Spiritual Awakening — A One-Time Thing Or an Everyday Challenge?
Some believe awakening is a one-time event — but is it?
We have all heard words like “Awakening,” “Found Enlightenment,” “Found Nirvana,” or “Was born again.”
They connote single points in time where a miracle took place.
From that point forward, things are different — we are fully aware — awake if you will.
What we awake to exactly varies depending on the author’s perspective on Spiritual Growth.
In The Way of Zen, Alan Watts explores several sacred eastern texts and their particular slant on awakening. Some hold that enlightenment occurs only after countless lifetimes. Others maintain that the elements of enlightenment are already in us; all we have to do is uncover them, which can be done instantly.
Others believe that awakening is not something you achieve but happens to you.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31
This post takes a different approach to awakening.
Awakening takes neither lifetimes nor is instantaneous, nor does it happen to you.
Awakening is learning.
Spiritual awakening starts with a desire for a deeper understanding and grows through what is often called “practice.” Awakening is not an end but an ever-enriching process.
Spiritual awakening is like trying to be healthy.
You want to feel healthy, vibrant, and full of life.
You found a new diet that you want to try that promises great rewards. You have joined a gym, and you are ready to start.
Some succeed on their first try. The diet works. Going to the gym is easy. They stay with the program, change their lifestyle, and achieve their goals.
There exact time that they become healthy is questionable.
Was it when they envisioned being healthy, at the time of commitment, or when their lifestyle changed?
Regardless of its origin, the result is physically feeling good.
Some take multiple tries before they get healthy. Despite all good intentions, the dream of being healthy cannot withstand existing habits. There is the first cookie — the first bowl of ice cream — the first missed day at the gym.
The dream fades — but is never gone.
There is always tomorrow.
Awakening is learning, and learning takes time.
Anyone who wants to develop a skill can tell you that.
Musicians, artists, athletes, computer professionals, etc., all know they achieved success by putting in the time needed.
Why would awakening be different?
Awakening and, more importantly, staying awake takes commitment, effort, and repetition.
There are multiple failures and restarts. Powerful moments are followed by mundane moments. Feelings of being lost follow moments of absolute oneness.
And that is OK.
Things that last take time to develop.
All dreams and goals are reinforced with signs of progress.
The baker makes his first cake. A welder sees her first perfect seam. Both the baker and the welder are stoked and motivated.
Experiencing power moments like an insightful meditation or a connection with nature motivates the seeker to continue searching.
Once you feel as Saint Patrick of Ireland said, “The presence of God is all around us.”
or realize
As Jon Kabat-Zinn states, “Awareness by itself helps keep me from losing myself completely in the turbulence of the mind.”
You feel the immense beauty and peace associated with awakening. You know you are on the right path.
Nothing, however, is linear; there are setbacks and failures.
Nature itself has cycles.
Day turns into night and back into day.
The moon shines full — wanes — and shines full again.
Beautiful as it is, a fruit tree does not stay in bloom, nor does it only bloom once in its life. The tree cycles — budding — fruit — dormancy — back to budding.
Each repetition causes growth.
The beauty of nature is based on cycles, and the cycles are life.
Why would we think that our spiritual growth is any different? Why wouldn’t we have periods of awakening, periods of questions, or feelings of being unaware?
There is no single moment of awakening — only awakening and reawakening.
Life has to be lived daily. We cannot dwell on past experiences and call that living NOW. Nor can we dream of a magic moment when we are enlightened as a cure-all for life.
Enlightenment must come little by little. Otherwise, it would overwhelm.
Idries Shah
Spiritual life has to be lived today with all its ups and downs. Nothing stays the same. Everything is changing all the time.
A Buddhist monk was approached by his student.
“Master, I cannot seem to meditate. My mind wonders. I do not know if this life is for me.”
The monk replies, “Give it time; it will change.”
A week later, the same student approaches his master.
“Master, you were right. My mediations are wonderful!”
The monk replies, “Give it time; it will change.”
How will you know if you are enlightened?
You know you are experiencing glimmers of enlightenment when you feel a deep sense of freedom, peace, and oneness with the world around you.
Under the influence of awareness, you become more attentive, understanding, and loving, and your presence not only nourishes you and makes you lovelier, it enhances those around you as well.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Enlightenment is the journey from the head back to the heart, from words back to silence.
Jack Brocas
I knew the master achieved enlightenment when he stopped meditating and petted the cat.
Buddhist lesson
Signs you are faltering?
One sure sign that one is faltering is when the competitive ego reemerges.
For instance, having to tell someone that you are enlightened is a huge red flag that you are not.
Oh, how hard it is to be the only one who knows the truth!
Expecting special treatment because you are “Awakened” is another sign.
Another Buddhist story involves monks who thought they were above the chores of the monastery because the monks were enlightened. They had to be reminded.
Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
Zen Proverb.
Sometimes we simply go back to sleep. Daily living crowds out spiritual thoughts — more pressing matters surface.
After some time, you realize you are not as happy as you were. You begin to miss the peace of meditation and the connection with nature. You miss feeling joy.
You realize then they call it “Practice” for a reason — not perfection — practice.
You come to understand, as Beth Kempton puts it
The important thing is what happens next.
So you become more mindful.
We can produce the energy of mindfulness and return to awakened wisdom.
Thich Nhat Hanh
You begin to meditate and read — this time with a more profound commitment, having realized what you lost.
You begin to know
You are in this moment, the creator of your reality
Ask, and It Shall Be Given.
You begin to awaken — Again.
This story can also be found as part of the Lesson Series on abundanteverydayjoy.com