En"lighten"ment

Over the past year or so I've seen many threads that are basically selling "enlightenment"

Some of which even give the claim, by reading the contents of this thread you can reach "enlightenment" in this many months/days/years...

it seems the term is tossed around like a pigskin at a football game... each person selling their own version of it.

So I write this to give you "the reader" something to ponder...

The idea behind enlightenment seems to be attainment of knowledge... some AH HA! moment in which everything becomes clear... and this "clarity" effects the persons life in profound ways.

To discover this clarity one must read numerous texts from "intellectuals" from various religious perspectives, political ideologies, philosophy and perhaps even scientific hypothesis to get an overall view of the world and the reasons behind the state of the world and the complete mess it is in.

The individual then pushes their version of "enlightenment" on those around them, holding strong to their ideals and sometimes even managing to insult and degrade those who do not agree with their stance.

The "enlightened" individual seems to place a heavy burden on themselves trying to defend their position to those that will listen... many become bitter and hateful of the world and the people around them that disagree...

As the title of this thread suggests... enlightenment should "lighten" the load on a mans soul...

It should remove worry...

it should remove fear...

it should remove anger...

it should remove hatred...

these are things that I've rarely seen in those who lay claim to enlightenment these days...

The solution to this enigmatic puzzle is not found in a book... It is not found in looking to others

It is found within...

the light within is the path of en"lighten"ment... the eternal soul within all life

The part of each of us that does not know death... but lives on after the body fails.

That light that begs us to care for each other...

respect each other...

give to each other...

Forgive each other...

Love one another every day of our lives...

IF you practice these aspects of the human condition... you are the light of the world!

YOU are the enlightened...

So my dear friends... Lighten the burden on your soul...

Become enlightened...

Become love

I like your thread.

I would add -

Every person has their own path to walk. Some of us make it; some of us won't. However, what works for you or works for me will not be the same thing. Just like each of us is different, each of us lives a different life and different experience and walks a different road.

The most anyone can offer you is advice, but no one can show you the way. You have to find that on your own. It's your road to walk. Take it.

reply to post by Akragon


thats a very simple and clear cut way of putting it in my opinion. which is a good thing. i think the problem with most people is that they have overly strong emotional attachments to their own conceptual beliefs. So when a question is asked or an idea challenged they throw up a defense, not always a huge one, but i think it is the prospect of realizing that your own concepts and beliefs may possibly be wrong that really gets people going. We need to learn how to admit that we either are or may be wrong about any given thing and than move on.

Attainment of knowledge is much more efficiently achieved if one really keeps an open mind. I have noticed that a "hallmark" so to speak, of people that claim to be open minded but than end up having arguments or even fights rather than constructive discussion or debate, is that they themselves will verbally acknowledge to others that they have an open mind. I realize that this doesn't apply to everyone that says it but i have experienced it as a correlation in at least a handful of circumstances.


Another interesting theme that may be indirectly related to all of this is huburus. The pride in ones own beliefs. Sometimes people just aren't willing to give what they already believe to be truth in their own mind.

Great thread brother.

We all have the Light, it's just most of us have been blinded to it by the society that has been created around us that promotes sin and doing wrong. Money is at the heart of it, and those who control the money control the world for their own benefit, not ours.

Religion blinds us as well, when Jesus said that he was the Light of the world, he spoke for all of us, we only need to seek and we will find thst Light. Religion stops us from seeking with the threat of hell saying those who do not think like they say will burn or suffer for eternity.

The Light is within and without, the sun could be depicted as the "without" while the image created within your mind, the one you see, is the "within".

Gospel of Thomas
22. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, "These nursing babies are like those who enter the (Father's) kingdom."

They said to him, "Then shall we enter the (Father's) kingdom as babies?"

Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom]."

When you make the outer (the suns light) into the inner (the image you see) and vicer versa, then you will enter the kingdom. The Father (male/Spirit) and the Mother (female/Earth) must join or be "married" in order for a Son to be born. We are all the Son (image) of God and we are all in the kingdom already (though a bad corner of it) but most separate themselves from it because of outside influences who want to rule them.

Truly love others and you will become the Light of the world.

S&F

reply to post by victhebutcher


This is more about you than about beliefs. Belief is a part of it, but it's more about knowing yourself thoroughly, top to bottom, inside and out.

Love others as you love yourself, but you can't love yourself until you really know yourself.

And it's about knowing yourself in all ways - physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Why do you think the old martial arts guru is so often shown as the enlightened one? Part of it is because he knows his body and mind inside and out in order to do the things he does.

Once you know yourself, you become comfortable inside your own skin, find your own balance.

reply to post by ketsuko


Speaking of Thomas...

When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

Akragon
reply to post by ketsuko

 

Speaking of Thomas...

When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

And the poor shall always be with you.

Enlightment, in my own opinion, is being in a constant cyclical form(you'll feel your insides rotating). You'll notice the 'devil/or whatever you want to call them' casting her/his spell amongst the others. He/she will notice that you're able to notice her/him and attack you, but at enlightment that evil entity is no match for you. To be at that point your mind must be free of negative thoughts. At that point you're going to hate your technology. As you can tell, I lost that train of thought/maybe I was high ... If you take the time and meditate about the random things around you you'll be very aware of the satanic influences. That's when it unlocks, but it's literally a constant eternal battle. When I reflected this amongst my own family/people most don't believe me. This is all my own opinion/experience. Laugh at it if you want. Spreading happiness is positive energy.

I think this enlightenment thing is going to get out of hand... think of all the overall wealth that the middle-class are going to lose because of it world-wide. And think of all the families that are going to lose lineage. It's the perfect way to make a slave class.

A bait-and-switch: lighten the responsibilities but give the same quality of life, and then take away the quality of life, justifying it with the lightened responsibilities.

Bingo: slave class. And the wealthy got richer. Meanwhile, the previously developed countries of the world sink to new lows of corruption, totalitarianism and fear-based-policies.

Conspiracy angle.

reply to post by Akragon


Very good thread, S + F for you!

Enlightenment is something I would say very few people have ever obtained, they are people who's presence alone should humble you, they should speak nothing but impartial, non-offensive, calm wisdom (wisdom is not the same as intellect, although a mixture of the two can produce an amazing human being i.e. Einstein). Their words should spread knowledge which, once told, should make you think that it is so blatantly obviously true but has never been said out loud and should make you reflect on the way you act in life (in a positive way).

Just my opinion.

Metta ~

Exactly! There are plenty of times I want to say "hey you guys! Lighten up a bit, would ya!" And plenty of times I need to remind myself tolighten up.

When those self professed enlightenment gurus lash out like a cornered tiger when their beliefs are challenged, it doesn't make them seem very enlightened. An enlightened person should be able to remain cool calm and collective in all situations. That's not to say he or she never takes decisive action. But the Internet of course is a place for words, the real world is a place for action and words.

Anyway, lighten up you guys! Never take life too seriously. Nobody makes it out alive anyways!

reply to post by Akragon

yes in other words get rid of the en-heavy-mind or the mind that binds us. Its like the heaviest leach there is. Obsession with enlightenment becomes very heavy in deed.

ancientthunder
reply to post by Akragon

 

yes in other words get rid of the en-heavy-mind or the mind that binds us. Its like the heaviest leach there is. Obsession with enlightenment becomes very heavy in deed.

edit on 27-12-2013 by ancientthunder because: add las words

The en-heavy-mind may be the unmoulded ego or the not 'knowing yourself' scenario that does not allow the freedom of all the burdens mentioned above to free one to venture into the 'light'.

It's a paradox of the sorts.

Enlightenment is the realization that it is impossible to achieve fully fledged enlightenment.
To know is to realize we don't know.

We can know something, but not everything.
Always gonna miss something. It's our nature as mortals with limited perception.

A handful of wise friends have told me lately:
"Do what makes you happy and try to make others happy too".

It's simple and sweet and gets right to the point.

reply to post by Akragon


Thank you so much for this (un)reminder. The last few months have been tough, and suddenly it's all gone. Puff, transmuted to light.

Because its not anything you know, or understand, or learn or experience. It's the bit that shines like the sun when you think you face extinction and abandon all that sh!t.

Then the only thing you can do is laugh and dance and share and live and love and listen.

Radiance is.

reply to post by Akragon


Hi brother,

Nice post to end the year and start a new one
Agree.

Thanks! and Happy New Year

peace.

reply to post by Akragon

The idea behind enlightenment seems to be attainment of knowledge... some AH HA! moment in which everything becomes clear... and this "clarity" effects the persons life in profound ways.

To discover this clarity one must read numerous texts from "intellectuals" from various religious perspectives, political ideologies, philosophy and perhaps even scientific hypothesis to get an overall view of the world and the reasons behind the state of the world and the complete mess it is in.

Yup. This ^^
Relying on one point of view is counter-productive to growth, enlightenment, and attainment of knowledge.

Belated S/F, my dear friend! Happy New Year!!!!