Spiritual Enlightenment, Spontaneous Awakenings, and Near-Death Experiences
What is enlightenment? In 1784, German philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote an essay answering that same question. “Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.” Kant states that this immaturity is caused by a lack of courage to use reason, intellect, and wisdom, and is not a result of a lack of understanding. He also says that this immaturity is held by the reliance on guidance from others. So by Kant’s definition, becoming enlightened seems within reach because self-reliance, wisdom, and the ability to think with intelligence and creativity are achievable to almost anyone.
The Spiritual Nature of Awakening
Since Kant’s essay, enlightenment has picked up a more spiritual flavour. Spiritual enlightenment takes the idea of enlightenment a step further into spiritual awakenings. Spiritual enlightenment could be said to be a simultaneous awareness of the individual self, and how the self connects with ‘all that is’. Said another way, you are the drop in the ocean, and you are the ocean itself. This level of spiritual awareness contains the ability to maintain both connection and separation, which requires a change in how a person filters information from the world around them, including a type of Ego dissolution.
Spontaneous spiritual awakenings are profound and transformative experiences. They are experienced as a sudden and direct sense of connection with the universe, God, or the divine. The feelings associated with spiritual awakenings include a deep sense of inner knowing, understanding, and remembering of the true nature of life, alongside a heightened sense of peace, bliss, gratitude, and unconditional love.
Causes and Triggers of Spontaneous Awakenings
Studies have confirmed that practices like yoga, mindfulness and meditation can cause slow or even sudden awakenings. But there are other causes. These include near death experiences, out of body experiences, experiences in nature, during sex, intense physical activity, fasting, trauma and sleep deprivation. Interestingly, the most common accounts of spontaneous spiritual awakenings are following prolonged psychological challenges. Spiritual or religious beliefs do not seem to play a vital role in having such an awakening, and surveys show that almost 50% of people report having a life changing experience at some point.
| Activity or Condition | Frequency and Impact |
|---|---|
| Being in nature | Most regularly practiced activity before a powerful awakening experience. |
| Psychological challenges | Most common context for spontaneous spiritual awakenings. |
| Kundalini yoga | Least regularly practiced activity before a powerful awakening. |
| General Population | Almost 50% of people report having a life changing experience. |
Kundalini and Physical Sensations
Spontaneous Kundalini awakenings are considered a subset of spontaneous awakenings. In general, they have a slightly more physical experience to them. The body is usually more involved with a higher sense of tactile energy movement and sensation. Tantric and yoga traditions have reported this type of awakening at least back to the 5th century AD.
The Buddhist Perspective on Enlightenment
The term Enlightenment is used to translate several Buddhist terms and concepts. These are used to denote initial insight (prajna, wu, kensho and satori), knowledge (vidya) and the attainment of supreme Buddhahood (samyak sam bodhi), as exemplified by Gautama Buddha. Enlightenment is the highest state of spiritual awakening and not a “bullshit mental construct”. Bodhi signifies enlightenment or spiritual awakening, reflecting a state of profound understanding and liberation. Enlightenment or awakening is a sacred state realised by the Tathāgatas and has been sought over the centuries by countless practitioners and devotees.
As described in Buddhist teachings: “Bodhi is like water, useful to everyone, and affliction is like ice, and the ice is in the water, and the water is in the ice.” The state of spiritual awakening or Enlightenment is achieved through the understanding of the true nature of reality.
Faith Deconstruction and Personal Growth
A spiritual awakening often leads to faith deconstruction by causing a shift in one's mental framework, prompting questioning of existing beliefs. Faith deconstruction is the process of individuals unpacking, rethinking, and examining their belief systems. It involves redefining faith, spirituality, religion, God, or worldview without a predetermined end goal. It is important to understand that faith deconstruction is a positive process, fostering personal growth and self-discovery.
Stages of Spiritual Progress
The realized souls of India have come to see that a few well-marked stages become evident as the radiant road to realization opens up before them. They have classed them into four general phases of growth and progress. The seeker, obtaining right guidance from the preceptor, must look both backwards and inwards to effect a solution. One discipline, neti neti, asks the aspirant to look at every element and object in life and say, “I am not this; I am not this.” Once the naivete of thinking oneself to be matter is taken away, the soul then perceives Brahman in everything.