What Does Enlightenment Mean to You, In Your Own Words?

[Joseph Maynor]

I want you to forget about the theory or what is kosher to say, and I want you to just center on you.  And after that I want you to write in your own words a response to the following:

Enlightenment is . . . .

DO NOT consider what other people will say about what you wrote.  Just let the heart move your pen and be a conduit for what comes out of your being.  Channel it for me.  Then we’ll take a look at what is there.

[Highest]

Self-realization which leads to God-realization. God-realization is the highest state of consciousness - Meher baba.

[jse]

32 minutes ago, Joseph Maynor said:

Enlightenment is . . . .

... the delusion that self can transcend itself, by itself, as itself.

 

[Guest Annetta]

Enlightenment is...

Being in the moment without the weight of emotions and thoughts generated from focusing on the past and future, and not letting them dictate your actions.

[Pallero]

Enlightenment is deep peace with everything that exists, profound savouring of everything and anything that is there in the present moment, joy from whatever you see, hear or feel. Enlightenment is realization that there is nothing besides you in existence. The words "you" and "I" change meaning. Enlightenment is equally unattached observation of everything in the present moment. Things that have previously been important cease to be important and at the same time become the most important thing in the world, but now they are not important because it's scary or dangerous to lose them. They are important because they're precious and wonderful and amazing and magical. A thought is magical. A sight, a sound, a feeling - all magical. All important. All the limits fall away in enlightenment. Everything becomes open, limitless and possible.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Pallero
typo

[snowleopard]

Enlightenment is a 13 letter word.

[Monkey-man]

i think its only about 1 thing

which is being in natural state of being, which all animals and babies are, nondual perception. only difference from animals is that we can be conscious of it. and true nature is:

a) u no longer suffer coz nature didn't design us to suffer. negative emotions are needed to survive, not to make u suffer (die).

b) complete and whole. you finally feel complete and can simply be

c) u r complete, so your being is meaningful itself. u no longer need to find absolute meaning for life. life is meaning for itself.

d) connection to god, reality, other beings. so u start feeling that u r not lonely, and that life is sacred, and start to feel good (god)

e) realizing that you exist (I AM (c) jesus), 

i don't buy realization of non-existence, i think its 180 degrees opposiite. ppl in dual state think that they lack existence coz they aren't complete and not in true nature. so they feel holes and feel that they lack something to be important enough for this world.

i think we in duality because of self-awareness. but we are not supposed to be in duality. we have to be in natural state. correct me if im wrong.

[Nahm]

Seeing what is real.

[David_eh]

Cold definition:

The conceptual opposite of being in the dark.

Sometimes used as a synonym for being completely aware and awake.

 

[pluto]

When you feel completely free, at home and at peace everywhere in any situation.

 

Edited January 3, 2018 by pluto

[krazzer]

Pure awesomeness

[njuufa]

Ability to make a leap into being. 

[Telepresent]

Whatever remains when all the semiotic-conceptualized-meaning-belief is recognised in full

[Dodo]

Enlightenment is the recognition of the smooth continuous being background behind all phenomena

[eputkonen]

16 hours ago, Joseph Maynor said:

I want you to forget about the theory or what is kosher to say, and I want you to just center on you.  And after that I want you to write in your own words a response to the following:

Enlightenment is . . . .

DO NOT consider what other people will say about what you wrote.  Just let the heart move your pen and be a conduit for what comes out of your being.  Channel it for me.  Then we’ll take a look at what is there.

Instead of the pen...I did a video.

 

[Privet]

...a living essence that I am.

[Faceless]

A state in which there’s No “I” to designate meanings ? 

[Shin]

Doesn't matter what you think it means until you experience it, it has 0 practical value.

In fact, it holds you back.

[Joseph Maynor]

Here's mine:

(1) Enlightenment -- Be an explorer in the fullest sense of the word.  This is what we are here to do.  This is a life where you are supposed to be expanding.  Do not waste your potential, do not waste this life.  Discover your authentic-self fully through a life-long, multi-faceted process of reality exploring reality fully.  The practical result of Enlightenment is liberation from all culture.

(2) PILLARS OF ENLIGHTENMENT (REALITY EXPLORING REALITY FULLY):

1.  Daily Meditation Habit (Microscope on the Mind)

2.  Non-Dual Theory (Scaffolding to orient the Mind to favor awareness over the Ego)

3.  Psychedelics (Exploring inner-being)

4.  Self-Inquiry (Realizing no-Self fully)

5.  External World-Inquiry (Realizing no-World fully)

6.  Cosmopolitanism/ World Travel (Exploring outer-being, world cultures through travel, learning other languages)

7.  Education (Exploring world ideas, culture, and history leading to reliable knowledge and wisdom)

8.  Cultivation of the Authentic-Self (Maslow's Pyramid, Life Purpose (including Career), Self-Actualization, Self-Transcendence)

9.  Spirituality (Reconnecting to being the Watcher and purifying away illusions)

10.  Cultivation of the Body (Nurture and fortify the Body, it's your constant companion)

11.  Exploration of Art (Exploring non-linguistic ideas and patterns of ideas, exploring linguistic arts like poetry and fiction)

12.  Life Practice (Perfecting your strengths in a way that makes you feel good/proud, eradicating weaknesses if authentically desired)

13.  Being Good (Being a source of love and inspiration to others rather than not doing this, assisting others)

14.  Authentic Relationships (Where you realize and perfect the idea that we are all One)

(3) A META-VISION OF A DREAM-LIFE

Experiencing the feelings you want to be feeling, making the money you want to be making, having the kinds of relationships you want to be having, feeling free, productive, like you are contributing to the world, healthy, respected, admired even by your peers.  Being able to own your own home, save for retirement, and travel when you want to, to explore all of the nooks and crannies of experience this life has, both inner and outer.  Sampling the best that recreation has to offer in life, including sampling nice food and spoiling yourself on occasion.  Having a career that actually is an expression of you that you can be proud of and look back on your life's work-product with a proud smile on your face.  To be able to deal honestly with other people so you can live guilt free and free from having any kind of bad reputation or ill repute.  Having passion for your life and being excited by your life.  Jumping out of bed in the morning because you're doing exactly what you want to be doing and you're on fire about it.  You're jacked up; not on drugs, but by your work.  Your work has become an extension of your strengths -- and you get paid very well or at least fairly for what you do.  That's the kind of life you want to live.  It's called a "charged life," as Leo says.  To design your life to be able to genuinely say that you did it "my way" -- you didn't just slug around and sleepwalk through this cornucopia of a life we've been given.   That would be sad, right?  Think about it.  That's like traveling to Paris but staying in your hotel room the entire time.  No!  You explored every inch of reality, both the inner and the outer, and every space in-between.  You were the explorer in life! -- reality getting to know itself fully.  That's a nice meta-vision. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Leo-Tzu]

Having felt the oneness and being conscious of it 24/24 in everyday life.