The Truth About Healing and Awakening
As a society, we are often led to believe that healing is a beautiful, mystical experience—a climb into enlightenment that our bodies and minds welcome with open arms. However, the reality is much more complex. Healing is rarely a voluntary process. It is often forced upon us when life leaves us no other choice but to confront the shadows within us.
Similarly, spiritual awakening is frequently portrayed as an inspiring and joyous transformation, one that fills our lives with light. While this destination is indeed filled with profound change and empowerment, the journey leading to it is rarely spoken about. These early stages are often raw, confusing, and challenging.
What Does Awakening Truly Mean?
Awakening is not just about finding joy or clarity. At its core, it is the process of dismantling illusions—the lies we’ve told ourselves about who we are, what defines us, and how we interact with the world. It’s a stripping away of the false reality we created and clung to for comfort and stability.
This false world is like a building: it might have a flawless exterior, but its internal structure is made of straw, destined to collapse under pressure. When this collapse begins, the reality you once trusted crumbles, leaving you face-to-face with the raw truth.
The In-Between Stage: Losing Your Identity
One of the most challenging phases of awakening is the in-between stage, where you feel like you’ve lost your sense of self. As the ego begins to dissolve, so too do the societal expectations, roles, and labels that you previously used to define yourself. You may find yourself asking existential questions: Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I truly want from life?
The things that once brought meaning—your job, relationships, or even the roles you played to keep others happy—can suddenly feel hollow and meaningless. This can leave you feeling unmoored, stuck in a limbo between your past self and an uncertain future.
Retreating Into Wintering
During this phase, many people instinctively retreat. You may withdraw from social media or pull away from society altogether, unable to engage with the polished façades of seemingly happy lives around you. This period of withdrawal is often referred to as wintering.
Wintering feels like being buried in the soil, a descent into darkness. This is a space where emotions must be fully felt, shadows faced, and pain processed. If this stage is avoided or suppressed, it can become a trap, making it even harder to emerge on the other side.
The Challenge of Letting Go
Letting go of your old self while your new self hasn’t fully emerged is terrifying. You may feel raw, exposed, and as though everything you once knew has been stripped away. It can feel like you’ve regressed rather than progressed, but this darkness is an essential part of the process.
Think of this stage as a necessary clearing—a way to create space for the new to emerge. Just like a garden tangled with weeds, you must remove what no longer serves you to allow something stronger and more authentic to grow.
Navigating the In-Between Stage
This transformation is not linear, and the journey is unique to everyone. However, there are steps you can take to navigate this stage with compassion and care:
-
Name Your Emotions
Take time to write down your feelings as they arise. Naming them gives you the power to process them instead of allowing them to overwhelm you. -
Acknowledge Their Presence
Notice where these emotions sit in your body. Are they in your chest, throat, or stomach? Acknowledging their physical presence helps you stay connected to your body. -
Stay Empty
Allow yourself to feel like a blank slate for as long as needed. This emptiness is not a void but a space of possibility, ready to be filled with your new truth. -
Rest
This is not a time for action or big decisions. Honour your need for rest, stillness, and introspection. Give yourself six months free of tasks or goals if needed.
Breaking Down to Break Through
It’s important to remember that what feels like a breakdown is often the prelude to a breakthrough. This period of darkness, uncertainty, and vulnerability is essential to the process of discovering your authentic self. True transformation doesn’t come from bypassing the pain—it comes from moving through it.
Trust that the soil you’re buried in will eventually become the foundation for something beautiful to grow. Your authentic self is waiting to emerge, stronger and more aligned than ever before.
Closing Thoughts
Healing and awakening are not easy journeys, but they are profoundly rewarding. They require you to face the hardest truths, let go of the familiar, and step into the unknown. But through this process, you’ll uncover your true essence and begin living a life that aligns with your deepest self.
If you’re currently in this in-between stage, remember: this is not the end of your story. It’s the beginning of your transformation. Trust the process. 🌱
Share Your Experience:
Are you navigating your own awakening? What challenges have you faced? Share your journey in the comments—I’d love to hear your story.
#HealingJourney #AwakeningJourney #Transformation #Wintering #AuthenticSelf
