Who are enlightened people and how do you recognize them? How to start the path to spiritual enlightenment What is spiritual enlightenment

The information that enlightened people live among us has been exciting, frightening and delighting humanity for several years. A striking example of enlightenment is the Dalai Lama.

He, like his enlightened compatriots, differs from ordinary people in that if you look at him with the so-called “subtle” (energetic) vision, you can see the unusual luminosity surrounding him, not typical for ordinary people.

Signs of enlightenment

Enlightened people, according to esoteric researchers, have a very even and clean energy field that gives clean, direct rays (usually multi-colored). It is also known that enlightened people living in big cities are forced to hide their luminosity so that they are not recognized.

According to some group of mystics, enlightenment is not connected with the arguments of logic. To be enlightened means to leave the boundaries of physical and mental capabilities. The physical body, not adapted to such changes, often does not withstand the load, and the phenomena that a person has to face are so powerful that they provoke mental and physical health disorders. Enlightenment especially strongly affects the quality of sleep: a person becomes so meaningful that sleep cannot take over his body.

What is he, an enlightened person? Signs that cannot be confused with anything

In Tibet, the facts of absorption by light have been recorded many times, but there such cases are commonplace. Through years of meditation, Tibetan lamas learn to separate the mind from the body. As a result, the body becomes unnecessary: \u200b\u200bthe mind takes it with it to eternity in the form of absolute energy.

In the 60s of the 20th century, a Tibetan lama, a person with an awakened, enlightened consciousness, asked his loved ones not to disturb him and retired in his hut for a week. After this period, rainbow light "poured" from all the cracks of his house, and the lama himself disappeared without a trace.

Can “negative characters” reach this state?

Adolf Hitler, who, according to some research groups, possessed the skills of a psychic, had no doubt that there was a place on the planet called the hollow Earth. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe existence of a hollow Earth inhabited by creatures that cannot be called humans has indeed been discussed more than once among esotericists. This statement fully coincides with the guesses of Sergei Zubkov, a Russian researcher of occult magic of the German fascists.

The scientist believes that the reason for the racial cleansing that Hitler loved to carry out in the Third Reich is the Nazis' attempts to attract the attention of the underground "masters" who were supposed to take part in the reconstruction of the world we are used to.

Did Hitler have a chance to become an enlightened person? According to authoritative esotericists, having paranormal abilities is not yet enlightenment, but rather a continuation of a game invented by the mind and ego. True, sometimes the game moves to a new level, that is, it becomes more sophisticated (but it does not cease to be a game).

But this is not the peak yet - it is the mind that builds beautiful obstacles in front of the striving for the True reality, making him think that he is almost at the goal. But if there is no real mentor next to the "player", there will be no one to warn him that he has played too much.

All these games and levels, stages of awakening and enlightenment from the point of view of the Unconditional Reality are the fruit of human imagination, since on the way to spiritual heights there are no players, no sleepers, no lost, no Absolute or relative reality. The mind uses information about the stages of enlightenment only to calm the ego. And the most massive ways to get closer to God all come down to a gradual and not devoid of duality, hard daily work, which requires many years (or lives) to be completed.

Enlightenment does not guarantee physical health

How long do enlightened people live? The answer to this question has been shocking materialistic scientists for several centuries.

Some historians and psychologists, who deny the existence of True Reality, admit that an enlightened person may well be socially adapted and successful in the professional and financial spheres. After all, people who are ideal in all relationships cannot be unhappy in family and social life.

Most materialists believe that the main false argument, which does not "fit" into the esoteric picture of the world, is the fact that enlightened people, who, it would seem, were closest to Divine miracles, became victims of earthly diseases, from which they died prematurely.

The earthly body is a fragile thing

Indeed, many enlightened teachers have died from cancer and other incurable diseases. Buddha, for example, passed away after months of suffering from poisoning. His numerous followers, observing the sufferings of their Teacher, expected first a miraculous recovery, and then - the resurrection from the dead. But the miracle never happened.

Krishnamurti suffered a monstrous migraine for nearly 40 years, and Ramakrishna suffered from paranoid hallucinations, but died of throat cancer when the subject was 45 years old. Swami Vivekananda was sick with diabetes and died at 38. His weight at the time of his death was 120 kg.

Sri Swami Sivananda suffered from diabetes and obesity, while Sri Aurobindo suffered from tuberculosis and nephritis. Carlos Castaneda died of liver cancer when he was 73.

There are several opinions explaining the facts of the untimely departure of the great Teachers. Two explanations are considered the most consistent with reality, which will be discussed below.

Not forewarned means disarmed

First, the sudden death of all great people is the result of unconditional service to other people. Giving all their strength and knowledge to the suffering, they forgot to take care of their bodies.

Secondly, none of the teachings mentions that enlightenment is a shock of enormous force that pierces the brain like a bolt of lightning. Only a few enlightened people find the strength to keep their brains from destruction. Among the "lucky ones", as a rule, are individuals who systematically trained and used their thinking abilities: philosophers, mathematicians, physicists ...

According to statistics, an ordinary person exploits his brain for about 5% of its potential. A great person uses about 15% of his potential. And the one who uses 33%, that is, a third of the possibilities, will be able to experience enlightenment.

The unspoken statistics are no less relentless: sudden death overtakes 90% of people who have managed to survive enlightenment. And the enlightened people of our time, the survivors (10% of them) will never tell anyone anything about what they experienced, because their brain is no longer subordinate to them, which means that it cannot be used as a speech mechanism.

These shocking details, which have been happening for centuries, have never been mentioned. But nobody asked ...

Side effects

The "best qualities" of an enlightened person make his further stay on Earth impossible. A large number of enlightened ones die at the same moment - from the experience gained, the heart stops and the breath stops. Only a few remain alive, and almost all of them in the past were either dashing adventurers or owned life-threatening professions. Having received some doses of excitement during their previous lives, they were able to cope with a stronger shock. But even if their hearts did not stop after what happened, then the bodies, having changed, will undergo suffering.

The human body can function normally when it is within its capabilities. But since enlightenment is going beyond the framework, everything that is poorly developed breaks down. The body also breaks, which, fortunately, will never be useful to the enlightened one.

Real Masters are silent about their achievements

Observant people noticed that debates about the essence of enlightenment and the methods of spiritual practices are the lot of beginners or those who have not even set foot on this path. Experienced mystics call this behavior a game of religious practicality based on a desire to show off.

What is the reason for such discussions and conflicts? Experienced esotericists claim that, consciously or not, disputants thus express their uncertainty: "Have I chosen the right path?" Newcomers, chatting about "high", do not suspect that this is what their lack of experience and lack of confidence in the correctness of their life choice speaks of. The eyes of an enlightened person radiate calmness and leave no doubt about the strength of his faith. As for a beginner's faith, any example of someone else's negative experience can weaken it.

Trying to prove to others (and above all to themselves) that they are on the right path, many beginners begin to doubt even more, and this doubt first generates aggression, and then fanaticism. And then what? Defending one's faith becomes a matter of honor and requires more and more radical measures, such as the burning of "heretics" and "witches", intimidation by sects, "jihad" and so on.

What does "enlightened" mean? A person who wants to find a good teacher, at least once, but asked himself this question. How to distinguish a real, enlightened master? By his silence. An enlightened guru will never get involved in an argument about "whose faith is more correct," because he knows that all the paths of enlightenment lead to the same God, and therefore to the same result.

Theory and practice of enlightenment

Each of the methods of enlightenment provides for the possibility of obtaining secret signs and consists of certain stages of awakening. As for the secret signs, inexperienced disciples receive them from their gurus, and people who have been practicing the spiritual path for a long time are guided by them to determine if they are lost in the illusory "wilds" of their mind.

The secret signs of different schools differ from each other, so it makes no sense to compare them. These are just a kind of "notches", seeing which, walking will understand that he is on the right path.

People engaged in various practices receive many diverse, blissful states (from which experience is formed), as well as the opportunity to see and hear what is hidden from ordinary people, to go to the subtle worlds and meet saints. Many beginners, succumbing to temptation, force themselves to believe that they are already enlightened and are stuck at one of these stages, fascinated by their own sublime experiences and revealed abilities.

Those who know about the practical and Vedanta (Vasishtha) also know that a person walking the path of development can reach the state of a completely Enlightened, semi-enlightened or unenlightened being.

Ordinary beings (including people) who are “fast asleep” relative to the Absolute Reality are called unenlightened.

Perfectly Enlightened yogis are those who, based on personal experience, cognized themselves as the Absolute Reality or rooted in it, having achieved self-consciousness. People who feel that they have merged with God and see reality as it really is are called samadhi. Samadham were Shiva, Krishna and Allah. It is to this indescribable state that all yogis strive for.

Sahaja-samadhi refers to people who live an ordinary life while in samadhi. Sahaja samadha is forced to release some of the attention and direct it to the daily duties and maintenance of life in the physical body.

Perfectly enlightened people are aware of the Absolute Reality even while sleeping at night. In dreams filled with Divine radiance, they are able to travel through the subtle worlds inhabited by gods.

Semi-enlightened people are people who have touched the Absolute Reality for only a short moment and returned to their normal state. Some semi-enlightened ones are able to perceive and understand the Truth absolutely correctly, despite the fact that their consciousness has not yet been completely purified.

There are also such individuals who have accepted the Truth and understand its essence, but they did not manage to survive the necessary experience and experiences. Not knowing that the consciousness will not be purified until the mind calms down, they are engaged in speculating with the statements of the enlightened masters. According to some mystics, this is also a good start on the path. Pronouncing the correct statements an unthinkable number of times, they thereby bring closer the purification of consciousness and tranquility of the mind.

The enlightened people of our time

Many Internet users are interested in: are there enlightened people in Russia? According to the information available to modern esotericists, in the 50s of the last century, the incarnation of highly developed souls on Earth began all over the world (and therefore in Russia). The reason for the "landing" was the need to protect the independent will of the enlightened earthlings. The first wave of incarnations (Indigo children) was completed in the 60s of the 20th century, the second was produced between 1980 and 1990 (Crystal children), the arrival of the third wave (the birth of Rainbow children) is currently taking place.

The last two waves are mostly the offspring of the matured Indigos. Indigo parents create conditions for their offspring in which their innate intuitive, telepathic and develops very quickly. Many children already possess the abilities for psychokinesis (movement of objects in close proximity) and telekinesis (movement of distant objects). The next step for them will be to master the technologies of levitation, teleportation and the ability to stay in two places at the same time at the same time.

What is the difference between an enlightened person and an unenlightened person? An ordinary, unenlightened person with limited knowledge believes that the universe is infinite.

An enlightened, changed person does not see the Universe and understands the infinity of wisdom and knowledge that he saw with his inner vision. He also knows that the universe has boundaries, and knowledge is limitless.

According to the information recorded in the Vedas, the soul of an enlightened person, realizing itself, leaves the material (no longer needed) body or burns the body in the fire of tejas (life force). According to people walking this path, an enlightened person is visible immediately, because he constantly talks and writes that "awakening is outside the mind."

According to the same source, there are other people who also talk and write a lot about their pursuits of mindfulness and magic ... a deliberate lie, because they are inside the mind and are not enlightened.

How to recognize an enlightened person? Every school is known to have its own methods of enlightenment. But each enlightened master reveals to his disciples the same Absolute Reality (the highest spiritual realization), which can be achieved in different ways. Therefore, a master of one school cannot judge in absentia the degree of enlightenment of a master of another school. Only by meeting and talking (or after being silent) can enlightened masters answer this question.

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

Enlightenment is the highest illumination, the awareness of the essence of life as such. Enlightenment removes ignorance, illusions of the mind, expands consciousness, and frees one from psychological suffering. A more detailed description is further considered with 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, reflection, and theorizing. Direct methods of enlightenment are not related to teaching 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, a description of the direct methods of enlightenment.

Realization of the present implies a direct perception of life here and now. The layman, when familiar with this method of enlightenment, begins to imagine what he is doing, or has just done. This is a deviation from the method.

Awareness of the present is a continuous, natural perception of what is right now. This is not a search for anything, but if there is one, 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 to be in the present moment, to be present is a property of our Higher Self. If you are aware of the present, the focus of identification shifts to.

If the awareness of the present moment occurs continuously, life "collapses" in itself, and you see that now there is an endless presence in weightless eternity, where something is happening beyond the future and the past. Now there is being 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 the awareness of the present, but with the help of a fine line of “letting in” into your consciousness what is right now. The psyche closes the mind from most of the sensations that ultimately form the subconscious.

Acceptance of the present is full disclosure to 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 indivisible 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 a form of the next step on the way.

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

At the same time, all bodily sensations are perceived as densifications in the emptiness of the space of consciousness. Important . Acceptance and relaxation are two facets of the same enlightenment process.

Defocused consciousness- another facet of enlightenment. Everyday attention is focused by the mind in tense illusions of the past and future. The most subtle focusing of the mind creates the habitual self-identification - ours. It is experienced in the back of the head, throat and at a deep level in the chest. Defocusing leads to the dissolution of these tense clots of psychic energy. And then the painful tensions and the "pernicious agility of the mind" pass away.

At first you feel how in the presence of the habitual “I” a sense of space appears, against the background of which tensions flounder. Then, as it defocuses, the habitual “I”, which seemed to be something impenetrably dense and solid, begins to give a gap through which the refined energy of consciousness seeps through. Total defocusing is synonymous with complete relaxation, acceptance, disidentification and enlightenment.

The viewer's awareness of life- the subtlest "movement" with which you transfer 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 its essence, its only property, which is expressed in limited words in many aspects.

Smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing are instruments of perception. Who is using these tools? Where do these five threads of life perception meet? The one who looks at life right now is the eternal spectator of life. He is always there. Forms are changing. 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 of rejection of the present. The personality is tense in the present, therefore, avoids it, choosing an illusory future.

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

Contemplation of the present... As a rule, it starts with focusing on any object. The method differs from “the viewer's awareness of life” by the 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 is transferred to the Higher "I". 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 true. Ideally, the contemplation of the object occurs without, as something extremely natural.

Realization of who you are - Ramana Maharshi's enlightenment method. 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 transfer your attention to the feeling “I am”. If there is “I”, then it can be felt somehow. What is "I"? Who am I"? A verbal answer means nothing. You need to experience who you really are. Comprehension of "I" is comprehension of reality.

All of these methods are different facets of the same process. Due to unique experiences, different people open up different pathways to enlightenment.

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 direct, depending on the readiness of consciousness.

Energy riseIs the experience of awakening stagnant energy. It can be triggered by energy exercises, and in particularly successful cases, removes mental blocks, clears the mind and enlightens the mind. This includes the practice of kriya yoga, kundalini yoga, work with energy and other esoteric practices.

Shaktipat, or diksha - spiritual dedication. Typically given by a mentor, guru, or master. In particularly successful cases, it gives an instant expansion of consciousness and enlightenment. More often gives an experience of illumination, which sows the "seed" of enlightenment. If the initiate conserves energy, the seed germinates and over time the lotus of consciousness opens and blooms.

Middle way... Buddha was preaching. In my understanding, this path to enlightenment is an intuitive, relaxed finding of balance in every new moment of life. Castaneda's Don Juan spoke figuratively how a man of knowledge goes through life “touching everything a little”. This path helps life. You don’t tense, you don’t sleep, you 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- method of enlightenment by Carlos Castaneda. Perception of the world is a subtle effort in consciousness. You make the world in your mind habitual. Is the termination of the "effort" by. Then the habitual 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-efforts- the method of enlightenment by George Gurdjieff. This is one of the most difficult methods on the verge of life and death. Gurdjieff said that in the human body there is something like household batteries. When their energy is used up, the person falls off his feet. But if at this time you make a leap, super-effort, then your consciousness switches to a deep, almost inexhaustible source of energy, and you continue to move.

When deadly fatigue rolls up, you make another leap and from a deep source of energy, you switch to a causal source. At the same time, the superfine consciousness is activated. The method is extremely dangerous for independent practice.

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

In no case do I urge you to suffer. You can limit yourself to such an understanding that what has already been 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 do not urge to humiliate ourselves - it is enough to treat your own person more simply: and not to get ahead of ourselves, embellishing reality.

Confession, recapitulation, journaling, psychotherapy are effective methods of clearing the mind. Secular memoirs don't count. To work for enlightenment, it is necessary to utter sincerely all your own fears, to highlight everything that has been suppressed, etc.

Reflection on the beyond:about God, about eternity and infinity, about love, about the true "I" - is also considered one of the methods of clarifying consciousness and enlightenment. If the meditator tries to feel the theme of his reflections, his attention is detached from theories and touches these deep layers of life in practice.

Karma yoga Is work without waiting for the result. The mind is calculating, and if you do something for others without personal gain, the grip of the ego looses. Ideally, karma yoga is performed with complete immersion of consciousness in the present moment, without goals for the future. Contemplation of the present is one of the direct methods of enlightenment. Contemplation in motion is aerobatics in the practice of enlightenment. True karma yoga is, as Swami Vivekananda said, bringing the goal and the means together.

Unconditional loveis 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 plunge into bliss, and leaving all divisions, you surrender to this experience without a trace.

Doubt

It is believed that enlightenment is impossible to achieve. Someone says that enlightenment has to be earned, or "received" from a master. But then it comes down to what methods exist for this "obtaining". As a rule, it all comes down to transferring their resources and time to schools, where the suffering find themselves depending on, after serving for many years, they seem to have a chance to enlighten.

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 enlighten "for free."

Someone says that enlightenment simply "happens" outside of methods and practices. Of course it is. But before that, a person goes some way. And more often than all this is the path that is called spiritual. It doesn't matter how, it doesn't matter in the 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 life of practice, is no worse than an ordinary life, filled with contradictions and vanity.

Others say that enlightenment is available only to Buddhas, who come once a millennium, or even less often, and mere mortals cannot see the truth. This is how the voice of self-doubt and self-doubt sounds, the voice of the mind, which is in the fetters 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 the subjective pictures of the mind onto a reality that has nothing to do with these projections.

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

I understand that to cover the stated topic, you still need to be a member of the worldwide association of enlightened masters, which I am not. Therefore, here, as elsewhere, I am acting cunningly, and in no case do I insist on the ultimate truth of words and the effectiveness of "methods."

Let each one believe his own experience and make sure that the truth is. Let everyone personally make sure that he / she IS. Someone will need schools and teachers, someone will need personal diligent practice, someone will need a simple acquaintance with the topic, and a direct look at what is here and now.

In various spiritual and esoteric circles, these two phenomena - enlightenment and spiritual awakening - are often confused, interpreted in different ways, equated and generally misunderstood. Because you can understand this only in one case - by truly experiencing it.

Any explanations are just descriptions, concepts, and they do not convey the Truth, but only point to it in one way or another, from one side or another. It's like a road sign that has the name of a city and an arrow shows where it is. Alternatively, it can be compared to a map that shows a city map in a two-dimensional plane. Many spiritually seekers identify a pointer with what it points to, or a map with a territory. Because of this, disagreements, confusion and pointless disputes arise.

In this article I will try to describe in simple words the difference between spiritual awakening and enlightenment, I will list the main signs and symptoms of both, based on my experience. Just keep in mind that this text is just another description, just one indication, not the Truth. Truth is not transmitted by words, no one has ever been able to do this, and will not be able to. Just look in the direction the words are pointing, you must discover the Supreme Reality yourself.

The source of the material is http://pro-svet.at.ua/index/0-146.

What is the difference between enlightenment and spiritual awakening?

I speak exclusively from my own experience. You don't have to believe it, you better take it as my point of view and research it yourself. In my book "Enlightenment in Half an Hour" I insist on this - trust no one and nothing, explore for yourself... I can only show the direction to Truth, but you will have to go by yourself.

Spiritual Awakening Happens First, this is much more common than enlightenment. Spiritual awakening occurs in various religions, spiritual (and non-spiritual) practices, in various systems of self-improvement and self-knowledge. And sometimes it happens outside of practice, completely unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. There are many descriptions of the signs and symptoms of spiritual awakening, and they are all so different that, in the general mass, it looks somehow confusing, contradictory and doubtful. I have highlighted the most common points, the most important, universal, which I will share here.

Spiritual awakening is awakening from the illusion of being a body-mind-person. There is a realization that I am not a body, not a mind, not a person. This disidentification can happen instantly, or it can drag on for years until this understanding becomes absolutely clear and obvious.

Spiritual circles say that spiritual awakening is the realization of one's spiritual nature. I would say more simply - this is the realization of one's non-material nature. There are many misunderstandings, distortions and frankly incorrect interpretations associated with the word “spirituality”. Therefore, I would suggest going beyond the religious terminology and calling it awareness of oneself as Consciousness.

The moment (or period) of spiritual awakening can be accompanied by various vivid and unusual experiences, "special effects" and insights, and their spectrum is very large. It can be an experience of light, divine sounds, a vision of angels or Gods, a feeling of overwhelming love, ecstasy, a sense of unity, etc. In my case, it was a way out of the body in a waking state, when I began to see not through my eyes, but in some other, incomprehensible way. This was accompanied by an indescribable "WOW!", And confirmed what I was already almost sure - that I am not a body, but consciousness. Each has its own special effects, but there is only one common denominator of spiritual awakening - awareness of oneself as consciousness, not matter.

After spiritual awakening, you already know from your experience that man is basically consciousness, and body-mind-personality is just a temporary garment. Identification with these external things disappears. More precisely, this identification is realized as an illusion. But this is not yet enlightenment. At this level, there is still some duality of “I” and “others”, even if these others are also spiritual beings, albeit in shells.

When enlightenment occurs, the illusion of duality (multiplicity) ceases to be perceived as reality. It is even more difficult to explain in words. Yes, there is the appearance of different people, objects, phenomena and events, but at the same time there is an understanding of advaita, an awareness of nonduality. And this, too, can be accompanied by various special effects.

By the way, about special effects. These are side things. You shouldn't be guided by them at all. All of these signs and symptoms described on the Internet represent a wide range of experiences, and they are not necessarily related to spiritual awakening or enlightenment. I periodically come across beautiful stories on the Internet like “Oh, I had such and such an experience, so I am awakening (or awakened, or enlightened)”. Most often they are beautiful fairy tales that are so pleasing to the ego. I give a simple and reliable criterion for spiritual awakening is the awareness of oneself as consciousness, and not as something material... All other criteria can be misleading, and for a long time.

Let's go back to enlightenment.

What are the main signs of enlightenment?

After enlightenment, habitual thoughts can still arise that divide the Indivisible into separate parts, but there is an awareness that this division is conditional, artificial, unreal. The mind is no longer deluded.

Enlightenment is the realization of the Truth, after which all questions dissolve and disappear. And all the answers, concepts, understandings accumulated on the spiritual path cease to matter. Enlightenment is the end of the search. End of personality. End of illusions. This is sat-chit-ananda - eternity-consciousness-bliss. But life goes on.

Life after enlightenment is like watching a movie in which you are no longer identified with the main character, although you can feel him; rather, you are the very space in which this entire film of life unfolds. And this film in some incomprehensible way “consists” of the same material as “you”. I call this material the word "consciousness".

Everything is Consciousness. And because consciousness takes one form or another, it does not cease to be consciousness. This is the same consciousness.

It's incomprehensible. It cannot be understood with the mind. And this cannot be explained in words.

And only when the mind calms down and ceases to create false divisions into "I" and "not I", can sudden enlightenment occur - the awareness of advaita, non-duality.

I wish everyone a quick and joyful spiritual awakening!

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

Enlightenment of consciousness: what does it mean

What does "enlightenment of consciousness" mean? This is not an easy question. Many minds struggled to express in words what cannot be expressed, since no words have yet been invented for this. The only word that people are used to associating with the state of being in the highest reality in the spiritual sense is enlightenment.

Enlightenment as a state of samadhi or, even higher, as Buddha's Enlightenment, where we are finally freed from all suffering and passions; the 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 real enlightenment.

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

Does enlightenment exist objectively?

The Diamond Sutra says: “There was never a Buddha who entered this world. And there will never be him who enters this world. " He says: "I studied 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, since there is nothing in the world except emptiness, and therefore our existence with you 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 doing yoga, you open the way to states of illumination and enlightenment. Performing breathing and meditation practices, you are primarily engaged with your energy, increasing your spiritual state and level of development.

In the teachings of yoga, enlightenment has a special role - this is the final stage of Ashtanga Yoga, an 8-stage system. Achievement of enlightenment - samadhi - the cornerstone of yoga. All steps of yoga lead to one thing - to samadhi. Whether you are practicing asanas or pranayama, whether you are practicing directed attention or meditation, you are always doing essentially one thing - approaching enlightenment, 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 techniques, in disconnecting the mind from being absorbed in everyday issues.

When we talk about samadhi as about enlightenment, getting rid of passions, it would be wrong to say that this is the final stage on the path to enlightenment. Rather, it is a technical form of attaining enlightenment; the real highest enlightenment is going into the state of Annutara Samyak Sambodhi, the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is the state of a bodhisattva, a saint who helps people. He cognized the truths, is completely free from the power of passions, he is no longer bound by logic, everything is comprehended and everything is cognized not through the intellect, but directly as receiving revelation.

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

If we look at the process of enlightenment from a more practical point of view, then we will understand that everyday worries take up a lot of psychic energy, and to achieve enlightenment we need free energy, so it is so important to stop thinking and making plans at least for a while. You need to abandon worldly concerns, reflect on the timeless, over what will remain forever - it is eternal. This is the same as dedicating your thoughts to what Brahman is, how it expresses itself in the world, and that we are all Brahman.

How to achieve enlightenment

We do not attain enlightenment 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, having come to a new conclusion, you begin to perceive reality in a different way.

You are not just achieving enlightenment (can you “achieve”?), We are not in the sport of achievement; you come to enlightenment, find yourself in it. It is precisely this formulation of the question: to find oneself, to know one's essence, real essence, spiritual. 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 on the responsibility of completing 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 another, it will be simply through self-improvement. A person is so made to learn, but it is not necessary to master new arts or skills; you can devote yourself to knowing yourself and your spirit. This will truly be your enlightenment.

How to achieve enlightenment

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

Take away what has become a ballast for you, find new interests in life, start creating your new reality. If you have changed something in one of the areas of your life and this has led to radical changes - here it is, gradual enlightenment. You discover life in a new way, its hidden aspects, esoteric knowledge. It is not necessary to understand by esotericism strange voodoo magic or something like that. Esotericism is knowledge that is hidden from an 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 was interpreted from the position of a purely dense reality, will acquire a new color. You began to see in a new way.

Enlightenment: synonyms of the word

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

Its flower petals are numerous; no wonder they say that its inflorescence consists of 1000 petals, and our upper "crown" chakra is associated with a lotus inflorescence. He is pure, gentle, exalted in the literal sense of the word. The buds of this flower can be seen in all Buddhist temples and are given as an offering to Buddhist monks. The flower is a symbol of insight, purity of thoughts and lofty ideas. He is the embodiment of spirituality.

The traps of enlightenment

The traps of enlightenment: both beginners and experienced Buddhist meditation or yogic practitioners can fall into them. Even if you do not practice any of the ancient practices, even an ordinary person engaged in self-improvement, internal search or cognition of the secrets of our planet and everything that exists on it runs the risk of falling into the trap of consciousness, better known as the trap of enlightenment.

Signs of Enlightenment: Pseudo Enlightenment

These are states when it seems to you that you have already broken away from this perishable reality, you really no longer care about the interests that the majority live with, 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 to communicate with like-minded people or find new information adequate to your spiritual development.

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

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

Although it is sometimes difficult to admit it, when we have become smarter and even more enlightened in many aspects of life, our emotions are still strong. This is perhaps the most difficult bulwark to overcome - the emotions associated with our relationship to ourselves.

How not to notice that we have really 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 arrogant and are well aware that vanity and pride are the most difficult emotional states in terms of getting rid of them.

We drove them underground and realize how humble and simple we are in relation to others, but this very awareness is a good indicator that the corrosive emotions of the egoistic plan are still with us, live in us. They just changed their roles and now act in the role of meek, as if telling us: "Look how humble and simple you have become, there are few of them on earth."

Emotions are the mystery of enlightenment

So, the very realization that we are new, improved, 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; maybe it looks nicer, but turn it around - and the same unpleasant picture will open: for humility - insolence, for modesty - pride, for 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 can you do to truly get rid of even hidden disguised emotions? First of all, you need to understand that while there is control, albeit minimal, then this ego is doing its job. Take away the ego and there will be no emotion left to control. Without the explicit presence of the ego, even the very concept of emotion disappears. What comes as a substitute is a feeling of goodness, unshakable calmness, because we cannot say that the enlightened have no emotions, although in reality they do not exist the way 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 disturb him, unbalance 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 - of course, we want to quickly come to our senses, replace them, throw them away.

Once again we have forgotten that both positive and negative emotions are part of one whole: the response to stimuli. There will be no reaction of "I" to the external - all emotions, including positive ones, will disappear! Yes, and we need to admit it.

We must stop hunting for a positive emotional state, this is such a natural drug: ate something tasty is a positive emotion, ate a bitter one, and the opposite is a negative emotion. The mechanism works 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 vocabulary there are no suitable words for this: after all, most of them describing the psychological state of a person are associated with emotion. In the case when we have left emotion, only words such as "peace" and "detachment" can at least approximately describe a state in which there is no "I". It is difficult to grasp it, but when you first experience this state, you cannot say “feel”, you only need to experience it, then you will understand what it is about.

Moreover, it is interesting to note that this pure unemotional state is available even without performing special meditation 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 being constantly engaged in some specific practices, to find inner peace - spiritual.

However, it should be remembered that factors such as proper nutrition - plant foods, - certain physical activity, a view of the world from a new angle, less focus on your "I" and its needs are excellent components in order to achieve an illumined state of mind, not even leaving society.

Means to Enlightenment

Being alone, reading wise books written at least a century ago, and better even earlier, works well in this direction. Back then, the authors were much less concerned with remuneration, or even not at all concerned. 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, this was their self-expression, and therefore, when you read such books, you involuntarily become involved in the process, become a part of it, and this definitely affects the psychological state.

Books, music, the right films, even fictional ones, can serve as an excellent means of changing your psychological state, 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, travels to different parts of the world, access to the world of art, can serve as a lever to change your spiritual state.

It is important to remember one thing here: do not make it 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 are not worried about questions 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 that has been written above, you yourself understood that the posing of such a question is not only incorrect - it comes from egoistic ideas: “What will I have from this? Where will I come? When I am enlightened, what next? "

Our "I" is always not enough. Here it is longing for enlightenment, and if it seems to him that we have become enlightened enough, then we need to run again towards a new goal and achievements. Faster, higher, brighter - this is the creed of the almighty ego at the hourly Olympiads of the mind.

After enlightenment, is there life?

So how do you know if you have become enlightened or not and what awaits us after enlightenment? When you reach enlightenment, these questions will not interest you. They just won't. You will live in a state of inner peace. You will stop weighing on the internal scales whether you are satisfied with such a life that you are leading, what it is in comparison with the past. A new life will come for you, where there are no comparisons either with the past or with the anticipated future.

At this moment, which many mystics and teachers talk about, you will find everything for yourself. This does not mean that you do not need to make plans for a vacation or a trip to travel. It is necessary, since these are real gradual movements that must be made in physical reality. But as you take action, you will be in agreement with yourself: the conflict of the parts is over. What you do in the moment, to which you devote your time in life, will be for you the only and best activity that you could only imagine for yourself.

You will find harmony in yourself, and it will be reflected in the world around you. You will stop wondering if I live for others or for myself. You will live for yourself and for others, because even the concept of “others” will merge with yourself for you. You will still understand that there are Masha, Vasya and Kolya, but you will not think of them as separate and independent beings. Much will acquire new meaning for you, you will understand that your action has an energetic response in the world, there is no one without the other; you will understand that spiritual and energetic connections rule the world.

There are different understandings of this difficult issue in different religious movements and schools of thought. They collect 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 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 connected with the meaning of life, therefore 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 a part of the universe, the highest wisdom, the highest 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 realize the Divine essence, to get as close as possible to God and fulfill His will. The enlightened men of faith include such saints: John Chrysostom, Simeon the New Theologian, Sergius of Radonezh, etc. Thanks to a deep understanding of God's will and humility, these saints were able to achieve enlightenment, which manifested itself in the healing of the sick, the resurrection of the dead and other miracles.

Enlightenment in Christianity is inseparable from baptism and is associated with the cleansing of a person from everything sinful and filling his essence with Divine love. According to the Orthodox spiritual fathers, only the Most High knows when a person is ready to become enlightened. In this matter, one must fully rely on God and not try to achieve it on one's own. The fact that a person has become enlightened can be recognized by his actions: they will be humble and directed for the good of people.

Enlightenment in Buddhism

In contrast to the understanding of enlightenment in Christianity, enlightenment in Buddhism is associated with a person. According to 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, therefore it is spoken about only with the help of parables or metaphors.

The enlightenment of Buddha Shakyamuni was the first in the history of Buddhism. Shakyamuni was able to achieve liberation and go beyond the usual world. The main strength of Buddha 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 for enlightenment and methods such as knowledge and behavior.

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 of readiness for fun is a person's desire to reach a new stage of his development and his readiness for this. A person's heart, open to the influence of Allah, admits a new world. 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 view of familiar things. From this position, enlightenment has nothing supernatural in it 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 have dedicated themselves to serving God and people. Using the example of enlightened spiritual teachers, you can learn to expand the framework of your consciousness and open your heart to the influence of higher forces. For people not interested in the spiritual side of life, enlightenment may seem like a myth. This view may be due to the conservative thinking and lack of knowledge regarding this issue.

The 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 of interest, but all this is only the beginning of the path. Personal constant searches for their life vector one day lead the human 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?

As strange as it may seem, spiritual enlightenment and schizophrenia have three similarities:

1. Depersonalization - getting rid of your own I.
2. Derealization - perception of the surrounding world as unreal, blurry.
3. Mental anesthesia - a decrease in the strength of emotional experiences.

To distinguish between the two, 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... In schizophrenia, a person hears voices calling for aggressive or inappropriate behavior. An enlightened person hears a voice from above, calling for good or improvement.
3. Mission... In schizophrenia, a person's interests revolve around his Self, even if the patient sees himself as someone else. An enlightened person seeks to help others.

Signs of enlightenment

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

• spiritual priorities begin to dominate material ones;
• altered consciousness periodically appears, in which new truths or their depth are revealed to a person;
• unusual abilities for creativity, creation, 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 these steps:

1. Desire enlightenment with all my soul... For this, the enlightenment of consciousness should be put as the main priority.
2. Trust in the matter of enlightenment to the higher forces... Only God knows when a person is close to enlightenment.
3. Try to place your life under the control of divine powers... Draw close to God through humility and deepening contact through prayer or meditation.
4. Engage in self-development, work on your character... A pure heart helps to be more receptive to the influence of the Spirit.

The paths of human enlightenment

Spiritual teachers of various religions 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 cause. 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 negative of the past;
• repeating 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 of the spiritual teachers who have attained 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 new understanding of life to the world. After enlightenment, new abilities may open that must be used to help people around.

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

Books on enlightenment

Many books have been written about enlightenment and how to achieve it. All of them help to find their personal path in this matter and rise to a new stage of their development. The top 5 best books on enlightenment include:

1. Hawkins D. From Despair to Enlightenment... Evolution of Consciousness ". The book describes practical methods of how to come to the realization of the meaning of your existence.
2. Eckhart Tolle "The Power of the Moment Now"... In this book, a person who has traveled the path of enlightenment, in a simple and interesting language, tells about the path to enlightenment he went and what awareness of life includes.
3. Jed McKenna "Spiritual Enlightenment: A Bad Thing"... The book debunks many of the myths that have grown up around enlightenment. The author tries to help people who are looking for awareness to find the right path and start moving along it.
4. Nisargadatta Maharaj "I Am That"... The author pushes people to think about their true purpose. He 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 turn their attention inward and engage in their own self-development. For this, the book describes a variety of techniques, techniques for self-knowledge and work on oneself.