I admit it. I am Enlightened. (If I was going to take the Zen approach, I might say I am Enlightened because I know there is no such thing as Enlightenment.) I’m not afraid to admit that I have “reached” Enlightenment. I think far too many people shy away from talking openly about being Enlightened because it’s such a taboo subject. After all, isn’t Enlightenment something reserved for sages and mystics?
Enlightened people aren’t simply sages though; they’re people like you and me. We wear regular clothes, we work regular jobs, we eat, drink, sleep, and go to the grocery store just like everyone else. You don’t have to be a celibate monk living in a monastery to be Enlightened. Placing Enlightenment beyond yourself just perpetuates the idea that you will never reach it.
I think part of the allure (and taboo aspect) of Enlightenment is the fact that it is so mysterious. Ohh, he’s enlightened, he must be above everyone else, seems to be a commonly held superstition. People think that becoming Enlightened brings you further away from reality. You completely transcend it and dematerialize. Poof. He was enlightened. And then, he disappeared. (Sounds more like David Blaine to me.)
Part of the problem is Enlightenment can mean many things. Bringing light to dark places, bringing clarity, and perceiving the truth are a few different interpretations. But ultimately, Enlightenment is understanding your true nature. It’s the realization that you are not a separate ego, you are the eternal, unbounded energy of the universe.
That’s is a pretty powerful realization. And while I wholeheartedly believe in the value and merit of attaining Enlightenment, I think in some ways it is vastly overrated. That’s because people think Enlightenment means the end of their problems, the end of the struggles of living.
People want their mystics and masters to be free from the same struggles that make them want to escape life. They want Enlightenment to be a panacea for their problems. They don’t want their masters to have the same troubles they have, they want them to be beyond them. They see Enlightenment as some grandeur state where the struggles of life no longer exist.
The great Enlightened masters (Christ, Buddha, Moses, Lao Tzu, and many others), did not become Enlightened and retreat into a cave. They did not merely transcend their egos. They became great big egos. They engaged life completely and fearlessly and shook the earth from its very foundation. They did not seek Enlightenment as an escape from life, but as a means to live more completely.
Many people seek Enlightenment as an escape from life. And while Enlightenment can do many things, there are some things it cannot do:
- Your realization that everything is non-dual will not break all of the previous self-limiting and fear-based beliefs you have with yourself. Breaking those agreements will require hard work and perspiration to change.
- Wearing a Buddha necklace or getting a tattoo of the Yin and Yang will not stop you from having to solve real problems, like how to deal with the job you can’t stand.
- Enlightenment will not solve your relationship problems with others or with yourself. It won’t make your husband any less barbaric, and it won’t lessen the wrath of your wife’s PMS.
- It will not get you out of debt or free you from financial struggle. It won’t stop you from making stupid decisions, like buying an HDTV on credit, after you just missed your mortgage payment.
- Transcending your ego will not make your ego disappear. You will still have to deal with ego-based desire and suffering.
Reaching Enlightenment will not turn you into an invincible ball of energy high above the world and all its troubles. It will not make you immune to the sometimes callous and careless words of others. Perceiving the truth of the Yin and Yang, the Diamond Sutra or the Bhagavad Gita will not make all of your problems go away.
Despite all the things that Enlightenment can’t do, there are certainly many benefits to “achieving” it. Most importantly, it will help you understand your true nature and help you find peace in your heart.
While Enlightenment can’t solve all your problems it certainly can help you realize:
- Death and birth are an illusion. (But someone poking you in the eye still might hurt.)
- Life is a dream with the brain awake.
- Beliefs are subjective. Something is only true if you believe it is. (Except maybe gravity.)
- Life is essentially one, everything is consciousness.
With these realizations you can:
- Know that you are eternal and there is no reason to fear death, or anything for that matter. Essentially, if you are experiencing fear, there’s a bug in your consciousness.
- What you do to others, you are really doing to yourself.
- You know yourself through the difference of others, you perceive in others the reflection of yourself. Ie. if you think everyone else is an asshole, it just might be you.
- Because we are all one, compassion and love become the highest principles.
Reaching Enlightenment doesn’t mean your soul shoots out of the top of your heart and you become omniscient. Enlightenment can help solve some of the toughest problems of life. But it is not a means of escape from life.
In reality, enlightenment brings you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with life.
Rather, Enlightenment means dropping into your body more completely. It means living life more fully, passionately and fearlessly.
Enlightenment isn’t about becoming omniscient and escaping life. It’s about living with verve and passion. Am I the only one that’s noticed people put Enlightenment above themselves, out of reach? What do you think, do people have the wrong idea about Enlightenment?
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Enlightenment is whatever you want to call it. Like every other concept in the book.
I certainly agree that the process of improving is more important than any state during.
Great article!
What you call enlightenment I have called detachment:
~ Alex
Jarrod is right. Enlightenment means different things to different people. But one thing is for sure and you are right to point it out, enlightenment also means being able to deal with, and not escaping, everyday problems and the transcending of the ego.
I suppose we can talk about enlightenment as a mental concept like this, and then, as others have said, it can be anything you want it to be according to your experience of the term.
But there is also an experiential enlightenment or merging with the essence of existence. This event really does bestow gifts, it holds immense power, and it does relive suffering and confusion.
Words :-)
John
You really nailed all the stereotypes. I enjoyed your idea that enlightenment isn’t an escape from life and struggle, just from fear.
“It’s the realization that you are not a separate ego, you are the eternal, unbounded energy of the universe.”
I think there’s a big difference between mental knowledge and inner knowledge. I think a lot of people can accept the concept that everything is one, but they haven’t actually experienced oneness. While those people who manage to experience oneness still have everyday hassles, they perceive and react to these hassles in a way that is much different than those who haven’t experienced oneness.
I do agree that you should see enlightenment as something that can be achieved.
@ John: I think you really nailed it when you said mental concept. Enlightenment can mean anything. In the traditional sense, at least in the buddhist sense, it means to be awakened. To see clearly. I think the more clarity that is brought to Enlightenment, the less people will shy away from it.
@ Sara: Totally. Enlightenment can help you transcend fear and better deal with your troubles. But it won’t make them disappear.
@ Marelisa: I think that’s really the difference. Expecting Enlightenment, or spiritual attainment to take the struggles and pains of life away is seeking escape, not truth. =)
Enlightenment occurs when we experience all that it means to be human – joy, suffering, loss, love, pain, compassion etc. and are still able to achieve clarity and put life and its struggles in perspective.
@ Z: I think that’s a great point. It’s about integrating the positive and the negative experiences, not trying to trade one for the other.
Yes, we can be “enlightened” and still be human. We can perceive that we are one with all things and still misplace our car keys and be otherwise far less than perfect. Excellent post Jonathan!
Are those who write internet articles about being enlightened truly enlightened?
Hi John, your passion to bring ‘clarity’ to enlightenment is commendable!
An observation. In your statement “And while Enlightenment can do many things, there are some things it cannot do”, the “CANNOT” seems to be dangerous, and probably NOT accurate.
It contradicts your “Enlightenment CAN help solve some of the toughest problems of life.”
For example, breaking those self-limiting beliefs is actually EASIER. And, Enlightenment CAN make your husband less barbaric, or CAN lessen the wrath of your wife’s PMS.
I guess instead of “CANNOT”, you probably meant “MAY NOT”:-)
Though, I do get your message: “Enlightenment is NOT a panacea for their problems”.
Thanks for an “enlightening” post!
@ D: Who knows. You’d be surprised at how many Monks are online these days. =)
@ Ken: Totally. Enlightenment will not make you any less forgetful, or clumsy. It can make the experience more enjoyable though.
Finally, someone had the balls to write a quality article that made enlightenment seem normal and attainable. Most blog articles about enlightenment make it seem as if you need to be a superhuman to become enlightened OR when you do become enlightened, you instantly become an unapprochable, mythological creature that is psychic and has super powers…haha [maybe I went a little overboard]….
I really liked how you debunked some of the myths (i.e. wearing a “yin yang” necklace, etc.) I totally agree that the more people become open to the idea rather than shying away from it, the better.
Enlightenment can be a bitch. Here’s what I mean. Once there, one simply can’t go back to an ignorant state of being. It can be challenging to live in an enlightened state because we are then compelled to face our own bull and do something about it. Perhaps I’m not truly enlightened if I still struggle in this way?
I think you are correct in that most people’s understanding of enlightenment is “wrong view”–that realization and liberation will not necessarily solve worldly problems.
But I disagree that enlightenment is overrated, given that almost nobody is really going for it hardcore, practicing 2 or more hours a day of very concentrated Vipassana, going on 1, 2, and 3 month retreats or more, etc.
Very few people are awake, although there are more enlightened masters walking around (especially in Boulder) than I once realized.
I’m curious by what measure exactly you have deemed yourself enlightened? Have you had a stable realization of non-dual reality confirmed by a teacher in an established lineage? Have you mastered the 8 Shamatha Jhanas? Or are you using the term much more loosely to indicate something else?
Curiously yours,
~Duff
Jonathan, such an Enlightened perspective!! Christians believe that, not only was Jesus Christ enlightened, but, he was the Son of God. And in order to believe this, people removed Christ from the human experience of sex, marriage, procreation, lust and even being breastfed as a baby! This correlates with your assertion that most believe being “Enlightened” is being “above” human experiential living!! However, one can only become Enlightened by moving thru the human experience, consciously. I would love to talk more on this subject! I am inspired by you!
I remember a zen student being told by a Roshi: I have haemorrhoids, these things don’t change.
Thanks for the awesome post Jon, it made me realise that I was already enlightened rather than chasing some impossible ideal.
Just giving up fear, hate, judgement and predjudice, feeling love and compassion for all others and bringing light and passion into the world is all it takes. Not to be some grand poobah on a mountain somewhere. :)
Thanks so much for that insight.
also for Duff: doesn’t having a measuring stick for enlightenment cause it to be created as an external ideal aside from yourself, which was the exact problem discussed by Jon? :P
@ 4 Mind 4 Life: Dude, I’m cracking up right now. You totally crushed everyones dreams that wanted to become a mythological enlightened dragon.
@ Tom: Yeah, it sucks doesn’t it? All in all, I don’t think I’d have it any other way though.
@ Duff: I think it’s a common misconception that you need to pursue enlightenment as a full time job. Enlightenment is something that you should seek with a fire under your belly, but it shouldn’t be an obsession. If that’s what you’ve made it, you’re missing the point.
There’s a good Koan that describes this:
The student asks the master how long it will take him to reach enlightenment if he practices meditation for 4 hours a day.
The master replies “10 years.”
Then the student asks him how long it will take if he meditates for 8 hours a day.
The master responds “20 years.”
The measure I suppose that I’ve deemed myself enlightened is that I perceive the true nature of reality, specifically being, the non-dual nature of reality. That is it. I don’t have a master of which I’m under tutelage. I don’t have any sort of identification with a particularly Monastery or Temple. After all, Buddhism is the religion of non-religion. I take that very seriously.
As far as measurement goes, our whole frustration is caused by maya. Maya meaning matter, meter, or measurement. We’re trying to compare, judge and measure that which is beyond measurement. There is no yardstick for Enlightenment, because reality itself is beyond measurement. =)
@ Michelle: You really nailed it with that one. Christians pedestalized Christ and said “Okay, you can be Enlightened. But that’s it. We can’t go around having everyone think that they’re the Son of God.”
@ Evan: Damn, that was priceless. Thank you, I’ll never forget that.
I got a tad disappointed when I read that “Reaching Enlightenment will not turn you into an invincible ball of energy high above the world and all its troubles.” :-)
You wrote a great explanation: “Enlightenment is understanding your true nature. It’s the realization that you are not a separate ego, you are the eternal, unbounded energy of the universe.” To me enlightenment has nothing to do with religion, you can reach it anyway.
There are a vast array of levels of enlightenment. The more enlightened one becomes, through conscious effort, the more one lives in bliss consciousness, seeing God in all souls, seeing God everywhere. Nothing can disturb there peace, once fully enlightened/realized.
Realizing God/Love in any situation, brings bliss.
And so we practice this.
Blessing’s of Peace…Love…Joy…And Infinite Abundance !!!****** =)
As someone who also writes about this enlightenment/awakening stuff, I found lots of head scratchers in your post. I think that, fundamentally, the thing that gives me pause is this statement:
“Your realization that everything is non-dual will not break all of the previous self-limiting and fear-based beliefs you have with yourself. Breaking those agreements will require hard work and perspiration to change.”
To be honest, this statement runs counter to my experience and that of others. When the realization of no-self dawns, not merely an intellectual understand, but a true realization, beliefs disappear. As Ramana Maharshi pointed out, the belief in a separate “me,” what he called the I-thought, is the root of all other beliefs. When it drops away, all beliefs are suspended. They might still arise, but they cannot be believed again. If they arise again, then the I-thought has returned.
To be awake, one would need to be free from the identification with belief. So, in a sense, the definition of enlightened would be “free from believing any thought.” So, I would have to disagree with your statement.
I think the key word here is realization. What you describe in this post is, for me, more of an intellectual understanding which isn’t a realization. That’s how it appears to me.
That said, I have to agree with much of what you say elsewhere in the post. Enlightenment is, truly, no big deal and quite ordinary in a certain sense. But it does have incredible power to transform. But on its terms and by its agenda.
Tom,
Basically what I was trying to say is that their are ego-level agreements and beliefs you have and their are cosmic level beliefs (enlightenment level beliefs).
Changing fear-based and self-limiting beliefs on an egoic level can be helped with enlightenment. But it does not make them go away completely all at once. Those are deeply ingrained habitual beliefs that take time to change. Again, that’s on an egoic level. I think transcending the ego is important as well, and more merely identifying solely with the go. But you have to transcend and include the ego, not merely deny it.
I hope that clears things up a bit as to what I meant on that point. Perhaps I should have been a little clearer there. =)
Hi Jonathan. I’m a first time commenter and visitor. Nice to be here.
Like Tom, I also write on this subject. I find difficulty here with the language being used. Not necessarily due to any short-coming on your part, but it may be helpful to go into these things step by step.
Are there different kinds of beliefs, or is there just belief? What is a cosmic level? Isn’t the idea of cosmic levels as a different kind of belief still the movement of the ego decided what is what? One is not asking these questions in order to get an answer, but to unravel the statements. If there is truth, it will not come through the words, but when the words are seen through. Knowledge has nothing to do with what is being asked.
Are you saying that through enlightenment one can change their beliefs to non-fear based or non-self-limiting? If one is there, completely empty, is there a need to change anything?
Is there non fear based, or non self limiting? Or is the fact the fear or the belief or whatever it is?
Beliefs on an egoic level can be helped with enlightenment? So therefore, enlightenment itself is a movement of the ego? It is the ego that says, things should change, be different from what they are, etc. It is a movement of thought; a movement of the past. In enlightenment, is there a need for the past at all? Is there a need for change at all?
And if there is to be a change, who is the entity that is going to move to make the change?
I am not actually asking for the answers here. But can one see the questions here, sit with them, and go deeply into them without the conclusion of the self or the ego?
The only thing one can do is find out for themselves. If anyone wants to really go into these things, it is all so fascinating. Approach it with all of your vitality.
Thanks for such an interesting post, Jonathan.
Interesting article but I don’t consider it a very good example of what “enlightenment” means. You do make a number of valid points about the many misunderstandings about it, but go on to perpetuate others. For example, full enlightenment IS about becoming omniscient. Quite simply, you become knowledge itself.
It is true that anything you know about enlightenment is ALWAYS wrong because enlightenment has nothing to do with concepts. It is about being.
It’s very important to see enlightenment as a process, not a goal. It is a natural form of human development. As such, we go through a series of openings or awakenings in the process of enlightenment. A process that does NOT end. The very fact that you refer to enlightenment as “overrated” indicates that you are either not or are in the early “dry” stage. Some of your description is that of mental illumination (per your blog name) and detachment. These are symptoms of approaching waking, perhaps of jiva waking, but not a true awakening. True awakening has nothing to do with mind or experiences but is rather a becoming.
The way you use the word “ego” also implies this, but some use the term more loosely. The way it is typically understood, the ego dies in awakening as it is the mental idea of being separate. Certainly, as you observe there can be some trash to take out after the fact, but it simply needs to be seen. The identity does remain but gradually recedes into a less and less prominent role. A big hunk of it passes around the time of the second waking.
It’s true that an awake person still has an identity that still has a mundane life. There are still apparent problems. But that is from the perception of the unawake. For the fully awake, the perception of what is “happening” is completely different. All of it is happening inside a “dream” inside themselves. When you wake up from a dream, how big a problem do you find the events in your dream? This is such a minor part of the reality being experienced that flows with perfection and purpose.
You mention none of the freedom, bliss and peace of established first awakening. That alone makes concepts of enlightenment way under rated. You mention none of the heart process that follows that. And none of the Oneness that dawns in full enlightenment.
As Shankara said, you are selling a diamond for the price of spinach.
Certainly you are welcome to your opinion. But don’t sell yourself short. There is a LOT more to this than you describe. If you decide you’re “there”, you can get in the way of where it’s really going.
First awakening is pre-kindergarten in terms of understanding reality. Just the beginning.
@Tom V
It’s true that once you awake, you cannot go back. But the struggle some experience at first is temporary. A good teacher can help smooth the way.
Rather than saying not “truly”, perhaps just not fully. Be patient, the process can take time but it’s well worth it.
@Duff
There are a LOT more people awake now than there used to be and it’s accelerating. You noticed a bit of that in Boulder. It’s also worth observing that meditation will not bring you to enlightenment. It can help prepare the ground, but waking is a very different thing. It is the Self waking to Itself, not the individual doing anything. Often, the concepts around this can be the last barriers to being it. Waking is an allowing, not a doing.
@ Takuin: You’re absolutely right, a belief is a product of the ego. I should have been more clear when I stated “cosmic belief.” What I really meant was perceiving the true nature of reality. In other words, knowing.
In response to your second comment, I’d have to say that you are right again. In emptiness, there is no need for change. Everything is complete in no-thing.
But when we perceive that the dream is an illusion. Do we merely transcend the dream and stop dreaming? Absolutely not. We merely create a different kind of dream. We still have the ego, but we see beyond the ego. But the ego is still a vehicle for the creation of your personal dream and your personal story. It is in that non-identification, but still embracing your character in the dream, that you can change the beliefs of your character, the agreements that you have. In that sense, within the dream there are fear-based beliefs and self-limiting beliefs. All the while, knowing that this is a dream, you don’t react to these beliefs, you witness them and can change them at any time.
I could have gone into this more in depth in this article, but what I really wanted to focus on was being okay with talking about enlightenment, being okay with even saying you perceive the true nature of reality. It’s the whole taboo against knowing who you are that is the death of awakening. That’s what I was trying to bring perspective to here.
Thank you Takuin for your very thoughtful comments. It’s discussion like this that I live for. =)
@ Davidya: You are right, I think, in a sense. Enlightenment is about being omniscient, but perceiving the illusion of the dream, doesn’t make the dream go away. In that sense, you still accept your ego, your character if you will in the dream, but you don’t identify with it. What I meant about not being omniscient is that your avatar is not omniscient. The Self is however, fully omniscient.
You are absolutely right in your other points. Enlightenment in some senses is underrated. I merely wanted to point out the fact that enlightenment is not to be sought as an escape from life, as many seek.
I didn’t mean to sell a diamond for the price of spinach either. I could have spoken extensively about the transformation of consciousness and beauty that enlightenment brings. But that was not the purpose of this article, that is for another article. Also, I think others have fully covered this subject elsewhere. I don’t want to beat a dead horse.
What you said about the perception of problems is true. In a fully enlightened stage your see through knowledge (maya), you see through drama. You don’t react to it or identify with it. However, you can still choose to accept the role of a character (ego, avatar) within the dream and play the game of the dream. Play the game of a character with problems, troubles, joys, sorrow and bliss. Playing the game is what life is all about anyway, is it not? =)
Thank you for your wonderful comments Davidya.
Jonathan
Thank you for the well considered response. Also good to see your responses to Tom, Takuin, and some others earlier on. I hope your readers do read the comments as well to get a fuller picture around this huge subject. Really, its a bit of an art to blog about something so vast, abstract and foreign to many people.
The point you emphasized to Takuin was valid. There is a stigma to talking about it that clutters the airwaves. Partly this is it’s fundamental threat to the ego. And partly historic. Until recently, awakening was fairly rare and seemingly exotic. And comments such as Yogananda’s about anyone who says “I am awake probably isn’t” are almost a mantra in some circles.
I was “outed” unintentionally to a group of friends and the first response was the quote above. But the second person brought an openness and the resistance dissolved. Indeed, that openness lead her to awaken that evening.
People are awakening in much larger numbers now and gradually are finding ways to speak about it and become more open. Its as if they are coming out of the woodwork now. (laughs) Thats a good thing as its nice to have a support network when reality changes.
Another factor to note is that many people who awake reject the word enlightenment as a descriptor as it never has anything to do with the concepts the word carries with it.
I still consider the way you use the term “ego” to be sloppy. The egoic idea of separateness dies with awakening. The individual form remains, in the dream as you mention. Its increment of wholeness retains an identity for a time, then that dies with Unity. Then there is simply a personality or role in the drama. To use one word to cover all values of individual is to lead to misunderstandings and conflict with valuable teachings.
Perhaps other articles on your blog would satisfy more. This was simply the one that arose. It’s pretty funny to have you describe writing about the beauty of enlightenment as flogging a dead horse. (laughs) I also would not define Maya as knowledge. When sattva is enough, Mayas illusion is seen through and it becomes a ladder to knowing. But Maya remains the dream, a consequence of knowledge but not knowledge itself.
It also appears that your description of the dream to Takuin and myself is a little off. To me, playing the game is not what life is about. Rather it is about stepping out of the game and into reality. Letting the game take care of itself.
But you are brave to step out as you have. As we express through something like a public blog, our growth and process are displayed, our insights and blind spots. But that encourages others to come forward as well.
You said:
The measure I suppose that I’ve deemed myself enlightened is that I perceive the true nature of reality, specifically being, the non-dual nature of reality. That is it. I don’t have a master of which I’m under tutelage. I don’t have any sort of identification with a particularly Monastery or Temple. After all, Buddhism is the religion of non-religion. I take that very seriously.
That’s a great way to delude yourself. You might be seeing reality clearly, but you might also be completely full of shit. I speak from personal experience on this one.
Having a teacher or at least a sangha confirm your attainments can help you to keep from bullshitting yourself. There are many blind alleys on the path. I’m grateful for my sangha (literally “spiritual friends”) who have kept me from developing a too large spiritual ego, and for pointing me in the right direction when I got lost and thought I was “done.”
Yes, Buddhism is a practice, not merely blind faith (or at least that’s how I think it should be). But that doesn’t mean realization lacks intersubjective truth that can be objectively verified.
I recommend checking your attainments and experiences against an accessible enlightened master, e.g. Daniel Ingram (http://interactivebuddha.com) before claiming total realization publicly.
You also said:
As far as measurement goes, our whole frustration is caused by maya. Maya meaning matter, meter, or measurement. We’re trying to compare, judge and measure that which is beyond measurement. There is no yardstick for Enlightenment, because reality itself is beyond measurement. =)
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that if we are craving something that is not present or averse to our current experience, this is the source of suffering No, in the sense that there are lots of helpful yardsticks for enlightenment. One shouldn’t be obsessed with enlightment, yet you can get really far with obsession, and most people’s problem isn’t obsession, it’s not giving enough effort and discipline. Most people I know don’t believe anything resembling enlightenment is possible for them, so they don’t practice (formally or informally) at all.
Once again, I must insist that enlightenment is NOT overrated–it is highly underrated and thought to be impractical or unimportant by nearly everyone, and I believe complete realization of one’s true nature is one of the most important things one can do in a lifetime (and it is attainable by many more than we realize).
@Duff…. Fantastic comment. I couldn’t agree more that for most people, “enlightenment” is under-rated. So many people in the spiritual world are so content to dabble, to play around, to get a little goody here or a little feel good something there. But enlightenment? Impossible, they say.
But then you bump into an Adyashanti, who likes to say, “I invite you take the idea of awakening in this life time seriously.” And I take it very seriously. What’s the point of the whole spiritual thing if not awakening? None that I can see. Because no feel good trinket will ever compare.
@Tom As a self-confessed dabbler at times, I totally agree with the sentiment that really going for full awakening is under-emphasized, excpet for a few shining lights like Adyashanti. Even amongst western teachers and spiritual communities, few will talk of their attainments and encourage others to really go for it. There is too much emphasis on 1-minute enlightenment, “enlightenment for busy people,” and so on.
Jonathan has a point in that one can also overemphasize awakening. When you wake up, you wake up to your life and the world exactly as it is, nothing special. But it’s still paradoxically the most important thing you can do, in my opinion.
@Davida: I think you’re right on my sloppy use of the term ego. I basically meant that to be termed your character, or avatar within the dream.
@Duff: I kind of see your point about verifying your awakening. But to me, that’s essentially just another part of consciousness echoing your confirmation. I already hear that echo. I also wasn’t trying to be vain or self-centered when I publicly claimed enlightenment. I just wanted to show other people that you can talk about it.
“Value truth and reality over appearance and opinion”
Rudolf Steiner
Great article and very liberating too. Many people associate enlightenment with perfection or superiority and believe that they would be problem-free if enlightened. I used to be one of these people and still am on certain days.
Personally, I believe there may even be more “struggles” on this path, it’s just our attitude towards them that changes. This is definitely the path for avoiding life.
In love, light and abundance x x x
Right now it is raining outside here where I live but the sun is shining through the rain, so I can see each drop clearly, and I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.
If I want to go outside and get amongst it then the sun will continue to warm my face, but the rain will get me all wet (just like it would if the sun wasn’t shining).
Oh, and come to think of it, the cool of the rain will probably negate the warmth of the sun … And I might have to squint … But anyway …
Just trying to put a poetic spin on the post, which I agree with. Go the ordinary enlightenment and don’t take it all too seriously folks! Heads have been known to disappear up-
let me ask you a question. if you pinch your self, do you feel pain?
if yes you are not enlightened, if no then you maybe right.What enlightenment in Buddhism refers to is the complete understanding of the self notion. we do so much in the interest of ourselves all the while not quite knowing what self is.lol. even something as moving your thumb cannot be claimed as self. when I move my thumb I can move it, but I have no awareness of the processes that took place.
all the complexities of the muscles, blood cells and mitochondria are controlled by processes, independent of what I experience as self. It’s like there’s a batch file, in my brain for motion and I just click it. same goes for emotions, motives and desires! but even when I know how limited freewill is, I still can’t break through the idea of the self notion. and this attachment to independent processes cause much suffering. enlightenment is a goal which hopes to solve this by gaining the complete understanding of the self notion. and I’m sorry but you do not sound like such a being.
Hi, my name is Stillborn and “I am†“Enlightenedâ€. And umm, I’ve been this way for like….EVER!!!! Much appreciation for the open discussion but it should be recognized that this (blog, essay, discussion) is nothing more than the very subject of discussion. How hilariously ironic, all this back and forth presumably to dispel the ignorance which presumably prevents the realization of “ones” “enlightenment”. The only bit of accuracy to be gathered here is that “there is no such thing as enlightenment”! The rest is just superfluous mentation in wonderland by conceived individuals looking to conceive ways of reconciling with their conceptions. If there is an enlightened one here “experiencing the oneness” then surely he knows that there is no one of thing for all this “discussion” about “enlightenment” to apply to!!
with umbral luminance
stillborn
for further discussion you can email his enlightenedness at johnnyglideright@gmail.com
I have some diagreement with the author. Often we progress in our self development far enough that we begin to think that we are “enlightened” like Jesus, or Buddha or Krishna. But we are not there, yet.
It’s one thing to “think” that we are enlightened and another to “know” that we are or to Live enlightenment.
One of the things that Enlightenment implies is that you have truly transcenceded your Subconscious beliefs – in fact, you have no Unconscious beliefs. And once you have achieved that state they either don’t form or they dissolve quickly. This is one of the key points on which I disagree.
Sure you will have Conscious Beliefs that you form because we need them to function in the world.
Enlightenment also means that you will have “answers” to the following questions, and more questions like them. To the point where you have no need to ask these questions. Not intellectual answers but a deep knowing of the anwers:
- How is it possible for the One to exist without there being Another?
- What was there before the big bang? If there was Nothing, how did Everything come out of Nothing? If Everything came out of nothing, how could Nothing be Everything?
- Why do we exist? Is it possible not to exist? What is existence?
In the end, the Enlightened Ones have to live with the fact that language, even thought, cannot explain the Turths that they Know. Because thoughts exist only in the Dual Universe, not in the Oneness where the truths come from. They can only Live that truth.
This is why the Enlightened Ones don’t talk much about enlightenment. It’s not something to talk about. It’s there to live. You can try, but never will be able fully explain yourself.
And they don’t feel the frustration of not being able to express the Truths they know. :-)
The enlightenment that’s being referred to here is more like constantly living in the Present – called Samadhi is Sanskrit. Or being permanently in a transcendant (meditative) state, for example. This is a skill and the more we stay in that state, the more joy we feel. The more connected we become to the One. The more One we become, that is.
Yet, this is a practice on the way to Enlightenment, not Enlightenment itself.
You might find the qualities ‘Beyond Enlightenment’ of my site of value. People sometimes get caught in a position of awareness or a God realm. This of course is a state of being more awake; like dreaming with the light on . . .
Being one thing or in a condition, even a condition of being ‘awake’ may entail some notion of difference or attainment.
Just came across this one, but this is a great post Jonathan!
Your discussion of enlightenment here makes me think in the following terms: life is a series of decisions between fear and love. This is something I struggle a tremendous amount with—I want to choose love, but I know I act out of fear very frequently. I’m currently reading the book Love is Letting Go of Fear by Jerry Jampolsky, which is a great document that puts the fear versus love concept in simple terms.
Thanks again for sharing your insights, as usual.
While it was amusing in the beginning to hear an “I” claiming to be enlightened, the post itself was bang-on fantastic. It is so true that people have a lot of misperceptions about what enlightenment is and what it isn’t. There’s also this idea, like you said, that enlightenment is some far off difficult to attain state, when it’s simply the realization of your natural state, of who you truly are, and who you were this whole time.
The idea of attaining enlightenment reminds me of people who try to get into the Now moment… WHILE they’re already in the Now. =)
But yeah, the realizations that you mentioned are some of the main realizations that occur. Not just intellectual beliefs, but somehow a deep knowing, almost on a soul level, that the universe is the way it is. It’s stunningly apparent upon awakening.
Ariel
An excellent post. Dont take it seriously peeps for your own good.
You just see reality for what it is. A brand new you in a brand new world , but nothing really has changed in the outside.
I must add,its the universe getting conscious of itself. After all those crying and sufferings (in my case), the knowing is that it is as if it wasnt even you who was going through that. Very mind blowing, yet it seems like its nothing also. I agree 100% with the post.
I couldn’t disagree more. There is a difference between knowing the truth and seeing the truth. You can’t break the cycle of death and rebirth from simply understanding, you can only break it by becoming truly enlightened.
Those who know, do not talk about it.
Those talk about it, do not know.
Awesome article!!!
I would love to read more of your writing!
I am enlightened by the Sun.
There are different levels of enlightenment. Once you have crossed that barrier, it’s as if you open a door to a whole new “reality”, dimension, whatever you want to call it.
It is definitely very easy to fall back to previous challenges ( Your mind breaking the peace, being affected by the world around in a positive or negative way).
This is when different practices come into place. First you will have the practice (as the actual techniques, exercises…Yoga meditation…), then you will have the practice that can happen every second in your life. At work, at home, on the street, with friends, with your lovers…
The more you distance yourself from your mind, the clearer the picture gets, the more energy you get that isn’t wasted in redundant thought processes, thus the deeper the level of your enlightenment.
But it does take a lot of work. And being conscious about your emotions, your thoughts, your feelings…
Cheers ;)
When I read this, I felt for the first time, “Oh, my! Another part of myself has also discovered these things!” And I felt so hopeful that maybe more and more people will “wake up”.
A question I have for you – and maybe you’ve already answered it, but I haven’t read it yet
- is this: Is Enlightenment a fixed state that you never leave once achieved, or can you experience it in fits-and-starts at first, which is, what I think is happening with me.
I’m new to this.
I also noticed that you’re reading Everyday Raw, which I also own. I’m about 80% raw for about 9 months now.
Thank you very much for posting you experience and insight. I loved how you chose to bring out the point that enlightenment is everyone’s equally! I also liked how you described the compassion of a non-dual nature.
One thing I would like to gain clarity on, is language. I feel there is a difference between being enlightened and having realized the Self, your Essence. I feel when someone takes their knowledge of the Self and applies all that efficiency. They gain enough rest in the nervous system to live in the Self 24 hours a day. This person would witness sleep and dreams because the nervous system is functioning so efficiently (they become enlightened 24/7) never shaken out of This Reality.
When one is functioning from this place they are content in a way this world cannot touch. This person is in bliss from the simplest of things, therefore they make better decisions and would probably not feel the need to buy some crazy T.V. or miss their mortgage for that reason. I believe that in this state all these “problems” you talked about above would slowly cease. Your “karma” (if you will) would evaporate and one would be open to create from a place of all-possibilities.
Enlightenment is enjoying all this dynamism from a place that is everpresent, non-judging and full of color and vivid wordlessness that does not sleep. Pure Intelligence as an all-time experience is not overrated, however this experience is rare. If someone has experienced “enlightenment” and they feel it is overrated I encourage them to break their own boundaries and push the envelope of their capacity. Do not settle. Opposite from a world of rationale, boundaries, definition and intellect is a world of heart a world of imagination and wonder. When we learn to operate from our place of infinite intelligence and not constantly react to the world around us, a whole new dimension opens to us!
Really, thank you for being a catalyst for a growing awareness!!
Eric Carter
Thanks for your view of enlightenment. I didnt wanna read it and started reading it with a, sort of, pissy attitude just because of the thread name, Enlightenment is Overrated. But you hit the nail on the head. It is really cool to see a sort of cynical response to the steriotypical view of enlightenment. It cant be found in a book, or set out of reach. The more you “want” it, the less you have it. No one can tell you what it is, or how to find it. it is what it is. nothing more nothing less. Thanks man.
I was once trapped in a cave for the better part of two days until rescuers managed to dig me out of the hole. And that’s all I really need to say.
I could say any number of ‘wise’ things, but this is all i want myself to say: “Stop trying, just do or don’t”
Who are you?
I don’t believe you’re enlightened.
I scratch the itch to feel as one.
The itch is gone as I am one.
This might also be of interest
Here is the link to “Christ Enlightened eBook:”
http://www.selfawarenessproducts.com/ChristEnlightenedEbook/ChristEnlightenedEbook.pdf
Here is the link to the “Intro to The Lost Teaching of Jesus Course:”
http://www.selfawarenessproducts.com/LostTeachingsofJesusCourse/LostTeachingsofJesusIntro1.mp3