Q: What is an awakening from below? Is there anyone who can act independently beside the Creator?
A: In the Kabbalah, everything is described from the perspective of the emotions of the attaining Kabbalist and the way the Creator is revealed to that person. Even when we speak of the Creator, and seemingly only about Him, regardless of ourselves, we still rely on our own understanding of Him.
Our desire for a spiritual ascent stems either from Above (the Creator), or below (from us). Of course, it is only the Light that rocks and awakens us, as vessels. But then, either we clearly feel that the Creator is the One awakening us from Above, or we do not feel the influence of the Creator, but only the side effects of that influence: ours inner will, meaning that there is suddenly an aspiration for the Creator, because the Creator has secretly awakened us.