(A Course in Miracles)
A natural question that comes up for every spiritual traveler is, how exactly do I know that the Awakening process has started for me personally? And if so, how far along am I? Based on my personal experience, once the process has started you will know, just as a woman a few months into her pregnancy unmistakably feels the new life in her. The question how far along in the spiritual Awakening process we are is a bit harder to answer. Unfortunately our head has its own expectations. It wants to be enlightened and sometimes overwrites what we truly experience.
Another complicating factor is that we are all on different journeys. We all have to find a new equilibrium to gravitate towards our new Self. So when it comes to making specific predictions about the Awakening process we have to take into account our idiosyncratic journey. Let life talk to you about what changes it has in store for you. Let it guide you to what you need to do. Let me share a personal example in that direction, my decision to become vegetarian some 5 years ago. Some say that when you eat meat, you upset your delicate spiritual system and that is why many religions advocate a vegetarian diet. I think this is entirely possible, but I started this change on moral grounds to protest against the grotesque meat production industry in the western world, and not because something inside of me felt off. Whether this decision to become vegetarian catapulted me on my spiritual path or not, I can’t tell. In this adjustment, however, I thought it was a strange coincidence that my spiritual friend who mocked me about this decision later turned vegan in a heartbeat.
I am not very fond of following some perceived spiritual wisdoms; the 'thou shall' and the 'thou shall not' rules that are supposedly good or bad for our spiritual evolution. Not that there is anything wrong in listening to the experiences of others, it is just that if you ask 100 spiritual travelers what adjustments they made in their journeys, you might get 30 different answers. In my own experience, we only need to adjust our behavior when Spirit knocks on our door, and we all have different ego struggles to take into consideration. In my decision to become a vegetarian for example, I saw a sign for a change when my sister-in-law gave me a book on the US meat production industry. I thought to myself, ‘before I read this one, I’d rather follow its message and stop eating meat!’
Spiritual ascendency is about increasing vibration. We get upgraded while traveling the Way. Our energy frequency and behaviors change. Some changes may seem random, like friends who walk out of our lives, or unexpected job changes, whereas others are more self-determined like my decision to stop eating meat for example. Stepping back a little and watching the changes over the years though, a lot adjusts. Spiritual ascendency is something that is provided by the Grace of God, though our actions certainly influence the timing of this act. When the different energy centers open up, expect many changes. You can look forward to having more energy, better health, peace of mind and a new found feeling of connectedness with everyone and everything. And yes, sometimes we command some of the metaphysical powers that our spiritual books like emphasizing.
With every promotion, the bar also gets raised on us, as one of the CEOs of the firm I was working for was always fond of saying. In spiritual terms, we have to leave behind old behavioral patterns that we have outgrown in the meantime. Typically that is hard to do. We may struggle a bit, but eventually we break free. Refusal to comply will lead to a loss of energy that simply feels dreadful. As the Course in Miracles reminds us, the Awakening process cannot be turned back, but it can be delayed. You may try a few times, but you soon realize that there is no choice but to keep going.
What exactly it is that you can do or should not do is something you can find out experimentally. You stick to the activities that empower you, and avoid the activities that cut into your power base. It is as simple as that. My hunch is that these experiences are all unique for each spiritual traveler. We all approach our Source from different angles. For many it is not eating meat; some can’t work in cut-throat work environments; sone say that it it essential to be impeccable with your word, like Don Miguel Ruiz did in ‘The Four Agreements’; a few swear by celibacy. Many of us claim that alcohol should only be consumed in moderate quantities, if at all. I don’t want to bias you with my experience. It is just one viewpoint from the climb I took. You can show us which exception justifies the rule, and tell us afterwards about it. As I highlighted in my decision to become a vegetarian, you will know it when God knocks on your door. She knows where to find you.
I called my first book “The Magnificent Experiment”, and the title hit the gist of my spiritual philosophy on the head. There is no faith required in the spiritual ascendency process—it is pure energy dynamics! All we have to do is to follow the leads of life’s cues and follow the energy. I am a scientist by training, so I am a big believer that you need to figure things out for yourself. You need to work out what is consistent with your journey and what is not. Just be honest and be open to listening to different point of views; try them and be ready to embrace change. Your energy vibrations adjust all the time; something may have worked for you yesterday, but may not work any longer today.
Trust the Awakening process and get out of your head. Let life show you what changes are in store for you. Have purpose, passion, and faith, but also the flexibility to incorporate the nudges of the Way. Let life show you how exactly all the pieces fit together. The Ascension process will happen naturally if you get your self out of the Way.
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