As mentioned, a prerequisite for spiritual awakening is to change perspective and look at oneself from a distance, from a position «outside oneself».
You have to discover your authentic self behind your role.
That can happen when you begin to see patterns in yourself and eventually understand that your self-image results from the impact of your parents, other family members, upbringing and environment.
Dr Nicole's list contains several such items.
You may also suddenly experience personal, traumatic events that force you out of your security zone and make you look with scepticism and alertness at everything and everyone around you.
Awakening is thus mainly the result of things that have happened to you privately and no one else.
But we are also exposed to collective, traumatic events.
At the time of writing, a war is going on in Ukraine. We have been through a pandemic and are in the middle of a long-term crisis concerning climate, pollution, biological diversity, scarcity of resources, overpopulation, etc.
We are also experiencing a social crisis in the relationship between people and how we organise our society. Materialism has completely taken over. The competition is fierce for resources, status and positions.
Young people are facing demands that, in total, create enormous pressure.
Is it any wonder many of us are not able to keep up?
Is it any wonder we're starting to see how sick it all is?
The hippies saw it. The eco-advocates see it. An international occupy and rebellion movement has sprung up, protesting against unjust structures and class division.
There are riots everywhere in all forms, but so far, relatively modest, after all.
It's going to be much, much more intense.
I have said that trauma is a significant pathway to spiritual awakening.
Therefore, in a world full of traumatic crises, it is reasonable to expect the population as a whole to wake up gradually.
Rebellion and protest are the healthiest things we have in society. Large groups look beyond themselves. They see how they were raised, indoctrinated, enticed and pressured to conform.
We are fed with stories of success and opportunities in a society that we can all see is on its way down the cliff at full speed.
Amid this existential stress, we must obtain at least a master's degree, a well-paid job, partner, house, car, cabin, boat and dog. We will seek out exotic holiday destinations, follow the fashions, and present ourselves as best we can.
All this is empty. Lifeless. Commercial. Sick.
It is driven by fear and desire – for status, security, benefits. And so on.
You know that; we all do.
That is how it «should be».
More and more of us are unable to keep up.
More, even, ask critical questions.
Those who still believe in the system notice that the pressure is becoming unmanageable.
We are in the midst of a gigantic schism that has been under development for a long time and has reached a critical point. It is not about to reach a critical point; it has already happened and is happening now!
Wake up!
Such an awakening is as good as any.
A spiritual awakening holds it all. You can not begin to look at yourself differently without at the same time looking at the world differently and discovering all the sick around you.
A spiritual awakening is thus extremely demanding socially.
One day, you realise that you think and look at things differently from most people. It can be your spouse, parents, children, other family members, old friends and colleagues; you simply have a different outlook on life.
Then the tension might increase. Or decrease, depending on whether you are used to being loud or self-effacing. When you have had enough, your true self appears, the authentic you.
There is a high probability that you will experience yourself as being excluded, and you will have to reconstruct your life with new content. It is demanding, and many cannot do so but choose to isolate themselves, perish in drugs or simply end their lives.
Maybe all at once.
Yes, we've been trodding on the winepress much too long
Rebel, rebel!
Babylon system is the vampire, yea! (vampire)
Suckin' the children day by day, yeah!
Me say de Babylon system is the vampire, falling empire,
Suckin' the blood of the sufferers, yeah!
Building church and university, wooh, yeah!
Deceiving the people continually, yeah!
Me say them graduatin' thieves and murderers
Look out now they suckin' the blood of the sufferers (sufferers)
Yea! (sufferers)
Tell the children the truth
Tell the children the truth
Tell the children the truth right now!
Bob Marley: «Babylon System»
