This morning I came across 12 Symptoms of a Spiritual Awakening on a friend's Facebook feed. I liked them, even though I noticed that they came from a recovery web site.
No mention of a higher power or God in the twelve, thankfully.
1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
2. Frequent attacks of smiling.
3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.
4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.
6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
7. A loss of ability to worry.
8. A loss of interest in conflict.
9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
10. A loss of interest in judging others.
11. A loss of interest in judging self.
12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.
Here's a graphic version:
Sounds more to me like Symptoms of Incipient Idiocy...not that idiots aren't delightful people...
Posted by: cc | May 23, 2012 at 05:29 PM
Yup, sounds like any of Jennifer Aniston's performances on the big screen. The frightening thing here is that most of the cast of friends fall into this description or symptoms.
Posted by: Adrian Mendoza | May 24, 2012 at 03:12 PM
cc and Adrian, I can't disagree with you. Also can't agree with you. Maybe I'm falling into some sort of benevolent old geezer phase of my life, but I thought these 12 signs were sort of sweet.
However, too much sweetness can be disgusting. All in the mouth of the taster, I guess.
Posted by: Brian Hines | May 24, 2012 at 03:26 PM
Spiritual Awakening could look like a cow.
At least Ramana Maharshi thought so. He had Lakshmi, a cow that resided at his ashram for many years, buried next to his mother. When asked why, Maharshi replied that she was enlightened (the cow that is).
When we begin to learn that conceptual thought is the primary barrier to "Understanding", we find that animals have a distinct advantage in the matter.
Conceptual thought, though useful in human affairs, is fundamentally false because it is dualistic and based on a comparison of opposites. Sages throughout time have emphasized bypassing it.
Animals have no such burden to cast aside. It is worth considering that many of them experience 'Truth' and in fact are living AS truth...not conceptually but really.
Posted by: tucson | May 25, 2012 at 11:44 PM
Hmmmm. At first I really thought this list had some valid points, until Adrian pointed out that all of these characteristics can be attributed to the gang of "Friends'. Now that makes me ponder if we also have typecast what 'spirituality' is---Just trying to be this perfect blend of one of the loveable cartoon or tv characters?? Are we just running after a fantasy of perfection? I thought I had let go of 'RS sachkand perfection' but maybe I still have not let go of the fantasy image that perfection still looks like Rachel Green on friends.
Posted by: NC | May 29, 2012 at 01:38 PM
OK. I'm the guy who found these 12 symptoms and included them in my new book for codependent men. I tried to find the original source...even called literature experts on from 12-step world service offices, but finally jkust had to give the reference a "part of the AA oral tradition." The comments so far say much more to me about the commentOR than they do about the validity of the concept.
Ken P., uthor, "We Codependent Men-We Mute Coyotes."
Posted by: Ken Powers | July 07, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Ken,
On your last comment, I couldn't agree with you more. I was surprised to read through the comments. It appears to me that most people cannot fully grasp these signs unless they have lived them, or had a spiritual awakening themselves.
Posted by: Ana | July 29, 2012 at 03:04 PM
Unless you have experienced the awakenings it must be hard to grasp these symptoms. However, my thanks for publishing this as one can work towards achieving : Kundalini.
Posted by: Joyce Garforth | August 07, 2012 at 06:36 AM
Some years ago I was in situation of systematic harassment at work. This went on for 3.5 years. It took me approx. that length of time after I got out to appreciate I was better than those idiots. As a result most of the 12 Symptoms on Spiritual Awakening. Mind you walking around and perpetually smiling at people (for apparently no good reason) will give the impression you are either slightly idiot or manic or both.
Posted by: JMP | January 17, 2013 at 03:06 PM
The author is Saskia Davis and the original is called "Symptoms of Inner Peace".
Posted by: me | May 11, 2014 at 04:01 PM