THE PATH TO AWAKENING

The doors of awakening open when we realize that there is no “self” at the center of experience. But before reaching this point, there is a more common phase of spiritual opening that many people go through.

In broad terms, this is a phase of metaphysical doubt about our very existence, followed by an opening to the invisible.

The person who feels drawn to a spiritual path is not yet awakened, but they begin to question death and the meaning of life. They feel pulled by a mystical force—whether called the Universe, God, Nature, Life, Source, or the Cosmos.

This process can arise from many different circumstances:

• A difficult childhood that early on turns the person away from worldly distractions and grants a certain lucidity about life (e.g., Krishnamurti).
• Weariness from repetitive patterns, followed by awareness and a breakthrough (e.g., Eckhart Tolle).
• A major event that shocks and tears away the veil of ignorance: the loss of a loved one, illness, or the feeling that nothing makes sense anymore.
• Receiving spiritual teachings, for example during a retreat.
• An experience that cultivates compassion and devotion, leading to the deep conviction that death is merely a passage (e.g., near-death experiences, visitations from deceased loved ones, witnessing profound suffering).

It is important to note that, according to several Eastern traditions, this call to spirituality does not arise by chance. It originates from a continuum across multiple past lives in which the person has gradually journeyed toward awakening.