The Benefits of Enlightenment by Jon Shore

I have been asked so often, and even wondered myself; why experience spiritual enlightenment?. Why make it such a priority in life? Why devote so much time to enlightenment? Why surrender, why let go, why make such a commitment?

I thought it was time to answer that question.

Let me begin by saying that the enlightenment you seek is already who and what you are. The experience of enlightenment is actually an illusion. Once enlightenment is experienced we realize that we have always been and will always be the One Infinite, Immortal, Pristine Awareness. Not an unique, individual personality, soul or creature. The ultimate source of all suffering is the misidentification of who and what we are. When we finally and truly identify as the True Self we are then able to transcend that human suffering.

 

  • Clarity of thought
  • Clarity of action
  • Clarity of emotions
  • Inability to be manipulated
  • Ability to understand the nature of reality
  • Access to infinite answers
  • Access to infinite creativity
  • Problem solving
  • Objectivity
  • Experiencing transcendent Peace, Joy, Bliss, Love
  • Access to future probabilities
  • Understanding and compassion
  • Ability to relax instantly
  • Increased profound empathy
  • Charisma
  • Radiating peace and comfort
  • Ability to help others experience enlightenment
  • Being a clear mirror for others
  • Profound appreciation of life and creation
  • Transcendent morality
  • Experiencing Oneness with all creation
  • Experiencing alternate probabilities and lifetimes
  • Access to the experiences and knowledge of others
  • Transcendence of suffering

One paradox in the experience of enlightenment is that if we seek and desire any of these benefits of enlightenment it makes it impossible to experience enlightenment. Enlightenment is experienced when we give up all desires, all knowledge, all seeking, all avoidance, all beliefs and all knowledge. To experience enlightenment we must be willing to be nothing, to know nothing and to want nothing – total, absolute and abject surrender and dissolution into the Infinite Sea of Consciousness – the Emptiness.

Another paradox is that we are not able to understand enlightenment until we experience it ourselves. No matter how many books we read, how many hours of lectures we listen to, no matter how intellectually brilliant we may be, the Infinite Sea of Consciousness cannot be understood. It can only be experienced. And in that direct experience we come to a semblance of understanding that is more akin to deep, intuitive knowing rather than an intellectual understanding. In fact, the knowing we experience is not the knowing and understanding of the mind but the knowing and understanding of the Creator, the One whose Infinite Awareness we are.

And yet another paradox is that as much as it seems there is a journey to enlightenment, the journey is an not real. But it feels real until we experience enlightenment. Once enlightenment is experienced we ‘realize’ that the entire journey was an illusion

The human mind, no matter how capable, is not able to comprehend the Infinite, Immortal Sea of Awareness that is Being all things. It is like a 1 dimensional stick figure drawing attempting to understand the artist who drew it.

 

So we experience enlightenment because we are inspired to do so. We experience enlightenment because many human beings are driven to understand the nature of reality. We experience enlightenment because many human beings wish to know themselves. But, at the end of the ‘journey’ we experience enlightenment because it is who and what we are.

We experience enlightenment because Infinite Awareness is exploring ItSelf

and this is an aspect of that process.

All other reasons are superfluous.

 

 

 

© 2020 Jon Shore

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To repost or reprint just contact Jon at reachout@lifesanswers.org

Enlightenment by Jon Shore