The human experience

When we first hear the word enlightenment, and if it appeals to us, the mind starts to look for understanding - of what this thing is. The mind, being a problem solver, tries to understand. In trying to understand this unknown state it employs it's ability to conceptualize. In it's search for understanding the mind invents some pretty extreme ideas - everything has to be considered. Often these ideas are supported by, or originated from what's been talked about and heard on the 'new age' circuit and usually from well meaning but unrealized people and sometimes from stories heard from ancient India, texts or books.
Here, I'm attempting to simplify and expose some of these ideas and myths. The impression that enlightenment is for a rare few 'exalted ones', is limiting and supports the idea of it being difficult or special. The perceived difficulty tends to lead to years of searching and straining to 'get' the message. There is nothing difficult about the self, it's not a new experience. If it were a new experience then it would, at some time, disappear again and therefore would be unreal. In fact the self is already the case and is so simple that it has been over looked. You are already the self - after all, what else could you be? It's the mind that loves to look for difficulty and assume that the more difficult the thought the cleverer it is. But it's this tendency to look for difficulty that creates the trouble. Abandon this in favor of the simple and you'll have more chance.
The belief that once self realization takes place the person becomes perfected in some way, is a common false idea. It stems from comparison between people and the belief that some people are better than others; that we have flaws. In some religions guilt is used with a bit too much enthusiasm. Each person is the product of their programming - the genetics, family & cultural beliefs and personal experience. Since we didn't choose either the genetic information or the world and time we were born into it was clearly not in our hands and therefore we are not responsible, or at fault. Each person grows up and functions according to their particular programming. In that sense we are all perfect - perfectly who we are programmed to be. That is not to say that we will not change. I am perfectly me and you are perfectly you and our dog is perfectly who she is. We don't become perfected after realizing our true nature, all that happens is that awareness once more recognizes that it is awareness (subject) and not the human body/mind (object). The body still needs food to maintain itself, is not indestructible and is as prone to illness as anyone else's. If a self realized person fell off the roof they are still subject to gravity and it's effects. If a bone is broken it needs medical attention in the same way, and in the end the body dies whether realization has taken place or not.
Some people think that spiritual guidance should be given free of charge; that it's a special state not subject to worldly circumstances; that somehow the self-realized person no longer has to pay bills, that the power and water companies automatically suspend their charges and that they no longer have to buy food. Indian culture is such that a spiritual person is supported by the local community but in the west it's different and will become hungry and will eventually come to the attention of the authorities.
With self realization the search ends and the suffering of the seeker is over (that doesn't mean that all pain stops though). There is a rock solid (but not rigid) knowing of our true nature. But the human animal and the human experience continues on largely as before. The central nervous system doesn't suddenly stop working or get transformed into something else. There isn't a difficulty with this since it is then understood that I never was the human. I have been, and continue to be, the witness of the human experience but had become mistakenly identified with it and as it. Incidentally this is exactly what is supposed to happen. The only change is that now I know that I am the witness. The exclusive (mis-)identification ends and it is understood. The human animal, through the nervous system, continues to report on the world it finds itself part of. Now, instead of the human experience of being in the world it is also known that the world is in me.
Another human, trying to understand what's being described by the awakened being, is at a disadvantage in that he/she views the world from within the limited human perspective instead of from the omnipresent presence/awareness perspective. The effect of the 'I' identification is that it apparently places you in the world and yet separate from it while from a true perspective it is known that you are awareness and all else is an appearance and that there is no separation. Separation is an illusion - a concept. Since the concept of separation helps the human to get about in an apparently three dimensional world without bumping into things, it continues.
It is a common 'new age' belief that you are the creator of your thoughts and actions. I became a seeker but was it my choice? Was the feeling, from an early age, that something was wrong, my fault? Did I decide that? Did I choose the circumstances that led me to do my first new age group? Did I choose the experiences I would have? Did you choose the life that unfolded for you? Do you choose the thought's that upset you, or keep you awake at night? Are you happy with them? Are you suffering because of them? If so why did you choose them, and why would you? And if you can choose then why haven't you chosen enlightenment, if that 's what you want?
It is common to believe that we are in control but have you ever asked yourself how you do anything? By this I mean the simplest thing - like raising your finger? Your finger raises when needed but try explaining to some-one how you did it.
After realization, thoughts and actions go on pretty much as before - although often thoughts appear at a more leisurely rate. Long spaces of no-thought is generally the case; there isn't the constant mental comment on everything as before. Thoughts continue to spontaneously appear and disappear - but it is clearly understood that no-one is creating them. If you did want to create a thought, on what basis would you decide which one to have next - after all if you thought about it that would entail thinking, and how would you choose that thought? You only have to sit in meditation to find there is no on/off button on the thought machine. No! Thoughts appear spontaneously and then ego claims authorship - after the fact.
It's usual to believe that we are in control of our lives and are somehow responsible for them. If you are in control of your life then why are you not enlightened? If that's what you want then choose it. If you can't then acknowledge that you can't and are not in control. This is a meaningful step towards understanding.
Another belief is that as we 'progress' on the spiritual path that we will become like out teacher or guru, that we will end up sitting about blissed out. Usually we learn this stereotype from Indian teachers where there is a long tradition of gurus being much revered and looked after by their community. In western countries the community tends to view that type of activity as undesirable. Generally we have to earn our own living. For me, in those early days, I thought I would end up wearing white robes and talking to groups of seekers who would pay my way. I now know that it was the destiny of that guru to live in that way while my western family and cultural programming makes me work for a living - and so it is for most of us. As for being blissed out - it's not as desirable as the seeking, suffering mind suggests, in fact I found it a detraction from the clarity and got in the way of normal life. It is the suffering mind that seeks for the opposite experience - bliss, but that's a dualistic state, as is any experience. Once it is clearly seen that I am the context (of all) and not the content of mind there is no need to seek bliss.
Perhaps the biggest, inhibiting belief for the seeker is that realization is an experience, and will happen in the future at some point. This waiting for something to happen keeps the mind focused on it's beliefs, wanting some 'special' experience that gives the experiencer a special status. Realization is simply the understanding that you are presence/awareness, right now; here/now. You are that; there's no waiting or effort needed. This is the difficulty for a mind, that we have to work hard to get what we want.
I think it was Adyashanti who said "we are not humans having a spiritual experience, we are spirit having a human experience".
There is a natural tendency for the mind to continue to gather more knowledge when seeking enlightenment. A lifetime of gaining knowledge was required to survive and get jobs done effectively. There is no problem with knowledge per se. but more knowledge is just more of the same. When it comes to seeking our true nature more knowledge is not of help. What's needed is a paradigm shift; a shift away from 'more' to 'where' the knowledge is seen/witnessed.
Identification as 'I' or 'me' is a belief in an individual entity but close observation will reveal there being no such thing. If you think in terms of 'you' being part of the audience watching a movie, you maintain the idea of a separate 'you'. If you, as a seeker, look for the screen behind the 'me' then the idea of separateness continues. Instead, know that you are the infinite screen on which the movie called world, audience and 'me' appears. The only problem is that identification with part of the greater movie has happened.