Enlightenment

ENLIGHTENMENT
The great goal of the spiritual path is enlightenment. Yet from the mystical perspective there is no such thing as an enlightened person. Enlightenment is the impersonal realization that everything is One and that the separate person we believe ourselves to be is actually just another passing phenomenon being witnessed by Consciousness. What we take to be our thoughts, feelings, and actions are seen to be just happening as naturally as the sun sets and the rain falls.

ENLIGHTENMENT IS NATURAL
Spirituality is about expanding the bubble of our personal consciousness. Enlightenment is what happens when the bubble bursts and we merge with impersonal Consciousness. When this occurs we discover that being enlightened is our natural state, unclouded by the illusion of separateness. The great mystics have an ironic sense of humour because they see the absurdity of our predicament. We are seeking so earnestly to become what we already are!

NO WAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Enlightenment is not something that can be achieved. Indeed it is the realization that there is no one to achieve anything. Enlightenment is not something that we can strive for. If we believe we are doing anything in order to become enlightened, we are just entrapping ourselves further in the illusion of being a doer. Enlightenment is the understanding that there is no doer. Enlightenment either happens or it doesn’t. It’s no good worrying about it and useless to strive for it. We are in natural process of spiritual maturation and the best thing we can do is just let it organically unfold.

LETTING ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPEN
Lying on a bed trying desperately to sleep only gets in the way of sleep naturally occurring when we are tired enough. In the same way struggling to become enlightenment just hampers the process of enlightenment naturally and spontaneously occurring. The best way to fall asleep is to prepare a comfortable bed and relax. Similarly, the sages advise us to prepare ourselves through spiritual practice but to let go of worrying about the results. Yet for enlightenment to occur we must completely understand that everything, including our spiritual practice, is a product of the impersonal life-process.

from Encyclopedia of Spirituality
Pg 236
Spiritual traditions
Essential teachings to transform your life
by Timothy Freke