enlightenment... then what?

[Tarot]

Well phoeb once you reach cosmic consciousness in the not so distant future as you so modestly see it[] You will be able to do many things and one of them is assencion where you will be able to transend this dimension and reality and enter what could be called a Cosmic college of sorts where you will start to learn the basics of creation and what direction you will then wish to go in for instance classes such as "Guiding 101" or "Creation of Organic Life" etc.... But the classes are long and you will spend a minimum of 1,000 Earth years in this learning period but it's not anything like school on this plane. It is a period of Cosmic Ecstacy filled with beautifull beings and energy's many of which you will remember once your there from other lifetimes and places......Many Blessing's

Peace, Light & Love

We are the "Light", darkness is an Illusion!

[SilverSlider]

phobe,
Like you said different religions have different ideas about this and since I am currently reading a book about Zen I will give you the Zen interpretation of enlightenment.

"It is kind of a mystery that for people who have no experience of enlightenment, enlightenment is something wonderful. But if they attain it, it is nothing. But yet it is not nothing...So, if you continue this practice [of zazen], more and more you will acquire something - nothing special, but nevertheless something. You may say "universal nature" or "Buddha nature" or "enlightenment." You may call it by many names, but for the person who has it, it is nothing, and it is something." -Zen Mind, Beginners mind. Shunryu Suzuki.

In my opinion it's a little counter-intuitive. The author also mentions that intellectually understanding his words are hard and experiencing them is the best or something along those lines. I'm kind of doubting this is what you want to attain, but it's another viewpoint.

Brad

[beavis]

All those nothings and somethings need to be put into DIFFERENT CONTEXTS. To use them the same way is an attempt at confusion.

[TorosDead]

Life and the afterlife are a continuous learning experience.  The gaining of knowledge will never, EVER stop.  So after you learn how to become enlightened... you will begin to learn what it means to be enlightened, and strive for a new goal.  There won't be an end after you have reached your goal... everything we do is the beginning of something else.

[Hephaestus]

I think the question should be - once we reach the highest level of existance there is to attain, how will we survive without chocolate, ice cream, theme parks and the movies.

[Spirit_k9]

You have reaching cosmic consciousness on a timetable, that's funny...

I wouldn't worry about 'levels'. When you experience something it naturally will lead to more questions, you never run out of those. IMO, there is no 'ultimate' anything... even Spirit still advances and evolves.

Assigning the non physical to 'levels' is really counterproductive. Levels assume that beyond the physical, 'time' makes any difference to your path. It doesn't.  I think of the differences between states as different awarenesses rather than levels. It's more a matter of configuration - learning how to attain and use a configuration that will determine your present state of awareness.

Hope that makes sense....

[Adept_of_Light]

quote:Originally posted by phobe

I'm a young guy, but I've been practicing spiritually for quite a while now and its become a very realistic possibility to me that one day, in the next ten years or so I may well reach cosmic consciousness.

Excellent. Never lose that optimism!

quote:
But when I do, then what?

An old Bhuddhist saying...

"Before Enlightenment chop wood & carry water. After Enlightenment, chop wood & carry water" []

So long as you are here on this Earth, Earth duties must be attended to. But in all seriousness, once you are truly enlightenened this is not something you will ever need to ponder as you will already know the answer to this (and all other questions). So why concern yourself with this now?  Worry = Paying your debts before they're due!

quote:
I understand that in different spiritual systems, there exist many different levels that one can attain to. And I guess one might think that me having this thought isn't very spiritual of me but I think it's another step that once resolved, will take me a little higher.

All sincere questions regarding introspection are worth asking and even more so, worth resolving.

My best to you,
Adept of Light

[James S]

Hi Phobe,

I'll relay something of Robert Bruces that I read regarding Kundalini experiences -

RB spoke of raising his kundalini. Now without going into lengthy detail of exactly what this is or how it is achieved, it is basically the bodies major energy pathway that connects all the chakras and runs the lenght of the spine. When fully awakened a massive surge of energy will run it's length from bottom to top, open up through the crown chakra and basically take your consciousness along with it to a place where enlightenment is reached and thw knowledge of the universe is opened up to you.

Ok, sounds great! So what happens next? Typically you start forgetting all of that amazing cosmic knowledge as it leaks out of our somewhat inadequate brains over time. Reaching enlightenment only once is just a taste of what can be. The trick is then to do it again and again, and each time remember more. In the case of kundalini awakening though you have to be careful here as the body needs to learn how to cope with the energy surges, otherwise you can fry nerves.

Regards,
James.

[phobe]

hey guys! thanks for all the awesome replies. sooooo much good info!

yeah, one of the things i've sorta realized is the way people fall into their autopilot mode, and i was thinking, "what if all the knowledge i've gained from my practice just turned into another type of autopilot?" Just more brainless reactions to turn to when i'm lazy. That's kinda scary if its true. I think that might be a spin on what you were saying James, about forgetting all I'd learned. So what about a permanent level? Or is that "real" transcendence, whereas the others are just baby steps? I think it's a very natural thing for the human brain/mind to turn any ideology into an automatic thing -- no matter how unattached it is (to put it in Buddhist terms)...

Anyway thanks again. And, for the record, there's no timeline lol.[]

- phobe

[seansgriffin]

If you achieve enlightenment, then what's next would be helping others to also attain it.  There's a lot going on in this world and an enlightened being would be most beneficial right here where you are.  Never accept any plane or state of consciousness as final.  Don't seek to escape the world in some beautiful heaven, no matter how attractive.  It will eventually become a trap.  Liberation (as enlightenment implies freedom) cannot come from being attached to anything or anyone or any state of consciousness.  I hope this helps.

[Lynfer]

After enlightement and ascension you go beyond it. You reach group consciousness then unity consciousness. In enlightment one I believe will be 'walking between worlds'. This means you will be aware of being in the fourth or higher dimension at the same time aware of physical surroundings and activities.A way to enlightment can be achieved by the path of light and unconditional love or other paths which are both gentle and some violent. One can achieve group or unity consciousness through the merkaba techniques to which I have a great link if you would like more info. This (ascension,enlightment)can be achieved throught the path of light or dark. Then there are may more universes to help on their spiritual path if you choose.

[Tayesin]

Hi All,
I used to think that reaching Enlightenment was like getting a trophy, it would be something that you would always have.  Talk about being naieve !

Four years ago the Guides prepared me over a few months to raise the Kundalini to the third eye chakra.  It was an amazing opening to the christ consciousness, and caused me to be separated and spread throughout the Universe.  I knew the answers to all my questions before I could even formulate the questions.  I tested and tested the experience over and over and at no time was it apparent that I was not everywhere at the same moment.

During this experience I was united in totality with the primary higher-self guide, and still am.  Which makes it strange to ask 'him' questions when it is only my-self anyway !  I was given instruction by what I call the Creative Consciousness (some call it God) and discovered that I had become known throughout the Universe by the having of this marvellous experience.

When I returned the my Cave I found a huge circle of support from many entities, and was also able to investigate the 'Alien Ships' that had arrived at the same time !  I had a great time talking with them all and learning what they had come for.  Then of course it was time to return to the body.

The next morning I was to learn the most strange of all the lessons.  Even though I had the most amazing experience and was knowingly changed by it, not one single thing in the world had been changed !!!  This was the beginning of a new phase of learning.  Learning how to use the knowledge gained and the Kundalini power within me that I now had ready access to.  This might take the rest of my life to learn !

So basically, Enlightenment is only another beginning, and not at all like a trophy.  I am not always enlightened from that moment on, rather it is something that must be worked with in every moment in order to put it to service in the world.  And that my friends is the hardest part of the process.

Even the Enlightened are students !  

Our learning still goes on in the world, we are still very much human, we trip over, we fall down on the path.....we are no different to anyone else, we are human after all.  All that has changed for me is that I have a wider perception of what is, I can now see more clearly the bigger pictures, I get a lot more insights into things than I would sometimes like to and I am no longer afraid of the darkside as I learned during this experience that the Power of Love is our strongest weapon.  And I am still learning how to best use this wonderful and frightening Kundalini Power to be most effective in this world.

I hope that this sharing has helped to answer some of your questions Phobe. []

Love Always.[]

[phobe]

I was wondering if someone could provide some insight into a thought that has been rolling around in my head for a bit...

I'm a young guy, but I've been practicing spiritually for quite a while now and its become a very realistic possibility to me that one day, in the next ten years or so I may well reach cosmic consciousness. But when I do, then what? (I guess the topic heading is pretty self-explanatory [])

I understand that in different spiritual systems, there exist many different levels that one can attain to. And I guess one might think that me having this thought isn't very spiritual of me but I think it's another step that once resolved, will take me a little higher. There's no doubt in my mind that I'd rather live the life I do now, as opposed to a non-spiritual one so my question isn't so much whether I should just give up.

I should probably read "After Ecstacy, The Laundry" but I'm checking here first [].

Thanks!

[redcatherine]

I may well reach cosmic consciousness. But when I do, then what? [])Thanks!

there is an infinite amount to learn
you won't ever know it all
there is a predictable continuum though :
unawareness
awareness
intuition
precognitions recalling dreams
clairsentience
kundalini rising
healing self
opening to yahweh god aspect
as male godhead buddha krishna jesus allah father sky etc
ability to meditate -clairvoyance
clairaudience - recalling astral travel
healing others
channeling -travel to monadic plane
kundalini descending
opening to the shekinah goddess aspect
as quan yen tara gaia mother earth rhiannon kali etc
healing planet
using group merkaba and vortex
accessing alternate dimensions and
beyond what is called arcturus and pleaides
healing beyond our universe

but where do other siddhi powers fit in in this continuum i am not sure
like levitation and projection of higher self to others and materialisation

http://au.msnusers.com/AuntClairsParlorSpiritualReadingRoom/measuringyourprogress.msnw
Dr. Stone writes a lot on this
here is a link :
his charts at the bottom of the page
http://au.msnusers.com/AuntClairsParlorSpiritualReadingRoom/chakras.msnw
http://au.msnusers.com/AuntClairsParlorSpiritualReadingRoom/spiritualdevelopmentiv.msnw

also Dr.Stone's site
http://www.iamuniversity.org/
http://www.drjoshuadavidstone.com/fbooks.htm

[Nostic]

One thing to consider: time is a question for the dualistic mind. Enlightenment means transcending dualities. Then, past and future no longer becomes a concern. Each moment is bliss, so there is only NOW.
We think in terms of what will happen next because our NOW does not fulfill us. This is not the case for someone who has ascended.

[Nostic]

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Hi All,
I used to think that reaching Enlightenment was like getting a trophy, it would be something that you would always have.  Talk about being naieve !

Four years ago the Guides prepared me over a few months to raise the Kundalini to the third eye chakra.  It was an amazing opening to the christ consciousness, and caused me to be separated and spread throughout the Universe.  I knew the answers to all my questions before I could even formulate the questions.  I tested and tested the experience over and over and at no time was it apparent that I was not everywhere at the same moment.

During this experience I was united in totality with the primary higher-self guide, and still am.  Which makes it strange to ask 'him' questions when it is only my-self anyway !  I was given instruction by what I call the Creative Consciousness (some call it God) and discovered that I had become known throughout the Universe by the having of this marvellous experience.

When I returned the my Cave I found a huge circle of support from many entities, and was also able to investigate the 'Alien Ships' that had arrived at the same time !  I had a great time talking with them all and learning what they had come for.  Then of course it was time to return to the body.

The next morning I was to learn the most strange of all the lessons.  Even though I had the most amazing experience and was knowingly changed by it, not one single thing in the world had been changed !!!  This was the beginning of a new phase of learning.  Learning how to use the knowledge gained and the Kundalini power within me that I now had ready access to.  This might take the rest of my life to learn !

So basically, Enlightenment is only another beginning, and not at all like a trophy.  I am not always enlightened from that moment on, rather it is something that must be worked with in every moment in order to put it to service in the world.  And that my friends is the hardest part of the process.

Even the Enlightened are students !  

Our learning still goes on in the world, we are still very much human, we trip over, we fall down on the path.....we are no different to anyone else, we are human after all.  All that has changed for me is that I have a wider perception of what is, I can now see more clearly the bigger pictures, I get a lot more insights into things than I would sometimes like to and I am no longer afraid of the darkside as I learned during this experience that the Power of Love is our strongest weapon.  And I am still learning how to best use this wonderful and frightening Kundalini Power to be most effective in this world.

I hope that this sharing has helped to answer some of your questions Phobe. []

Love Always.[]

But there is a difference between having the experience once or twice, and living the experience forevermore, correct?

[redcatherine]

One thing to consider: time is a question for the dualistic mind. Enlightenment means transcending dualities. Then, past and future no longer become a concern. Each moment is bliss, so there is only NOW.
We think in terms of what will happen next because our NOW does not fulfill us. This is not the case for someone who has ascended.

I do not know enlightenment to be "achieved." I believe instead it is an ongoing journey of building up the light quotient and moving further away from the ego and stripping away more and more of the negativity of the human condition . After ascension comes avatar which is the coming down with the message or the descent to integrate the lessons of ascension into reality of the physical world and then to go up again and down again learning integrating and seeking more still . An ongoing process , the bliss is in the NOW and the journey and not going to and staying on the summit at  the top of the mountain .

As for transcending duality I feel that is unnecessary only realising the illusions is necessary. When we get to Shamballah we see there are dualities and polarities there.They don't disappear .We are to see them for what they are and not expect to see they don't exist . There is a Temple of time and routes to see the past and future so time does become linear again only navigatable with practice .

So beyond the truth lies illusion and beyond the illusion the perception of another altered truth . Like layers on an onion will we ever see the end or is it possible ?

[daem0n]

Silverslider
it is counter intuitive, but describes the experience precisely

spirit_k9
fits my experience

Adept_of light
body is not used to handling such amount of information (but it can be;)), also brain may not understand the answers, we are here to be limited, there is no sense in removing everything

Nostic
you dig deeper, you stay deeper

now is timeless, but life goes on

[Nostic]

One thing to consider: time is a question for the dualistic mind. Enlightenment means transcending dualities. Then, past and future no longer become a concern. Each moment is bliss, so there is only NOW.
We think in terms of what will happen next because our NOW does not fulfill us. This is not the case for someone who has ascended.

I do not know enlightenment to be "achieved." I believe instead it is an ongoing journey of building up the light quotient and moving further away from the ego and stripping away more and more of the negativity of the human condition . After ascension comes avatar which is the coming down with the message or the descent to integrate the lessons of ascension into reality of the physical world and then to go up again and down again learning integrating and seeking more still . An ongoing process , the bliss is in the NOW and the journey and not going to and staying on the summit at  the top of the mountain .

As for transcending duality I feel that is unnecessary only realising the illusions is necessary. When we get to Shamballah we see there are dualities and polarities there.They don't disappear .We are to see them for what they are and not expect to see they don't exist . There is a Temple of time and routes to see the past and future so time does become linear again only navigatable with practice .

So beyond the truth lies illusion and beyond the illusion the perception of another altered truth . Like layers on an onion will we ever see the end or is it possible ?

I really don't see any discord in the way that you and I look at enlightenment. You have your own particular way, and I have mine. Both are valid. This is just a part of our particular individuality's and preferences. Or to put it another way, the periphery (words used) may be a bit different, but what's inside (at the core) amounts to the same thing.

[Nostic]

To the statement "enlightenment is nothing to be achieved", I'd say, yes, you are correct!
To the statement "enlightenment is something to be achieved", I'd say, yes, you are correct!
Very much in the same way, often times you'll hear enlightenment described as feeling like you're nowhere. Other times you'll hear it described as feeling like you're everywhere.
Again, in the same way, there are teachers that will tell their students that in order to attain enlightenment, they have to do absolutely nothing. Then, there are those teachers that will give their students techniques.
And again, there are those teachers that will absolutely refuse the existence of God. And then there are those who will say that to achieve God is the goal.

Their followers then will argue amongst themselves into infinity, claiming that their teacher is correct, to the exclusion of all others.
Problem is, words and concepts are being used to describe that which goes beyond words and concepts. See, it's never the masters that will engage in the argument, it's those who are stuck in delusion that will.
There is no disagreement among the masters. It only looks that way to the dualistic mind.
All divine teachings are based on interpretation, and based on concepts that are appropriate for the student(s). Arguing interpretations will lead you in circles.
Never get too caught-up in the words and descriptions used to describe ultimate reality. Because anything that can be said about ultimate reality can be countered. All words can only touch the periphery.

[beavis]

phobe

And I guess one might think that me having this thought isn't very spiritual of me

It would be unspiritual to not want to know. Spirits are insanely logical sometimes. They're not always passive. When they think of something they want, they're very "intent" on getting it in the best possible way. Probably most spirits using Human bodies want what is after enlightenment and want to know exactly what it is.

Theres only 2 major options after gaining an "enlightened" amount of power. You can kill your body and be completely in what you now think of as your natural (and most fun) state, or you can stay on earth and use your powers to do what you think is best.

[You]

Enlightenment isn't just some bloody attainment, if it's anything it's a process, and when you get there you probably won't care about knowing 'then what'.

[beavis]

You think spirits dont care to know anything other than where they are now? They dont plan, just act on instinct?

[daem0n]

spirits aren't enlightened

enlightment is not removal of ego, for crying out loud

nostic
all of them are valid at the same time, that is why it is moving beyond duality, or rather some areas of dualistic thinking, it's whole map of things, not one point

[JAW]

I always find it odd that people who are enlightened will say how they found answers to questions and so on but then never go into specifics. Surely if theyre enlightened then they can teach us things theyve learnt from being in that state? Can anyone answer that one? (Im not trying to say people are lying or keeping things from non enlightened people)