Anyone making an actual attempt to arrive at Enlightenment will probably have some sort of definition of Enlightenment, or at least a vague and blurry concept of what it will be like to be Enlightened.
So, that’s the first thing to throw out of your head. Here’s the routine:
- Forget what you’ve heard about Enlightenment.
- Forget what you believe about Enlightenment.
- Forget the definitions of Enlightenment you may have heard or self-realized.
Enlightenment must not be defined, because it’s not a product, it’s a process. The slow process of Enlightenment starts with a First Step.
The First Step to Enlightenment is to put aside all the junk you think you know about everything, but you can start with Enlightenment.
All the crap you’ve piled up on the idea of Enlightenment has got to go, along with all the good advice you’ve managed to accumulate on the way here.
There are literally thousands — and it may well run into the millions — of thoughtful and well-intentioned definitions of Enlightenment, but none of them will help you actually achieve it, and they could conceivably block you from your attainments.
In short, you need to take a fresh look at Enlightenment, which starts with a list of all the things it isn’t.
Let’s make a list of all the things that bother you, annoy you, worry you, make you feel bad, give you an uneasy feeling, make you feel paranoid, give you anxiety — the bad stuff that keeps you awake at 3 a.m. — yes, those things.
Worry, fear, regret, anger, resentment, anxiety — these are just symptoms, not the disease. The first thing to do is to knock away those blockers, but it has to start somewhere, and that’s best done with a First Step.
So, the First Step toward Enlightenment is to WANT Enlightenment without really knowing exactly what it is.
That also includes not really knowing if there’s any USE for Enlightenment — is it worth the chase?
Oh, don’t automatically assert that it is of value. You don’t really know that yet, but when you reach Enlightenment Absolute — which is a reachable goal not out of reach — you will know for certain that it has value and what’s more, you’ll know what that value is.
Right now, you have to take the word of someone who has achieved it to tell you that it’s really great to be there — it’s kind of like receiving a postcard from some vacation spot, and it says “Wow! It’s great! Wish you were here!”.
You’ll respond differently, with different levels of trust, depending on who sent it. If you get a robocall that offers to explain Enlightenment for a small fee, hang up, quick.
What you want to do is to STRIVE toward Enlightenment, without knowing what it is. The thing is, how do you know you’re on the Right Trail, the Perfect Path?
Well, without a compass, you don’t.
That’s where I come in. I make and sell compasses, maps, guidebooks and utility belt items that might come in handy while you’re climbing that particular mountain.
There are others.
We’ll discuss the other mountains once you’ve climbed “Mount No Big Deal”, the Everest-like ascent directly ahead of you. Enlightenment opens the gateway.
Will Enlightenment clear up my pimples?
Of course it will, but that’s not important right now. What IS important is that you get on the Road to Enlightenment — nobody expects you to achieve it in the first few minutes.
It might take weeks and weeks and weeks.
Patience is required, but you might not have it, in which case, you need my special Rush Order Patience Workshop DVD, which I haven’t made yet, but I’ll definitely get around to it sooner or later.
If you haven’t GOT the patience, get it. Don’t explain. Just get it.
On your way to Enlightenment are many rewards, but there are also pitfalls, none of which need to happen, and won’t — unless you’re hungry.
If you’re not hungry, you can’t be had. Try telling that to an Unmasked One.
Speaking of Bottled Lightning and Equipment Failures, Enlightenment has no features, no tell-tale set of symptomatology that tells you that you’re there.
Measuring Enlightenment has become a profession that is largely doomed, due to lack of interest and public funding.
In short, you’re not likely to see anything related to actual Enlightenment anywhere on this planet, unless you already know where to look.
One of those places to look is here.
Okay, so minus the Celestial Bullshit, what’s the deal? How do you achieve Enlightenment?
Wrong question. The question you want, the question you should be asking yourself is, “How can I tell if I’m Enlightened or not?”.
Really. Without a strict and classical definition of Enlightenment, there’s no way to determine whether you’re experiencing that special state or not.
Yes, special state. It’s not something you carry around ALL the time, like a cell phone.
Enlightenment is a tool, not something that gives you special privileges, like a free bus ride or some cheese snack samples at the local shopping mall.
Speaking of malls, I’m thinking of opening a restaurant. Relax, it’s in Second Life, and speaking of Second Life, check out this idea:
You get all the way through the ad, and THEN you discover that it’s about a model that’s sold in Second Life, but on the way there, you convey the idea of holding some virtual property and using it every day for meditation and recreation and communication.
Wow, what a concept.
Okay, time to get ready for the workshop.
See You At The Top!!!
gorby