I used to take a very scientific approach to Awakening. The difficulty is that a true Awakening in not an understanding. It is a relationship. And, this makes it all personal. So, if we were to ask what we Awaken to when we Awake, I would probably say most simply - God's Presence. And, while I can give all sorts of descriptions about what this might be, the best I can do is point to the direction of the experience. From there it is up to each of us to take the journey. So, if you are on the journey, or think you might like to start, here are a few pointers.
First of all, the "journey" is not a linear journey. It is a journey into the depth and nature of Being - God's Being, our Being, and the Being of all creation. And, yes, this is another way of saying God first, God in you, and God in other.
A baby first learns about the world through active experience. It looks, touches, holds, and tastes. And while it may seem like a jump, all of these are natural expressions of Love in action. Love in action is always a function of Love giving birth to Itself. It is a creative process of greater and greater fulfillment in Love for Love.
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo depicts God reaching out to bring to life Adam's longing form. The interesting thing is that, if you look, Adam is not dead. He only gazing at God, longing for God's touch. How many times have we longed to touch or be touched by someone we love? Ever wonder why?
When we awaken, we awaken to the fact that we exist as part of a whole, and that our greatest fulfillment come through reconnecting with our wholeness. This is why deep connection is our greatest fulfillment, whether it is with another person, nature, purpose, or creative act. Whenever we feel ourselves truly connected, we find fulfillment.
There is a source and a reason for creation, and that source is Love. Love is the source, course, and goal of the creative impulse, and of the creation itself. Love exists far beyond an emotional or sexual relationship. It is much more fundamental to life. Love, in its most primal nature, is a power that attracts, connects, affirms, and provides safety. It moves to unify, harmonize, and maintain the great diversity of the entire creation.
When we awaken to a universal love, we become aware of our self as part of a universal system of consciousness that our physical presence is a natural part of. And, like leaves on a tree, we are moved by the winds of this consciousness. We find the great peace that exists in moving in alignment with this universal and loving consciousness.
Since, this consciousness is greater than our understanding of it, it moves toward greater expressions of Love in sometimes mysterious ways. And, even though we may not be able to comprehend its mysteries, the heart knows the Truth of its fundamental nature; Love is constantly giving birth to a greater Love. It knows all, even our own egos, as a loving, creative, Divine expression. When we Awaken, we truly understand that “there is only Love and Love becoming.”