Enlightment a prerequisite in order to pursue personal transformation?

[kieranperez]

Enlightened master Peter Ralston often talks about the concept of personal transformation since all enlightenment is is just grasping who and what you really are and how finding out what it “is” doesn’t = change. 

However, what I’m fonfused by is if one can only TRULY change their character flaws post-enlightenment. True?

 

Edited February 1, 2018 by kieranperez
Forgot question mark

[Heart of Space]

I'd say absolutely.  Your personal development as a human being is almost independent to realization of truth.  I think that they are heavily correlated, and that enlightenment itself, while it doesn't make you perfect, it can absolutely make you far more efficient and learning and growing as a person because you fully understand the nature of mind, so it doesn't get in your way and stifle your growth like it would have before.  

This is important to understand I think because people often project (like Leo talks about all the time) their own vision of what enlightenment is and what it means to be expressed in human behavior.  Because of this, people will often nit pick and close their minds to what enlightened people have to say because they see that the person is flawed in some way.  

For example, I was talking to someone who failed to sit through a 10 day vipassana retreat because they saw that S. N. Goenka is fat and they rationalized that this is not the lifestyle that they see for themselves.  They completely closed their mind to learning from what he had to say.  This is bad, because if you close your mind like this truth can slap you straight in the face and you reject it for petty reasons.  Always stay open minded.  Anyways, sorry this is kinda a tangent I realize.   

Edited February 1, 2018 by Heart of Space

[Nahm]

@Heart of Space I think people love him or hate him, lol, but....this just might your shit, as of late. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uJpvUTDB4Ps

 

[Forestluv]

My personal development has been a distraction to awakening. It’s still playing the game.

[Nahm]

@kieranperez The theme, is awareness. You’re changing as we speak. Awareness man. Practices. It can be easier to change character flaws, but it would still be tied to awareness, and the best time to start will never change. It’ll always be now. Add one practice to your day. Just 5 minutes. One little change at a time. 

[Will Bigger]

 @kieranperez First off, be careful with that word “master.” The moment you call someone “master” you’re giving them more credit than your direct experience. True masters are like, so rare- ridiculously rare. Usually there are only a few alive at any given time.

Second, to answer your question, no.

Edited February 2, 2018 by Will Bigger

[Joseph Maynor]

The idea that you have control over reality is an illusion.  When you become Enlightened, you give up all attempts to control and just become aware of life living life.  

Watch:

 

Edited February 2, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Heart of Space]

1 hour ago, Nahm said:

@Heart of Space I think people love him or hate him, lol, but....this just might your shit, as of late. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uJpvUTDB4Ps

 

How very relevant, very pretty song.  I enjoyed that a lot, thanks Nahm.    

Damn it, someones cutting onions in here again....   

Edited February 2, 2018 by Heart of Space

[kieranperez]

@Joseph Maynor this is what I’m referring to.

 

 

[Nahm]

@Heart of Space He knocked me in the feels with the first line. I had to send it to you. 

[Nahm]

@Joseph Maynor ❤️

[Leo Gura]

Obviously NOT, since you have been transforming long before you learned about enlightenment.