We Have Eternity?

[Michelle]

My whole life (28 years) I have been a personal development fanatic. I attribute my survival and place in life now to that persistence and will to become the best I can be.

Needless to say, it has been exhausting. My pace has been that of a sprinter but on a long distance run. Every few weeks there is some major transition, new discovery, awareness or release to be made. I am always two or three steps ahead of myself being guided by my inner self.

In the past few days it has dawned on me that perhaps I do not need to have this racing tempo. Perhaps it is okay to really stop and smell the roses (as opposed to doing it for developmental purposes), perhaps I can be nicer to myself along the way.

One of my life goals has been to reach "enlightenment". And today I thought, perhaps it isn't necessary to race toward enlightment. Perhaps I don't have to reach enlightenment in this lifetime even. There really is eternity - absolutely no rush to move forward. The universe is going no where.

What do you think? Is it okay to calm down and just let life unfold? Is it okay to release the goal of enlightenment while still being on it's path?

I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.

[jamasiel]

I tend to think so. Revelation and enlightenment are what happen in life.
This is not to say you should strive for certain things and have set goals.
You have this life to learn what you learn...in this life. If you have the intent, you'll get the enlightenment you need. Utter exhaustion is as pointless as doing nothing - so find a balance for it.

[The David]

I've had the same problem this past year. All of a sudden, I've found myself acutely aware of everything that is wrong with my life, and I feel that I can't rest until I fix these problems. I have very high expectations of the future.

But what if I died tomorrow? What would these first eighteen years of my life mean? It seems pointless to devote myself to something that may not be real at all, yet it seems more pointless to give it up. To spend each day moving farther along this path, but to focus on the path itself and not what lies at the end, is a perfect balance.

[AndyMartin]

Zen Master Seung Sahn said wanting enlightenment is a big mistake. The only enlightenment that matters -- the only enlightenment there is, for that matter, is the enlightenment of this moment?

Did you feel it?

It's a trick question; if you answered that, then you missed it because it's happening now, not then.

The thing is, just because you enjoy good food, doesn't mean you eat non-stop every day. I've been on a fast-paced journey of spiritual discovery and personal growth my whole life. Those efforts allow me to get more out of this moment, but my natural aggressiveness about it can pull my focus out of now and into the future. Then everything goes off the rails.

So keep moving forward at whatever pace comes naturally -- don't force it either way; find the flow and move along with it. That will actually yield greater results than your hardest efforts and allow you to remain grounded in the present.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by AndyMartin

The only enlightenment that matters -- the only enlightenment there is, for that matter, is the enlightenment of this moment?

I love that!

Michelle, what is the enlightenment you hope to have? What will you have, once you have achieved enlightenment? Why wait?

I love Eckhart Tolle's view of enlightenment (again, NOW, the only enlightenment that matters!) -- he describes human purpose, awakening to now, in "A New Earth." Maybe you would enjoy reading that.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Angela

Michelle, what is the enlightenment you hope to have? What will you have, once you have achieved enlightenment? Why wait?

1 &2 Peace, understanding, fearlessness, joy, love.

3 I am scared.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Michelle

1 &2 Peace, understanding, fearlessness, joy, love.

3 I am scared.

That's great! Being scared is an excellent lighthouse!

Would you like to generate peace, understanding, joy, and love* in your life right now? What, exactly, scares you about having those things now? Will you be less scared later?

You may be right smack dab on the precipice of a huge breakthrough in your life! Congratulations to you, and lots of courage at looking boldly at your fears!


*I didn't list fearlessness, because fear is a good thing not to be entirely rid of.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Angela

Would you like to generate peace, understanding, joy, and love* in your life right now? What, exactly, scares you about having those things now? Will you be less scared later?

You may be right smack dab on the precipice of a huge breakthrough in your life! Congratulations to you, and lots of courage at looking boldly at your fears!

I guess I am not scared by those things, but more by the process of getting there. I am afraid that knowing peace, joy and love means having to know their opposites as well. That frightens me because I think I can't handle it.

I think you are right about the breakthrough. Thanks for your wishes.

[Angela]

In the book I mentioned earlier in this thread, Tolle says:

"Love, joy, and peace are deep states of Being or rather three aspects of the state of inner connectedness with Being. As such, they have no opposite. This is because they arise from beyond the mind. Emotions, on the other hand, being part of the dualistic mind, are subject to the law of opposites. This simply means that you cannot have good without bad. So in the unenlightened, mind-identified condition, what is sometimes wrongly called joy is the usually short-lived pleasure side of the continuously alternating pain/pleasure cycle. Pleasure is always derived from something outside you, whereas joy arises from within."

Again risking being a Tolle-Ho (a Now-Ho?), I believe his work is an incredible tool for eliminating "the process of getting there" and, instead, simply "being there." Sorry if I sound like an infomercial.

[Michelle]

That is very helpful. Thank you :-). I will check out that book.