I Just Became Enlightened

[Cuzzo]

Hey man power to you for making new realizations. But to be quite honest I find it incredibly humorous that the man who made his forum name 8languagestud coincidentally hit the highest level of consciousness not too long after...

 

Excuse me for judging you, but I am truly skeptical. I'm not calling you a liar, because you probably really do believe you're enlightened. But hey maybe I'm wrong!

Edited March 22, 2016 by Cuzzo

[QandC]

So tell me... now that you are enlightened. What is the Truth really? Was it how you expected it to be? What did it feel like? What was your first sentence after you experienced it? What was the last trigger before the peak?  

Edited March 22, 2016 by Quizzer

[Cuzzo]

3 hours ago, 8LanguageStud said:

@Richard Alpert It's okay.  I'm not trying to brag or convince anybody.  I know that the experience I felt had significance, and it doesn't require external confirmation to be true.  Thank you for trying to be helpful.

You aren't trying to brag or convince anyone, yet you felt the need to post about it lol. 

[FinnishJon]

@Cuzzo I would agree with you that my username was ridiculously obnoxious.  If you read what I wrote, you will see that I realized how ridiculous it was, post-enlightment, and I made a firm decision to leave it the way it is, as a reminder to myself.  Bad judgement?

You don't need my pardon for being judgmental.  I do wonder, however, if your comments are meant to condemn me for committing this fault?

Ask yourself sincerely if starting a discussion about one's personal enlightenment experience can only be considered to be an egotistical act?  Isn't this forum a place for free discussion? Like for telling your friends about things that are going on in your life?  Would you consider it to be bragging if a friend told you about some new positive event in their life?

My old self would have become angered by your, "but to be quite honest"... (am I the only one who considers this phrase to be a sign marker for dishonesty?).  But now, instead of anger, I'm more inclined to feel compassion for you.  I can see why my post might sound disingenuous, but as you said, enlightenment eliminates the need to sell stories to people.  I am offering my story for free, take it or leave it, up to you.

Edited March 22, 2016 by 8LanguageStud

[adrian284]

@8LanguageStud I understand. In that case, since you' think that you need those emotions for progress, I would say you're right to not try to inspect your emotions too much. But I'd still suggest to also be critical of your conclusions of your progress later on and to remain realistic. 

[FinnishJon]

@adrian284 agreed.

[Cuzzo]

3 hours ago, 8LanguageStud said:

@Cuzzo I would agree with you that my username was ridiculously obnoxious.  If you read what I wrote, you will see that I realized how ridiculous it was, post-enlightment, and I made a firm decision to leave it the way it is, as a reminder to myself.  Bad judgement?

You don't need my pardon for being judgmental.  I do wonder, however, if your comments are meant to condemn me for committing this fault?

Ask yourself sincerely if starting a discussion about one's personal enlightenment experience can only be considered to be an egotistical act?  Isn't this forum a place for free discussion? Like for telling your friends about things that are going on in your life?  Would you consider it to be bragging if a friend told you about some new positive event in their life?

My old self would have become angered by your, "but to be quite honest"... (am I the only one who considers this phrase to be a sign marker for dishonesty?).  But now, instead of anger, I'm more inclined to feel compassion for you.  I can see why my post might sound disingenuous, but as you said, enlightenment eliminates the need to sell stories to people.  I am offering my story for free, take it or leave it, up to you.

I read your post thoroughly. It isn't my intention to condemn you, as I said more power to you for your realizations.

 

The reason I am so skeptical is because these "major breakthroughs" to the highest level of consciousness are not common. I'm talking one day your ego is super swollen and then the next day IM ENLIGHTENED! I am not saying it isn't possible. But I see the more common way of reaching it is through a long rigorous journey. 

I am in my early twenties. I have a lot of growing to do and quite a journey before I can say I have reached the truth. You're what, in your forties? So yeah, maybe by some chance you acquired enough experience to reach this stage. And if so congrats. But honestly, from my perspective I don't really see it happening. Eckart Tolle was a special case. So for someone to be egotistical one day then to make a leap many of levels above their original level of consciousness in such a short span of time sounds like an ego story. I will never know obviously. It is your perspective. And like I said before maybe you are enlightened, or maybe your ego is tricking you. I know I have reach higher levels of consciousness thinking it was the end goal when it wasn't. 

At the end of the day you claim to be at peace and more happy, and for that I am happy. But from my view, it seems like an ego trick. And thats how I feel. But no disrespect. 

Edited March 22, 2016 by Cuzzo

[FinnishJon]

@Cuzzo You might be right, I agree that I should try not to make any dogmatically certain claims about what's going on, but I will permit myself to be skeptical of your skepticism. i.e. optimistic.  It feels really real. I'm not just happier.  When I go dancing, I am able to look people in the eye.  Much less self doubt, if any.  

Are there any better reasons to claim that my enlightenment is false than that sudden jumps are rare?  Actually, how would one even know that they're rare?  Are you basing that claim on studies or anecdotal evidence?  How would one even be able to verify the statistics from such a study?

At the very least, I'm now able to recognize the difference between humility and arrogance where I used to be full of unapologetic arrogance that I was honestly unaware of.  I didn't have a clue why so many people in my life seemed to disrespect me.  Why would I not want to fix that and just be satisfied with a life of no friends?

It wasn't just the ego emotion, either.  All my emotions were crippled by weak signals.  That's what my experience with ADD and it's alleviation through recent events has felt like.  Emotional signals are finally available to me.  In other words, both empathy of others as well as self awareness of emotion is now present. 

Though I've been working on self-improvement for a few years now, one cannot really understand a lot of the meaning of emotional intelligence or enlightenment without a strong emotional connection to things.  When the medicine wears off, I feel exactly how I used to feel, but there is a new awareness in my thinking mind about the existence of this change in the senses and feelings of my body.  It simply goes hidden from view, and comes back when I take the medicine again.  Of course, I'd love to be able to figure how to maintain the bodily feelings at the level I have with medicine, through other means.  I've been doing yoga for a few years now, and meditation since last summer, but until now, my meditation has been frustratingly fruitless and a huge test of patience for me.  It's hard to say if meditation has really helped or not.  It seems like it has, but not as significantly as medicine.

I sense that you are wanting to support me, and I don't want to worry about whether or not this is all real or a lie. I just enjoy this new life that I am leading... it's a sudden quality increase.  I haven't finished with Eckhart Tolle, so there's still a lot of things to take in...  Wish me luck?

[Cuzzo]

5 hours ago, 8LanguageStud said:

@Cuzzo You might be right, I agree that I should try not to make any dogmatically certain claims about what's going on, but I will permit myself to be skeptical of your skepticism. i.e. optimistic.  It feels really real. I'm not just happier.  When I go dancing, I am able to look people in the eye.  Much less self doubt, if any.  

Are there any better reasons to claim that my enlightenment is false than that sudden jumps are rare?  Actually, how would one even know that they're rare?  Are you basing that claim on studies or anecdotal evidence?  How would one even be able to verify the statistics from such a study?

At the very least, I'm now able to recognize the difference between humility and arrogance where I used to be full of unapologetic arrogance that I was honestly unaware of.  I didn't have a clue why so many people in my life seemed to disrespect me.  Why would I not want to fix that and just be satisfied with a life of no friends?

It wasn't just the ego emotion, either.  All my emotions were crippled by weak signals.  That's what my experience with ADD and it's alleviation through recent events has felt like.  Emotional signals are finally available to me.  In other words, both empathy of others as well as self awareness of emotion is now present. 

Though I've been working on self-improvement for a few years now, one cannot really understand a lot of the meaning of emotional intelligence or enlightenment without a strong emotional connection to things.  When the medicine wears off, I feel exactly how I used to feel, but there is a new awareness in my thinking mind about the existence of this change in the senses and feelings of my body.  It simply goes hidden from view, and comes back when I take the medicine again.  Of course, I'd love to be able to figure how to maintain the bodily feelings at the level I have with medicine, through other means.  I've been doing yoga for a few years now, and meditation since last summer, but until now, my meditation has been frustratingly fruitless and a huge test of patience for me.  It's hard to say if meditation has really helped or not.  It seems like it has, but not as significantly as medicine.

I sense that you are wanting to support me, and I don't want to worry about whether or not this is all real or a lie. I just enjoy this new life that I am leading... it's a sudden quality increase.  I haven't finished with Eckhart Tolle, so there's still a lot of things to take in...  Wish me luck?

Yeah man I apologize for coming at you sideways, even if I did it as respectfully as possible. I am really working on my self discipline right now as well as doing my best to "throw myself in the fire" as Leo puts it to really grow. I am already in a mindset where I expect the best for myself and I projected it on to you. I wish you the best on your journey friend. 

[FinnishJon]

@Cuzzo No apologies necessary.  If anything, I think of this kind of conversation as an excellent learning experience.  Your journey to me sounds like a very honorable path.  Wish I had done this in my 20s, too, but a 40s awakening has some excellent aspects to it, too.  A lot of people my age are going through what is commonly referred to as a mid-life crisis, but I like to think of this as a mid-life renaissance.  Or is that starting to sound overly corny?

 

[Cuzzo]

6 hours ago, 8LanguageStud said:

@Cuzzo 

 

I completely understand where you're coming from. One of my family members is going through a mid life renaissance in a way. I agree that this was a great learning experience! It gave me a chance to be mindful.  

Edited March 23, 2016 by Cuzzo

[QandC]

So basically what you figured out is that your username is ridiculous? Please... you don't even have to be enlightened to see that. –_–

[FinnishJon]

@Quizzer My question may also sound sarcastic.  I'm curious to know,  is this  really what you wanted to contribute to this conversation?  How about if you take a turn at enlightening me, what do you really want to say? Or was that all? 

[QandC]

On 2016-03-24 at 0:59 AM, 8LanguageStud said:

@Quizzer My question may also sound sarcastic.  I'm curious to know,  is this  really what you wanted to contribute to this conversation?  How about if you take a turn at enlightening me, what do you really want to say? Or was that all? 

I asked you a question before if "you" weren't aware of that. here it is:

So tell me... now that you are enlightened. What is the Truth really? Was it how you expected it to be? What did it feel like? What was your first sentence after you experienced it? What was the last trigger before the peak?  

Pretty normal questions to ask someone who's JUST become enlightened. Bet you'd wonder that too before your awakening. If there's no suffering in your life you might as well answer them

 

[FinnishJon]

@Quizzer I guess "you" were being serious?  

Ok, ironic or not, let's give it a shot.  Please feel free to take my ramblings with a grain of salt.

Quote

What is truth really?  

For the logical brain, the truth is a (double blind) verifiable story.  A rational concept of objective reality that can be hypothesized about, and strengthened or invalidated with evidence, facts, or predictions.  In other words, rationality is akin to the scientific method and worldview, based on hypotheses, reigning paradigms, measurements and verifiable claims or predictions.  Murder trials and physics problems are subject to logical truth.

There is also another qualitatively different kind of truth, emotional truth that seems completely subjective and accessible only through first hand experience.  The same events, seen by different people can be simultaneously sad, happy.  Outrageous or laudable.  Ecstatic or depressing.  Amazing or boring.  And many other emotions without words to describe them.  For example, if the language is any indicator of origin, then the experience of "deja vu" was first labeled in France  

Quote

 

Was it how you expected it to be?  

 

 

 

 

Previous to these latest experiences, I was highly visually impaired, limited to seeing only logical truth.  The world of emotions has been opened like a genie out of the bottle in this experience.  I previously had a logical conceptualization of emotions.  In other words, a logical depiction of emotions with labels.  Now all of a sudden with this new, more focused and amplified vision that I am feeling, I see a lot more nuance.  I was sure that I could comprehend everything logically, eventually.  Just had to work harder in order to really understand it all.  But it seems that I was wrong.

Quote

What was your first sentence after you experienced it? 

Can't remember that.  I don't have a ton of friends or family in my life.  Probably something mundane like, "I'm going to the grocery store."

Quote

What was the last trigger before the peak?

 I think the proper epiphany to use as a milestone was when I was preparing for a public speech where the topic was myself.  I had a very egotistical speech lined up.  Then I had a serendipitous combination of events that helped me reach this peak.  

1. Started to get familiar with Eckhart Tolle and his ideas on presence and egocentric valuations of self.

2. Had an argument over chat with my sister about some stupid thing.  I felt that I was right (a logical truth right) but she disagreed with me in an angry manner.  I wanted to figure out what triggered her anger, and found that it was my arrogance with which I wrote to her.  

3. Then I got into wondering about the relationship between arrogance and relationships.  I realized that this was one of the social cues that everybody meant when they talked about how people with ADD and Aspberger are unaware of how they make people dislike them.

I rewrote my speech, trying to be more authentic.  Deleted as much of the bragging and apologies from my speech as possible. Then when I gave the speech, I really went full throttle with being present in front of a room full of people.

Do you mean to criticize this story?  Offer advice? I still don't understand what you are offering to this conversation.

 

Edited March 27, 2016 by 8LanguageStud