What Is Enlightenment? Is It An Illusion? Is It The End Goal?
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 8. 10. 2021
- What does enlightenment feel like that Buddhism talks about? Is it permanent? Is the concept of enlightenment the same as the direct experience of it? These are some of the natural inquiries we all have when pursuing spiritual wisdom. This episode explores how the clear light of consciousness can awaken us to deeper states of realisation.
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#Spirituality #Enlightenment #Awakening
Thank you. I havenât finished watching this yet, but in the first four minutes you talk about how the desire to become more is an illusion and Iâve been struggling with this. The desperate desire to know, learn, BECOME more. I still havenât achieved conscious astral projection and a part of me is disappointed in myself because of this. Also, absolutely correct about the importance of experience. We can intellectualize all we want, but experience is necessary to understanding. If youâve never experienced something, you can never understand it. This also hinges on cleansing your belief systems. Discarding everything and believing only that which youâve directly experienced.
Be there every day, hold no expectations. Abhyasa and Vayraga.
Enlightenment for me is understanding our purpose in this life and realizing that we will never be able to know or learn everything, I am so grateful that I am not that kind of person who is only interested in materialistic aspects or too sunken in social media and useless numbing things in this world. I started following this channel to be able to master AP but thanks to you Gene Iâve learnt so many things along the way, I just donât make problems bigger in my head anymore, I am full of hope and I accept things and people the way they are and everything just feels right. I am where I want to be đđ
I donât always understand what you say but is relaxing to hear your voice :)
Same here đ
Well spoken thanks Gene - interesting books to read: Baba ram dass be here now and Maharaj, S: I am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
A nice Zen quote: âBefore enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.â you are already enlightened everyone is it.
I think if you are able to always look from an observed look without emotions then you are enlightened only the ego always tries to pull you. Then remember that you are not your thoughts because that belongs to your body mind which is not yours.
Just as a knife doesn't cut itself, fire doesn't burn itself, light doesn't illuminate itself. It's always an endless mystery to itself.â - Alan Watts.
I believe Enlightenment is a feeling. A feeling of joy, love & connection, to our higher consciousness, Universe, Earth & Humanity, for the greatest & highest good of self & others. Do No Harm â€
Enlightenment is for me the road from zerĂž. As a seed also grows within darkness deep roots in order to reach the light. The deeper the roots are, the stronger and bigger the tree can flourish. So enlightenment is the description of a shining star within the sea of void. As above, so below.
Oh wow you pretty much answered the question I just asked in another video, in this video! Thank you
Enlightenment is actually not that hard to understand, but it is difficult to acheive. Buddhists strive for enlightenment to avoid reincarnation, or going around and around the wheel of Samsara. To acheive this one needs to reduce their karmic load to 0. This is the meaning of 'lighten' in en'lighten'ment. It is karma that weighs us down to returning to this existence.
Only trouble is most people don't know what karma actually means. The common misconception is that it a weighing of your good and bad deeds. But in fact it is your attachment to ideas that brings you to this place and often the greatest attachment of all is to the ego you cultivate i.e., the person you are and all the sub-attachments that person has. If you can free yourself of those attachments then you are free to go. Good luck with that, Earth is just too much fun and people like being... well... people. Except people who commit suicide, but then usually they come straight back because they are annoyed at themselves in the after-life that they failed and then they become attached to not being a failure. So poof... straight back for more... usually an even harder attempt, as Dolores Cannon wrote.
Thank you and well said! It's very true that most don't understand karma as their own energy rather than just good and bad deeds đ
For me, enlightenment is to have developed the hability to flow with life as it is, no resistance, no problem.
There are some conflicts in my mind, that I can't shake out for I think for 15 years now. I solve a lot of my life problems and source of sadness but this thing is always keeps bouncing back and forward!
I think in essence, it's the feeling of what we actually are! I really can't feel this whole part you mentioned in myself. the thing is my Mind is so logical ( and the bad thing is that my job as a programmer makes it also stronger) My brain is very left-minded that I even can't visualize things in it consciously. it's always pure black screen!
This logic stuffs moves me toward understanding many things, it's helpful but I feel it's very slow and I am always stuck and lost after a while! This exploring of the unknown by the brain that needs real-world experience to confirm is so devastating
For example, consider the story of creation, I think it's now more than 9 months, that I keep thinking about it, and last month I thought yeah I finally understand it but after two or 3 weeks of more thinking, I just understand that it was all wrong and my new understanding just turn over all things that I thought was true ( they include e.g the notion of enlightenment and reality, you mentioned in this video too, If I had seen your video, one month ago, I would totally agree on what you say but now I'm not sure at all and think there is something missing! it feels like being lost in somewhere empty of everything and it's not a good feeling at all )
And actually, I don't quite understand it but I feel somehow my inner urge to follow your videos, and it's now a couple of weeks, I start thinking about something and after some days you make a video about it (including this video, previous video about meditation and the previous one about sex ), and I don't hear the story of your childhood in your videos but I have this feeling that it's the same thing as I experience.. and apart from this geological distance and internet, we also know each other from somewhere else. It's actually a very interesting feeling and experience for me...
What do you think?
It takes meditation, practice and patience; you should also inquire into who is the "I" within you is who says "I can't 'feel' this whole part within me" ~ who is trying to 'grab' onto that feeling? Why is trying to feel it? What exactly is it trying to feel? Enlightenment can't be grabbed or found but discovered through letting go and not trying to *do* anything. There's nothing wrong with being logical or rational, I too was also a programmer for some time and did Computer Science at University for a bit... what's more important than stressing over how logical we are is excercising awareness over our logic. It's less that your job makes you what you are, but rather you have to understand the logic that's already part of you.
I can see how it may seem "devastating" as you put it, but actually when you really begin to gain real knowledge from experience rather than thoughts and beliefs you'll see how it makes perfect logical sense to let go of all these frustrations; you'll also see how spiritual attainment isn't something mysterious anymore but freeing and liberating; mere thoughts can never know ~ and to be out of its grip is deeply emancipating - but we also have to realise that thoughts are not "bad" in themselves, the mind is a marvelous tool, it's just been abused and misused for so long; it's a purifying and healing process, take your time and be easy on yourself.
All of these feelings of conflict and confusion fluctuate within us in positive or negative ways; the key is not in trying to find some solace or comfort in them whether good or bad, but instead to observe their movement and our relationship to them over the experience of our life. The key is in not identifying with these thoughts no matter how overwhelming they may seem.
Yes I understand that feeling of resonating with someone, especially when they're talking about the truth of things. I've felt it with many spiritual teachers and masters in the past. You may be right in what you said, but I also think part of it comes from the fact that when we recognise profound truths of what someone is saying, we feel that deeper connection much stronger like you said. Also, I'm quite open, I'll probably talk about my childhood and upbringing on a future video if you're interested. I talked a bit about it in my book.
@@AstralDoorway Thanks a lot. I'm very grateful for the time and effort you put to answer đ
About the knowing part, its actually deeper than just resonating, I feel resonance with truth in the past but this feeling is different, I think its not something that I can explain, and Yeah it would be great if you make a video about childhood, I think we can all learn a lot from a good story about the past đ
What an absolutely excellent video. Listening to you speak about ego and enlightment really clicked and made me come to some realisations. Thank you.
Enlightenment is just a degree of understanding, theoretically has no end.
amazing explanation Thank You
I agree with almost everything you said, and yet Iâm more confused than before.
In many ways, enlightenment is about confusing the intellectual mind so much that almost forces it to let go of trying to grasp onto anything; like a Zen Koan which are poems or stories which are meant to stop the mind from thinking because like enlightenment itself, there is simply no rational explanation: fractalenlightenment.com/37292/spirituality/5-zen-koans-that-will-open-your-mind
I think what this means is that enlightenment it seeing through the illusion of the story moment by moment as you are moving through your life. Enlightenment is not a place we arrive but rather a state of seeing.
Hawaiian people call it the state of aloha. It means to see what is unseen, to hear what is unheard and to know the unknowable. Enlightenment is fluid like the waves of the sea because enlightenment is to see, hear and know through the intuition of the heart. Hope this helps. đ
quoted...22:19 desstructive process to let go of everything that...
Truly respect for the describe, satu _/\_
Hey there, got a few questions regarding the Samadhi state:
1. How long did it take you to achieve this state?
2. How do we go about achieving such a state? Could anyone, of any spiritual level/development, go into a meditation, and do a technique to enter Samadhi? Or must we develop overtime, and we eventually enter into the Samadhi state? Iâm keen to know the âHow toâ, or what we should do to go about attaining Samadhi.
Thanks as always đđ
I'm not entirely sure how long it took me to experience states related to Samadhi. Mostly because it was a gradual process of reading, learning, and consistent daily meditation. Yes, anyone can experience Samadhi if one understands how to bring the mind to a deep abiding peace and stillness. It takes practice; it can in a few days or a few years, it depends on who you are and your life situation. If there were an easy "how" answer then anyone could do it, but just like the concept of enlightenment, it's less about trying to "grasp" the idea of it and more about letting go of trying to "reach" a state and also about transcending the states that you're already in.
Personally, pranayama, Zen Buddhism and Eckhart Tolle's books helped a lot, you could look into those until I give more guidance about it. For now, a consistent daily meditation practice helps a lot, especially pushing through those days where your meditation sessions don't seem "peaceful". In reality, meditation sessions where the mind was noisy is actually part of the progress; in those sessions your awareness is working through months or years of unattended thoughts and emotions. Meditation is a long-term process of inner purification and the strengthening of the mind and nervous system. This website was also very useful, you can find a lot of valuable information there: www.aypsite.com/MainDirectory.html
Hi Gene thats very thoughtful of explaining about it.đđđđđđđđ
I think you may get more information about samadhi in siddha samaj students....
I AM THE I AM so I AM âEnlightenedâ through Realization exactly as U described itđđđđ« U are Wonderfull Gene and so correct it is very hard to become something U are allready and Always has Been looking back after realizationâšđâš â Realize the âSuprĂȘme Selfâ and set yourself free and life in SuprĂȘme Reality âonly Love is real⊠unconditional off course and all is counsiusness and if you read this your true Nature is all you seek so seek no more Realize you are the I AM drop the I as identety and all concepts and stay as parabrahman wich Is the State before I AM then my gift too you is eternal bliss too the eternal being U are.. it is kind off funny the idea off an Enligtened being not to say I AM Enlightened but others have too say they are so I use âSelfrializedâ instead and others cant really say it for Me or about Me they dont have a clue and eventually there are no others all is an individal manifestation off the One Small divine sparks who live as a body and are identefied by their thougts so off course much compassion for Those souls U cant judge anything everything is excactly as it is and should be no need to change anything You Can only change your perception off âSelfâ U are the Self you have a body and you have thought and if U have a Loving thought off U or others that is real everything Else is an illusion âMaya and you are in the wheel so join Me and jump off the wheel and feel true unconditional love for all Your Essence is pure love it is very hard for an Ego to love it Self and its a construct from mind anyway.. you are allready free nothing too liberate you are the Self and that is Love itself radiating its Essence as you a divine spark off creation knowing itself through you âU are thatâ you just have too realize instead off seeking.. so it is the âeternal NOWâ allways and thats the only place to realize anything especially the Big one that you are Enlightened U cant become something U are allready so stop the hunt⊠Relax my friend there is absolutly nothing to do just be here in the eternal now as you and you are perfect Hole and complete how can you be anything Else than that if U are made in gods image you can only be perfect just as you are right nowđđđđ« much Love to you all you are Me anyway just Unique in your own Way on your Way to Realize That I AM ALL THERE IS and grace is given it is very humble and amazing expirience and Then life starts for realđđđđ joy bliss Love pence harmonie wich is your Essence the only thing you need to drop is the Personality.. Meditate meditate meditate and over 30.000 now when the video starts you had 3.000 10 times so much after 6 month it has to be the quality off your Channel and your smooth voice đ so thank you very much my friend for that and the Way you guide people maybe i join your patron we Will see
infinte Blessings your Way
Much Love from
MđMđMđ
Maybe there's nothing to understand, just be. The more we seem to strive the more questions arise. Logic and egos seem to be like a Chinese Finger Trap
I came back for a tune-up Thank you!
Everything in this game of duality is an illusion. Your here for the experience. It is the ONLY thing you take with you. The Universe is experiencing itself through YOU and all that IS. If someone ask you if your enlightened an appropriate response is: "I am aware". Everything is awareness / consciousness.
I like the muddy water analogy! It's the pathless path
Gene i became enlightened at age 29 and 9 months
Love You
Thank You đ
Thank you so much
Namaste!
Truth heardđ
Whats that flute song in the background?Beatifull
enlightenment might be realizing that everything is just trying to show you how much you already may enjoy it
How do you sustain your life while striving towards enlightenment? If being enlightened is the destruction of lies and illusions we tell ourselves and the world that surrounds us, how can we maintain our composure of being successful within this world that we physically must make a living? How do we maintain our lives, possibly built on the illusions and the lies, and not completely surrender our physical wellbeing (financially, socially, and physically)? Is there a way to balance enlightenment and our lives (financially, socially, and physically)?
Absolutely. In the beginning, without a doubt it can be, and usually is, one of the hardest things for "awakened" people to accept their material situation. Especially when we realise so deeply it's all just a "meaningless consumeristic rat race". But similar to what was mentioned in the episode this is only part of one layer/progression of enlightenment.
Our mental image of society being "good", is just as illusory as our image of it being "bad" or "difficult". This is why enlightenment is so crucial; because dissolving those images unites us with our direct experience which when we go into deeply, we realise it's not so bad at all and actually we can start to appreciate it more presently, beyond the veil and illusion of the perception of time and memory. We can access this "present moment" wherever we are, whether it be at work, school or with family.
Eventually, things will start to come together and you may start to understand your own life/soul purpose and why you came here in the first place. Eventually, your own life situation may manifest in a way that reflects that purpose.
Especially at the start, there is an attitude that is helpful to adopt; it's that even though we are spiritually rebellious and may not agree with modern society, it is helpful to willingly become a "perfect" citizen, to put on our suits and get done what needs to be done and rise to our material Earthly challenges, how else will we create better environments and opportunities for us to have space and these deeper experiences?
It's not an easy task I know and I completely resonate with why you asked it and I've struggled with it a lot too in the past. The path and choices are there though, and we can align with not just the spiritual path but also the material path... and actually you will find that there's very little difference between the two. Spiritual challenges often come in the form of material manifestations.
@@AstralDoorway Awesome! I recall reading something that stated build upon what you have now, because what is in the past is done; therefore, it can not be changed. The presence that is now shouldnât be destroyed, but one should build upon what is present. In your earlier podcast where the listener acknowledges their surroundings during guided meditation, because we have never been in that moment. I feel the point of that, and please correct me if Iâm wrong, is along the lines of presences, the Power of Now, is being grateful for what is now. Although the âconsumeristic rat raceâ has brought me to this present moment, moving forward with an awakened awareness doesnât make life seem as hollow as before, and eventually a sense of purpose should arise. Not something someone told me I should do, but because it feels right within to help this world.
hi, just curious, did the White light come to you? Are you able to consciously return to that state/paradigm?
Alignment is basically the matrix
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ALL at anytime can be enlightened. For it is a moment of realization. No need to climb a mountain or meditate in a cave.People are enlightened all the time without knowing it, even you.đĄ
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