Is there a society for enlightened people?

[MicroMacro]

Originally Posted by shivatar

The entire planet isn't enlightened, for one.

The entire planet is fertile. What do you think the enlightened awaken from?

Originally Posted by shivatar

The entire planet isn't enlightened, for one.

Against what objective standards do you judge that? Enlightenment is anything anyone says it is so not enlightened can be anything anyone says it is. Just like Spiritual. So, the good news is that you can call yourself Spiritual and Enlightened and nobody will call you our for it because it's only your word against theirs.

[froebellian]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

They also know why they'd never sign up for one and why others would.

Naturally, I found this out with an Old Soul group and I left pretty quickly. It was wishful thinking on my part.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Against what objective standards do you judge that? Enlightenment is anything anyone says it is so not enlightened can be anything anyone says it is. Just like Spiritual. So, the good news is that you can call yourself Spiritual and Enlightened and nobody will call you our for it because it's only your word against theirs.

What we say it is doesn't necessarily represent what it is, unless in is actually arbitrary, which makes no sense at all - then there is the issue of exclusiveness of such a society, and how to define the membership criteria teehee.

[Hemera]

Originally Posted by froebellian

Naturally, I found this out with an Old Soul group and I left pretty quickly. It was wishful thinking on my part.

I’ve had similar experiences. Each time I’ve joined any sort of spiritual group with expectations of ‘higher awareness’ ‘advancement’ or the like, I have fallen back down to earth pretty quickly!

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Against what objective standards do you judge that? Enlightenment is anything anyone says it is so not enlightened can be anything anyone says it is. Just like Spiritual. So, the good news is that you can call yourself Spiritual and Enlightened and nobody will call you our for it because it's only your word against theirs.

I would have to disagree with this.

If one was to take the time to learn what is meant in the various traditions we would know that it isn't just what anyone thinks it is but a true state of being beyond local mind.

[lemex]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Against what objective standards do you judge that? Enlightenment is anything anyone says it is so not enlightened can be anything anyone says it is. Just like Spiritual. So, the good news is that you can call yourself Spiritual and Enlightened and nobody will call you our for it because it's only your word against theirs.

yes, I'd have to disagree with this to.

As long as it's internalized and not acted out then this is ok, but if it projected outward in some physical act, would this be an an objective standard. So, there is not right and wrong?

[MicroMacro]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Against what objective standards do you judge that? Enlightenment is anything anyone says it is so not enlightened can be anything anyone says it is. Just like Spiritual. So, the good news is that you can call yourself Spiritual and Enlightened and nobody will call you our for it because it's only your word against theirs.

:)

How enlightened is the person who says to another "You think you're WHAT?!"

Enlightenment includes inclusivity - an arena for growth. It's welcoming. Like a hug.

[shivatar]

I'm sorry that you guys have had bad experiences trying to find communities of higher awareness. I've found them before but with limited success and nothing that had a name. It's mostly just a loose net of friends. Everybody knows everybody through a friend or a friend of a friend, and these friend networks are usually 1,000-4,000 people. Before you say it's impossible to know that many people, think about it. It may have been impossible a decade ago but it's very common now.

When I first started looking I had such grand ideas that I totally overlooked the groups that were right in front of me. It was my perspective that was limited and blocking me from being able to realize what was right in front of me.

I used to say "ohhh, if they are enlightened, then ____". But that mentality only kept me from realizing all the kinds of enlightened people I didn't know about. There are more enlightened people than the gurus and monks in caves. In other words the expectation of what enlightenment was or wasn't was blocking me from being able to realize enlightened beings in all their varying degrees.

[jonesboy]

I guess I have been pretty blessed.

Found a group that has moved me along spiritually beyond my wildest dreams. Things I thought were only in books I have found to be normal everyday stuff now.

I tend to think when we are ready an opportunity will arise. Then it is up to us to take it.