The term spiritual awakening is used quite loosely in spiritual circles. So what do you think it means? According to experts like Teal Swan, having a spiritual awakening can mean anything from feeling more connected to spirit, nature, or humanity…to being struck by lightning and receiving divine messages.

Many people have had what they consider a spiritual awakening, but few have examined the process enough to know how it occurs. It is important to understand this process because it can teach you a lot about your spiritual self and how to be of greater help during others’ awakening processes.

Spiritual Awakening: How Do You Know If You Are Experiencing One?

As defined by Teal Swan and other experts, a spiritual awakening is when one discovers their divine purpose, or rather when they experience a life-altering event that leads them directly to their divine purpose. A spiritual awakening can happen suddenly and mysteriously, such as when the person is struck by lightning and receives divine information from the other side.

A spiritual awakening can also be a gradual process of two or more events that lead someone to a complete paradigm shift or a life-altering experience, such as deciding to leave your job and follow your dreams. Alternatively, a spiritual awakening can take place through a slow realization that an individual’s current path is not fulfilling anymore.

The important thing to remember about spiritual awakenings is that they are often transformative experiences. And, the symptoms of spiritual awakening will always be personal to you because they can be emotional, physical, or spiritual symptoms that only you feel.

5 Signs You’re Having An Emotional Spiritual Awakening

1. Feeling Soulful

One of the best signs that you are having an emotional, spiritual awakening is that your emotions are exceptionally intense. Various things in your life can trigger these feelings, but the core feeling is the same: You have never felt more alive or soulful before in your life.

2. Feeling Accepted

During a spiritual awakening, you may notice that you feel especially accepted by others and that people are loving towards you–even strangers. Additionally, you may notice that people around you are especially accepting of your ideas or beliefs.

3. Feeling Haunted by Your Trauma

During a spiritual awakening, some people feel haunted by their childhood traumas and past wounds in ways they have never felt before. This can be incredibly stressful for individuals still carrying guilt over certain actions or unresolved emotions associated with childhood trauma. Therefore, it is important to find a way to handle this feeling so that you can move through it rather than be consumed by it.

4. Having Extreme Dreams

Some people have dreams, nightmares, and waking visions that are incredibly intense during their spiritual awakenings. This does not mean that there is something wrong with you. It simply means your spirit is trying to communicate with you.

5. Feeling a Deep Connection with Nature

Many people during spiritual awakenings experience what feels like a deep connection with nature. They feel a kinship with animals and plants, and sometimes even elements of the earth itself, such as dirt or stone. This feeling is often strange because it is not common to them, yet they feel a special kinship with nature.