What does spiritual enlightenment mean? Who are enlightened people and how to recognize them? Enlightenment does not guarantee physical health

ENLIGHTENMENT

A practical article will show whether enlightenment exists as an objective reality, how spiritual enlightenment is related to the practices of meditation and conscious breathing, and whether there is another way to achieve enlightenment other than spiritual practices.

Enlightenment of consciousness: what does it mean?

What does “enlightenment of consciousness” mean? The question is not an easy one. Many minds have struggled to express in words what cannot be expressed, because words have not yet been invented for this. The only word that people are accustomed to associate with the state of being in a higher reality in a spiritual sense is enlightenment.

Enlightenment as a state of samadhi or, even higher, as the Enlightenment of the Buddha, where we are finally freed from all suffering and passions; a process of absolute purification and reincarnation, where the ego no longer has power and life situations do not provoke emotional reactions - then this can be called true enlightenment.

Many crave it, even more seek it, but only a few go the long way and finally begin to live in a state of enlightened consciousness.

Does enlightenment exist objectively?

The Diamond Sutra says: “There was never a Buddha who entered this world. And there will never be one who enters this world.” He says: “I taught for forty years and never said anything.” Such a saying implies a general denial of the existence of the phenomenon of enlightenment. There is no Buddha, the whole world is an illusion, there is no you and your ego. Who or what will be enlightened? From the point of view of some philosophical teachings, this concept is completely justified, because in the world there is nothing but emptiness, and therefore our existence cannot be taken seriously.

We will leave philosophical questions for philosophy and consider the practical aspect of the phenomenon of enlightenment.

Yoga and Enlightenment: Human Spiritual Enlightenment

Yoga and enlightenment are directly related to each other. By practicing yoga, you open the way to states of insight and enlightenment. By performing breathing and meditative practices, you are primarily working with your energy, increasing your spiritual state and level of development.

In the teachings of yoga, enlightenment plays a special role - this is the final stage of Ashtanga yoga, an 8-step system. Achieving enlightenment - samadhi - is the cornerstone of yoga. All stages of yoga lead to one thing - to samadhi. Whether you are doing asanas or pranayama, whether you are practicing focused attention or meditation, you are always doing essentially one thing - approaching insight, and enlightenment, its brief moment, can happen even at the very approaches. You may not be as experienced as other practitioners; here the whole subtlety of the process lies in the implementation of the techniques, in turning off the mind from being absorbed in everyday issues.

When we talk about samadhi as enlightenment, liberation from passions, it would be wrong to say that this is the final stage on the path to enlightenment. This is rather a technical form of gaining enlightenment; the real highest enlightenment is entering the state of Anutara Samyak Sambodhi, the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is the state of a bodhisattva, a saint who helps people. He has learned the truths, is completely free from the power of passions, he is no longer bound by logic, everything is comprehended and everything is known not through the intellect, but directly as the receipt of revelation.

The only thing a bodhisattva does not do is go into nirvana. His decision is to help people on this earth, so he continues to reside here in the state of supreme Samyak Sambodhi, free from egoism, passions and desires.

If we look at the process of enlightenment from a more practical point of view, we will understand that everyday worries take up a lot of mental energy, and to achieve enlightenment we need free energy, which is why it is so important to stop thinking and making plans at least for a while. You need to renounce worldly concerns, think about the timeless, about what will remain forever - it is eternal. This is the same as devoting one's thoughts to what Brahman is, how it expresses itself in the world and that we are all Brahman.

How to achieve enlightenment

We achieve enlightenment not simply through practicing concentration or self-awareness. Enlightenment is a daily process when you learn new things, change your view of things and the world order. After analyzing the situation and coming to a new conclusion, you begin to perceive reality differently.

You don't just achieve enlightenment (can it be "achieved"?), we are not in the sport of achievement; you come to enlightenment, find yourself in it. This is precisely the formulation of the question: to find yourself, to know your essence, your real essence, your spiritual one. Why are you here, who are you, do you have a mission, do you need it? You are a spiritual being, so why should you take care of missions. If your consciousness wants this, then why not. This means that this is the essence of your life, your enlightenment, you will come to it through your mission.

For others it will be simply through self-improvement. A person is designed to learn, but it is not necessary to master new arts or skills, you can devote yourself to knowing yourself and your spirit. This truly will be your enlightenment.

How to achieve enlightenment

You can seek and achieve enlightenment in other ways, more indirectly. By changing your lifestyle, abandoning your previous views, tastes and habits, you come closer to a state of insight. You are like a sculptor who cuts off what is unnecessary, mercilessly parting with pieces of stone in order to create an image that has already appeared before his inner gaze.

Remove what has become ballast for you, find new interests in life, and start creating your new reality. If you changed something in one of the areas of your life and it led to radical changes, this is gradual enlightenment. You discover life in a new way, its hidden aspects, esoteric knowledge. There is no need to understand esotericism as strange voodoo magic or something like that. Esotericism is knowledge that is hidden from the inexperienced eye, but it contains the essence of things.

Once you lift the curtain, you will understand that life has not only a physical aspect, but also a spiritual and energetic one. You will begin to solve riddle after riddle; Much that was previously incomprehensible to you or interpreted from the position of a purely dense reality will take on a new coloring. You began to see in a new way.

Enlightenment: synonyms

By the concept of “enlightenment” we also mean insight, insight, a new perception of life, the emergence of consciousness to a new level. You have grown spiritually, become wiser, rethought your positions - this is what the concept of enlightenment and insight is associated with. You begin to see through the veil, the so-called maya. Finally, glimpses of another reality, other worlds become visible to spiritual vision.

Symbol of enlightenment

Enlightenment not only has a spiritual aspect, but also its symbolic representation in the physical world. Since ancient times, the lotus flower has become a symbol of enlightenment in the East. Its roots are in the ground under water, and its straight stem and luxurious flower rise above the surface of the water surface. If you have seen how rice grows in the fields, then a lotus grows from the same environment - this is a tropical beauty.

The petals of its flower are numerous; It’s not for nothing that they say that its inflorescence consists of 1000 petals, and our upper “crown” chakra is associated with the lotus inflorescence. He is pure, gentle, sublime in the literal sense of the word. The buds of this flower can be seen in all Buddhist temples and are given as offerings to Buddhist monks. A flower is a symbol of insight, purity of thoughts and high ideas. He is the embodiment of spirituality.

Pitfalls of Enlightenment

Enlightenment Traps: Both new and experienced Buddhist meditation or yogic practitioners can fall into these. Even if you do not engage in any of the ancient practices, still even an ordinary person engaged in self-improvement, internal search or knowledge of the secrets of our planet and everything that exists on it, there is a risk of falling into the trap of consciousness, better known as the trap of enlightenment.

Signs of enlightenment: pseudo-lucidation

These are states when it seems to you that you have already broken away from this mortal reality, you really no longer care about the interests that the majority live by, the TV has been thrown into a landfill for many years, the Internet is the only connection with the world, and even then you use it not for the purpose of watching the news, because they no longer interest you, but rather as a means of connecting with like-minded people or finding new information that is adequate to your spiritual development.

A short list of signs of a seeker close to enlightenment:

• understanding of reality and the essence of things;
• getting out of the crowd;
• view from the outside;
• craving for deeper self-knowledge and the process of self-discovery;
• study of spiritual, religious and mystical literature;
• awareness of actions and thoughts.

Although it is sometimes difficult to admit, but when we have become smarter and even more enlightened in many matters of existence, our emotions are still strong. This is, perhaps, the stronghold that is most difficult to overcome - the emotions associated with our attitude towards ourselves.

How can you not notice that we have truly risen above the crowd, that we are smarter and kinder, that we understand others better, that we have developed empathy and a high level of emotional intelligence. We may not even look proud and we are well aware that vanity and pride are the most difficult emotional states to get rid of.

We have driven them underground and are aware of how modest and simple we are towards others, but this awareness itself is a good indicator that the corrosive emotions of an egoistic plan are still with us, living in us. They just changed their role and now act as meek ones, as if telling us: “Look how humble and simple you have become, there are few of those on earth.”

Emotions are the mystery of enlightenment

So, the very awareness of how new, improved we are, with an improved range of interests and much more, is just the other side of the coin. You know that every emotion has a second side; perhaps it looks more pleasant, but turn it around - and the same unpleasant picture will open: behind humility - impudence, behind modesty - pride, behind detachment - involvement in the vanity of affairs.

These are not just comparisons, this is the rule of duality. We just turned the coin over, and the coin is still the same. What to do to truly get rid of even hidden disguised emotions? First of all, you need to understand that as long as there is control, even minimal, then the ego is doing its job. Remove the ego and there will be no emotions left to control. Without the obvious presence of the ego, even the very concept of emotion disappears. What is replaced is a feeling of goodness, unshakable calm, because we cannot say that the enlightened do not have emotions, although in reality they do not exist as we understand them.

The difference between the emotions of an enlightened person and an ordinary person

This kind of calmness is the basis of the “emotionality” of an enlightened person. Nothing can upset him, nothing can upset him, because the ego is finished. Only the ego reacts to external stimuli, which is why we get emotion as an output. Those emotions that we like, we consider positive and do not want to get rid of them, and negative ones - of course, we want to quickly recover, replace them, throw them away.

We again forgot that both positive and negative emotions are part of one whole: a response to stimuli. There will be no “I” reaction to the external - all emotions, including positive ones, will disappear! Yes, and we need to acknowledge this.

We must stop hunting for a positive emotional state, it is such a natural drug: ate something tasty - a positive emotion, ate something bitter, something disgusting - a negative emotion. There is a mechanism at work here, period. In order to become free from emotions, if you really want this, you need to leave all emotional attachments - then the ego will weaken, it will dissolve, and what remains will be a state of peace and bliss.

State of Enlightenment

It is difficult to express in words what will happen, because in our dictionary there are no suitable words for this: after all, most of them that describe a person’s psychological state are associated with emotion. In the case when we have moved away from emotion, only words such as “peace” and “detachment” can at least approximately describe such a state in which there is no “I”. It is difficult to grasp, but when you experience this state for the first time - you cannot say “feel”, you just need to live it - then you will understand what we are talking about.

Moreover, it is interesting to note that this pure emotionless state is available without performing special meditation practices or breathing exercises. Techniques and methods can help you achieve peace, speed up the process, but this is not the only way. It is quite possible, without constantly engaging in any specific practices, to find inner peace - spiritual peace.

However, it should be remembered that factors such as proper nutrition - plant foods, certain physical activities, looking at the world from a new angle, less focus on your “I” and its needs - are excellent components in order to achieve an illuminated state of mind, even without leaving society.

Remedies on the path to enlightenment

Staying alone and reading wise books written at least a century ago, or better yet, works well in this direction. Back then, authors were much less concerned about remuneration issues, if not at all. They created because they wanted to convey something to the reader, to truly convey knowledge. They created works from an overabundance of experience, a desire to open up something new to the world, it was their self-expression, and therefore, when you read such books, you inevitably become involved in the process, become part of it, and this definitely affects your psychological state.

Books, music, the right films, even feature films, can serve as an excellent means of changing your psychological state and switching your spiritual mode to a higher level.

It may be difficult to imagine at first, but works of art and sources of wisdom, such as books, travel to different parts of the globe, and exposure to the world of art, can serve as a lever for changing your spiritual state.

It is important to remember one thing here: do not make this an end in itself. An end in itself is the work of the ego. It will make purpose and competition out of everything. The process is important to us, so live as if you do not care about issues of self-knowledge and enlightenment, and then it will come by itself.

What does enlightenment give?

Again a question from the “I” position. After all of the above, you yourself understood that posing such a question is not only incorrect - it comes from egoistic ideas: “What will I get from this? What will I end up with? Once I become enlightened, what next?”

Our “I” is never enough. So it longs for enlightenment, and if it seems to it that we have become sufficiently enlightened, then we need to run again to a new goal and achievements. Faster, higher, more illuminated - this is the credo of the omnipotent ego at the hourly Olympiads of the mind.

Is there life after enlightenment?

So how do you know whether you are enlightened or not and what awaits us after enlightenment? When you achieve enlightenment, these questions will not interest you. They simply won't exist. You will live in a state of inner peace. You will stop weighing on your internal scales whether you are satisfied with the life you are leading and what it is like in comparison to the past. A new life will come for you, where there are no comparisons with the past or with the expected future.

At this moment, which many mystics and teachers talk about, you will find everything for yourself. This doesn't mean you shouldn't make plans for a vacation or trip. It is necessary, since these are real gradual movements that need to be performed in physical reality. But while taking actions, you will be in agreement with yourself: the conflict of parts is over. What you do in the moment, what you devote your time to in life, will be for you the only and best activity that you could ever imagine for yourself.

You will find harmony within yourself, and it will be reflected in the world around you. You will stop wondering whether I live for others or for myself. You will live both for yourself and for others, because even the concept of “others” will merge with yourself for you. You will still understand that there is Masha, Vasya and Kolya, but you will not think of them as separate and independent beings from you. Much will take on a new meaning for you, you will understand that your action has an energetic response in the world, one does not exist without the other; you will understand that spiritual and energetic connections rule the world.

Different religious movements and philosophical schools have different understandings of this difficult issue. They contain people’s attempts to understand what a person is and why he exists on this planet.

What is enlightenment?

In everyday life, enlightenment is understood as revelations that a person has received, a different view or a new understanding of familiar things. In philosophical schools and spiritual practices this phenomenon has a different meaning. In them, enlightenment is directly linked to the meaning of life, so it receives a primary role in the life of every person. From this point of view, enlightenment is going beyond the ordinary, realizing oneself as part of the universe, higher wisdom, higher existence.

Enlightenment in Christianity

The concept of enlightenment in Christianity differs significantly from the interpretation of this concept in Eastern practices. Enlightenment in Orthodoxy is an attempt to understand the Divine essence, to get as close to God as possible and to fulfill His will. Enlightened men of faith include the following saints: John Chrysostom, Simeon the New Theologian, Sergius of Radonezh, etc. Thanks to a deep understanding of the will of God and humility, these saints were able to achieve enlightenment, which manifested itself in the form of healing the sick, resurrecting the dead and other miracles.

Enlightenment in Christianity is inseparable from baptism and is associated with the cleansing of a person from all sinful things and the filling of his essence with Divine love. According to Orthodox spiritual fathers, only the Almighty knows when a person is ready to become enlightened. In this matter, one must completely rely on God and not try to achieve this on one’s own. The fact that a person has become enlightened can be recognized by his actions: they will be humble and aimed at benefiting people.

Enlightenment in Buddhism

Unlike the understanding of enlightenment in Christianity, enlightenment in Buddhism is associated with the individual. According to the Buddhist tradition, this state is accompanied by a feeling of unimaginable happiness, next to which ordinary earthly happiness is felt as suffering. The state of enlightenment is difficult to describe in human language, so it is spoken of only through parables or metaphors.

Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment was the first in the history of Buddhism. Shakyamuni was able to achieve liberation and go beyond the usual world. The Buddha's main strength on the path of enlightenment was meditation. It helps to translate spiritual thinking from logical understanding into personal experience. In addition to meditation, Shakyamuni pointed out the importance of such methods as knowledge and behavior for enlightenment.

Enlightenment in Islam

As in other religions, at the center of Islam is enlightenment - fana. Allah himself chooses the person on whom he will bring enlightenment. The criterion for readiness for fana is a person’s desire to reach a new stage of his development and readiness for this. A person’s heart, open to the influence of Allah, allows a new world into itself. An enlightened person with whom he is ready to serve people, and super-love for all living things.

Enlightenment myth or reality?

Enlightenment from a scientific point of view is the discovery of something new or a different perspective on familiar things. From this position, enlightenment has nothing supernatural in itself and is a normal work of our mind. In spiritual practices, enlightenment has a different meaning and content. It is associated with higher powers and helps people find and realize their purpose on this planet.

Enlightenment is a reality for many religious people who devote themselves to serving God and people. Using the example of enlightened spiritual teachers, you can learn to expand the scope of your consciousness and open your heart to the influence of higher powers. For people who are not interested in the spiritual side of life, enlightenment may seem like a myth. This view may be due to conservative thinking and lack of knowledge regarding this issue.

Psychology of Enlightenment

The path to enlightenment often begins with dissatisfaction with life and one's place in it. Reading smart books, psychological lectures and seminars on self-development, conversations with wise people can help a person get closer to answering questions, but all this is just the beginning of the journey. A personal constant search for one’s life vector one day leads a person’s brain to a new understanding. The road to enlightenment often takes a long time, and sometimes a lifetime. The reward of this path is a renewed mind and harmony with the world.

Enlightenment or schizophrenia?

No matter how strange it may seem, spiritual enlightenment and schizophrenia have three similar features:

1. Depersonalization- getting rid of one's own self.
2. Derealization– perception of the surrounding world as unreal, blurry.
3. Mental anesthesia– reduction in the strength of emotional experiences.

To differentiate between these two phenomena, the following components should be analyzed:

1. Cause. The cause of schizophrenia is often negative. The reason for enlightenment is the desire to make the world a better place, to become a more spiritual person.
2. Vote. With schizophrenia, a person hears voices calling for aggressive or inappropriate actions. An enlightened person hears a voice from above calling for good or improvement.
3. Mission. In schizophrenia, a person's interests revolve around his own self, even if the patient sees himself as someone else. An enlightened person strives to help others.

Signs of enlightenment

Buddhists say that it is impossible to describe in words what happens at the moment of enlightenment. This is due to the fact that the emotions and feelings experienced during the process of enlightenment are incomparable to the emotions we are used to. Among the signs of enlightenment are the following:

• spiritual priorities begin to dominate over material ones;
• periodically altered consciousnesses appear, in which new truths or their depth are revealed to a person;
• unusual abilities for creation, creation, and healing appear;
• character changes, bad habits appear, go away;
• an enlightened person sees divine wisdom in everything.

How to achieve enlightenment?

A person who wants to achieve enlightenment must go through the following steps:

1. Wishing for enlightenment with all my heart. To do this, enlightenment of consciousness should be made a top priority.
2. Trust in the matter of enlightenment to higher powers. Only God knows when a person is close to enlightenment.
3. Try to give your life under the control of divine forces. Draw closer to God through humility and deepening contact through prayer or meditation.
4. Engage in self-development, work on your character. A pure heart helps one to be more receptive to the influence of the Spirit.

Paths to human enlightenment

Spiritual teachers of various religious movements believe that enlightenment techniques are only a tool that does not provide any guarantee of success. Enlightenment is individual, it comes unexpectedly and has no exact reason. The following techniques can help you find a direct path to enlightenment:

• prayer;
• fast;
• relaxation;
• meditation;
• self-knowledge techniques;
• purification of consciousness;
• yoga nidra technique;
• getting rid of the negativity of the past;
• repetition of the names of God.

How to live after enlightenment?

Enlightened people are not transferred from this sinful planet to another. They have to continue to live among the same environment in the same area. Only a few spiritual teachers who have achieved enlightenment go to desert areas, but often this is done only for a while. The mission of enlightened people is to bring new knowledge and a new understanding of life to the world. After enlightenment, new abilities may open up that need to be used to help other people.

Enlightened people note that after their spiritual experience, it becomes much easier for them to live in this world. Their Ego and desires cease to control all actions. All necessary things are done without laziness and apathy. Life becomes more harmonious and understandable. A person stops worrying and being nervous, as he begins to realize the essence of his life and his mission.

Books about enlightenment

Many books have been written about enlightenment and how to achieve it. They all help you find your personal path in this matter and rise to a new level of your development. The top 5 best books about enlightenment include:

1. Hawkins D. “From despair to enlightenment. Evolution of Consciousness". The book describes practical methods on how to come to an awareness of the meaning of your existence.
2. Eckhart Tolle "The Power of Now". In this book, a person who has gone through the path of enlightenment talks in simple and interesting language about the path to enlightenment he followed and what awareness of life includes.
3. Jed McKenna "Spiritual Enlightenment: A Nasty Thing". The book debunks many of the myths that have grown up around enlightenment. The author tries to help people seeking awareness find the right path and start moving along it.
4. Nisargadatta Maharaj "I Am That". The author pushes a person to think about his true purpose. It makes you look deep into yourself and realize the need to study your inner world.
5. Valery Prosvet “Enlightenment in half an hour”. The author invites readers to pay attention inward and engage in self-development. To do this, the book describes various techniques, methods of self-knowledge and work on oneself.

What is an enlightened person, enlightenment?
Maybe I'm wrong, but until now I haven't come across a clear definition of this word. They say it is impossible to describe. It is possible only to know through experience, because “the spoken truth is a lie” - that’s what Lao Tzu said.

The reality is that no matter how hard I try to lay out the essence of my vision to you, I will never be able to convey all this accurately and without distortion,
Moreover, not every one of you will accept it, let alone believe it. But the point is not in your perception and, especially, in your faith. There is something that you will hear now (I am not being clever, but let those who hear, hear).

How do we perceive ourselves? Can you tell who you really are? Why are we here? Let me try to answer for you: “I am a person created by Mother Nature, and in the worst case, by evolution, endowed with all the qualities in order to be successful and happy.” I agree, in part, but with the perception of yourself you can be wrong, and why we are here, I think, you also don’t know. I won’t lie, but I also don’t know why we or I are here. But a person should perceive himself in the following way, at least I perceive, or rather, I try to perceive.

Man is body, soul and consciousness. Some were not surprised, but others were frightened. Real materialists will immediately rear up, although, if you think about it, consciousness or mind, as it is also called, or its lowest form - mind - is also not material. A? But thoughts, after all, they exist, do exist, although their nature is not clear. Yes, God is with them, with thoughts (I’ll tell you a secret - He is always with them, if He wants, with all the thoughts of the Universe, and if He wants, He will react to them). Yes, to be honest, I won’t prove anything. Whoever wants to, let him listen.

The body is the temple of the soul, and the soul has a place in this temple, but that’s another story. The soul has consciousness or intelligence when the mind is capable of awareness, i.e. the mind can be intelligent. Body, soul and consciousness - this is your true “I”. Yes, all together and each individually - all this is “I”. What can you do (for some), but the trinity can be traced here too. And yet, the spirit is the main, experienced, maybe even very ancient - the commander in chief. Consciousness - has a spiritual origin, however, for certain reasons, it can be clouded, denigrated, etc. When the consciousness is bright, it is capable of providing a great service to the commander-in-chief, who, for certain reasons, is out of sight - at headquarters, and when it is dark, it takes on too much, which is why problems then arise for everyone (the body, the spirit and the consciousness) . I don’t think that achieving material wealth is a sin, however, when you focus on material things, you lead yourself and your consciousness astray. In this case, it becomes darker, tuned to “lower” vibrations, which is what the “Dark Ones” need. Although all this happens from nature. Nevertheless, consciousness is capable of being aware, even of itself, of course, all this with the support of the spirit. There comes a moment when “it” understands that without a commander in chief it is very difficult and even impossible to exist, but there are exceptions, unfortunately negative ones. These exceptions are: “I sold my soul...”. But the conscious, intelligent consciousness directs its attention to the connection with the spirit. It learns to establish a connection with the spiritual world through its spirit.
An improving consciousness finds new alternative connections with the soul, more simple, natural and effective. The hour comes and the connection between consciousness and spirit is so close and clear, without distortion or loss, that it becomes possible to see, hear and feel the presence of the commander-in-chief. The ground is being created for close cooperation and mutual benefit. Growth of the spirit leads to growth of consciousness, growth of consciousness leads to growth of the spirit. Consciousness has states - levels. At a certain point, consciousness reaches a level where it fully reflects the light of the soul, without distortion. It becomes “full”, carrying the light of the soul - enlightened, pure.
In the east there is such a personification - the Sun is the soul, the Moon is consciousness. When the Moon is full, it fully reflects the light of the Sun in all its beauty, and then in pitch darkness, without light, a person can wander without fear of getting lost or going astray.

The state of enlightenment is intended to enrich life - it is a state of truth revelation in which one is able to live the infinite content of life.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Enlightenment cannot be achieved by simply talking about love. It is impossible to understand the principles of the Laws of Nature, to know oneself and realize as the creator of everything that happens, without spiritual practices. Only with the help of spiritual practices is it possible to grow pure consciousness, and therefore grow our ability to rejoice, love and create.

To enjoy the ocean of love (for those with strong armor), we must expand the boundaries of our heart and find the depth of the ocean, bottomless and full. Then it is possible to use the full power of the ocean.

A person with limited consciousness will never be able to grasp the situation as a whole due to the narrowness of his horizons. His heart, shallow as a pond, strives to rise
high on the waves of love, but creates only disorder and brings to the surface the dirt that has hitherto been so elegantly hidden below.

The evolution of consciousness is the driving force of life. It is possible when we connect with the reality of the Heavenly within us. It is enough to feel the blissful nature of the Soul once, and outwardly a person is completely transformed. The mind, experiencing Great Bliss, feels satisfied, and this satisfaction of the mind leads to right understanding and virtuous actions, kindness, love and compassion for everyone.

When a person thinks that he is kind, sympathetic and loving, without engaging in practices that raise the level of consciousness, he is like a poor person, always thinking about wealth, without taking any action to get out of his poverty.

By developing our consciousness, we can achieve enlightenment, and then a person’s life will become a bridge along which the abundance of the Divine Mind will enter the world of Creation.

Enlightenment is the main goal in most spiritual and esoteric teachings.

Enlightenment is the highest insight, awareness of the essence of life as such. Enlightenment eliminates ignorance, illusions of the mind, expands consciousness, and frees one from psychological suffering. A more detailed description is further discussed using examples of direct and indirect methods of achieving enlightenment.

Direct Methods for Achieving Enlightenment

These are the best, simple, instant methods. Direct methods eliminate the buffer of mental understanding, thinking and theorizing. Direct methods of enlightenment are not associated with training in schools, sects, seminars, gurus, teachers and mentors. These are all mind games. Direct methods are for those who are one hundred percent honest with themselves. Next, in order, is a description of direct methods of enlightenment.

Awareness of the present implies a direct perception of life here and now. When an ordinary person becomes familiar with this method of enlightenment, he begins to imagine what he is doing, or has just done. This is a deviation from the method.

Present awareness is the continuous, natural perception of what is right now. This is not a search for something, but if one is present, it is an awareness of the search as one of the lines of the drawing of the present moment. Ideally, the object of perception really becomes the present moment itself between the past and the future.

We can conditionally say that being in the present moment, being real is a property of our Higher Self. If you are aware of the present, the focus of identification shifts to.

If awareness of the present moment occurs continuously, life “collapses” into itself, and you see that now there is an endless presence in weightless eternity, where something happens beyond the limits of the future and the past. Now there is existence itself, the boundless space of consciousness. This is the primary basis of everything. This being is awareness itself and life as such. All perceived objects and forms occur in it as something deeply secondary and equivalent.

Acceptance of the present- essentially the same as awareness of the present, but with the help of a fine line of “letting” into your consciousness what is right now. The psyche closes the mind from most sensations, which ultimately form the subconscious.

Acceptance of the present is a full disclosure of everything that is here and now. At the same time, one’s own consciousness is felt as a pure vessel and conductor of all phenomena. Ideally, you realize everything as a single inseparable phenomenon. And if resistance remains somewhere, it dissolves. Everything just happens.

Enlightenment is total acceptance. Even if something feels like an obstacle, it is just another step on the path.

Relaxation in natural presence- essentially the same as awareness and acceptance of the present. On the other hand, this is another fine line in understanding life. Rejection of the present closes one from awareness of the present. This rejection arises due to tension at all levels of the psyche. Tension is eliminated by relaxation. And this is not a dream, but a cessation of resistance to the present.

In this case, all bodily sensations are perceived as compactions in the emptiness of the space of consciousness. Important . Acceptance and relaxation are two facets of the same process of enlightenment.

Defocusing consciousness– another facet of enlightenment. Everyday attention is focused by the mind in intense illusions of the past and future. The most subtle focusing of the mind creates a habitual self-identity - ours. It is experienced in the back of the head, throat and at a deep level in the chest area. Defocusing leads to the dissolution of these tense clots of psychic energy. And then painful tensions and “malicious fidgetiness of the mind” pass.

First, you feel how, in the presence of the familiar “I,” a sense of space appears, against the background of which tensions flounder. Then, as you defocus, the habitual “I”, which seemed like something impenetrably dense and solid, begins to create a gap through which the refined energy of consciousness leaks. Total defocus is identical to complete relaxation, acceptance, disidentification and enlightenment.

Viewer's awareness of life– the subtlest “movement” with which you shift the focus of attention from the world of forms and sensations to the viewer himself, who perceives life. Being, awareness, observation, presence - all this is a description of his essence, his only property, which is expressed in limited words in many aspects.

Smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing are instruments of perception. Who uses these tools? Where do these five threads of perception of life fit together? The one who looks at life right now is the eternal viewer of life. He is always there. Forms change. Enlightenment is the awareness of one's essence as a continuous free presence.

Exposing choice– another facet of enlightenment. Personality is a set of choices passing through consciousness in the present. Choice is born from rejection of the present. The personality is tense in the present, so it avoids it, choosing an illusory future.

Dedication– another one facet of enlightenment. You give everything you have. Not in a material sense, but in an essential sense. Self-giving occurs inactively, without effort or effort, in relaxation. We can say that this method of enlightenment is the edge of relaxation, in which you let go of your grip on what is happening here and now.

Contemplation of the present. As a rule, it begins with concentrating attention on any object. The method differs from the “spectator's awareness of life” in its emphasis on contemplation as such. The essence of this method of enlightenment is to make the process of contemplation basic and continuous. Then the focus of self-awareness shifts to the Higher Self. Perception as such is a property of the Higher Self. When you contemplate what is, the higher “I” is, as it were, “activated.” Enlightenment is a manifestation of the contemplative principle of life. This is the true one. Ideally, contemplation of an object occurs without, as something extremely natural.

Awareness of who you are- Ramana Maharshi's method of enlightenment. The method is based on the question: “Who am I?” You ask a question once, with a clear understanding of the meaning of this question. Then you shift your attention to the feeling “I am.” If “I” exists, then it can somehow be felt. What is "I"? Who am I"? A verbal answer means nothing. You need to experience who you really are. Comprehension of the “I” is comprehension of reality.

All these methods are different facets of the same process. Because of their unique experiences, different paths to enlightenment are available to different people.

Indirect methods of achieving enlightenment

These methods are usually associated with changes in energy, cleansing the mind, preparing the body and psyche for clear consciousness. The division into direct and indirect methods is conditional. Sometimes direct methods become indirect, and indirect methods become direct, depending on the readiness of consciousness.

Energy boost is the experience of awakening stagnant energy. It can be caused by energy exercises, and in particularly successful cases it removes mental blocks, clears the mind and enlightens consciousness. This includes the practices of Kriya Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, working with energy and other esoteric practices.

Shaktipat, or diksha- spiritual dedication. Typically given by a mentor, guru, or master. In especially successful cases, it gives an instant expansion of consciousness and enlightenment. More often it gives the experience of insight, which sows the “seed” of enlightenment. If the initiate conserves energy, the seed sprouts and over time the lotus of consciousness opens and blossoms.

Middle way. Buddha preached. In my understanding, this path to enlightenment is an intuitive, relaxed finding of balance in every new moment of life. Castaneda's Don Juan figuratively spoke of how a man of knowledge goes through life “lightly touching everything.” This path helps life. Don't stress, don't sleep, let reality happen. At the same time, paradoxically, you gain the ability to make efforts that a vain and tense mind is simply not capable of.

Not doing- Carlos Castaneda's method of enlightenment. Perception of the world is a subtle effort in consciousness. You make the world in your mind habitual. - this is the cessation of the “effort” to. Then familiar phenomena reveal their essence. You begin to feel what is happening as a play of energy. And on a more subtle level - as pure consciousness.

Super Effort– method of enlightenment by George Gurdjieff. This is one of the most difficult methods on the edge of life and death. Gurdjieff said that in the human body there is something like household batteries. When their energy is spent, the person collapses. But if at this time you make a jerk, a super effort, then your consciousness switches to a deep, almost inexhaustible source of energy, and you continue to move.

When mortal fatigue sets in, you make another jerk and from the deep source of energy, switch to the causal source. At the same time, the hyper-subtle consciousness is activated. The method is extremely dangerous for independent practice.

Suffering. They temper and develop the soul. Everyone knows this. Suffering is one of the main incentives for true detachment. Detachment from temporary phenomena leads to truth and enlightenment. Many saints underwent conscious suffering in order to cultivate spiritual qualities.

In no case do I encourage you to suffer. We can limit ourselves to the understanding that what we have already experienced was not useless.

Humiliation. One of the powerful incentives for the surrender of the ego and... Humiliation and pride go hand in hand. Neurotic self-identification is based on this pendulum. Again, I don’t urge you to humiliate yourself - it’s enough to treat your own person more simply: and not get ahead of yourself, embellishing reality.

Confession, recapitulation, journaling, psychotherapy are effective methods of clearing the mind. Secular memoirs don’t count. To work for enlightenment, you need to sincerely speak out all your own fears, highlight everything that has been suppressed, and.

Reflections on the beyond: about God, about eternity and infinity, about love, about the true “I” - it is also considered one of the methods of clarifying consciousness and enlightenment. If a reflector tries to feel the topic of his thoughts, his attention is torn away from theories and touches these deep layers of life in practice.

Karma yoga– this is work without expecting a result. The mind is calculating, and doing something for others without personal gain loosens the ego's grip. Ideally, karma yoga is performed with complete immersion of consciousness in the present moment, without goals in the future. Contemplation of the present is one of the direct methods of enlightenment. Contemplation in motion is the highest aerobatics in the practice of enlightenment. True karma yoga is, as Swami Vivekananda said, bringing the goal and the means together.

Unconditional love considered the best method of spiritual transformation and enlightenment. This method opens, . Unconditional love knows no insincerity or deception. This is the love of life itself. Ideally, on this path you are immersed in bliss, and leaving all divisions, you surrender to this experience without a trace.

Doubts

There is an opinion that enlightenment is impossible to achieve. Some say that enlightenment must be earned, or “received” from a master. But then it comes to what methods exist for this “receipt”. As a rule, it all comes down to donating your resources and time to schools, where the sufferers find themselves dependent on, after serving for many years, they seem to have a chance to become enlightened.

Another option is to pay a lot of money for initiation, and then, if the mind does not go beyond the mind, again, there is a chance to become enlightened “for free.”

Some say that enlightenment simply “happens” beyond methods and practices. Of course it is. But before this, a person goes through some kind of path. And most often this is the path that is called spiritual. It doesn’t matter how, it doesn’t matter in a past or present life. The path includes everything that happens.

Someone says that everyone is already enlightened: there is nothing to strive for, nothing to achieve. But what are these words worth? Why not? A righteous life, or a practical life, is no worse than an ordinary life, filled with contradictions and vanity.

Others say that enlightenment is available only to Buddhas, who come once every millennium, or even less often, and mere mortals cannot see the truth. This is how the voice of doubt in oneself and one’s strengths sounds, the voice of a mind that is in the shackles of concepts.

People tend to believe that the more seriously they take life, the closer this perception is to reality. However, this seriousness also consists of emotions that project subjective pictures of the mind onto a reality that has nothing in common with these projections.

In this article, expressing a subjective opinion, I argue that enlightenment is achieved, and for this there are suitable methods. Let everything be relative and achievement illusory. But there is nothing else to talk about.

I understand that in order to cover the stated topic, it is still necessary to be a member of the world association of enlightened masters, which I am not. Therefore, here, as elsewhere, I act cunningly, and in no case do I insist on the final truth of words and the effectiveness of “methods”.

Let everyone believe their own experience and make sure that there is truth. Let everyone personally verify that he/she IS. Some will need schools and teachers, some will need personal hard practice, some will need a simple introduction to the topic and a direct look at what is here and now.