A Wildly Practical Guide to Authentic Spiritual Awakening

What is spirituality? Are there actual signs or symptoms of spiritual awakening?

Of all the topics we cover here, spiritual awakening is perhaps the most misunderstood.

Let’s resolve that confusion now and ensure that we’re on the path to authentic spiritual awakening.

Let’s Start with a Few Definitions: Spirituality and Enlightenment

One of the reasons there’s so much misunderstanding around the topic of spiritual awakening is that we often fail to define relevant terms.

In A Sociable God, for example, Ken Wilber provides nine valid definitions of spirit and spirituality.

We often link “spirituality” to the context of religion, but in my experience (as we’ll see below), this is problematic. For now, let’s define the spiritual as a quality of being beyond the physical or material domain of existence.

Enlightenment, too, can mean many different things, but it’s most often associated with cognition. You can have an “enlightened mind” through the disciplined study of higher spiritual principles. But this enlightenment doesn’t mean you’re spiritually awake or psychologically aware.

What is Spiritual Awakening?

Spiritual awakening, then, is an awakening of a dimension of reality beyond the confines of the ego. The ego is our exclusive sense of self or “I.”

This awakening occurs when, for whatever reason, the ego somehow lets go so that a Higher Self or Spirit can arise within.

The average individual is more archetypal than human. That is, the ego is mostly a collection of archetypes, programs, or set patterns of behavior. The Taoists call this series of programs the acquired mind—a set of mundane conditioning we collect since birth.

Spiritual awakening implies the return of what the Taoists call the Original Spirit, or what Jung called the Self. It’s this return of Spirit that makes us truly human.

Spiritual Awakening versus Psychic Awakening

Another common confusion is between the terms spiritual awakening and psychic awakening.

Psychic awakening relates to the activation of the pineal gland. With it, you open up to other dimensions of reality beyond this limited three-dimensional realm of “space” and “time”.

Spiritual awakening, in contrast, involves opening the heart center. It’s a process more closely associated with one’s psychology, the emotional body, and the soul.

What is the Ego and the Spirit?

The ego believes it’s in charge. This ego is our sense of self or “I.” When you say things like:

  • “I am [your name].”
  • “I have a [job, house, car, mother, father, spouse, child, headache].”
  • “I think [insert a thought].”

That’s the ego. It’s possessive because it experiences itself as separate from everything else.

This “lower soul” is largely driven by base pleasures, emotions, and trying to meet its basic human needs. The appetite of the lower soul is insatiable and, if left unchecked, it goes on for eons.

When Maslow said, “Man is a perpetually wanting animal,” he was referring to the ego.

Thankfully, there’s also a Spirit, Higher Self, or Higher Soul. And this divine spark isn’t driven by basic needs. Instead, this Spirit is calm, neutral, alert, compassionate, understanding, and intuitive.

While the ego accumulates knowledge through learning, the Spirit intuits reality by what it is. The ego thinks. The Spirit knows.

While the ego is always doing, the Spirit remains eternally in a state of being.

Here’s What Happens During Spiritual Awakening

We tend to identify exclusively with the ego as our sense of self.

As the process of spiritual awakening unfolds, the ego begins to sublimate to the Spirit. In the language of Taoism, the lower soul gets refined into the higher soul.

Arriving at this Spirit, or psychic wholeness, was the goal of Jung’s individuation process.

But despite popular belief, this doesn’t generally happen in a single “moment of awakening.” While we can have “peak experiences” that open us up to self-transcendent reality, these experiences tend to be fleeting.1Abraham Maslow, Religion, Values, and Peak-Experiences, 1964.

Instead, the developmental literature explains that there are stages of psycho-spiritual growth. And these permanent stages tend to develop over time.

This is part of the reason many people get confused about spiritual awakening. Walking in nature or while on a psychedelic substance, they may have a beautiful experience of oneness, for example, but this experience is momentary—fleeting. Some peak experiences can last weeks, even months.

However, the individual’s structure of consciousness hasn’t changed yet.

Spiritual Traps: False Signs of Spiritual Awakening

So before we go into authentic symptoms of spiritual awakening, let’s review common false signs.

Trap #1: Thinking You’re “Good” and Others Are “Evil”

This belief is deeply rooted in most of us as it’s a typical program taught in all Western religions.

After false “awakenings,” there may be an inflated feeling of being “better than” (superiority). This is sometimes referred to as “false light.”

To uproot this belief requires shadow work. You’ll know you’ve undone this limiting belief when you stop judging others and instead see yourself in everyone you meet.

Trap #2: Identifying Yourself as a “Spiritual Person”

This false identification is universal in both religious and new-age circles. You are either spiritual AND material—or neither of them. You can transcend and include them both.

Identifying yourself as being spiritual is a sign of a spiritual ego or inflation (discussed below). It’s a sign that you’re what Jung called “one-sided.”

Again, shadow work will help you see that you’re no different or better than anyone else.

Trap #3: Seeking “Love and Light”

Pursuing “love and light” or “goodness” is another deep-rooted program in religious and new-age teachings that block authentic spiritual development.

Acting “spiritual” creates a persona or social mask that gives others the impression that we’re “good people.” While this persona might elevate our status and increase our self-esteem, it does not promote psychological or spiritual growth.

In truth, spiritual awakening comes from the opposite direction where we face the fear, anger, guilt, and grief stored in us since childhood. Coming to terms with these experiences paves the way for authentic spiritual development.

Trap #4: Acting Nice

Acting nice and being innocent isn’t a spiritual awakening sign but an indication of psychological immaturity.

We are told by our parents and various institutions (school, religion, etc.) to “be nice” and behave ourselves. In complying with this demand, we reinforce the shadow.

If you’re acting nice, it’s a sure sign that someone is manipulating you. (The original manipulator or Trickster is usually a parent, but now it’s in you.) In contrast, a mature adult acts assertively without seeking the approval of others.

Trap #5: Secretly Believing You’re Better Than Others

Perhaps you see a pattern here: all of these traps point to ego inflation.

Spiritual awakening grounds us in our humanity, and yet, more often, spirituality becomes another tool for disassociation, judgmentalism, and grandiosity.

This trap often occurs when you:

  • Read a lot of spiritual texts
  • Join a spiritual or religious group
  • Start a spiritual practice
  • Find a spiritual teacher

Specialness is yet another ego game.

When you think you’ve “found it,” be on high alert. This belief is a symptom of a specific early stage of psychological development, not a spiritual awakening sign.

All of these subconscious signs also point to emotional vampirism.

signs of spiritual awakening robert augustus masters

Beware of the Spiritual Bypass

Perhaps the biggest trap in the spirituality game is called the “spiritual bypass.”

Here, we use spiritual ideas and practices to avoid unresolved emotional or psychological wounds. These wounds must be addressed to proceed in our psycho-spiritual development.

We often resist this process because addressing these wounds requires going through the discomfort they represent.

These wounds are mainly related to childhood trauma. Virtually every emotional trigger you have in your present environment is likely from your past.

As Heidegger puts it, “The Dreadful has already happened.”

A great many individuals in various Eastern and Western religions fall into the spiritual bypass trap. I did too for most of my 30s.

signs of spiritual awakening

10 Signs of Spiritual Awakening

While there isn’t a codified “spiritual awakening process,” there are signs and symptoms along one’s spiritual journey.

Now that we’ve looked at some of the false signs of spiritual awakening, let’s review some of the authentic indications.

Sign #1: A Noticeable Change in Your Behavior

Perhaps the most essential and authentic signs of spiritual awakening can be observed in your daily behavior.

Compulsive, neurotic, and addictive behaviors are symptoms of the ego or lower soul. The Spirit or Higher Self has no such tendencies.

The Spirit isn’t driven to meet basic needs because it’s already whole and complete right now. So when you feel this completeness or okayness, moment to moment, it’s a good sign of spiritual awakening.

As a consequence of this okayness, you may be genuinely kinder (and less reactive) toward others without trying to be.

See also: How to Change Any Habit

Sign #2: A Deepening in Your Emotional Wellbeing

Disruption in our emotional body is perhaps the main thing that blocks spiritual awakening. Jung called it a wounded feeling function. In resolving emotional trauma from childhood, we undo this wound, enabling us to feel more deeply and genuinely.

Re-engaging this emotional flow influences every area of our lives. Now, instead of being possessed by a host of archetypes, we become more authentically human.

As such, there’s less resistance to feel (even negative emotions we resisted before). Instead of sedating yourself and running from your feelings, there’s a growing willingness to confront emotions like fear, anger, and guilt.

At the same time, as the mind becomes more steady, there are fewer emotional triggers. Neutrality becomes a desirable way of being.

Sign #3: A Tendency to Slow Down and Reflect Back

For the above signs of spiritual awakening to unfold, self-reflection is necessary when you turn back to understand the present.

This “reflecting back” is challenging in modern times due to the fast pace we tend to run. The drive for achievement, productivity, and peak performance have their place, but they can quickly become signs of neurosis. For spiritual awakening, laziness can become our friend.

So another spiritual awakening symptom is that you begin to slow down more often and reflect back. An impulse comes alive in you to more clearly understand yourself and your behavior. The Chan Buddhists call this Stopping and Seeing.2Chih-i, Trans. Thomas Cleary, Stopping and Seeing: A Comprehensive Course in Buddhist Meditation, 1997.

Reflecting helps us access repressed memories in our unconscious that cause irrational behavior in the present. But this self-reflective drive doesn’t judge, blame, or criticize, as the Spirit is neutral yet curious.

spiritual awakening symptoms tao te ching

Sign #4: A Shift in Priorities and Values

Locating authority within ourselves changes our values. Religion provides a moral code based on a system of rules. “Do this; don’t do that.” But now we can develop our own ethical framework where we evaluate what’s best in the context of the situation. The ego is unable to do this because basic needs drive it; only the Higher Self can.

This shift toward higher virtues is why our behavior changes during spiritual awakening. Maslow called these spiritual values “being values” or B-values, and they include wholeness, perfection, completion, justice, aliveness, beauty, truth, and self-sufficiency.

Sign #5: A Transformation of One’s Inner World

In the average person’s waking state, an individual’s ego is almost exclusively focused on their outer world. Work, money, achievement, image, family, friends, and social life are all elements of the external environment.

Another sign of spiritual awakening is a profound shift from this external world to one’s inner realm of thoughts, feelings, dreams, and imagination. In Buddhism, this dimension is called the subtle realm, and it’s considered more real than the “gross dimension” of our waking state.

Sign #6: Holding the Opposites Together

Most of us have a rather rigid, fundamentalist mind that sees things in black and white. Red and Blue, Democrat and Republican, Good and Bad … you get the idea.

To avoid the ambiguity inherent in mature adulthood, we cut off one pair of opposites and identify exclusively with the other. For example, as parents, we might think we unconditionally love our children without acknowledging the wellspring of resentment we have toward them.

While dissociating from one pair of the opposite seems to resolve our ego’s tension, in truth, it only re-enforces our shadow. With spiritual awakening, we begin to hold the tension of opposites within us, putting us on the road to psychic wholeness.

Sign #7: An Experience of Okayness and Inner Freedom

The ego is our source of fears, desires, and constant tension. When the ego bows to the Spirit, there’s an inherent sense of okayness—regardless of what’s happening in our lives (good or bad).

When the Spirit is at the helm, we naturally relax into ourselves, providing a sense of inner freedom we once sought in the external world. In Hinduism, they call this moksha or self-liberation.

Sign #8: A Deeping Sense of Self-Honesty and Personal Responsibility

As you begin to locate more authority within, there’s a willingness to be radically honest with yourself. You simply can’t tolerate the inner trickster’s game of self-deception anymore.

Now, you feel a growing sense of responsibility and accountability for your thoughts, emotions, and actions. It’s for this reason that psychotherapist David Richo says the last gateway to mature adulthood is guilt.3David Richo, How to Be an Adult: A Handbook for Psychological and Spiritual Integration, 1991.

When we’re unconscious of our behavior, there’s no accountability. When there’s no accountability, there’s nothing to feel guilty about. But the guilt that comes from spiritual awakening isn’t from someone else shaming you; it’s from your conscience, driven by a desire to correct your way of being.

Sign #9: A Massive Change in Lifestyle Choices

Another noticeable sign of spiritual awakening is that you become highly conscious of your lifestyle choices. Many “normal” things we did before become unacceptable now.

As your connection to the Earth increases, for example, your concern for your environmental impact begins to alter your behavior. (See the updated section below on eating animals as an illustration.) Ethics becomes a larger driving force over convenience.

Sign #10: A Sense of Interconnectivity or Oneness

The ego, or as philosopher Alan Watts calls it, the superficial self, feels separate and alone. It fears for its safety, clinging to life while fearing death.

The Original Spirit has no such fear or sense of separation. It doesn’t play the ego’s game of “us versus them.” The Spirit doesn’t identify itself with gender, race, nationality, religion, or a species. It simply is. It exists outside of space and time, so death isn’t a relevant concept for it either.

I’ll leave it to Alan Watts to drive this point home:

The Role of Religion in Spiritual Awakening

In reading the works of thinkers like Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Ken Wilber, you begin to see a clear distinction between being religious and being spiritual.

While I won’t say that you can’t be both religious and spiritual, I will say that they are VERY different ideas. Perhaps in its purest form, religion could help individuals develop spiritually. However, observing around the world, the opposite is more often the case.

That is, religion (both East and West) more often inhibits one’s natural spiritual progression as it tends to keep us fixated on a low level of psychological development. As such, many individuals must transcend their religious upbringing to experience the above-listed signs of spiritual awakening.

Inflation, Deflation, and The Center

Psychological development and spiritual growth are so closely tied together that developmental literature uses the term psycho-spiritual development. We just can’t separate psychology from spirituality.

The primary block to spiritual awakening is the ego’s tendency to be inflated or deflated. Inflation means grandiosity. Many spiritual teachers and their students fall into this trap.

signs of spiritual awakening

Robert Moore’s Structure of the Psyche

Feelings of superiority—or god-like qualities—are signs of ego inflation. This grandiosity triggers the active shadow archetypes Moore and Gilette discuss in King Warrior Magician Lover:

The other end of the spectrum is ego deflation. Here, the ego feels small, less than, and inferior. Ego deflation leads to depression, anxiety, envy, and hate.

Deflation activates the passive shadow archetypes:

The ego tends to toggle between these active and passive shadow archetypes. The Spirit, however, is in the Center. It’s this Spirit or Inner Self that brings organization to the psyche so that these shadow archetypes no longer run the show.


Awaken Your Mind with a Digital App?

Okay, so what I’m going to share with you now may sound like science fiction.

Eric Thompson is the founder of Subtle Energy Sciences. Using quantum resonance technology, Eric engineered a method of encoding digital images and sound files with specific energy signatures. The result is what he calls Digital Mandalas, which combines beautiful digital art with layers of various energy-related sound technology.

This digital media program broadcasts the amplified energetic signature of what’s called “Awaken the Mind.” The brainwave pattern featured in Awaken the Mind is a rare brainwave pattern first identified by British researcher C. Maxwell Cade. Cade found that this pattern represents the integration of meditative states of consciousness with the normal, waking state in a unified state of mind.

I always have at least one of Eric’s mandalas running on my computer and other devices (usually more than one). Now, if you don’t have energetic sensitivity, you may feel nothing at first. If that’s the case, Eric offers various ways to augment and optimize the effects.

If you’re open to exploring new technologies, check out Awaken the Mind.

Use code CEOSAGE30 for a 30% discount.

(Disclaimer: affiliate link above) 


To Eat Meat or Not?

When I published the original version of this guide in 2018, I knew addressing the topic of eating meat was going to be controversial. As expected, this particular sign was polarizing for many readers and triggered reactions in the comment section below.

With awakening to your spirituality, oftentimes there’s a complete aversion to eating meat or any animal products.

Now, I realize this statement can trigger many readers, so allow me to explain. This is not about vegetarianism, veganism, animal rights, or any other ideology of any kind.

This is about Energetic Sensitivity and Heightened Awareness (not ideology)

This spontaneous aversion to eating animals occurs from a combination of a deeper connection to one’s body and an expansion of one’s internal awareness.

As a meat eater for most of my life, I would have revolted against this notion.

But like millions of others, after following certain practices for many years, this realization became apparent: when you eat an animal you are consuming and assimilating the consciousness of the animal. That is, you begin to feel, at a visceral level, the emotions and life of the animal.

Usually, the feeling is aggression or fear—the last emotion the animal felt before being slaughtered. When this experience occurs, there’s a good chance that you will stop eating meat.

One qigong teacher explained to me that eating meat causes us to be more aggressive. In the cultivating of energy, this added aggression doesn’t serve us. (Not every qigong practitioner would agree with this.)

So again, this lifestyle change is not a function of adopting any ideology or opinions; it’s an internal experience that comes from an expansion in one’s consciousness.

What happened when millions of people tripped on acid?

Millions of people stopped eating meat in the late 1960s. Why? They were tripping on LSD and other psychedelic substances available at the time and expanding their consciousness.

All of a sudden, many individuals became vegetarians and had a strong drive to live in harmony with the land. Then, the government classified LSD as a Class 1 substance, making it illegal. See Terrance McKenna’s Food for the Gods and Martin Lee’s Acid Dreams for a complete breakdown.

Many individuals in the plant medicine community also report losing their desire to eat meat when they are on the substance. 

Also, it’s been documented that the ancient Taoist practitioners only consumed meat when someone became ill (in the form of chicken or fish soup). See Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford.

Does this mean you can’t eat meat and be spiritual?

Of course not. There are many levels of progression in any line of development, including spirituality.

And just because you don’t eat meat doesn’t make you spiritual either. You can be a vegan and still be a horrible person.

We’ve been culturally conditioned to eat meat for millennia. So this pattern isn’t likely to change overnight.

How can you test this out for yourself?

If you’ve developed energetic sensitivity in your body and you avoid eating meat for about 90 days and then eat it again, you’ll likely be amazed at your experience.

NOTE: Without performing this experiment with an open mind, despite any discomfort that might arise, the individual is not in a position to evaluate what’s being stated here.

Instead, confirmation bias will cause the individual to close off to what’s described above. Our consciousness is very powerful in that way.

Well, aren’t plants alive too?

The question that often comes next is: Well, aren’t plants also alive? Aren’t you consuming their consciousness by eating them too?

The answer to both of these questions is yes. This poses the next level of internal tension one must resolve along one’s path of spiritual awakening.

But eating plants isn’t the same as eating animals. Plants don’t have blood, a heart, organs, and a brain like animals do.

With this level of spiritual awakening can come the understanding that eating meat is a form of cannibalism, an act we most likely wouldn’t have chosen if we were given the choice when we were a child. (Many children demonstrate a strong aversion to eating meat when they are first presented with it.)

I’ve been informed by two different occult researchers whom I respect that meat-eating is a black-magic ritual—down to how the animals are killed and the positioning of slaughterhouses.

But isn’t animal protein essential for our survival?

And in case you believe you need meat protein to thrive, watch this interview with a vegan strongman who only eats one meal a day.

Or, as Nikola Tesla wrote,

“Many races living almost exclusively on vegetables are of superior physique and strength. There is no doubt that some plant food, such as oatmeal, is more economical than meat, and superior to it in regard to both mechanical and mental performance.”

If you stop eating meat, you may even discover that you’re less prone to getting sick. I’m not just talking about reducing the chances of getting heart disease from eating red meat, but also the common cold. (This assumes you’re not replacing meat with seed oils and soy-based products.)

Changing your lifestyle in this way should happen spontaneously instead of by an act of will. Also, keep in mind that this is just one sign of spiritual awakening; it’s not the only sign.

krishnamurti quote on stillness

Meditation and Spiritual Awakening

While those pursuing spiritual awakening often meditate, it’s a means, not an end. What do I mean?

Sitting meditation practice is a tool to calm, quiet, and stabilize the mind, but in itself, it doesn’t necessarily foster spirituality or psychological development. (In fact, meditation is often used to promote inflation for the spiritual ego that feels superior because it meditates while others do not.)

Meditation is important, however, if your mind is always distracted or if you’re anxious. Being calm and quiet allows us to reflect—one of the signs of spiritual awakening.

How to Approach Spiritual Awakening

From my experience, a practical approach to spiritual awakening works on multiple levels: physical, emotional, mental, and energetic.

The stabilization of one’s mind helps you cultivate a reflective mind. A reflective mind supports shadow work, which from my perspective (and transpersonal research), is one of the most essential practices for those of us on a spiritual path interested in realizing mature adulthood.

The barriers to spiritual awakening are very simple: fear, anger, guilt, and grief. Cultivating self-leadership is a natural path toward authentic spirituality. (See How To Be An Adult by David Richo for more instruction.)

Spiritual awakening comes down to cultivating self-awareness and building consciousness. With this increasing awareness, we’re able to shift beyond self-actualization into the realm of self-transcendence.

Your identity begins shifting away from your ego because there are fewer internal tensions and self-identification. This process happens naturally without “trying” to make it happen.

By learning to abide in one’s Center, without succumbing to inflation or deflation, we can support the process of our natural spiritual development. To access this Center instinctively, it’s most helpful to reforge your connection to your body.

Recap: Signs of Spiritual Awakening

The false spiritual awakening signs all have to do with ego inflation. They are symptoms of grandiosity and self-delusion.

Authentic signs of spiritual awakening are similar to characteristics of mature psychological development and what we can call humanness.

Here are valid signs of spiritual awakening:

  • One locates authority within oneself. (See this guide on psychological projection.)
  • A growing sense of responsibility for one’s thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and behavior.
  • Spiritual virtues begin to supersede (but not replace) the values of this material world.
  • Things slow down, allowing you to reflect and understand your past.
  • As a consequence, your mind is calmer and you have fewer emotional triggers.
  • You begin to focus more on your inner experience than your outer environment (but the outer is still important too).
  • When the Self is at the wheel, there’s a feeling of okayness and inner freedom. You feel light and free.

As they explain in the wisdom traditions, the primary key to accelerating spiritual awakening is to hold to your Center, again and again.

From the ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi:

Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.

What Do You Think?

We covered a lot of ground in a short distance in this guide.

Share your thoughts and comments below.

  • Traps #1 & #5 are my nemesis. Any tips on avoiding / transcending those specifically would be appreciated. Thank you Scott!

    • I think that’s the case for most of us. First, remember this “us vs them” belief system is a program that was installed in us. We didn’t think we were “better than” others in the beginning. It’s a collective programming that reinforces dualism.

      Second, come to see how the program was installed. Sometimes it came in your mind directly by someone telling you that you’re better than someone else. But often it came in as a subtle, subconscious program.

      Third, feel the belief in reverse. Meaning, reflect back on how it felt to have someone else look at you as inferior. We’ve all had this experience, whether we recall it or not. And if we can’t recall it, then we’re certainly making others feel inferior (without even knowing it). Connecting with this feeling brings more consciousness and helps us change the underlying belief and resulting behavior.

      Thanks for the comment, Tony.

  • Hi Scott,
    Thank you for this wonderful article and your website, From all the subscribed mail in my inbox, your emails are the only ones I ALWAYS open to read.
    This article came at the precise right time for me.
    After making a huge shift in lifestyle (me and my family moving to an off grid farm in the mountains, taking our kids out of school, quiting our jobs with the intent to “heal” or you can say become more awake) I have found in my inner journey and spending time everyday doing “inner” work that It has became very difficult for me to be the social person I use to be, in fact I recently prefer to be at home on the farm doing as little as possible and focusing a lot of time on myself and educating my kids. When I am social I am so aware of all my emotions and judgements that it makes me feel uncomfortable to just make conversation. At the same time it worries and scares me and I think a Combination of the “traps” and actual awakening is taking place within me.
    I would like to know if you do coaching or which of your courses you would suggest to help to get down to more practical work with relation to shadow work, and connecting with those early child hood traumas to be able to access and express repressed anger, fear and guilt.
    Once again thanks for you site.
    Regards
    Sonnet (south africa)

    • Hi Sonnet,

      I can relate to your experience. Perhaps it will provide some solace to know that what you’re describing is quite common on one’s individuation path. Most socializing is conditioned behavior from the convention we’re born in to. We subconsciously learn that it’s not okay to be in solitude and that we must live active, social lives (and now we’re supposed to document how “good” we’re doing in social media).

      The more steady your home environment becomes, the more your mind will likely begin to reflect back on your past. (It sounds like you’re making many external adjustments all at once, so your energy will naturally go to this first.)

      If you haven’t already, check out this guide:
      https://scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/

      I don’t have any courses on this topic at present, but I’ve been contemplating developing one.

      Thanks for your comments.

  • Hi Scott
    I must admit really enjoying this journey that i am on (I think it is called life). The conversations that you generate are at time known to me and other times a challenge.
    I could feel myself cheering with the ‘good and bad’, ‘right and wrong’ conversation. For some time now these opposites have bewildered me. I would like to know why we have to stand for one. Why can’t we appreciate the differences that all bring to this existence.
    I was confused about the removal of meat from our diet. Man as a creature has usually had meat as part of their diet. Is it only animals that have a consciousness, do plants?

    Look forward to the next post

    • Hi Jan,

      We can develop our minds to not get stuck in the opposites. Traditionally, this is called transcending duality. But everything in our environments is designed to reinforce dualistic thinking. And so a different stage of consciousness is required to “hold the opposites together.”

      I understand the confusion about meat. I shared it in the past. I’ve come to learn that virtually everything we’ve been taught about the subject is wrong. (For example, that we’re carnivores.) It’s certainly a topic worth exploring online (with an open mind).

      And yes, plants do have consciousness too. And ideally, we wouldn’t eat them either. But animal consciousness is closer to our own. And plants generally aren’t tortured through their existence like animals are. This topic is going to be emotionally charged for a lot of us, mainly because of our prior conditioning. It’s for this reason that I offered the experiment of not eating it and then eating it. Otherwise, we get stuck in beliefs and conjecture.

      Thank you for your comments.

      • Is eating fish regarded as meat eating ? If so, then why didn’t Jesus warn against it in biblical times ?

        Another question ; The bible tells us that all we need to gain salvation* ( * the equivalent of ascension ? ) is by virtue of His grace through our faith in Him. And not through “works” i.e. good deeds or various rituals, practices e.t.c.

        Why then, is it necessary to do all this “inner work”, clearing e.t.c. ? Aren’t they “works” ?

        If you have issues with the bible’s credibility then please list all the parts and passages that allegedly have been altered / removed. If you can’t then please direct me to a source that can provide this information. None of these spiritual sites ever direct readers to these sources so that we can examine and assess them for ourselves as to WHY they were supposedly expunged or altered. This to me, is suspicious.

        Thankyou.

        • There are many ways to approach your questions, but all of them require a great deal of additional context that can’t be provided here.

          Psychologically speaking, as long as you’re waiting for an avatar or “other” to save you, you will remain in an undeveloped state. For example, those who blindly follow a doctrine (ANY doctrine) are living by the rules of that doctrine. Their morals are given to them externally and they tend to be black and white.

          As such, they can’t really develop an internal ethical framework that deals with things like ambiguity, paradox, and situational context. Similarly, as long as a person is waiting for a savior, they will necessarily project their own inner gold (you can also call it Divinity) outside of themselves. Scholars like Jung, Campbell, and even Terrence McKenna highlighted the problems with this dynamic in great detail.

          For anyone interested in self-leadership, I would say it’s important to invest a great deal of time investigating the origins of one’s religion and be willing to go through profound levels of disillusionment. (Note: there’s a very notable distinction between organized religions and one’s faith in God.)

          In the context of the bible, see for example:

          “The Sacred Mushroom” and the Cross by John M. Allegro

          “The Naked Bible” by Giogio Cattaneo

  • Another fantastic piece, Scott. Always look forward to your insights.

    A comment and a question:

    I have no religious affiliation, per se, though I do acknowledge my Christian bias/culturalization. And after years (decades?) of disavowment and disgust (at least, from the more fundamentalist “turn or burn” point of view), I have begun, in the last few years , to read Scripture anew through what might be thought of as a Jungian lens. In other words, as more of a treatise on shadow work. And understanding and navigating (and integrating!) one’s own psychological landscape. And I have to say, it’s been nothing short of illuminating.

    That said, one of my monumental life struggles seems to revolve around the idea of “being in this world but not of this world”. I continually feel the call (pull? urge?) to back out of the world and do deep inner work. And the inner work I am able to do makes me very satisfied and complete indeed. However, like the rest of us, I have to “pay the bills”, and I have employees who depend on me to run a successful business. I also feel (an obligation?) to teach whatever it is I’m supposed to teach so as to hopefully leave the world better than I found it.

    Let’s just say that balance is tough to pull off. And I get this life isn’t supposed to be smooth sailing, lol… but still!

    I also know from Human Design and Gene Keys work that “disassociation” is one of my major shadow-self “traps”. But it seems that it’s only through disassociation that I get the distance I need to do the internal work that my soul craves. In other words, “disassociation” seems to be my go-to mechanism for dealing with “being is this world, but not of this world”. And even though I believe I could do the “monk in a cave” thing and be perfectly happy, I “know” that I was put here to get down-and-dirty in the material world, and figure out the balance.

    I know that’s the stuff of 10 years worth of intense therapy, lol… But if you had a thought or two on this, that would be much appreciated.

    • Hey Keith,

      There’s certainly a lot of juicy topics here to comment on. :-)

      Let’s see…

      I intend to do a guide on Spiral Dynamics in the future as it addresses a number of challenges you’re addressing here.

      https://goo.gl/images/QiCt1h

      The Orange value structure seeks achievement (the Achiever Self) while the Green value structure seeks the human bond (the Sensitive Self). Both are aspects of our being.

      Yellow (second tier) represents the integration of Orange, Green, and all the value structures below them. And this integration is achieved by a tiny portion of the world’s population — and almost never accidentally.

      In the absence of this integration stage, we are left with dissociation. Keep in mind that dissociation occurs as a consequence of our mind not being able (or willing) to hold the opposites together. That is, our minds seek comfort and order. And the process of integration requires periods of ambiguity and inner tension.

      For example, yes, we need to pay the bills. But we rarely define exactly what that means. Instead, our Achiever Self is aimlessly trying to achieve more, with no end goal, for even if it achieves a goal it quickly replaces it with a new one. (And without self-reflection, it isn’t clear what drives this behavior.)

      The same goes for Green. It’s always on a mission: to do more, serve more, be more, help more, etc. (And again, without self-reflection, we don’t catch the hidden motives behind our “good intentions.”)

      The aim of our psychological development is to contain all of these drives. And to rebalance the scale. Meaning, while the Achiever Self has likely fully possessed us through the first half of life, now we begin to draw more energy inward (Jung’s “inward turn”), which facilitates the emergence of Yellow.

      The “monk in a cave,” btw, is another extreme — one that has infected the minds of many of us Westerners who were introduced to Eastern ideas. Most spiritual adepts, in fact, lived “normal” lives (the so-called “household path”). Caves and monasteries arose for social and economic reasons. They were designed for individuals who lacked discipline.

      I appreciate your comments, Keith! :-)

  • Thank you for these emails. I find your writing to be refreshingly direct and succinct. Thanks for synthesizing so accessibly.

  • There is no Spiritual Awakening. Awareness (Witness to Self) IS. All else is unreal. Awareness is the Balance between the ONE (All) and the NOTHING (0). The Witness observes both Simultaneously and is a part of neither. Awareness is Complete and Non Existence. Nothing else exists.

    • Indeed. And then you would need to ask yourself: Who read this article? (Although I’m not certain based on your comment that you did.) And who wrote your comment about there being no spiritual awakening?

      It appears you have fallen into the trap of misinterpreting the message of nonduality. The nondual must by definition include the dual. The Witness observes the collection of “mundane conditioning” called the ego, mind, or conscious spirit. And all this conscious spirit may not have any reality in an absolute sense, it is “real” from the standpoint of the experiencer. And it is this experiencer that awakens by stripping away the layers of its programming.

    • But if all that were literally true, we would all already know this. And if nothing exists or is truly real except awareness, and the latter is non existence, then this solely real thing does not exist either. And this is still a form of dualism or multiplicity – i.e. Awareness (Witness to Self) versus literally anything else. It fails on its own terms.

      • There is duality and there is nonduality.

        While we can say that duality is contained or enfolded within nonduality, any attempt to reduce duality (or denial of it) is a form of “mixing levels.”

        What I’ve found from my experience is that most individuals interested in this line of thinking are stuck in a “spiritual bypass” where they are avoiding their own inner work.

        We can’t arrive at oneness, for example, by denying the experience of multiplicity within our psyches.

        The way it is explained in integral theory and transpersonal psychology is: “You have to become somebody before you can become nobody.”

  • I found this extremely helpful thanks! Except for the comments about eating animals being a form of cannibalism. If all that exist are One, then no matter what we consume we are cannibalizing Our Self. Who are we to say that plants and minerals have no feelings and memories. It is so true that the cruelty and conditions these poor animals suffer is an ABOMINATION. The extremity of your statement regarding eating animal products however reveals prejudice rather than enlightenment. The very “cutting off one pair of opposite and identifying exclusively with the other” that you spoke of. Just wanted to help you see that because I do believe you are blind to it. Peace to you ❤

    • I once shared your viewpoint, Traveler. But it’s an ideology, more than a reality.

      I didn’t suggest that plants and minerals weren’t “alive” or conscious in my statements. I simply stated that we are assimilating the consciousness of what we consume. To say the consciousness of a cow and the consciousness is the dandelion are the same is simply a mistake.

      If you had the sensitivity to feel the consciousness of what you consume, the error in your statements becomes apparent.

      • This is so interesting thank you!

        Yes I agree that this is a question of ideology, perhaps that is why the reference to the complete aversion to animals and animal products as a sign of spiritual awakening truly had a different vibration to me. I found this entire thread extremely beneficial and useful and it resonated with me except this one idea.

        Not to say the Vegan ideology is in any way inferior, it is beautiful! But the path to God isn’t only paved with Vegan footprints.

        After reading Charles Eisenstein’s “The Ascent of Humanity”, I found myself yearning for our ancestral existence. I realized I didn’t even know that this was something deep within my soul, primal. Agriculture, mathematics, language, will never be the same to me now!

        It is possible to take the life of an animal while honoring it and its gift of life to those it will sustain. It is a solemn act heavily laden with layers of meaning. The warmth its fur provides in winter, the sustenance of its flesh etc are SACRED aspects of life.

        It is entirely possible to be on the path while being an omnivore. It felt like an exclusion in a way, perhaps a simple paraphrase would be “only Vegans can be on the true spiritual path”. This stood out to me loudly, honestly! Loud enough that I posted a comment which I never do lol.

        Be well, I really enjoyed your work thank you ?

        • Time and experience have taught me to put little stock in ideologies of any kind. Our mind can confirm whatever ideology we align with. Veganism as an ideology would be the same.

          But when you develop the sensitivity to feel how we assimilate (take on) the consciousness of the animals we consume, you may find it difficult to make the statements you have made and hold to those beliefs.

          It has more to do with “energetic sensititivity” than it does about “spirituality” — which can easily become another ideology.

          • I find the idea you are expressing very intriguing I confess! Energetic sensitivity.

            I’m not sure what spiritual path you are on, where our subjective truths fork and merge.

            I have always been riveted by the puzzle of truth. Define truth. Is there absolute truth, or is all truth subjective. Can anything we perceive as Truth on this plane be anything but subjective? Do we make our own truth simply by the utter conviction we experience? If we believe a thing so completely, does it not manifest itself in our lives? Can we 100% refute or endorse anyone else’s truths?

            I have no doubt that you experience energetic sensitivity in the way you described, and I really do find it interesting!

            I come from a long line of hunters, and farmers. I believe in the symbiotic, cooperative dynamic between man and nature. I eat lots, and LOTS of eggs. But! They are eggs from happy, healthy, free roaming, pampered chickens. I mean pampered lol, plus they are protected from the raccoons and coyotes, we provide that for them. And oyster shells and worms that they eat like ice cream. And dirt baths for the bugs. We only have hens, we do not slaughter them. They provide us with delicious protein rich healthy eggs.

            There are sooo many other examples of healthy and happy relationships with animals. It is civilization turned malignant, that created the exploitative slavery and misery our poor little friends experience now. Their bondage is ABOMINATION there is no other word for it. This does not have to be, and is not always, the case.

          • Yes, if you’re going to consume meat, doing so in the manner you’re describing would, for many reasons, be preferred.

            In terms of truth, if you examine it from the lens of the Three Jewels (in Buddhism), you have the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Buddha represents a direct subjective experience. The Dharma is the teachings, philosophy, or injunction (method). Sangha is a community of others to verify the experience.

            So ideas alone aren’t enough. The injunction I’m suggesting here is to develop sufficient energetic sensitivity within your body, quieting your mind so you can feel inside yourself. Go at least 90 days without eating any meat (including eggs). Then, eat whatever meat you want, but with your heightened awareness. This may be the only way to test if what I and many others are suggesting to be true.

            Alternatively, look deeply into an animal’s eyes so extended length of time. Then, kill it and prepared. Then, eat it with the image of the animal’s eyes imprinted in your mind. This may also reveal a similar experience. (But I don’t know for certain because I haven’t done this.)

            But ultimately, changing these patterns and even testing them with an open mind is no small feat. The conditioning of our beliefs is deeply rooted.

          • This is a very interesting discussion.
            I believe my journey of self-realization (which I am still on), started with a simple interaction with a cat that my wife got a few years ago. I was never a fan of cats. One thing lead to another, I became a vegetarian, then a vegan, which was followed by feelings of nihilism. I found myself becoming apathetic towards humans, while still connecting with animals on a deeper level.
            Fortunately, recently this feeling of apathy has somehow given way to a state of mind where I’m feeling empathetic towards all life and not seeing myself as being any different. I still get sad and depressed at times, but there’s a lingering feeling of excitement that I’ve never felt before.
            We now have 4 cats in our apartment and I am actively getting more involved in animals rights activism.

  • I fear I have overstayed my welcome lol, truly it is against my nature to ever be more than a fly on the wall of any given room at any given moment. I’d like that to resonate with you for a moment, you are hearing from a genuine wallflower.

    I would like to leave you with this urging. Please, !? look up Charles Eisenstein, The Ascent of Humanity. He provides it free on line, he is a true human being and pilgrim in this dark world.

    I also lament that we will not be any time soon, donning loin cloths and dancing around the campfire ululating. I lament this loss!!!! If that book taught me anything, it was that primeval, primitive man was anything but primitive. And that living off the land, including animals, in their nomadic foraging state was the end all be all bees knees human existence. Ooooh woe to man, in his lofty endeavors. In his pride and arrogance, he lost his soul. He gained nothing. Peace tou ALL my brothers and sisters! ✌

    • Hi Traveller, couldn’t agree more with your pov, so do please have a look at my book ‘Do We Need To Be So Screwed Up?!’, which takes a deep look at this. Best wishes on your journey, Suki

  • Great, l think that one will not experience spiritual ego and bypass if you accept, allow and surrender yourself to undergo the process of the dark night of the soul in total obedience which often leads to spiritual awakening because you will be able to recognize in your behaviour when the ego is speaking and will be able to silence it and won’t be afraid of letting go.

    • In my experience, Chary, trying to “accept, allow and surrender yourself” is NOT effective in any form of awakening — mainly because we generally aren’t conscious enough to what we are accepting, allowing and surrendering.

      As a result, we can easily delude ourselves into believing we’re surrendering while various parts within our psyche (the dimensions of our personality we don’t really know) clings to their beliefs and inflated/deflated identity.

      So acceptance, if used too early in the process does become a spiritual bypass. First, we have to develop an orientation towards our real personality where we can actually see our shadow (developing consciousness). Then, acceptance and allowing can come into play.

      • Wow, I love this response. I really needed to read this right now. Thank you Scott for all of your wisdom.

        • Hi Jenn, I just reread my response and I caught an important typo. I had said, trying to “accept, allow and surrender yourself” is effective, when I meant to say in this context that it was ineffective. Now, it has been corrected.

  • Thank you so much for this article. I have been stumbling around in the dark for such a long time feeling drawn along by something that I didn’t understand. What started off as a quest to finally get to the bottom of my self limiting behaviour patterns because I felt stuck and thwarted by life has led to some profound revelations about myself and seems to have put me on a path that I didn’t understand. At times I felt like I was losing my mind, but it seemed like the more I followed the inner pull the more stable and peaceful I felt. I now trust it completely without knowing why. Until now. I was drawn to your article and read with a shock of recognition each of the points raised to varying degrees. So it seems I am a work in progress on a path I didn’t consciously choose, but the rewards have been transformative.

    May we all have courage, fortitude and peace on our journey.
    Kirsty.

    • Thanks for sharing your experience, Kirsty. That’s what happens when you turn towards your Inner Guide.

      Feeling crazy is normal — actually, if you don’t feel a bit crazy along your path, you’re probably stuck in conformity.

      As Jiddu Krishnamurti said, “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

  • Great article such a pity you had to get on your vegan soapbox and lecture us omnivores about the sins of eating meat when it is the most natural thing a human can do this is after all a human experience. Being awakened is about acceptance I am awakened and am able to master my inner world yet I love eating meat but I also love animals its called duality try telling a tiger not to eat a deer tigers are spiritual beings also

    • Jim, first off, I’m not a vegan, nor did I claim to be one. Veganism, like any -ism, is a political agenda that does create yet another polarization.

      Not that I expect you to return to this post because your intention was to reinforce your beliefs so you don’t have to feel the discomfort from the ambiguity within you. (Otherwise, you wouldn’t have taken the time to write your comment; you have just exited the page. But for anyone else reading this, see my comments above to “Traveler.”

      This issue comes down to energetic sensitivity. It’s not about morality or right/wrong. If you reach the sensitivity to feel the consciousness of the animal you consume, you likely will lose your drive to consume them. And if that never happens, that’s fine too. What I’m describing is a common experience that many others have experienced–and they are often surprised when they do.

    • It’s also about the consciousness of the animal. Plants do not feel sufferings or emotions. When you slaughter an animal, it releases intense cortisol(stress hormone) into their blood. The energy released during this process is said to be highly atomic. When you consume it, 3 things happen: You are consuming the consciousness of the animal which might affect your own consciousness, you are ingesting cortisol released by the animal which might also create stress in your mind disturbing mental peace, and you are inviting the destructive atomic energy inside you which often makes your aura dark.

      And of course, this doesn’t mean everyone has to be a pure vegetarian or vegan. It depends on you whether you want your energy affected or not. There’s no compulsion.

      Not to mention, tigers might be spiritual beings but they have a lower level of consciousness as compared to humans and they are programmed by nature in a way that they must eat another animal in order to live. And if you are comparing yourself to a tiger, what will be the difference between us and an animal? Humans are intelligent, they can make choices. They are not hard-wired to eat other animals in order to live

      Well, I doubt your awakening. Please beware, there are also symptoms of a false awakening. Because if you were truly awakened, you would have first understood the intention behind what the writer has to say before opening your mouth.

  • Thank you for this wonderful article. I feel way different now. I’m just a 13 year old boy who wants to find his “self” in this so called “life”. I’ve always wanted to find peace in this world full of good and bad. I know that i can learn more and this article helped me a lot.

  • Hello, I am more aware of my feelings and thoughts. And the words others speak. I am more emotional(crying a lot)especially when listening to some music,do not care anymore or get angry when someone says something bad to me. Peace

  • It is webbed together with such efficiency!

    Been on this path since late teens and now have reached a healthier being.

    Thank you for this amazing website! It helps me to really connect the missing pieces.

  • Hi Scott , I totally enjoyed reading your article and want to learn more , i am needing guidance, would love to know where I can go to read more of your stuff.

  • I have experienced all the traps and am experiencing the 10 signs at the present and one bonified miracle (I have photographic evidence) for those who will accept it …. Currently doing some shadow work and trying to be patient … I’m an old flower child and I’ve loved Alan Watts for quite a while now … Good article !!! I sent it to a friend today who expressed his interest in the subject of the Awakening .

  • I’m very thankful for finding this website. I learned a lot especially about the difference between the ego and the spirit and being religious and spiritual. I will share your website to my children, friends and co-workers.

  • Wow best article I’ve read on spirituality and the awaken process. I am actually going on the right path and my intuition has gotten me to this. I am so grateful to have found you and in the right moment when I have been doubting myself now for few weeks. Thank you ❤

    • Isabella/Scott,

      Yes am searching this path recently and exploring ringing in the ears – sign or awakening/tinnitus? Its been happening for the past few weeks. Feel lighter and more in tune of things, calmer feel and reflect more. Better control of emotions too especially bringing about patience and calmness.

      Very good and concise yet informative article. I choose to be vegan on certain days, mostly light on meat consumption. Fast on certain days.

      Thank you.

  • Thank you all. Does anyone or can anyone give a viewpoint on The Law of One? Listened to the ‘channeled’ 106 sessions. I.E. : (Excerpts) : “I am Ra. We communicate now. We are not those of the Love or of the Light. We are those who are of The Law of One. In our vibration our polarities are harmonized, the complexities are simplified and the paradoxes have their solution. We are One. That is our nature and our purpose”… It is to my limited understanding they are a 6th dimensional group of beings with a single consciousness. They mention Love/Light/ Light/ Love, to which they paradoxically state they are not those of Love or of the Light. I.E. “There is the same difference between love/light and light/love as there is between teach/learning and learn/teaching.

    Love/light is the enabler, the power, the energy giver. Light/love is the manifestation which occurs when light has been impressed with love.”
    Thank you for any feedback.

    • John, that all sounds like cryptic nonsense to me — the language of the Trickster archetype designed to confuse people and take them further away from their center, from the here and now.

  • Hello!
    Thank you very much for this informative article for it have successfully cleared most of my confusion.
    I’m still young, not even an adult and I have often wondered why I am like this. I was only introduced to this topic a day ago, reading about things regarding how I am a starseed and whatnots and I’m afraid that I have been trapped into thinking that I’m special, when in the end, all of us are special that it becomes normal that we are unique in our own way.
    I am just concerned about this one thing that have been making my heart guilty ever since I started changing. I have always thought that I have to treat others this way so that they will also treat me in the same way, I have also been following the Golden rule and I think I really did change for the better but there is this thought swirling inside my head that says “you’re only acting nice so that the others will like you.” Unfortunately, this is true, and I can’t help thingking that I’m only faking my kindness, I really don’t know… but does wanting to be liked by others a spiritual trap?
    (Please excuse any mistakes I have, I’m very new to this and English is not my native language.)

    • Hi Aljema,
      I sincerely think that if wanting to be good and nice to others produces a good feeling, something like joy because we see the effect of our actions, that is only a great feeling, though we might unconsciously want to receive similar treatment in return and that is only natural and good, as long as we do not feel angry or worse if we do not get same treatment from others, but rather we reflect on the whole thing. I often do not get good o same treatment in return, but, though I feel some sadness I also feel sure that is because somehow I have that something more to give, then I “have to” continue doing good , it is an odd feeling, I don’t feel superior, I just have a feeling as if I am richer and I have to share. I know, it is funny , but I will continue my self development, I hope and I encourage you to do the same.

      • Hi Aida,

        You will likely feel differently than you describe as you get to better know your shadow. Until then, you will likely assume you are doing good while remaining unconscious to your true motives and feelings.

    • Hi Aljema,

      Yes, you are correct. This is what most often happens in the Green wave: people act kind, but it’s inauthentic. To truly be kind, you have to get to know your shadow first. Before that, most so-called positive emotions are fake.

      (Just watch how people pictures of themselves for social media. They smile for the camera and then the frown returns.)

      Wanting to be liked is intrinsic to a specific stage of ego development. It’s normal, especially if you’re young. As you individuate, this drive will lessen.

      • Hello again!
        Thank you very much for the reply. Though it’s quite sad that my suspicion was correct, I’m still glad that I learned the truth.
        It seems that I still have a long way for a ‘true’ spiritual awakening, but surely it’ll come.
        Thank you again, and may God bless all of us.

  • I found this very informative and helpful. I hoped for more on the difference between spiritual and psychic awakening. I also wonder if we are more open to evil attacts while going thru a awakening and does the awakening end, if so how do u know its over? Is our awakening just the beginning to becoming our higher self and from there does it just evolve til we die? Thank u for the article, its very insightful and appreciated.

    • Many dimensions of the “new age” do leave you more susceptible to psychic attacks. Astral travel would be one example of this.

      “Awakening” is a common term that’s used, but really “development” would be more appropriate. You might “awaken” to an aspect of yourself, but that doesn’t mean you’ve changed anything.

      You don’t “become your Higher Self” and there’s no evolution for it either. Your Higher Self already is what it is. You can develop and evolve your ego/personality. And you can stabilize your mind/energy and allow the Higher Self to take the driver’s seat (transcending beyond your ego). But the Higher Self doesn’t require any work or development. It’s just waiting for us to return to it.

      • How we can develop healthy well balanced ego before transcending the ego ? if you don’t mind can you give some tips from your experience ? thanks in advance ?

        • Shiva, that’s kind of the focal point of this entire website — including this guide here.

          How can we transcend something we don’t fully know or understand? And can we know ourselves when we’re largely divorced from our shadows?

  • Resistance has proven futile. My awakening to what may be starts and stops with a regularity that has me either crying at the enormity of it or digging my heels in, in a fit of childish pique. I feel as if I’m alone in a dark room trying to find the light switch by feel. Your words have allowed some light to seep in under the door. I still can’t see anything yet but the point of reference is invaluable. Thank you. I now know that if spiritual awakening was akin to full body immersion in a warm body of water, I definitely have my big toe submerged.

    • Just make sure the experience goes from the “general” to the “specific.” Otherwise, there won’t be any forward momentum. But it does often start with the big toe …

  • Scott, about locating authority within oneself. It seems to me to be more about internalising the abiding principles behind the rules (the spirit rather than the letter of the law to use somewhat biblical language) to the point of being able to more consistently and meaningfully apply these to all aspects of one’s life, rather than requiring a plethora of rules covering a vast range of contingencies, but still leaving gaps. Contrary to popular belief, the principles in the Sermon on the Mount are much harder than the Law of Moses (though keeping that would be a challenge alone) to the point that many would dismiss the former as impractical.

    I am a bit wary of a hard and fast distinction between “religion” and “spirituality” unless what a person means by each term is very precisely defined; it often seems to me to be a subconscious code for either regarding some religions as inherently more “spiritual” than others for no apparent reason (as with one or more faith-traditions being closer to or further from the truth, this may well be and probably is the truth, but the attitude does tend rather towards tribalism and spiritual infancy) regarding oneself as “spiritual” and most others as merely “religious” (which I realise that you specifically warn against) or both.

    • Alexander,

      I’m not certain why kind of response you’re looking for from your comments. Both terms, “religious” and “spiritual” are loaded terms and potentially problematic.

      My comments in the guide about religion are well-documented in the works of Jung, Campbell, Wilber, and many others. Too much to go into here.

      For additional clarification, see the Spiral Dynamics model: “religious” generally is an expression of Blue values while “spirituality” is more closely representative of “Green.”

      https://scottjeffrey.com/spiral-dynamics/

  • I’m flooded with emotion. I can almost see my path from now to where I came from with clarity. I know I have a long journey ahead of me but distance and time do not operate within the same realm of existence. Knowing that is important – I feel.

    • Hi Meli, emotions are mainly only useful when you come to understand their source — that is, the original experiences where these emotions were evoked. Most of the time, our emotions are reactions from the past. Clarify comes when we connect the emotion with the original event and come to terms with it.

  • awesome. such inspirational arguments into a real insight to the spiritual way of living. thank you for awakening long hidden knowings and values. i so found myself . x

  • The most appropriate blog I have read so far about spiritual awakening. I never went through spiritual traps because I read in psychology that everyone lives their adult life with the child they were brought up as. So most people are going through difficulties of life without ever paying attention to it. Moreover even one sad or discontent being on the planet, no one will be truly happy. We are all connected, individuality loses when we see ourselves as part of the same universe (the creation and the creator itself), at the quantum level everything exists and doesn’t exist at the same time (Schrodinger). Time is relative, news, entertainment has led us all to look for things outside us when everything is inside us. But we are not ready to listen. My awakening has been laziness, seeking answers, curiosity, questions like why i have to do something which I don’t feel like doing and emotional maturity; reflecting on my emotions regularly every time I felt uneasy. It has been a long journey into self discovery of 6 years and even now I am learning a lot more things. Thank you for writing this blog Jeffrey.

  • It’s as if you are right but are not. You should branch out your library with a few more book shelves. That sounds egotistical but you miss out on crucial aspects of connectivity with source. Eating certain plants still destroys the protecting energy intelligence of that plant.

    Life feeds on life. Sentience is broader than one night think and you fully underestimate meditation. You speak as if you were indoctrinated into a religion and then “grew up.”

    All is relative (saying this all while knowing it’s a platitude). Many ways up the mountain and your experiences are just a point of view, as valid as they might be lack ultimate truth.

    • It’s a natural reaction, Chris, to attack what conflicts with your worldview.

      I knew that adding that one segment (Sign #9) about not eating animal would trigger many individuals like yourself. It’s understandable.

      As I’ve said, it’s not about reading another book or any new piece of information or ideology. All your sharing is YOUR viewpoint (one which I shared several years back).

      If you open up your body and develop sufficient energetic sensitivity, you just may confirm what millions of others are starting to confirm only in the last decade.

      You can FEEL the emotions and consciousness of the animals you can consume. Period. No debate. No rhetoric. No opinions.

      And if you CAN’T verify this statement in your experience because you haven’t followed the injunction offered or reached this level of sensitivity required than you’re simply not in a position to argue against it. If you attempt to refute it without testing the injunction then you are simply communicating in ignorance. All you can simply say, “Hmm, I don’t know about that.” And that would be a true statement.

      It’s not about a “point of view” or a specific ideology; it’s a visceral energetic experience that cannot be denied. I don’t know how else to describe it.

      In my 30s, I would have reacted similarly to how you did. It’s a natural reaction — especially if you currently consume animal while defining yourself as spiritual. If so, then my statements can seem offensive. Without that identity of “being spiritual,” however, my statements wouldn’t offend you. You’ll just disagree, and that’s everyone’s right.

      NOTE: I have updated that segment of the article (#9) to provide more context to this polarizing topic.

  • Been waking up between 3am and 5 am. Been seeking refuge in God. Been trying to learn why I am the way I am. Got baptized last week…was told the demons will be at my doorstep. I can’t help but believe this.

    • Rhonda , find a good therapist, parts therapy helped me, learn and work on internal boundaries. Identify and live your values. These actions really helped me understand and support myself. Go girl!

  • Hi Scott,

    You are amazing, I just read your pieces on spiritual awakening. Its very helpful. I cant wait to read other pieces.

    Habib
    Afghanistan

  • Through human eyes is it possible to actually visualize multiple shadow/smoke figures and white glowing, floating energies ? Sometimes I feel like I’m not on earth even though I know I am. I ignore them all and just act normal

    • While it may appear that you’re seeing these objects/entities/energies via your visual cortex (your human eyes), they are most likely being perceived through your third eye (pineal gland), which is cable of “seeing” beyond the visual light spectrum.

      The experience you’re describing is more akin to apperceiving different dimensions of reality via an activated pineal gland:

      https://scottjeffrey.com/pineal-gland-activation/

      • I’m really grateful for your help. I feel like an outcast, like a weird person and no one understands me alot and it really hurts sometimes so I just stopped expressing my feelings to people. I dont know who I am or what i believe and trying to find myself is driving me crazy. So i gave up and my “seeing” stopped. But there is this almost painful feeling in my chest that i have to do this (“see”). . . Something

      • I did not ask for this but it has been happening since July 6th, 2019 after a long conversation with my fiance. There was this beautiful, almost electric looking, lavender flower in his eyes with pedals that seemed to keep multiplying. He then somehow had big beautiful, luminous white wings, and finally, again somehow, turned into me. I haven’t been the same since and now it feels like numbers follow me 24/7

        • Yes, I’m familiar with what you’re describing. The average person wouldn’t understand this type of experience.

          Our collective understanding of the psyche is highly limited. And most individual’s pineal gland is calcified, which restricts one’s psychic vision. Add to that, we’ve been conditioned to believe that seeing what’s not their means “you’re crazy” or “you’re hallucinating.”

          So in terms of what’s “normal,” your experience makes you a weird person. Our younger parts within us seek to fit in. But the adult in us is okay standing alone and being judged as “crazy.”

  • I have identified my ego as a “Bull crap salesman”,I know we will never be rid of ego in this life,I have found it’s purpose to be the burr in the saddle to keep me motivated in spiritual development. I thank you for pointing out how one can claim to be spiritual and use it to feel superior to others,I see this often in my group meetings. and although I should not judge a person when i identify because I myself have acted this way, the goal is to remain balanced in how we esteem ourselves and others as one. passing no judgement when identified. a higher understanding is paramount , your lesson here has taught me many things thank you Scott!

    • Sure thing, David.

      One point of clarification: It may less about “passing no judgment” and more about staying conscious of the part that judges and understand that part of us that judges. Then, we have choice. Otherwise, we shame ourselves from the judgment which we’ve been conditioned for decades to have as a part of us. Whether we want to or not, it appears that we judge. The problem arises when we deny that we judge.

      • I totally get that.i have accepted that by default stimulation passes through ego first to create a reaction .before that was that .now there is a “pause button”or a second filter to use if we are keeping the shadow in conscious thereby having more control over how we react emotionally or physically towards others whatever the case may be.its a valuable tool.

  • very thoughtful and well written article! I am so grateful i found it! Thank you for doing all the work and sharing it with the world! It’s a keeper and I am sure I will refer to it again and again…..

  • Such a liberating read. Lately, I have pressed the ‘pause’ button after 30 years of meditation and spiritual seeking, because I became aware I have been waiting for an ‘experience ‘ to happen, to prove I am enlightened. Comes of reading too many other people’s fantastic transporting experiences, which create a sense of longing. I now recognise this as just another goal to aim for, resulting In a perpetual cycle of incompleteness and searching. Quite naturally, I have given it all away, and now just allow to arise what does arise, without needing anything to be different. It’s not apathy, but more consciously resting and trusting in life. It’s a new feeling to give up seeking.

    • The main reason we fall into this trap, Maggie, is that most of the time, when people are sharing their “spiritual experiences” (which are generally momentary “states” of consciousness, not new stages), they are subconsciously teasing others about it.

      It’s the same pattern that happens daily on social media: someone posts their beautiful meal they made or had in a restaurant. But the subconscious message is: “Ha-ha. Look what I got and you didn’t!” Of course, the average person isn’t aware of this shadow intent behind their “sharing.”

  • Hi Scott
    Thanks for an interesting read. Just a question on meat eating – I stopped eating meat for a short while due to ethical reasons. Sadly I started again – what I am very interested in is your take on the animals killed in the production of vegetable crops / wheat / corn etc. We so often focus on meat, that we disregard the many animals ( moles, mice, insects, worms and many others) that are killed during harvesting of crops that are eaten by vegans, vegetarians as well as us human omnivores. Clearing of forests, grasslands etc for crop farming – what about those animals and their consciousness ? They too are killed in a horrible way, but hardly anyone ever talks about that. I look forward to hearing your opinion. Thanks.

    • Hi Jeannine,

      What you are observing is certainly true. In my opinion, in a more “enlightened society,” there wouldn’t be any “traditional” agricultural practices.
      Traditional farming is, in my opinion, an archaic, perhaps unintelligent practice. It’s labor-intensive, costly, and damaging to the environment.

      Instead, there might be community gardens, but mainly, there would be permaculture-centric applications that work with the native environments instead of against them.

      In terms of the consciousness of the animals killed using standard agricultural methods and it affects the plants we consume, it’s difficult to say.

  • I started my awakening about 2.5 years ago. It started as a psychic awakening and now is moving into a spiritual one/both I guess. I feel like I’m going in circles. Reading this definitely clarified a few things. I may be going in that circle, but now I feel I have some focus and a better understanding.
    Thank you!

  • This is a very good start for me & my journey, cannot wait to read, learn & become more. Thank you so much!

  • I really enjoyed this read, I appreciated the practical and logical aspect of it. I have been in the beginning stages for almost a year now I believe. I only recently came to that realization though ha. I feel like I am resisting, not on purpose, just out of fear I think… I would like to speak with you further on this topic if you wouldn’t mind. Please feel free to email me and if you don’t have the time I understand completely and will keep enjoying what I can find on this topic. Appreciation always?

  • Great article, and can relate to so much with regard to my own life for the past 19 months. Back in March 2018 I sort of had a spiritual awakening after some really deep discussions with some then new found friends of mine, followed by a couple of psilocybin experiences in a controlled retreat setting. Since then my interest in so called spiritual topics have increased from zero before to quite substantial now. So much that Im actually on my way to India for a 10 day Vapassana silent meditation retreat in a couple of weeks as a means to get even more in touch with the inner, real me.

    But on top of this newly found interess in my inner topics I’ve also undergone substantially physical changes, by choice and will, or so I thought… I’ve stopped eating meat, drinking alcohol, using nicotine and caffeine, started to train more, and quitted 13 years on high cholesterol and high blood pressure medicines as a result.

    But I’ve also lost interest in many of mine decades long hobbies and associated social circles and friends…not to mention the many shifts in values and outlooks, moral as well as political. Hey, even my taste of and interest in music has changed dramatically.

    Most of this I haven’t even thought of as being part of my (separate) spiritual awakening until I read this article, which for my part quite nicely sums it all up as being part of an integrated holistic shift of my whole life instead of many separate changes.

    So again, thanks for the article and am looking forward to read more of your work. Feel free to comment, and I’m especially interested to hear whether you have any viewpoints about the meaning psychedelics can have in spiritual awakening processes.

    • Thanks for sharing your experiences, Harald.

      Plant medicine, done in the proper “set and setting,” can certainly have a life-altering effect when they are supported by other lifestyle changes and done with active participation of one’s conscious mind.

      Otherwise, they will only trigger a momentary “change of state,” and one’s prior programming reasserts itself. Based on many individual reports and substantial documentation in the literature, the “set and setting” (that is, mindset/consciousness and one’s environment) are most important.

  • I am amazed on how much I can grasp from this . like WOW!. I understood allot an never looked at it in this sense. But I definitely want to get to that spiritual awakening . I have a feeling it’s will be phenomenal

    • That’s great, Alize. But I think it’s best to not look at “spiritual awakening” as a goal or a thing in itself. Otherwise, it isn’t likely to meet your expectations.

  • Old habits are hard to break, but not impossible, I am unlearning the misinformation and absorbing what is needed, thank you Scott for being here.

  • scott jeffrey is there a way we as in that of me can send you a confidential conversation on soul fragmenting and soul journey’s we would enjoy having the chance to have an intellectual discussion about origins and everlasting memories that transcend a vessels capacity comprehend or remember.

    • Kessain, I’m not available for this type of thing.

      For what it’s worth, while I understand that we live in a “share” and “social culture,” I believe it’s a mistake to share any type of “soul journeys” with others. Your inner journeys are for you and you alone.

  • Thank you for your article. It made a lot of sense to me. I have only recently “woken up” (5 weeks ago). It happened very suddenly for me. Along with heightened senses and strong connections to nature and feelings of peace and love, I have a strong desire to help others and to be a servant of God. Can the bible fit into my spiritual state? I am not talking about religion at all but a personal connection with what I believe is God’s word. Is there an external higher power, in your opinion?

    • Ange, this is a touchy subject.

      And there’s no easy way to answer this. Looking through the lens of developmental psychology, at one level, it will be natural to perceive an “external higher power.”

      Then, at another level, this same individual, to reach a new level of development, will likely recollect this external power and internalize it. It would still, however, be “external” from the ego’s perspective.

      But this higher power, or Original Spirit as the ancient Taoists called it, is more closely what we are. It is our Original Nature.

      Whether or not the bible can fit into your spiritual experience is entirely a personal decision. I’m not in the position to evaluate that for another individual.

  • My own submissions is as questions… Can this spiritual transformation affects the physical dressing…?.can somebody forgive and forget an issues at the same time..?

    • It’s difficult to answer your first question as there’s no single “spiritual transformation” that I’m aware of. That said, can moving toward one’s spirit cause physical changes in the body? Sure it can.

      Forgive and forget. The ego can’t forget. It can only repress the memory into one’s unconscious (the body). But the more one moves toward one’s spirit, the less the ego-mind runs the show. From here, one gains the ability to begin to “let go,” which isn’t forgetting, but it’s operationally similar.

  • It’s a shame how many people resist the idea of experimenting with diet… As if to say, “I should be able to have what I want and more, without making any sort of character-building sacrifices.” Especially since the advice was simply to do a trial-run of abstaining from certain foods to see how you felt after 90 days. What is 90 days in our lives? We’ve wasted more time on lesser pursuits. Humans cling to so many things that could objectively be called an addiction, and food is sadly one that ignites a surprising amount of vitriol when challenged. “That’s the way things have always been” is not a good reason for continuing to harm others needlessly. And then they deflect, asking, “Well, aren’t plants alive, too?” or “I had a friend of a friend who didn’t eat meat, and she ended up really sick.” Where is the scientific curiosity in these people? (Sorry Scott, for encouraging curiosity when we should be letting go of all human emotions, haha.) But in all seriousness, we have gotten nutrition down to a science, where each of us can find the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to perform well, and we can calculate the quantities of said vitamins and minerals, and put together a lovely food plan of hi-vibe foods for a mere 90 days… See how you like it, then made a choice based on that. But the fact that so many would refuse to even try, and not only that, but attack you for suggesting something that is consistent with your line of thinking… is bonkers. “I want to be kind to all people… No… Not those things. Humans. I meant that I want to be kind to all humans. Unless they disagree with what I think, then I’ll attack them online.” Yikes. The hypocrisy is palpable.

    • The reaction some people have isn’t surprising. Food and diet have become a kind of religion to many of us. Plus, if you consider the different values structures in spiral dynamics, the “Blue” structure is rigid and erring on the side of fundamentalism.

      https://scottjeffrey.com/spiral-dynamics/

      We normally think of fundamentalism in the context of religion, but we can hold fundamentalist views on many different things — including diet — and not even realize it.

    • This student is aware that each beloved ‘wakes up’ to progress at their own rate and information that seemed ridiculous before may well in time, become their new way. It is not for us to be concerned for others in this sense as it is not our business. Simply observe and say ‘aha’ not need for tension between beloveds as all will be perfect.

      • It might be helpful to note that the Student archetype can never know.

        It can never know itself. It can never know its dark side. I can never know its true potential.

        It can only keep learning but without understanding.

        Many spiritually-minded individuals think it’s beneficial to be a student. But only years later are they in the position to evaluate if that’s true or not…

        • Every soul wakes up at their own pace and so we are not to say if one should be a student or walk their path alone. It is all perfect in the divine. Namaste beloved.

          • If you believe this, then you haven’t actually read the above article/guide, and you’re simply posting here because the topic is on “spirituality.”

            I wasn’t actually leaving this message for you, Lynn. I was leaving it for other readers who may fall into a similar trap as you have (and as I did too for many years).

            It’s far from “divine” — it’s a trap that stalls all genuine progress in one’s development. And it’s certainly not a “path.”

          • I really did read the article, and with vigor and even cut and pasted some items and put on the wall in my office for contemplation. I found it to be a wonderful guide, thank you for that.
            You might have not meant the message for me but as it was about my reference to ‘this student’ ( a simple intro to remind myself of humility and to act outside of my ego), correct me if I am wrong, I will include myself.
            Do you think that to be a student and therefore have a teacher is really damaging? and if so, can we really generalize on this, as the subject has a huge grey matter between the black & white and according to each person (and the teacher) and their ability to grow in the field. To say that having guidance for a teacher ‘certainly isn’t a path’ nor is it divine, I wonder if you might explain a little, please, because I would not wish to misunderstand your words?

          • The student-guru dynamic has been well-documented from over 40 years of research in the fields of developmental and transpersonal psychology.

            To identify oneself as a student and to seek a “guru” is a drive that results in many of us mainly due to unresolved psychological issues from childhood.

            Also, archetypes represent set patterns of behavior. So in this context, “generalizations” are appropriate and accurate.

            It’s not that being a Student is damaging as such; more so that the possession of this archetype can eat up years of one’s life. So in that way, it can certainly be damaging.

          • I understand your point, thank you so much for the clarification, I struggle with any sort of class system and very much tread my own path but I am also aware that without the guide I have I might not have even known if it’s existence? And for this I am eternally grateful.

          • I agree Lynn, I feel that I had to be a student for so long until I could really comprehend what I had been taught. I learned for years, but did not truly deeply understand until I was ready

          • Hi Liv, for me, I needed an introduction and guidance and I take regular esoteric classes, but although I have a written down all of the information I have been taught for the past 6 years, I certainly do not embody it at this stage, it is merely a foundation, the ‘knowing’ drops in when I have a downloaded or in my sleep. it is, of course, your own choice as to how you seek the truth and I would never criticize any method that works for a beloved, I just know that I would still be in the dark without being introduced to a structured, like-minded group for which I am so very grateful. I spread my wings in every direction, ever seeking and life is so wonderful. Have a blessed day dear Liv.

  • i am in the process at the moment. the “crash” was brutal and im scaring the heck out of my family. i quit my job with a family of 4 with literally $0 in my bank account. i am hoping leaving what i was doing ( which i was great at was killing me inside) .. you are helping me greatly .

    thank you
    don

    • Don, I’m not quitting your source of income when you have four dependents and no savings is wise. Be careful that you’re not confusing “spiritual” matters with “financial” matters.

  • Hy all!

    I would like to share my experience because to someone it may become usefull.
    I was anxious, life Did’n went as I wanted (first mistake) at all. I started learning psyhology and I did meditation. The more psyhology I learnt (as hobby, the knowlagde was negligible ) the more I realised: Its impossible to not get into false assumption about myself. So I thought: “with that amount of anxiety what do I have to lose?” ( childhood trauma, etc…) I went to a terapist to get on the right path. I mentioned meditation and Buddha, but I was “The Denying Innocent One” He played tricks on me for my benefit to give me what I truly wanted. 2 months and I understood the root of the problem (repressed fear and anger).
    Resolution:
    Accept your flaws, the ones you not awere of (meditation and a lot of thinkig was nessesary for me) and anxiety will dissapear because you dont have to pretend to be someone whom you are not.
    ( In my case “I must become a good person” by dening my dark side. I belived I did’nt have the power within me, so I wanted power but I denied the fact that I love the manipulating others=anxiety becouse you reject yourself)

    Face your fears (It’s the result of His games) and you will realise It’s a false fear and you gain self-confidence, the false limitations disappear and you find happiness. If you “want” someting it means You think It must be granted by someone else, becouse you can’t have on your own. From now on I “would like to” insted of “want to”.
    My solution was: Get a Magician and tell Him/Her to turn you into one :)

  • Wow! Thank u there is so much information for me. I am just now finding myself spiritually and physiologically and well a lot is going on in my life. My journey is just beginning for me and I’m so thirsty for knowledge. -Skittles

  • This answers so many questions and makes perfect sense.
    This student struggles daily with the ravages of the ego, however it is now met with a higher understanding and positive growth. To be in the state of taking one’s responsibility, i.e. eating meat, recycling etc is a powerful practice of pushing aside the fog to see the light.
    Namaste beloveds

  • Your “article” if I may call it that clarified some emotions that I have been having to be spot on to my current destiny and stages of spiritual awakening, which to me is an always evolving process. Thank you, the information is very insightful to a very energetic empathatic person.

    Sincerely,
    Charlotte

  • My Spirituality Nemesis is anger . I have deep seated anger for which I have no explanation. I have no memories of being abused in any way . I recall a placid good childhood. My father died when I was nine yet I recall having anger issues before that so my anger is not from the loss of my father . At age 4 I became enraged because I lost a coin down a sink drain and I kicked the plumbing under the sink apart I was so angry at the loss of my coin.
    My best explanation that even I do not like or am convinced by is that I am angry because I am a temporary phenomenon able to conceptualize and visualize Eternity but unable to reach that Eternity …an Eternal Moses looking to the Promised Land..

    • The unfortunate reality is that most of us don’t remember what actually happened during childhood. Also, most people don’t realize what’s happening to them right now in adulthood!

      It’s unlikely your anger is existential. It’s most likely consequence of abuse and mistreatment from both of your parents.

      Now, this can seem like a strong statement to make — especially since I don’t know you, right? But the reality is that the shadow archetypes operate within all of us. Much of what we culturally consider to be “parenting” is actually subtle forms of bullying, torturing, manipulation, and sadism. We feel it in our bodies, but remain unconscious to it in our minds.

      Also, if you’ve been angry since childhood, there’s a better than average chance that the anger belongs to one or both of your parents. They didn’t know how to deal with their anger, so it gets dumped on the weakest one (in this case, the child). Behind your anger, if you can get to the root of it, is most likely fear.

  • Our Ascended Master Jesus ate fish. Do as the master does. I eat only wild caught fish to supplement our Human need for proteins.

    Awakening; It happened to me without meditation. Full on Kundalini awakening. I reached a level of spiritual awareness and the opposing false reality we are faced with.

    Be careful, awakening is a physically painful experience and last for years as the upgrade progresses in layers, like building blocks. The head pain from your Pineal Gland expanding (3rd Eye) can give you migraines that last for days.. Thank God our Angels are there to transmute the pain whenever you ask. Help happens immediately.

    Your new connection with Angels / ET’s. They will wake you up, at all hours.! You have to let them know your 3D body needs rest. They are all very supportive of the upgrades that you will be dealing with, physically and emotionally.

    Welcome to the Galactic community.!

  • Can you open a door that’s not there are close one Christ opened who’s to tell me who the good shaperd is I think not so there fore I am

  • Scott Jeffrey, thank you for amazing information and writing. This is all helping me make sense of a lot of things whilst i am in a process. Kind regards, Alex

  • So I saw a picture of a girl in a bathtub and it looked like she was reaching out to me for help she was on the right side of the screen but when I looked again she was on the left and when I noticed she never moved what does that mean

  • I am definitely experiencing a spiritual awakening. This helped explain alot! Looking forward to my continued journey. We are one!

  • Very Nice Article, it is so useful and apt for me at my moment in my evolution. Thank you very much for the detailed explanation of the signs, and especially useful was the traps we can fall into in this process :)

  • I have a strong connection with nature, always have. I was raised a Christian but nothing religious resonates with me. I feel I was possibly awakened at a young age but it was clouded by environmental effects I chose or was guided to as a means of learning & growth. I however am now very peaceful & in tune with myself, though I am so chilled out I am often completely blank. I have knowledge I’m unable to share when I need to, my psychic ability has faded before it fully developed. Is this a transitional stage or just physical age ailments interfering? I am 48 & in menopause.

    • Hi Sharon. I’m not sure I’m in a position to answer your question. When you say you’re in a “transitional stage” which part of what you’re describing are you referring to. Your question is unclear to me.

  • I really enjoyed reading the article. I have struggled with drugs and alcohol since a teenager and over the last couple of years realised there has to be more to life than this and really fought within myself about knowing what’s the right choice and making the right choice which ultimately led me to a suicide attempt after years of depression and anxiety. My behavior and thought pattern have changed on their own after years of trying to make it happen and I now have genuine concern for the environment and view everyone as equals which I didn’t have before. That’s not to say I was an arsehole or racist or anything I just judged people on first sight like most people do.
    Anyway my question is about eating meat as well. If it’s OK for animals to eat other animals why is it any different for humans?
    Thanks

    • Hi Joe,

      Your question about eating meat presupposes that I’m putting down some kind of rule or amendment (“thou shall not eat meat”). And if the rule is that it’s wrong to eat meat then why can animals eat each other. I’m not an authority and I don’t set the rules for others. This type of intellectual debate can go on for eons. That’s why I avoid it.

      If you read what I wrote above about meat carefully and decide to follow the injunction for yourself with an open, objective mind, you’ll either confirm with your experience what I’m sharing or you will not.

      Over the last ten years, many people have reported waking up one day and simply deciding (and knowing) they would never eat meat again. It became not OK for them — literally overnight. This is just one aspect of “awakening” that many others are experiencing.

  • Dear sir/madam
    As in 2009 when i was doing my job in punjab, india.. Opening of chakras in my body happened with opening of seven chakras including third eye nd crown chakra also… As i felt opening of third eye in myself… And one night i was sleeping severe vibration occured in my body.. I was unaware what was happening with me… As there was nobody who can guide me.. No teacher or guru… As i was feeling that god is everywhere… Inside nd outside both.. Nothing can be hidden from him… I have niether done any meditation for this but it occured with me through karam yoga… As whatever i was doing in my company during job… It made me realize these things.. I have always preferred love nd kindness over everything… Some day i started reading motivational thoughts… And one day i realized cool kind of feeling in my mind… As spirit presence in my mind.. All head ache was removed from my head.. During that time… Now a days i m still searching for god… Because i have many questions to ask from him… I am notgetting any satisfaction in my job whatever i do… Because my mind nd heart both integrated with god… So i dont feel satisfaction in earning money from selling any item… My real earning money is to meet god… Please help me what should i do… I want my guru who can guide me… I want to join spiritual organization… Please help me…
    With regards
    Siddharth

    • Siddharth, these are types of questions that only you can answer.

      In searching for a guru, you are disowning your own inner authority. You are saying that someone else knows what’s best for you more than you do. But is that really so?

      In terms of money vs spirit, does it have to be one or the other? Can earning money be a small part of your life so you can afford shelter and food while the rest of your time is devoted to other matters that are more important to you?

      In terms of the voice of god, how do you know it was “THE” god? Have you met all of the characters and figures in your unconscious? Do you know that they all have voices too (and can often sound like a god)? Have you dialogued with all of them and got to know them?

      https://scottjeffrey.com/archetypes-psychology/

      The psyche is much more vast and complex (and tricky) than most of us currently understand. How would you differentiate a voice in your mind giving you instructions for its own aim versus your own Original Spirit gently guiding you forward?

        • Siddharth, as I mentioned earlier, these are the types of questions we must each search for within ourselves (not outside of ourselves). The answers one person arrives at may be different than another person.

          And the path one person selects is likely heavily influenced by social, cultural and religious factors and conditioning.

          Should there only be one aim of life? Some seek to preserve life, others seem keen on destroying it.

          And can we meet god? Must one person’s god be the same as another person’s god? Must there be one god? Must there be many? Must god exist for everyone?

          Without prior conditioning, there’s probably a lot of “I don’t know.”

          I leave you with this: If I was going to look to meet god, I would head in the opposite direction that most others search. Instead of looking toward the light, I would turn toward one’s darkness and seek to understand it.

          https://scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/

          For if the alchemical saying “as above, as below” is true, then the more you know yourself (internally), the more you can know god (because we each represent a small fractal expression of something bigger).

          • Thank u sir for replying to my query… Sir i wanna do kind of work that will help others… I want to give happiness to those who have lost happiness… I want to do something for good people nd something for poverty… I want everybody to live happily…with god… Sir i would like to ask from you..that opening of chakras inside my body without any meditation is strange thing???.. Or it is occuring in others human being also… Have u ever felt like this that i have felt in 2009…

          • I’m not in a position to answer your questions.

            Many individuals report experiencing a wide range of things. But these are generally “states” of consciousness in that they are there for a time and then fade away.

            Certainly, not everyone needs meditation to experience altered states of consciousness. I believe all of us have these types of experiences when we’re children.

    • Definitley search for an authentic master..They are masters of spiritual awakening and can lead you down this sometiimes very bumpy road. Your intuition will help you find a good teacher. just remember a good guide will never say he or she is enlightened. I am a tibetan buddhist and there are many sublime tibetan masters around today young and old. My master unfortunately passed recently but i can recommend Mindroling khandro Rinpoche for a female master and Tsoknyi Rinpoche or Mingyur Rinpoche or Dzongzar khentse Rinpoche for male teachers…good luck
      all mu love
      michelle

      • I wholeheartedly disagree with Michelle’s advice.

        It’s one thing to learn a certain body of information from a person (“teacher”) who has more experience and knowledge. It’s quite another to seek out a “master” for one’s spiritual awakening.

        By seeking out a master to guide your entire journey, you are forfeiting your sovereignty and autonomy. That is, you are not individuating. Instead, you are following a particular lineage. (And most individuals don’t realize what this actually means.)

        It’s understandable that many people find it comforting to have a master. Adulthood requires us to hold tremendous levels of ambiguiity and responsibility. And most of us have psychological wounds that prohibit our ability to navigate this “bumpy road.” But trauma aside, each person’s path is their own — IF they choose to walk it on their own.

  • Hi Scott, perhaps I missed it, but what happens if someone has bipolar disorder or some other mental issues and goes through a spiritual crisis? How can you help someone like this?
    Thanks

    • Hi David,

      The field of psychology has a diagnosis called “bipolar disorder.”

      My hope is that any who does inner work and understands at least 1% of their own psyche knows that this is diagnosis is kind of ridiculous.

      Here’s why: EVERYONE’s psyche is bipolar. The psyche is split; it’s built on pairs of opposites. That’s why most of us are neurotic (to varying degrees). We are all born into this fragmented, mentally-ill world and, as such, we are conditioned by it.

      Labeling a few people as bipolar assumes that everyone else isn’t. Do you think the psychologist making the diagnosis isn’t also bipolar? They certainly are! (Jung understood this; Freud rejected the idea. And Freud’s beliefs prevail to this day.)

      So in the context of awakening, you become more conscious of the opposing forces within your psyche — not because someone labeled and condemned you as such, but because you’re now more aware of your bipolar tendencies.

      And the more you can observe your bipolarity, the less it will influence your behavior (because you begin to access your Center more often).

      If you haven’t read my guide on the shadow, I recommend you do so. It will expand your understanding of this topic.

  • Awakening is a very complex process. It must be done to you, instead of by you. By whom? Your Higher Self. Through Committed daily Spiritual devotions, one creates a valence (connection) by which your Higher Self can do everything through you, to you, and by you. You will realize you Are this Self, now, always were!

  • So happy! Great read! Here are some thoughts. So, I’ve suddenly noticed I have become… very-not-excited about cooking meat. And I’m almost positive it has nothing to do with ideology. No amount of vegan preaching ever changed how it FELT to cook and eat meat. It happened gradually and naturally, without me noticing. I’m not that surprised though. I have been on this path for a very long time, and had a sense that this would eventually happen. Perhaps not for all though, as you said. Perhaps it was my destiny, since I am a huge animal lover, who is very very sensitive, AND always thought the idea was extremely gross.

    Also glad you mentioned the tension of the opposites!! I grew up somewhat alone, in the sense that I couldn’t find anyone to join me in my “middle-nes”. I grew up in a Christian household, but i was just Deeply “spiritual” (idk how to avoid that trap in order to explain lol). All the Christian kids were too boxed up for me to feel welcomed, and all the other kids were wayyy too “normal” and I could not relate. I’m rambling, but yeah, I vote grey area most of the time, for most things, and feel deep within me that it’s a Very important lesson we must learn. Its often the lonely road, and due to that, and because of social conditioning, we kind of assume it must be wrong then. LOL.

    It’s funny… when I try to get a sense for the meaning of life and what it is, etc etc, I get the feeling that it’s always more than one thing simultaneously, which I feel is the true normal, and that OUR way of thinking is the paradox lol. Like how people get hung up on free will and fate. I truly believe it could be both. ? Just thinking lol ?

    Have a wonderful day ???

    • Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sky.

      Yes, many people have reported a similar experience with eating meat. It’s as if an energetic wave came over them and they just simply didn’t want it anymore.

      In terms of loneliness, Carl Jung spoke about that as well in regards to the individuation process. That is, when you walk your own path (instead of following what the crowds are doing), it can feel lonely. Yet, there’s no other way to come to know yourself except by not identifying with any group and finding your own path.

      https://scottjeffrey.com/individuation-process/

      And as you mentioned, our collective social bias toward groups and “togetherness” however, makes those that step out on their own paths feel bad about it (as if they are doing something wrong).

  • Sorry mate, but after spending 15 years or so sitting on the mat life can change. Maybe I am just lucky or for some reason been picked and that is why I now have a calling to help people learn about meditation and attempt to guide them. Anyway, about 10 years a ago I went through a text book awakening. A few years after I was reading the “The Path of the Hearth” by Jack Kornfield and the way he described a Satori or Kundalini awakening, I had all the signs and symptoms and now 5 years later I am still in pain from the forced Kundalini serpent smacking me in the neck upon rising. So there is both bliss and danger in awakenings or at least quick awakenings. Just sitting in Zazen can help you peel many, many layers of the your onion and each one opens up those blockages a little more each time. Also onions can make your cry and trust me I have cried for months on end empathizing with all the pain and suffering in the world. So please do not underestimate just sitting on the mat. Think of it as stirring a glass full of water and some mud. Eventually that mud will settle to the surface and you can see things so much clearer and cleaner. I have also realistic have read over 500 spiritual books and nothing compares to just sitting on the mat.

    • I’m sure you believe so, Gregg. After all, who would want to sit on the mat for 15 years and find out that you’ve been wasting a great deal of your time?

      But I’m not certain what you’re disagreeing with exactly. I have numerous guides on this website about the benefits of meditation — both sitting and standing styles — as well as how to work with the energy of the body.

      • I had a yoga teacher who had taught for 20 years. He also held down a full time job. He went to India to meditation retreat. He was sat in a cave meditations and heard a voice say to him “why are you doing this, it will not make you enlightened” or words to that effect. He was furious with his yoga guru who had intimated it would, gave up yoga teaching, although he still practised the exercise element himself. He said he learned that blindly following a path isn’t the answer for sn6 of us.

        • It’s a common mistaken belief and misreading of the traditions that “time in a cave” is the answer. The monasteries themselves developed mainly for social and cultural reasons. Long periods of meditation in isolation reinforces a split in our psyche — the meditator vs. the everyday person. If we can’t bring the meditation with us in everything we do, its value is questionable.

  • Hi Scott,

    Firstly I want to begin by saying thanks so much for this article and the time you took to think about it and write and share it. It has been eye opening.

    I stumbled upon it by accident, well kind of (searching for something, the usual). Anyway the majority of what you discuss resonates with me. I’m going to read all your shadow articles next.

    For a while I was a member of Reiki healing group and for a few years it was great. I was connecting with and healing my inner child and childhood traumas. Eventually though things began to change. Our mantra was do no harm to no living things.

    Then a few years back my husband who had given up meat said to me, why, do you continue to eat meat if your mantra is do no harm to no living thing. I said, well our ‘guru’ (don’t want to assign names) said if you bless the meat and thank the animal for its sacrifice it’s okay.
    Well as I said these words out loud, they came reverberating back to me, even louder. It was I had somehow flipped a switch in my conscious mind and turned on a light and (my opinion only) the idea of blessing meat seemed and excuse my inarticulate description, nonsensical.

    So when I went back to the shares, knowing my ‘guru’ to be of an opened mind and related how I was feeling, but obviously less blunt and a little gentler, she put up an argument. I was taken aback a bit but continued to go.
    The more I mediated and they all continued with ham sandwiches the more it felt odd to me. Then other things started coming up. And she began to say things to me like ‘I can tell your not self healing, your energy is wrong. You need to self heal’. Or, my dog died and she said to me on the phone, ‘I feel it was something to do with his heart and you’ve stopped your healing …’ implying I had done something wrong. Or I began to feel guilty. But she ended her conversation with love and light.

    I still love and enjoy the practice of Reiki and find it beneficial for me personally. However, about a year ago I disconnected from the group as I started experiencing guilt when going To it. So I began to examine why was I feeling guilty for something that should be helping me.

    Why am I flawed and they are not and they all feel good. Why did I begin to pretend I was getting something from this when I wasn’t. So many questions. I understand I was living in some sort of spiritual ego and not truly dealing with guilty feelings resulting from childhood traumas. That the reason I began going to these sessions disappeared.

    Anyway, I’ve waffled a lot. But you’ve given me food for thought and another aspect of myself and feelings I wish to explore.

    Thanks again for sharing and I am looking forward to reading your other articles.

    Have a great day.
    Debs.

    • It sounds clearly evident from your description, Debs, that you were in a cult. (Most people in cults don’t know they are in one. And most cult leaders don’t know that they are possessed by a Messiah complex and are playing the role of a cult leader.)

      You might want to check out “Eyes Wide Open” by Mariana Caplan.

      On the meat issue, yes, what you described is completely “normal” behavior. Our minds have all sorts of defensive mechanisms designed to keep our self-identities intact and to blind us from what we’re really doing. Otherwise, consuming flesh (of any kind — from any creature with a heart and born from a mother) will simply be unacceptable.

      Also, the only reason an individual or group would need to state a rule like “do no harm” is so they can feel better about themselves while they do harm. It’s a clever tool to remain unconscious of one’s actions and behaviors.

      • Thanks for your reply Scott! I did try and go back and delete it. Won’t go into the reasons I’m sure you can guess.
        With regards being a cult member I’ll have to think on that.
        Maybe.
        I suppose all religious groups and spiritual groups are cults. And we’re just the lambs that blindly follow.
        It’s about time for me to do some shadow work.

        Again thanks for your honest response.

        • Cults are everywhere, Debs.

          We tend to think of cults in a very, ominous way (think Jonestown). But these cases are the extreme. Most cults are mostly benign and ideological in nature. (By some definitions, any religious congregation qualifies as a cult.)

          We most often find our way into cults because we have projected our inner authority outside of ourselves. And this occurs because something went wrong during childhood.

          For more context, see: https://scottjeffrey.com/psychological-projection/

          • First off, Nisha. My first name is Scott.

            Second, you’re entitled to your opinion. But if you understood what I saying, you probably would have a different one.

            There are destructive cults and benign cults and all manner of degrees in between. In this context, “destructive” means harmful to one’s health and psychological/emotional wellbeing.

            An example of a benign cult would be Harley Davidson HOG rallies. A group of like-minded individuals who share similar values and interests gathering together.

            Clearly, there’s a continuum.

  • Wow this article was informative. I’m in a very weird place in my life right now. I’ve slowly been becoming aware of my life as crazy as it sounds but before i honestly felt like life was just happening to me and i would just go by it and until i had to grow up at 17 because i moved out i started making my own mistakes and been stuck on this loop that eventually i’ve ended up here where i’m not exactly sure what’s happened but I’m definitely more aware of everything but at the same time i don’t know how to deal with this and i have tried LSD and i can say that after that i definitely had this awakening but still stuck but not as stuck as i was before idk i really suck at speaking my mind but wow this article really helped thank you

    • You’re welcome, Andrea.

      We all live our lives mainly by scripts and repeating patterns (that is, we are mostly asleep most of the time).

      As you develop greater awareness, you begin to witness your patterns and then slowly move beyond them.

      Psychoactive substances can alter your state of consciousness enough to see yourself more clearly. But it takes time and “inner work” to maintain this clarity in your normal waking state.

      • I agree that we are running on scripts! Identifying and writing our own script was the answer for me. X

    • Andrea, speaking up for yourself means naming your personal values, eg, honesty, telling the truth, acting with integrity, etc, whatever is right for you. That gives you a framework for living your life. The other absolute for living with yourself is having internal boundaries. Research internal boundaries. Understanding and setting Internal is the key to feeling secure in and trusting yourself. That’s my experience for reclaiming myself from being driven by unconscious “rules” for living. Crack on girl, the fact your asking is a big sign you’ll get there.

  • This article has been a bit of an awakening and clarified some of my confusion around seeking enlightenment. When young I was desperate to have a one moment awakening, like Moses and the burning bush. Only now in my sixties do I realise that addressing my childhood traumas and understanding and making a relationship with my internal “parts” was necessary first. I saw a wonderfully professional therapist for 3 years, who worked with parts therapy, which worked for me. Now that I understand my internal drivers, I can focus better on spiritual development. It still feels like a challenge though! Thanks for this article. I love that I know am doing my best, most of the time, being kind in the lapses and still moving forward. My one wish for humanity is that all education establishments operate in a secular environment.

    • You’re welcome, Anne.

      It is a daily practice for everyone. Anyone who thinks they don’t have to observe and regulate their behavior isn’t conscious of what’s being expressed through them.

  • Thanks for a great article with so much info i can work with and test out. May I ask, why are there so so many traps? It immediately feels daunting to the point of it is too hard, so dont bother. Then i remember eckart tolle telling me I would have those same doubting thoughts and they are lies, narratives my ego tells me. Your article points to a long road as I see now I am at the very very begining! I am 57 yo! I’ve been rooted in ego for so very long and been in the traps too. I’m terrified of facing my past, but want to try shadow work. Where to start? P.s. i appreciate you friend for answering the people who commented before me!

    • There are a number of different ways I can answer your question, Maggie. And the answers can take many volumes to thoroughly explain.

      The reality is that our culture and society don’t support authentic psychological or spiritual development. It doesn’t appear that it ever has. Most so-called leaders (including heads of churches, businesses, families, etc) in society have serious developmental issues. And we subconsciously learn by observing the behaviors of those we perceive to be authorities. So how could our ride be smooth and easy?

      There are so many traps because the traps are part of the status quo — part of the convention.

      Individuation is the process of breaking free from the convention (the essential movement toward yourself). It brings up fear and loneliness and uncertainty. And to avoid these uncomfortable feelings, most people subconsciously bind themselves to the ill manners of a sick society.

  • Thank you. I’m fairly new to this but VERYYYYY aware the more I feed my soul I will Starve my ego ???

    • Sure thing, Jackie.

      But be careful with your languaging. If you try to “starve your ego” it can create a counterforce in your unconscious.

      Your ego isn’t your enemy. A healthy ego is your ally. Many individuals in spiritual circles misunderstand this. An unhealthy ego certainly works against us, but a healthy one will enable the original spirit to work through us.

  • What if I am now spiritually awake and everyone around me now thinks i need to see a psychiatrist? Help

    • While I can’t speak to your specific situation, what you’re describing is probably normal.

      Is it really a problem?

      Can you be okay with other people thinking you need a psychiatrist?

      Can you inquire to yourself: “Why is it so important that I have the approval of others?”

      Are you sure you need to “fit in”?

      From J. Krishnamurti: “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

  • Hey scott!
    Love your work!
    I have one question about the spiritual teachers . I agree with what you write (here and also in another guides) That we tend to cast upon them an aura of divinity and some of our disowned qualities. It is also true when you write that many of the spiritual material that we find out there make us feel good temporarily and that’s it. By the way, in my opinion, lot of the times it depends on us. Sometimes it depends on us whether to simply listen and bask in their words (teacher words) rather to also apply them in our daily life.
    I am listening to David hawkins work for example and one thing is just listening in awe what he says another is letting go of fear in our daily situations for example. This message in fact is about him. I found that there are lot of books about him written by Scott Jeffrey and I was wondering if that author was you. If that is the case I am surprised to see that in your site and guides there is no reference about his work despite you wrote many books about him.
    Maybe you changed your opinion about is work?
    Consequently I would like to know if you think that such authors (ekart tolle as well ) guides you also through a pychological (and not only spiritual) development.
    In my opinion, as implicitly stated above, yes, since if you try to implement their teachings in your daily life and not just consider them as sacred words you are very likely to find challenges (Jesus and buddas teaching as well I think) . Think about Martin Luther king who followed the teaching of the Bible in his ACTIONS and what a man he became, what a change in history he brought about!
    What is your opinion about this Scott?
    Thank you Scott in advance and blessing from Italy. Again I think your work is awesome!
    Bye!

    • Hi Matteo,

      Yes, I was the author of those works. I was the editor of several quote books on Hawkins (published by Hay House). I was also his authorized biographer for over 5 years (“Doctor of Truth”).

      It was in the course of doing research for his biography that I began to find a tremendous amount of inconsistencies in things he stated and what the evidence clearly showed. It was my experiences in that process that help direct my attention to a lot of the information that’s presented on this website (e.g. getting to know your shadow and understanding how the psyche works).

      From my perspective, what got Dr. Hawkins into trouble was that he was making “scientific” claims without any evidence to back up his statements. He turned his opinions into facts (“truth”) and made it difficult for anyone to question his assertions. (I also wrote a follow-up book that documented all of my findings while researching his biography.)

      From my experience, humans don’t need “teachings” as such. We are autonomous, self-directed beings. We simply need to remember and return to what we are — not what we’ve been programmed/conditioned to be.

      If you can take a nugget of information as a reminder because, at that moment, you’re disconnected from your source, then so be it. But you may be amazed at how many of the high-sounding tenets of so-called great teachers are actually ungrounded — even harmful to one’s psychology. Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness, from my experience, is such an example of this.

      • “But you may be amazed at how many of the high-sounding tenets of so-called great teachers are actually ungrounded”

        Hey Scott what you mean by here ungrounded ? Loosing touch with reality ? Lack of practical evidence ? Or connecting to earth (grounding) like walking barefoot on sand grass etc…or loosing touch with their true essence?

        • Hey Shiva,

          I was referring to phrases and “higher-sounding truths” by some gurus and New Age literature that sounds great (and may lift/elevate you in the moment), but upon further reflection, the same statements and assertions become nonsensical.

          Here’s a quick illustration: in A Course in Miracles communities they often say “love is letting go of fear.” Sounds nice, right? But is it true? Can’t you let go of the fear of something without experiencing love? I certainly can.

          But it is also true that many (most?) gurus and spiritual teachers are ungrounded. That is, they mainly live in their minds/thoughts and are divorced from their bodies. And this dissociation causes all kinds of problems. The transpersonal psychology community began making this distinction back in the 1980s. But the same thing holds true today.

  • absolutely love this blog. Covered everything one wanted to know about this. I appreciate your time. Thanks for sharing.

  • Hey Scott ? I’m new to spiritual journey your articles are really helpful ? what’s really starseeds indigo children light workers earth angels twin flame 3D 4D 5D etc I’m from India iam never heard these terms before but new age spirituality talk about this there is so many videos about it in YT
    If they are talking truth , then why ancient spiritual books or enlightened masters, guru’s are not talking about these ? How someone know what is truth ? Main stream spirituality more into making money ? spiritual bypassing ? how to get into real deep spirituality ???
    NB: English is not my first language ?

    • Hey Shiva,

      These are all valid questions and astute observations.

      I’m very familiar with all of the various topics you’ve mentioned. I will share a few perspectives on these topics.

      I believe that most of the material on topics like “ascension” are spiritual traps.

      I personally would stay away from anyone who considers themselves a “lightworker” for they are clearly divorced from their shadow. (Otherwise, they would NEVER call themselves “lightworkers.”) Only when you understand the levels of manipulation that go in within the psychic realm can you fully appreciate this.

      Yes, much of these topics lead to a form of spiritual bypass. Many individuals want to jump-skip to “higher levels” without fully understanding where they are now. And in that way, they are ungrounded. And when you are ungrounded, you get easily blown in the wind of spiritual rhetoric, mind control programs, and other hidden, manipulative agendas.

      As Carl Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

      You asked how to get into deep spirituality. My response would be: go into the darkness — the exact opposite direction that the New Age and spiritual communities are moving in.

      • “You asked how to get into deep spirituality. My response would be: go into the darkness — the exact opposite direction that the New Age and spiritual communities are moving in.”

        Wow it’s counter intuitive move ?

        Thank you Scott for your insight and guidance ?

        • Actually, Shiva, my sense is that moving in the direction of our darkness is quite intuitive. The higher part of us (Self) naturally leads us in this direction so that we can return to wholeness. This is one of the functions of our dreams.

          So it’s not that it’s “counter-intuitive” but that it goes against our social programming and cultural conditioning — as well as various misleading information.

  • Wow. I am in uttter awe right now. Thank you. You have described my path exactly since 2013. Ive been trying to understand what has been happening to me and now all signs point to a new stage of development. So much gratitude. <3 I lost my mind during thos process. And found something else.

        • I understand that it can often seem that way — especially when you’re evaluating it from within your own circle of people you know.

          But for context, over 35,000 people have read this guide in the last 30 days. So you’re definitely not alone!

  • You nailed it. I have been through it all and am preparing classes to help others. Your page popped up and so much of what you say is in my material. Awakening is not for everyone but, when we decide to move towards self mastery, we are taking a big step. For me, the whole thing was definitely triggered by the opening of the heart. Namaste!

  • Wow, i cant believe people still fall in the trap called “ego is bad” …
    sorry, but its absolutely not true.
    there is no ego
    and second, the sence of “I” always remain, even after the enlightenment, it just become a different perspective.
    I am very sorry for all the people trying to kill their “I” , the psychiatric clinics are full of them

    • Where in this article does it say that the ego is “bad”?

      And where does it talk to about “killing their ‘I’?

      It would appear that you’re either very confused or you didn’t actually read the article presented above.

  • Wow this article helped ALOT. I do wished i had someone to talk to though because of my unique experience with voices guiding me.

    • Hi Lissa, you said “voices” (plural), which generally implies you’re hearing various archetypes/entities from within your psyche. Some of these voices may serve you for a time, but they can also deceive you. So caution and discernment are important.

  • wonderful nobody can explain or explore such a great way actually I am sure 100% nobody can share without self-enlightenment, you need to experience before explaining to world. thanks a lot will help out many ways in our path,

    • You’re welcome, Jasbir.

      Be careful with terms like “self-enlightenment.” They are likely to lead to ego inflation and misunderstanding. All that’s needed is careful and patient observation combined with enough life experience. And it is accessible to everyone.

      • In essence, all enlightenment is “self-enlightenment.” No one can do it for you. Instruction comes from within. The problem here is language and perception. Two people looking at the same thing and each seeing something different.

      • You seem to have some problem with the concept of the ego, perceiving it as something “bad”. Perhaps some shadow work is required?

        • Fred, it seems apparent that you’re misunderstanding how the term ego is being used here.

          The ego, in the context used in this guide and these comments, refers to human psychology.

          Your confusion in this regard is apparent in most of the comments you’ve added here.

          My statement above about the tendency toward ego inflation in terms related to enlightenment is accurate.

          Also, no one said that someone can do anything for you. If you’re going to comment on other comments, please do a more careful reading of what’s being communicated.

        • Fred, I’d ❤️ to see you in a conversation w/ Dave Chappelle ??? thanks ✋ for your input putting a smile on my face at 2:38 am!

  • I love how you mentioned qigong. After doing a few qigong sessions I noticed an aversion to chicken and beef. A year later I’m not eating any meat due to not liking it. I ate fish until I had an aversion for that as well. I’ve been meat free for about 3-4 months. Qui gong is really amazing work.

    • Qigong and the internal arts are wonderful practices. Reforging our connection to our instincts and our bodies is something that can benefit anyone.

      But I should note for others reading this, just because you practice qigong doesn’t mean you will develop an aversion to eating meat.

      I didn’t develop an aversion to eating meat simply by practicing qigong. And I know many seasoned qigong practitioners and almost all of them eat meat.

  • Hi, thanks for this. Ive been on a journey of self discovery that is becoming an everyday realization of so many things. I recently lost my beloved dog of 15 years. The raw grief I felt was so intense and I cried for days, the grief moved to darkness but has now moved to feeling calmness very swiftly, I thought it was a feeling of nothing and for 1 day it was but I don’t feel ‘bad’, just different and I have such a huge belief that he has moved on to another space, I also believe the grief was letting go of everything that has caused me pain and I feel so much more empathy and forgiveness for myself and people who have hurt me. I feel this is huge and im moving into a more spiritual, I don’t feel better then anyone but is this me letting go of ego or ego still controlling me..

    • Hi Victoria,

      Yes, grief, when processed fully, can bring us closer to ourselves.

      I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking about the ego. It sounds like you’re processing the emotion of grief. What does that have to do with the ego?

    • I would say if that if you don’t feel like you’re losing your mind, it’s not an authentic experience.

      (That’s part of the reason I caution people with the whole “light and love” meme. It’s disingenuous and based on ignorance.)

      We go from living a “conventional life,” essentially living with a set of programs and fundamental lies.

      Then, when you begin to see what’s actually going on — both within yourself and the world around you — how can you not go mad?

      As Alan Watts once said, if you ever saw the entire truth all at once, you would go running mad, screaming through the streets.

      • That’s well worded and what I have tried in numerous ways to tell people. They don’t understand regardless of how many times or way I try because they’ve never experienced it and are stuck in their agendas and unconsciously habitual patterns of behavior, or as Timothy Leary put it, “like ants, each intent on Hir own ‘reality’ – reacting automatically to relevant cues from others” and they tend to automatically either ignore or attack whatever doesn’t “fit in.” I tell them that if they were to download my knowledge into their head they would begin screaming and never stop. If you think about it, perhaps on some level they know or sense this and it is why they avoid the truth.

        In essence, death of the ego and physical death are perceived as the same, which makes sense as upon physical death, it is the ego or temporal sense of self that dies while the Spirit or eternal self remains. It’s a lot like the pupil of the eye. The ego is constricted while the Spirit is completely dilated, wide open. Yet, while in the body, we must operate from within an ego.

        • I forgot to add that it’s like the circumpunct or circle with a dot in the center. Ideally, we want to achieve balance between the two extremes. One is like a microscope; the other, a telescope. It is the combination of opposites, like yin and yang.

      • From my experiences ‘losing 1’s mind’ is necessary to reside in the light of consciousness. “Losing my mind” was liberating & transformative to the sense of well being ? For me, I’d say it was my egoic understanding of trying to put words to the spiritual awakening. Which is not a ‘words’ experience. It’s a feeling or knowing thing. Not debatable by words. It’s more factual in of what it feels like than something that can be articulated ?

    • IMO that ? was my egoic self regurgitating it’s conditioning. So, YES, I thought the same thing. Since thoughts are visitors… I asked that visitor to leave. It didn’t meaningfully serve what shift that was felt ✨

  • Part truth, part nonsense, and a lot of compartmentalization, which tends to happen when we absorb information from various sources which is filtered through the ego. This is largely due to “semantic spooks” in the English language; holes, blocks, which are sometimes accidental and sometimes used to deliberately mislead or brainwash. We think the parts fit together when they do not and tend to fill in blank spaces with what we “know” (or think we know.) I really don’t know how to tell people. No one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. Until you transcend the words, you are stuck within their limitations.

    “You cannot use butterfly language to communicate with caterpillars.” -Timothy Leary PhD

    • Fred, this article isn’t about the “Matrix” or the nature of “reality.” So it seems you have misread it.

      This guide is designed to provide a deeper understanding of human psychology and behavior. It’s based on real-world practicality, not conceptual ideologies based on rhetoric.

      • You’re very compartmentalized, ego-bound, and completely unable to understand allegory and metaphor, Mr. Robot.

        • Fred, if one day you decide to get to know your shadow, you can use your last comment as a starting point. Simply take the judgments you’ve directed at me and apply them to yourself.

          For example:

          Compartmentalization: Everyone’s mind is compartmentalized. The first compartment we build is words and language. The second compartment is concepts and ideas. The challenge isn’t the compartments themselves, but our ability to connect them and perceive beyond them when necessary.

          Ego-bound: To get to know your ego, examine your behavior carefully. You elected to scan this lengthy article and then troll through hundreds of comments before adding about a dozen comments of your own. Are those the actions of a wise or enlightened individual? Or is it clearly the behavior of someone who is ego-bound and out to prove something?

          Robotic: We are all possessed by a series of archetypes throughout our lives. These archetypes represent set patterns of behavior, which do lead us to be robotic. Do you think because your use of allegories and metaphors (that you read in some other spiritual text) makes you less robotic? The archetype that appears to be in your driver’s seat is the guru archetype. The guru archetype represents a common form of inflation that can be difficult to unravel. But behind it is generally a deep feeling of insecurity. Without observing how the archetype is operating in you, you’ll continue to identify with it. And as such, you will not come to know yourself.

          • You really know nothing about me. You’re projecting. Everything you know or think you know isn’t the result of direct experience, but from books or other sources of information. It’s quite obvious. The map is not the territory. There’s no sense discussing this further since you are bound to those beliefs and anything I write will be translated through them – so I literally cannot get through to you.

          • You seem quite confused, Fred.

            You say, “You really know nothing about me.”

            Yet, wasn’t it you who claimed to know something about me when you laid your judgments down in the above comment? (And not the other way around.)

            I simply pointed out your judgments and reflected them back to you.

            Perhaps you haven’t learned this yet, but your judgments of others illuminate your projections — that is, when you judge and look down on another, it’s a clear sign you have disowned something from yourself. Otherwise, no judgment is necessary (and you wouldn’t have had the compulsion to post your comments).

            And isn’t it you who’s claiming to know what I know or what I’ve arrived at via direct experience? Perhaps you see the contradiction?

            You say I know nothing about you (I never claimed to). Yet, what gives you the idea you know anything about me?

            All I can surmise about you is by observing your behavior. You took the time to read (or scan) this article and then trolled through the comment section posting over a dozen times now. This action alone speaks volumes about you — regardless of whatever stories you may tell yourself and how “ego-boundless” you perceive yourself to be.

            You wrote, “so I literally cannot get through to you.”

            I’m actually a pretty open-minded person, but in this context, Fred, no one asked you a question. So why the compulsion to pontificate? If you’ve achieved such a high state through direct experience, go enjoy it. But please go play the guru somewhere else.

            (Note: this comment and my other comment above are for other readers of this website who are interested in self-leadership. These comments are not for the guru — as the guru already “knows all.”)

          • I used to be like you my friend, but then I lost it all going through a massive shift in a relationship, the trauma is like x100

          • Hey, I experienced everything in this Article without even hearing or knowing there was a Carl Jung. But we need people like Him to convey the message to help other’s through.

  • This is a very informative article, thank you so much.

    I have a personal question: during this summer (especially during this quarantine time), I did a lot of inner work, I got lots of insights.

    One of those was this random thought that this body was not mine, the name, the skin colors, the people who I called parents, the selfie picture of that girl on FB, etc., feel like a completely alien that detached from this “self” and the only thing I owned was the soul. And at that time, the feeling was so real that I questioned many things in life, started realizing the shallow and superficial part of everything around, and felt very lonely, discontent, and meaningless. And your Shadow Work article kinda helped me to accept ALL parts of everything I see, including my shadow self.

    But now, I did not have that same feeling of “alien” anymore, I felt like I was getting back to this body and this normal life.

    Any thoughts? :(

    • It sounds to me like you experienced a state that might be called “self-transcendence” (a movement beyond the ego or personal self) and then your conscious personality reasserted itself.

      This is actually quite common. The conditioning of the conscious personality is very strong since we reinforce it with our thoughts, identifications, attitudes, and behaviors each day.

      When you begin to do inner work, you’ll experience moments of seeing yourself clearly (that is, you’ll be observing yourself). And when this occurs, much of the everyday conditioning begins to fall away.

      In this state, most of what we do and how we perceive the world is nonsensical — and yes, foreign or “alien.”

      But then, the conscious personality starts to reassert itself — a kind of clinging to the known.

      • Thank you, Scott, would you mind elaborate more the “personality starts to reassert itself”? and so what is the next step I should do? because I feel like switching back and forth

        • Sure thing, Vy.

          Your conscious personality is essentially a set of programs and conditioning that you’ve come to identify as “you.” Your body, name, skin color, family background, etc — all the things that seemed foreign to you when you began to observe it more clearly.

          However old you are, that’s how many years that conscious personality has been reinforcing itself.

          So even though you rose above that conscious personality for a time, because it’s conditioning is strong, it says something like, “Hey, wait a minute. I’m me. Get back here.” (And then you begin identifying with it again.)

          But the conscious personality isn’t the real you. The real you is closer to what the Taoists call the Original Spirit or what depth psychology simply calls the Self.

          The key thing is to begin to stabilize yourself in what’s often referred to as the Center so that your Spirit can lead the way. (The conscious personality remains, but it won’t get in the way so much.)

          The inner work you’re doing is important. You can augment this process by applying different centering principles as well. See this guide:

          https://scottjeffrey.com/center-yourself/

          • Thank you Scott ? I actually read all those you sent a few weeks ago and been applying those in dailies without even realize those practices been becoming habits.
            Will keep you updated ? and very much appreciated for your whole hearted response to everyone here, not every body does this

          • Hi Scott, I have a question on shadow work. I used to experience and now my partner experience this stage when we start to see and recognize, sensitive to people around us that live focus too much on “survival mode” and at we start seeing more dark side of the people, their motive, desire and also the world around us.
            We both now at the stage focusing on sth that is more about internal world, self contentment and non physical world of self actualization
            My question is will you consider the stage of seeing all the shadow things around you and get lost in knowing your life purpose as dark night of the soul? Even though we do not feel depressed or meaningless?

          • Vy,

            Your comment was difficult to read and interpret.

            First, to clarify, self-actualization is not about the “non physical world.” It’s about actualizing your potential IN the physical world.

            Second, seeing the darker side of life in the external world is NOT really shadow work. Shadow work is about bringing what’s unconscious to consciousness — within yourself.

            The question you need to ask yourself is: Do you want to know yourself?

            That is, is self-knowledge and an understanding of this world more important to you than even “self-contentment”?

            Many people will not even begin to peer into their shadow because they are afraid of “negativity,” getting depressed, or feeling a sense of meaninglessness. (It’s difficult to get to know yourself or the world without experiencing some kind of existential angst at some point.)

            As such, they would prefer to foster an illusory construct about themselves (and often the world) to make themselves feel better. This choice is generally made without any conscious intent.

  • Could you tell me if it normal have no concertration and drifting of when i communicate. Some days it so bad it worries me. Certain people i do it more with. Im having constant prob with my computor etc. Its taking me to sites that i wouldnt have gone to. Turning off when im using it. I have alot of the above signs but then i think this is too good to be true as i have been on no path and lost for most of my life. I was really believing that i had a ghost hiding things on me. Any guidance you could pass on to me would be so gratefully recieved. Thanyou sharon dodd

    • Sharon,

      It’s difficult for me to address your questions.

      Is it “normal” to drift off when you’re communicating? It’s certainly not beneficial.

      Many people struggle with a lack of concentration for various reasons. There are external factors (like nutrition) and internal factors (like psychological issues). Brain fog is quite common nowadays.

      I have heard accounts of people influencing their technology. And I have noticed that my emotional state appeared to influence them on numerous occasions.

      Despite our mainstream perception, things like ghosts and entities do have a psychic reality to them. In Carlos Castenada’s work, Don Juan referred to them as fliers or predators.

      I don’t know what guidance I can provide here though. Vigorous body movement and energetic practices may be supportive for you.

  • I had an unbelievable experience when meditating and I don’t know what to think of it. It involves energy entering my mind, monks holding a kings chair in my yard, symbols suddenly appearing on my forehead, feeling of absolute utopia, mind seeing the earth as it really is, me shaving my head, seeing the monks disappear right before my eyes, clicking sound I could turn on and off, neighbors witnessing some of the events, feeling of being enlightened, has changed me completely…

  • This is a really informative and helpful article. A good length explaining everything clearly, but not excessively. The links are good for more in depth information if you want it.

  • ? This material needs to be taught in schools (everywhere). To hardwire our youth while they are more vertically aligned than horizontally ?? ? Best read I’ve encountered in some time ? TY

  • From your experience, do you know what faith is? Or hope? Are these things illusory? I was just curious about your opinions on them. Both terms seem to be coming from a place of lack. But life can be challenging for all of us, I can see how potent these concepts can become. I really appreciate the article, definitely gave me a different perspective.

    • Mandy,

      I’ll need to be careful offering my perspective on this question because words like faith and hope are emotionally-charged for many individuals.

      As in most cases, the context in which a word is used is important. For example, are we talking about faith in an outside savior or faith or trust in one’s Self?

      But here’s what I can say as someone who has taken an in-depth look at history: concepts like faith and hope have always been used by a small group of individuals who possess greater knowledge and resources to control and manipulate the masses who have access to less knowledge and resources.

      Generally speaking, I would say hope and faith are an externally engineered concept.

      – “I hope this situation will get better.”
      – “I hope this will blow over.”
      – “I have faith someone will come to save us.”

      Hope and faith are used by those in positions of power to control the masses. Hope is looking outward for assistance. Hope and belief are tools of control. Hope strips you of your innate power and natural abilities. Hope and faith put us in a trance state, creating passivity and helplessness.

      While hope places our energy outside of us, heart constellates our energy within us. It strengthens our resolve and helps us access the Spirit within us. The innate power of our energy and Spirit may be limitless. Yet, this system we find ourselves in seems engineered to cut us off from our hearts. Nevertheless, our internal energy holds great, untapped power.

  • Very informative thank you
    I recently woke up to a full effect enlightenment that lasted 2 wks.i felt unusually hot 2 days before hand,& felt as if something was coming.
    It was very intense& truly amazing. Every 4′ days it became less intense. Now I feel enhanced & far more aware of my natural self& state& what you say resonates completely.
    Thank you

  • My spiritual awakening started 3yrs ago. It has been a very interesting experience. The ego has been a huge factor in this process. I do not relate or connect with the ego. Materialism is no longer a gauge of my success. I do feel I suffer from ego deflation. I need to work on that. Any guidance there would be appreciated.

    • Jeff, you wrote, “I do not relate or connect with the ego.”

      This is not necessarily a positive and beneficial thing. Generally, it means that you’re dissociating from your ego. Remember, your ego is simply your “sense of I”.

      If you truly didn’t relate to your ego as “you,” then you wouldn’t say that you’re suffering from “ego deflation.” One thought contradicts the other.

      This suggests that you’re confused in your terminology, but also that you’re likely confused in your internal experience.

      The psyche is built on opposites. Until we stabilize ourselves in the “Center,” we most often toggle between self-doubt (deflation) and grandiosity (inflation). Just because you’re experiencing one side now, doesn’t mean you can’t flip to the other pole moments from now.

      If you’re feeling “less than” others, that suggests that you’re “projecting up” onto others. It means that you’re possessed by the passive pole of the shadow. You are playing the weak side while repressing the side that seeks to dominant others. (Again, the psyche is built on opposites.)

      There’s no simple answer to how to bring things into balance, but getting to know your shadow is an essential part of the individuation process:

      https://scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/

  • Hey Scott , continuous use of LSD DMT magic mushrooms peyote Ayahuasca these substances cause psychological addiction ??? Why we use these for spiritual journey ? I feel using substance for spiritual growth is spiritual bypassing… if truly these substance helpful for trauma healing inner growth self awareness psychic abilities mindfulness etc… then why people respond differently to this stuff ? Some of them get positive result and some people loose touch with reality … others use for escaping from their painful life or responsibilities in life ( spiritual escapism). Maybe psychedelics not for everyone .. but if you have empty pocket then spirituality is not for you … these so called spiritual high vibrating places plant medicine ceremony initiations guidance and teachings from enlightened masters so expansive…

    • Hey Shiva,

      Psychedelics and mind-altering substances are a large subject category and a lot can be said on the topic to give it proper context and treatment. As you’ve pointed out, they can be a mixed bag. And if you research how mind-altering substances were introduced to the “modern world,” it’s understandable why.

      Traditionally, substances like Ayahuasca (DMT) were used as sacraments, distributed by a village’s shaman, used for a very specific reason, at a specific dosage, in a specific setting. Today, it’s all more of a “free-for-all.”

      While psychedelics can certainly provide therapeutic benefits when used with the right “set and setting” (mindset/consciousness and environment), repeated use demonstrates a lack of understanding. Also, what you said is true, for many individuals (perhaps most), psychedelics can take an already divided mind and make it more fragmented. In many cases, the users of these substances end up fostering more ego inflation and grandiosity. So caution is advisable.

      Part of the problem may be that some people use these substances under the guise of a “spiritual journey” (as you suggested) instead of using it for “psychological integration” (that is, getting to know your psyche).

  • In my practice presently, I have found that I have moved into a flowing Grace that has ignited my energy body! It’s blessing has opened me to a wholeness that seems to know no bounds…Ecstatic Bliss that needs no conscious call out! Namaste

    • You’re welcome, Stuart.

      But to clarify, no one struggles with their inner self. The struggle occurs when we’re not accessing our Self; the struggle is with the ego’s or mind’s resistance.

  • Enlightened teacher ‘Beyond Imogen’ eats nothing but meat. AFTER her awakening, her intuition guided her to switch from veganism to carnivore. Although it was against what she’d previously done, she followed this guidance because is was quite simply what her body was telling her she needed.

    • Sarah, there are so many things concerning about your comment that I don’t know where to begin.

      First, the “enlightened teacher” monicker.

      Second, “after her awakening,” as if a flash of lightning came upon her and now she was “enlightened.” This is a popular “new age” conception.

      Third, so-called “enlightenment” invariably does not mean an individual knows their unconscious (or their psyche). That is, they fail to differentiate a part of their psyche (an archetype) that is conditioned to eat meat and is craving meat from their “intuition.” It’s all the same to them. Due to their ego inflation (from identifying themselves as “enlightened”, they assume their intuition is always right when it’s probably wrong at least 50% of the time.

      • Hey Scott , ? //
        they assume their intuition is always right when it’s probably wrong at least 50% of the time. // How we know that our intuition is right ? Based on consistency , clarity or calm feeling ? How can someone identify that’s was his intuition or fear ? Intuition and instincts is same thing ?
        Do you believe in psychic abilities channelling higher dimensional being and talking with spirits and dead people clairvoyance etc… suppose this things real then why we don’t use to catching murders and finding missing people , discovering medicine for deadly illness, predicting natural calamities and if astral projection possible why we waste money to sending satellites to other planets to study and research simply just use these people’s other worldly gifts…
        why these kind of people’s life is mess ? Mental illness addictions toxic relationship etc..why they don’t use these gifts to improving their life . only preaching why they don’t apply guidance their life . words and actions are not aligned .. how can we trust them ? How can these self proclaimed gifted people guide others ? Save humanity ? They teach like they know everything giving guidance for people but no solutions for their life issues
        ? Sorry for murdering English language ✍??

        • Hey Shiva,

          “How we know that our intuition is right?”

          That’s the thing. You don’t know if it’s correct unless/until it comes to pass. Our minds don’t keep an accurate record of the times our intuition was accurate versus the times when it was wrong.

          Intuition and instincts aren’t the same things. Instincts are more closely tied to our biology/body. Intuition is more associated with an “inner knowing.”

          In terms of your questions about psychic abilities, answering each of your questions adequately would require a lengthy article.

          But I think you’re asking the right kinds of critical questions that can ultimately save you a lot of time.

          There’s a reason that these topics you mentioned were not given an emphasis in this article on spirituality.

  • I am SO glad to have found this guide! It was the first page that popped up on my Google search for spiritual awakening and I feel like I have learned A LOT already! I skimmed through the article but I downloaded it so I can print it out and study it. I also want to visit all the links in this article like “shadow work” and so on. This is something I really need in my life right now. I have lived with guilt, anger, grief, and fear for far too long! Great article!! 5 stars!!

    • That’s great to hear, Jamie. Thanks for the feedback.

      Just a heads up: I have updated the guide on this page numerous times, but I rarely update the PDF download. So you’ll find the most current version of this (and other) guide on the website itself.

  • I have had a spiritual awakening after a near death experience. I have also woken up with a spirit attachment. it is in bedded in my sacral chakra. It has been here for a year and a half. Can you help me? says:

    I have had a spiritual awakening after a near death experience. I have also woken up with a spirit attachment. Can you help me?

  • Good evening,

    Growing up in a dysfunctional home has left me emotionally unstable and wary about any relationships, though I’ve done okay navigating to where I am currently, atleast in a societal view (or after reading your article my ego self perceives it as successful ‘enough’).

    Is there such thing as “spiritual regression?” Where as I used to experience a much more spiritual heightened reality where as I do no longer…?

    I am also concerned that this is a negative spiral to nihilism. I am internally conflicted because my once spiritual/religious self threatened my ego ? Do I feel this way because I have challenged my ego or because I’ve challenged my self?

    Where does the line of spirit (self) and reality (ego) go, or is this the whole point of “yin and yang” accepting a balance of it?

    In spirituality I have experienced Lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis (different extremes) ESP, “halluncinations” but in my current life where I have basically rejected everything “nonsense” except that God exist because a Creator must exist in order for there to be Creation. But did the creator create the different demensions?

    Basically I am needing wisdom from someone who embraces spirituality and reality with a sound mind to guide me. Perhaps I have been delaying and existential crisis or am in the midst of it.

    • You’ve presented a great many questions here, each of us can take an essay or two to answer adequately. I’ll address each one on a cursory level.

      “Is there such thing as “spiritual regression?” Where as I used to experience a much more spiritual heightened reality where as I do no longer…?

      There is something in the transpersonal literature about “regression in the service of transcendence.” But that doesn’t seem to be what you’re describing here. It’s normal to go through a stage where you experience certain states and then stop. Spiritual “states” are accessible to everyone. “Spiritual “stages” that are more permanent generally require inner training. Also, it’s natural for you to acclimate to certain experiences where they don’t seem out of the ordinary anymore.

      “Spirit vs ego”

      These questions relate to the nature of our divided minds. The psyche is built on tensions of opposition. Balancing these tensions requires a great deal inner work (integrating the shadow) so that more stability can be experienced from your Center. Otherwise, this toggling dynamic tends to persist.

      “In spirituality I have experienced Lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis (different extremes) ESP, “halluncinations” but in my current life where I have basically rejected everything “nonsense” except that God exist because a Creator must exist in order for there to be Creation. But did the creator create the different dimensions?”

      This line of questioning opens up too many rabbit holes to adequate address here. Generally, when you reject something, you are creating another divide within yourself. This occurs because the mind has a difficult time dealing with the complex nature of reality.

  • I left eating non-veg because I felt it was cruel and the work of demons to kill someone to eat. Though it tastes good every time I see it I feel sad and depressed to see someone killed and lying in the plate for someone to eat.

  • I am stuck in my own head and most of what I feel is guilt and remorse. I hope I can get beyond this. If I died right now I think I would be bad, lingering energy. Like the dementors. Eh, hell. Who knows

    • The more we try to “move to the light” the more the darkness within us grows. The key is to hold to our Center, which is neutral — not to become an agent of the “light.”

  • Just stumbled upon this post while trying to nail down the correct verb for a piece I am working on. The confusing answer: ‘awake’, ‘awaken’, ‘wake’, waken’ are are technically correct.

    I am thankful for my initial confusion though, because it led me here. Great bit of info! I’ve been a casual study of Taoist principals for 25 years (it began with The Tao of Pooh) and through your post I realized that while taking a rather lackadaisical approach I am at least meandering about in close proximity of the path I yearn to travel and your clear cut way of explaining this subject inspired me to re-evaluate many things that can only result in further enlightenment.

    Thank you, sir.

    -Sully

  • Thanks Scott great advice. I have not listened to Alan Watts in forty years. It reminds me of what Adyashanti said “what you are looking for, you already are” That quote caused a major shift in my life!

  • Very interesting article, will check out the ‘Awaken the Mind’ sounds. I’ve been seeing some/most of the signs that you describe; but I’m not in a hurry haha. I’m in a good spot right now. There is one thing, which is how I came to this website. Which is sexual expression. I’ve stopped masturbating and meaningless sex. But the amount of energy is sometimes overwhelming and rather distracting. It’s hard to not project this desire outward and not aggressively pursue girls. Any help?

  • Very interesting article, will check out the ‘Awaken the Mind’ sounds. I’ve been seeing some/most of the signs that you describe; but I’m not in a hurry haha. I’m in a good spot right now. There is one thing, which is how I came to this website. Which is sexual expression. I’ve stopped masturbating and meaningless sex. But the amount of energy is sometimes overwhelming and rather distracting. It’s hard to not project this desire outward and not aggressively pursue girls. Any help?

    • I think it’s very easy to misinterpret what I expressed above in this guide.

      If you simply stop something that’s a long-time habit that a part of you derived pleasure from, what happens? What you resist grows strong.

      That’s why no form of dieting works in the end. When you restrict yourself, you build opposition with yourself. So you may want to rethink how you’re holding this and perhaps approach it in a different way. Otherwise, you’ll end up going off your diet and “binging.” Moderation is an important principle in most things.

      Additionally, if you’re interested in this topic be sure to check out the books I referenced above. There are specific practices like the Microcosmic Orbit and other practices in Neigong that may interest you.

      • hahaha interesting!! thank you for your insights. I will check out these books and the microcosmic orbit :)
        Also, the King Warrior Magician Lover helps me a lot. I think I have a lot to learn in the Lover-archetype. I got emotional when I read about it! Have a nice day.

  • “Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tired to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs”.
    12th step of Alcoholics Anonymous.
    please contact me

  • My forehead starts to vibrate fast and my eyes tighten when guided to react differently or when going into a deeper meditation. Has anyone else experienced this?

  • Sincerely and honestly not sure what to divulge here.. I’m needing guidance…or to be locked up and studied.
    This is the first thing I’ve read online so far. 92% of the above information is crystal clear and has been my daily existence since late teens.
    I refuse to live as a Bible beater and I’m NOT a Devil worshiper! My perception of the two extremes are expectations unable to live completely. 40 plus years of living has proven that it’s NOT a fine line between the Light and Darkness. Rather a vast void of gray!
    Long story short, I’m needing guidance from someone who’s got more wisdom than I! I’m sincerely ready to farm this out.

    • I don’t see a question in your comments, so I don’t know how best to respond.

      If you’re already seeing the nature of these extremes, perhaps you’re needing less guidance than you think.

  • fearful and physically uncomfortable for a long period of time, elderly woman, clairvoyant of many years?

  • I thought I knew a lot about spirituality, but this article deepened my awareness. At this point that I had to read the entire message. For example, in inflation and deflation, we unconditionally love our children without acknowledging the wellspring of hate and resentment we have toward them. The archetype/ego and the shadow work. Thank you, S. Jeffery

    • One thing worth examining as you progress through your inner work: Is “unconditional love” for your children (or anyone else) an actual phenomenon or is it simply a concept that we have due to language (the phrase “unconditional love”) and sentiment?

      Evaluating this is not easily done due to emotionality, sentiment, attachment, and social programming. So this evaluation could only come from a standpoint of neutrality and objectivity.

      Posing this question another way: if parents didn’t even have the concept of “unconditional love” in their mind, might they have less internal pressure so they could simply experience whatever emotions they might have toward their children (without judgement or prejudice)?

  • Hello Scott
    I’ve read a few of your articles and they’ve all been wonderful and so valuable. Thank you so much! Age-old question…is it possible to go through a spiritual awakening without the occurance of a “catastrophic” or life-changing event? For me, I think I am on the journey (possibly for years without realizing it), but it was specific event that catapulted me into an openness and expansion that I continue to experience daily! Everyday I receive new learnings, teachers, insights…Still, one of my biggest challenges is how to interact and explain these experiences to my family, primarily my mother whom I believe laid the foundation for a lot of my shadow work. As well, so interesting about the meat eating…this is exactly what happened to me, I just thought it is a phase and eventually I will go back to eating meat more regularly!

    • Hi Reesa,

      I would imagine that the process is slightly different for everyone. Some individuals have more trauma from childhood and begin asking questions at a younger age. Others stay in the “conventional world” for much of their lives and only begin to ask questions after something “major” rattles them out of their trance.

      So perhaps it’s always “catastrophic,” but it’s the time duration of the catastrophe that varies? I’m not certain.

      Now, I don’t think it necessarily has to be this way — or even that it should be this way. My understanding is that it IS this way because of the current cultural and social controlling forces. Basically, our external conditions put us under hypnosis and something generally has to “break the spell” so can start really examining things in earnestness.

  • Many of the 10 signs resonated with me, but in part. That is to say, that to varying degrees l am on a path to fullfilling each one thankfully. I have been a non- meat eater since l was 25 after reading a Hari Krishna pamphlet on the ecologocal madness of eating animals for food. That was just the beginning of that awakening to the spirit of other living things 37 years ago. Since retiring from work and the world and its demands on my time and energy (3 years ago), aspects of my spiritual journey have taken on a heightened purpose. Not forced, but certainly unfokding.

  • All of this is just indicative of preparatory work in the run up to the actual radical changes it is priming the individual for: a complete metanoia through self and then god realization.

  • This is one of the best comprehensive, short essays on spiritual awakening I’ve read. On the subject of eating meat, I’ve always been a big time meat eater, often eating it for breakfast, dinner and supper.
    I have never made a conscious decision, it just happened over the course to not eat meat, or eat less meat , it just happened over the course of a few years, without me actually paying much attention.

    I didn’t really think about it until I read this post, but I I’m eating much less meat than I did five years ago, probally by about 70% or so. I don’t miss it, although I still fry up some bacon occasionally, and enjoy beef and chicken soup and stews, and on a rare occasion a hamburger.

  • This is a great blog, tons of bang on info. Have a question, about Spiritual awakening. Every day, we meet people, and see people in videos, on tv, who are the direct opposite of anyone who’s awakened.
    These people, are focused excursively on the physical five sense “reality” , to the point of being in your face about it.

    Some of these people are the so-called “woke” crowd, who focus on what makes us physically different from each other, such as race, color, gender. their not “woke” , but sound asleep, so asleep that an alarm clock wouldn’t wake them up.

    Then there are the ones who blindly do whatever the government tells them to do without question. Let us not forget the goons who call themselves law enforcement officers, who will beat a someone who peacefully are protesting a government policy, because their superior officer told them to.

    Another group are the ones, who’s lives are about shopping at wal-mart, eating at McDonalds, watching tv incessantly, their dream is to go to Disney World, with no sense of much else.

    My question, are these people at the beginning stages of their spiritual journeys, and will reincarnate over several lifetimes, and finally at some distant point in the future, awaken. Where all of us agonizingly asleep like this at one time.

    • It’s an astute observation. And it’s natural to consider the question you’ve posed.

      The truth is that most of the “groups” you’ve described have simply succumbed to various degrees of social engineering and mind control programming. For example, “wokism” isn’t a natural occurrence; it was socially engineered by a group of psychiatrists and psychologists from the Tavistock Institute back in the 1940s (and continuing to this day). Many Hollywood franchises knowingly lose money to promote the “woke” agenda in certain films because it’s more important that they condition the masses with this destructive ideology rather than turn a profit.

      But this is a much larger and deeper topic that isn’t suitable for a discussion here.

      It’s possible that people will continually reincarnate over lifetimes — if this is some kind of school. It’s also possible that some people are truly NPCs — Non-Player Characters/Consciousness — and they are just wired to run specific programs in this lifetime. It’s also possible that the conditioning in this place is so strong that some people become forever divorced from Spirit making it impossible (or improbable) for them to return to it.

      I’m not saying any of these things are true. I have no idea. We can only speculate …

  • Very interesting and informative. I’m impressed with the format and appreciate the accessibility of your articles. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

  • Having experienced a spiritual awaking on November 19, 2022 starting at 5pm, I can say it was utter hell to be thrusted into something I never wanted but have fully embraced. The things in life I believed were important are no longer in control of anything. The veil is lifted from my eyes, I know and understand what is most important in life. Self-Love, Loving other’s unconditionally without expectations, a connection (love) to all things of this world (animals, insects, the earth, the universe and everything within). The Twin Flame of my life guided (spiritually) me towards my journey. Even though my spiritual angels were nudging me in the direction, I ignored every sign, including those of the spirit animals, angel numbers and my own inner thoughts. Rebirth was the most painful experience I’ve endured. When it comes, listen and embrace the change that is about to happen. It is the most wonderful feeling you could ever imagine …well, actually so much more than you would ever believe!!!

  • Hi Scott, sorry for the long post again, but I had to write this because I really like your content and I think you might have a misconception about meat eating. Especially if you are someone that is not into agriculture. I know is a long text, but please read it’s a different approach to eating meat, most discussions on the internet does not cover this perspective on the subject.

    I love your guides, it’s helping me a lot, and I can’t thank you enough, that’s why I got motivated to write my perspective about meat eating for you and others to reflect upon. Thank you for your work!

    We as a society are constantly being program from the media and government to being overly sexualized, as you know, at the same time we are being fed that veganism is better for ourselves and the planet.

    Well, I eat a 90% meat diet (red meat from cattle), I have honey, raw milk, cheese made from raw milk and raw yolks on occasion. The only plant food that I eat is some fruit that I have in my backyard.

    In nature, the only food that humans can safely eat and thrive in any place on Earth are animals.

    Plants, especially grasses and legumes on the fields can convert solar energy into lush beautiful green fields, that herbivore animals can convert this abundantly mass of vegetable/plant/fiber into a blessing of easily digestible milk and meat.

    For one person to produce his own plant foods, you’ll have to dig or plow the soil all the time, will have to protect your crops from wild life, insects and weeds. It’s really hard, time consuming and slave work to maintain any sufficient amount of plant food that humans can eat without the heavy use of fertilizer and chemical products. Otherwise the meat eater can easily produce his own food without any input whatsoever being sustainable and self-sufficient, and with no dig of the soil. With animals like cattle, sheep or goats, you can produce food in almost any place on Earth.

    The plant foods that humans eat today are man improved versions of non-editable wild plants that does not exist in nature. They are cultivated plants that need cultivated corrected soils to be able to produce.

    Produce vegan food for humans in large scale, will basically destroy the whole planet, we will have to plow areas that should never be plowed because of the risk of desertification, we’ll have to bring down forests. We’ll have to kill wild boar, capybaras, rabbits, rats, field rats and all sort of wild life to protect the crops. If you eat commercially plant foods of any type, you are killing tons of animals and insects because of this. Probably killing much more animals if you just eat red meat instead.

    I live in a region dominated by soy, corn and wheat fields, I know the effects that this type of agriculture has on the land. I know a hunter that is contracted to kill wild boar, capybaras and wild rabbits to protect the crops. The spiritual awaken feels the fear that insects and wild animals felt when they were poison and shot to death as they eat their plant foods?

    I want to start a grass fed cattle/sheep operation using the methods of holistic management of land from Allan Savory, Greg Judy (regenerative cattle grazing) and Joe Salatin, to build, regenerate soil and produce meat.

    The results of producing cattle this way are avoid or reverse desertification, increase water retention in the soil, increase carbon sequestration by the soil through increase in organic matter, avoid the use of pesticide and chemical fertilizers, avoid the use of any pharmaceuticals in the animals, increase the biodiversity of native plants, animals, insects, and microorganisms in the farm ecosystem.

    With the right management using holistic management and silvopastures we can produce meat from a ruminant animal at the same time increasing the animal wild life, insect populations, plant diversity and microbiology in the soil.

    Nowadays, we have here in Brazil hectares of more hectares of vast crop fields being bombarded with chemicals and fossil fuel fertilizers to produce soybean and corn that does not have a tree anywhere. Cattle needs shade, it’s good to have trees on the fields, more habitat for wild life.

    That being said, I do not agree with pig and chicken farming, I do not eat those, because it’s really hard, almost to impossible to feed pigs and chickens in a commercial scale without grains and pharmaceuticals. With cattle, sheep and goats you can produce them in any scale without any grain or even inputs of fertilizers and pesticides.

    Maybe if your a Tibetan monk you can live without meat by conserving your energy, but maybe if your a Tibetan monk and eat only meat, possibly you might live forever!

    Humans on plant food can’t put on any healthy weight, they started fat or with a normal weight, and then after only a couple of years most of the vegans look like a cadaver with a demented look.

    Humans literally starve to death on a vegan diet, a slowly death, because plant foods does not provide all the vitamins and minerals the body needs, and the body started to eat it’s own muscles to feed the organs.

    Plant foods are poorly digested by the human body, just a fraction of the nutrients on plants are absorbed.

    All vegans after some years on it realized that they are starving themselves to death and quit, the ones who did not quit are getting dementia at in early age. If they just don’t die is probably because they cheat with meat/fish on a occasion, or they are the heavy supplementors, the ones who inject themselves with B12. Like most vegans Michael Greger can’t even coordinate his speech anymore, this is sad.

    If you had a child, you are going to see what a child eats naturally, the only thing a child eats naturally is meat, with plant foods you have to make it into an uniform consistency like a paste or soup. Green leaves a child will always spit out.

    I’m typing this because it’s really sad, most spiritual gurus ended up thinking they are some sort of god that they can live without meat, no human can live in this physical world without meat. Recently I got to know this Santos Bonacci, seems really a nice guy with an interesting allegory on the Bible, I couldn’t watch his last interview, because of the slow pace and hard to comprehend speech of his. I do not know if he is a vegan, but he sure looks like one, he has only 50 years old or something and seems to have 80 years old and a level of dementia.

    Scott, you seem like a really nice guy and energetic still, if you are on this vegan diet and doing well, great, but keep on high alert of your physical senses, if you some what crave for meat, cream or cheese or you are one of those skin and bone kind of body, consider going back to eating meat. You are not going to feel fear or aggression because of it, that’s probably a trigger of yours. I feel exactly the opposite after eating only meat.

    The veganism is part of the depopulation agenda.

    We live in a civilization, today because of modern agriculture and supplements, people might live, not thrive, but be alive on a plant only diet.

    Part of the cause of anxiety, depression and aggression in humans or any animals for that matter, is bad nutrition, if your body is not nourished you naturally going to be anxious and aggressive and if you do not get your nutrition the body needs in the long term, you are going to feel depress.

    Anxiety and stress are a natural mechanism, it’s part of the flight fight mode, if you are hungry or not well nourished you are going to feel physically agitated and stressed until you accomplish this basic need.

    A vegan or a not well nourished person is always on flight fight mode, that’s why most vegans are aggressive, and get easily triggered. And with time on a poor diet as plant based or vegan, the person gets depress, so the physical body can conserve more energy.

    I have a sister who always had an interest on spiritual things now she is a vegetarian adult, that looks anorexic and have sanpaku eyes even though she eats a normal amount of food but no meat and still eats some eggs and small pieces of cheese. She gets triggered all the time and has depression for years now.

    If a spiritual awaken person eats meat and feels aggression, my opinion is that what he is really feeling is energy.

    My hunger is in balance with my physical activities, the more I exert myself the more I eat. It’s near to impossible to over eat on a carnivore diet. You eat what your body needs and stop.

    When I ate plants I’m always bloated, constipated and have loads of gas, for the last 15 years I experimented with all kinds of diets. I added and removed all sorts of foods from my diet, I practice the paleolithic diet, the ketogenic diet, then I realized that my main problem was fiber. If I take any worth eating amount of unprocessed natural plant food I’ll be bloated. With meat only diet I never get bloated or constipated.

    I eliminate all cravings for the foods that I was addicted in the past, and as opposed to what a spiritual awaken person might say, one of the first things that I noticed after a month on this meat only diet is better sleep, inner calmness and better controlled of my impulses.

    Fear, before the meat diet, my heart rush as I approach my house or my businesses in the dark with fear that someone might assaulted me, I had irrational fears of germs. I was always thinking about a possible health problem or having a cancer. All those fears went away naturally. Today I see that the germ theory is all BS and the only fear that I still have today is from the government declaring the next plandemic/lockdowns. I still avoid all kinds of toxins and pesticides that I can identify in my life, but on occasion I do get exposed, I don’t fret about as much like before.

    Before carnivore diet I was a rational and thinking type, I search and required information only, to based my decisions. I saw the world through the lenses of movies and videos on the internet and read articles, books and scientific articles to gauge what’s real, now I’m morphing into a sensing and seeing the world for what I can observe with my own senses and only trust what I can see and hear with my own eyes and ears on the real physical world. Now I value what’s natural first, what is unnatural or synthetic I tend to reject.

    I still do search for information and knowledge, but if I can’t validate by myself I won’t put that information into practice or I’ll just reject that information.

    I started the carnivore diet in 2019. As the months passed and I felt energized and more keen to nature I started to realize that my porn consumption was not natural, and I had a sense, after observing mammals in nature, that the male will just ejaculate and have sex for reproduction only and porn was taken too much of my time as well. Something that I did not thought was a problem before.

    I was never much into meditation or deep breathing practices, even after trying it in the past, I never felt any benefit, It’s like the benefits were blocked because of my constant bad digestion. Now I do deep breathing exercises and immediately feel more centered and calm.

    I still feel that I have a lot of things to improve, but the meat diet improved for the better all aspects of my life.

    Thanks for reading,

    Carlos

    • Carlos,

      I can’t respond to all of this. It would take another entire guide. This topic is complex, which is why I addressed it many subtleties in the guide above.

      “The veganism is part of the depopulation agenda.”

      I’m well aware of that. I’ve written extensively on this topic elsewhere. (If you’re subscribed to my list, you already know that.) As I said above, I don’t support the vegan agenda in ANY way, shape, or form.

      Most people’s bodies are totally wrecked from manufactured foods, chemtrails, nanoparticles, GMOS, antibiotics, and countless other things.

      I’m not suggesting that anyone should just stop eating meat or that meat should be eliminated from the planet as the WEF cohort wants to do. I’m also not suggesting that many people will feel fundamentally better if they eat more meat — especially if they are “vegan”. Again, most people have extreme levels of biochemical imbalance. And eating meat for many of them can very well “make them feel better.”

      So please understand: I am not “anti-meat” — nor am I “pro-Vegan.” Organizations of psychopaths like WEF create “camps” so people can “pick a side.” It’s part of their “divide and conquer” strategy. I’m not speaking from any camp or rigid point of view.

      What’s supportive at one level often becomes a hindrance at a later level.

      Also, just because a person doesn’t eat meat doesn’t mean they should eat soy products, seed oils, or wheat. These things are far more problematic.

      In terms of agriculture, we’ve lost the old ways — or more accurately, they have been stolen from us. For example, how many people know about electroculture? Or how to grow large amounts of food without chemical-based fertilizer?

      Also, it’s a category error to mix “global issues” with personal health. There are loads of politics that get co-mingled in the process.

      My statements made in this guide are derived from following specific injunctions and then observing the results. Without testing the injunction for oneself, you simply can’t comment. If you’re honest, all you can say is, “I don’t know.”

      Similar to what I stated in the sexual energy guide, there are principles and practices involved here. And just like you rejected those principles and came around to them later, you may be surprised about this topic in a few years as well — if you test out the injunction later on.

      • The more I read your guides and especially your comments, the more I admire you.

        You seems really wise and knowledgeable.

        “What’s supportive at one level often becomes a hindrance at a later level.”

        I see it, and I think I understand it.

        About testing the injunction, I did not test it, so I really don’t know.

        My only gripe about it is: if someone might not be ready to test this injunction and then test it and get delusional in thinking they or awaken, when they are clearly not. My sister is 34 years old, never worked, never accomplished any thing, she tried to start a lot of working ideas but failed. She gets triggered all the time about opposing view points. She’s always involved in spiritual things, I’m not saying that it is the cause, but her physical body is clearly decaying and she at this moment in time at least, would really improved all aspects of her live if she eat meat as well, but she refuse to eat it.

        Electroculture? I’m impelled to go down this rabbit hole.

        As always, thanks for the response. I really appreciated it.

        • “would really improved all aspects of her live if she eat meat as well, but she refuse to eat it.”

          And that’s probably true. I found that to be the case many years ago as well.

          That’s the challenge with all personal development-related material. There are many different stages of consciousness, personality types, lines of development, etc.

          As such, there’s no “one-size-fits-all.” There’s no “one way” that going to be “THE way” for everyone.

          It’s easy to become absolutist/ fundamentalist and to try to remove all of the inherent ambiguities about life. I think, at some level, we all have this tendency.

          I do what I can in these guides to provide as much context as possible for the material I’m presenting, but it’s still an inherent limitation.

          “Electroculture? I’m impelled to go down this rabbit hole.”

          See Yannick Van Doorne’s work. Here’s the English-speaking version of his website:
          https://www.electrocultureandmagnetoculture.com/

          • Carlos,

            I thought I’d provide a little more context for this topic in relation to the other one (sexual energy/seminal retention). For anyone reading this, it’s just the perspective of one person. No need to get triggered. I’m simply sharing my understanding and experience related to these topics. Also, please keep in mind that the material addressed in the following description falls outside the scope and focus of the material generally presented on this website.

            From what I’ve gathered, humans were not innately meant to be cannibals (consuming a life form similar to our own).

            In this current civilization cycle, humankind was hijacked by let’s call it “occult forces.” That’s why virtually everything in this world exhibits predatorial tendencies. It mirrors the consciousness that overtook this place.

            The essential energy field of the human is broken upon birth and a massive assault on it continues thereafter.

            With this disrupted field, we enter the Samsara and an endless series of ouroboros cycles (snake eating its own tail). One example would be the endless cycle of eating and shitting, eating and shitting — day after day — from birth to death.

            If the energy field is restored, however, the human being doesn’t need to consume food for energy. (Look up, for example, Bi Gu qigong.) The body can sustain itself on its own primordial energy as it was designed to do so. Practices like neigong (and sun gazing) help restore this natural function.

            Then, there’s no craving or hunger for food, however, what remains is a psychological “need” to eat based on what the ancient Taoists called “mundane conditioning.” That is, you feel like you need to eat because you’ve been conditioned to believe you do. It’s an extremely reinforced habit since birth. Plus, this habit is associated with pleasure and with social comfort.

            Now, with this context, let’s briefly examine how this topic ties into the “sexual energy transmutation” issue.

            What happens when men ejaculate? They release their seed and expend their life force (lose jing).

            What do you need to do after you expend your life force? Replenish it.

            How do men often replenish their energy reserve? By consuming the life force of another living being (“meat”).

            So do people feel better, more energized, and stronger when they eat meat? Sure. The above explains why.

            But ultimately, on a deeper level, this act can be perceived as vampiric.

            And as I highlighted above, numerous occult researchers have figured out that eating meat is a form of ritualized black magic. (By definition, replacing your own lost energy with the energy of another IS black magic.)

            Now, you can make the case, “Well, plants have consciousness too. You’re still consuming this life form to replenish yourself.”

            And that’s a valid point. But it’s certainly not the same thing (for the reasons I outlined above).

            Removing meat from one’s diet (when/if they are ready) is just a stepping stone. You remove the heaviest and densest foods first and allow the body to adjust.

            As you restore your energy body, the heaviness of meat is simply unappealing. However, if you are going to consume meat, following something like Keto, Paleo, or Carnivore diet makes sense as if follows classic food-combining principles. (If you mix meat and complex carbohydrates, the digestive process increases substantially. Longer digestive time translates to greater loss of energy.)

            This is more of an occult-oriented explanation. It has nothing to do with a category of food being “healthy” or “unhealthy”. It’s addressing the topic on an entirely different level.

          • I can’t seem to make sense of spiritual diet principles. I need to eat “low fodmaps” in order to be gas/diarrhea free. As a teenager, idealistically, I tried a vegetarian diet; and was humbled through the years by my own gut’s need for less fiber and more meat.

            Human beings are “murdered” everyday, by everything from disease to accidents…a sort of universal killing off of the living, for no apparent reason. It seems to me that killing is part of the simple truth of life; and to deny it causes a kind of entitlement to a better life…one that is “higher” “better” “holier” than thous’.

            Or, perhaps each life is physically/emotionally
            /spiritually supported by the universe according to its evolvement? So, no matter the “desire” I have to be more than I am, my body tells the truth of it? Who knows??? My own attitude is that if you can’t actually hunt your meat, admitting your dependence on another less fortunate life for your own survival; instead partaking of the Saran wrapped version, cleanly wrapped and delicately arranged upon the grocer’s shelf…you are unaware of your tendency to choose your own existence over that of another’s, and live in a kind of entitled naïveté.

            Without your lowly humanity you couldn’t begin to be “spiritual”. We are all one.

  • Sonnet,
    I found the article very interesting. Easy to understand. Excellent for those not educated in the spiritual and psychic subjects. Found I agreed with the authors findings. A good information piece. Cheers. Sandi in Australia

  • very eye opening and provided answers to the guilt and the questions I had with my extreme laziness tht I developed abt 2yrs ago

  • I am living in a mobile home community in Boynton, Beach, FL., and am having a devil of a time communicating with most in here. Rationality alone, seems unavailable to many! I often find myself wondering about the “aging brain”; and how the habitual self is locked into a posture; instead of the freedom to simply be response-able.

    I don’t feel like I should be out there looking for a more holistic or “mature” community though. Although I feel like I am trying to awaken these people to the wonders of love and connection; and feel frustrated…..Still, because I know I am an ordinary human too, I know they have the same depths I have. I find myself wanting to reach for them; as they are my kin! I love them and recognize my past in each one’s responses to the happenings in here. I love them all so tenderly, even as I find myself buying into some of the hype! I guard my perspective though..the truth that each one is INTELLIGENT. The ones I “don’t like” both draw and repulse me, as I realize I have more truth and awareness to hold. I am content, even in any discontent. I am amazed by each one’s perspective; and wonder at the need for ego to be the leading edge for the best in here; and anger, sadness, war and manipulation to be the norm; the response of the traumatized masses. I don’t fault anyone for it. I see it all as the result of the human mind’s tendency to protect the ego first.

    Spiritual life in here is built upon dogma. Yet, when getting into deeper conversations many will admit to a more inclusive state of being. LOVE is both wanting…..and wanted.
    I hold this community, not so much as a Mother holds her child, because there is more hope with her, the future imagined with delight. I hold this space more like one who holds the dying….the past as classroom, the future a space of forgiveness and acceptance of imperfection. Everything is and always has been OK. Reality can never be extinguished by the fears that play upon our minds. For LOVE is ETERNAL. It is coming to fruition, at least in me. That’s one, of one!

    • What amazes me is I’m in a manufactured home Mobile home community in Florida myself for two years finding myself and endeared to people but being stuck with seeing them from an aerial point of view while I am seeing myself in them or corrections that have to be made within myself but being mad maybe that they Are at a low level of consciousness and therefore it’s kind of like being in a playground when you can’t play with other kids because you throw the ball and they can’t catch it. Then I get mad I have nobody to play with.

  • Wow I think this is incredibly enlightening which is rather weak words for what I’ve been reading. As a Christian I’ve been lead in this direction for a very long time. there is so much in here but I think the one I did I get is the more that the ego is moved out of the way the more truth can calm and more freedom can come from truth. I also have been opposed to pork for many years I would say close to 20. because I’ve had some major illness for quite a while I wonder if removing meat would be helpful to me for?

  • Wow! Thank you so much for this! You are EXACTLY what I am looking for. You keep it 100, and tell the whole truth. I’m so sick of being told I’m a volunteer, a lightworker, my rh negative blood, I have literally educated myself into terror because I read and was told that you must first have a dark night of the soul before fully awakening, and my whole life was a dark night of the soul. I was addicted to heroing until 7 years ago when at the age of 35 I found myself pregnant. I now own my own home, just started a blog, and have a great life. I can’t stop thinking that something is going to happen to my children that are 2 and 6, to give me a dark night of the soul because I’m on the path to awakening. These people have got me out of my mind with terror and anxiety. The more I try to not think about it… I know know exactly why, and five years after you wrote it, but your honesty is so refreshing. I am a fan and I plan to read everything you have got. You have a great energy and like me seen to genuinely want to help people get where they need to be. The story of my life to my own detriment. Anyways, I appreciate you, and I am looking forward learning more from someone who tells every side. The perfect melding of You “putting opposites together”. Ur awesome! Now if only I could get these wicked thoughts from my head. Thanks again. I’m sure you will hear more from me soon. Lol.

    • Thank you for the feedback, Samantha. I think I understand what you’re referring to. Somehow, things like the “dark night of the soul” have been romanticized into being cornerstones of some kind of mythical “awakening” process. It’s held as a kind of badge of honor in some people’s life scripts. Life’s already a shitstorm, so there’s no need to add more drama to it (in my opinion, anyway).

  • Flowing with the truth in nature… Flowing with prayers and protocols…

  • I have been going through a Spiritual Awakening and really appreciate the what is and what is not, as this is new and different to me, which is why I sought this out.

    I also really appreciate the knowledge that folks use of spirituality to skip over healing. I see this a lot and have struggled with it in others, as it is still ego driven.

    My ego had a profound death twice, though, there may still be a part of my ego that is letting go.

    I am struggling the most right now with becoming in tune with the source, to see it in all things, all of the time. It’s so much knowing. Its calm.

    I am struggling with where to have a romantic relationship through this comes in. If you have any advice or books to point me to, I would appreciate it.

    As someone who has had great struggles with love as a negative, abusive, force in my life, knowing love through the source is much different. I just don’t know that I want to be with another person, or how to when I see the world in this way.

    Many thanks.

    • Stella,

      See Robert Johnson’s book, WE. You might also want to read his other related books, HE and SHE.

      “WE” will help you deconstruct the false paradigm of “romantic love,” which is an artificial construct that was created via social engineering. Human love, in contrast, is quite different.

      Ultimately, you can only become whole from within, so it’s important not to project that quality onto any relationship. Then, whether you decide to engage in a personal relationship with another will be a matter of choice and personal preference.

  • I discontinued my education just based on a single feeling calmly stating, “This is what I gotta do”. From then on, life was never the same. The more I get exposed to everything that is beyond what could I imagine, the more I’m freaking out….while sensing a feeling in me, again, calmly stating, “This is how it should be”. I’ve been in extreme mood swings, depressive feelings, fear and other such emotions. My attitude has been changing with no interval in between. I’m getting into certain stuff like psychic abilities, astrology, numerology, starseed, heyoka, spirituality etc. with a strong sense of resonance (hope this is what I feel) that I cannot comprehend. I feel like I might go nuts at any moment and my life is fucked.
    But on the other side, inexplicable things, which are definitely beyond common sense are happening to me. They generally make no sense but since they’re happening to me, they somehow make more sense than anything. This post is very helpful. Thank you for creating it. It is needed 🙏

  • Need to say love you.All this does happen and it’s a feeling of diverance from past to new.Not who I was.Wher I go from here

  • I have been going through all these stages, I have noticed the biggest struggle of mine is letting go of what was and understanding that we are nothing but everything. I have changed my way of thinking and I keep digging everytime I am faced with a dilemma on a belief that was programmed in me. I find it hard to speak or write down thoughts because im always looking for the opposite. Nothing is good or evil but im starting to figure out how to approach everything from the other persons values or views. It is like speaking in riddles all day. Every movie or book i have read every food or plant this goes on and on. I have a different view. Im able to separate most of my moral beliefs or religious beliefs or spiritual beliefs and see how it can cause chaos if it isn’t balanced. I like the gray Area. Its funny how I now understand the why behind everything that I love or hate and I have noticed that I don’t love or hate the things I used to hate. Im sure im not making sense to the ones that are still doing the work. I feel that this work will never end and I know see the dangers and destruction of being closed minded on any subject.

    • Just make sure that you’re not rationalizing harmful behavior (in yourself or others). By the way you worded many things in your comment, it could sound like you’re tossing out all morals or ethics — anything goes. Context is important. Part of the individuation process is developing an internal ethical and moral code. Harmful behaviors, benign behaviors, and life-supporting behaviors do exist.

      • Thanks for responding, I have had a very sad start to life yes but im not into self harm. I have always been drawn to healing. I just feel like the final blind has been dropped and my world got so bright I had to put sunglasses on because if all the information im getting. All the connections im making. Its so beautiful and scary at the same time.

  • Astounding, well explained, accurate, article on spiritual awareness/ intuitives. There’s a lot of 3d/5d rubbish written by ‘spiritual narcissists’ around atm and I’m sure alot of us get really over reading articles from ppl who in reality have a kindergarten level of awareness which reflects in how they write. Yours on the other hand was truly Astounding and frankly incredibly refreshing to come across!. Keep up the fantastic work. (We all have ego which is such a pain, but if we are intune with cause and effect I feel that’s super important and kind of eases the annoyance of the ego)….Sophie

  • Good Lord Almighty!!!!!!! THIS was amazing to read. I am so grateful I came across this page! I’ve had my own spiritual awakening about five years ago, and had nowhere to turn. A LOT of strange things were happening in my life, around me and TO me. I’ve got what feels like 100’s of spiritual attachments. When I could or blow my nose, you can LITERALLY hear human voice screaming, and I quote “Helllp” or “Hellllp Meeee” or “Help Us”?!?!?!?! Naturally, this FREAKED me out initially. Years later, after many visits with shamanic and homeopathic energy healers, i’ve embraced this new ‘gift’ of what they call ‘knowing’. BUT unfortunately, I’ve gotten all the scary parts; none of the good stuff lol. I am still trying to help these ‘lost souls’ find peace. I don’t know what else to do, other than jump on the internet and research the shit out of most of the things that have been happening to me. When I did a search, this website popped up. I’m SO HAPPY I found it! Thank you Scott! You are an amazing writer and teacher ;) – Coco, Boston, MA

  • So I have a question and don’t know where or what to look for the answer at but here my question hopefully someone have the answers or can lead me in the right direction. Like all my life I found ghost n magic n spiritual realm interesting n sometime I could be not thinking about any of them n then boom I get pulled right back or drawn to the spiritual realm n magic n ghost n idk why but i feel like something telling me to keep on this path for some odd reason. So how can I find out why and what I should do

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