Signs of a spiritual shift or transformation, Catherine Regan

A butterfly easing out of its chrysalis beneath a leaf — The caterpillar must dissolve before it can become the butterfly — transformation is rarely gentle, but it is never wasted.

What is a spiritual shift, or transformation? Transformation means, quite literally, change. Simply stated, a spiritual shift is your soul’s awakening — which is the purpose of our life on Earth. This awakening seems to come in stages, from being seemingly sound asleep at birth to growing into wide-eyed, wakeful awareness across a lifetime. The soul wisdom you gather, and teach yourself, you carry with you into your next life.

Think of the shift as a caterpillar going into its chrysalis until it is ready to burst forth as a butterfly. The transformation is necessarily brutal: the caterpillar must dissolve into a kind of soup before it can grow into the wondrous new being. It can feel like a life-or-death struggle, but Spirit is there to sustain you as you are born anew into a higher plane of being, seeing, feeling, thinking, and knowing.

Signs of a spiritual awakening

Here are some unmistakable signs that you are moving into a spiritual shift:

You begin to question your beliefs, your goals, and who you are at your core.
What used to bring you pleasure no longer holds the same satisfaction. You find yourself drawn to people and interests very different from those that once brought you joy.
You become more aware of how you react to the people and events around you. As a result, you begin to cut the toxic and the negative out of your life — even when they are family — to keep your energy from being dragged down.
You have moments of complete despair, when it feels as though your whole life is falling apart around you. Fear not: it truly is darkest before the dawn, and your inner sun will rise again. Things have to end before something new can begin, though sometimes it is painful.

Mist moving through forested hills at first light — It is darkest before the dawn — and the longing for silence and solitude is part of the work, not a detour from it.

The desire for silence and solitude increases. Like the caterpillar, you must withdraw in order to transform. Being alone lets you sit with the questions you have about your life and the new feelings you are experiencing, without the distraction of outside influence. It is a necessary and natural part of the process.
You feel drawn into more sensitive depths of feeling, thought, and perception, and you want to be surrounded by those with deeper wisdom and insight to share. Your inner student draws the right teachers to you — and whether pleasant or painful, what they have to say tends to arrive right on time, showing you exactly what you need to know.
You set about developing a powerful, personal connection with Spirit, recognising that while religion and spirituality can be wonderful, no middleman is required. You go directly to your Higher Power, whatever that may be.
You recognize that Divine purpose is real. You no longer feel like you are moving through a haze, not knowing the why of anything. You have awakened, and you understand so much more.
You are no longer afraid to look inside your own soul to find your answers to the greatest puzzle of all — which is you, yourself.
You feel yourself rising above the shallows of ordinary consciousness — the selfishness, immaturity, and lack of empathy that so often plagues us — and into the realm of the Mystic: deeper empathy, true compassion, spiritual maturity, and a fuller alignment with Spirit.
You explore your intuition and discover the gifts Spirit has given you in this life. It is this awareness, depth, and sensitivity that brings the soul its true freedom. You will have broken out of the little black box of the non-intuitive life, and no one will ever stuff you back into it.

Pluto, the arbiter of change

A gilded astronomical clock marked with the signs of the zodiac — Astrologically, the great turnings are often heralded by Pluto moving slowly through your chart.

Astrologically, these life-changing shifts are sometimes heralded by important Pluto transits to your natal chart. Know that even good change is stressful, and that all of it is in service of your own evolution. Here is a brief sketch of transiting Pluto through the twelve houses:

First House: You yourself are changing, stepping into your personal power.
Second House: Your relationship to finances, property, and personal values transforms.
Third House: The way you think and communicate begins to change.
Fourth House: Your home life shifts, along with your inner foundation.
Fifth House: Your love life, creativity, and children move through transformation.
Sixth House: Your work, daily life, and health transform.
Seventh House: Your close relationships are affected and undergo change.
Eighth House: The transformation of your very soul is underway.
Ninth House: Your higher learning grows and changes deeply.
Tenth House: Your career and life goals shift.
Eleventh House: Your friendships, hopes, and dreams transform.
Twelfth House: What is hidden — especially in the subconscious — rises to be released.

Rebirth comes at a price

A shooting star crossing the Milky Way above dark mountains — Stay the course: what is being worked in you is worth the cost of the becoming.

It isn’t easy to embrace the struggle of rebirth in any area of your life — but stay the course. Ultimately it is rewarding. It will leave you feeling self-empowered, strong, and more capable of handling that part of your life than ever before, and that strength radiates outward into everything else over time. It is all worthwhile: it gives you greater peace of mind, a sense of knowing life itself, and a constant inner bliss.

Be well. Be gentle with yourself, and allow time for the new you to be born from the chrysalis. Namaste.

Signs of a spiritual awakening

Pluto, the arbiter of change

Rebirth comes at a price

Begin where we always begin