is enlightenment possible in todays modern world?

[Enoch]

We are not an illusion we exist...just realize that everything around us (the world as we know it) is nothing like what we think...Including ourself.

[Lucid_Learner]

Definition for Illusion... A deceptive impression or appearance

Meaning that yes you are right but so am I.

[Enoch]

I do understand you. We are illusion to an extent...Because what we SEE is only part of the story. Most dont see the big picture. But as practitioners of the arts that is our job. To see through the veil of school and the lies.

[Tayesin]

Hi,
If we think about enlightenment as not having to be the way it has been portrayed to us by eastern mystics and cave dwellers, then it must be possible to be enlightened in any world.

Modern culture and it's overpowering pressures do have quite an impact on the enlightened beings among us. It does not provide food for the table in any family, well, maybe not all. Perhaps the concept we use to understand enlightenment needs some alterations?

Instead of seeing it as the means to ascension out of this world, we could perceive it as simply being able to open ourselves up to our own higher awareness levels (and therefore open to more light)with all the responsibilities that go with it, allowing us to perceive with clarity the higher or bigger pictures and also enabling us to share with others the means to enlightenment that worked for us.

Apart from that, putting food on the table, etc, is something that we all do no matter what culture we come from and how aware we are of the bigger pictures.  Personally, I think the aim of enlightenment in our culture is to open to those higher awareness levels and then find the way to be that Being in the here and now of our world.

Love Always.
Tay

[Enoch]

In the older cultures it was differant. Many time confronting the ego was not so hard. Determining karma levels was much easier. There was no where near the "evil" so near and present as now. Mind body and spirit must be a perfect pyramid. And now its so much fast food and materialism and wrong sex acts that spirit is lost to the overbearing manipulation of us through television, school, and of course governing policies. Trying to dwell on this plane and understand spirit is truly a worthy task. I applaud anyone that gives it an effort. I make it my life and can finally see how negative our spirit is affected by the above and other crap......We truly live in a wonderful world but its contents are fallen very far. 

[Lucid_Learner]

You are pretty wise Enoch, I enjoy reading your posts.  + Karma

I agree, most people are stuck in a state of denial also. If you mention what you think they just dismiss it and label you as insane. I think they are just ignorant though. One day everyone will see... one day.

I think 2012 will reunite us with our true nature, i'm not relying on it though.

[Enoch]

No...if that is the end that is prophesized than its going to be interesting long before than...anything that has been a mystery will no longer be. And that cannot help but have serious consequences..But the end has been expected sooo many times. I live just to enjoy helping people find spirit. If i can just help one person it was worth it. and certainly i am no guru but we help each other to learn no matter how far on the path or what has been obtained or indeed lost. Ahhh almost forgot..thank you for the words   

[Lucid_Learner]

Yes certainly the lead up to it will be an interesting, possibly frightening but overall an amazing time. We are lucky to be alive at such a time... maybe we won't by the time the day comes with religious tensions and such. I don't think it will be the end of the world, just the end of time as we know it. A new age, and who knows what it will be like. 

[WalkerInTheWoods]

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

[Lucid_Learner]

key words here being... "as we know it"

As soon as you mention a new age everyone starts panicing, thinking there all going to die or something. That could happen but theres no point jumping to conclusions as there is no right or wrong atm only theory.

[WindGod]

I have faith in the belief that living saints (having reached the highest level of consciousness, for example Christ) are here for all generations as teachers. They may not be well known, but are always present as God incarnate.

Will enlightenment magically sweep over all the inhabitants of the the physical earth someday? I don't think so.

That would be like giving PhDs to all the kids at the elementary school. The education system has a structure.

[astraluminated]

Actually the self is the spirit is the reflection of God the vader. Kundalini is the reflection in us of Goddes the Holy Mother, or the Holy Ghost as they refer to it in the bible. Ofcourse they will never say the Holy Ghost is a woman, because that would make the woman equall to man. stupid church.
However the Holy Ghost gave birth to our universe, just like everybody was born from a woman.
The Kundalini is the Divine feminine in all of us. It is by Her grace whe can have enlightenment. And it is for everybody, not just for mountain trekkers or cave dwellers.
You must not mistake the self for the ego. The self is the atma. the eternal witness, Shri Shiva. You see if you can percieve something, that means you are not that thing you are percieving. And if you percieve you self, that means that you are not the self, but rather the ego or intelect. But if you are the self, the spirit, which is the reflection of God, then you see everything else that you are not.

[Enoch]

The make up of the present self is ego. All knoted up and confused. It does not need eliminated as some would think. It needs balanced. The soul is free from all of it. But unfortunatly in this age so many know so little of the soul.