What is enlightenment?

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The absolute truth is that enlightenment only exists because ignorance exists. They are two sides of one coin, yet diametrically light years apart. Light is only known when it comes into contact with darkness and this darkness is our self-created ignorance that life is not perfectly good here and now. To be truly enlightened is to be in communion with a vast cosmic intelligence that knows without doubt, that everything that is needed is already here. It is actually a state of divine innocence; a journey that leads us back to a place we’ve all come from.

To use an analogy, if you look into the eyes of a newborn baby, you will easily see the grace and beauty of enlightenment. The only difference in the child is that it is devoid of experience and must live to seek; and seek to know that all experiences, however pleasurable, are not permanent. The unconditional reality of life lies within. Here, everything is fundamentally known and realised as a state of oneness, exquisitely pure and simple. Life is as it is, timelessly natural, infinite and undivided.

How can you say that life is perfectly good here and now when there is so much suffering in the world?

The fundamental reality is that all suffering in the first instance is in you, the person reading these words. When your conditioned self is transcended, so too is your attachment to the world. However circumstances of living may continue, one is no longer affected by the appearance of things. Life is inherently good, because it is the conscious reality behind the bad news that the media constantly feeds us. It is possible to feel this goodness every moment in our bodies now.

Does every path lead to enlightenment or is there only one path?

There is only one path, although it has different labels such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or Taoism. These are all systems that endeavour to describe the unknown. God - referred to as the cosmic principle, lies beyond everything. There is no name and no form in truth. The real path is giving up your attachment to life being personal. Love and meditation greatly assist this process.

How did you gain this realisation?enlighten 2

Initially this realisation came to me spontaneously in a retreat situation. The beauty of life became so vast and overwhelming that the personal drama I had previously lived became meaningless. Many realisations came and went for years, until a point came where the experiences or the centre of my investigation dissolved. All my impressions and insights about the journey’s goal also subsided. Freedom is not an attainment, but a letting go.

Is it necessary to give up thinking to spiritually awaken?

Let me explain the difference between thought and thinking. Thought is an evolutionary tool that the human species requires for survival. Its purpose is merely practical in nature. The majority of thinking that people experience is based on a self centred imagination that life is somewhere else. It has no value in spiritual life. A master’s function is to raise people’s consciousness to a level where they can see beyond their own mind.

What is unique about your teaching?

The background of each realised being is imperative in their particular awakening to the truth. While everyone realises the same truth, it is the process, which brought him or her to that point, where differences lie. I had Eastern and Western influences; both meditative and tantric teachings were involved. The unique part of my work is the passionate expression of the truth, not only through words and silence but also through songs about love and life. An integral part of my teaching is based on the truth of love between man and woman. Spiritual life is not only an inner search; it is a process of selfless giving. Love is the bridge to truth; without it we can feel alienated from life.

How could more people becoming enlightened change the world?

By taking action to make your own psyche pure, the karma of the collective unconscious is reduced. A chain reaction is set in motion to awaken those who are ready and willing. It is the noblest thing one can do in this life. Look not at the world, but into your own being. What is a master’s role? A master’s only real purpose is to reflect the mystery of the unknown energetically as a living presence to all those who come. Words are used, however the real dissolution comes through silent communion. A compassionate joy radiates like the sun to all who are near the master, though the karmic effect of consciousness allows everyone to respond individually. The living master is the evolutionary pinnacle of the power of consciousness on Earth. He or she always appear in one form or another, waiting for those who can truly listen.

 

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