Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings (SSAs) are sudden experiences of oneness with ultimate reality, God, or the universe that have been little studied despite anecdotal reports of lasting positive change. A survey of 152 people who had their most powerful awakening found that Spontaneous Kundalini Awakenings (SKAs) were significantly more physical but not significantly more negative than SSAs; both were overwhelmingly positive overall. The experiences resembled drug-induced altered states, especially those from classic psychedelics like DMT and psilocybin, though greater in magnitude. Personality traits of absorption and temporal lobe lability predicted the likelihood of having such awakenings.
Spontaneous spiritual awakenings (SSAs) are sudden experiences of merging with ultimate reality, the universe, or the divine. This study compared SSAs to spontaneous kundalini awakenings (SKAs), which the authors hypothesized might involve more physical and negative effects. In 152 participants, SKAs were significantly more physical and negative than SSAs, yet both were overwhelmingly positive overall. The phenomenological patterns of both experiences resembled other altered states of consciousness, especially drug-induced states from classic psychedelics like DMT and psilocybin. Personality traits absorption and temporal lobe lability predicted these awakening experiences.