ENLIGHTENMENT
By Sherman R. Buck
WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT THE WORD ENLIGHTENMENT IS FOR A SELECT FEW. A BIG LIE THAT HAS BEEN FABRICATED BY RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL PEOPLE. THE KIND WHO "THINK" THEY KNOW, BUT ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR SPIRITUAL BEING. ONE SUCH LIE IS ABOUT JESUS AND HOW HE WILL COME BACK TO SAVE US. AS IF WE ARE UNABLE TO SAVE OURSELVES. JESUS, AND OTHER ENLIGHTENED ONES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, SAID WE COULD BE JUST LIKE THEM. WHAT THIS MEANS IS EXACTLY THAT. WE HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED BY THE CHURCH LEADERS THAT THIS IS NOT SO. ENLIGHTENED ONES HAVE BEEN PUT UP HIGH ON PEDESTALS AND THE MASSES TOLD HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY ENLIGHTENED ONE. HOW ABSURD...
TO BE ENLIGHTENED MEANS TO SEE THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE WITHOUT ALL THE ILLUSIONS, WALLS, AND ASSUMPTIONS. IT MEANS GETTING RID OF ALL EGO AND ITS FEAR. FEAR IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PULLING AWAY FROM AWARENESS, A PULLING AWAY FROM OUR AUTHENTIC SELF. EACH OF US NEEDS TO GET RID OF THE CRUTCHES WE WERE FORCED TO LEARN TO USE. WE NEED TO EMPTY OUT ALL THE TRICKS IN OUR BAGS USED TO DENY, REPRESS OR ALTER WHAT IS REALLY WITHIN. IT MEANS TO BECOME CONSCIOUS OF OUR OWN PROJECTIONS AND FEARS. THIS MOVES ONE TO EXPERIENCE THE OBSERVER WITHIN ONESELF, WHAT THE MYSTICS CALL OBSERVING THE EGO SELF AS SOMETHING SEPARATE FROM US. THIS CAN BE QUITE STARTLING TO EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT SHEDS LIGHT ON THE SHADOWS WITHIN THAT WORK DILIGENTLY TO CONVINCE YOU TO NOT LISTEN AND SEE WITH YOUR HEART.
ENLIGHTENMENT IS COMING TO TERMS WITH BEING IN THE WORLD WITH NO BUFFERS AND TO FEEL DEEPLY THE PAIN AND SUFFERING WE HAVE BEEN IGNORING IN OURSELVES WHILE WE WENT AGAINST OUR AUTHENTIC SELF TO FIT IN. WAKING UP TO WHAT YOU ARE NOT, UNVEILS WHO YOU TRULY ARE AS A SPIRITUAL BEING. ONE BECOMES ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR WHOLE FUNCTIONAL BEING, IN TOUCH WITH THEIR SPIRIT, INTUITION, CREATIVITY, SEXUALITY, FEELINGS, AND HIGHER MIND. A PERSON BEGINS TO KNOW TRUTH FROM WITHIN VERSUS FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES. A PERSON IN THIS SPACE NO LONGER CAN BE LIED TO, MANIPULATED, COERCED, INTIMIDATED, MADE TO FEEL GUILTY OR ASHAMED OF WHO THEY ARE.
IN THIS SPACE A PERSON REALIZES THEIR OWN SOVEREIGN RIGHT TO BE, ON THEIR OWN TERMS, NOT BY OTHERS TERMS. A PERSON IN TOUCH WITH THIS ASPECT OF THEIR BEING BECOMES DEEPLY SENSITIVE AND IN TOUCH WITH THEIR BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT. THEY FEEL A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY, COMPASSION, AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR ALL THINGS, FOR ALL THINGS ARE PART OF THE WHOLE AND NECESSARY FOR THE CONTINUUM OF LIFE.
A PERSON BEGINS TO NOTICE THE LARGER REALITY AND KNOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER WHOLE WORLD AWAITING THEM TO ENTER AND BEGIN LIVING FULLY. WHEN JESUS SAID, "MY FATHER'S HOUSE HAS MANY ROOMS," HE WASN'T TALKING ABOUT ROOMS, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT OTHER REALITIES, OTHER PLACES. IN SOME SENSE OUR BODIES ARE OUR OWN HOUSE, WHERE OUR SOUL LIVES AND YET IF ONE OPENS WIDE ENOUGH THEY BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THE ONENESS OF THE UNIVERSE AND MANY OTHER THINGS FROM WITHIN.
BEING ENLIGHTENED IS NOT SOME FAR OFF IMPOSSIBLE PLACE OR ACT TO ACHIEVE. THOSE WHO SAY OTHERWISE JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO BE FREE, BECAUSE THEN THEY WON'T HAVE ANYONE TO CONTROL AND DO THEIR BIDDING. THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE ANYMORE EXCUSES OR REASONS TO AVOID LOOKING WITHIN THEMSELVES.
THE ONLY PERSON WHO WILL SET YOU FREE IS YOURSELF AND YOU KNOW IT.
PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THEY ARE HELPLESS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT FROM A YOUNG AGE. ONCE YOU BECOME CONSCIOUS OF ALL THE LIMITING BELIEFS YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT, YOU CAN GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY AND BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE DIRECTLY HOW IMMENSE AND LIMITLESS YOUR OWN POWER, YOUR OWN AUTHENTIC SELF IS.
THIS IS WHY SOCIETY SPENDS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME, ENERGY, AND MONEY FORCING YOUNG CHILDREN TO CONFORM. ONCE THEIR SPIRIT IS BROKEN THEY BEGIN TO DOUBT, MEANING THEY BECOME CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW INTUITIVELY VERSUS WHAT OTHERS TELL THEM. AT SOME POINT THEY GIVE UP LISTENING TO THEIR HEART BECAUSE IT CAUSES THEM A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN AND SUFFERING FROM ADULTS. AS CHILDREN WE WERE DEPENDENT ON ADULTS TO PROTECT US, NURTURE US, AND PROVIDE ESSENTIAL NECESSITIES FOR OUR WELL BEING, NOT TO MENTION UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. LIVING IN A CONDITIONAL LOVING WORLD WE HAD LOVE AND APPROVAL WITHHELD IF WE DIDN'T DO WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF US BY THEIR RULES. THUS BEGINS THE GRADUAL BURYING AND FORGETTING OF OUR INNER SPIRIT. BETWEEN THE RULES AT HOME, SCHOOL, CHURCH, AND GOVERNMENT, NOT TO MENTION PEERS, A PERSON CEASES TO EXIST AUTHENTICALLY.
ONE MIGHT THINK THIS IS ABSURD, BUT THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU WERE TO SUDDENLY BE SHRUNK DOWN TO THE SIZE OF A SMALL CHILD, HAVE YOUR ABILITY TO KNOW LANGUAGE, VOCABULARY, AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD MINIMIZED TO THEIR ABILITIES, BUT STILL RETAIN THE INNER QUALITY OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT, YOU WOULD BE POWERLESS TO FOLLOW THAT INNER KNOWING TO THE EXTENT OF THE FREEDOM OFFERED BY YOUR PARENTS AND THE ADULTS AROUND YOU. YOU WOULD NO LONGER HAVE ANY RIGHTS WHATSOEVER AND YOU WOULD BE FORCED TO LIVE YOUR LIFE OUT TILL YOU WERE OLD ENOUGH, BIG ENOUGH, AND KNEW ENOUGH TO ESCAPE. BUT THAT IS NOT SUCH A SIMPLE THING TO DO. AT SOME POINT YOU WOULD FEEL SUCH A HORRIBLE SADNESS THAT IT WOULD OVERWHELM YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE NOT LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY. AFTER AWHILE OUR SPIRIT LEAVES TO A SAFER DISTANCE FOR US TO SURVIVE. THIS IS DONE TO PROTECT US, FOR WE WOULD SURELY LOSE ALL HOPE. ON A PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL A CARROT ATTACHED TO A STICK IS DANGLED OVER OUR HEADS, CAUSING US TO CHASE AFTER THE ILLUSIVE CARROT. CULTURE GIVES US REWARDS FOR FOLLOWING THE CARROT. WE BEGIN THE INDOCTRINATION PROGRAM BY CULTURE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REWARDS ARE NOTHING, FOR THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE LOSS OF OUR AUTHENTIC SELF. NO AMOUNT OF MATERIAL GOODS, MONEY, POWER, SEX, ETC WILL FILL THIS LOSS. PONDER ON THIS DEEPLY. IN YOUR MINDS EYE, PICTURE WHAT THIS MUST FEEL LIKE FOR A CHILD. PONDER ON YOUR OWN INNER CHILD/INNER SPIRIT THAT AWAITS YOUR RETURN. LOOK AROUND YOU AND NOTICE HOW ADULTS INTERACT WITH ADULTS. PAYING ATTENTION WILL REVEAL MANY THINGS. WATCHING CHILDREN WILL REVEAL WHAT WE EACH LOST AND WHAT REMAINS HIDDEN AWAY WITHIN OURSELVES. THEN AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THIS AWHILE, COMPARE THE ADULTS TO THE CHILDREN AND VICE VERSA. NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE, IT IS THERE IF YOU LOOK FOR IT. WATCH HOW THEY SPEAK TO THEM, ACT WITH THEM, BE WITH THEM. SOONER OR LATER A PERSON BEGINS TO NOTICE...
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE AGE OF TWO FOR A CHILD AS "THE TERRIBLE TWOS." PONDER ON THIS, WHAT IS SO TERRIBLE FOR A BEING TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY YES OR NO. FUNNY, BUT AS ADULTS WE BECOME ENRAGED IF WE ARE DENIED THESE RIGHTS. BUT WE THINK NOTHING OF DENYING THE CHILD. IRONICALLY, IF WE WERE TO TREAT OUR FRIENDS THE WAY WE TREATED OUR CHILDREN, WE WOULD HAVE NO FRIENDS. ADULTS DO NOT DO THIS CONSCIOUSLY PER SAY. MOST ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE PROJECTING WHAT WAS DONE TO THEM BY THEIR PARENTS. SOME ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND CONTINUE TO DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONNECTION TO THEIR DEEPER SELVES TO INTERVENE OVER EGO AND ITS CULTURAL SOFTWARE. PROJECTION IS A PSYCHOLOGY MECHANISM BY WHICH WE PROJECT ONTO OTHERS THAT WHICH WE ARE UNABLE TO SEE WITHIN OURSELVES. THE WHOLE WORLD IS IN A STATE OF PROJECTION. ONE CAN SEE IT IF THEY LOOK FOR IT: JUDGMENTS, FEARS, ANGER, HATE, VIOLENCE, RACISM, SEXISM, AGEISM, HOMOPHOBIA, EROTOPHOBIA, CLASSISM, MATERIALISM. PROJECTION IS WHAT C. J. JUNG TALKED ABOUT AS THE SHADOW SIDE. IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE SHADOW IS WHAT RELIGIONS TALK ABOUT AS EVIL. EVIL IS TALKED ABOUT AS SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES, NOT US. THIS IS WHAT THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS IS ABOUT. THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS ARE THE AGREEMENTS THAT THE MANY ARE FORCED TO SUBMIT TO AS CHILDREN. THESE AGREEMENTS GO AGAINST OUR SPIRITUAL SELVES. WHEN WE REPRESS WHO WE ARE ALL SORTS OF PROCESSES ARE CREATED WITHIN TO INTEGRATE THE DYSFUNCTION WE ARE FORCED TO PERFORM. WHAT IS REPRESSED COMES OUT THROUGH PROJECTION. WHEN WE ARE FORCED TO STUFF FEELINGS, EMOTIONS, DESIRES, AND NEEDS, ALL SORTS OF DESTRUCTIVE PROCESSES BEGIN WITHIN. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF DIS-EASE, FEAR, ANGER, HATE, AND VIOLENCE, FOR THESE ARE MIRRORS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO OURSELVES INTERNALLY, OF WHICH THEN ARE PROJECTED OUTWARDS.
SOCIETY "THINKS" WE MUST WORK HARDER TO SUPPRESS AND AVOID THIS SHADOW SIDE. IT HAS BECOME THIS EVIL THING THAT IS NOT US. POLITICIANS AND CHURCH LEADERS TELL US WE MUST BE EVER VIGILANT AGAINST THE SHADOW SIDE, TO NOT TRUST IT. THE OTHER IS ALWAYS BEING SCANNED FOR THIS EVIL. OUR LEADERS CREATE MORE LAWS, IMPRISON AND KILL THOSE WHO ACT OUT, INTIMIDATE OTHERS, COERCE OTHER TO HIDE THE SHADOWS. WE ARE TAUGHT TO ATTAIN MORE MONEY, POWER, PRESTIGE, AND MATERIAL GOODS, AS IF SOMEHOW IT WILL GO AWAY. THIS IS THE GREAT TURNING AWAY. THE EGOS JOB IS TO KEEP US PAST AND FUTURE ORIENTED, SO THAT WE ARE NEVER PRESENT IN THE NOW. EGO IS FOREVER RUNNING AWAY FROM THE TRUTHS WITHIN. FORTUNATELY, THE TRUTH NEVER GOES AWAY. NO MATTER HOW MUCH EGO STRUGGLES TO MAINTAIN THE ILLUSION, IT WILL FAIL IN THE END. FOR THE HEART CANNOT BE IMPRISONED FOREVER.
"Where love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other." - Carl G. Jung
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."- Margaret Meade
"We cannot heal the wounds we do not feel." - S.R. Smalley
"Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love."
-Rainer Maria Rilke
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it ... always."
-Mahatma Gandhi
"If humanity does not opt for integrity we are through, completely. It is absolutely touch and go. Each one of us could make the difference." - R. Buckminster Fuller
Updated: 3/02/08