Photo by Dan Dimmock

One would think that the idea of ‘spiritual awakening’ is completely out of the realm of science. Likewise,  the study of the spiritual awakening process seems like it’s better for people exploring religious beliefs rather than those pursuing scientific research.

Still, even today’s scientists and academics have strong doubts about this materialist and physicalist model of reality. The question of consciousness still poses many challenges and unsolved problems.

And incidentally, such questions often point to a higher reality that’s unanimously embraced by many believers in spirituality. The details may be different (such as differences in theology), but the need to put spirituality under serious, academic lenses has just grown stronger than ever.

So, how does one begin researching the idea of spiritual awakening? Is there a universal definition of this awakening (such as with the universal constants)? What are the signs of spiritual realization, and how do they manifest? Has there been any development from the time of ancient spiritual practices to the ones exercised today?

To answer these questions, one will have to go beyond just mere physics. The study of spiritual awakening encompasses psychology, history, and more. It would involve looking at the systems of ancient mysticism and transformation through scholarly analysis, drawing a sort of ancestral line between these systems and the more modern practices promoted today.

Yet at the end of it all, it is a fascinating study that could help paint a more complete picture of reality.

Scoping the Study of the Spiritual Awakening Process

Photo by Joshua Hoehne

The first step to any serious study is the definition of terms. And in this case, the most important term would be the definition of spiritual awakening.

Nailing down this definition might prove tricky at first. Many gurus, self-help authors and psychologists have varying definitions of the word ‘spiritual,’ let alone ‘spiritual awakening.’

However, a closer inspection would show that they have a few crucial points in common for the study of the spiritual awakening process:

1. Strong self-identity – The idea of being spiritually awake requires a strong, powerful sense of identity that goes beyond names, personality traits, and preferences. Those who claim it also claim that they have a strong awareness of who they are in all areas of their life.

2. Emphasis on higher purpose – A strong sense of self-identity also goes hand-in-hand with an emphasis on higher purpose. The desires for money, pleasure and good health are but surface indicators of some deeper calling.

3. Increased awareness – Many believe awakening generally claim that it has led them to signs of spiritual realization about their lives and the world around them. And while theirs may just be one interpretation of their personal reality out of many, there’s no question that the sense of ‘awakening’ is the catalyst.

Spiritual Awakening Through the Ages

Photo by Alexandre Chambon

The different ancient beliefs about spiritual awakening are often cited as proof that the concept is ‘unscientific.’ This stems from the logic that such ancient beliefs are no more than superstition with no merit worthy of academic study.

The problem with this logic is that this would mean fields like history and anthropology also have no such merit because these, too, include the study of ancient belief systems. Any serious study of the spiritual awakening process can still benefit these fields with regards to the shifts in cultural mindsets, religions and more.

Hence, a more holistic alternative would be to do comparative studies of the spiritual awakening systems in older faith traditions while also historically following the development of thought within each tradition’s spiritual authority figures.

To just give a rough example, take the word budh, the Sanskrit root term that is actually core to the word Buddha (and the religion of Buddhism as a whole). The meaning of budh is, in fact, “to wake up.”

This concept can then be traced further down to other younger spiritual traditions that have been influenced via contact with Buddhism (such as its different schools, as well as the more modern spiritual practices of the New Age movement).

Another example would be the Hindu belief in self-realization (also known as atmabodha), and how this state would grant others a form of higher conscious insight beyond material reality. It is a tenet that would eventually make its way into the Theosophist belief in the third eye as it synthesized many esoteric Eastern spiritual systems. Some might still insist on dismissing the study of the spiritual awakening process as all “wu-wu” after all this, but there is no doubting its ties to the fields of history, sociology, and psychology.

21^st Century Spiritual Awakening

At this point, there is no avoiding the conclusion that the idea of spiritual awakening has become more widely accepted than ever in the 21^st century.

When one goes down to its core concepts, such as self-idealization and higher consciousness, spiritual awakening in the modern day has been the go-to thought process for many people who have found it as the driving force behind many positive decisions in their lives.

It is a phenomenon with the potential to renew a sense of purpose as well as empowerment. That gives it an attractive pull for many individuals currently lacking such things in their lives.

So if such a draw isn’t enough to justify serious study, then what does?

You can actually read about one person’s direct experience with spiritual awakening in the book Soul Licensed. It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ReadersMagnet.