6 Ways To Invite A Spiritual Awakening To Transform Your Life

The spiritual journey—and the subsequent "spiritual awakening" we pursue—always seems to take place in some exotic place or after a dramatic event.

Perhaps you think you need to try ayahuasca in Peru or leave your spouse to experience the spiritual awakening you crave?

(Hint: It doesn't have to be so hard.)

You can connect with your spirituality and awaken to the lessons that are meant for you—over and over again throughout your life—from the comfort of your own home.

Here are six simple ways to set yourself up for a spiritual awakening:

Start by making room! Clear your space of the stuff that you no longer need, the stuff that merely serves as a distraction from your life. And while, yes, decluttering your physical space is important, it's also important to declutter your mind. Take time every day to sit in silence and solitude.

Allow your thoughts to pass without judgment, and slowly watch your mind clear of mental clutter. Meditation allows you to relax into what is presently true—and what is always present for all of us is that there is only love, no fear—and offers you a greater connection to your intuition (another form of spiritual guidance).

Be conscious of and intentional about what you believe. Understand the energy that you're putting not only into your world but into the world at large. And be honest—are your beliefs supporting your spiritual growth? Very often, a spiritual awakening requires letting go of beliefs we've held for our entire lives. But that's the thing about awakening: You have to realize first that you have been sleeping.

Explore new ideas and differing beliefs. Read books and attend lectures and have conversations with people who have lived different lives. An awakening occurs when you have learned something new—when you have, quite literally, "woken" your mind and your spirit from a slumber you perhaps didn't even know you were in. When you expand your mind to allow in new ideas, beliefs, and possibilities, you increase the opportunity to wake up to a life experience you never knew was possible.

There is energy and spirit and magic in the outdoors. So many of us spend our time cooped up inside, sitting behind computer screens, not truly connected to the world (or to ourselves). Take time to reconnect with nature—even in the big cities, you can find trees to touch, gardens to admire, fresh air to breathe. Try not to distract yourself with your phone or even another person's company. Give yourself the quiet and the solitude and the presence that comes with being outside. You may be surprised by what comes alive within you.

Eating healthy and staying active is a great way to stay connected to yourself and your higher power, whether that's God, the Universe, or simply your own internal guidance system. When we allow our internal systems (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) to become clogged and bogged down by lethargy and unnatural substances, we block the opportunity for spiritual growth and eventual awakening. Keep your body clean and clear by feeding it well and moving it often, and prepare to receive the messages you seek.

The reality is you can't force a spiritual awakening. Anyone can have one—and following tips like the ones in this article—will help you in that effort, but there's no prescription for enlightenment. Do what you can, then let it go. If you're attached to the idea of having a spiritual awakening (and attached to your idea of what a spiritual awakening looks like), you're far less likely to experience one. Know that you are on the perfect path for you.

Keep in mind that a spiritual awakening is not necessarily a one-time thing. The spiritual path is a lifelong journey of growth. Continue to follow the steps above and you will undoubtedly find yourself "waking up" to new awareness and deeper consciousness over and over again.