There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle. ~ Albert Einstein

I follow a lot of Minimalism blogs (see them here), and I’ve noticed there seems to be two common ways people approach or discover Minimalism if they weren’t always a minimalist in the first place.

1. They’ve had a profound shift in perspective, usually due to a significant event or series of events. Things like break-ups, job loss, deaths in the family, illness, travel, having children, etc. After these events, they have realizations of what is important in life. And then they discover Minimalism.
2. They are searching for something ‘more’ out there and are tired of the status quo. They are trying to figure out what the purpose and meaning of their life is and question everything they’ve been told. They aren’t sure what that is yet and discover Minimalism as a way to get there.

No matter how we are introduced to Minimalism, I think it is tied to Spiritual Awakening, and our need for the shift for something more. Now, I realize some people find this topic a bunch of mumbo jumbo, but it has some value. This post was oddly enough inspired by a dream about mice last night. I never dream about mice. Today I found a dying mouse in my building. I’ve never seen a mouse in my building.

It is also inspired by a dream I had about two childhood best friends, and the next morning I received a message from a childhood best friend who wanted to reconnect. I hadn’t seen or talked to her or her sister in 8 years. We met up this weekend and they introduced me to Spiritual Awakening as they are on similar paths. I’ve never heard about it before, but after some research, it was a huge aha moment so I had to share it.

Apparently synchronicity and clairvoyance are part of spiritual awakening…

What is Spiritual Awakening?

• The process of becoming a whole person, reaching higher peaks of awareness.
• The individual sense of self identification falls away. We no longer care about the superficial world and we are left with awareness, sensing, thinking, feeling or being.
• It is a process that can take a lifetime. It doesn’t happen over night.
• It is similar to Maslow’s Self Actualization or Carl Jung’s Individuation.

Below are 22 signs of Spiritual Awakening:
Original sources are here and here. This post also has some really great advice.

1. Asking Questions about the world around you and the stuff that is taking place in your life.

2. Changes in sleeping patterns to suit your needs and requirements as a growing individual.

3. Stimulated sensations like random bursts of emotion that you didn’t usually feel before, such as crying during movies, feeling compassion and empathy towards those around you, changes in body temperatures, or sudden random urges to go and do something like running, swimming, or climbing a mountain.

4. Having great ideas and putting them into action, seeing the depth of the truth, willingness to look beyond the tip of the iceberg, compassion on a bigger scale, and thirst for knowledge.

5. Feeling pressure in different parts of the brain, such as the frontal lobes which is the male logical and thinking part, or the back of the brain which is more connected to the female, intuitive and space of connectedness.

6. The recognition of issues that have been denied, repressed, and avoided in the past and present may surface to be processed, in many cases, this may happen in relationship to someone or something, which offers opportunity for growth for everyone involved in the vibration.

7. Changes in the body like looking younger and stronger, which also goes hand-in-hand with changes in the eating habits and life style. Everything revolves around health.

8. Having personal and peak experiences where one feels at one and in peace with her/his surroundings. Having meaningful dreams and in-depth visions are not uncommon.

9. Craving more and more to break free from traditions, outdated institutional thinking, blind conformity, and useless beliefs that do not serve the greatest good of humankind… taking that craving, and turning it into action.

10. Seeing and comprehending the world in a way with deeper meanings. More and more awareness of synchronicities between the physical world and the feelings, thoughts, and energetic representation of the physical world.

11. An increase in occurrences – (there aren’t any coincidences) An increase in psychic, mediumistic, clairvoyant, and intuitive skills.

12. Acute sensitivity to negative energy around specific people or environments.

13. A desire to “find yourself”, change your social group, behavior, job etc. Sudden extreme sensitivity to people or crowds. You may find that your once sociable nature suddenly disappears and you simply cannot bear to be with certain friends, family members, colleagues, or coworkers.

14. Sudden awareness of recurring patterns or relationships– A noticeable inability to tolerate someone with whom you have had a previously close relationship.

15. Sudden inexplicable panic or anxiety attacks occurring at any time with no valid reason. A feeling that something has changed within you.

16. Acute sensitivity to shopping malls or crowded environments such as restaurants, clubs, festivals, and so on.

17. Extreme sensitivity to mobile and digital phones, laptops, computers, wireless routers, and all microwave technology, as well as certain types of lighting.

18. Zoning out for long periods of time with an overpowering need to sit and do nothing. (This often occurs as a result of our consciousness spending increasing amounts of time in the fourth and fifth dimensions.)

19. Changes in your energy levels. The need to rest and sleep for much longer than usual or sudden insomnia in normally sound sleepers.

20. A stronger connection to nature

21. Quicker manifestations

22. A change in what you read, watch on TV, and your hobbies

Let me know if you’ve experienced any of these signs and share your thoughts in the comments below, or email lessoftheexcess at gmail dot com.