typo: I no longer knew me...not I know longer knew me. Ha.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Carol" wrote: > > That makes sense to me...as far as turning the experience into a philosophy > that results in "repression,perversion and/or other life abnegating > practices." > > In my previous belief system which was Bible based, we referred to those who > are 'telios' being fully mature spiritually. We were the initiated...the > enlightened (but not necessarily the same enlightenment as what others in Far > East philosophies refer to). > > But, what I discovered in becoming teleioo is what I term 'soul murder' or > 'soul suicide.' I know longer knew me and ended up a shell of a person. I > hope to never go back to that state. (Not saying that is what the Biblical > word refers to, but rather it was distorted.) > > Something I had typed (and then deleted) in my previous comment was, "It > simply is." "It" referring to enlightenment..or whatever one wants to call it. > > Kind of like breath...it is. Or life. Or even death. It is. > > ************** > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ravi Chivukula wrote: > > > > This is well and good Carol. However most in spirituality make the end - > > such as detachment, freedom as a way of living, as philosophy resulting in > > repression, perversion and/or other life abnegating practices. Hence the > > fascination for Gandhi, Teresa, Dalai Lama, Ammachi - these pseudo > > spiritual life abnegating, poverty worshiping icons, messiahs. So this is > > something to be remembered - that detachment, freedom, humility are the end > > product and cannot be wrapped into a belief system or a style of living. > > > > > > On Jan 27, 2013, at 2:44 PM, "Carol" wrote: > > > > > Thanks for the responses. > > > > > > In reading them one word comes to mind...freedom. > > > > > > And then I think...Freedom from attachment. > > > > > > But, then I think, of emotions and the feelings of attachment. Attachment > > > isn't a bad thing; it just depends on the timing and the type of > > > attachment. > > > > > > Such as children. I love my children and will always feel attached with > > > them. But, as they have grown into adults, I've had to let go of parts of > > > that attachment. > > > > > > Hmm....there is a new freedom in letting go of that attachment with my > > > children. It is a different kind of attachment now because they don't > > > need me like they did when they were infants and youngsters. > > > > > > In the past years I thought of 'enlightenment' kind of like someone being > > > on an ego trip. But, I never really asked about it or read up on it. > > > Apparently, I was assuming and/or reading into the term from my own past > > > experiences. > > > > > > From reading the responses here, the responses don't come across as ego > > > trips. > > > > > > ********* > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ravi Chivukula wrote: > > > > > > > > On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 12:09 PM, Carol wrote: > > > > > > > > > ** > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I find your response interesting. Ravi, I started another thread > > > > > regarding > > > > > enlightenment here: > > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/message/333764 > > > > > > > > > > Would you mind commenting on that thread? (Just to keep the comments > > > > > together. Hope that is an okay request here on FFL.) > > > > > > > > > > In your words, what is "enlightenment?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you Carol. Here's what I came up for your question. > > > > > > > > Enlightenment creates a state of consciousness, a context of > > > > self-freedom > > > > in which one is not constrained by anything outside of oneself even as > > > > one > > > > performs normal actions and goes through normal moods as everyone else. > > > > An > > > > unperturbed inner state of mind untouched, untainted, unconditioned by > > > > anything. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you! > > > > > ************* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ravi Chivukula" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > "Meditation gets you there faster, no?" > > > > > > No this is a wrong notion that I see being perpetuated by everyone I > > > > > > hear. Meditation lets you purify your body, mind and senses so the > > > > > > transition is smoother, easier when the mystical energy descends. > > > > > > When > > > > > > this happens and if it indeed happens is a big question mark and > > > > > > has no > > > > > > relation to a regular meditation practice such as in my case. Two > > > > > > years > > > > > > down the line I seem to agree with Vaj that TM is an unhealthy > > > > > > meditation technique that can cause abnormal states of mind - > > > > > > better to > > > > > > stick with hatha yoga, pranaayama etc. So enlightenment is not an > > > > > > achievement. This is the problem I had with most on Batgap - what > > > > > > most > > > > > > are describing there are some altered states of consciousness > > > > > > created by > > > > > > their meditation techniques. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
