The 3 Stages of Awakening and How They Influence Your Life (It’s Messier Than You Think)
Expansion, Understanding and Integration: Explained In Detail
You know that feeling when you’re dreaming, and suddenly you realize you’re in a dream? That moment of “holy shit, I’m dreaming!” That’s kinda what happened to me a few years back.
But the plot is, I wasn’t dreaming or sleeping, this happened as I was living my daily life..Sounds familiar?
That was just the start of a long journey of “self-exploration”.
Now, a few years later, I understand much better what happened to me and can define it in a process. A cycle. We will discuss this cycle in this post.
Here’s the thing: This awakening thing isn’t a one-time event. It’s more like a never-ending rollercoaster ride with loops, twists, and occasionally feeling like you’re about to throw up. Fun, right?
It’s a journey. A messy, confusing, mind-bending journey that happens in stages. And today, I’m gonna break it down for you.
Buckle up, it’s about to get real.
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Stage 1: Expansion — The “WTF is happening?” phase
You’re going about your day, same old routine, when BAM! Something shifts.
Maybe you’re watching a sunset, or maybe you’re stuck in traffic. Doesn’t matter. Suddenly, you feel… different. More alive. More connected to everything around you.
It’s like someone turned up the volume on life, and you can hear the cosmic background noise for the first time. You might feel euphoric, or you might feel terrified. For me, I knew something has changed, but I had no clue what or why.
I talked about my personal experience in the last post:
This is the expansion stage. It’s exciting, it’s confusing, and it’s just the beginning.
If you read until here, thank you. This means this whole thing means something to you and you are on the path. Keep going.
Btw, want to deepen your understanding of this post? Well perfect! I made a more detailed YouTube Video about this, watch it here:
Stage 2: Understanding — The “Oh, so THAT’S what’s going on” phase
After the initial shock wears off, you become a human question mark.
Why did this happen? What does it mean? Is this normal, or am I losing my marbles? Your old understanding of reality just got shattered, and you need to put the pieces back together.
Suddenly, you’re the person with a stack of self-help books on their nightstand. Meditation apps become your new best friends. You’re having profound conversations about the nature of consciousness with your dog. (Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.)
You learn about childhood trauma, and how simple things that where said in your childhood can still influence your life massively today.
Feel like you hold yourself back sometimes?
It may have to do with this childhood stuff..find out more by taking this short childhood analysis quiz, and finally release the past.
Heal the Pain, Trauma & Hurt from Your Past
You also learn more about higher consciousness, present moment awareness and dimensions or chakras. You start using words like “vibration” and “manifestation” in casual conversation.
Your friends think you’ve joined a cult.
Have you experienced something like this!?
Slowly, things start making sense. You begin to understand that your awakening wasn’t random. It was the start of a deeper journey into yourself and the nature of reality.
I spent years in this stage, bouncing between excitement and frustration. One day I’d feel like I was on the verge of cracking the code of the universe.
The next, I’d be convinced I was going crazy.
But slowly, the pieces start coming together. You begin to make sense of your experience. You learn new concepts, new ways of understanding yourself and the world. It’s a rollercoaster, remember?
You begin to understand that your awakening wasn’t some random glitch in the Matrix. It was an invitation to see life from a whole new perspective.
And boy, what a view it is.
Stage 3: Integration — The “Time to walk the talk” phase
Now comes the real test. You’ve had the experience, you’ve gained the knowledge, but can you live it?
Life starts throwing curveballs at you. Old patterns resurface. You find yourself faced with situations that challenge your new beliefs. It’s like the universe is saying, “Oh, so you think you’re awakened now? Prove it.”
Did you experience this stage, or are you still in it?
This is where the rubber meets the road. You start integrating your newfound awareness into your daily life. You catch yourself reacting in old ways and consciously choose a different response. You begin living from a place of higher awareness, not just thinking about it.
It’s not easy. There are setbacks. Days when you wonder if you imagined the whole thing. But slowly, steadily, you change. Your relationships deepen or change altogether. Your decisions align more with your true self. You find a sense of peace that doesn’t depend on external circumstances.
I don’t know about you but for me:
These stages aren’t a one-time thing.
They’re a cycle.
Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, life will expand you again. You’ll seek new understanding, integrate that, and the cycle continues.
So, where are you in this journey? Are you in the midst of a mind-bending expansion? Seeking understanding? Or working on integrating your awareness into daily life?
In which phase are you in? Tell us!
Wherever you are, know this: You’re not alone. We’re all on this journey together, fumbling our way towards greater awareness. And trust me, it’s worth every confusing, exhilarating, transformative step.
Keep walking, my friends. The journey’s just beginning.
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Much love, and see you soon.
— Tobias from KnowlegeCollective
PS: Look, we all stumble around in the darkness sometimes. Here’s a small gift for you if you want to find some light! Click here for the FREE Gift.
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If you liked this post, you will love this:
Yes you have described it perfectly and what a joy it is to be awake.Thank you.
Love the conversations with my dog! They are real!