Please define enlightment

[Byun Sean]

when you realize what you are

[juvoci]

@BlackMaze

Enlightenment is simply a deep understanding of the universe, of existence, of one's self. Enlightenment is clarity of mind, strength of character, awareness of emotion. An enlightened one is openminded, has an ever-expanding and inclusive identity, and takes responsibility for their existential circumstances.

It's really quite simple to explain (though not necessarily as simple to achieve). The key is to not over-think it, not to over-complicate it. Enlightenment isn't a competition (and if it is, then it's with one's self, not with "others"). Pointing fingers and saying "we're enlightened and you're not" is just another form of segregation.

Enlightenment is also a never-ending process. Enlightenment is like life: eternal, ever-changing, ever-growing, up and down, in and out, off and on.

=]  <3

[zeroISinfinity]

5 hours ago, SpiritualAwakening said:

Stop looking for enlightenment this instant and start looking for the absolute truth.

Spoiler alert:Infinite Love. ? 

Edited December 11, 2020 by zeroISinfinity

[Carl-Richard]

You die forever.

[Breakingthewall]

the transcendence of the "i". placing oneself in the perpetual present beyond the mind that creates time

[blackchair]

loosing your mind completly and then getting it back

[BlackMaze]

@juvoci what do you mean exactly by strength of character? Is for example having a strong will power a part of this? 

[Moksha]

Enlightenment is exactly what it means: the state of being filled with light.

[Gesundheit]

En - lighten - ment: Allowing the entrance of light.

[allislove]

@BlackMaze

People believed in the past that the Earth is flat. Nowadays, we can fly to the Earth orbit to realize it's not really the case. In the same vein, enlightenment is simply realization about your true nature. Where do you fly to see yourself?  

There are various ways to realize that the Earth is not flat, say, we may need a rocket. In case of enlightenment we may practise self-enquiry for example.

[BlackMaze]

@Moksha @Gesundheit do you consider this to be a difficult achievement? With years of practice to achieve? 

I had a very high experience 10 years ago just by reading eckhart tolle and using the pointers all day long as often as i could. It was a simple step by step process. I would like to live in that state again and create everything from there. Maybe this was an enlightment experience or maybe not. I wasn't god but i wasn't human either. This is not to boost my ego. Most people in here are much more advanced and experienced. That's why i'm interested in what you have to say. Could it be so easy that just some books and living them is enough? 

Am i deluded? If now is the only thing that exists it can happen only now if we choose to live in presence. Not meditating for an hour and then forgetting about it. Aren't we postponing it by believing that we need years of practice and 100 trips? I'm not talking about the deepest levels. I'm talking about the first level that you feel free, joyous and peaceful. If you have that then it can deepen by itself or of course with practices, psychedelics etc. 

[Moksha]

@BlackMaze I believe for most people, enlightenment is a long journey of mini-awakenings, until the light finally sticks. Tolle is an exception, where his suffering was great enough that it catastrophically woke him up. 

In any case, enlightenment is a realization, not an achievement. Tolle helped me a lot, but it still took years and a lot of suffering, before I directly realized what he was teaching. As he likes to say, we only suffer until we realize that we no longer need to suffer.

[BlackMaze]

@Moksha yeah wrong word. Realization is the correct one. I often see this word being discussed as an achievement. Could this be the reason that the journey is long? Doesn't the expectation for it to be long make the journey long? If now is the only thing that exists and living in presence is available to everyone now i don't see why this is not true. 

[Moksha]

@BlackMaze There you go trusting your intuition again  As long as enlightenment is a goal to be reached, it will remain out of your grasp. Enlightenment is nothing more than waking up to the reality that you are already perfectly enlightened, or more directly, that you are light.

[BlackMaze]

@Moksha this is what i wanted to confirm. But what about understanding and deeper levels of enlightment? When you are mostly selfless why to pursue truth and understanding? Is this another fun activity you play in the game of life? Or is it more important than that? What am i missing? 

 

[juvoci]

@BlackMaze

Thanks for the question BM =]

With strength of character, I am referring to one's ability to be true to oneself.

Examples:

- Speaking what you believe, even when it is difficult (often called "speaking your truth").

- Being brave enough to change your life circumstances (like travel, quit a job, start a job, end a relationship, start a relationship, leave an organization, start a business, etcetera).

- Being true to yourself, even when it means you might lose something (like a job or a friend or a spouse).

- Not compromising one's principles.

These a few different ways to basically say the same thing. I suppose strength of character comes down to bravery and integrity.

Important to note, however, that strength of character alone will not suffice. Self-awareness is also necessary; because you can be true to yourself, but if yourself is evil, then "having integrity" isn't necessarily good.

In fact, a brave individual with strong character who is not self-aware can be even more destructive. Cliche examples include Hitler and Trump, among many others.

Does that clarify?

=]  <3

[Moksha]

@BlackMaze Good questions that you will have to answer for yourself. For me, enlightenment is the human dharma, so yes, I consider it to be important. So what if life is just a game? It is still a divine game. Why not play with unconditional love, rather than cause yourself and others to suffer?

[BlackMaze]

@juvoci thank you for clarifying! 

I still have a question though. Can someone be enlightened but at the same time have a weak character? Or does a coward after enlightment become brave? Does this strength of character derive from self awareness? 

[BlackMaze]

@Moksha will do. Thank you very much for your answers! 

[Moksha]

@BlackMaze Thank you for asking Conscious questions ?