[Advaita-l] SelfAwareness to SelfRealisation

[Girish Ramadurgam]

Hi,

I remember reading (cant recollect the source) that selfawareness is the 
first step towards selfrealisation.
Where
1) Selfawareness - is accepting the presence of almighty and knowing his 
qualities and trying to reach him.
2) Selfrealisation - as in advaita, realising that self is God.

How does a man in state of Selfawareness break the fetters that that 
'God is another external entity' into 'I am God'?
Does the knowledge he keep acquiring over the period make him realise or 
should he have started the journey thinking that one day I will find out 
'I am God'.

Please correct me where I am wrong and would appreciate your views on 
the above queries.

Kind Regards,
Girish