What is Realization?

[Xan]

Why do you think they call it realization?

The state of enlightenment is also called self-realization or God-realization. It’s called “realization” because the great, enlightened beings have “realized” one fact — a fact that has implications on every element of life as they know it.

They’ve realized the omnipresence of divinity. They’ve realized that everything is one, and that knowledge and the knowing of that knowledge are inseparable. They realize that what you see is what you get, what you get is what you see, and what you see is who you are. In other words, it takes one to know one. We are the world, indeed.

Realization is not just about reading some words and being able to discuss or debate them; but rather to realize the essence behind spiritual insights such as “In the beginning was the word, and the word was God,” “Everything is one,” “The kingdom of Heaven lies within,” or “Thou art That.”

Once you realize the essence of spiritual teachings and make them an integral part of your reality, these teachings filter through and transform your entire world. Your sense of limited individuality fades like a mirage that had been blocking the bright sunlight of supreme truth. As this supreme light blasts through you unimpeded by mortal illusions of limitation and separation, you become enlightened. You emanate not only your own personal human light, but also a higher, more universal light.

Before becoming forever established in the highest realization, you may touch that enlightened space for a while and then return back to limited thinking. Even when you’re feeling limited, remembering the higher spaces you’ve touched helps to keep you moving forward toward your divine birthright of knowing who you are in the highest sense at all times.

And life goes on . . .



- from this cool site, Spirituality for Dummies, ch 17 - http://www.spiritual-happiness.com/sfdexcerpt-enlightenment.html

Life is full of realizations. When I put my hand on a hot plate comes a realization that the action causes pain.
If I give all my money away then comes a realization that I can't meet my financial obligations.
Realizations once encountered become part of our experience. A realization of self or oneness can be no different.

G’day Xan

Realisation to me is being aware of what Chip has said here, when we are infants we are aware of very little around us but through trials & errors & knowing we become more aware of such things like hot plates & water & realizing it will burn, it’s all down to awareness but to just realise it will burn isn't enough. There are a lot of people who are not aware or accepting of spirituality, to them spirituality isn’t a realisation but if they were aware of it's potential first then they will start to realise it's potential.

I am surprised you didn’t use the word awareness Xan as you can’t realise something exists unless you are aware of its existence first however just being aware of spirituality isn’t enough as we need to see it’s realisation in its potential to accept it fully, if we can’t see this potential awareness isn’t enough for one to take it on usually, the realisation of its potential is needed as well.

Example: I can realise that we have more potential than we all know but I’m not aware of it first so it still doesn’t really exist but if I’m aware of our potentials first the realisation of these potentials are brought forth only through being aware first & foremost of these potentials. Awareness has a lot to do with having a realisation of anything in life.


Love
Mathew

Thanks xan...it looks to be worth a read. I touched an enlightened space a few months ago...briefly for about an hour, and then returned back to limited thinking....it was very cool cheers.

[Xan]

Cool, Gregatha. Just keep going.


Xan

[Xan]

Mathew... I didn't write the quote in the op, and yes, awareness has everything to do with it.

Real-ize = make real.

We realize what we become aware of.
Spiritually, we realize the truth of being as we become aware in it.
We are Self Realized when we are fully aware in this universal Truth as one's own being.


Xan

[Jyotir]

Hi Xan,

Offering these excerpts to the thread:

"When you see Light, that is vision. The vision signifies a future realization.
when you feel Light entering into you, that is experience;
when Light settles in you and brings illumination and knowledge, that is a realisation. Repetition of experience leads to realisation."

----------------

"An experience of a truth in the substance of mind, in the vital or the physical, wherever it may be, is the beginning of realisation. When I experience peace, I begin to realise what it is. Repetition of the experience leads to a fuller and more permanent realisation. When it is settled anywhere, that is the full realisation of it in that place or that part of the being."

-----------------

"There are two classes of things that happen in yoga: realisations and experiences.

Realisations are the reception in the consciousness and the establishment there of the fundamental truths of the Divine, of the Higher or Divine Nature, of the world-consciousness and the play of its forces, of one’s own self and real nature and the inner nature of things, the power of these things growing in one till they are a part of one’s inner life and existence, – as for instance, the realisation of the Divine Presence, the descent and settling of the higher Peace, Light, Force, Ananda in the consciousness, their workings there, the realisation of the divine or spiritual love, the perception of one’s own psychic being, the discovery of one’s own true mental being, true vital being, true physical being, the realisation of the overmind or the supramental consciousness, the clear perception of the relation of all these things to our present inferior nature and their action on it to change that lower nature. The list, of course, might be infinitely longer. These things also are often called experiences when they only come in flashes, snatches or rare visitations; they are spoken of as full realisations only when they become very positive or frequent or continuous or normal.

Then there are experiences that help or lead towards the realisation of things spiritual or divine or bring openings or progressions in the sadhana or are supports on the way, – experiences of a symbolic character, visions, contacts of one kind or another with the Divine or with the workings of higher Truth, things like the waking of the Kundalini, the opening of the Chakras, messages, intuitions, openings of the inner powers, etc. ..."

- Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga, Experiences and Realizations

~ J

[Xan]

Trusting yourself is realizing yourself.

Trusting life is realizing yourself as life.

This is an invitation to our thinking minds to open in trust.

We can trust that there is a knowing that is out of the realm of thoughts or emotions or circumstances.

When we deeply trust, our minds open to discover what is true, regardless of what we are feeling.

The deepest trust is a by-product of this true realization.


- Gangaji

Originally Posted by Xan

They’ve realized the omnipresence of divinity.

Not necessarily.

Self-realization can be a sudden insight into the true nature of things, but this doesn't have to involve the idea of the omnipresence of divinity. It could be a realization of the impermanence of things, for instance.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Greetings..

Realization of the interconnectedness of all that is, is sufficient for all purposes.. beyond that realization is a preference of interpretation and choice of intention..

Be well..