More enlightenment

So we know that enlightenment is accessible to all. Yay! (At least it's a big Yay for me). Let's start looking at degrees of enlightenment. I've been thinking about this for quite some time, and even though I may not have the ultimate take on it, it's cooked enough for me to share my findings.

How much enlightenment is enough? We've talked about this in earlier blogs. So we get the glimpse, or even more of a glimpse in some cases, but a glimpse, an assimilated glimpse, a fully experienced glimpse is all we need to Know that we are more than a body. That we are not who our conscious minds think we are. That we are, in fact, One/Divine/Whole/Not-Broken. So once we have had that experience, why do we keep seeking? Why do we doubt our Knowledge? Why do we want more enlightenment? Is it because we want power? The power to manipulate the physcial plane to our advantage, to match our point of view? Or is it because we still need proof of what we know? Or is it because we are afraid that we will be called out to make some sort of physical demonstration of super-human powers and perform magic tricks? All good questions. And things to think about. And then there's the big question, if we Know, if we are Enlightened, then what are we doing hanging out on Earth anyway? If the physical plane is no longer fun, then what's the point? And if that's the case, and our motivation for getting enlightened is just so we can transcend, ascend, get the hell out of this physical plane, then perhaps we have some deep discomfort that makes us want to run, which then would make me question my enlightened state of being.

So here we are, Enlightened. It's a game after all. So why don't we just leave? And why don't we look different? Why do we still bleed? Get sick? Have financial difficulty? Because we can. Because it's part of life on the planet. In Tantra, one view is that we are all characters in the Lila, the great play. Willy the Shake was right when he said "all the world is a stage." And we are the players. Because of us playing, the Diving gets to experience our experiences from a physical point of view. So essentially, we are providing a service to the Divine. To our Selves.

So we stay. We may get sick, but just because we are physically uncomfortable, doesn't mean that we are suffering. And if, according to the Sutras of Patanjali, and other spiritual texts, if the point of enlightenment is to end suffering, well then, bingo! We are enlightened.