Fortunately, some are born with spiritual immune systems that sooner or later give rejection to the illusory worldview grafted upon them from birth through social conditioning. They begin sensing that something is amiss, and start looking for answers. Inner knowledge and anomalous outer experiences show them a side of reality others are oblivious to, and so begins their journey of awakening. Each step of the journey is made by following the heart instead of following the crowd and by choosing knowledge over the veils of ignorance. ― Henri Bergson
Some signs of awakening may include:
Felt different from other people
The world doesn’t feel like home
The world isn’t meant to be like this
Had unusual experiences in your childhood or adolescence which you may have repressed
Hypersensitivity
You may have a tendency to isolate yourself
Life is meaningless
Boredom
Anxious or depressed
Addiction
Eating disorders
Alcohol or drug abuse
Can’t see any way forward in life
Experiencing a breakdown
Experiencing a breakthrough
Having unusual experiences or perceptions
Think you are going mad
You don’t need to identify with all or any of the above. You may just have a desire to elevate your consciousness. Or maybe you are curious and seeking some answers.
Important
Signs of awakening and symptoms of mental illness can be difficult to differentiate. If a person is feeling really distressed they should seek out the help of a doctor. There are psychiatric conditions which require the assistance of doctors, psychiatry and medicine. Don’t hesitate to visit your doctor if you feel you aren’t coping. In some cases medicine may even be complementary for assisting someone in a spiritual emergency or spiritual crisis. Religious or Spiritual Problem was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) in 1994. Therefore Spiritual Emergency has been acknowledged as a non-pathological crisis. However, one needs to be cautious when disclosing spiritual or psychic personal experiences to medical professionals as they may be interpreted as a form of psychosis.
John Gallagher 