Signs of Spiritual Awakening – Childish Gaze and Wonder

There are some signs of spiritual awakening that various teachers seem to agree on. One of them is a renewed sense of wonder and awe at the miracle of life.

a mystery to live

When the feeling of separation disappears, life becomes fun again. This game is very familiar to us, it is the game of childhood. Suddenly, the world is seen through wide open eyes, without judgments, without analysis or concepts. In a way, it is a return to not knowing, where the wonder of life is rediscovered. So even if we know conceptually what something is or if we play the game of labeling the world, feelings and experiences, the mystery still remains.

In the end, that’s all this: a mystery to live.

Without just a conceptual understanding or world view, we are met with awe and wonder. The miracle of a blossoming flower or falling rain or a smiling lover is once again evident. In fact, it is seen that there are only miracles. Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary brings a sense of everyday joy into our lives. Even the appearance of feelings like sadness or boredom can be viewed with a kind of childlike wonder.

Be like little children

What also seems to disappear with the recognition of unity is any need to escape from or argue with present experience. We are no longer insisting that reality be other than what it is. Free from identification with the separate self, present reality can manifest itself in any form and still be seen as an utter mystery. In truth, we don’t really know what any of this is despite having words to describe it.

When we take a fresh look at feelings like sadness, anger, guilt, or frustration, we discover that they are as shrouded in mystery as the hidden depths of the cosmos. This is a humbling experience as we are totally amazed by the miracle of everyday life unfolding. We are (as Jesus suggested we should be) like little children, living in the now with no conclusions about the mystery of life.

I have spent a lot of time in my own life completely captivated by the most common and everyday objects and experiences. Simply breathing in and out can be a mesmerizing experience when fully embraced and experienced. This sense of wonder and awe comes in part from seeing and experiencing life as if for the first time. We are newcomers again, rediscovering the world around us as well as the world within.

The pleasure of the ordinary

I recently drove to the southern English seaside town of Portsmouth, near where I live, and was amazed at the beauty of the Christmas tree-lit ships in the ferry port. I have seen this show many times, but tonight I saw it as if for the first time and a sense of wonder and delight washed over me. I laughed out loud at the feeling of ecstatic pleasure I experienced seeing this.

Awakening to the truth and beauty of the world around us and within us is often impossible to describe. But this sense of childlike wonder is common to many who report a spiritual awakening.