Enlightenment “enlightened”? Possibly it sounds pretentious.
But it can be simplified.
The concept has been oversold to you.
The basic insight behind ‘enlightenment’ is a very simpjle one.
You are not happening in space and time.
But time and space are happening in You.
Here the word ‘you’ is used in two different meanings. The first use of ‘you’, is the most common usage of the word. It is referering to the narrative of ‘you’. That you has an identity, a gender, an age. It has a political preference. It may of not be married. It pursues a career or is looking for a soul mate. This you has a past, a self improvement plan and a future.
The second use of the word ‘You’ is in capital letters by purpose. It refers to the direct experience of being You. This is the ‘You’ that never can leave you. It is always here as a living experience. Always changing. Always in motion.
‘you’ cannot hold onto ‘You’. But this tried in many techniques:
Mindfully chasing the moment Like a dog chasing its tail I face an unfortunate fate:
These activities will not bring ‘you’ any closer to ‘You’. They may even create a sense of seperation. Between a ‘well behaving’, spiritual ‘you’ that is mindful. And a ‘bad behaving’ ‘you’ that engages in other activities like smoking or drinking.
These are the narratives of self. A self has plans to quit smoking and drinking and an intention to ‘meditate more’.
Enlightenment is not about health.
That’s it. It is not more complicated than that. This the first step.
Once ‘You’ have recognized your true nature, it is not automatic that all the narratives are gone immediatly. But the rock solid believe in the narratives, moves to the background of your experience.
