The Ultimate Path To Enlightenment - The Seven Mysteries Of Life

[cnorhistorian]

The word "ultimate" is just to try to get your attention. There is no ultimate path.

Kahlil Gibran writing in "The Prophet" (William Heinemann Ltd, 1926) says " Say not 'I have found the truth', but rather, 'I have found a truth'. Say not 'I have found the path to the soul'. Say rather,'I have found the soul walking on my path'. For the soul walks on all paths"

The title "The Seven Mysteries of Life"  is from a book by that name. Guy Murchie, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston,1978.

These are two of the best books on enlightenment I have found in 55 years of search.

The former should be easy to find but the latter is much more detailed (690 pages) and I think might be available only in some large libraries.

I am willing to share some of what I have learned from these two books especially the second, and from my own search but only if there is sufficient interest. If there is no interest I am not at a loss for things to do.

In terms of the everyday, practical aspects of life, I think Leo has excellent advice. I can see his approach as very useful in an unenlightened self seeking world.

However in terms of "ultimate enlightenment" (I am not using the word 'spiritual' yet) my understanding is very different from his. I am not hereby saying that the view is wrong - for him.

I am saying there are different interpretations that are found neither in religion nor in science.

Some of those interpretations I have learned from enlightened souls.

Some of them are my own. With due respect I think I have a unique outlook on life.

That is redundant because everybody does.

I am at peace with myself and the world. At 69 I have done everything I set out in a life plan at 19, my personal bucket list. 

And I have found my"ultimate" purpose in life. And it is not conformity, consumerism, disrespect for the environment or violence.

That is not to say I don't have challenges. And, having completed my "life plan" I find there are things I left out.

And in case you think I am arrogant,even though I have used the words "with due respect",  I am in this world to share, but also to learn.

[vizual]

Go for it gramps

[werlight]

3 hours ago, cnorhistorian said:

The word "ultimate" is just to try to get your attention. There is no ultimate path.

Kahlil Gibran writing in "The Prophet" (William Heinemann Ltd, 1926) says " Say not 'I have found the truth', but rather, 'I have found a truth'. Say not 'I have found the path to the soul'. Say rather,'I have found the soul walking on my path'. For the soul walks on all paths"

The title "The Seven Mysteries of Life"  is from a book by that name. Guy Murchie, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston,1978.

These are two of the best books on enlightenment I have found in 55 years of search.

The former should be easy to find but the latter is much more detailed (690 pages) and I think might be available only in some large libraries.

I am willing to share some of what I have learned from these two books especially the second, and from my own search but only if there is sufficient interest. If there is no interest I am not at a loss for things to do.

In terms of the everyday, practical aspects of life, I think Leo has excellent advice. I can see his approach as very useful in an unenlightened self seeking world.

However in terms of "ultimate enlightenment" (I am not using the word 'spiritual' yet) my understanding is very different from his. I am not hereby saying that the view is wrong - for him.

I am saying there are different interpretations that are found neither in religion nor in science.

Some of those interpretations I have learned from enlightened souls.

Some of them are my own. With due respect I think I have a unique outlook on life.

That is redundant because everybody does.

I am at peace with myself and the world. At 69 I have done everything I set out in a life plan at 19, my personal bucket list. 

And I have found my"ultimate" purpose in life. And it is not conformity, consumerism, disrespect for the environment or violence.

That is not to say I don't have challenges. And, having completed my "life plan" I find there are things I left out.

And in case you think I am arrogant,even though I have used the words "with due respect",  I am in this world to share, but also to learn.

Yes go for it !!! .. we are all ears !!!

[WelcometoReality]

@cnorhistorian It would be interesting to hear the findings of your search.

[Neo]

All ears. Interested in looking further but NOT ending up like Tony Parsons.

[cnorhistorian]

I have had some requests so I will make the next tentative step.

From reading posts and noting which topics are popular I would say I have very different views and I am in a very different stage of my journey than most participants in this forum. That makes sense because those here are attracted by Leo and my ideas about spirituality and where I am is quite different from him.

He is quite right. Freedom of speech does not apply to a forum. Its his site and he gets to say what goes and what doesn't

That said I don't like labels. I am far from being a "greenhorn"

And I am not impressed by the "community reputation " label. Truth is not a popularity contest. 

I will start with some background.

I had a soulmate when I was younger. He died in 1964 when he was 39 and I was 18. I have had councillors tell me it was all in my head that I remembered the good things and forgot the bad. Because they never had the experience they could not tell me what I did and did not experience. We never had even the tiniest disagreement. I have never had that with ANYONE else. We could finish each others sentences. All those
things soulmates are reputed to share.  It was a life transforming experience because it taught me what is POSSIBLE in human relationships.

I didn't realize before he died that the experience was unusual or significant because to me it had always been there. I spent much of the rest of my life looking to recapture that. I never have and don't expect I ever will.

However the experience has led me to a few extremely close relationships that I have learned to term "soul partners". I will explain the difference in a future post if we get that far.

I have visited the spirit world.  Not in my sleep. In waking visions.

Was it real? What is real? The world may have an external reality but it has no internal reality save what we project upon it. Psychiatrists tell me it was chemicals in my brain. The question is however: do the chemicals cause the experience or does the experience trigger the chemicals?

The experiences were much like that described by mystics. The experiences have in fact  been the basis for me understanding existence and making sense of this life.

This post is to describe just two of the elements of the experiential basis for my search  and what has motivated and enabled me to become "enlightened"

[WelcometoReality]

@cnorhistorian Could you define what "enlightened" means to you?

[werlight]

2 hours ago, cnorhistorian said:

 

I have visited the spirit world.  Not in my sleep. In waking visions.

Was it real? What is real? The world may have an external reality but it has no internal reality save what we project upon it. Psychiatrists tell me it was chemicals in my brain. The question is however: do the chemicals cause the experience or does the experience trigger the chemicals?

The experiences were much like that described by mystics. The experiences have in fact  been the basis for me understanding existence and making sense of this life.

This post is to describe just two of the elements of the experiential basis for my search  and what has motivated and enabled me to become "enlightened"

Please continue .. looking forward to hearing your story.

Edited March 5, 2016 by werlight

[cnorhistorian]

WelcometoReality: Depending which dictionary you use the definition of enlightenment goes something like "having or showing rational and well thought out outlooks"

Enlightenment is not a destination. It is a journey. 

To the extent that you can empty your mind of any and all preconceptions and your emotions of any postive or negative passion and look at your experiences with a pure heart as through the eyes of a child, to that extent are you enlightened.

[Neo]

cnorhistorian, some of the little gripes you noticed on the forum tend to be built into the forum software as I've been a long term member of other forums for many years with similar features. The forum owner would just set what the user levels are called, things like that.

[WelcometoReality]

@cnorhistorian Thank you! ☺

[werlight]

2 hours ago, cnorhistorian said:

 

I had a soulmate when I was younger. He died in 1964 when he was 39 and I was 18. I have had councillors tell me it was all in my head that I remembered the good things and forgot the bad. Because they never had the experience they could not tell me what I did and did not experience. We never had even the tiniest disagreement. I have never had that with ANYONE else. We could finish each others sentences. All those
things soulmates are reputed to share.  It was a life transforming experience because it taught me what is POSSIBLE in human relationships.

I didn't realize before he died that the experience was unusual or significant because to me it had always been there. I spent much of the rest of my life looking to recapture that. I never have and don't expect I ever will.

However the experience has led me to a few extremely close relationships that I have learned to term "soul partners". I will explain the difference in a future post if we get that far.

I have visited the spirit world.  Not in my sleep. In waking visions.

@cnorhistorianI have also experienced a soulmate or (twinflame) relationship .. incredibly intense and powerful.. its like you are connected to the person... even if you are not together you can feel what she/he feels, and you know when that other person is thinking about you, very powerful bond and spirutual connection.. its like it was meant to be..it was planned.

About the spirit world.. I can relate too. although my experiences might be diferent than your, I dont know.. iam curious.

Edited March 5, 2016 by werlight