Recognizing Awakening as a Summoning

Recognizing Awakening as a Summoning

Summary: Awakening is best understood not as a gift or sign of superiority, but as a summoning back to source. It is the process of ego loosening its grip, surrendering to faith, and accepting the journey home.

Introduction

Spiritual awakening has long been romanticized as a mystical gift, a rare blessing bestowed upon the chosen few. Yet this perception is misleading. Awakening is not a badge of honor or a sign of specialness—it is a summoning. It is the call to return to source, to shed the illusions of ego, and to step into surrender and faith. This essay explores awakening as a summons, examining the role of ego, the necessity of surrender, and the universal nature of the journey.

Awakening as a Summoning

Awakening is not an achievement but a response to a call. Across traditions, awakening is described as a return to origin:

- In Christian mysticism, awakening is the soul’s return to God.

- In Hinduism, it is the recognition of Atman as one with Brahman.

- In Buddhism, it is the realization of anatta (no-self) and liberation from illusion.

The common thread is that awakening is not self-generated; it is a summons from source. As one writer notes, surrender is “an act of trust in a higher power, allowing us to let go of our need for control and surrender to the flow of life”.

The Ego’s Separation from Spirit

The ego is both necessary and limiting. It provides individuality but also fosters separation. During awakening, the ego begins to dissolve:

- The ego resists surrender, clinging to control and identity.

- Spirit seeks unity, expansion, and connection.

- Awakening occurs when the ego loosens its grip, allowing spirit to emerge.

Christina Home explains that “the dissolution of the ego, facilitated by moments of suffering, can reveal the impermanence of existence and lead to true awakening”.

Surrender and Acceptance of Faith

Awakening requires surrender—not as defeat, but as liberation.

- Surrender means releasing control and trusting the unseen order.

- Faith is not blind belief but confidence in the flow of spirit.

- Acceptance is the willingness to let go of resistance and allow transformation.

As one spiritual teacher writes, “Spiritual surrender is rooted in trust while giving up carries a sense of despair and hopelessness”.

Awakening Is Not Specialness

A common trap is to see awakening as a mark of superiority. Yet true awakening humbles:

- It is not a prize but a sign of the journey.

- To treat awakening as specialness is to fall back into ego’s illusion.

- Awakening reminds us of our shared humanity and universal path.

The Journey Home

Awakening is a homecoming. It is the spirit’s return to source, the recognition that we were never truly separate.

- In surrender, we discover freedom—not the freedom of egoic choice, but the freedom of alignment with source.

- Awakening is not about becoming someone new, but about remembering who we truly are.

Comparative Perspectives

Buddhism

- Awakening (bodhi) is the realization of impermanence and non-self.

- Ego dissolution is central: clinging leads to suffering, release leads to liberation.

Christianity

- Mystics like Meister Eckhart describe awakening as union with God.

- Ego must die for the soul to live in divine truth.

Hinduism

- Awakening is the recognition of Atman as one with Brahman.

- Ego (ahamkara) is the veil that obscures unity.

Modern Psychology

- Carl Jung saw individuation as a form of awakening: integrating ego with deeper self.

- Contemporary psychology views surrender as essential for resilience and growth.

Signs of Awakening

According to spiritual teachers, signs include:

- A deep sense of connectedness with all life.

- Peacefulness regardless of external circumstances.

- Desire for authenticity and truth.

- Perceptual shifts, heightened intuition.

- Reduced fear of death.

Challenges of Awakening

Awakening is not easy. It often involves:

- Dark Night of the Soul: periods of despair and disorientation.

- Resistance from ego, leading to confusion or regression.

- Social isolation, as old identities dissolve.

Yet these challenges are part of the summons, stripping away illusions to reveal truth.

Awakening as Universal Journey

Awakening is not reserved for mystics or saints. It is a universal summons:

- Every soul is called back to source.

- Awakening is not about specialness but about universality.

- The journey is unique for each person but shared in essence.

Conclusion

Awakening is not a gift or a sign of superiority. It is a summoning back to source, a call to surrender ego and accept faith. It is the journey home, the recognition of spirit’s unity with all. To recognize awakening as a summons is to honor its sacred simplicity: you are being called home.

References

- Nerdy Creator. What Is Spiritual Surrender? 9 Signs + 7 Ways to Practice. Link

- Truly Divine. Spiritual Awakening and the Ego: Your Path to Growth. Link

- Exalted Grace. Surrendering the Ego, Embracing the Soul: Your Enlightenment Path. Link