waking up - being awake - being enlightened - break it down - define it

To OP,

A good story to answer this question is Plato's Cave. This only problem is, one man's enlightenment could anothers tomfoolery.

www.youtube.com...

when you wake up .. you care more about others then yourself
you realise many thing that other are far from realising..

the peoples that are still asleep think only of what they dont have .
they dont think of what other dont have compare to them
they will always think of materialistic first... money etc..
someone who is still sleeping is someone who thinks he his superior to everyone else ..
he his selfish.. without any humility... a cold heart who dont even care about his own soul... who dont see the bigger picture in life
those people can easily kill without any remorse... thinking after there is nothing else
they dont think there is a risk bringing shame on their soul when they die

being enlightened is when you realise everything that surround you
you become aware that everything has its own importance ... you start respecting mother earth
you start respecting yourself and the 6 billion human on earth and the 10 trillions living creatures that walks the earth

better wake up for our futur generation sake and mother earth sake .. there is no sleeping .. only a soul can sleep ... if there is a wall that keep you asleep .. THEN BREAK IT

at the end you realise that even the people asleep are your egual

Originally posted by TribeOfManyColours
reply to post by doubledutch

 

To keep it short we are almost parallel in the journey even in our view's like your last comment.

Your story has also to do with chancing your believes, and the effect it has on you when you view the same old things with your as some say more awakened state. For me it is chancing your believes..
When you start to think different over the same things, that's waking up. But you can only wake up by chancing your believes.

The revolution already stared, its just in my believe a question of time( i think weeks)before we are al demanding chance. Unity thru thought( sharing the same believes)

TribeOfManyColours it is good to hear from someone who has had similar experiences to mine. Always good to know we are not alone.

For me conspiracies were never my thing, but somehow reading up on 9/11 opened me up and allowed a subtle shift in my thought processes or consciousness, made the world look different, the hidden hand and related threads here on ats really opened my mind...it resonated in a way I don't think it would have had it not been for watching countless videos on youtube and reading countless 9/11 truth websites (and possibly being slightly open minded, if not ignorant of it, in the first place)...it's funny but i'd never even heard of ats before someone pointed me at the hidden hand thread, which for obvious reasons blew my mind

It's funny isn't it how one thing leads indirectly to something seemingly, completely un-related...what a world we live in!

Originally posted by unityemissions
Personally, I think it's quite personal

Anything related to "being awake" or "enlightened" seems to be beyond anything but a one on one transmission except for the most profound teachers. It truly seems best to keep this stuff to ones self.

Peace.

funny you should say that, I only have 2 people on the planet I talk to about this, I don't even talk to my wife about it... that's why I come here

Thanks for the straight up answer, very easy to understand and down to earth

reply to post by doubledutch


Well that was more of a general response, and not directed at you specifically.

I see in your OP you ask something else: what the difference is to being "awake" and being "spiritually enlightened".

I'm not sure that I, or anyone else, can objectively give you answers here, and I'd be very skeptical if someone actually tried to do so. Actually, I'd probably laugh right in their face if they attempted to approach me with an absolute answer. Afterwords, I'd apologize and tell them they have a very long journey ahead.



I can imagine that spiritual enlightenment would involve at it's core, a feeling and understanding that we're all part of one cosmic being. As for how the individual processes this realization, I would imagine you could come up with just about anything, as we're essentially trying to describe what seems to be infinite in terms that a rational (finite) mind can comprehend.

It seems the first step involves having an experience/epiphany. Some sort of peak experience where you temporarily lose activity in a key brain region needed to experience a sense of personal self. This brings most people into a slight psychotic break for a given period of time.

After enough meditation/contemplation of the experience, and then the beliefs gathered, and how these helped/harmed you or others, the next step seems to be rejecting the initial superstitious beliefs, and coming to the conclusion that we don't really know much of anything, and that's okay.

I've reasoned my way into a theistic stance, and back out into complete atheism time and time again. Each time I seem to gain a slightly larger perspective, and understanding of the human condition, and nature itself, but over it all I've concluded at 26 years of age (currently 28) that nobody truly knows if there is or isn't a cosmic spirit/creator to this all. Nobody.

So it seems "spiritual enlightenment", from my personal experience, takes you to the nearly the same place as when we were born...without the need for beliefs at all.

That's just my take on it, though.

A lot of people label themselves enlightened when they are just waking up. Jesus, Buddah, Dalai Lama etc are enlightened beings. It takes discipline, will, time and an open heart to achieve that state. When you wake up, and see that the whole world is a lie, that there is no such a thing as "I", that we are all one thing, that how you think affects your "reality", just take it with humility as this is the biggest step in your journey. Realizing you were asleep.

Peace.

reply to post by doubledutch


It's a metaphor for a lot of things. We are taught some things by our family. We are taught some things by our schools. We learn a lot through our own experiences. We are trained with advertisement. Being awake is to free your mind from the restraints of what you were told about the world around you. Another aspect is how distracted most people are. The football, basketball, baseball fans who obsess endlessly. The people who obsess over celebrity gossip and reality shows. Being awake is to reject distractions and seek more awareness in the present moment. Spiritual awakening helps. Religion has always been one doorway to enlightenment. I prefer deep meditation with shamanism. Some people use binaural beats to entrain their brainwaves. I haven't tried that.

reply to post by simone50m


I believe you have touched upon the crux of this whole thing. Those who are without compassion, without empathy, versus those who weep because of their compassion and empathy. The former are -dead- asleep. Also they can be egomaniacal control freaks who get into positions of authority over everyone, unfortunately. I remember a saying from Douglas Adam's The HitchHiker's Guide To The Galaxy, where in this one alien society, "Those who so most wanted to rule, were banned from doing so".....


signature:



Thank you. I hear you loud and clear as well....and I agree with "your" wisdom and the parable you got from the HtichHiker's Giuide to the Galaxy.

This is going to be long, so I apologize in advance to anyone who is not in the mood for a lengthy read, but, the question posed was not a simple one, and I don't feel that a simple response will do it justice. So, this is how I define the various terms and their inter-related aspects. Now, this does not mean that these are the only definitions, everyone is entitled to believe these states exist in whatever way they wish, but, here is how I see things:

• Socio-Political Constructs •

Being Asleep: this is a self-delusional state. Someone who is asleep is, to me, someone who ignores political problems occurring currently; someone who sees all form of belief, faith, worship, and spirituality as a waste of time; and who does not accept scientific advancements (Quantum Mechanics, psychology, mathematics, etc). In short, a "Sleeping Being" is someone who willfully ignores the possibility that life is infinitely more intricate and complex and full of duality then we can comprehend. "Sleepers" tend to be very narrow-minded, unable to accept changes, and are easily offended when a close-minded view of theirs is challenged.

Being Awake: this is the opposite of "Being Asleep". To "Wake Up" is to accept personal responsibility for your actions; the actions of your fellow-man; and the reactions that such actions cause. An "Awakened One" is someone who accepts that opinions will differ, but does his/her best to find the commonality present between any two opposed groups. They seek to delve into the spiritual and mystical, while not letting their feet slip from beneath them. They take an interest in the politics of the world and seek to find equality in all endeavors for all social and political classes. In short, someone who has "Woken Up" is really in-tune with the social, political, scientific, and religious institutions of their community, country, continent, and the planet at large.



• Religio-Spiritual Constructs •

Unenlightened: to me an "unenlightened person" is someone who has not stopped to ponder his/her place in the Universe, in their religion, or their scientific understanding of the world. For example, if you are a Christian but have not stopped to determine the Plan that your God Yahweh has laid out for you, then you are unenlightened. If you are a Buddhist but have not stopped to ponder on the Chain of Dependent Origin, or the Noble Eightfold Path, or the Four Noble Truths then you are unenlightened. A Muslim who has not contemplated the dual nature of God Allah, that being Tashbih and Tanzih, is unenlightened. And, finally, anyone who has not at least attempted to understand psychology, biology, astronomy, physics and chemistry is unenlightened in that they refuse to at least try to understand the laws of natural existence.

Enlightened: by contrast, enlightenment is the opposite of any of the aforementioned things. To contemplate the possibility of being part of a Divine Plan is to seek enlightenment; to ponder on the Tashbih/Tanzih of God Allah is to seek enlightenment; to understand the nature of the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is to seek enlightenment; and to seek out the natural laws behind gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, and hyper-charge is considered to be seeking enlightenment. Not that you have to know what all of that is to be an "enlightened being", on the contrary. Simply by seeking to understand any of that you have "woken up" and are on your way to becoming "enlightened", which is the first step towards opening new paths towards higher thinking and greater human connection and compassion.



• Types of Enlightenment •

Epiphany: this is the scientific form of enlightenment. It occurs when a scientist, laymen, or anyone, has a moment of clarity concerning a subject they have been studying. When you first grasp the structure of genetics; or the inter-related aspects of atoms and molecules; or you come to realize and respect the sheer force behind a super-massive black-hole. These moments all coincide with a feeling that is triggered inside of you: awe, suspense, surprise, shock. That feeling is the emotional response to enlightenment.

Revelation: this is a Judeo-Christian form of enlightenment. It occurs when a devout follower worships God, Christ, or Yahweh deeply enough that his or her faith breaks through the bounds of human consciousness, and connects directly with the consciousness of God, becoming bond to the Divine Mind, or the Christ Conscious. Christians, Jews, and sometimes Muslims who attain this often receive "Revelation" from their Lord about future events, life dilemmas, and questions concerning their faith.

Satori: this is the Hindu/Buddhist/Taoist form of positive-enlightenment. A moment of Satori is achieved when the words of the Dharma (the Law code for Living Right that the Buddha divulged) are studied so deeply that life itself rearranges for the Bodhisattva who is following in the footsteps of the Buddha. A feeling of complete disconnectedness is usually the first sign that one is about to experience this type of enlightenment. Once one has spiritually disconnected from their five sense they begin to experience the world through their spiritual body, what occurs is said to vary from person to person, but its occurrence is the enlightened moment.

Mu: this is a Japanese Zen/Tibetan Buddhist form of negative-enlightenment. It is, essentially, the same disconnectedness as satori, but followed by a realization that the inter-connectedness is also an illusion and that a state of pure sublimation: beyond life, beyond death, beyond rebirth, beyond comprehension and consciousness, is the ultimate inevitability. It is not a "negative" state as in a bad state, but "negative" in the sense that it negates all forms of existence, whereas Satori proposes an inter-connectedness of all states of existence.

There are more, but those four should be enough to give you a solid introduction into states of enlightenment. And, now, finally:



• Ethereal and Corporeal Realities •

The Physical: this one should be obvious. If it is tangible, empirical, quantifiable, calculable, and observable than it fits into the physical universe. Matter, densities, atoms, particles, most scientific paraphernalia: all of this fits the parameters of the Physical Reality. If it cannot be observed by one of the 5 senses than it is not a part of the Physical Universe.

Religion: this one covers the archetypal and metaphorical nature of human and animal life. While religion promotes itself as a method for purifying, seeking salvation, and atonement it is really a device for teaching us to see ourselves as something greater, lesser, equal to, or alike different things. The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are metaphorical symbolism for ritual acts which are parodies of events found in nature. Wicca holidays and feasts are re-enactments of the Sun's life as it travels through the sky for an entire year. Religious institutions teach us to see ourselves as embodiments of the natural elements existing in our Universe. They take the Physical Reality and give it a symbolic meaning so that every event in our lives can be understood as important.

The Spiritual: the spiritual takes religion to the next level. It removes the Physical Reality from the picture, and instead hypothesizes that if our Physical Reality's actions can have a symbolic meaning which teaches us lessons on appropriate living, than it must also work in reverse. There must be a world of archetypes and symbols which bleeds through into our Physical Reality, shaping the events which our mind then translates back into the symbolic language. That is why most spiritual concepts—from Elements of magick, to Chakras, to planetary Occult studies—all deal in planes, states of being, alternate realities, and alternate forms of matter. The spiritual teaches us how to make ourselves healthy, whole, complete, and in-tune with the sub-layers of physical existence. It shows us how to breathe so our respiratory system cycles with the wind; how to think so our mind's eye glows like the sun; how to speak so our words flow in waves like the ocean, and so on.

The Mystical: this is the final step. After we have studied and accepted the solidity of reality, and realities; after we have uncovered the language of religion which reminds our mind of origins in different destinations; and once we have tapped into these other places so we can tune our bodies into their rhythms and motions we come to the final step: the mystical. A mystical experience is one in which the recipient no longer has his or her feet firmly planted in this reality. They cross a "Veil" or a "Divide" of some kind—mentally, physically, or emotionally—and emerge in an entirely new place, where the familiar world takes on a new freshness, brightness, allure, and sentience. Usually followed by a come-down where they return back to the Physical Reality.

(Yes, the use of recreational drugs is often espoused as a short-cut towards attaining the final step. However, it is often an uncontrolled and hardly fulfilling experience when done via those means.)



So, there you go. That is how I see it. I know other people disagree with me—some vehemently, some politely—and I don't mind. These definitions have been true for me during my journey, and for those who have followed me along the way. That is all that is important: finding your own truth.

Good luck.

~ Wandering Scribe

I find the below text quotes, of the teachings and testimonies of Jesus to be very confirming of what should be done or not done. To believe either way is a personal choice, but still it is nice to know the options exist, if we wish to avail ourselves of them.

Please don't take offense; although it may appear to some as if presentation of the text is some sort-of persuasion, trust the fact it is not. Perhaps if the text can be broken-down and thought-over in small bits and converted to meanings which resonate or not will help?

Personally, these passages offer great comfort. And are meant to be shared.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

And...

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Yet...

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Many Blessings,

It's quite simple really. Realize it's a game we are playing. That we all chose the rules, dramas, and parts to play. That we are all "equal god parts" and part of the ONE.

For instance... the illuminati keep pointing to Osiris and Isis and Set and Neph.
Have you ever followed it and read the story? You've been asking for disclosure.. and it's been there the whole time. And they hide it in plain sight and they point to it everywhere they can. Wake up and it really isn't as scary as you make it out to be. Go to Hermes3.net and read some plays. When it rained in Egypt is my personal favorite.

reply to post by doubledutch

It's simple, waking up involves taking some herb so you can activate your pineal gland, it's all about activating the gland. Once you do you begin to see things, visions, see things how they are connected, comunicate with animals, and you do get intouch with the force we call god al mighty. You also become extra sensible to the enviorment around you, but like fire it will consume you, drain your energy. I don't know if humans are ment to do this.
You will also meet "HER" the feminine aspect of the force/entity, the one that guides spirits and helps them pass thru.
I would be carefull she does not like bad characters, if she does not like you it can cost you your life.
She go's something like this Mu mu mu mu.... we havent seen eachother in a long time.
I got into this without my will, and I don't advice anyone doing it, life is worth living as it is.
Awake is a stage where you become aware of what is not seen, it's not really awake, people just call it that, just an expiriance with other things that are not infront of your eyes.

reply to post by Wandering Scribe


Where did you get this information or learn it? I want to learn everything you know and how to be one with everything.

Nobody here is fully awake so we're kinda just guessing.

But many truth seekers are beginning to stir.

Originally posted by Griffo
It's a term used by people to make them feel superior to others, who they call 'asleep'[

edit on 8/2/2011 by Griffo because: (no reason given)

It could get used that way but was never originally intended to be.

An early usage en.wikipedia.org... The word "Bodhi" is most accurately translated as "awaken". The word Buddha would mean "one who is awake". Not many people used to go around claiming to be "awakened one" or "Buddha" and it should not be considered insulting to be called still asleep but rather humbling and honest, except if done with negative intent of course.

Bodhi is an abstract noun formed from the verbal root budh (to awake, become aware, notice, know or understand,) corresponding to the verbs bujjhati (Pāli) and bodhati or budhyate (Sanskrit).

In early Buddhism, bodhi carried a meaning synonymous to nirvana, using only some different metaphors to describe the experience, which implied the extinction of raga (greed), dosa (hate) and moha (delusion). In the later school of Mahayana Buddhism, the status of nirvana was downgraded, coming to refer only to the extinction of greed and hate, implying that delusion was still present in one who attained nirvana, and that one needed to attain bodhi to eradicate delusion

So in later buddhism being "awake" is higher than having obtained nirvavna!

So whats with people saying things like "I woke up after watching alex jones documentaries" or "listening to david icke"?

People seem to use the phrase to describe each and every stage of awakening. Anything from realizing 9/11 was a false flag all the way up to realizing the entire universe is an illusion and beyond. So the phrase has been used for so many meanings that it has almost become meaningless.

It seems like people often tend to think that those behind them in their search for truth are asleep, those on their level are awake and those ahead of them are crackpots.

Its progress, and we should really really listen to those who are further along in their quest for truth, realizing that as crazy as they might sound you too sound crazy to those not as far along as you. An honest sage will tell you how it is straight up; and if you're asleep then instead of going into denial for self-ease or finding offense and then retaliating in ego defense maybe you should examine with detachment and see where to begin really awakening.

If you realize you are asleep them you can begin lucid dreaming.
But if you go around deluding yourself that you are awake then it just goes on like any old dream.



If anybody says they are "fully awake" maybe try asking them "then what are you still doing here in the dream?

Originally posted by unityemissions
reply to post by doubledutch

 

Well that was more of a general response, and not directed at you specifically.

yes I know that, I was just relating to it

why is it kids like you always have to be rude

Originally posted by polarwarrior

So whats with people saying things like "I woke up after watching alex jones documentaries" or "listening to david icke"?

People seem to use the phrase to describe each and every stage of awakening. Anything from realizing 9/11 was a false flag all the way up to realizing the entire universe is an illusion and beyond. So the phrase has been used for so many meanings that it has almost become meaningless.

People seem to use the phrase to describe each and every stage of awakening. Anything from realizing 9/11 was a false flag all the way up to realizing the entire universe is an illusion and beyond. So the phrase has been used for so many meanings that it has almost become meaningless.

now this is one of the things I was wondering about...9/11 for me was a catalyst, a beginning point, or at least that's how it felt, but it wasn't an awakening of any king, more a slight, subtle shift in what I accepted as possible. Surely just believing conspiracies isnt being awake, it's being aware? I see posts on ats by people who obviously have no spiritual leanings or interests, are just interested in chemtrails, 9/11 or ufo's, yet class themselves as awake. My understanding was that awake was spiritual. as I said for me 9/11 was a starting point of the journey im on now, but nothing more, it certainly wasnt me waking up... I dont really take much notice to the noise that is conspiracies, for me it distracts from what im working on, although I wouldn't say that any of them are not real or not possible...

You summed it up well for me, it's stages of waking up or awakening

i respect the people who try to evaluate this matter given the knowledge we are taught today.if people doubt and refuse to want to live a better higher life than this is entirely free will,when they change their minds people will still assist them

Originally posted by doubledutch

Originally posted by unityemissions
reply to post by doubledutch

 

Well that was more of a general response, and not directed at you specifically.

yes I know that, I was just relating to it

why is it kids like you always have to be rude

edit on 9-2-2011 by doubledutch because: (no reason given)

??

I wasn't being rude, and I'm not a kid.

reply to post by unityemissions


ok sorry - long day, bad mood, bad reaction... I hate trying to interpret the tone of peoples conversations online, so much gets lost. apologies

reply to post by Ovadrive


Years, and years, and years of reading, studying, practicing, exploring inner-consciousness, and seeking out the answers relentlessly. After a little while the world begins to come into focus of its own accord. The more that you open yourself up to possibilities the more you will experience. If you want to seek that connection than start by educating yourself on all manners of science, religion, history, faith, spirituality, philosophy, and the metaphysical. It will come about, slowly at first, but quicker and quicker as you go forward with it.

~ Wandering Scribe