Enlightenment

Yes, you really do want it.   Yes, you do.  You have been looking for it all your life. 

“Bullshit” you say.  I’m no Buddhist.  “I don’t even know what this enlightenment is!”    

Well, what is it not?   You are substituting so many other things instead.  Shopping, trolling the internet, sex, food, playing games, drugs, alcohol. 

Now sex (so now you’re paying attention), there is something that gets close.  That moment of orgasm, where everything slips away, you are one with your lover, one with the universe. 

Now ask yourself, “why, do I do the things I do?”  Do I do them for pleasure?  Do I really love these things I spend my valuable time upon? 

What if there is a way to have pleasure that is deeper, longer lasting, healthier? 

Not that sex is unhealthy.  Perhaps not as healthy when it is done mindlessly, without love. 

Why do people have addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, gambling?  What are they after?  What is missing for them?  

The better question is:  “what do I really want?” 

The answer is true for every human.  Whether you accept this truth or not. 

We all want the same thing. 

Enlightenment. 

But how do we get there?  What is it really?

It is hard to describe.  Like orgasm, if you never experienced it.  Or, perhaps, trying to describe the pleasure of seeing color to a blind person. 

Really, you have it right now. 

Your brain just covers it up with thoughts.  Too many thoughts, continuous thoughts.  Thoughts about the future.  Thoughts about the past.  Musings.  Ramblings.  Obsessions. 

You do enter pure enlightenment every night.  In deep dreamless sleep.  You have to.   You would die without sleep.  Even rats die without sleep. 

So how do you enter that state while maintaining some level of consciousness?   Without being in deep dreamless sleep?

Well, if you are already in that state, and thoughts get in the way, then how do you stop the thoughts?

You can’t just stop them, that really does not work. 

But you can watch your thoughts carefully.  Some have written that you watch your thoughts like a Samurai with a sword, ready to cut the thought as soon as it barely arises. 

Imagine your thoughts arising from a deep dark pool.  As they arise they are not fully formed.  If you miss the cut, if they do form, then let them drift away like a cloud.  This usually takes training.

Thoughts arise, and then thoughts about the thoughts, and whole stories arise.  The so-called Monkey Mind. 

Concentration.  Meditation training.  Not easy.  But, worthwhile.  A long-term investment in your true happiness. 

Like training a puppy.  You keep bringing the puppy back to the paper until it learns where to pee.  You bring your mind back to carefully watching your thoughts arise.  Slowly, slowly, slowly the mind quiets. 

Creativity.  You have to come up with your own plan.  Your own path. 

Enlightenment is removing everything that gets in the way of realizing the basic nature of your true mind.  It is there already.  Right now.  You are always already enlightened. 

You just don’t know it, and substitute other stuff.  Stuff that gives you instant pleasure.  Fleeting pleasure.  Nothing that lasts very long.  Little that can really make you happy. 

You know this already.  You always have.  It is built into your genetic code, within this brain-body.  You are truly one with everything that is, and everything that is not. 

But, we have an animal brain.  It also wants to survive.  And it also wants instant pleasure.  It lusts after fleeting pleasure.  Also built into our genetic code. 

Indulge in these instant pleasures, as long as it does not harm others or yourself. 

But, also invest in the long-term development of concentration and meditation. 

And care for the body.  Watch the food you eat.  Indulge in body exercise such as stretching, aerobics, light weights, core exercises.  But, don’t get addicted to exercise. 

Hang out with positive people.  Laugh a lot.  Enjoy the connection with others and nature.  You are everyone and everything.  It is just so hard to see this clearly. 

Some advise taking a meditation class.  Or, perhaps mindful yoga or Tai Chi/Qi Gong.  Many paths. 

Perhaps try sitting or walking meditation on most days of the week.  Start doing it for 5 minutes every day.  Work up to 30-45 minutes a day.  Maybe after exercise, when you are less sleepy.  Try the early morning, at lunch, the evening.  Do you wake at 3 am to pee?  Pee and then sit.  Don’t get addicted to meditation either. 

Set aside one weekend every few months for a full day or weekend of sitting.  By yourself, with a trusted other, or with a group.  Attend a 3, 5, 8, or even 10-day silent retreat once per year.  Some people do a 3-month retreat, hard to carve that out of a busy life.  Even harder when funds are limited.  There are many inexpensive options, including no or low-cost courses and retreats (just Google “free meditation courses”). 

Creativity.  Find what works for you!   

Hard stuff may come up.  Realizations.  Maybe you need to change the work you do.  Have you found your true passion?  Ask the most basic question of all, “who am I.”  See what comes up! 

Take a deeper look at your personal relationships.  Can you deepen the relationships you have?  Do you need to let go of people, and objects, which might be holding you back?  Maybe you need some guidance.  Maybe psychotherapy.  Find someone who knows about meditation. 

You are already enlightened.  Drop everything that gets in the way of realizing you are in that state of being. 

Drop everything that gets in the way of entering the deep place of Empty-Fullness.  That place that is fully dark and yet full of light. 

Then carry this realization embedded in your bones into your everyday life. 

You will then always have a toe dipped into enlightenment.  And then every action is right action.  There are no regrets.

Each action is exactly as it should be.  Going to work, brushing your teeth, washing and folding clothes, eating, making love. 

You are that.