Enlightenment

If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is the quiet acceptance of what is. - Wayne Dyer
Enlightenment

This quote by Wayne Dyer I am not sure if I agree with or not. As a very brief definition, it may suffice, but enlightenment is a very funny thing to define.

It has been a very closely guarded secret as to what it is exactly. Over the centuries it has been described very vaguely and not what happens exactly. For example, in one book it talks about how the student was stricken by a ruler then enlightenment struck him! The reason I hypothesize for them not explaining enlightenment in detail is that if you knew what it is going to be like exactly you will never know for sure if you attained enlightenment.

It is an incredible experience that when it happens your whole world changes and I don’t know about you but if I experience something almost unbelievable and magical and then read about the experience later it is more believable to me. I know that the experience REALLY did happen instead of manifested itself from my sub-conscience mind. An example of this is while meditating I felt a cold spot in the room then followed it around for a while then sat still and relaxed my eyes and saw a beam of light coming from the area. The funny thing about this beam of light is that it CURVED! I never heard or read about anything like that before but read about it in a book later about it being a sort of portal from another dimension. For something as incredible as this it was almost unbelievable if I didn’t see it with my own eyes and if I had read about it first I would second guess myself if I really did see it or imagine it from the book that I read.

The book, “The Three Pillars of Zen” is the first book that described enlightenment in great detail on what it really is like. I had achieved enlightenment and it was a most incredible experience for me. To the point of the complete understanding that I received when I looked out the window and saw a woman sweeping the sidewalk outside, I started to cry because I saw how beautiful it really was. I was connected to everything and did not have any unanswered questions at all. I was aware of the past, present, and future at the same time briefly (about six hours) and saw myself in everything and how we were all connected. I thought I had started to be driven mad until I read someone else having the same experience in the book, “Hardcore Zen” written by Brad Warner who surprisingly was a punk rocker.

Unfortunately, once this enlightenment was over I was back to being a human force and wish I could stay that way forever. I suppose being a spiritual being having a human experience limits this but at least I know what it will be like once this body dies. Even though I do not agree 100% on this quote I do know that it will bring you a more peaceful life.

Where to Seek Happiness

Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside. - Sri Ramana Maharshi
Where to Seek Happiness

A lot of times we seek happiness outside of ourselves. We won’t be happy unless this happens or until that happens or until this person does this, etc.

When you put conditions on being happy you will end up spending life with the goal of being happy out of your reach.

“Happiness is like a butterfly. When pursued it is always beyond your grasp but if you sit still it enlightens upon you.” I am not sure but I think I read that quote in the book, Zen and the Birds of Appetite by Thomas Merton. If I am wrong and the quote is not in there the book has a wealth of information in there to take the confusion out of life and make you look at life in a different way which in turn makes your life so much better. It is one of the most favorite books that I have ever read. This is the book that I read that helped me reach a level of enlightenment.

Wayne Dyer paraphrased a famous quote, “There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.” This is so very true! For too many times in my life, I have always put conditions on my happiness. This has given me great drive to succeed in almost every area of my life. But at what cost? I have missed out on a lot of happiness in my life with this limiting self-belief. I could have been happy the whole time and just as ambitious. The funny thing about this quote is that if you seek happiness from within and become truly happy success will follow you like a shadow that never leaves.

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