Spiritual Awakening Process

[blackraven]

In order to advance forward into a spiritual awakening do you feel you have to have a Dark Night, low experience as a prelude or do you believe your experience has to be on a more upbeat level such as a realization of a dream. I hope no one gets caught up on my words. I really would like to hear if it’s a low period or an incredibly heightened period that propels you into a spiritual awakening. By spiritual awakening I mean a shift in consciousness. That consciousness shifts from a fear-based consciousness to expanded states of peace and joy. What are your thoughts?

Blackraven

Hey blackraven,

I hope this isn't to out there but how I see it is it requires both, there are elements of light and dark moments that combine at a given moment to bring a better spiritual understanding or expansion of knowing. One cannot know darkness with out also knowing light or grasp what is in the light without knowing the darkness as well...just my 2 cents worth.

I don't know if it necessary to go through "The dark night of the Soul" but I did and it was not a night but a few weeks. I had been seeking for 12 years prior to going on a conscious path which I started in 2000. From there it was another three years before I "awoke" to my true Self. The dark night of the soul happened prior to me awakening.... months prior.

The actual awakening was not a process for me...it was suddenly and spontaneous and there was no heightened or low feeling present. I went to bed one night with a feeling of a question and awoke the next morning to bliss. Completely "out of my mind".

I have heard of so many paths and so many different experiences that I can't say if it has to be one way or another. I can only share my experience : )

[psychoslice]

It can happen any way, for me it was the so called "dark night of the soul", but that doesn't mean that is the only way, I think if one is under grace it will happen, no matter what you do. But most have never realized what true freedom is, so they continue living their life believing they are happy, these are the ones who say that "ignorance is bliss", but if that was true, there would be a whole lot of happy people in the world.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

It can happen any way, for me it was the so called "dark night of the soul", but that doesn't mean that is the only way, I think if one is under grace it will happen, no matter what you do. But most have never realized what true freedom is, so they continue living their life believing they are happy, these are the ones who say that "ignorance is bliss", but if that was true, there would be a whole lot of happy people in the world.

I agree true freedom is not ignorance...it's bliss and when we understand...we stand under grace.. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Nothing is written in stone so you do not have to have a dark period, everything is possible. After realising my spiritual side I got lost in the dark for years. When I look back I can see myself moving forward in this period even though it seemed like I did not at the time. How to reach the top of the mountain is a mystery to me. It seemed like one day I was at the bottom of this mountain not even capable of seeing the top, no matter how far I climbed up. Then all of the sudden I just found myself on top of the mountain and I have no idea how I came there... strange

[psychoslice]

[quote=Shabby]I don't know if it necessary to go through "The dark night of the Soul" but I did and it was not a night but a few weeks. I had been seeking for 12 years prior to going on a conscious path which I started in 2000. From there it was another three years before I "awoke" to my true Self. The dark night of the soul happened prior to me awakening.... months prior.

The actual awakening was not a process for me...it was suddenly and spontaneous and there was no heightened or low feeling present. I went to bed one night with a feeling of a question and awoke the next morning to bliss. Completely "out of my mind".

I have heard of so many paths and so many different experiences that I can't say if it has to be one way or another. I can only share my experience : )[/QU

Sorry, wrong quote.


Shabby: I agree true freedom is not ignorance...it's bliss and when we understand...we stand under grace.. Thanks for sharing your experience.


Thanks Shabby, I think you and I are out of our minds, well, at least most of the time lol

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by nightowl

Hey blackraven,

I hope this isn't to out there but how I see it is it requires both, there are elements of light and dark moments that combine at a given moment to bring a better spiritual understanding or expansion of knowing. One cannot know darkness with out also knowing light or grasp what is in the light without knowing the darkness as well...just my 2 cents worth.

Actually, nightowl, that makes perfect sense (more than 2 cents, LOL). One can't actually understand darkness without experiencing light and vice versa. Excellent point.

Blackraven

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by Shabby

I don't know if it necessary to go through "The dark night of the Soul" but I did and it was not a night but a few weeks. I had been seeking for 12 years prior to going on a conscious path which I started in 2000. From there it was another three years before I "awoke" to my true Self. The dark night of the soul happened prior to me awakening.... months prior.

The actual awakening was not a process for me...it was suddenly and spontaneous and there was no heightened or low feeling present. I went to bed one night with a feeling of a question and awoke the next morning to bliss. Completely "out of my mind".

I have heard of so many paths and so many different experiences that I can't say if it has to be one way or another. I can only share my experience : )

Shabby - Thanks for sharing your personal experience. When you woke up out of your "dark night" suddenly one morning to bliss did you have the feeling that a question or questions were answered? Did you feel you had an instant knowing of some sort?

Blackraven

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by psychoslice

I think if one is under grace it will happen, no matter what you do.

Slice - This is a beautiful concept. Can you expand on it?

Blackraven