enlightenment

Well... I was looking for a place where I could talk about my experience in searching for a state of enlightenment.
For me personally, all those states like "kingdom of heaven" "self-realization" "oneness with god"; "our true nature" etc, were the same.
I started to search it after crisis, like I guess many people do. So there are some teachers, like Anthony De Mello, who told that he kind of "discovered life". Like he founded something fundamentally different than other people. I doubt that. There are other teachers who tell that there is no such thing like "enlightenment". I'll try to talk about this with as little mistery as I can. What is my life like after 5 or 6 years searching for it? I watched endless satsangs online, read books like Echkart Tolle's Power of Now, etc. And I was always interested in that ultimate state of enlightenment. There were times when, while I was watching some satsangs my mind became still and it felt good... like you were looking for something and you finally find it and you feel good as feeling all that "negative energy" burning in your body. Like finding answer to your question and your mind becomes still for a moment. Yeah, for few moments :). I also meditated, which is nice, and healthy I think, it also calms the mind. I was reading many stuff online from various bloggers and writers who told about their challenges in life which I read because I wanted to suffer less, understand my problems, etc. I still do that.
So what is my life like now? I still have problems... and I don't know will I make it all in life... I have pressures from my parents... I guess similar to many people. I try to live as most pleasurable and peaceful life as I can. With as little stress as I can. I do that mostly because of my health. I don't believe that there is some "ultimate state" where all of our problems would be solved.
I sometimes think, sometimes I get wraped in thinking. My mind is yet usually still because I try to live peaceful and stress free life. What else can I say... Yes! Life is frustrating and hard sometimes. I think for everyone! Any value which I am about for, Like my health... I need to take walk in the nature or something like that. It's sometimes difficult to even make your meal in the morning :) yeah it sounds silly. So though I think life is a gift, it is still difficult sometimes.
One thing that "awakened" me from endless theosophical theories about "oneness with my I AM presence", and theories about Oneness with God, is new teachers of advaita (nonduality-not two), that actually tell that all that like ME and MY I AM PRESENCE (two things, right?) and ME and GOD (two again); and all words are in duality. So I won't ever be One with God because it's all one thing anyway (which I can't imagine by the way :)).
And that's it. I think I reached as far as of enlightenment as someone can. And still, I don't think my life or mind is fundamentally different from a person who suffers the most in the world, or from some psychopath.
I will mention again that I read stuff online to try to eliminate my suffering, or to suffer less, also I do yoga, I experimented with various stuff like affirmations, etc... but all I ever wanted is enlightenment, and well... here it is :)

[ThreeOfWhite]

Originally Posted by ms1985

Well... I was looking for a place where I could talk about my experience in searching for a state of enlightenment.
For me personally, all those states like "kingdom of heaven" "self-realization" "oneness with god"; "our true nature" etc, were the same.
I started to search it after crisis, like I guess many people do. So there are some teachers, like Anthony De Mello, who told that he kind of "discovered life". Like he founded something fundamentally different than other people. I doubt that. There are other teachers who tell that there is no such thing like "enlightenment". I'll try to talk about this with as little mistery as I can. What is my life like after 5 or 6 years searching for it? I watched endless satsangs online, read books like Echkart Tolle's Power of Now, etc. And I was always interested in that ultimate state of enlightenment. There were times when, while I was watching some satsangs my mind became still and it felt good... like you were looking for something and you finally find it and you feel good as feeling all that "negative energy" burning in your body. Like finding answer to your question and your mind becomes still for a moment. Yeah, for few moments :). I also meditated, which is nice, and healthy I think, it also calms the mind. I was reading many stuff online from various bloggers and writers who told about their challenges in life which I read because I wanted to suffer less, understand my problems, etc. I still do that.
So what is my life like now? I still have problems... and I don't know will I make it all in life... I have pressures from my parents... I guess similar to many people. I try to live as most pleasurable and peaceful life as I can. With as little stress as I can. I do that mostly because of my health. I don't believe that there is some "ultimate state" where all of our problems would be solved.
I sometimes think, sometimes I get wraped in thinking. My mind is yet usually still because I try to live peaceful and stress free life. What else can I say... Yes! Life is frustrating and hard sometimes. I think for everyone! Any value which I am about for, Like my health... I need to take walk in the nature or something like that. It's sometimes difficult to even make your meal in the morning :) yeah it sounds silly. So though I think life is a gift, it is still difficult sometimes.
One thing that "awakened" me from endless theosophical theories about "oneness with my I AM presence", and theories about Oneness with God, is new teachers of advaita (nonduality-not two), that actually tell that all that like ME and MY I AM PRESENCE (two things, right?) and ME and GOD (two again); and all words are in duality. So I won't ever be One with God because it's all one thing anyway (which I can't imagine by the way :)).
And that's it. I think I reached as far as of enlightenment as someone can. And still, I don't think my life or mind is fundamentally different from a person who suffers the most in the world, or from some psychopath.
I will mention again that I read stuff online to try to eliminate my suffering, or to suffer less, also I do yoga, I experimented with various stuff like affirmations, etc... but all I ever wanted is enlightenment, and well... here it is :)

You most certainly seem to have a part of the enlightenment. Your struggles are very common even amongst laypersons. Let me start off by saying you are correct, all the states are in fact one and the same. However enlightenment as is mentioned by teachers and masters is a bit different from the one you've found. Personal enlightenment, such as you've obtained, is an acceptance of understanding. These can come in so many ways throughout each day and are a good set of stepping stones. Enlightenment, such as is often discussed in day to day teachings, is a full actualization of the bohdi-mind. You see every one of us has the buddha nature within us. We are one with "god" because eventually through walking the path we may become enlightened and become one of four states(buddha being the most well known) I've found a particular writing that may be help explain what I mean. I quote it here where one asks the Vairocana the cause of god-like powers.

"The bodhi-mind is its cause, compassion is its root,
and expedient means is its culmination. What is bodhi?
It means to know one’s mind as it really is. This is anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi(unsurpassed, perfect, and full awakening), and there
is not the slightest part of it that can be apprehended. Why? [Because] bodhi
has the characteristic of empty space, and there is no one to comprehend it,
nor is there any understanding of it. Why? Because bodhihas know [differentiating] characteristics. All dharmas are without characteristics. That is to say, they have the characteristic of empty space.”

"Why? Because the mind, which has the characteristic of empty space,
is free from all differentiation and nondifferentiation. Why is that? That
whose nature is the same as empty space is identical to the mind, and that
whose nature is the same as the mind is identical to bodhi. In this manner,
Lord of Mysteries, the three entities of mind, the realm of empty space, and
bodhi are without duality. They have compassion as their root and are fulfilled
by the pāramitā of expedient means. For this reason, Lord of Mysteries, I
teach the dharmas in this manner so as to make the multitudes of bodhisattvas purify the bodhi-mind and know their mind."

I know not how long you have studied or how familiar you are with the sutras and teachings of the buddha, but this is why we attempt to achieve a lack of self. The ME provides duality. When you slowly strip away the selfish desires and worldly wants you come closer to true enlightenment, which seems to be the absence of duality. Unfortunately suffering keeps us grounded in ourself for when we suffer, we desire, and when we desire the self is involved.

If you would like to discuss this so that we might find understanding message me :) I too walk the path to understanding just like every other being.

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by jojo95

I am trying to learn about enlightenment. Where should i go to learn this?

Someone said it already, but it bears repeating. You find it inside yourself. It is connecting to your soul (at least for me).

I learned how to do this from a book called, Soul Love, by Sanaya Roman. Two years later, I am still on Chapter One. Today, I had an incredible experience with my inner being, too fantastic to put in any words. Maybe now I am ready for Chapter Two

hello what is Light what does that mean----why do servants generally decide or directed to look into "Buddhism"--whose suffering are servants interested in ending---how do we become better people---how do we learn compassion--how do we learn our jobs for nirvana--would we want to live for all eternity with no emotions to be empty a sort of void shell does that sound pleasant---what is to be gained by this---what causes leukmia--why is there a 40% increase in childhood asthma in Bejing--why was a world war for fuel waged---what is causing servants to be homeless--what is causing poverty--where are we to live each and every cycle---YHWH is The Light and The voice always comes with knowledge and Comfort--My children have been led into captivity because they lack knowledge---many shall be made to stubble this night so that they may be made clean--what does that mean---what does don't be selfish mean.yes.j