Have you had a (Spiritual) Awakening?

When do (Spiritual) Awakenings happen?

When you read about awakenings or a spiritual awakening, they usually happen following a life-changing event.

I thought I had an awakening after a redundancy in 2019.

It felt like a life-changing event; after being employed in the same company for 17 years, approaching 40 – it felt big.

Then COVID hit, the whole world changed and I soon realised I wasn’t the only person waking up.

Conversations were centred around ‘there must be more to life‘, ‘work isn’t as important’, ‘family time & my health is‘.

People began to re-assess their lives and what was important to them.

And then lockdown lifted, slowly things returned to normal and people went back to sleep.

But for those that stayed awake…

…What does it mean to be awake?

I believe people who are really awake are those who have found inner peace, who LIVE every day and don’t let things bother them.

You can tag the word ‘spiritual‘ to ‘awakening‘ but then does it become something different?

People awaken to things & events in the world. 

They get sad, or angry and start to worry and develop conspiracy theories adding to the worry and anger that’s already out there.

This isn’t awakening, this isn’t living or inner peace.

This is living in fear.

And if you’ve watched Strictly Ballroom (love that film) you’ll know a life lived in fear is a life half lived.

what is an awakening?

I can tell you my version of an awakening and how it’s changed, but you’ll have your own.

Who is right?

Is there a right and wrong?

Maybe the question we should be asking is who is more at peace with themselves?

My first awakening happened after the redundancy. It was a tough time but also an opportunity to re-discover Jody.

Who I was. What did I like, Who did I want to be? What work would I do next?

writing the way

I’ve always loved writing, so I started a writing course. The aim was to write articles and get featured in newspapers or magazines.

And to do this, we had to research them (you can’t write for a magazine if you don’t know their audience or what they feature)

My Mum, gave me a copy of Soul & Spirit Magazine and I was instantly lifted out of the current world and all its heaviness and transported to a world of magic, fairies, energy healing, crystals, tarot and reconnecting with nature, seasons & cycles and the moon.

That was it, I was hooked and, it felt like a spiritual awakening.

There is more to life or to the world as I knew it.

I ran down the rabbit hole and uncovered more, still with a sceptical mindset yet, wanting to believe it all.

I started reading my own tarot & oracle cards – daily. Journaling, reading & researching as much as I could slowly leaving my sceptical mind behind.

I tried various mediations & visualizations and spent time with a Psychic Medium. At one of the readings she pulled an Oracle Card named The Teacher.

At the time it didn’t make sense as the last thing I wanted to do was teach but the universe was giving me the first sign…

Then, in January 2020 I discovered Reiki. But because of Covid, it was another year before I trained in Reiki Level One and by May 2022 I was a qualified Reiki Master Teacher.

It really did feel like a spiritual awakening.

But, I was still worrying, I was still getting angry, overthinking – catastrophising and (looking back) not present.

I wasn’t LIVING.

Surely If I’m awake, I should feel like I’m living.

Life should feel happier, more exciting, easier and more flowing than this.

Why was I continuing to let things bother me?

what is the secret?

Preparing my cacao this morning, I was stirring and staring into the chocolatey darkness of the liquid and my mind wandered back to the office days, probably around 2005.

There was a woman who worked for us, she was always happy, always smiling – it was like she knew a secret that none of us did.

She was lovely, warm and friendly but unfortunately, she wasn’t hitting targets. One day after a few chats about her performance, she handed her notice in. 

It was a short notice period and at the time I didn’t respond very well; my main concern was that she cleared as much work as she could before she left (I look back in shame at how I handled that) she smiled throughout the whole thing. She assured me she would and went on her way.

Then this morning it came to me, maybe she was awake and we were still in a very, very deep sleep?

Was that her secret?

I admire her deeply for how she was and how she handled me! 

And do you know what she left to do?

To start her own Reiki business! 

This was back in 2005 I hadn’t even heard of Reiki, I didn’t know what it was and I wasn’t interested to find out.

the universe is always guiding you.

Mid 2021 I was completing my case studies for Reiki Two, & one of my case studies (who’d worked at the same company) reminded me of this woman and explained how they’d received Reiki from her during her training and said it was incredible. Which is why they were so open to helping me.

The invitation was there years ago for my awakening but I was nowhere near ready or willing to shed the outside world. 

I thought I was living and awake but I can see now I wasn’t.

Am I awake?

Compared to 2005, hell yes!

Compared to 2019 the redundancy year – absolutely.

Compared to 2022 – yes.

How do I know?

I’m not religious at all but the Bible refers to Heaven on Earth, I always thought that meant Heaven is coming down to Earth. 

But I think I know what it means now…

In August 2023 we went on our family holiday to our favourite place, Lindos.  

My husband and I met there, we got married there and our oldest took his first steps there (he’s now 14), so you can imagine how it holds a special place in our hearts.

But I can honestly say that August 2023 is the first year I enjoyed each & every day.

I know it sounds easy to say ‘I enjoyed every day‘, but I really did enjoy each day.  

Being present

I wasn’t worrying about the day before or what might happen when I got back from holiday, or about the work I left behind or how we were going to get everything ready for the new school term.

None of that was in my head.

The only thing I was aware of was my family, our surroundings and enjoying each moment, feeling absolutely grateful that we were there again. 

It felt like my version of heaven on earth.

It’s fair to say my heart felt full each day and it feels fuller just writing about it now.

Being present, experiencing life and living.

Leading with love, understanding & compassion.

Feeling gratitude and giving thanks for all you have.

I believe that is what being awake means.

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Jody is a Reiki Master Teacher and is on a mission to empower women to re-discover their great bright light. To strip away the worry, fear, anxiety, overwhelm, stress & anger so they can live a life of laughter, presence, excitement, happiness, joy & freedom. Jody does this by teaching original Japanese Usui Reiki, focusing on the five elements to find balance & inner peace.

Click here to find out more about learning Reiki.

Or to book a Reiki One to One Experience click here.

To contact Jody you can email her at info@spiritualwellness.uk