Intellectual Saturation Point, a stage on the way to Enlightenment

I've found in my own path, and in that of man others, that there is a stage on the way of Enlightenment where your Intellect is fully mature and reaches a saturation point of knowledge. It is something I have come across the last few years.

The Intellect basically grows from when you are a child and matures, evolving as it gains, or soaks up like a sponge, new information. The search for new information eventually becomes an addiction and you become an addict to info of all sorts, news, philosophy, esotericism, metaphysics, science, books, etc. This can make you restless and lacking peace.

So one day you realize, you know pretty much all there is to know at a certain level. Sure there are tons of levels of mastery in various crafts, tons of books, subjects, etc, but for the most part, you simply begin to just Be, and rest, relax, surrender.

This Intellectual Saturation Point is actually quite freeing. You no longer need any more info. You don't need to seek more. To look, to search.

What's left is just enjoying life, the small things, appreciation of a nice day, a cup of joe in the a.m., a cool breeze on a hot day, a swim, friends, family, life.

I truly respect and appreciate this post. S&F

Searching endlessly certainly leads to being the weary kind.

I don't know that it has much to do with enlightenment, but people have varying needs to know, and ability to problem solve, imagine, intuit, etc.. We all develop differently, but I can relate to moving on from deep contemplation to appreciation of experience and application of knowledge. I was curious as a child, mellowed out, then got intensely curious for a second round in young adulthood. Now I'm mellowing out again.

Perhaps you have just reached another stage in your life where your need to know is satiated or at least not as pronounced?

I have found many milestones throughout my life and desire for many different experiences, but my thirst for knowledge is rarely depleted...

dominicus
This Intellectual Saturation Point is actually quite freeing. You no longer need any more info. You don't need to seek more. To look, to search.

My 'intellectual saturation point' would have to be the realization that information is infinite. The serenity lies not in the information I've accumulated, but in the fact that there will always be more to accumulate. Their is no destination, just the path. To walk the path knowing that it has no end, to walk it with no desire to find an end, and to walk it for the sake of walking it - that is Nirvana.

reply to post by dominicus


The greatest enlightenment is realizing enlightenment was never needed in the first place. Every sage returns from the mountains.

TheSubversiveOne
reply to post by dominicus

 

The greatest enlightenment is realizing enlightenment was never needed in the first place. Every sage returns from the mountains.

Well, could agree, but the journey still needs to be made for the above statement to carry any validity.

Regarding the "intellectual saturation" though, I disagree, no amount of intellectual saturation will bring you any closer to enlightenment, maybe snug answers that your intellect is happy with. Look at what happened to Nietzsche for instance. Only surrender to that which is not within the reach of intellect will bring about any change or hope of enlightenment.

TatTvamAsi

TheSubversiveOne
reply to post by dominicus

 

The greatest enlightenment is realizing enlightenment was never needed in the first place. Every sage returns from the mountains.

Well, could agree, but the journey still needs to be made for the above statement to carry any validity.

Regarding the "intellectual saturation" though, I disagree, no amount of intellectual saturation will bring you any closer to enlightenment, maybe snug answers that your intellect is happy with. Look at what happened to Nietzsche for instance. Only surrender to that which is not within the reach of intellect will bring about any change or hope of enlightenment.

Well, I feel what the difference between East & West is, is that East still has well formed Spirituality but not Intellect.

Whereas West has well formed Intellect, but no Spirituality.

However, it is vital to have a mature and well formed variety of aspects to bring about wholeness. If you have a matured, well formed, saturated Intellect, that that part of you is complete. Then you can work on other aspects like detachment, finding yourself, Love, Justice, Honesty, Courage, Being...etc

reply to post by dominicus


I'm sure intellect is not different in the east and west, only how it is used is different. In the west to pursue external appearances and knowledge, in the east the emphasis has been on spiritual development and wisdom that comes thereof.

The primordial mirror, when clean, will not distort anything, nor does it depend on anything, whether it is intellectual saturation or BS.