The Shadows of Enlightenment
The goal of attaining “enlightenment” is misconstrued by common societal understanding, desperately trying to make sense of something that is unclear and unable to be deciphered by the human mind. There is no one correct way to enlightenment. No mimicry of other people will gain you “enlightenment points”. Trying to reach urgently for the feeling of enlightenment, which some of us aspire our entire life towards, is like striving to paint a particular picture that is and was always meant to be abstract and subjective. You’re wasting energy. There is no correct way to be enlightened. Whoever tells you otherwise is feeding you lies.
There is no need to strive for enlightenment or look outside of yourself to attain it because you came down here already enlightened. You came down here, in that meat-suit of yours known as a human, as an enlightened spiritual being simply taking on a form. Someone’s path to their particular definition of enlightenment might be filled with tools that you could apply on your own journey-but there is no same journey for two completely different people. How does that make any logical sense, even by human standards? But yet, here most of us are, trying to figure out the right way to do things in order to earn that title of being a “spiritually enlightened person”. A guru. A master. It’s not about figuring it out or solving some ridiculously complicated puzzle. It’s about allowing yourself to remember who you were when you first came down here, before all of the (blessed) toxicity of the human mind creeped in. The mind is out here just trying to survive. And that’s the voice in your head you’re choosing to listen to in order to reach spiritual enlightenment? You’re choosing to listen to the “voice of reason” to attain a state of nirvana? Fascinating approach. Curious- how’s that going for you?
Your spirit lives, loves and thrives on, with or without the mind.
Photography: Garth Joseph @ oneteamnodream
If there’s anything you need to take away from this post, that’s it. Stop trying to act like you’re a noble steed who’s worthy of honor for your hard work and dedication to copying other people’s tips and tricks to justify earning the title of being an Enlightened One. It’s called that for a reason. The enlightened one, because we each have our own unique form of enlightenment aligned to our spirit. If copying other people won’t get you there, what makes you think that feeling of enlightenment itself can be copied either? Did walking someone else’s path (but lying to yourself that it was yours) ever actually serve you in reaching the goal? Does mimicry leave you feeling at peace within yourself?
I can only be this crass on the subject being that I used to be one of the aspiring noble steeds, desperately seeking acknowledgment and attention for my hard and straining work towards a greater good not only for me, but for the world. And then I stopped, and looked around. We’re all out here playing a desperate game of Justify My Existence, just wanting to feel loved and seen. We go to psychics, spiritual mentors, workshops, certification courses, spiritual community gatherings and grasp onto all of these things for dear life the moment they begin to fade out or our life begins to shift into uncharted territory. Why? That already signals that we’re attached to all of these things outside of ourselves. That’s not enlightenment. That’s insecurity-one of the greatest (blessed) human forms we could possibly take on. Don’t sit there and sigh in disappointment of yourself either, that you’ve happened upon expressing this human part of you at some point too because you are human. That’s the whole point of being here. Light the candle of compassion for yourself and your human aspects. But you’re also spirit. You’re not stuck anywhere, so stop playing the victim as if you are. It’s a choice. Choose to be in tune with your own spirit instead of your human mind. That’s all it is. That’s how you “achieve” the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with leading a spiritually enlightened life experience.
However, that mindset within itself is also ego driven-the furthest thing from being enlightened. We’re not actually here to “achieve” anything. A super-human approach, as I like to describe it. How often do you refer to things as being part of “your life” experience? Mine. Mine. Mine. But yet, we’re all expressing and experiencing life differently within a shared space. Everyone’s lives are entangled, so what justifies you claiming that it’s your finders-keepers and no one else’s? (That’s just one part of the ego trying to keep you feeling isolated for safety purposes again.) We are constantly obsessed with building a life-as though it isn’t already building upon itself with absolutely no help from you. “My life is so great.” That’s lovely. Truly, I’m proud that you actualized the experience of life you’ve always dreamed about and put the work in. But be mindful not to dismiss the fact that you are not separate from life itself.
Life is not a separate entity. You are life. You don’t just create and breathe life into things. Life creates and breaths through you. You’re simply a vessel.
When you start to really internalize that awareness….generate new discussions with others about what enlightenment really means to you now. Because guess what? It won’t be anything like what you studied, pictured or worked so hard to attain by watching and copying others. Dance to the beat of your own drum, damn it! (Speaking to myself here, too!) Even if you want to dance naked (physically or metaphorically), just go for it! Grant yourself permission to let go of your fear of truly experiencing a feeling of enlightenment, no matter what form that takes on.
Sending you infinite love and light along your journey. <3
-Katherine