Dr. Stewart Bitkoff “Enlightenment must come little by little-otherwise it would overwhelm.” -Idries Shah In the spiritual literature, have you ever wondered why there are so few straight forward discussions on enlightenment outcomes; or said another way, once you have traveled a spiritual path and become an advanced practitioner, for you personally, what will this spiritual ability look like. Here are a few reasons for this limited discussion and some observations. • Typically enlightenment means increased light and increased spiritual understanding/experience. This way of being/experiencing is very difficult to put into words or physically describe. Additionally few people are able to tell you exactly what your future spiritual skill set/experience package will be like. This is dependent upon different factors, including the grace of the Unseen Forces. • In the literature, some of the spiritual experiences described include: visions, capacity to read minds, messages from the other side, sublime ecstatic experience, hearing the inner voice, intuitive understanding, wisdom about certain situations, dreams that come true and prescience/knowing. Because something is described doesn’t mean you will experience the same thing; these experiences are dependent upon the needs of the situation and the emerging design. • Enlightenment is a phenomenon and process that is viewed, described and developed over years; ever changing and maturing. In some schools it is taught to occur in an overwhelming blast of brilliance; in other schools, it is taught that the process is more gradual. • Based upon individual skill set, temperament, spiritual experience/capacity varies. • Once you are provided with a snapshot of what enlightenment should/will be like; this snapshot often sets in motion our expectation response, influencing and even blocking further outcomes. • For the most part, spiritual experience is transitory: it comes and goes based upon the needs of the situation. • After a time, often it is possible to have both sets of consciousness operating at the same time: worldly and spiritual. This is one of the indicators of more mature development. • Enlightenment is characterized by awakening of certain capacity: by remembering who you are and that these capacities, for the most part, already are part of you. • Enlightenment/spiritual capacity does not replace living in the world or give you ‘a leg-up’ on having a pain/stress free existence. It is added capacity which helps integrate, balance, and put into perspective life’s up and downs. • Spiritual paths have as outcome different experience and abilities. All paths are not the same and often focus on varied goals. • It has been suggested, that peak experience of Oneness and Union with the Godhead is essentially the same experience; using different words to describe this sublime connection. The use of different terminology, due to cultural influence, confuses and helps create a situation where mystery is amplified. For example, Peace of God, Union, Nirvana, and Experience of Oneness, may all be attempts to describe a singular peak experience; which, as indicated earlier, in most spiritual travelers is transitory. Enlightenment Learn to see those things Which you must do And those things Which God / Light must do. He / she who can recognize the difference Is on their way to enlightenment. Most travelers expect enlightenment To arrive in a flash. They imagine it is like turning on A lamp in their home. This is our desire for haste And stems from greed. This process is much slower And knowledge comes in stages; And once the Light is on It cannot be turned off As easily as hitting a switch. -SB _________ If you liked this see my book, The World of Pond Stories. To purchase your copy go to Amazon: https://www.bit.ly/bitkoffpond(Paperback $13.99 | Kindle $5.95). |
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