My life’s personal and professional focus is spiritual emergence, and the process of assisting individuals through the integration of their own evolutionary process no matter what their life looks like.
This evolution of spiritual emergence (when it happens “too fast” it can be known as a spiritual emergency, the subject of my upcoming book Stark Raving Zen) has been defined as: The movement of an individual to a more expanded way of being that involves enhanced emotional and psychosomatic health, greater freedom of personal choices, and a sense of deeper connection with other people, nature, and the cosmos.
I’m constantly in awe of this process, no matter who undergoes it– Wall Street banker, Buddhist monk, Poet, Artist, Philosopher, Psychologist, Teacher, Professional Athlete, or Fortune Fifty Corporate Lawyer– it’s the human turned shooting star. And though no two people’s processes are alike, spiritual emergence has a common energetic signature.
I call this emergence growing our wings, and here are sixteen indications that you’re in the middle of it.
1.) It hurts. You hurt. Your mind, body, and soul ache. Like frozen fingers coming back to life, the pain can be excruciating. Things that you used to effortlessly brush off suddenly cut you to the core, as you come alive and reintegrate into this world as a whole human being, no longer numbing or dissociating. Re-entry can be scary. (This will eventually feel better, even euphoric and ecstatic, I promise you.)
2.) Your intuition becomes sharper. Suddenly you’re opening to an unseen universe of information you’ve never (thought you) had access to before. Precognitive dreams, telepathy, astral-traveling… All of these are gifts which can be strengthened and developed, a whole new set of tools by which to navigate.
3.) You start to question consensus reality. Some of the societal rules you never previously considered now appear ludicrous and even destructive. You’re seeing versions of cultural insanity you don’t resonate with any longer, and see very clearly how, in the past, you played along, to the possible detriment of yourself or others.
4.) Your empathy expands. You start to see all life as a beautiful cosmic spider web, each thread having an effect on the collective. Everything you do starts to feel shared, and you understand the concept of Oneness and the collective consciousness. This can also be a source of angst and pain, if we don’t yet know how to protect our boundaries.
5.) Material things no longer primarily drive you. Intrinsic motivation (what drives us internally, not externally– like a reward or a paycheck) becomes the primary factor worth striving and growing for. You have to do what makes you feel legitimately more purposeful, not wound up in simply buying a temporary fix to have that sensation wear off, only to buy another temporary fix. Experiences, not things, are what bring you joy.
6.) You seek to find purpose in your work. Right livelihood begins to drive you. You have to feel you’re making a positive difference, even if it’s as simple as transforming a person’s day with your smile.
7.) You feel like something is stalking you– something like Meaning– and you’re not exactly sure how to connect with it. This might come with a sense of pure excitement. You know you have a purpose, you know you’re here for a karmic reason, and you begin the process of searching for that Meaning in earnest. You’re ready to connect with your soul contract, to find fulfillment, even if it takes changing your entire life to do it.
8.) You can’t be around negativity. It literally makes you feel like you’re going to be sick. Drama, privileged whining, back-stabbing, petty battles…you just can’t engage.
9.) Truth becomes the ultimate priority. Maybe you’re drawn to Eastern philosophies and indigenous wisdom, mysticism, and obscure ancient texts. Every book that interests you is a breadcrumb, a clue, leading you to your own karmic contract. You start to see very clearly that, despite what you may have been taught, no single religion owns the copyright to Universal Truth.
10.) Suppression becomes intolerable. You can’t pretend to be something you’re not. You can’t act the part any longer. You can’t engage in the family drama (if there is any) like you used to. You can’t do anything that is expected of you if it no longer resonates with your own well being. Your internal compass is strongly leading you, and anything that feels like it’s pulling you off course cannot continue.
11.) You no longer have any interest in going along with the crowd. You become a spiritual individual, and are no longer willing to live your life striving for conformity or what’s normal. You start to see everyone for how wonderfully unique and beautiful they are, not despite their differences but because of their differences.
12.) Your bullshit meter suddenly becomes acutely sensitive, and more than anything you begin to see where you’re guilty of it. A person truly embarking on their own spirit flight seeks to clean up their own destructive patterns before they focus on anyone else’s.
13.) You start to experience synchronicities, and signs. When you see something at the exact moment you were thinking it, or hear from someone at the very moment you were dialing their number. When you experience a magical coincidence so stunning it takes your breath away. You understand there are myriad ways the universe communicates with you, to tell you you’re on the right track, following your divine truth.
14.) You feel your higher purpose, and your highest consciousness emerging. There is a wise being inside of you, an inner guide who never falters. Your highest consciousness is your own version of divinity, it is your true self. It’s that lifeline spark, your direct connection to God, the Universe, and Everything Else (to quote Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan). You know that when your wings unfold, you learn how to allow this voice to lead you, no matter how loud your inner critic can be. (And you vow to heal that inner critic.)
15.) You need to be relatively solitary. Hibernation. Isolation. Introversion. Whatever you call it, a person undergoing a spiritual emergence tends to undergo a journey of quiet solitude, even if it’s cyclical or relatively temporary (although it can be permanent). You tend to get more and more selective about who you can be around, only because emergence can create a highly sensitive state of being that feels acutely painful by the slightest stimulus. It’s normal to step back from life for awhile, to undergo the transformation. Certain people, who intuitively understand your process, will understand this. Others won’t. That’s okay, dear one. Don’t be afraid to release, with love, what or whom no longer supports you.
16.) You start to see where your past injuries have actually made you more resourceful. You recognize the difference between two archetypes: the “sacred victim” and the “toxic victim”. The sacred victim means we feel loving compassion for the trials we’ve endured and the injuries we’ve sustained. We are kind to ourselves, and honor our sacred journey. We do not avoid, deny, repress, suppress, or light wash our pain. We face the truth, we allow ourselves to heal and grow. The toxic victim means we manipulate others, we take advantage of others, we worship our injuries, and we demand special treatment because we’ve come to chronically identify with our wounds. We make excuses for how we hurt others–because we’ve been hurt ourselves–and we refuse to see how we’ve negatively affected our lives and the lives of others.
Spiritual emergence, more than anything else, is the expansion of intrinsic truth and self empowerment.
It is the ultimate healing journey. Spirit is free energy. It’s a never-ending, never waning source of inner Light. All we need to do is get out of our own way, and experience our natural state.
Spread those wings, butterflies.
And please know that you’re never alone.
With Love,
Kristy
Nancy says
And I breathe deeply and calmly with your words. Iran News update
Kristy Sweetland says
Just moment by moment… ❤️
Shawn says
Thank you! I stepped back and stepped down from everyone and everything for awhile. My spiritual reserves were drained! People are feeling some kind of way because I have been AWOl.from their drama.
I resigned my position as the emotional and spiritual “sponge” and have decided to concentrate on estabishing clear intentions, clear boundaries,and making self-healing.a priority. Hasta La Vista! Spiritual Vampires!!!🙏🙏👍💗
Kristy Sweetland says
You’d know better than anyone, but it’s been incredibly draining for me to work my way through the publishing of Stark Raving Zen. As a serious introvert, “putting myself out there” to such a degree has been a shock to my system. I have pretty much completely stepped back in order to amp my energy up, to actually release the book. But that’s what it’s all about. Just listening, and honoring, and doing what feels right in every moment. Love you Shawn!
Joanne Sprott says
Love YOU, Kristy! Looking forward to your book and knowing how transformational it will be to others. Also loving your visual emergence on Instagram with your pics of your beloved NM landscape and yourself embedded in it. I sense this vast stillness met with constant change. 🙂
Kristy Sweetland says
Joanne thank you!!!! I love you, could not have done this without you, and I cannot believe that in one week or so, Stark Raving Zen will be officially released. It really feels completely unreal… So grateful!!
Julie Phillips says
I’ve got at least 10 of those signs!
Kristy Sweetland says
Time for us to cultivate our gifts, and recognize our purpose here! I’m so glad you’re well on your way! xoxo
Jade says
I am in so much physical pain that I want to scream and cry all at once, do u have any advice on how to handle it or make it feel less painful, I have tried painkillers and hot baths and it is still just as sore.
Hilda scott says
You’ve touched my soul and made me cry.
Kristy Sweetland says
Hilda I am so very happy that you were moved by this article. Thank you so much for being here, and for being so courageous on your journey.
My Best,
Kristy
Manisha Lal says
Thank u so much. Stumbled upon this article when I was looking for answers for what I was feeling. You made my soul cry of joy n pain. Again thank u so much
Kristy Sweetland says
My best to you, Manisha! Thank you for being here.
Matt says
Hi,
I was never one to be religious, or spiritual my whole life I’ve felt like I’ve been cursed to live a life full of pain, and up till recently nothing good was happening, and idk how or why or even what this is I dont meditate again I never was one to believe in a particular thing. Anyway, it’s started with the middle of my forehead tingling, than this warmth would come over and calm me, and the tingling sensation feels unlike anything I’ve ever felt before, but my hearing sharpens im way more focused and energized. And then it stopped and I went through a lot of painful moments and changes just in the last 6 months and about 3 mo ths ago I would get that tingling sensation in my forehead and then it felt like my back was on fire, but a cool fire kind of like icy hot. Anyway it hasn’t happened for a little while and I swear no lie no joke, out of nowhere I felt that same sensation but it’s like all encompassing around my shoulders neck and back, it’s warm and comforting and it feels secure? It’s happening right now as I’m writing this and it’s been feeling like this for over 45 mins. Point is I don’t know what this is or why it’s happening to me and I, I just don’t know help I guess can someone explain this?
Kristy Sweetland says
Hello Matt! I’m so glad you reached out. I don’t pertain to have all the answers, and the body can be an amazing & complex thing…but I had exactly the symptoms you describe when I had my psychic opening over a decade ago. These are incredible times and many are experiencing rapid energetic shifts, bringing us closer to our karmic purpose, so we can find our reason for being here. A rapid intuitive shift and energetic opening will feel like a cool, tingling sensation in the upper extremities. I hope you can find some hope and strength to follow this sign, and see what beautiful places it takes you to. If you like to read, I would suggest picking up my book anywhere books are sold, which details my own confusion around these strange experiences. The book’s title is Stark Raving Zen: A Memoir of Coming Alive by Kristy Sweetland. It may hold some answers for you.
Be well.
My Best,
Kristy Sweetland
Suleka says
I don’t know if this is a sign that i’m growing wings, but most of these signs are either happening or it already happened.
Kristy Sweetland says
I would say if all of these things are currently happening, (or have already happened) then that is a sign that you are doing all the right things. You’re clearly letting your spirit lead you, and you should be very proud of that.
Tyler says
Well one time I flew up in the air I think my wings came out and yeah I see the future in my dreams!
Tyler
Kristy Sweetland says
Tyler this is amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience here.