Good post OP !
I wanted to take this opportunity to share my experience, and to say that you are 100% right. But I want to add "spiritual awakening" isn't
something you should desperately try to attain. It may happen anytime, especially when you don't expect it at all, it may be of different intensity
and happen multiple times. But it is not always FUN, it is not something you should ask at any cost. If your ego isn't prepared, be assured it WILL
crumble and there is a great chance you will suffer from it. If you achieve it, be thankful ! If you don't, don't be jealous, it will come...
But if the path to awakening is really the one you have chosen, I would say the best thing to do is to ALWAYS trust you guts. Talk with people you
find "wise" (not charismatic !) if that even mean anything, always take info with a grain of salt, and NEVER ever take yourself too seriously

.
Following synchronicities, coincidences in your life, where they lead you may also help.
I considered myself as a "psychonaut", exploring various paths to better understand my psyche, my inner self, my "spiritual" self, some of these
paths more classical, some less orthodox. A few month ago I was reading a book and this book "struck" me. (probably this book was suited for me and
won't mean anything for others).
Exactly like you said, I stayed in my couch in awe, crying and thankful at the same time.
From there, my world crumbled. I spent 3 days without sleeping because of the amount of information I was receiving. Like when all the pieces of the
puzzle fall in place. Without sleep, I started to hallucinate severely and was having heavy headaches. I went to visit a monastery near my house
because I knew they would be able to help me pass this trial. They accepted me without asking any question. They took care of me. I witnessed the
kindness of Jesus within them (I was not a Christian !).
I spent 3 more days there, resting and sweating profusely, like my body was being purged, and still no sleep. I won't lie, it wasn't pleasant at all
and the hallucinations due to sleep deprivation had the bitter taste of madness.
Then my parents came back from holidays and fetched me. I scared the s**t out of them. 7 more days with almost no sleep. I was sometimes talking like
a crazy man, or a prophet. I wasn't always really in control of myself.
Finally a long and painful journey back to earth began. As much as I was presented with a Truth so simple it was heart-shattering, as much today I
learned that message was for me and me alone. And now I believe that each and everyone else is on his very own journey, to find his own truth.
It doesn't necessarily requires prayers
It doesn't necessarily requires drugs
It doesn't necessarily requires meditation
It doesn't necessarily requires reading old or complicated books
It doesn't necessarily requires uncovering the conspiracies
All these path are valid, but the most important thing to do is to LIVE according to your DREAMS. If you want the world to be a better place, BE that
CHANGE. If you want more kindness in the world, be kind. If you want more communication, exchange with other people.
If you do that, if you follow your guts, if you listen to yourself, I promise you you will find "spiritual awakening" one day. But if you trap
yourself too much in one direction, you become a slave to your desire to reach that very enlightenment, and in the end there's no certainty you will
even succeed !
The destination is NOT IMPORTANT, we are all going to the same place in the end, guaranteed. It's the PATH that matters. My path was a bumpy ride, I
still suffer from headaches today because I choosed a shortcut probably. But that's my story and I'm still happy it happened. I just wanted to be
sure people understand it isn't always good to want to go too quickly or unprepared (and I thought I was !!!)
Respect other's views, religions, beliefs. It's THEIR path.
Be kind, be honnest, be helpful.
Your Truth is meaningful to you only. Don't force feed it to others. (So it also mean you may just bash everything I'm telling you if you want

I
won't take offence

)
LIVE, LOVE and LAUGH
[edit on 20-4-2010 by SpaceGoatsFarts]