Initiation into Spiritual Awakening

Lesson Outline:

• Lesson Aim: The aim of this lesson is to understand how it is that we or people in general can come to a Spiritual Awakening from various methods and schools of thought.
• Instructions: Read through this information or watch the video (video is to come but I will add in time). No practices yet. We will cover these in lessons to come.
• Questions? Come find me in the Community platforms.

Initiation into a Spiritual Awakening sounds like a formal (or occult!) process but actually this is not what I mean and in fact I would suggest you stay away from organizations which require you to undergo formal initiations. Initiation into a Spiritual Awakening is simply having first hand experiences of the spiritual nature of the universe that make you aware of reality as existing as more than just materialistic experiences. I spoke more about the spiritual nature of the universe in the introduction as well as the first Guide to Spiritual Awakening.

Below are examples of ways in which you may have had such experiences but whichever way you got here, you have been initiated. From here you can look to undertake practices to develop your understanding further. These practices will be the topic of the next lessons in this course.

Notes:

• In my opinion formal initiation ceremonies are largely not required and in fact are suspect to me. Some pople follow organizations or leaders in order to gain spiritual progression but in my experience this is a very individual path and you in fact do not need people to show you the way. the tools I teach in this course are skills that do not dictate a path so much as allow you to find your own path. You are your own Guru or Spiritual Leader.
• The benefit of following your own path is that you can’t fall prey to manipulative practices by spiritual practitioners which are common.
• Be aware that many people who have not had spiritual awakenings have also done similar things to the below but in some it will not trigger any calling to pursue spirituality. These people would be called the ‘initiated’ or ‘profane’. This is not derogatory but simply stated as a matter of fact. We are all at different levels of progression along the spectrum of spiritual understandings and some can undertake spiritual practices without recognizing or experiencing spirituality. For example, to the profane ‘Yoga’ is simply ‘stretching and relaxing’.

Meditation and Mindfulness

• Mindfulness Meditation: Focuses on the present moment, often leading to insights about the nature of self and reality.
• Transcendental Meditation: A technique for experiencing pure awareness or consciousness, which some describe as accessing a spiritual dimension.
• Vipassana: An ancient Indian meditation technique where practitioners observe their own bodily sensations to gain insight into the impermanent and interconnected nature of all things.

Religious Practices

• Prayer: Across religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc., prayer can serve as a means to connect with the divine or spiritual realms.
• Rituals and Sacraments: Participating in religious ceremonies can evoke spiritual experiences, such as the Christian Eucharist, Hindu Puja, or Buddhist chanting.

Yoga and Physical Disciplines

• Kundalini Yoga: Aims at awakening the Kundalini energy believed to reside at the base of the spine, leading to spiritual awakening.
• Tai Chi or Qigong: These Chinese practices focus on the flow of “qi” (life energy), which can lead to spiritual insights.

Psychedelic Experiences

Under controlled and therapeutic conditions, substances like psilocybin, LSD, or ayahuasca have been used for spiritual exploration, often leading to profound shifts in perception of reality. Note, this should only be considered in legal and safe contexts.

Nature Immersion

• Wilderness Retreats: Spending time in nature can induce a sense of oneness with the environment, often described as spiritual.
• Shamanic Journeys: Some cultures practice shamanism where one might seek visions or guidance from nature spirits.

Art and Music

Engaging in or experiencing art and music can transcend ordinary perception, offering spiritual insights or a sense of the divine.

Philosophical Inquiry and Study

Studying spiritual texts or philosophies (e.g., Vedanta, Taoism, Sufism) can intellectually and spiritually enlighten one about the nature of reality.

Service and Compassion

Acts of selfless service or deep compassion (e.g., volunteer work, caring for others) can lead to experiences of spiritual connection and understanding.

Isolation and Retreat

Hermitage or silent retreats where one removes from daily life distractions to focus on spiritual practices or introspection.

Near-Death Experiences (NDEs)

While not something one can seek out, those who have had NDEs often report profound spiritual insights into life, death, and the continuity of consciousness.