Anyone here had an enlightenment experience?

[Emerald]

I wanted to know if anyone here has had a real-life experience of oneness, enlightenment, or the truth of no self. I had two such experiences myself (albeit artificially induced) and I'd love to hear about your experiences. 

[jjer94]

Several, actually, leading up to a final non-experience a couple days ago, which I think will end the seeking for good. But it's not like the oneness ever leaves. It's always been there. It's just a matter of seeing through illusions. Just take a look-see.

[Emerald]

Just now, jjer94 said:

Several, actually, leading up to a final non-experience a couple days ago, which I think will end the seeking for good. But it's not like the oneness ever leaves. It's always been there. It's just a matter of seeing through illusions. Just take a look-see.

One thing I experienced was that, instead of thirsting after knowledge as I've always done, I was truly satisfied. I knew that I already had everything that I needed to know inside of myself. Is this how you are now?

[Robert]

I had one. It happened a few months ago and marked the end of a 3 month long existential crisis. It was heartbreaking, but at the same time I can't say it was a negative experience. I felt an indescribable peace all over my body. I felt connected to everything around me and I felt so complete.

[jjer94]

Yes. You are the only authority there could ever be. It's 'your' Consciousness. Who could possibly have the authority to tell you what you can and cannot experience? 

[Emerald]

Just now, Robert said:

I had one. It happened a few months ago and marked the end of a 3 month long existential crisis. It was heartbreaking, but at the same time I can't say it was a negative experience. I felt an indescribable peace all over my body. I felt connected to everything around me and I felt so complete.

When I had my experiences, insights came up into my conscious mind effortlessly, like a well-spring. Did you have any insights? If so, what were they?

[Emerald]

2 minutes ago, jjer94 said:

Yes. You are the only authority there could ever be. It's 'your' Consciousness. Who could possibly have the authority to tell you what you can and cannot experience? 

It's interesting to me that paradoxically spiritual seeking is often necessary for achieving enlightenment, but can also be a distraction from it. I believe that this is one of my hang-ups to getting a non-substance induced experience of oneness. I love thinking, and I use it as a distraction. Do you have any advice or experiences with this?

[Robert]

2 minutes ago, Emerald @ The Diamond Net said:

When I had my experiences, insights came up into my conscious mind effortlessly, like a well-spring. Did you have any insights? If so, what were they?

Unfortunately, I didn't get significant insights because the experience lasted less than 10 seconds. How long did yours last and what were some of the insights you came up with?

[goodguy]

I had a moment of oneness once but it faded and Im back to not being content and searching. I had no insights. My consciousness has expanded since then and it helped me with some personality problems and unnecessary chatter. 

[Emerald]

12 minutes ago, Robert said:

Unfortunately, I didn't get significant insights because the experience lasted less than 10 seconds. How long did yours last and what were some of the insights you came up with?

I had two, which both lasted several hours. I had many insights including:

- I am very self-deceptive                 - I'm lying to myself about being straight

- There is no need to fear death     - I don't know myself  

-I'm constantly striving for a sense of significance in a futile attempt to outrun the reaper

- I'm experiencing the phenomena al religions have referred to as God

- All wisdom resides within me already

- I was with my partner at the time out of fear and not love

- Everything is beautiful and in divine order 

- Inside me is a struggle between life-giving and destructive thoughts

- I had no self to protect so, I was able to allow all repressed parts of myself to rise

- My parents love me but are misguided by their own life issues

- I'm an incredibly unhappy person (only realized through contrast with these experiences)

- I'm constantly struggling     - All things are one and I'm part of that oneness

- I'm not important because of what I do, but because of my existence as part of the eternal force of oneness

- I'm repressing my femininity because I value masculinity more

- Many others

Edited February 8, 2016 by Emerald @ The Diamond Net

[jjer94]

Just now, Emerald @ The Diamond Net said:

It's interesting to me that paradoxically spiritual seeking is often necessary for achieving enlightenment, but can also be a distraction from it. I believe that this is one of my hang-ups to getting a non-substance induced experience of oneness. I love thinking, and I use it as a distraction. Do you have any advice or experiences with this?

Story of my life! I originally wanted to be a researcher because I thought you could arrive at Truth through science...but I was sadly mistaken. That didn't stop me from taking my analytics and skepticism into spirituality. It was Peter Ralston's "Book of Not Knowing" that opened me up to enlightenment work because of how wordy and analytical his writing is. 

While intellect is not required at all to seek Truth, it can actually be quite useful at times. You can be more surgical with dissecting your own beliefs and spotting hidden assumptions. If you're the analytical type, this may help you with some of your ideas regarding an external world. I had an awakening after reading his book and examining my own experience.

Of course, there's a downside to intellect too, as you stated. Sometimes we get into mental masturbation mode as a way to spin our wheels. Truth itself is incredibly paradoxical and not logical at all. Bottom line is, you can use intellect to help destroy your own illusions and beliefs which in turn leads you to Truth, but then you have to leave intellect at the doorstep. Once you acquire a grounded consciousness of Truth, your mind will stop spinning its wheels. 

[Emerald]

3 minutes ago, goodguy said:

I had a moment of oneness once but it faded and Im back to not being content and searching. I had no insights. My consciousness has expanded since then and it helped me with some personality problems and unnecessary chatter. 

What do you think spurred it on?

[Robert]

2 minutes ago, Emerald @ The Diamond Net said:

I had two, which both lasted several hours. I had many insights including:

- I am very self-deceptive                 - I'm lying to myself about being straight

- There is no need to fear death     - I don't know myself  

-I'm constantly striving for a sense of significance in a futile attempt to outrun the reaper

- I'm experiencing the phenomena al religions have referred to as God

- All wisdom resides within me already

- I was with my partner at the time out of fear and not love

- Everything is beautiful and in divine order 

- Inside me is a struggle between life-giving and destructive thoughts

- I had no self to protect so, I was able to allow all repressed parts of myself to rise

- My parents love me but are misguided by their own life issues

- I'm an incredibly unhappy person (only realized through contrast with these experiences)

- I'm constantly struggling     - All things are one and I'm part of that oneness

- I'm not important because of what I do, but because of my existence as part of the eternal force of oneness

- Many others

Oh wow, that's a lot of insight. Some of the things you listed I already knew or found out while not in the enlightened state, but others are making me scared of what I'll find out if I have another enlightenment experience.

[Emerald]

1 minute ago, jjer94 said:

Story of my life! I originally wanted to be a researcher because I thought you could arrive at Truth through science...but I was sadly mistaken. That didn't stop me from taking my analytics and skepticism into spirituality. It was Peter Ralston's "Book of Not Knowing" that opened me up to enlightenment work because of how wordy and analytical his writing is. 

While intellect is not required at all to seek Truth, it can actually be quite useful at times. You can be more surgical with dissecting your own beliefs and spotting hidden assumptions. If you're the analytical type, this may help you with some of your ideas regarding an external world. I had an awakening after reading his book and examining my own experience.

Of course, there's a downside to intellect too, as you stated. Sometimes we get into mental masturbation mode as a way to spin our wheels. Truth itself is incredibly paradoxical and not logical at all. Bottom line is, you can use intellect to help destroy your own illusions and beliefs which in turn leads you to Truth, but then you have to leave intellect at the doorstep. Once you acquire a grounded consciousness of Truth, your mind will stop spinning its wheels. 

Ironically, I'm about half way through "The Book of Not Knowing" right now. I really like the part about questioning the obvious and getting a handle on beliefs v. reality. As they say, paradox and confusion are guards to the truth. So, your advice toward grounding my consciousness will be helpful. 

[Emerald]

2 minutes ago, Robert said:

Oh wow, that's a lot of insight. Some of the things you listed I already knew or found out while not in the enlightened state, but others are making me scared of what I'll find out if I have another enlightenment experience.

Don't worry too much. Even the seemingly uncomfortable insights were a huge relief.

[Leo Gura]

Good thread

[Emerald]

Just now, Leo Gura said:

Good thread

Thank you.

[Baby]

I'm not sure. What is an awakening? Some say after this or that traumatic event... I often wonder is this it? God knows I know traumatic events... Yet never have I felt them be nothing but hell.... So I say, I'm ok this is OK. Please tell me what it means to be awaken?.

[jjer94]

2 minutes ago, Baby said:

I'm not sure. What is an awakening? Some say after this or that traumatic event... I often wonder is this it? God knows I know traumatic events... Yet never have I felt them be nothing but hell.... So I say, I'm ok this is OK. Please tell me what it means to be awaken?.

Great question, because awakening is a poorly defined word indeed. I would define an awakening as an event in which you see through an illusion. The illusion is akin to a dream we believe is real, and it is from that illusion that we awaken. We can have several fleeting awakenings that recede into the background of our experience until we become what is referred to as 'awake.' To be awake is to no longer identify with the grand illusion that is ego and instead abide in the backdrop surrounding the thoughts that create ego. 

[Emerald]

9 minutes ago, Baby said:

I'm not sure. What is an awakening? Some say after this or that traumatic event... I often wonder is this it? God knows I know traumatic events... Yet never have I felt them be nothing but hell.... So I say, I'm ok this is OK. Please tell me what it means to be awaken?.

I agree with jjer94's statement that an awakening is to see through illusion. The specific illusion that I speak of in this thread is the illusion of a separate self. So, traumas happen because a person perceives a separate self that unfortunate things happen to. This causes repressions, complexes, and affectation to occur in a person's psychology. Since the separate self is an illusion, seeing through that illusion gets rid of the effects of all traumas because there is no separate self to protect or to heal from trauma. When this happens a person is whole again, and fear goes away.