Awakening to the peace, joy, wisdom, unity and compassion of the "True-Self", have nothing to do with
what a person "knows".
No amount of esoteric, astrological, spiritual, religious
or metaphysical knowledge can awaken consciousness to its True-Self; A person
can have all the knowledge and expertise in the world, and still be "self-full" and "selfish" - while a person who is selfless, may have little intellectual
knowledge, and yet be full of Wisdom and deeply awakened.
Awakening only occurs through EXPERIENCE, not Intellectualization - Heart not Mind.
The experience of Awakening is more about becoming emptier of “i-me-mine”, and fuller of Love, Harmony and Unity; rather than fuller of “i-me-mine”, and emptier of Love, Harmony and Beauty.
Awakening emerges after the experience of having limited beliefs and self-centered perspectives shattered or broken-which will happen over and over. So do not despair long over being heart-broken, for only through that shattering will you know the next steps in the way of your awakening.
In awakening we find the happiness, joy, love, contentment, wholeness and freedom that is hidden in the heart, and is not dependent upon the external circumstances of our lives.
You cannot, not awaken! You can choose whether or not to participate in it… like you’re flowing downstream in the great river of life, you can choose to guide your boat or not, and you are going to reach the ocean of true being - but with two very different experiences!
There IS something Divine within all of us to awaken to as we flow toward the ocean of reality. We do come from a perfect place, are bound for a perfect goal, and the light of the perfect being is hidden in our soul.
"So God the exalted will not be with you unless all your desires and your will are smashed... In this way, He will go on creating new wills in you, and on ‘your-self’ being found in it, He will smash it every time, till at last the destiny reaches its end and the meeting (with your True Self) takes place. And this is the meaning of the Divine words: “I am with those who are broken-hearted on My account.” - (Abdl Qadr Gilanai, Futuh al-Ghaib, 6th Discourse)