I'm looking for enlightenment

[KnowSelf]

I'm looking for enlightenment will someone open my eyes? Sounds funny doesn't it? We cannot give Enlightenment away, but small glimpses enlightenment appear every moment of each day as each thread of thought touches us in marvelous ways.

 

[Thomas]

I'm looking for enlightenment will someone open my eyes? Sounds funny doesn't it?

Not necessarily someone, either. The author of a Christian commentary on the Tarot, the man intended to be the next head of Rudolf Steiner organisation, had an epiphany looking at a stained glass window and converted to Catholicism. Cardinal Avery Dulles had his watching a rose bloom through a rain-stained window. Bishop Kallistos Ware of the Orthodox Church had his when he heard an Orthodox choir singing.

The actor Sir Alec Guinness had his filming in France. He was walking back from the set to the house he had rented, still in costume, dressed as a priest. A little boy appeared on the road, held in hand and chatted away as they walked along. Sir alec had no idea what he was saying, but was struck by such simplicity, faith and trust – I've heard people respond with snarky comments about Catholic priests and little boys, but that misses the point entirely, doesn't it?

We cannot give Enlightenment away, but small glimpses enlightenment appear every moment of each day as each thread of thought touches us in marvellous ways.

Absolutely. We can open doors for each other in more ways that one ...

 

[KnowSelf]

What do you suppose happened to the above mentioned people? Were they touched by God? If so why them and not more people?

 

[wil]

Converting to Catholicism is enlightenment?

 

[Thomas]

What do you suppose happened to the above mentioned people?

Beyond my pay grade

Were they touched by God?

That's rather poetic way of putting it, a phrase that can neither be affirmed nor denied. It's not one I care to use, so I can't really say.

I look at it more as a glimpse of the sublime, perhaps the numinous.

If so why them and not more people?

Why are people the way they are?

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
Auguries of Innocence BY William Blake

Why doesn't everyone see that?

 

[Thomas]

We use the term 'enlightenment' as if it were a thing, a goal, the object of some endeavour, an achievement.

That's really not quite right. It's all part and parcel of the western mindset to quantify, define and categorise.

Who is enlightened? Who isn't? In regard to what?

It's a dynamic process, a continuum. Even the most enlightened wo/man is in the dark to some degree.

That's the real 'going beyond', the real 'dark night of the soul' when you keep going, in the face of nothing.

 

[Cino]

We use the term 'enlightenment' as if it were a thing, a goal, the object of some endeavour, an achievement.

That's really not quite right. It's all part and parcel of the western mindset to quantify, define and categorise.

Spiritual Materialism. Taking the poetic language of things, goals, endeavours, achievements, literally. Literalist understanding (of texts, of concepts) in general is a hallmark of materialism...

Who is enlightened? Who isn't? In regard to what?

I like these questions! However, are you aware that there are real-life neo-advaita teachers who use these verbatim in their satsangs? Ironic, isn't it?

It's a dynamic process, a continuum. Even the most enlightened wo/man is in the dark to some degree.

That's the real 'going beyond', the real 'dark night of the soul' when you keep going, in the face of nothing.

Well said, amen to that.