.
What does the journey to spiritual enlightenment entail?
It can be difficult to be at one with every part of you if there are some parts you’re resisting while in the present moment. Many people have been taught that silence within the mind comes from one's ability to ignore and quieten the mind in order to be in the present. Often when a person begins their journey with meditation, they find it more of a frustrating experience than a relaxing or soulful one.
Enlightenment doesn’t come from controlling what goes on within the mind, body, emotions or soul; it comes from letting go. This can be quite an intense experience for those starting out and many lose patience. This can lead to a lot of negative emotions being triggered when the person feels it’s not going according to the ‘plan’ they have been taught to experience.
How long does it take to reach spiritual enlightenment?
There is no set timeline for this process, meaning it could be quick for some, or a lifetime search for others. Each of us has been taught to be so busy that when it comes to spending time with oneself and paying attention to the present, it can feel like one of the most challenging tasks of the day. The mind continues to produce thoughts even when you want to experience radio silence - that feeling of peace, or no feeling at all.
The process of enlightenment can be complex. For many, spirituality is used as a means to get away from a part of their current reality that they find chaotic. People often try to use the journey as a means to pull away from a ‘negative’ experience and their difficult inner emotions, without understanding that this journey will eventually have you face it head-on.
Learning to be comfortable with all of your emotional experiences will allow you to feel at one within your human and spiritual life. We have been taught to resist our negative emotions, without realising that if we were to understand them on a deeper level, we would be more enlightened about what our spirit wanted us to experience in a human body.
The focus needs to be no longer ignoring even the basic emotions. Instead, by allowing yourself to feel, understand and process them, they will become a part of you and every experience you will have moving forward. There are some useful tips here to help you feel and process emotions.
Start your journey towards Spiritual Enlightenment with Gareth Michael
Spiritual enlightenment is a journey that moves us beyond the physical, offering us a deeper connection with the essence of who we are. It isn’t a destination, but a process of developing our awareness, growth and self-discovery.
As we embrace practices such as mindfulness and compassion, our new-found awareness will bring us closer to a life of more peace, love and wholeness.
Working with a spiritual coach can support you in this process of developing your self-awareness. Get in touch today to book your session and discover how spiritual coaching will help you to delve deep into your connection with your truest self.
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