Why You Start Disliking People After Spiritual Awakening - Alan Watts

We explore a difficult stage of spiritual awakening that many people are afraid to talk about: the growing discomfort around others.

Friends who once felt enjoyable now feel draining. Family gatherings become overwhelming. Everyday conversations start to feel shallow, repetitive, or meaningless.

Instead of feeling more connected to people, you may feel the opposite: withdrawn, irritated, and in need of solitude. This can be confusing and even frightening, especially when spiritual growth is often associated with unconditional love and acceptance.

This reflection addresses the painful questions that arise during this phase. Have you become judgmental? Arrogant? Has something gone wrong with your awakening? According to Alan Watts, what you’re experiencing is not a failure or a loss of compassion, but a natural consequence of expanded awareness. When consciousness deepens, certain forms of unconscious interaction simply stop resonating.

This episode explores why awakening can create a sense of incompatibility with unconscious environments, why withdrawal is sometimes necessary for integration, and how this phase signals genuine inner transformation rather than spiritual ego.

If you’ve been feeling isolated, misunderstood, or disturbed by social interaction since your awakening, this teaching offers clarity, reassurance, and a deeper understanding of what is unfolding within you.