Enlightenment
When we first hear about enlightenment it sounds very far away, for extraordinary people, probably living in caves in India. These people are ecstatic all the time; they have various powers, and radiate light; or something like that. First we decide that we could never attain such a state. If we decide to go for it, we look for a teacher that promises if we follow what they teach we will attain this state.
If we attain this state, we will always be happy, people will envy us, we will become teachers, and people will love us. Really what we are believing is that “I as a separate person, as Lissa, will attain this state, and be amazing.
We begin to meditate, maybe a lot, or do yoga, change our diet, and try to live like our teacher lives. For some people, that means we talk like our teacher, maybe very softly, and never show too much excitement or emotion. Or maybe we dress like our teacher, in white flowing clothes, etc.
When all of this fails, we become disillusioned, and maybe give up for a while, or change teachers. Disillusionment can be an auspicious condition. It suggests that we have let go of our hopes and expectations regarding enlightenment. We are humbled, ordinary, and no longer have any idea about what enlightenment is; or if there is such a thing as enlightenment.
If we are lucky, we will find someone who guides us to let go of all of our identity, as well as all of our beliefs. This is enormously important and is meant quite literally. Letting go of what we do in the world, our career, schooling, or lack of career and schooling. Being a mother/ father, partner, friend, man/woman, young/old. Let go of the story of our lives, what we went through, how our childhood was, the traumas we went through, the highs we had, etc.. Also all of our beliefs, if it is something that sounds so right, but we have not experienced it for ourselves, let it go. We may believe in reincarnation, read many stories about it, but we have not had a direct experience so that we know it is true, let it go. Let go of spiritual, political, social, and moral beliefs. Surrender everything, and then surrender the one surrendering.
Stepping back from everything, becoming the witness or observer. Allowing all that arises in our awareness to be as it is; nothing to fix, change, get rid of. Becoming aware that everything is appearing in consciousness. We are conscious of all that appears, we are even conscious of the witness or observer. There is a stepping back from that, stepping back until we have backed out as far as there is to go; into the boundless spacious, emptiness. What is known from here is that all is appearing in consciousness, and that is what we are. We are the boundless, spacious, consciousness, literally.
If we are lucky, we may find someone who shows us that we can be our unique selves, as long as we are not attached or identified as this person. Because ultimately enlightenment does not happen to anyone. There are no enlightened people, there is only consciousness with the appearance of people and the world.
