What is Enlightenment?

[Zentiger]

Hi All,

I decided to pose this question out of my own curiousity recently...
What is Enlightenment?

People always seem to talk about Enlightenment, but I have never seen anyone ask what It is.  To some extent it seems like we already know because there are certain people in life that we always say, "That person is Enlightened."  How do you know he/she is?

There just seems to be something about those people that speaks to you without words.  Even though we may be able to point it out when we sense it I ask this question because I would like to experience Enlightenment and not just talk about it - you know what I mean.

Oh... What is Enlightenment?

Namaste,
Zentiger

[atomvy]

Hi All,

I decided to pose this question out of my own curiousity recently...
What is Enlightenment?

People always seem to talk about Enlightenment, but I have never seen anyone ask what It is.  To some extent it seems like we already know because there are certain people in life that we always say, "That person is Enlightened."  How do you know he/she is?

There just seems to be something about those people that speaks to you without words.  Even though we may be able to point it out when we sense it I ask this question because I would like to experience Enlightenment and not just talk about it - you know what I mean.

Oh... What is Enlightenment?

Namaste,
Zentiger

i think its when you are able to turn of oyur desire to socialise because oyu feel lonely and turn of your internal voice and start listening to what oyu heart tells you when you have tuned in with the earth resonance

[Zentiger]

Hi Atomvy,

What about the resonance of the other planets?  Wouldn't we want to tune in to a resonance that is more universal and complete?  Maybe something like a Universal Life Force?

~Zentiger

[El-Bortukali]

for me,enlightment is complete,absolute,final death

[kiwibonga]

Enlightenment is the realization that the self is not limited, plain and simple.

I can't make it any clearer than this.

[El-Bortukali]

but i've realized that and no transcention to me

[PatternsComingToLife]

But since you asked, to me, it is when one takes control of their own mind - fully and completely. To become the "watcher" of the mind, not to identify with it any longer.

You are NOT your mind (in my opinion, of course.)

Happy trails,

Rob

[Zentiger]

Such good answers.  It is difficult for me to deal with these responses.  I do believe you are all right!  Just, how does one become aware of and accept the limitless being though?  This is a real struggle...

El-Bortukali says it is "final death" and in such a state of completeness would even death be non-existent?  No words can truthfully convey such a nameless truth of self.

It just dawned on me that what I am seeking could better be called self realization!  Sorry, just thinking out loud on that one.

Thank you all for your perspectives on Enlightenment.  Are there anymore?  It would be nice to truly understand this and become the master of our own Mind instead of slave to it.

Namaste,
Zentiger

[Tayesin]

What Enlightenment isn't.......................................

It's not a Trophy that you attain and always have thereafter.

It's not something that "makes" you more spiritual.

It's not only for Asiatic Gurus who choose to live alone in meditation caves.

It's not something that frees you from your 'baggage' or human conditioning.


What Enlightenment IS .................................................

The Knowing that you can open up to your own Higher Awareness levels beyond the Physical; beyond the Astral, and allow more Light to flow through you into the world.


What brings Enlightenment.................................................

Traditionally..........  Raising of the Kundalini to either the Brow or Crown Chakra, which then OPENS YOU UP to the experience of the Universe and knowing it all as ONE.


What effects does Enlightenment have ? ..............................

It changes you inside, yet touches nothing in the world around you. (it is up to you to touch the world)

It TESTS you constantly.

It forces you to Develop further so that you can 'handle' the immense energy (Power) that comes with Enlightenment.

The power can burn you out, fry your mind and a million other things if you are not able to master it for the benefit of Others (All Things).

It allows you to easily experience the highest awreness levels of your Self and Oversoul, and, beyond them.

It will alienate you from the rest of Western Society because it is not compatible with the way we live on this planet. Which is probably why the Enlightened have stayed in their meditation caves !

Would you want to go back to how you were before the Enlightenment experience? ...............................................

Never !!


Love Always.

[Ben K]

i would say enlightenment is being able to say "i am enlightened" and really believe it.

[El-Bortukali]

What Enlightenment isn't.......................................

It's not a Trophy that you attain and always have thereafter.

It's not something that "makes" you more spiritual.

It's not only for Asiatic Gurus who choose to live alone in meditation caves.

It's not something that frees you from your 'baggage' or human conditioning.


What Enlightenment IS .................................................

The Knowing that you can open up to your own Higher Awareness levels beyond the Physical; beyond the Astral, and allow more Light to flow through you into the world.


What brings Enlightenment.................................................

Traditionally..........  Raising of the Kundalini to either the Brow or Crown Chakra, which then OPENS YOU UP to the experience of the Universe and knowing it all as ONE.


What effects does Enlightenment have ? ..............................

It changes you inside, yet touches nothing in the world around you. (it is up to you to touch the world)

It TESTS you constantly.

It forces you to Develop further so that you can 'handle' the immense energy (Power) that comes with Enlightenment.

The power can burn you out, fry your mind and a million other things if you are not able to master it for the benefit of Others (All Things).

It allows you to easily experience the highest awreness levels of your Self and Oversoul, and, beyond them.

It will alienate you from the rest of Western Society because it is not compatible with the way we live on this planet. Which is probably why the Enlightened have stayed in their meditation caves !

Would you want to go back to how you were before the Enlightenment experience? ...............................................

Never !!


Love Always.

sometimes ignorance is bliss  


by the way,what kind of power are you talking about?
the power to destroy a world?
the power to create a perfect body out of nothing?
the power to give immortality to a  body?

[IequalMC2]

14:44

The Men in White flew me away
They Arrived on time the 11th of May
14:44 my leaving time check, Written
Like Music, Arriving Before... I left

Awoke within 28 Days, Overall Seven Days
Neither Warm or Cold, plus two Days Leave
Followed through the letters and to the Tee
In The Hollow of hands I came to be...

Ask the Ripples remember this! I come
Bearing gifts, a light and Shiny Abyss, written
As I seal With A Holy Kiss..!

Joyful, Out of all the Fishes! In all the seas! Never
Again Shall You Catch another Fish Like
Me!

[El-Bortukali]

and...your point is?

[IequalMC2]

point?

[El-Bortukali]

The reason for posting what you posted before,and what it's supposed to mean.

[MisterJingo]

"Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."  

- Wu Li

[El-Bortukali]

so there is no change.

[jimu]

Doesn't it seem like we already know?

That's the problem I think, we do know but we easily forget, from seeing things truly and without illusion where all is beautiful to forgetting and seeing in a way which makes you feel bad so that all you want is your own death which acts as the impetus to drive you back to that clarity, but to stabilize that clarity is difficult, our day to day lives take it away and we regress into a state where everything seems horrible.

[MisterJingo]

so there is no change.

As far as I know, Enlightenment is simply the observation and joy of moment-to-moment awareness. Being 'awake' in the 'NOW'. It's not a state which can be chased or gained, it just 'IS'.
I think over time people have turned the concept of enlightenment into a holy grail.

The quote from Wu Li (posted above) captures this.

[Stookie]

Most eastern religions speak of enlightenment as a realization. It has nothing to do with OBE's or Astral Projection. This realization has to come on it's own, no amount of meditation can bring it. And that realization is the simplest thing in man. It's so simple, it eludes us.

I don't think that this enlightenment is a holy grail. It's a given. It already exists for everyone. It's a realization of how things always have been, but we never "saw" it before. Your perception of the world goes back to an original basic that was lost by being born into the physical world.

Like MisterJingo said, life goes on as before. You just see it differently.

[MisterJingo]

I don't think that this enlightenment is a holy grail.

What I meant by this is that people have exagerated and added conjecture to what they percieve enlightenment to be. So now, to many people, enlightenment seems like a great prize after a long journy.

I agree with what you say though .

[painterhypnogirl]

I think enlightenment is very simple.  Turning a light on.  It's just remembering that we are God...that everything is God.  There is no separation.  One continuous energy that is divided only by illusion.  

Evolvement...now that's a different story.  Evolvement is the practice of putting your money where your mouth is.  Or, more simply, putting into practice the realization that we are not separate.  This involves learning, loving, forgiving, experiencing, and acting like we are One.  Much more difficult than enlightenment.

[El-Bortukali]

if we are Gods what powers do we have?

[Stookie]

I don't think that this enlightenment is a holy grail.

What I meant by this is that people have exagerated and added conjecture to what they percieve enlightenment to be. So now, to many people, enlightenment seems like a great prize after a long journy.

I agree with what you say though .

Yeah, we're on the same page, I'm agreeing I read once where realizing enlightenment is different for everyone. There may be a certain meditation or exercise that one person can focus on for a long time to trigger it, and with another person it may be as simple as sitting under a tree.

[El-Bortukali]

Do any of you believe that when we reach'Enlightenment' we gain the ability to destroy our soul?