Author, Philosopher, Spiritual Teacher, A Lead Facilitator at Sacred Media's Integral Mastery Academy, Founder of Yinnergy Meditation/Neurofeedback, Bodhi Mental Care & Wellness, Co-founder of KeMor Centre for Innovative Development
There comes a point when empathy stops being an act of kindness and becomes an act of dissolution. The boundary between self and other thins until there is no longer a perceiver and the perceived; only the raw pulse of existence moving through awareness. You feel the heartbeat of the world, the tremor of lives being lived and lost, the silent cries buried beneath laughter. Every creature’s journey becomes a vibration within your own being.
Such sensitivity is not sentimental; it is cosmic. The pain of a dying star, the joy of a newborn, the sigh of the ocean, the grief of forgotten forests, all converge as one continuous frequency. The nervous system becomes an instrument tuned to the song of creation itself. To feel so deeply is to recognize that the universe is not something to be observed but something that experiences itself through you.
Empathy at its summit is not selective; it refuses to exclude. It does not choose whom to comfort or what to love. It becomes the direct experience of love itself, the same force that shapes galaxies and heals wounds. When consciousness reaches this depth, it does not seek to escape suffering; it becomes the stillness that holds it. Every tear becomes sacred, every breath a ceremony of remembrance that nothing has ever been apart.
The universe keeps giving birth to itself through this endless exchange of feeling, through the collapse of distance between the experiencer and the experienced. You are that birth, the awakening point where infinity remembers its own heart.
Morgan O. Smith
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Awakening is a journey of unfolding consciousness, marked by stages that delve deeper into the true essence of our existence. These stages reveal the profound layers of both our human and divine nature, ultimately guiding us toward the unification of all dimensions of being. Let’s explore the four major types of spiritual awakening, each one a unique path leading us closer to our boundless essence.
1. Awakening at the Human Level
This type of awakening is often the first step into a world beyond the ordinary. Here, we begin to realize that there’s more to life than our everyday identities and experiences. The focus is on self-awareness and understanding our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours from a higher perspective. By transcending the limitations of ego-based identity, we start seeing ourselves as more than just the body and mind. This awakening isn’t about escaping our humanity but embracing it with clarity and compassion. Through this initial awakening, we discover that by knowing ourselves more deeply, we open doors to greater insight and transformation.
2. Awakening at the Human/Divinity Level
As our journey progresses, a deeper layer of consciousness emerges—an awakening that bridges our human experience with divine presence. This stage often manifests as a heightened connection with something sacred within. There’s a sense of moving beyond personal desires and concerns, recognizing a guiding force that interweaves through all aspects of life. We begin to experience profound synchronicities, inner peace, and a subtle but persistent awareness of a universal intelligence operating through us. This awakening is not just about seeing the divine in ourselves but in others, inspiring us to connect and relate in new ways. At this level, divinity becomes tangible, not as a concept, but as a lived experience.
3. Awakening at the Divinity Level
At the divinity level, the barriers between the personal self and the universal self start to dissolve. This stage is characterized by an immersion in the essence of pure consciousness, where we experience a sense of being beyond the limitations of form. It is a state where divine awareness becomes central, and human identity fades into the background. During this awakening, we may feel at one with the cosmos, a single drop in the vast ocean of existence, yet inherently aware of the infinite that lies within. Living in this state can bring a profound sense of peace, stillness, and an unshakeable connection to all that is.
4. Unified Awakening: Embracing the Human, Divine, and Cosmic
The journey culminates in a unified awakening—a seamless merging of the human, divine, and cosmic dimensions. Here, every aspect of our existence is held together in a harmonious whole. We no longer see ourselves as shifting between realms but experience them simultaneously. In this awakened state, the human self, the divine presence, and the universal consciousness are recognized as one undivided reality. This unity brings about a deep sense of equanimity, freedom, and interconnectedness. Challenges and joys alike are embraced as natural expressions of life’s flow. Through this ultimate awakening, we transcend not just ego but the need to define or separate any part of our existence.
Reflecting on the Path of Awakening
Each stage of awakening offers unique insights and transformations. The journey does not unfold in a rigid sequence; rather, it ebbs and flows, allowing us to embody these different aspects of consciousness in our unique way. Spiritual awakening is not a goal but an ever-deepening process. As we awaken to the fullness of our being, we move beyond divisions, experiencing life as a living expression of universal love and wisdom.
Morgan O. Smith
Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!
Turiyatitta, often referred to as the state beyond the fourth, is an experience that defies conventional understanding. While Turiya encompasses the witness state within waking, dreaming, and deep dreamless sleep, Turiyatitta transcends even this. It represents the complete dissolution of the witness, where all states merge into an indivisible, absolute singularity. Here, the boundaries that once defined waking, dreaming, and deep dreamless sleep no longer exist—everything and nothing become one.
In Turiyatitta, consciousness no longer stands apart, observing. The very notion of a witness dissolves into an awareness so expansive and complete that there is nothing left to observe. There is no division between subject and object, no experience of separation because nothing exists outside of this infinite awareness. This state is considered the final stage of enlightenment—where the full nondual awareness of absolute Monism is realized.
Imagine being both everything and nothing at the same time. Not merely perceiving this intellectually, but embodying the paradox in a way that no words can fully express. The divine empty witness, once perceived as separate, fully dissolves within itself. All distinctions—between time and space, self and other—collapse into the infinite. What remains is not emptiness in the typical sense, but a fullness so complete that it transcends all concepts of existence or non-existence.
Turiyatitta feels like the ultimate convergence of all possible experiences into one absolute awareness. It is a state where nothing is hidden, nothing is separate, and there is no need for perception because everything is known in its essence. There is no longer a “seer,” for there is nothing to see. The divine once thought of as a distant force or presence, is realized as the very fabric of existence.
This stage is not about attaining something new but about shedding the final layers of illusion, revealing the inherent truth that has always been. The mind quiets, the heart stills, and what remains is the simple, silent, all-encompassing awareness that is beyond all states, yet contains them all.
Morgan O. Smith
Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!
Turiya, often described as the fourth state of consciousness, stands beyond waking, dreaming, and deep dreamless sleep. What does it feel like to exist within this state? The experience itself cannot be fully captured by language, for Turiya transcends the usual boundaries of perception. It is not merely a state that one “enters” and “leaves”; rather, it is the ground upon which all other states rest.
There’s a subtle, yet profound, recognition that one is not the individual witness, but the infinite awareness in which all phenomena arise and dissolve. In Turiya, the experience is not of observing the states of waking, dreaming, and deep dreamless sleep separately, but of witnessing them as simultaneous expressions of a unified field of consciousness. Here, distinctions lose their meaning—what was once experienced as separate now collapses into a seamless continuum.
This state has often been referred to as the first stage of enlightenment. Yet, even such descriptions fall short. The essence of Turiya is not something “attained” through effort. Instead, it is revealed through the dissolution of identity, a quiet remembrance of one’s true nature.
Imagine an eternal presence where time does not move, where forms arise and fall like waves on the surface of an ocean, yet the ocean itself remains unshaken. Divinity, in this context, is not something external or far-off—it is what you are. The divine becomes aware of itself, witnessing all, yet remaining untouched by the movements within itself. It is existence contemplating its own essence, eternal and ever-present.
The beauty of Turiya is in its simplicity. It does not need complex metaphors to explain itself. It is felt as a continuous hum of being, beyond concepts, thoughts, and emotions—a recognition that everything, including the experiencer, is merely a reflection of the same undivided consciousness.
To experience Turiya is to see the eternal play of life from the perspective of the timeless. It is to understand that the very states we once believed to be separate—waking, dreaming, deep dreamless sleep—are all mere movements within the One.
Morgan O. Smith
Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!
In the profound journey of spiritual awakening, there comes a moment when the personal god, once a comforting presence, begins to feel like an ill-fitting garment. This is not a rejection but an evolution, akin to an adolescent who outgrows their need for an imaginary friend. This metaphorical maturation reflects a deeper understanding of the divine as an infinite, formless presence, beyond any personal characteristics or limitations.
In our early spiritual development, the idea of a personal god can be immensely comforting. It offers a sense of security and companionship, much like a child’s imaginary friend. This anthropomorphic deity provides guidance, solace, and a moral compass, helping us navigate the complexities of life. However, as we delve deeper into the realms of spirituality and nonduality, our perception of divinity begins to transform.
The transition from a personal god to an impersonal, infinite reality mirrors our journey from ego-bound identities to the realization of our true, boundless nature. This shift is not about abandoning faith but about expanding it. It is about moving from a limited, dualistic perception of the divine to an all-encompassing, nondual awareness. Here, the divine is not a separate entity but the very essence of existence itself, permeating every atom of the cosmos.
Embracing this infinite reality requires a profound letting go of old paradigms. It involves releasing the need for a deity who looks like us, thinks like us, and intervenes in our lives. Instead, we begin to see the divine as an all-pervasive consciousness, a vast, unconditioned presence that transcends all forms and concepts. This realization brings a deep sense of peace and unity, as we recognize our inherent connection to the divine.
This evolution can be challenging. It demands that we confront our deepest fears and insecurities, the aspects of ourselves that clung to the comfort of a personal god. Yet, it is in this very confrontation that we find liberation. By letting go of the need for a personal deity, we open ourselves to the infinite, experiencing the divine in every moment, every breath, and every heartbeat.
In this state of expanded awareness, prayer and meditation transform. They become less about seeking guidance or intervention from a higher power and more about attuning themselves to the subtle, ever-present flow of divine energy. Our spiritual practices deepen, becoming a means of aligning with the infinite, of experiencing the divine as an intimate part of our being.
Ultimately, the evolution beyond a personal god is a return to our true nature. It is a journey from the confines of duality to the boundless expanse of nonduality. This realization is not an endpoint but a continuous unfolding, a never-ending exploration of the infinite depths of existence.
As we embrace this evolution, we step into a new dimension of spiritual maturity. We recognize the divine in all its forms and formlessness, in every aspect of life and beyond. And in this recognition, we find a profound sense of belonging, a deep, abiding peace that transcends all understanding.
Morgan O. Smith
Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!
Morgan O. Smith 