Have you noticed that the deeper you go into your awakening, the more trapped you feel?
It's strange. People still lost in the illusion seem totally content living in the matrix. Meanwhile, you feel like everything is closing in. Pressure builds. Nothing feels solid anymore. At times, it can even feel like you're going crazy.
The closed-system image below is one way of exploring that feeling. It cannot tell you whether a health concern or a practical problem also needs attention.
The Closed System
The soul incarnates into a closed energy system, the body, in order to forget its true nature, and then remember.
This closed system is designed to generate the illusion of separation. It seals awareness in, so that consciousness can fully believe it's a separate self navigating a subject-object world. That's the game.
But awakening begins when this sealed container starts to crack.
Why It Feels Chaotic
At first, it feels chaotic. Old beliefs fall away. Emotions get stirred up. It's like your entire identity is being pressure-tested. Because it is.
Higher frequencies start pouring in, and they press against the weak points of the ego's shell.
This pressure isn't a punishment. It's integration. It's your true self beginning to shine through the cracks.
The Sensation of Being Trapped
The sensation of being trapped? That's the boundless awareness of your true self coming into contact with a system still sealed in illusion.
The more you awaken, the more you feel the contrast. Within this metaphor, intensity expresses the contrast. Intensity itself does not demonstrate that awakening is working.
Eventually, as more light comes in, the seals can't hold. And what once felt like a prison becomes an open system. An instrument of remembrance.
Riding It Out
Awakening isn't always peaceful at first. It's pressure. It's intensity. It's remembering through contrast.
Collapse is not necessarily preparation for expansion. Attend to your safety, support and ability to manage daily life.
If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, you're not broken. You may find the remembering metaphor useful, but this article cannot determine what is happening to you.
For understanding what's actually happening during ego death, read The True Purpose of Ego Death.
If fear and anxiety are surfacing intensely, see Why Fear Surfaces After Awakening.
When the metaphor stops helping
Ask whether the idea of awakening is helping you live today or making every difficult feeling seem like a test you must pass. Return to one concrete activity: eat, take a gentle walk, answer an ordinary message. You do not need to force another breakthrough. Feeling lost and unmotivated has a separate reflection on rebuilding daily direction.
Frequently asked questions
Does feeling trapped prove awakening is working?
No. A feeling is not proof of spiritual progress. Todd’s metaphor may help you describe an experience, but it does not explain every cause of distress or replace practical and professional support.