The Elusive Enlightenment
It seems the term enlightenment is coming up everywhere and from everyone. There is always the path to enlightenment. Enlightenment is a very common word in the Shift In Action blogs.
In the West more and more I see people that have never considered the concept of enlightenment using the word. It has entered our language. It is not that it was not here before, but I don't believe in the 1960's I would have heard the word enlightened used while at the hardware store. For example, you would not have heard "Bill, an enlightened person would most likely choose the new recycled products to build a deck."
The idea of enlightenment as some state that is acquired is very old. Mostly, when I hear the word used it is about a state of being or a being that has either achieved or not achieved enlightenment. The idea of there being a path, and that this enlightenment is something to achieve has been taken for granted. Often, enlightenment is talked about in a way similar to earning a degree from a university. You do the work, follow some master, do some teaching or something and are awarded enlightenment. I guess there is a diploma or at least a certificate. Then, this leads us to the conclusion that there are those that are enlightened and those that are not.
I find questions that have only yes or no as the possible answer and questions that only have multiple choice answers do not work very well in many of the topics we discuss here at IONS. The problem is that neither yes nor no might be an answer. For example, here is something that might seem simple. Are you breathing? Seems simple enough. My guess is the answer is yes. Now, hold your breath. Are you breathing? I don’t know. When holding our breath, are we breathing? If we don’t breathe soon, we will have a physical body problem. The idea is to open up to and different open ended questions which might might let us see things in new and different ways. This might be a good time to ask new and different questions about what is called enlightenment.
In exploring enlightenment, maybe there are other ways of perceiving or being in this state, consciousness or evolution. I have come across some personally that have nudged me a bit and opened me up to seeing this in new and different ways.
I have written about the Oneness Movement in India. I have read the books, watched the DVDs on this and received the Oneness Deeksha, actually many times. I am writing of my experiences and how I have come to see this thing we call enlightenment in new and different ways and how I look forward to seeing this in ways I cannot now imagine.
When Sri Bhagavan, founder of the Oneness University and Oneness Temple, was asked about enlightenment, he said that it is seeing things as they are. Sounds simple enough. He has been asked if how we might know if someone is enlightened. He said, “If he/she says he/she is enlightened, they probably are not. If they are enlightened, they are probably not interested in talking about it.” So, since I am talking about, I am logically, not enlightened. This is not the end of the story, because, maybe it is time for us in the west to awaken to a new way of seeing this.
In my process, I did an Awakening Into Oneness weekend. There were about 250 people there. There were 2 people, I guess the word is leading, but it could be supporting, assisting, guiding or otherwise sharing themselves with us for the weekend.
One of those people is Arjuna Ardagh. I got to meet Arjuna that weekend. He is one of the luminaries here on IONS. Arjuna has written many books, including “The Translucent Revolution”, “Awakening Into Oneness”, and most recently “Leap Before You Look”. He has done extensive research all over the world on what we call here “The Great Shift”.
The thing I found about Arjuna is that he is active in his own evolution. He lets you see that he is evolving. He is present and real with people. In the weekend, I could tell, he really saw and really heard people, including me, and I talk a lot. He was willing to be seen and be heard. He is willing to be visible.
In this weekend we had the opportunity to experience Oneness. He said that these days, all over the world, it is easy and getting easier to experience Oneness. He has interviewed thousands of people for his books and all over the world people are awakening.
So, what about becoming enlightened? What must I do to be enlightened? Because we in the west have such a big charge on enlightenment, the Oneness Movement, no longer uses that term. Because of the charge and the common use of the term enlightenment, we have come to expect this state to look some certain way. It becomes a new box or new thing to achieve. In the Oneness Movement, it is said this is something that is given. For me as a doing person, this was a bit hard to handle. If there was something for me to do, then I could do that and so achieve this state. If this is to be given and there is nothing to do, then what do I do?
Arjuna and I talk on the phone these days. He is, as I said, a real person. When we talk, I know there is a person there, right there, present. I have gained a great deal of appreciation for him personally and for his work. What I find in his work are ideas that resonate very easily with me.
Arjuna has introduced the idea of translucence. I feel that anyone that has the slightest curiosity, inkling, itch, wanting, longing or any interest at all in enlightenment take a moment just to watch this brief YouTube video. The cool thing is after seeing this, I now look at this evolution and this thing called enlightenment in an even more positive and uplifting way.
The video is part of a TV interview. It is not long and worthwhile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_lFwRZPD4s
I have much more to say on this, once again from my own experience. As I said, Arjuna and I talk. I am looking forward to more interactions and will be doing more with his work. I feel he is a good guy, doing a good job for our world. His work is new and different. It relates easily to many of the posts we have here on Shift In Action.
Here is his website
He is in California, where many of you reading this are as well. From my own experience, it is worthwhile attending one or more of the events. I do not easily recommend things. I felt the need to let others know of this. I believe he has something coming up in June. Information on it is on the Living Essence site somewhere.
John
