What Is The Dark Side Of Spiritual Awakening?

Spiritual awakening is an awakening of a dimension of reality beyond the confines of the ego.

It is a knowing beyond knowledge.

The problem is that spiritual awakening can feel painful at times.

Its greatest pain is born from experiencing our feelings and emotions so incredibly deeply. Furthermore, it can be hard to function or even just manage our daily lives when our emotions and feelings become so intense and overwhelming.

Here Is A List Of 7 ‘Negative Aspects’ Of Spiritual Awakening:

#1 Loss Of Worldy Interests & Desires

Realizing the emptiness of all things is a normal part of spiritual awakening. But, for some individuals, this may lead to the feeling that life is pointless. Eventually, they may lose worldly interests and desires.

The loss of interest can also extend into sexual activities with one’s romantic partner as well.

What can you do to change this so you don’t fall into this pattern?

For start, you can be mindful of your thoughts – including negative ones which seem to sprout up without any effort. Remember that:

• thoughts become actions;
• actions become behaviors;
• behaviors become habits;
• habits become your personal character;
• your character becomes your future.

#2 Loneliness

Spiritual awakening may cause you to feel lonely (loneliness is not necessarily about being alone; instead, if you feel isolated and alone, then that is how loneliness plays into your state of mind) since you suddenly find that your perceptions are out of alignment with others. In addition, you can’t seem to relate to your family and friends anymore.

Moreover, your priorities may change. For instance, you may want to quit watching meaningless entertainment and fear-mongering news on television, leaving a void when you try to relate to people you would typically talk to about these things.

According to studies, suffering from loneliness is similar to suffering from physical pain. For example, in one study, the use of Tylenol (also known as acetaminophen – a medication used to treat fever and pain) lessened the aches of loneliness. With a dose of Tylenol, scans of lonely persons showed reduced activity in pain-processing areas of the brain.

Additionally, loneliness heightens the fight-or-flight response – a physiological reaction when a person faces harm or danger. This heightened response can make a person angry and irritable. Instead of welcoming connection with others, the lonely individual attacks others in anger. He is under constant threat, hence, feeding a detrimental cycle of disconnection and isolation.

#3 Loss Of Interest In Taking Care Of Your Body

Looking after yourself is vital to emotional, physical, and mental well-being.

Self-care is best defined as the ability to take proper care of your daily living requirements, such as – sleeping, eating, and grooming.

A loss of interest in taking care of your body is a telltale sign of major depression.

#4 Depression

There are so many cracks in this false reality that it is easy to fall through one if you are not careful. Suddenly, after a spiritual awakening, you can’t find value or meaning in the life you have created for yourself. If you are not mindful enough, you can easily become depressed.

The symptoms of depression are overwhelming. People may describe major depression as a “black hole” that they just can’t get out of.

In addition, a sense of impending doom is common in this type of depression.

Signs of depression may include:

• taking unnecessary risks;
• exhaustion;
• feeling irritable;
• loss of energy;
• thinking about suicide;
• changes in appetite;
• feeling guilty, worthless, or hopeless;
• restlessness;
• becoming isolated;
• change in sleep patterns;
• feeling violent;
• losing interest in activities;
• feeling nervous or sad;
• drug or alcohol abuse;
• loss of sex drive.

Note – men are less likely to experience depression than women. Also, they are less likely to talk about it. This increases the risk of their depression going untreated and unrecognized.

#5 Changes In Sleep Patterns

During the time of spiritual awakening, your emotions and inner feelings are in constant turmoil and that is what actually disturbs your sleep patterns.

A disrupted sleep pattern may cause you to need more or less sleep.

Getting proper sleep is extremely important at this time as a lack of sleep and sleep disorders can significantly contribute to the symptoms of depression.

Also, a great deal of spiritual work, like healing, releasing old energies, and integration, happens during sleep.

Symptoms of a lack of sleep may include:

• daytime fatigue;
• irritability;
• yawning;
• excessive sleepiness.

After several sleepless nights, the effects of a lack of sleep become more serious.

For instance, you will start to feel down, and may fall asleep during the day.

Your brain will fog, making it difficult to make decisions and concentrate. More importantly, your risk of accidents at work, home, and on the road increases.

#6 Food Allergies And Intolerances

As you grow more spiritual, you are more sensitive to everything around you. Your physical body will tell you what doesn’t serve it anymore or what it can no longer tolerate.

Many who experience intense spiritual awakenings may be unable to eat meat or may be unable to consume anything that comes from animals. Also, some may desire less meat and eat it much less often.

Also, caffeine is high on the list. This could be due to the sensitivity of stimulants.

Some people find they have a white residue in their mouth, much like that of runners at the end of a race.

It could be a sign that you may be eating too much dairy products, or you need to make some dietary adjustments.

Tip – intolerances and allergies may not be permanent so remove them from your diet for a few months and try again later.

READ MORE: Spiritual Awakening Signs

#7 Hypersensitivity

After a spiritual awakening, some may become hypersensitive.

Hypersensitivity, also known as being a “highly sensitive person,” brings many benefits, like – factoring in subtle cues when making a decision or being able to “read” the mood of a room quickly.

Smells, both bad and good, are more apparent to you now. The world may seem “sharper,” and colors will seem more vibrant to you. You might hear more conversations going on with other people in public than you had before, simply because your hearing is amplified.

All of these changes occur because your vibration is rising rapidly, which comes with the capacity to sense everything more intensely.

The problem is that highly sensitive persons have relative difficulty filtering sounds and other sensory inputs.

They are particularly sensitive to subtle stimuli that other people don’t notice.

Moreover, you may experience increased empathy. As well as dealing with emotional disturbances from the past, you also find yourself being more sensitive to the emotions of others. While this may feel uncomfortable, it is part of the process of developing and healing.

READ MORE: Practices For Pineal Gland Activation

Prevention

The following daily practices may reduce your chance of experiencing the above side effects of spiritual awakening:

Seek Out Likeminded People

There are numerous spiritual centers all over the place. Visit them, meet people, and continue to do so until you find the place that is “right” for you.

Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is powerful and will get your day begun with a sense of purpose and knowing that everything that will come your way is for your own development.

Diet

Have a diet rich in legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts.

Sleep

Go to sleep early, including during the weekend.

Image credit – @Getty

READ THIS NEXT: 11 Powerful Mudras And Their Meanings

References

https://www.thoughtco.com/spiritual-awareness-1732138
https://www.ctsnet.edu/tag/spiritual-awakening/