Awakening is simply the activation of the consciousness, in whatever state it happens to be in. For example, those poor souls who are being recycled by nature, being cleansed of defects by the hell realms, also awaken, because the conditioning is being removed. However, they awaken in hell. This is how they become fully conscious of their situation and their past mistakes.
Becoming an individual is only possible by creating the soul, which gives entrance into the superior kingdoms of nature. You cannot be an individual unless you have an individual mind, which is an elaboration of the solar bodies.
Having said that, awakening is also necessary. Having the bodies is not enough; they are merely vessels. There are many who have those bodies yet still have not attained individuality, because they remain functioning as animals.
We learn to awaken here and now in order to understand that we are not yet individuals: we have our own inner "collective mind": the many defects we have.
Freedom from the external collective mind only comes by dissolving the internal collective mind.
Individuality comes from dissolving the ego.
"Individuality is one hundred percent sacred; rare are those who have it, nevertheless everyone thinks they have it.
"How can we eliminate “I’s” if we think that we have a single “I”?
"Certainly, only the one who has never seriously observed his own self can think that he has a single “I.”
"Nevertheless, in regard to this teaching, we must be very clear, because the psychological danger of confusing authentic individuality with the concept of some species of a “superior I,” or something similar, exists.
"Sacred individuality is very far beyond any type of “I.” Sacred individuality is what it is, what it has always been and what it shall always be.
"Legitimate individuality is the Being. The reason for the Being to be is to be the Being Himself."