What is Enlightenment

A description of what Enlightenment really is.

Transcript

Namaste.

Today's talk is going to be on what is enlightenment.

But before we begin,

First a disclaimer.

This MBO,

Mind-body organism,

Uses I,

Me,

Mine,

You,

They,

Etc.

Throughout any talk I give.

This does not mean that I am not aware that all of these words are describing non-existent entities.

There is no I,

Just as there is no you.

There is only oneness.

Now there are appearances that arise that appear to be a you or an I and the rest of the world,

Of course,

But that is all an illusion.

Again,

There is only oneness.

Next,

I think it would be helpful before I explain what enlightenment is,

If I first explain what enlightenment is not.

Enlightenment is not what the majority of the world expects.

Mostly this occurs because enlightenment is far too simple.

No one wants to buy it.

The mind tells you,

No,

It can't be this.

It's too easy.

You must strive and work very hard for this.

You must go to India.

You must sit at the foot of a guru.

You must give the guru adulation and usually money.

Lots of it.

You must spend hours and hours on meditation cushions every day over a period of many,

Many years.

You've got to earn it.

To all of this I say,

Malarkey,

You do not have to do one thing to have enlightenment occur.

You,

The real you,

Are already enlightened just as you are.

Perfect and divine,

Timeless and ageless,

But the mind will reject this because it knows enlightenment means death to the mind and it will throw everything in the kitchen sink as roadblocks to you waking up from the illusion of you being a time-bound separate self.

The mind likes being the master and the real you a slave.

That's why it's said in Buddhist circles,

You must come from no mind to have enlightenment occur.

Enlightenment is not about spiritual experiences.

Spiritual experiences are just appearances that come and go just like anything and everything else.

They may or may not happen when enlightenment occurs.

My character,

My MBO,

Had one such experience in April of 2013.

It happened quite spontaneously.

I really didn't know much about non-duality at the time.

I awoke early one morning and was instantly overwhelmed by feelings of love,

Joy,

And oneness.

I walked outside and literally was one with everything I saw.

I was connected and fascinated with everything.

I cried with joy as I sat on the ground studying blades of grass and the ants and then looking up into the sky,

I knew I was connected to all of it.

I went back inside and stared at my wife at the time,

Sleeping.

I realized we were literally one being and we both were one with all of creation.

When she awoke,

Of course,

She immediately thought I had lost my mind and I needed to get help.

I convinced her I had not and we had the most wonderful day.

At the end of the day,

I contemplated on what had been different with me and I realized that I,

My small egoic self,

Had been absent.

My true self had replaced little me.

As wonderful as all of that was,

It was just another appearance.

No better or worse than eating a ham and cheese sandwich with a glass of milk.

Nothing to do with enlightenment.

Enlightenment has nothing to do with special powers,

Being loving towards everyone,

Knowing all the truths of the universe,

Having total inner peace every moment of every day.

Enlightenment has nothing to do with being a perfect person like you're on LSD,

Blissed out 24-7.

It is not a goal to achieve,

An object to obtain,

Or something for the mind to chew on and think about.

Lastly,

It's not a once in a lifetime experience or event.

It is a lifelong process of changing your perspective on life and breaking old belief systems one at a time.

The mind will constantly hammer at you to come back to your small self.

But once you've tasted the freedom and pure love of enlightenment,

You'll be changed forever and will easily be able to return home if distracted to your true self.

Enlightenment,

Quite simply,

Is your natural state before you started to believe in being a separate self,

Before life and those around you started to program the separate self into you.

Who you truly are is an aspect or point of oneness.

Who you truly are was never born and can never die.

You are perfection just as you are.

You and everything else in creation are the divine,

The absolute,

The universe.

You are the stream that the movie of life plays upon.

You are the everything.

May you wake up to your true self today.

Reviews

Thank you

Thank you, that was just what I needed to be reminded of! Namaste

Beautiful. Thank you... :)

Absolutely! You are Brahman... The mind doesn't get it, and cannot understand as its nature is dualistic, therefore meditation is necessary. Thank you!🙏

Sounds great! But I have one question. Why am I sitting on a cushion? I’m not meaning to sound sarcastic.

Amazing. I love listening to Alan Watts and this talk resonates with it.

Thank you. Enjoyed this

Lovely talk. Done with beauty. Thank you!

This is a basic introduction to a non dualistic view of what enlightenment is (present moment awareness of our oneness with all that is) and what we truly are (everything) and are not (a separate self). Enlightenment can occur in an instant by present moment awareness, and does not require years of study and practice. It is selfless, timeless, deathless awareness.

Yes......thanks for the reminder.

Enjoyable and it is truth.

Very nice. I've heard this message before from others. What I don't get is if I'm already perfect why am I lost in thought except for brief moments or when I'm on the cushion? I've been meditating for 17 years almost every day but still most of my day is lost in thought. I've had big revelations but a week later it fades away.

Excellent. Thank you. 🕉☮

Very interesting. Thank you

Very nice and simple

Great talk. Years and years of sitting on a cushion, not required.

Very interesting topic. 👌😊