Enlightenment?

[saralynn]

I am very interested in mysticism, which is why I describe myself as a Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker. The core of the mystical experience in many different religions involves peace and joy etc. I mean, someone who has a revelation of "God", in whatever form it takes. never concludes that God is Strife, Hatred, Cruelty and Deceit.

I have always longed for a mystical encounter with that Holy "Something" that others have encountered but it seems not to be my fate, so I have stumbled along in my quest for Enlightenment, hoping (yep, and praying) that my quest is not a hope, a dream and an illusion.

My religious experiences have always been ambiguous. Moments of grace, which might be coincidence, and fleeting feelings of "oneness"

I am beginning to think the key to mysticism is the commitment to Free Will, even if it is only called grit and determination. However, despite my efforts, I am still hounded by my baser impulses, even though I don't act on them. Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

 

[wizanda]

Moments of grace, which might be coincidence

The Celestine Prophecy (adventure version) by James Redfield, is a great start to seeing coincidences can lead us in paths, if we're observant of everything taking place around us.

Which is the same with enlightenment, it is the conscious awareness all the time, that is a continual climb up hill, in a world often heading the other way.

fleeting feelings of "oneness"

This depends on understanding the dimensions are not real; if we're in a holographic universe, with God as the CPU in the middle of all consciousness, then everything around us is code, and we're literally all part of the same Source.

 

[YmirGF]

My guess is that part of the problem is your "Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker" shotgun approach. It's rather difficult to cross a body of water in several boats. Also what exactly do you mean by a commitment to Free Will?

 

[Aupmanyav]

My guess is that part of the problem is your "Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker" shotgun approach.

Yeah, deep problem.

 

[YmirGF]

The Celestine Prophecy (adventure version) by James Redfield, is a great start to seeing coincidences can lead us in paths, if we're observant of everything taking place around us.

[sarcasm]Yep, reading the twaddle known as the Celestine Prophecy would be my first place to look. [/sarcasm]

 

[sun rise]

I am very interested in mysticism, which is why I describe myself as a Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker. The core of the mystical experience in many different religions involves peace and joy etc. I mean, someone who has a revelation of "God", in whatever form it takes. never concludes that God is Strife, Hatred, Cruelty and Deceit.

I have always longed for a mystical encounter with that Holy "Something" that others have encountered but it seems not to be my fate, so I have stumbled along in my quest for Enlightenment, hoping (yep, and praying) that my quest is not a hope, a dream and an illusion.

My religious experiences have always been ambiguous. Moments of grace, which might be coincidence, and fleeting feelings of "oneness"

I am beginning to think the key to mysticism is the commitment to Free Will, even if it is only called grit and determination. However, despite my efforts, I am still hounded by my baser impulses, even though I don't act on them. Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

What you describe seems generally like the experience of many people. There is no magic to the path - it takes time and perseverance. All I can say for sure is that it is a totally worthwhile struggle for me.

And for me the 'moments' and 'fleeting feelings' give me a tiny glimpse of what I'm working toward and help me resolve to continue.

 

[George-ananda]

@saralynn ,

I think all the religions and approaches you mentioned can work. I think we each are a little different in inherent nature so different approaches will work better for different people. I personally think Jnana Yoga is what works best for me. I think maybe you need to look at your nature and decide what path really worked best for you in the past and make that your path and then have confidence in yourself and the path.

 

[Jedster]

Have you read the poems of Sarmad. often described as a Jewish,Muslim,Sufi?

Here's a link to his writings:
Poetry Chaikhana | Sarmad - Muslim/Sufi - Poetry, Biography, Books

 

[sayak83]

I am very interested in mysticism, which is why I describe myself as a Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker. The core of the mystical experience in many different religions involves peace and joy etc. I mean, someone who has a revelation of "God", in whatever form it takes. never concludes that God is Strife, Hatred, Cruelty and Deceit.

I have always longed for a mystical encounter with that Holy "Something" that others have encountered but it seems not to be my fate, so I have stumbled along in my quest for Enlightenment, hoping (yep, and praying) that my quest is not a hope, a dream and an illusion.

My religious experiences have always been ambiguous. Moments of grace, which might be coincidence, and fleeting feelings of "oneness"

I am beginning to think the key to mysticism is the commitment to Free Will, even if it is only called grit and determination. However, despite my efforts, I am still hounded by my baser impulses, even though I don't act on them. Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

Where you are now is akin to going on a date vs falling in love permanently. Similar to the example above its very difficult to create a formula regarding when the former (dating/fleeting feelings) transitions into the latter(loving/permanent transformation, what Buddhists call stream entry). It's there, it happens. So continue to go to singles mixers (practicing groups) till it happens. Meanwhile improving the practicing, listening to talks and understanding the theological or intellectual foundation helps. Best of luck.

 

[YmirGF]

@saralynn ,

I think all the religions and approaches you mentioned can work. I think we each are a little different in inherent nature so different approaches will work better for different people. I personally think Jnana Yoga is what works best for me. I think maybe you need to look at your nature and decide what path really worked best for you in the past and make that your path and then have confidence in yourself and the path.

and.... forget all about enlightenment... it's only then that experience will become enlightening...
As long as one is pursuing their preconceptions they will only meet their expectations...

 

[Sunstone]

It seems there is no guaranteed path to enlightenment, and it further seems that the desire for enlightenment hinders or prevents enlightenment. For enlightenment to come about, there must be an end to, or suspension of, desire. Or so I've heard.

 

[Vinayaka]

Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

Don't we all?

I've heard it said that it helps to stop looking.

 

[George-ananda]

and.... forget all about enlightenment... it's only then that experience will become enlightening...
As long as one is pursuing their preconceptions they will only meet their expectations...

Well, what are your suggestions then? I do not see one going from zero to enlightenment in one fell swoop very often. Those that care have given us paths.

 

[crowfeather]

Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

It does. It is real. If that is what you seek, you are highly likely to find it, although it may take a very long time.
A tip for you: while desire for it may be necessary to your search, it is desire that will prevent you finding it.
There will come a perfect moment, when you are the closest you will come, and in that moment, you must put aside your desire.
As you smile, shrug, and walk away from it, it will gobble you up, whole.

 

[saralynn]

The Celestine Prophecy (adventure version) by James Redfield, is a great start to seeing coincidences can lead us in paths, if we're observant of everything taking place around us.

Which is the same with enlightenment, it is the conscious awareness all the time, that is a continual climb up hill, in a world often heading the other way.

This depends on understanding the dimensions are not real; if we're in a holographic universe, with God as the CPU in the middle of all consciousness, then everything around us is code, and we're literally all part of the same Source.

The Celestine Prophecy (adventure version) by James Redfield, is a great start to seeing coincidences can lead us in paths, if we're observant of everything taking place around us.

Which is the same with enlightenment, it is the conscious awareness all the time, that is a continual climb up hill, in a world often heading the other way.

This depends on understanding the dimensions are not real; if we're in a holographic universe, with God as the CPU in the middle of all consciousness, then everything around us is code, and we're literally all part of the same Source.

Well, I am seldom conscious. When I try to become conscious, I'm thinking, "Look at me trying to be conscious." I am hopelessly left-brained. The holographic universe idea is interesting, but it simply does not make my heart sing.

 

[Sunstone]

As long as one is pursuing their preconceptions they will only meet their expectations...

So true.

 

[saralynn]

My guess is that part of the problem is your "Catholic-Buddhist-Sufi-Jewish-Hindu Quaker" shotgun approach. It's rather difficult to cross a body of water in several boats. Also what exactly do you mean by a commitment to Free Will?

I am an aging hippie, so I have spent many years rowing, which is sorta embarrassing because, by this time, I always thought I would be wise and wonderful and people would call me Mother Saralynn and I would give them profound advice about spiritual mountain climbing. I would also like it if my eyes twinkled merrily.

"Committed to free will" means that you recognize you have it and use it to transcend all the emotional hoopla in your life. You identify with the "observer" within yourself rather than a slave who follows where instincts and emotions command you. To me, free will strikes me as "potential" until it becomes a "reality" in one's life, which takes time and commitment. I know some people who seem to have no free will at all. Of course, there is the problem of assuming you are identifying with the observer when in reality you are looking at yourself in a psychological mirror.

Good grief, no wonder I feel weary.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Sometimes I wonder if Enlightenment really exists.

Don't sweat it. Anybody who is sure it does exist isn't going to achieve it.

 

[crowfeather]

Anybody who is sure it exists, is sure because they have discovered it.
Anybody who is sure it doesn't, never will discover it.
Wisdom is largely an ability to recognize the obvious, which is exactly why wisdom is so rare, and why so few recognize it.
The only thing that stands in the way of enlightenment is ego.
Which hints at just how difficult it is, to dispense with ego.

 

[saralynn]

Yeah, deep problem.

Well, my spiritual journey (OMG, I hate that phrase) has been a long one, so I wouldn't describe my foray into different different religions as a shotgun approach. Let's see... in college, I was an atheist existentialist, which was very very cool and then I became a religious existentialist (Kierkegaard influence) and then I became a Buddhist (Ram Dass influence) and then I became a Catholic (Thomas Merton influence) and then Christian mysticism (Meister Eckhart influence) and then Hinduism (Ramakrishna influence) then a Jew (which makes Jewish people irritable when I tell them, "Oh yeah! I know about Judaism! I was a Jew for six months!") and then a Quaker, which, I suppose, is my favorite religion. You may be right, though. Perhaps if I stuck to one road, I wouldn't have meandered so much as I wandered up the mountain through a variety of terrain. One path just seemed to lead into another path, though.