Enlightenment. What is it and how do we know when we have achieved it?

reply to post by SuperSpark

I was addressing narin, who is well able to interpolate any 'words.' They weren't meant for everybody, just him, sorry.

Funny, you were using words, too. In fact, I've noticed you using many words in your many posts, which I read (of course).

Beyond that, I agree with you. And Carlos stated if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

reply to post by SS,Naga


No he's not.

Hey for all you warm fuzzy new-age folks... SS,Naga and I are friends.... this is how even friends befriend each other in our World.


[edit on 13-1-2009 by SuperSpark]

[edit on 13-1-2009 by open_hand]

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander

Originally posted by Mr Green
Quite a scary prospect actually dont you think to be of pure conciousness.

Only to the ego. It is the natural state of consciousness itself, and scary would not apply at all to it. Not only because it is its (our) natural state, but because in that One there is no division/dualism, hence no fear.

Yes after writing this I also thought the same. You are right it is the ego that finds this a scary prospect. Mind blowing may be a better term to describe it in the reality we are in now, to suddenly feel absolute consciousness now to me would be very mind blowing simply because Im not ready for it. (or my ego isnt ready for it)

I think it would be an amazing state to feel if we were ready for it though. To be completely in our natural state of unconditional love within the light to me is what I strive to reach every day.

I found my answer to 'what is enlightenment' through meditation. I did experence the oneness for just a few seconds. If you want your answer then I suggest you meditate and find that answer and you wll know it when it happens, believe me. You will not find it here on this this thread, no one can find it but you. Find a meditation you like and meditate twice a day, once in the morning before breakfast for no less than 20 min. and once in the evening before you eat dinner for no less than 20 min.. I usually shower before each meditation session, it helps me get very relaxed which is the key before you start the actual meditation process. Hope this helps. This is just a general comment to this thread. It is not directed to any one person.

Originally posted by dowser
I found my answer to 'what is enlightenment' through meditation. I did experence the oneness for just a few seconds.

Yes it only seems to come to us for seconds, but those seconds are enough to change our understanding of who we are and somehow start a chain reaction deep within us that changes our lives forever. I dont think we are enlightened from having these moments of oneness but they show us what is beyond. Beyond but also within.

a super-conscious mind,

one might achieve that state via experiencing 'everything'
(most likely via many incarnations)
by having experienced everything one lives their life in the state of synchronicity...
knowledge that all the fabric of time-space is intertwined
or woven into every other person, place, thing, past-present-future.

that is enlightenment

Enlightenment to me, is the application of tolerance and acceptance to all aspects of life, both personally and generally speaking.

For me it started 15 years ago when I have been hurt very bad by my flaming love. Since then I was on the search for a real soul healing. This lead to a two decade long search for healing which I have found last year. I have been to Peru to a retreat center to sit with a shaman and do several Ayahuasca ceremonies. After coming back from that I had four ceremonies with a mushroom which did the trick.
I have forgiven myself, I stopped suffering, I challenged my fear of death by coming close to death (or at least I thought so..) and I have made contact to my higher self.
Last year it was the most profound year for me ever and I doubt ever topping that. It brought big changes to my live in any situation.
I would not dare to say I am enlightened but I got an idea of it. It is a point when you completely love yourself, forgive yourself and realize that we all are part of god, that god lies within yourself and that your consciousness doesn't die. Once you have realized that you loose any fear of death, you let loose. Your ego evaporates into nothing and you loose everything while you gain everything.
Once there, there is nothing you fear anymore, you are beginning to understand the concept of good and evil and you see the deceptions of this wold very clear. You start to find the real truth of the story which is real interesting but painful. You realize how the organized religion systems work, how government works and all the other evil dark forces. You are not accepting the matrix any more, you start to ask the right questions.
A "problem" that I have encountered is the fact that in this process you loose most of earthly desires, material wishes or wealth longing and things like that. This is very hard if you stay in your everyday society but at the same time maintaining a workable standard. You unconditioned yourself and you become the worst consumer possible.
I came very close to the point to consider leaving for Tibet and becoming a monk for the rest of my live ...

Originally posted by narin
reply to post by SS,Naga

 

I must defend Cannabis, because I truly believe, as Rick Strassman (Stanford U, PHD) would put it, plants are not the only path but they are the most efficient. Mama Indica has taught me how to marry the duality in my soul and I am a male but has become much more androgynous since opening up my heart to the spiritual world. I believe this is why prior to christianity, most cannabis related sects paid reverence to a divinine feminist form/goddess, because they were merely mirroring their soul. I am the alpha and the omega.

Similar to its use in the spiritual techniques of India, medieval European occult and alchemical masters used cannabis to aid in the "Marriage of the Sun and Moon" in the individual. The Sun and Moon represent the masculine and feminine aspects of the self.

Tantrik, Zoroastrian, Gnostic, Alchemical and occult literature all refer to "marrying your Goddess", which means connecting an individual's feminine and masculine aspects together into a unified force. This theme appears over and over again in medieval occult literature. Even the Gnostic Jesus states "when you make the male and female one and the same? then you will enter the kingdom." (Gospel of Thomas)

My uncle has said that ever since he started using cannabis, he has been having sex with a woman at night who, in the morning would leave marks on his back. Like serious sex, and he hasn't had sex with her since he was in his teens (I believe this is a reawakening of his pineal gland after laying dormant for so long). This woman exists on another plain, he says, and I believe him because it is absolutely logical and perhaps was the foundation set for the worship of a woman in prechristian era.

I also believe in the potential this plant has for the benefit of mankind. The healing of the nations. Popular Mechanics Billion Dollar Cash Crop of 1938. I would ultimately give my life in order to wake humanity up to the truth of this plant. It is needed now, to combat alzheimers and help us all in this time of need. If you want to live in your youth well beyond its years. Smoke pot (or annoint your third eye with condensed pot oil, its all a matter of availability), exercise and listen to the solfeggio frequencies. Trust me, you can bring out the beauty of your body. My uncle is 40 and he looks like he is 25, not one grey hair on his head. I introduced him to pot this summer, as we hung out a lot together. He says he's never been in such a healthy state in his ENTIRE life. And he's undergoing intense spiritual transformation also. He works out 2 hours a day in the morning (and not before puffing the laughing gas) because while he works out, he is in an intense thought filled trance and he does not even notice his body after a while.

This is the magic of enlightenment.

[edit on 06/17/08 by narin]

Hi Narin!

I understand most of what you are saying, i have two IBOGAINE travels and i beleive something woke me up to a "begginers" level.
Now i have a question to you (and all others): what do you think of water revitalization? Biophoton enhacement, dna activation throu this waters?

My idea is that revilalized water will help the Solfeggio frequencies a lot..right or wrong? Any better methods?

regards
gusan

Originally posted by HunkaHunka
Before Enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After Enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.

'A Zen Master was troubled by depression before he was Enlightened. He was asked if his depression had disappeared. He replied, 'Before Enlightenment, I was depressed. After Enlightenment, I am still depressed.' 'So, what has changed?' queried the student. The Master answered, 'I now look at depression differently!'"

That is a very powerful mesage in my opinion, and I glad you brough it up.
I will list a few more take the quotes anyway you want.

"A disciple said to him, "I am ready, in the quest for God, to give up anything: wealth, friends, family, country, life itself. What else can a person give up?"
The Master calmly replied, "One's beliefs about God."

"I'm going to write a book someday and the title will be I'm an Ass, You're an Ass. That's the most liberating, wonderful thing in the world, when you openly admit you're an ass. It's wonderful. When people tell me, "You're wrong." I say, "What can you expect of an ass?"

"To a disciple who was forever complaining about others the Master said, "If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth."

"You've got to drop something. You've got to drop illusions. You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something. Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings."

I don't think I need to comment on them quotes, they speak for themselves

I have just been made redundant today due to the downturn the company I was in is facing, normally in this position I would have been upset and angry looking for somebody to blame. I really thought I was going to break down get upset then started my ranting saying “This is wrong, it should have been somebody else” Do you know what I said?

I totally understand, there are people out there with children and mortgages who depend on this job to survive. They say when you lose everything, you have everything gain. It was like a light bulb moment but deep from within, I sat there in amazement as my attachments faded; my job, my friends, my appreciation from others, yup I was attached to somebody saying “He is a good worker” it made me feel like I was needed. There are a lot of people I will miss, but they are not gone “Don’t cry because it’s over, Smile because it happened”

I have a car to pay for “This isn’t my life” I have a phone contract to pay for “This isn’t my life” I have other pleasures I need to pay for “This also isn’t my life” Everything I thought I needed doesn’t matter anymore because I cannot find happiness in them, attachments are not eternal. “I” am this is an astonishing wake up call for me; I do not know what will happen from here. What I do know is I have no problems in the “Now” I have no problems at this present moment.

Times are going to be hard, maybe but does that mean I have to punish myself too. I know things will be difficult, I also know I have it easy in comparison to other people around the world. Don’t worry I am in no way feeling depressed, upset, angry so I don’t want any comments like “Aww unlucky pal” as it’s quite the opposite. I know sounds bizarre hey?


P81

Originally posted by psycho81

Originally posted by HunkaHunka


"To a disciple who was forever complaining about others the Master said, "If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth."

I like this one very much thank you. Not much more you can say about it it speaks for itself.

reply to post by psycho81


Good to hear you are staying in the moment psycho. It does seem we are often the most awake when in crisis, or when things are going really good.

Originally posted by psycho81
I have just been made redundant today due to the downturn the company I was in is facing,



I have a car to pay for “This isn’t my life” I have a phone contract to pay for “This isn’t my life” I have other pleasures I need to pay for “This also isn’t my life” Everything I thought I needed doesn’t matter anymore because I cannot find happiness in them, attachments are not eternal. “I” am this is an astonishing wake up call for me; I do not know what will happen from here. What I do know is I have no problems in the “Now” I have no problems at this present moment.

Im very sorry to hear this P81. It sounds like it came out of the blue too.

From your post above it sounds like you have the complete correct state of mind to deal with this very life changing event.

I wish you every luck in finding your new direction in life. What ever comes your way Im sure you will do very well in it.

Yes complaining always amuses me; we complain about something and then punish ourselves for it. Complaining is none action, it’s resistance to bettering the situation. How many times has somebody said something negative to you and you react to it something like this “How dare this person say this about me, this has made me so mad” then you sit back running scenario after scenario through your mind saying “I am so upset, I feel so angry because of them”

Guess what, it was you who upset and angered yourself, they said something “So what” does that mean you become what they said. I know I have done this, and I know others who have done this; it’s just I never noticed before. You can call “Me” what you want “I” knows different, “I” does not react “I” only observes “I” is conscious

Oh that sounded like I aimed it at you MG, I was in fact addressing complaining in general.



Is it normal to be this happy when you lose a job you love, oh well "I" am not complaining

reply to post by psycho81

Welcome to the Front Lines!

reply to post by Sonya610 & Mr Green


Thank you, I only have a little over basic skills "Fork Truck/Driving license/Warehouse" it may be hard to find a job due to the economy; I have always wanted to do some good in the world. I think I may sign up for a charity, if I need money I will sell some of my possessions that I no longer need. There is so much I look at now and think "WOW I thought that was going to make me happy” I want to make humanity happy, not myself. I want to inspire people to do the same, we all know we are facing many tough years ahead of us. This will make or break humanity; I feel it’s up to each and every one of us to make this a better place. We have had enough suffering, it’s time to use that suffering to progress into a better life.



[edit on 13-1-2009 by psycho81]

Originally posted by SS,Naga
reply to post by psycho81

 

Welcome to the Front Lines!

Side by side, we are all in this together. "One line, One life" no matter what color, religion or belief.


Edit: Going to be out for the night now, off to visit a friend back online tomorrow, nice talking peeps

[edit on 13-1-2009 by psycho81]

I do not think I could say it better than any of the other posters in this thread. And I won't, because right now I am quite cold and do not like typing when I am cold . I do not believe, however, that to become Enlightened requires crystals, or an ability to communicate with anyone else via mental waves. It simply is the absence of deep fear, of deep resentment, and even deep love. It is about a balance of emotions, something that has been laking in our human way of thought for thousands of years.

Now, when we -become- Enlightened, who knows what we will be able to do? But any "powers" will come after years and years of physical change accompanied by mental testing and prodding.

Don't over think something that is, at its core, very simple - my way of thinking on it