Enlightenment: The End Game of the Ego

With so many claiming to be enlightened these days, what exactly does that mean? Who or what is enlightened? The separate individual? Some folks can tell you the exact second they were "awakened" and have dramatic stories surrounding it but were they really ever "asleep" to begin with?

There are some really huge egos that claim "enlightenment" as the ultimate feather in their cap but the truth is that enlightenment is a non-event meaning--nothing happens. If there really was an independent "me" that could be re assimilated into oneness, then, of course, liberation could be real, but, as all there is is undivided being in this very moment, there is no one who could "wake up". Mistaking the ego for something real is a sort of "sleep" but it can only appear in awareness, wakefullness. In deep sleep, when there is no consciousness, there is no idea of a self and, therefore, no problem.

Generally, the imaginary seeker doesn't want seeking to end. It's the lure of "hitting the lottery" and attaining the unattainable. Hearing about their true nature isn't what they want, they want exercises and tasks they can do to become, but the Self--what we are, has no use of becoming because IT IS. Becoming can only happen in the dream of self, time and space. In the absence of belief in these falsehoods, there is WHAT IS and it doesn't need to be any other than what it is.  

An individual who claims to be enlightened in taking part in another form of self hypnosis. The ego is "hiding" within the idea of egolessness. The truth is, though, that there is no ego and there never was one to begin with, there is only the movement of the divine energy which can be called "God" or whatever you like. It doesn't matter what you call it.

Seeing through the "me" concept is not a positive event, it is a lack of something--the very core belief in the separate self. It is nothing and it is already the case. The separate self is a figment of God's dream but God doesn't sleep.

What the seeker is after

What the seeker is after is an experience that they feel will make themselves complete. When the ego idea is seen as a reality, there is a feeling of separation and lack. From this sense of lack, one either seeks satisfaction in "material" existence or they conjure up an image that there is "something else out there" that will make them happy and satisfied. This can lead to years, decades and even a lifetime of searching for that "something". One may have read certain descriptions of enlightenment and even have a very specific idea of what it will be like.

There are many who have amazing experiences and intense spiritual visions. After these, what happens? One comes back to "everyday" reality, of course. All experience is fleeting. The thing that is missed in all of this seeking is the most obvious aspect of existence--being. This is the constant in a seemingly ever-changing life. When the ego idea isn't believed in, being is unobscured and living is natural and effortless. When one's life is no longer dominated by thought then it can truly be said "All there is is God.", the words aren't necessary though--one doesn't need them to be.

Do you understand non-duality?

If so, kindness is the proof. If you are lacking in compassion then that is proof that your understanding is intellectual. It shows that the ego idea (concept of separation) is still at work. The ego idea is the essence of violence. It is resistance against the flow of life and it is the very belief in a world apart from oneself. I am making no claims to be permanently free of ego. Sometimes it arises, other times it is absent. When it is absent, there is peace, no matter what is happening around one. When it is present, there is struggle. Seeing the ego as another arising of the divine energy is a way to be at peace with even this most difficult manifestation of life. Though it appears to indicate a distinct self, it, itself, is a selfless arising, from God/source/being like everything else.

You don't need me

In 2007, I went and saw Wayne Liquorman when he spoke in Frederick, MD. It was my first encounter with what I, at the time, considered to be an "enlightened human being". When I entered the hall where he was speaking, there was a strange charge in the air. He came out, in front of everyone, and folded his hands and bowed. Then he sat down and silently made eye contact with each person in the audience for a long time. When it was my turn, I felt extremely anxious, like I wanted to shit myself. After he had gone around the entire room in this manner, he spoke for awhile then had a question and answer session. Luckily, the main thing I came away from this experience with was the deep down realization that I didn't need him or ANYONE to be complete. How is the worship of another person or a seeing of them as "better" or "purer" than oneself going to make one a healthy, independent human being?

Recently, I've been reading a book about UG Krishnamurti called "Goner". It was written by a person who was with him during the last years of his life. It depicts UG as a coarse man who was verbally and physically abusive. I would not subject myself to be around someone like that. He would often tell his "followers" that it was all pointless and that he wasn't a religious or holy man but they still venerated him. Maybe there was a special energy in his presence, I don't know. Maybe his words and actions didn't reflect his true inner sweetness but why do we look to anyone else for answers, even someone who tells us not to look to others for truth? I don't need any of them. None will bring us closer to truth/God. Truth is in this moment, wherever we are, whatever we're doing. It is life. It is the aware presence that gives expression to all things. We trick ourselves when we believe we need a guru, hero or God to experience it. THIS IS IT.

Curious emptiness

Even amidst the life-story drama of being an apparent individual, there sometimes is recognized a curious emptiness. It seems alien to the story of strife and struggle. It is is an aspect of ourselves that really can't be defined. While wrapped up in identification with the passing forms, it will usually just be skipped over because nothing can be done with it and it doesn't seem useful in "fixing" our imagined problems, which is, of course, our focus. Perhaps at some point the ego (self idea) gets called into question. There may be the seeing of it as merely another thought arising in awareness. This is the dis-identification with the belief in the limited person. Without this core concept, life is known as a sentient emptiness in which everything appears. This knowing void is always present, through every experience of life. Being absolutely nothing, it is absolutely everything. How curious! This conscious void has no problems and is perpetually at peace, always in the only moment there is--the present. Past and future are insubstantial phantoms, they never have nor never will exist. Right now, when is it? Now, of course. Now, look again, when is it? Now.

These words are unimportant. Do you see what they're pointing at? It is the most obvious aspect of existence, and, being so, it is the hardest to see because every where you look, it's all you see. We miss the forest for the trees.

An interesting position

In life, we find ourselves in an interesting position, that is: we are the infinite, mistaking itself for the limited and, therefore, seeking the infinite. The light of awareness gives rise to all manner of sensations, thoughts and feelings. Certain of these perceptions are sometimes mistakenly translated, in thought, into a separate self. After this limited self is taken to be real, there is the attempt to escape the feeling of limitation and to be re-integrated with all that is. The ironic part of this search is that one was never apart to begin with.

It's kind of like this: A person who was born free becomes an actor and starts playing the role of a slave. They play the part so well and for so long that they actually forget who they really are and totally identify with the role. One day, a friend might recognize them or they might naturally grow tired of living "in bondage", ending the masquerade, throwing aside their stage prop styrofoam chains, and they realize the natural freedom that has been theirs all along. There's no need to struggle against chains that aren't real. Bondage never existed, except as an idea and, therefore, liberation doesn't exist either. All of the drama of individuality and isolation has only been the boundless movement of the light of God. There is nothing apart from that.

This is the experience of love

This, whatever is being experienced in this moment, here, there or anywhere, is nothing other than the manifestation of love/oneness. Thoughts might arise that interpret it as "good" or "bad", desirable or undesirable but, here it is, this is it. When we no longer judge experience against what we think it should be, then there is peace. This peaceful sentience is the natural ground of everything. When the self idea (ego) isn't at war with life, there is effortless being. This is always in all ways the case, just overlooked sometimes in favor of the "surface ripples" of thoughts, which can imagine conflict and discord. All is one, one is all. That's all.