The Awakening Test: Insights Into the Questions and Answers
Here you will find the explanation of each question from a psychological and spiritual perspective. If you have not yet taken the test but plan to do so, we recommend that you postpone reading this article until you have completed it, otherwise your answers may be less spontaneous.
DETACHMENT
The opposite of attachment, that is, the ability to psychologically detach oneself from everything that is worldly: objects, money, work, affections. Yes, even interpersonal relationships are part of this sphere: the soul seeks the absolute, while most earthly relationships based on kinship and mutual need are entirely transitory. Beware: when talking about attachment to objects, it should be understood that the issue is not the object itself (whatever it is), but the inner perception, whether conscious or unconscious, that we cannot live without it.
1. Regarding your family, have you ever perceived yourself as a black sheep?
Awakening is an individual path, not a collective one. There is no such thing as an entire awakened family. Moreover, spiritual evolution comes from doubt, suffering and disillusionment. Always getting along, being united and never experiencing contrasts and disagreements slows down or completely blocks the process of inner transformation. This concept may seem twisted at first glance, but one only has to think about it for a moment to realize that it holds some truth. When is it that a person is spurred to do his or her best? When life smiles at them, or when they go through a difficult time and try to overcome it?
2. If you had more money and goods than your current state, your life would be:
This seemingly obvious question is actually not at all. Money, in symbolic terms, represents our energy. Since the outer world is a reflection of the inner world, those who wish to possess more money lack inner energy. On the other hand, those who remain indifferent to the amount of money possessed, manifest greater inner, and therefore spiritual, balance. The matter can also be seen in another way: the stronger your attachment to money, the more energy you are giving away to the world, taking it away from your soul and consciousness.
3. Staying with the concept of freedom, what makes you feel free?
Those who seek freedom in external things, that is, in doing and having, have not yet made the consciousness leap that enables them to understand how the external world is nothing but a reflection of the inner world. For example, those who become morbidly attached to objects, no longer being able to do without them (the car is a perfect example), demonstrate that they possess an inner emptiness that demands attention. The soul clamors for consideration, while the mind, which prefers certainties over doubts, diverts attention outward, thereby contributing to increasing the inner extent of the discomfort and consequently the intensity of the outer addiction as well (in our case, the attachment to the car).
4. How do you stand in relation to the most popular and socially accepted habits, traditions, and ways of life?
Established traditions and habits, no matter how interesting and instructive they may be, represent a form of attachment to the world and its dynamics. At some point, the spiritual seeker questions them too and realizes that, like anything else, they must be taken critically.
5. To build a better world, one must continue to struggle with perseverance and confidence. What’s your opinion?
The world cannot be changed for the simple reason that the world as such does not exist; in fact, it is people who make it what it is. People can only change themselves if they want to do so: no one can force change upon them from the outside, since any forcing would end up generating an opposite and contrary reaction. At this point someone might argue that evil and oppression push people to react and evolve. Actually, no, because opposing something means legitimating and energizing it, giving rise to a vicious loop much like the dualistic one in which left and right are pitted against each other in the political arena. When it comes to awareness, it is definitely better to ignore what we do not like, that is, to deprive it of its energy, rather than to fight it.
6. Choose the statement that best describes your relationship with death:
Fear of death indicates a strong attachment to earthly life and a view of existence focused on biological and material aspects. The soul does not fear death since it is eternal and immortal. So, those who intensely fear death are dominated by the mental component with its load of fears and corresponding hopes, that are often illusory, while the soul-spiritual component is kept at a distance.
DISILLUSIONMENT
After an initial phase of upset, denial and anger, comes disillusionment. The ego resists and does not want to give up its illusions and false certainties; while the soul, which observes things from an unearthly perspective, begins little by little to demolish everything that is no longer needed.
7. What is it that drives you to try to improve yourself?
The mere fact that an individual feels the need to improve himself or herself is a good thing, but it is important to understand what underlies this need. Doing it out of fear of being cut off from social life is an indication of insecurity and low moral strength. Doing it thinking to change the world is pure illusion. Doing it to help others is noble, but one must be aware that no one can take the place of someone else, as the path of maturation and inner evolution is entirely subjective and cannot be imposed on others even with the best of intentions.
8. Have you ever had the doubt that the world we live is a big show, a kind of staging in which everyone plays a predefined role?
One only has to stop for a moment and look at things with detachment to realize that society is insane. An example: if people stopped believing that money has value, the world would instantly halt and nothing would function anymore. The pillars on which human certainties are based are fragile, to say the least, when not completely illusory. So, everyone must continue to play their role, believing in it or not, to prevent a true spiritual revolution from happening…
9. Can a person please everyone and be sincere at the same time?
Most people live completely immersed in the illusions and false beliefs inculcated by society. If those same people who cannot distinguish true from false approve and agree with what we say and do, then perhaps we are not as evolved and sincere as we think we are. Since time immemorial, the masses have been mocking the awakened at best, while, at worst, they have been persecuting and condemning them to death. See the example of Jesus and Plato’s cave myth.
10. What does the expression “Spiritual Awakening” mean to you?
Each of us interprets reality based on our own knowledge and our level of awareness. The process of spiritual awakening begins with the questioning of beliefs taken for granted, and then turns into a broader, more generalized journey of inner maturation. The next step, though not necessarily the concluding phase, focuses on the search for truth. So one starts with an external stimulus (the illusions of the world), then focuses on one’s inner self (psychological maturation), and finally focuses again on the external reality (search for truth), although, this time, with the realization that answers are no longer to be sought externally, but within ourselves.
11. Continuing on the topic of beliefs, ideas, and interpretations: how do you get an idea?
The real problem is not to form an idea or belief, but to deconstruct all erroneous and misleading beliefs. There is far too much information at our disposal, but discerning what is needed from what is unnecessary is not easy and requires active and constant work.
12. Have you ever completely revised certain beliefs/ideas you had before?
It is perfectly normal for a psychologically and spiritually evolving individual to change his or her mind and worldview throughout life. At some point one finally realizes that reality is not univocal, but rather that each of us interprets it according to his or her level of awareness.
13. Speaking of acting, how do you see the theater of politics?
The very concept of political representation is something anti-evolutionary, in fact it is based on delegating one’s responsibility to someone else. How can there ever be a real change in human consciousness if we keep asking other people to take action and think for us? This is a very convenient game in practical terms, but perverse from a consciential perspective.
INCONVENIENCE
A comfortable and leisurely life does not promote spiritual evolution and is ill-suited to the awakening process. Like it or not, suffering is a potential spiritual catalyst, and knowing how to distance oneself from the many conveniences of this consumerist world is a crucial first step toward a renewed vision of existence.
14. Does the idea of having to change your habits upset you?
The path of spiritual evolution never stops; it is like a river that flows endlessly. Becoming a slave to one’s habits and obsessions is not favorable to inner evolution, so it is essential to overcome the fear of the unknown and change in order to continue on the journey of the soul.
15. A life without ???? is not worth living. What word would you put in place of the question marks?
Once again, we go looking externally for what we lack inwardly. If we want more money, it means we are very weak spiritually. If we want more friends, we perceive the need to be part of a group or flock. If we desire more love, we probably do not feel understood and appreciated by the world. If we desire to find meaning in things, we still have not fully realized that meaning should be sought within ourselves and not in the material world. If we need more truth, we are aware that the world is illusory and go in search of the essence of things.
The ideal answer to this question would be: NOTHING. The most spiritually evolved person does not need anything; except that by the mere fact that we are here, in the world, we all search for something consciously or unconsciously.
16. Which type of society do you prefer among those described below?
An awakened person seeks the essence of things. He or she knows that, in order to get closer to the truth, it is crucial to eliminate everything that is unnecessary and distracting. The person who is less aware and therefore more focused on the outer world will believe, on the contrary, that it is necessary to add further complexity, that is, new theories, new inventions and, consequently, new problems.
17. What kind of relationship do you have with technology?
Technology is a double-edged sword. While it seems to simplify life, it also makes us all more mentally and physically incapacitated. The fascinations produced by electronic and technological tools distract the soul from its path, just as a child is enticed by a good ice cream. The ice cream is soon finished: what is left afterwards? The risk lies in confusing the means with the end. The end is to evolve psychologically and spiritually; the means is anything that can help achieve that goal, including technology. The problem is that an unconscious humanity tends to develop a technology that cages the spirit instead of promoting its liberation.
18. The car is an instrument of freedom. Do you agree with that?
The automobile is one of the most desired objects ever, and many people are willing to go into debt in order to own it. There are even those who consider it an instrument of freedom, showing that they are completely immersed in the logic, often perverse, of the mundane world. The automobile is the opposite of freedom, in some ways; try to think about it in a non-superficial way and you will certainly realize that.
19. Do you ever feel the need for more simplicity?
As stated by great sages of the past, evolving spiritually basically means being able to discern what is really needed from what just burdens. Society tells us that we must have more, always more. The soul, on the other hand, suggests to us that very few things are necessary, and we must focus on those, but only after identifying them correctly. More simplicity and less dependence.
20. Have you ever felt a strong discomfort in doing things that everyone usually does?
When one realizes that the world is mostly illusory and that doing leads to nothing if it is simply the result of habits and mechanical behaviors, the desire to act may diminish. The hamster runs on the wheel because it cannot do anything else, but if it could get out of the cage, it would most likely do something else…
SYMPTOMATOLOGY
The process of soul awakening reveals itself through a complex series of symptoms and phenomena that are not always easy to grasp. We tried to collect the most common and typical ones from the early and middle stages of the awakening journey.
21. Have you ever found yourself observing things and people as if you were not part of the context?
An awakened soul realizes that material reality is illogical and based on duality. The world, observed from a spiritual point of view, is pure nonsense, a constant running back and forth repeating the same actions endlessly without anything ever really changing.
22. Some people feel homesickness, but not for an earthly place. How about you?
This feeling is related to the perception that the world is absurd and insane. Generally, those who begin to see society as senseless and cruel, feel at the same time a form of nostalgia for an alternative world that is based on very different logics. Maybe a reminiscence of one’s origins?
23. Some people appear dull, as if they were flesh robots; others have a divine spark in their eyes. What do you think about that?
If you find this question offensive, it means that you are not really experiencing a process of spiritual awakening. There is nothing negative in it; it is simply a statement of fact, like saying that the sky is blue. The eyes are the mirror of the soul, so goes an old adage.
24. Have you ever dreamed of flying?
This is also a typical symptom of the spiritual awakening phase. In fact, many people claim to gain some control over their dreams, being able to direct them at will. Flying has a very deep symbolic meaning, being related to the concept of freedom. To dream of flying where one wishes indicates the presence of a strong spiritual component.
25. Having an insight and simultaneously feeling tingles and pressure on your head: has this ever happened to you?
Some characteristic symptoms of the spiritual awakening phase involve experiencing tingling and strange pressures in various areas of the body, but especially on the head. Not infrequently, such physical symptoms are accompanied by insights and mental images that can be hard to interpret.
26. Looking back on your past, have there ever been any major changes in the way you are?
The process of spiritual awakening can be shocking and give the person who experiences it the impression that he or she has lived much longer than his or her registry age. This may be due, in part, to the recall of memories belonging to other lives on this planet and beyond.
27. Have you ever experienced some of these symptoms under normal health conditions? Which ones? (You can choose up to 4 items)
People who experience the phenomenon of spiritual awakening manifest, in most cases, very specific symptoms. This list enumerates the most frequent and generalized ones. Once the initial stage has passed, it is normal to no longer have these symptoms.
Awakening Test and Awareness Test: Interpreting the outcomes
Foreword
In the use of these two unique instruments, the degree of open-mindedness and the level of attention play a key role, in addition to the age of the user. The responses are qualitative, reasoned; if read hastily and superficially they inevitably lead to a modest score.
General warnings
The awakening and the awareness tests should therefore be taken with utmost concentration, striving to understand the meaning of each answer, though seemingly trivial, before making one’s choices. Regarding the open-mindedness rate, it should be specified that the test setting requires the user to possess a certain degree of maturity and inclination toward introspection. It is unlikely that a teenager under the age of 16 would be able to grasp certain nuances inherent in the questions and answers, so it is recommended that younger people who nevertheless wish to take these two tests should do so in the company of an adult to act as a support.
Warnings for the hurried
Similarly, even an adult person accustomed to going about daily life on “autopilot” with little desire to get to the bottom of things would find these two tests hostile and uninteresting. If this is the case for you, our advice is to come back when you have an hour of time all to yourself, and only after you have emptied your mind of duties, responsibilities, and anything else that might push you to appear a certain way. Remember that giving quick, impulsive answers always leads toward a low-medium score anyway.
Authentic answers and socially desirable answers
A common problem with all personality tests, or perhaps we should say all people, is that which lies in the difference between answers perceived as genuine and those perceived as socially desirable. The most insecure individuals, those who give more weight to others’ opinions and appearances, as well as to so-called “political correctness,” show a certain predisposition toward answers that are considered “right,” but not necessarily perceived as authentic.
Let’s give an example; let’s look at the awareness test question about making judgments. We noticed that a lot of people choose this answer: judging is always wrong. But how many really feel that way? And how many, if they felt completely free from social conditioning, would rather pick this other option: we all make judgments, however, it is not necessary to externalize them (?).
If you feel that this is the case for you, no problem, now that you have taken note of it all you have to do is to repeat our tests treasuring this new awareness and you will see that the final result will be more interesting.
Now to the interpretation of the results
We assume that you have read the questions and answers carefully, that you have made your choices sincerely, and that your age is at least 16. If you are under 16 years of age, you should not be alarmed in case your score is low; it is perfectly normal. Come back and see us in a few years.
If you scored modestly, it means that:
– your consciousness is still in its infancy, either because you are too caught up in the material aspects of life (work, money, etc.), or because you lack spirituality and therefore believe, consciously or unconsciously, that human existence is reduced to just doing, consuming, possessing. Basically, you identify with what you do, what you own, and the concrete, measurable results you achieve. What is missing is the aspect related to Being and Feeling, without which, unfortunately, there is no possibility of developing awareness beyond ego and the perceptions of the five senses.
If you scored intermediate, on the other hand, it means that:
– your consciousness is alive, responsive and potentially ready to continue on its journey of expansion toward the infinite. This is especially true for those who are still young, say 40 and under. Those at an older age rarely experience jolts at the consciousness level, although in this field nothing can be ruled out with certainty. It is a journey of no return, meaning that once a broader form of awareness is acquired, there is no possibility of turning back. Moreover, progress in spiritual terms involves leaving behind everything that is not needed, having less in order to be more. That is why many decide, consciously or unconsciously, to settle for an alternate consciousness.
If your score is high, we can say that:
– you are a keen observer, curious, who seeks more authentic meaning even in the seemingly obvious and predictable things. A person who is unsatisfied, at least not in material terms, but in spiritual terms. Generally those who come to this level of consciousness do not do so by accident, but as a consequence of a conscious personal choice. Since you cannot return to being unconscious, your fate would seem to be sealed: you will have to continue on this path, whether you like it or not. If you try to do otherwise you will end up betraying your nature and you will find no satisfaction in doing so. If these words sound bizarre or incomprehensible to you, then chances are that you scored high by pure chance or because you were trying to unearth the “right” answers.
SPHERES OF INTEREST (Awakening Test only)
There are four so-called spheres of interest and they investigate certain areas of consciousness and behavior, while being, of course, interrelated. The score indicates the degree of advancement in that given field. Specifically they concern:
– Detachment
The opposite of attachment, that is, the ability to psychologically detach oneself from everything that is worldly: objects, money, work, affections. Yes, even interpersonal relationships are part of this sphere: the soul seeks the absolute, while most earthly relationships based on kinship and mutual need are entirely transitory. Beware: when talking about attachment to objects, it should be understood that the issue is not the object itself (whatever it is), but the inner perception, whether conscious or unconscious, that we cannot live without it.
– Disillusionment
After an initial phase of upset, denial and anger, comes disillusionment. The ego resists and does not want to give up its illusions and false certainties; while the soul, which observes things from an unearthly perspective, begins little by little to demolish everything that is no longer needed.
– Inconvenience
A comfortable and leisurely life does not promote spiritual evolution and is ill-suited to the awakening process. Like it or not, suffering is a potential spiritual catalyst, and knowing how to distance oneself from the many conveniences of this consumerist world is a crucial first step toward a renewed vision of existence.
– Symptomatology
The process of soul awakening reveals itself through a complex series of symptoms and phenomena that are not always easy to grasp. We tried to collect the most common and typical ones from the early and middle stages of the awakening journey.
Try our exclusive tests; you won’t find them anywhere else:
AWARENESS TEST
AWAKENING TEST