Awareness – The Path To Enlightenment

We are in a time and community where many speak of enlightenment. This leads to seeking enlightenment or guidance from ‘enlightened masters.’ Yet what does this truly mean?

Enlightened means ‘being in the light.’ It is the space where empaths, lightworkers, intuitives and healers practice and serve, but to become enlightened is something that all can enjoy.

Enlightenment represents attributes of behavior and lifestyle that embodies a high spiritual evolution. Traits of an enlightened person include humility, acceptance, compassion, lack of judgment and selfless service to others. There are so many positive traits in the enlightened individual that we should look up to.

There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination.  Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic ~ Anais Nin

The good thing is that all these traits are accessible and useable by us ‘regular’ souls. How? Through our own personal development. This requires us to take ownership in our personal soul evolution.

Awareness is one of the catalysts that accelerates us in our own soul evolution. For many remain ‘asleep’ or at best are only semi-conscious of their environment. Instead we should all hold the intention that each moment in life is an opportunity to choose healing. By healing ourselves we expand the process of our soul evolution. Being aware of our surroundings, our challenges, our emotions in every moment, is the path to enlightenment.

Now these are some really serious goals to put upon ourselves. Me an enlightened being? Relax. Our humanness acts as resistance on that path of evolution. This resistance ensures that the path is frustrating, arduous, often painful. Yet, it is the courageous path that our soul craves. How ironic that there is a mechanism within us that brings to us the experiences from which our soul evolves – pain included, but it ultimately leads to joy an fulfillment.

So why would one want to go down such an arduous path? I mean in life we understand nothing is perfect. Society and family instructs us to become educated and to be kind and respectful, find a good job, raise a family, and save for retirement. In reality life has many unexpected detours, potholes, speed bumps, heartbreaks and tragedies. Life also has many vistas, oases, powerful celebrations, success and harmony. A better place to be is to be able to have the scales tilted in our favor. Tilted towards fun, love, passion for life. That way we ride with the waves when something negative happens.

You may be familiar with the strategy of visualizing career, relationships, dreams, and living in the moment. That is the way to go. Of course there is also the infamous Law of Attraction. “Ugh,” you say “I have tried that, but all that seems to be around is drama and heartache.” Well, this is when awareness, leading into mindfulness, can kick in on your behalf.

If we demand enlightenment, it hides. . . .  All that we can do is make ourselves enlightenment-prone.  We learn to treasure the possibility of awakening in all moments and circumstances.  We learn to simplify and cultivate the receptivity of heart that can be touched by profound understanding.  We learn to listen deeply and discover stillness amid the movement in our world ~ Christina Feldman

Witnessing and monitoring our interactions in everyday circumstances lends itself to enlightenment. When we have the courage to reflect upon every situation and look for a better outcome for next time, we grow. Not judging ourselves or others, but witnessing instead, we remove the energy of blame and guilt. Instead, we often blame ourselves or others and then feel guilty of not having done better.

So, how do I begin to develop this awareness? It is a conscious step you take to learn how to be more observant. Do some people watching when next you are seated at your favorite coffee shop. Who seems distracted, who seems tens and impatient? And who is happy go lucky in a place of joy, smiling at everyone? Reflect on what energies or emotions come to mind for you, as you witness them. These are the cues to enlightenment.

Perceiving the energy of your environment, and what you bring to it is a key step. It has you becoming blended with your environment. You are part of all nature. Other activities such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, meditation, and journaling speeds enlightenment. Know that more presence attracts peace, harmony, love, business and relationship success.

Go forward with gusto to be more enlightened this holiday season, with the belief that great things will come to you. Awareness of where you are right now in your spiritual evolution is a great place to start. No judgment. Simply be aware and present. As Ram Dass once said, “If you wish to know how enlightened you have become – spend a week at home with family.”