When a person experiences a shift in their consciousness, it changes how they perceive and experience themselves and their world. For most people, this change happens through a gradual process that has universal characteristics. This process has been given many different names such as: healing, personal or spiritual transformation, growing in awareness, and even progressive enlightenment.
I experienced this transition over a ten-year period and documented my personal process in the three books of The Healing Series. In this post, I describe the characteristics of two mindsets I have personally experienced (the traditional state and the awake state) and common features of the transformation process.
The Traditional State
Our identity or ego defines us; it is who we are.
The focus is on survival both for ourselves and our families and community.
Our story is paramount.
The meaning we have given to the experiences of our lives colors our perceptions and how we experience the world.
Life is often experienced as an obstacle to be overcome or a trek to a destination.
The analytical mind often runs the show and we may feel cut off from a sense of Spirit or the responses of our body.
Subconscious patterns play out in our body-minds.
We have less awareness of what is happening; and therefore, we have less conscious choice about how we think and act.
We may have little awareness of our spiritual nature. Our beliefs are influenced strongly by the conditioned habits of our body-mind, and the teachings of our culture or religion.
We often perceive ourselves as separate from the whole.
We fear anniliation and death.
The Transformation Process
To expand our awareness or consciousness, many of us need to unravel the conditioned patterns that play out in our bodies and minds in order to live with a new perspective. For some, the patterns are light and easily softened and for others they are heavy and harder to get out of. But rest assured, if you have more to unravel- you will receive all the help you need to make the journey. It is a willingness to be transformed that shakes and softens us.
Here are some of the characteristics of this type of discovery:
It starts with a willingness to take responsibility for our experience. We stop blaming other people and situations for our internal state, and we begin taking personal responsibility for our thoughts and actions.
We stop numbing ourselves, avoiding discomfort, and ignoring our pain.
We begin to recognize that we have a choice about what we will focus on and how we react. Very simply, we have direct control over two things: our thoughts and our actions.
When we are in a pattern (or loop) of thinking and behavior that is not life-giving, constricting thoughts, emotions and body responses often rise up. These experiences can be uncomfortable or down-right painful, but they are also an opportunity to look within and to release what we are carrying on all levels: physically, emotionally, mentally, and energetically.
As we uncover patterns in our minds that are rooted in shame, blame and fear, we can consciously replace these constricting thoughts and beliefs with more loving ones.
Over time, we spend less time in fear-based / reactive states and more time in love-based / creative states.
The Awake State
We experience an integration between the body-mind-spirit.
We have a greater awareness of how our experience is expressed in all three aspects of our being.
The analytical mind no longer runs the show, rather it becomes a wonderful tool that expresses what is true for the full being.
We have more power to create our internal and external lives.
We recognize and experience the life-force or energy that flows through all that has been given many names such as: Energy, Spirit, Light, Love, God.
This sense of connection and guidance may come to us in many ways- through images, body sensations, words, emotions, and experiences. You will know when this information is expansive when it is loving, empowering, connecting, and it is not linked with hierarchy, separation and fear.
Our focus moves shifts from the needs of human survival to expressing more of our expanded Self.
A sense of connection and appreciation for all forms of life emerges.
We begin to see ourselves from this spiritual vantage point, and to love our unique human form.
Life becomes less of an obstacle to be overcome or a trek to a destination, and instead it becomes a fascinating journey.
We begin to live with a sense of abundance and joy.
💜≈ For more information & inspiration to expand your spiritual awareness, consider checking out my book, Healing with Spirit.