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What is spiritual enlightenment?

Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
Windwalker said:
That's easy. We create mental images of ourselves we self identify as. This is an illusion. There's an old saying I heard that somewhat illustrates this. "We are not who we think we are. We are not even who others think we are. But we are who we think others think we are". We project ourselves with our minds back to ourselves, and believe that to be who we truly are. We identify with, interact with, and become that mental self-image. We literally are those thoughts. That's an illusion of ourselves. And the same thing applies to the world of reality we imagine to be. We live in an illusion of mind and beliefs.
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I think you are making this unnecessarily difficult.

"All your time is spent in dreaming. Your sleeping and your waking dreams have different forms, and that is all." - A Course in Miracles
 
Windwalker

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Gambit said:
I think you are making this unnecessarily difficult.

"All your time is spent in dreaming. Your sleeping and your waking dreams have different forms, and that is all." - A Course in Miracles
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What's your question then if you have the answer?
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
LuisDantas said:
Why would that matter? Would it?
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The subject matter of this thread is "spiritual enlightenment." If an individual really doesn't believe in spiritual enlightenment, then he or she should not be participating on this thread. It's disruptive. That's why it matters.
 
R

rumitoid

New Member
Gambit said:
What is spiritual enlightenment?
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For a time in my life I thought I was just a few watts short of enlightenment...but was in for a great shock. I think we need to start with the question, "What is for our ultimate well-being?" Out of all things in life, there is only one that once attained (which is a clumsy and somewhat misleading way to put it) does not come with the automatic addendum "...this too shall pass." That one thing is humility, the complete abandonment to Divine Providence. In humility, we are not subject to the woes of image and want or the vagaries of life. We possess nothing. Though the place of endless joy and freedom, very few want it for the lack of drama. There are no heroic struggles, nothing to overcome or anything to gain. Unless experienced, it seems the humble have flat-lined. Where is the fight or the gusto? I feel that most if allowed a preview of heaven as it is portrayed, eternal bliss, would seek a second opinion, another faith with a better offer.
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
rumitoid said:
For a time in my life I thought I was just a few watts short of enlightenment...but was in for a great shock. I think we need to start with the question, "What is for our ultimate well-being?" Out of all things in life, there is only one that once attained (which is a clumsy and somewhat misleading way to put it) does not come with the automatic addendum "...this too shall pass." That one thing is humility, the complete abandonment to Divine Providence. In humility, we are not subject to the woes of image and want or the vagaries of life. We possess nothing. Though the place of endless joy and freedom, very few want it for the lack of drama. There are no heroic struggles, nothing to overcome or anything to gain. Unless experienced, it seems the humble have flat-lined. Where is the fight or the gusto? I feel that most if allowed a preview of heaven as it is portrayed, eternal bliss, would seek a second opinion, another faith with a better offer.
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Just for the sake of clarity. Are you saying spiritual enlightenment is the cultivation of a detached, humble attitude?
 
LuisDantas

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Gambit said:
The subject matter of this thread is "spiritual enlightenment." If an individual really doesn't believe in spiritual enlightenment, then he or she should not be participating on this thread. It's disruptive. That's why it matters.
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So you don't realize how little importance conventional views have there?
 
Gambit

Gambit

Well-Known Member
Aupmanyav said:
Perhaps it does to you, but it is just one of the many advaita schools and that is not what I subscribe to. I subscribe to the first Sankaracharya's Nirvisesa Advaita (Without any remainder).
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Good for you. But the subject matter of this thread is spiritual enlightenment. And it would appear that you have nothing to contribute here since you do not believe in the reality of spirit.
 
Aupmanyav

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Within many definitions of 'spiritual', yours is different from mine. For me 'spiritual' has no connotation of 'soul', 'spirit', God'.
 
Windwalker

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Aupmanyav said:
Within many definitions of 'spiritual', yours is different from mine. For me 'spiritual' has no connotation of 'soul', 'spirit', God'.
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I'm interested in hearing your use of this. I too do not imagine nor use the word spirit or spiritual to be otherworldly beings and find it frustrating in discussions when others think it means things like Casper the Friendly Ghost.
 
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