There are moments on the spiritual path when something shifts so deeply that it becomes impossible to ignore. You may feel different in your body, your emotions may intensify, your sleep may change, or your sense of reality itself may begin to evolve. For many, these experiences raise a quiet but persistent question: What is happening to me?
In episode 574 of Soul Elevation, Joanna Draus and I discuss what are often called ascension symptoms and how they relate to the broader awakening process that so many are moving through right now. This episode is particularly grounded and practical. Rather than staying in abstract spiritual language, Joanna brings clarity to experiences that can otherwise seem confusing or even destabilizing. As we explain, ascension symptoms are not signs that something is wrong, but that something is changing. Your system is adjusting to higher frequencies, and that adjustment can be felt across every layer of your being, even if the feeling is unfamiliar. This perspective alone can be incredibly relieving. Instead of resisting or fearing these experiences, you can begin to recognize them as part of a larger transformation that is unfolding both individually and collectively.
One of the most powerful threads in this conversation is the idea that we are attempting to understand a new reality using old frameworks. For most of our lives, we have been conditioned to interpret our experiences through a very linear, structured lens. We subconsciously look for clear cause and effect and expect consistency. We use the mind as the primary tool for understanding. But when it comes to spiritual awakening, those structures are incomplete.
You may find yourself experiencing things that don’t fit into your previous understanding of reality. Insights may come suddenly and without logical explanation. Emotions may arise without a clear source. Time itself can feel less fixed, less predictable. Joanna describes this as trying to navigate new terrain with outdated maps. It doesn’t quite work, and the more you try to force your understanding into old frameworks, the more confusion it can create. As you awaken, your understanding of reality becomes more intuitive and heart-centered. Understanding becomes less about analyzing and more about feeling into truth. You experience an embodied knowing rather than an intellectual conclusion. And while that shift can feel unfamiliar at first, it is also where a deeper sense of clarity begins to emerge.
Throughout the conversation, there is a recurring emphasis on the heart as the true anchor point in this process. As your awareness, or consciousness, expands, so does emotional sensitivity. This can show up in both beautiful and challenging ways. You may feel deeper love, connection, and compassion. At the same time, you may also become more aware of emotions that were previously suppressed or ignored. It may feel like you are regressing when you are feeling emotions that you might label as "lower vibration," however the fact that you are dealing with these harder emotions and feeling what you wouldn't allow yourself to feel previously is a great sign of progress! More on this here:
When the heart becomes more active, it brings everything into the light. It invites you to experience your emotions fully rather than bypass them. And through that process, things begin to integrate. There is also a subtle but important shift that happens here. Instead of looking outside yourself for validation or answers, you begin to trust your own internal guidance more deeply. That trust is essential, especially in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, opinions, and competing perspectives about what awakening should look like.
A theme Joanne sees again and again in the newly awakening community is the tendency to compare experiences. It is very common, especially in the early stages of awakening, to wonder if what you are experiencing is “normal.” You might look to others for confirmation, asking whether they have had similar dreams, sensations, or insights.
While that impulse is understandable, Joanna encourages you to reframe it. Your experience is uniquely yours. The way your awareness unfolds, the symbols that appear, the guidance you receive, and so on are tailored specifically to you. Seeking validation outside of yourself can sometimes dilute that connection by introducing doubt or causing you to reinterpret something that was already clear on a deeper level.
Instead, there is an invitation to trust what arises within you. Even if it doesn’t match someone else’s experience, it doesn’t make it any less valid. This is where self-trust begins to deepen. And from that place, your path becomes much more stable and aligned.
Another important part of your ascension is understanding the role of media and information consumption. In a time where content is constant and often driven by fear or urgency, it becomes easy to feel overwhelmed. Even within spiritual spaces, there can be a tendency toward sensationalism, contradiction, or fear-based narratives disguised as insight.
Joanna speaks to the importance of discernment here. Not everything needs your attention. Not everything deserves your energy. As you become more aware of your own energetic state, you may start to notice how certain types of content affect you. Some may feel expansive and supportive, while others may feel heavy or unsettling. That awareness within you becomes a guide that helps you choose what to engage with and what to release. Recognize how extremely valuable your energy is. Where you place your focus has a true impact on your personal state and on the collective field.
While the concepts explored in this episode are expansive, the tools offered are surprisingly simple.
Returning to the present moment, connecting with nature, setting clear intentions, and staying hydrated are all ways of supporting your system as it adjusts. These practices may seem basic, but they create a foundation that allows deeper transformation to unfold more smoothly. There is also a strong emphasis in this episode on communication with your own spiritual support, however you define that. Whether through meditation, quiet reflection, or simply speaking internally, opening that line of connection can bring a sense of guidance and reassurance. Over time, what may start as a one-way communication can begin to feel more like a dialogue. Synchronicities, intuitive nudges, and moments of clarity become more frequent - and with them, a deeper sense of trust begins to take root.
A key takeaway I don't want you to miss from this episode is that there is no single “right” way to awaken. Your path will not look exactly like anyone else’s. Your timing, your experiences, and your insights will unfold in their own way. Rather than trying to fit your journey into a predefined structure, It is up to you to stay present with what is arising for you. Recognize that even when things feel uncertain, something meaningful is taking place beneath the surface.
If this conversation resonates with you, I'd love to see you at our Spring Energetic Reset event, designed to support deeper clearing and alignment during this time of accelerated transformation. Register here.
And as always, thank you for being part of this space. Your presence, your energy, and your openness to these conversations are part of what makes this collective shift possible.
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