Exerpt From After Awakening Chapter 2;
Telling close intimates about one’s experience after awakening can be confusing for them. Some may get frightened and insist you see a doctor, psychiatrist or even recommend a mental institution.
It is advisable to listen to ones intuition and be thoughtful what you say and to whom you say it too in the early days after awakening.
Expressing yourself with phrases like; ‘I see energy’, ‘I’m not this body or character’, ‘None of this is real’, ‘I’m not a person anymore’, is not advisable.
It might be helpful to mention a few things to family and friends framed in a clear, calm way, for example; How ‘you feel more alive’, ‘connected to nature’, have ‘more peace of mind’ these days.
You can also say you’ve found a new loving acceptance for yourself; A deeper understanding of who you are, what you need, and what you want. These are universal themes that everyone can relate to.
It’s likely that ones outer life will take a new direction, so at least loved ones now have some basis upon with which to attribute these changes. For some there is no outer difference in friends, family, jobs or environment. Others have been known to walk out on family and work, to build a new life in another part of the world.
Awakening is transformative, creative and destructive. Generally there’s a slow shift towards relationships and activities that strongly resonate.
If you believe you know someone who has experienced this shift, reach out to them. Go on a reputable retreat or satsang (spiritual gathering), make friends in the sangha (spiritual community), take phone numbers, emails and build connection. It’s crucial to have support on this path.
