Spiritual Awakening Misconceptions: What Really Happens After You Awaken
What does spiritual awakening actually look like after the initial shift?
In this episode of the Intentional Awakening Podcast, Terrie Huberman and Kathy Gruver explore some of the common misconceptions surrounding spiritual awakening and what it means to continue living as a human being after an awakening experience.
Beginning with the angel card "Openness," they discuss the importance of letting go of predetermined outcomes, guarded responses, and the need to always be right. They explore what it means to truly listen to another person rather than constantly correcting, editing, or judging what they are saying.
The conversation then turns toward a common expectation about awakening: that once you're "awake," your thoughts will stop, frustration will disappear, traffic won't bother you, and you'll somehow become happy all the time.
But that's not necessarily how awakening works.
The hosts discuss how thoughts and emotions can still arise, while your relationship to them may change. Instead of automatically reacting to every trigger, greater awareness can create space to respond differently.
They also explore the idea that awakening isn't a one-and-done experience. As awareness develops, new levels of growth can bring new challenges, experiences, and opportunities for learning.
Using ideas such as "new level, new devil," inner authority, impermanence, non-duality, and presence, Terrie and Kathy discuss why awakening doesn't mean escaping humanity. You are still going to experience difficult moments, unexpected problems, emotions, and challenges.
The difference may be in how you meet those experiences.
Rather than creating expectations about what awakening is supposed to feel like, this episode encourages listeners to remain open, stay present, and allow their own experience to unfold.
The episode closes with a simple reminder:
"See what happens and then deal with it."
If you've ever wondered whether spiritual awakening means becoming permanently peaceful, happy, or free from everyday human struggles, this conversation offers a different perspective on what awakening can mean.
