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At its simplest, ‘awakening’ describes a raising of your conscious awareness to a higher level. You start to see the world in an entirely different way. It's often called a spiritual awakening, but it actually encompasses changes to your mind, body and emotions as well. 

Awakening is not the same as 'woke'. There is an overlap, but 'woke' refers to a philosophical and political standpoint, whereas 'awakening' encompasses a whole change in being.  

When you awaken you begin to question your reality. 

Questions may arise around...

• Your life. Your beliefs.  The system and how things are run.
• What is real?  What’s going on in the world?
• Where am I on the path? Is there even a path? How do I navigate it?
• Seeing things in a way you’ve never seen them before and wondering how you’ve previously missed it? 

You have a bunch of realisations: 

You realise that you have been living a life where the conditioning and programming you picked up in childhood has been running the show and you suddenly see that the life you’ve been living is no longer aligning with who you are. 

You realise that this physical body isn’t all there is. There’s a whole lot more to you than that. 

You break through an invisible barrier that takes you into a place where you are consciously aware that (even if, like me, you weren't religious and didn't believe in any of this stuff)  you are a soul or spirit having a human existence, (even if you aren't entirely sure what that means).

While some people are born 'switched on' and 'awake' and remain so all their lives, they seem to be in the minority and have often had a difficult time in navigating a world that was still asleep around them. 

Others have often been aware of their connection in childhood but, because their circumstances made it feel unsafe to be ‘different’, they buried it deeply until it began to re-emerge in later life.

However, most of us have been asleep and living in a world of illusion for most of our lives, unaware of who and what we truly are:

– a fractal of divine consciousness inhabiting a human body.  

Awakening from this ‘sleep’ is often triggered by a catalyst - something that propels us through that barrier into conscious awakening.

There tends to be three main types of catalyst:

The catalyst causes changes in perception

Your experience will have been unique to you, but something will have changed that made you look at life differently and you can't 'unsee' it once you've seen it.

You might find the video I recorded on ‘Why has awakening turned my view of the world upside down' useful in helping to understand what has occurred and why your view of the world has changed.

Once the switch has been flicked, often confusion follows. The world you knew starts to dissolve around you. This might be physically, emotionally, mentally or all three.

You may start having strange thoughts. You may feel different, like you don't belong here.

Sometimes you can find that your support structure falls away and you suddenly no longer connect with people around you. My video 'Why Awakening Sometimes Causes Our Life to Fall Apart' could be of support here.

Confusion is an uncomfortable place to be, and it prompts us to start to seek out answers. But at the start of this process, we have no vocabulary to explain what it is that is happening to us. It all seems a bit overwhelming and strange. We don’t know what to believe any more.

We don't know how to operate in this new environment and so we keep looking for someone who will explain it all to us in a no-nonsense way.

That's where I can help! 👇Click the DROP DOWN MENU below to see things that can help you. 👇

The New Emerger stage can follow hard on the heels of the initial awakening catalyst, or it can be a slow burn. As I constantly repeat throughout this post, each soul’s journey is unique.

However, what characterises this stage is the searching for meaning, plus having lots of revelations and epiphanies, one after the other. It can be quite an intense period.

Physical, emotional and situational changes

If your catalyst has been traumatic and caused a lot of upheaval, you might find that your life has started to fall apart and you may be having to cope with new relationships and/ or physical circumstances.

It is therefore not unexpected that your emotions will be turbulent at this stage. The ground beneath your feet can feel very shaky and it is very common during this time to feel doubt and overwhelm.

You can also experience some physical changes too – you might suddenly feel drawn to change your diet or start to feel energy in your body in a different way, or become aware of psychic powers, which you need to learn how to cope with.

See this video about vibration for how that affects you and why your change in vibration can make friends fall away during this time.

Why Self-care is so important

The most important support you need at this stage is to understand that self-care is absolutely vital – it’s not a luxury but fundamental to your journey. Self care is so much more than just pampering yourself.  This is why we have put a lot of effort into providing information and support around self-care, to help and support you and to prepare you for your awakening journey.

Unless you have solid self-care in place then you can suffer overwhelm and burnout very quickly.

The Stumbling Spiritual Seeker stage is the equivalent of being on a path, deep in woods, not even realising that you are in the foothills of a mountain that you are climbing. 

However, you do begin to become aware that you are on a journey and this stage sees you begin to look for answers and explore what awakening means to you.

Not sure what to believe as the veils of illusion begin to fall away

When we are asleep, it's like we are under 'veils of illusion' that stop us being aware of things. As the veils of illusion begin to fall away, you begin to open up to new ways of thinking – and my goodness there is a whole smorgasbord of potential paths through this process. 

The path you pick will be unique to you and it will be shaped by what attracts you and who you are.

Rarely are we completely reinvented when we awaken - we just become more the true essence of ourselves - so you'll do what feels right for you. 

You might begin to do some research, read books and blogs, join groups, take courses, and explore new ways of thinking and being. 

The type of thing you are attracted to will depend on what feels right for you.

Some begin by being drawn to Reiki, crystals and yoga. Others will explore shamanism, or white witchcraft.

Some will explore literature around philosophy, self-awareness books, or more esoteric fare around concepts like Starseeds or Lightworkers.

Some are drawn to angels. Some go down the dark path of conspiracy theories.

Others follow a more organised religious path or start to view their religion in a completely new way. 

There is no one path, no one way. We are all heading in a similar direction, but the route we take will be our own. 

Learning not to give away your power

You may find yourself following some spiritual gurus or thought leaders  – there are many of them, and everyone has something to share. 

However, I’d strongly advise you to be discerning in who you follow. 

Avoid the ones who state that their way is the only ‘right’ way or ‘true’ way, and that they have the ‘secret’ to it all, because these people often have a ‘guru complex’ with a desire to control and exploit others.

This video interview I did with a friend of mine (Anastasia Lapik) discusses how we can often give away our power through believing others are 'better' and 'more spiritual' than we are (which is not true - we are all equal as souls). 

The most important thing to know is that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ in terms of awakening and NO ONE (repeat NO ONE) has all the answers.  

Your path will be unique to you and only YOU will know what your true path will be, because you’ll be drawn towards it internally.

Needing a framework of understanding

The most important support you need at this stage is a framework of understanding of what you are going through.

You can often be struggling to get your head round what’s happening and how to move forward,

This is why I created a number of offerings that help to give you that framework of understanding so you can navigate your way more successfully through it.

Our flagship course is Ok I'm Awakening - What Happens Now?  and it gives you the most in-depth understanding of the entire process and offers ongoing support throughout your whole transition through the awakening process from the initial awakening to Ascension.

However, we also offer a smaller but still in-depth introductory course, which offers an overview perspective of the awakening journey called The Ascension Path: A personal journey up your own spiritual mountain.

We also have other free resources below. see the drop down menu 👇

The first 3 stages I've described above can happen concurrently, or in succession.

It can take quite a few months, or even longer, for those first stages to unfold....

or you can whizz through them at amazing speed. 

Trust that your journey will happen at the pace that’s perfect for you, to prepare you for this next stage of the journey, which is where you begin to heal your past.

Starting to heal the wounds of the past

What characterises this stage is an unpicking and releasing of past traumas and outdated beliefs – and we all have them.

Our beliefs are not our own - we may think they are, but they are mainly an amalgamation of the way we have been brought up, our culture, our family systems and what we’ve absorbed and been exposed to throughout our lives.

As we’ve been growing up we’ve also

• absorbed limiting belief systems,
• incurred wounds, and
• accumulated programming and behaviour patterns

that served us at the time but which we will now find are limiting us.

Unpicking some of this can feel very difficult, because we have probably spent most of our lives trying to avoid our pain.

We will have used coping mechanisms like avoidance or even addictions (whether drugs, food, or work) or anything that deflected from having to look at our pain and trauma.

Starting to gather tools

This is the stage when we begin in earnest to gather tools to help us process and release these old hurts, patterns and wounds, as we begin the process of unpicking the accumulated layers that have been distorting who we are. 

These tools can be people (like those offering coaching or energy services, such as those we offer)

Or we can turn to online courses, like our own offering: The Heart Space Room: A journey in inner healing, or perhaps meditations, or breathwork practices. 

Learning to trust your intuition

This stage also sees us beginning to learn to trust our intuition and connect in with our inner guidance - even though you can struggle with this at first. You might like to laugh your way through my early struggles with meditation. 

We begin to move out of victimhood and take more ownership of our triggers and responsibility for ourselves and our choices.

We learn about tools that can help us do this, such as tarot and oracle cards, dowsing, or any other of a multitude of different practices that can help you connect with your inner guidance. 

How my own daughter's intuitive gifts unfolded in the Heart Space Room are shown here, in this 3-part blog post. 

Spiral growth

The length of this stage will depend on your age, how much trauma you’ve had in this lifetime, your willingness to undertake this healing process.

You’ll also find that the journey isn’t linear but spiral in nature.

You’ll find the same patterns coming round again and again, as you heal in layers.

If you reach this stage, then well done you!

It takes a lot of courage and bravery to walk this path of inner exploration and introspection.

Most people do not want to look at their shadow, their deepest hurts, their pain – and that’s understandable.

We have usually spent a lifetime avoiding it, and have used all sorts of diversionary or self-numbing tactics to prevent us from doing so.

But for me, this is the most rewarding stage of the journey because this is all about finding out how you tick.  

Who is the real YOU under all those layers of patterning and conditioning and false beliefs?

Going on a deep inner journey

This deep inner journey to find your authentic self follows on from the earlier healing stage, but now sees you looking into your darkest shadows and deepest pain and uncovering all the ways in which you are submerging your true self.

This is the stage when you get to dig REALLY DEEP - peeling off those layers and layers of patterning conditioning and finding the authentic you inside.

This is where the ongoing support I offer in the course community of my flagship course Ok I'm Awakening- What Happens Now? comes into its own, because I offer continuing support for your whole journey, as part of the self-paced course. 

Awakening is an ongoing journey - not a destination

I have to tell you that you’ll never come to the end of that path - awakening is an ongoing journey - not a destination.

There will always be something new about yourself to explore and expand into

– but as things become harder, they also become easier.

What I mean by that is that, as you spiral through each layer, while the challenges you face can grow harder (eg facing your deepest fears and digging into your deepest trauma), your ability to cope with it becomes much easier.

You may even become the person (like me) who says:

“Woah, I’m triggered by that. Oh good, I wonder what is coming up to be seen, released and let go?”

Finding your authentic self

Awakening is ultimately about finding your true authentic self – stripping off the layers of illusion and the stories we’ve woven around ourselves.

It’s about taking responsibility for ourselves. Learning to stand in our own power – not give away our power to others, whether that’s governments, religions or relationships. 

We are not victims and there is no one who has more power than we have.

We are fractals of the Divine – and at this stage we begin to find the divine within ourselves. 

We are not waiting for someone stronger or more powerful to come along and rescue us.

We ditch the co-dependent relationships and become truer to our authentic selves.  

Getting caught in side-alleys (spiritual bypassing)

However, although in this stage we begin to become much more self aware, sometimes we can get stuck.

We may not be able to see some of our patterns where we try to control and manipulate or avoid doing our inner work. 

Trying to avoid doing it even has a name – spiritual bypassing.

There are lots of people who will offer you ways in which you can ‘ascend’ without doing the uncomfortable inner work – like using hallucinogens or using techniques that purport to heal without looking within...

...but my experience and guidance have shown that not only is the deep inner work essential, it is ultimately the most rewarding way to grow, and to try and avoid it is to try to bypass the journey of expansion.

Getting stuck at the Guru phase

Gurus try to get you to give away your power and make you believe that they are more ‘spiritual’ than you, or better than you.  This Awakening Conversation I did with Anastasia Lapik goes in deep to an experience she had with a cult guru that she gave her power to, and how she reclaimed it. 

You may even spend some time setting yourself up as a guru at this stage (I know I did for a short while).

You can recognise this by catching yourself thinking you are better than others who are further down the path than you, or thinking that you know other people's paths better than they do.

Everyone's soul is equal and the only person who knows your true path is yourself. 

Getting deeper connection with spirit guides

You come out of this stage so much stronger because you’ve faced your biggest fears

And you will also, by now, be making deeper connection with your internal guidance.

As the outer shells and shields you’ve built around yourself for protection unpeel, you will open yourself up further to connect with your intuition, and you will have tools to do that (whether directly speaking with your guides, or through  tools like dowsing, journalling,  tarot and oracle cards,  meditation, or any of the other ways that works best for you).

By this stage you’re really coming to terms with who you are and finding your authentic self. You are finding self love and self compassion much easier.

Seeing the perfection of your journey

You’re starting to see why your life has unfolded in a certain way and you’ll begin to see how the threads of your life have been leading you to this point.

You are now able to look back at your life from a higher vantage point and see why things happened the way they did and the perfection of that journey.

Coming to balance

You’re coming to balance –the extremes of the earlier healing and self-discovery stages begin to mellow.

You will continue to face challenges, but you now see them as gifts and that they are there to give you new insights and new discoveries about yourself. 

You recognise that the challenges are opening you up to new opportunities and all catalyst is always for your highest and best good.

Radical acceptance of all experience

This 'radical acceptance of all experience' is the understanding that nothing is good or bad, except through the judgment or values we impose on them. Coming to this understanding helps you to be on less of an emotional roller-coaster.

This doesn’t mean we detach from our emotions – quite the opposite - we see all our emotions as part of our internal guidance system, helping us to get back on to our highest and best path.

Ancestral healing

This stage also often sees us moving beyond just healing what’s been going on in our own life, to looking to the patterns being handed down within our families and ancestral lineage and perhaps even through past lives.

Manifesting and living in joy

By now we are moving into a state where joy is our most frequent vibration. Not always – we are human and having a human experience after all - and consequently we experience the full range of emotional expression.

We are not afraid of our anger or our sadness, but we know we don’t need to live there for a long time and can find our way back to joy quite quickly.

Slowing down and moving into flow

This stage also usually sees us slowing down and realising that we don’t have to follow the values that society has been imposing on us – we don’t have to work hard to ‘earn our worth’.

Our value does not lie in our productivity and that we can move out of the usual '9-to-5' rigidity and into something that is more in alignment with who we came to be on this planet.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we will all become crystal sellers – but we move into alignment with who and what we truly want to be and how we want to show up in the world - and how that looks will be unique to what makes our individual soul sing. 

The 7^th stage is when you start to walk out in the world as your true and authentic self, fully integrating your soul.

Authentic – fully expressing your true self

You have done a lot of your inner work and are comfortable in your own skin and your own authenticity. You don’t need people to like you. You don’t bend yourself out of shape to be who others want you to be or to fit in with others’ expectations.

Sovereign being

You become a sovereign being – someone who isn’t looking outside of the self for answers. You aren’t expecting someone or something to save you. You have grown up and taken full responsibility for your choices and actions.

Co creating with spirit

You know that there are no wrong choices – you have the capability to co-create with spirit (the Universe, Source, or God, however you prefer to call it).

You know that you create your own reality and you know how to change that reality. You recognise that life is both simple and also complex and paradoxical, and you’re okay with that.

Living in high vibrational frequency

You’re living in higher vibrational frequency and your light is emanating in the world in the way that is in alignment with who you are here to be.

Manifesting your best life – moving into abundance and flow

You move from seeing the world as one of lack and ‘not enoughness’ to one of abundance and plenty. 

• You take aligned action – what you believe is what transpires. 
• You make your choices from a position of love and abundance rather than fear and lack.
• You see life is both simple and easy and full of complexity and paradoxes.
• You come to a place of trust, acceptance and surrender of what is, while still taking responsibility for your choices. 

If all this sounds like a dream come true – it is, because you know that when you change your thoughts and your perceptions, you change your reality.

Still human

You’re still human and you are fully inhabiting your humanness – not trying to get rid of your ego (which you'll never do) and you’re learning how to manifest the life that’s your best life, in abundance and flow.

Awakening is not about transcending our humanness but fully inhabiting it

You are consciousness enjoying a human experience and you are now aware of this – and you are here to have fun and play with it.

Ascension is when you can fully embody your higher self

Awakening is not a destination but a journey – so even at the Surefooted Pathfinder stage you’ll still have stuff spiralling round.

The difference is that you’ll know that everything is a mirror, reflecting something you need to see and you have all the tools you need to deal with it.

Your higher self connection becomes fully embodied as your vibration reaches a level where this becomes possible.

Awakening is ultimately a journey of self-discovery – of growing up and taking responsibility for yourself. Understanding we are all energy, and you are an integral part of the oneness. 

You are a soul having a unique human experience – you are a fractal of the Divine, and you are feeding your unique experience back to the whole.