Trauma or the pain of confronting unexpected radical changes is the bitter medicine of our current day and age.  It requires us to continually grow and evolve–to find the Source of Creativity that supports inner stability amidst an ever changing, unpredictable external landscape of unexpected challenges.
I found myself challenged today by unexpected changes while composing and editing this blog.  I am ‘on the road’ traveling right now.  I stopped and settled into a hotel with the intent to write. . . Suddenly I discovered I have no computer access.  The hotel’s business centre’s one lonely computer is also not giving me the ‘access’ I need.  With frustration mounting. . . And after a few deep breaths. . . I decided to type this blog post with my thumbs on my ‘Smartphone’.

Adapting to change is only part of the story.

The bigger questions arise when we are confronted with changes so deep, so radical that we are truly required to stop and do some serious soul-searching.  Then, Life’s tragedies have the power to initiate something that I call a ‘Trauma Induced Spiritual Awakening’.

How do you cope with the stress of unexpected changes–the small ones, like no computer access, and the big ones that shatter your world?  Personal disasters like abuse, neglect, or a life threatening health crisis and loss?. . . Or political betrayals and economic or environmental disasters?  This is the stuff of a breakdown that may lead to a breakthrough, what I call a ‘trauma induced spiritual awakening’.

The idea of ‘Awakening’ to our ‘True Self’ through soul tests and challenges is not a new concept at all.  Ancient and indigenous cultures talk about these kinds of experiences as ‘sacred rites of passage’  Psychology describes it as post traumatic growth (PTG).  I think of it as a psychic and spiritual awakening that leads to greater embodied awareness.

I will be talking about this more in my next FACEBOOK LIVE Chat on Wednesday September 28 at 11:00 pacific time / 2:00 Eastern. . . and I hope you can join me, and share your thoughts, questions and comments and questions in real time with our international community.

Maybe you would like to share a bit about how the school of hard knocks has been a valuable spiritual teacher for you?  I’d love to hear. . .