How To-14: "How to Become Enlightened"

Friday, May 30, 2008

How To-14: "How to Become Enlightened"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

To become enlightened, all one needs to do is be continually conscious. The practice of prolonging our conscious state (into the dream state, as well) will not give us the power to control the material world. It will, however, give us the power to be absolutely free from the material world. Being enlightened is not a special state of mind; it is our original nature, our natural awareness of "things" without a notion of separateness of identity from the world around us. In short, the state of mind we were in before the universe came to be. This is not as difficult as one might think. You take yourself with you wherever you go. If you can't find it where you are right now, where do you expect to wander in search of it?
Many people feel that they must suffer in order to gain liberation. This doesn't have to be the case. We all belong in the universe, the universe doesn't care if we suffer or not. We are our own key to absolute freedom. And there are as many paths to perfect enlightenment as there are beings in the universe. When we become conscious we expand, when we turn away from being conscious we contract. Beyond this, reality will always prove to us that we cannot move against its own self governing laws. All of us are free to choose the kind of "Reality" we wish to know, none of us can break the rules. Every entity in creation has the same freedom of choice.
There are some of us who have preached the dogmatic certainty of one particular path. But in the end enlightenment is there and how you achieve it isn't as important as getting there.
Obviously there's no step-by-step "How to" that points to the correct path for everyone, all of the time. External events aren't as important as how you react to them. Some have said, "This reality is an illusion." Unfortunately, it can be a painful illusion and for the one who feels the pain, that pain is very real and the idea of an illusion seems very far fetched.
The more you Love, the more there will be to Love. The more you fear, the more there will be to fear. This is basically "Expansion" and "Contraction". To find enlightenment we need only expand. Each of us has complete freedom to choose, you already know this.
Cosmic consciousness is real, as real as we are. Whatever we've done in retracting from Cosmic consciousness, (the One source of All that Is, or whatever words you wish to use,) we are doing now. We all come from the same place, we are all going back to the same place.
What I hope you'll find here are some simple attitudes that will assist you on your way.

Steps

Know that there is nothing you must "accomplish" first in order to find enlightenment. All potential experiences are already within you. Perhaps the state of mind that most needs enlightenment is that of seeing fellow human beings as needing to be guided or enlightened or perhaps that of seeing human beings as sinners. We have all made mistakes. That seems to be how we learn. Repeating the same mistakes over and over is what is injurious to our own purpose. However we are free to do that as well. What we should ask ourselves is : "Which pain for what result?" Enlightenment doesn't care how you get there. If you're not going to be thinking about it in heaven or nirvana or whatever you wish to name it, what's the point in worrying about it here and now? It's alright to have a good time. Some say that it is only through excess, that one can know what is enough. Others have said, moderation even within moderation. Being Here-Now is thought by many to be the first step towards Liberation. See everything as enlightened, granting everyone and everything the enlightenment you wish for yourself, may also be considered a possible first step.
Know that we are all equal beings. What you are, I can be. What I am, you can be. This is also true of the Universe which has created us "in Its own image". What the Universe Is, we can be. You can define this as anything you believe to be True.
Create time in your life to be conscious. Too often, we get so tense or stressed with our responsibilities that we forget to take pleasure in the moment.
Sit quietly and let your thoughts and judgments arise and dissipate by themselves. Remain in the here and now. Become calm and clear.
Take a walk in a park. Make special note of the various odors you smell, the noises you hear, and objects you see. Approach other everyday situations in the same way. Doing this often brings you closer to pure consciousness.
Practice meditation, which you can do anywhere, at any time by simply focusing on the present and emptying your mind.
Try other meditative exercises, for example Yoga or Aïkido. Combined with meditation, these exercises can also bring you much enjoyment.
Read what others have written about enlightenment and spirituality in general. Many of the great philosophers such as Gautama, Jesus, Lao Tzu, Paul of Tarsus, Mohammed, Dante, Francis Bacon, William Blake and others. The Doors of Perceptionhave much to say about this subject, both directly and indirectly.
Learn about the Noble eight fold path and understand the 4 Noble Truths
Always be mindful of the moment and take pleasure in all activities that you do during the day (eating, sleeping, even using the bathroom).
The steps listed here are basic possible helpful practices. A real "step" towards enlightenment would be to make something that is now an unconscious part of you conscious. i.e. "integration". Practical steps toward integration can be found in the related how to wikis.
The way to enlightenment as described by Shakyamuni / Gotama Buddha Himself is "by doing good deeds and not doing bad deeds throughout many lives." However, "good" and "bad" are relative concepts. What is "good" one day, may be "bad" another day. This is difficult for many of us to accept, be ready to accept change.
Enlightenment is not a state of mind that you can force yourself into. We live by the eternal law of cause and effect, which is, if you do something bad you will get a bad result, if you do something good you will get a good result. What matters is the consciousness you experience regardless of what takes place.
When approached with intent, sparking higher consciousness is natural. Walking can spark higher consciousness. Use walking as the rhythmic cycle of meditation. Just like aspirants learn to count their cycle of breath to consume normal and allow higher consciousness to come forth. The cycles or steps in salking can serve this same purpose. This same thing happens in music with the rhythm, that is, normal consciousness is consumed, allowing higher to consciousness come flooding in for the musician, bringing forth the higher consciousness of Creation. Don Juan put the flooding of images into walking for Carlos Castaneda. Carlos hiked with Don Juan while having his eyes crossed in order to flood the vision and insure the total consumption of normal consciousness. Any time normal consciousness is consumed, higher consciousness will be present and knowing. This, in of itself, will promote an awareness of higher consciousness. This awareness of higher consciousness while walking will motivate more walking/meditation and ability to walk/meditate more and more.

Tips

The process can take as much or as little time as you wish.
You are the key to your own enlightenment.
Learning Yoga, Tai-Chi, or Aïkidocan possibly help.
It is possible to experience yourself as pure consciousness.
Some "trance" states can assist your transfiguration and others can lead you astray. Remember, you are ultimately always in control.
A (qualified) teacher who has "been there," knows the way, and can tell you what to watch out for is as much of a responsibility as it is an asset.
Nothing is always correct or incorrect, "things" change. Choose what is best for you at any given moment however, remember you are never alone, what you choose may or may not have an effect on others. Kindness and good manners may be the best trick. In a word, "Compassion" or; "give (do) to others the best you would give (do) if you were in the same situation".
"Mind expanding" drugs (or psychoactive substances) aren't exactly the most reliable way to try to find enlightenment. They can be compared to using a helicopter instead of climbing to the summit of a mountain however, the fact remains that you're at the summit nonetheless. Be forewarned that Psychotropic substances aren't exactly the easiest way of achieving a certain degree of enlightenment, a psychedelic crisis remains a possibility. At the same time fears may arise remember, they can be overcome or rather they can be transcended. In the end, enlightenment has to come from within yourself.
Enlightenment is not something that someone else can do for you. No one can "save" you but yourself. The same is true of saving others. The rest is of the order of the Divine.
Your own "common sense" (or "intuition") is also your best guide.
What's real? Our senses may deceive us but our emotions don't.
Higher consciousness is available to all of us who seek it. You don't even have to do anything. You're not going to fade away by finding out how free you really are.

Warnings

You must learn to trust yourself completely.
Beware to not "overdo it." Moderation is helpful.
Beware of "mind expanding" drugs as they can be dangerous to the inexperienced.
It is best not to "seek" enlightenment per se, but accomplish each act of life as consciously as you can and remind yourself that each step is its own reward.
Scientific understanding is based on the repetition of duplicable events and miracles don't seem to be duplicable. Therefore, there is no real scientific way to understand miracles. Our own consciousness is miracle enough.
We teach best what we most need to learn.

Things You'll Need

Trust. Trust the flow of the Universe.
A heart full of Love. Because Love is the strongest magic of all.
Indifference to external aspects of "things", ie. maintain an overall view of the "Big Picture".

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Sources and Citations

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Friday, May 30, 2008