Awakening Now – Details, episodes & analysis

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Many people on the spiritual awakening path reach a moment where understanding is no longer enough.

You may clearly understand non-duality, awakening, or the self illusion intellectually. You may know the language, have had glimpses, and seen moments of clarity. And yet something hasn’t shifted. There is still confusion. There is still a sense of “me.” And that can feel deeply discouraging.

In this episode of Awakening Now, I share an unedited recording from a live Zoom meeting where I respond to an email that says: “I understand this intellectually, but I don’t feel it.” What I hear is not failure, but honesty — a turning point where the old strategy of seeking through understanding begins to collapse.

I speak about why seeing through the self illusion is not an emotional experience, and why clarity is not a feeling. Confusion, doubt, frustration, and a sense of “me” can still arise after awakening, and they do not mean you didn’t see.

This conversation explores the difference between direct pointing — seeing through the illusion of a separate self — and meeting what continues to arise after that recognition. Old emotional patterns, sensations, and conditioning don’t mean you’ve gone backwards. Often, they are the next layer asking to be met.

If you feel stuck after awakening, exhausted from seeking, or confused about why insight hasn’t brought lasting peace, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a grounded understanding of what is actually happening.

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Have you been craving awakening? Waiting for the moment when everything finally softens, the mind gets quiet, the heart opens, and you can finally stop searching?

In this awakening now episode, I sit with Won Bo, a Lithuanian nun living in Korea. From the very first minute, something in her presence invites you to slow down, soften, and see what’s already here. Nothing dramatic. Nothing mystical. Just truth, lived by someone who has dedicated her whole life to clarity.

We explore the ordinary moments seekers overlook, the craving that hides beneath “spiritual progress,” the tenderness of glimpses that fade, and the simplicity of Zen’s most direct practice: What am I?
Not to find an answer… but to fall back into don’t-know, the space where awakening unfolds by itself.

If you’ve ever felt “not enough,” or wondered why awakening feels distant even after years of seeking, this conversation may feel like a quiet homecoming.

WHAT WE EXPLORE TOGETHER

• Why she chose the monastic path  and what actually surprised her
• A clear, gentle definition of awakening that removes pressure
• How the Three Poisons silently guide your daily reactions
• The subtle trap of craving awakening (and how to recognize it)
• Why glimpses fade and why that isn’t a failure
• A practice you can use at any moment of your day
• How “don’t-know” becomes a lived, spacious way of being


If you want to explore this more deeply, I created a short guide called Introduction to Deep Looking. It’s a gentle way to meet what’s here and begin unwinding the tension underneath seeking. You can receive it by signing up on my website. 

Here is the link:
https://ilonaciunaite.com/deep-looking-ebook/

If you read it and something moves in you, you are always welcome to write to me and share what opened.

Subscribe to my Newsletter for free monthly Zoom meetings: https://ilonaciunaite.com/subscribe/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed musichttps://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

⚠️ DISCLAIMER

This content is for educational purposes only and **not** a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If anxiety is severe or you have thoughts of self-harm, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional immediately.

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

What if your regrets, guilt, and “what ifs” about the past are nothing more than sitting on a train wishing it turned left when the tracks only go straight?

In this powerful satsang, we explore a simple but life-changing metaphor: life moves the way it’s meant to, and no moment could have unfolded any differently. All the pain, joy, confusion, and growth have led you right here, right now.

If you’ve been stuck in regret, shame, or self-judgment, this talk is an invitation to let go and embrace the freedom of the present moment. Life is carrying you, all you need to do is trust the rails.

Subscribe to my Newsletter for updates and to receive info about free monthly meetings on Zoom 
https://ilonaciunaite.com/subscribe/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music 
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

Subscribe to my Newsletter for updates and to receive info about free monthly meetings on Zoom 
https://ilonaciunaite.com/subscribe/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music 
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

In this episode I talk to Maria. She is a psychotherapist, a busy mum of three children, and she lives with her husband in Manchester, uk. 

Maria describes her seeking experience and talks about the dark night of the soul. She shares about her experience of awakening to love and her best advice is to recognise that you are your own guru.

You can find Maria on her website
https://www.presencecenteredpsychotherapy.com/

And LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kefalogianni-32169314?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

If you need assistance with your own inquiry come to the Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is http://www.IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Liberation Unleashed
Http://www.liberationunleashed.com

You can find Branimir on the forum, his name there is Brane.

Ilona's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/markedeternal

Liberation Unleashed book is available on Amazon. There is a chapter in there on Deep Looking and how you can work with energy at home.
https://www.amazon.com/Liberation-Unleashed-Breaking-Illusion-Separate/dp/B0BGNKWHQ6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1664986704&sr=8-4 s

#selfinquiry #awakening #ilonaciunaite #deeplooking #meditation #shame #awakeningnow

Info about free monthly meetings on Zoom
http://ilonaciunaite.com/events/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

For discussion and feedback join Telegram channel
https://t.me/awakeningnowpodcast

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Listen to Branimir’s awakening story. A Shift happened as he was reading the Gateless Gatecrashers book. Branimir shares his experience before and after, and talks about openness and curiosity as the key, that helped him a lot.

If you need assistance with your own inquiry come to the Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is http://www.IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Liberation Unleashed
Http://www.liberationunleashed.com

You can find Branimir on the forum, his name there is Brane.

Ilona's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/markedeternal

Liberation Unleashed book is available on Amazon. There is a chapter in there on Deep Looking and how you can work with energy at home.
https://www.amazon.com/Liberation-Unleashed-Breaking-Illusion-Separate/dp/B0BGNKWHQ6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1664986704&sr=8-4 s

#selfinquiry #awakening #ilonaciunaite #deeplooking #meditation #shame #awakeningnow

Info about free monthly meetings on Zoom
http://ilonaciunaite.com/events/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

For discussion and feedback join Telegram channel
https://t.me/awakeningnowpodcast

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Dive into a deep looking session and meet the energy of restlessness. My guest today is Gunnar and you met him in episode 12. You can use this recording as a meditation and follow along listening to our talk and reflect on what you see in your experience. Let’s dive in! 

Deep Looking is a transformative practice that brings clarity, release, and profound peace to your life. Through welcoming, thanking, and engaging in dialogue, you can dissolve resistance and discover a more expansive, loving, and accepting version of yourself. This process may require patience, but the rewards are immeasurable. Embrace this technique as a tool for personal growth and inner exploration, and witness the shifts in your well-being and perception of the world around you.

If you need assistance in your own inquiry come to the Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Music by Valdi Sabev, visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

For discussion and feedback join Telegram channel
https://t.me/awakeningnowpodcast

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Listen to Laura’s awakening story. She hasn’t been seeking for a long time. Everything seemed to happen quickly. A Shift happened a year ago. Laura shares about her experience before and after, what she had to deal with and how she met the challenges. 
I had been meeting Laura for private sessions for over a year and witnessed her journey as it was unfolding. The first time she came to me she felt very unsafe and insecure. Today she is shining. And she continues to explore and integrate awakening in her daily life. She says she found IT and is happy to share what is IT with you. 

If you need assistance with your own inquiry come to Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.
You can also join free monthly meetings on zoom. Info on my events page.

Liberation Unleashed
Http://www.liberationunleashed.com

Ilona's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/markedeternal

Liberation Unleashed book is available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Liberation-Unleashed-Breaking-Illusion-Separate/dp/B0BGNKWHQ6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1664986704&sr=8-4 s

#selfinquiry #awakening #ilonaciunaite #awakeningnow

Info about free monthly meetings on Zoom
http://ilonaciunaite.com/events/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

For discussion and feedback join Telegram channel
https://t.me/awakeningnowpodcast

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Helen Amery is a nondual guide and author, supporting others on their awakening and enlightenment journey. She had her first big awakening experience back in 2018, and after that, she dived deeply into the exploration to know who she really is. Who we all really are. A mum of two kids, she has continued to live a “normal” life throughout all of this and has discovered surprising new capacities along the way which you’ll hear about in the show.

During the show, Helen gifts us an energy transmission for 10 minutes. If you don’t want to receive this, simply skip forward for that 10 minutes until we’re talking again.

If you’re interested in receiving more of these transmissions, you can find her free ones on her YouTube playlist here
(58) Energy Transmission for All - 13th Feb 23 - YouTube,

and details for her paid-for sessions are here
Energy Transmissions (wildfigsolutions.co.uk)

If you would like to read “The Complete Book of Awakening”, which she wrote with Sara Priestley, you’ll find that on your local Amazon, and everything related to that is here Thoughtful Raven – The home of practical spirituality.

For anything else, head to her website to see what else she has to offer, and to get in touch:
Awakening and Enlightenment | Coach and Guide (wildfigsolutions.co.uk)

If you need assistance with your own inquiry come to Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Liberation Unleashed
Http://www.liberationunleashed.com

Ilona's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/markedeternal

Liberation Unleashed book is available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Liberation-Unleashed-Breaking-Illusion-Separate/dp/B0BGNKWHQ6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1664986704&sr=8-4 s

#selfinquiry #awakening #ilonaciunaite #awakeningnow

Info about free monthly meetings on Zoom
http://ilonaciunaite.com/events/

Music by Valdi Sabev, Visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

For discussion and feedback join Telegram channel
https://t.me/awakeningnowpodcast

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

I am inviting you to dive into a deep looking session. You can use this recording as a meditation and follow along listening to our talk and reflect on what you see in your experience. 

I talked to Gunnar, who after some period of clarity and lightness found himself having doubts. Have I lost it, have I never got it- it’s a familiar place for many seekers. Hope our conversation will bring some clarity for you too.  

Deep Looking is a transformative practice that brings clarity, release, and profound peace to your life. Through welcoming, thanking, and engaging in dialogue, you can dissolve resistance and discover a more expansive, loving, and accepting version of yourself. This process may require patience, but the rewards are immeasurable. Embrace this technique as a tool for personal growth and inner exploration, and witness the shifts in your well-being and perception of the world around you.

If you need assistance in your own inquiry come to the Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Music by Valdi Sabev, visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music 
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com

Send me your thoughts in a Text Message

Today I talk to Mark Petrick. After many years of seeking and going through different teachings Mark can say with confidence, that yes, the shift happened and today he is sharing his story with you.  

Mark Paul Petrick is an award-winning artist utilising the craft of photography to represent his subjects, as well as the poetry of concepts and visual situations. 

If you need assistance in your own inquiry come to the Liberation Unleashed where you can register for a free account and get a volunteer guide completely free of charge. Or if you need my support, send me an email through my website which is IlonaCiunaite.com I’ll be happy to help.

Music by Valdi Sabev, visit his channel for more calm and relaxed music 
https://www.youtube.com/c/ValdiSabev/featured

Websites

https://www.markpetrick.com/

Support the show

Websites
http://ilonaciunaite.com
http://liberationunleashed.com