Awakening is often portrayed as arrival — a moment where everything finally makes sense.But for many, the first truth of awakening is not clarity. It is loss. Loss of the self that once felt safe.Loss of beliefs that once organized the world.Loss of certainty, rhythm, and identity. Clarity does not always bring relief. Sometimes it brings grief — a quiet mourning for the version of you that did their best with what they knew. This is where gentleness becomes essential.Not as