Beyond Enlightenment. Warning...Not for Sissies.

[SP3]

Ok how about "with people who are going through the same or a similar process"?

I have, and after 10 years still am. When I meditated allot I had allot of experiences which isolated me from my friends, family and rest of the world. This awareness forced me to see truths about things I would rather not know and experiences that really didn't benefit me in any way. So I stopped meditating, projecting consciously and stopped developing any other metaphysical abilities I was experiencing. Although it didn't stop anything, just minimized the experiences, my awareness kept growing.

The only thing I can honestly say I have benefited from is my relationship with the divine. I am able to take notice of it more in my daily life, and connect with it in the way it has shown me which keeps me balanced, answers my questions and guides things into my life.

I believe awareness to recognize metaphysical and physical events which are abnormal, and even being able to connect the dots is all very challenging to live with. Even more challenging is to deal with it around others who aren't experiencing what you are. It can be very isolating, but now and then I have met people I could talk to who have had experiences they can relate with. I know if I prayed to meet someone like minded chances are I will. The thing is I don’t want to meet someone else like me; I want people to take me away from me…because being me is a full time job.

[CFTraveler]

As you may have figured out it's not a mystery to be solved- it's just what it is. Or something like that.
I am one of those people who do not like to talk about it. In fact, sometimes the theme annoys me for some reason.
I only respond to questions when I feel someone is stuck and needs answers to some specific thing about it.
But other than that, I don't enjoy the intercourse.
-And Beavis said "She said intercourse"- Hee hee huh huh...

[SP3]

As you may have figured out it's not a mystery to be solved- it's just what it is. Or something like that.
I am one of those people who do not like to talk about it. In fact, sometimes the theme annoys me for some reason.
I only respond to questions when I feel someone is stuck and needs answers to some specific thing about it.
But other than that, I don't enjoy the intercourse.
-And Beavis said "She said intercourse"- Hee hee huh huh...

Actually, in my case it is a mystery to be solved. I notice I get allot of hints, but no straight forward direct answers, or have to connect the dots to allot of different experiences to discover it could have been a simple yes. I believe in simplicity, and having to figure things out which could be simple and straight forward upsets me. In fact when things become overcomplicated It makes me question the source and whether to listen to it, even if it predicts the future and comes true.

Then again it could be a way of conditioning me to see truths in lies, because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to recognize them.

[Palehorse Redivivus]

Hastor (and anybody else struggling with the whole isolation thing),

What I'd recommend, based on what has worked for me, is working on the heart chakra as well as your connection with your higher self.

Here in 3D, we and the people we're closely connected to, are literally all over the map, both geographically and in spiritual understanding. I've got theories on why that is, but in any case it's not great for the social life of anybody who ventures very far in their spirituality. Nonetheless, we're social beings, and repressing that aspect of ourselves, rather than finding a healthy way to express it, has consequences. If many sources, including my own experience is to be believed though, the isolation from support and likeminded folks in 3D is by design -- which only means we need to get creative and find a way around it.

When you cultivate the heart chakra and HS connection though, it's possible to get a strong feel for what I call "spiritual family" -- those individuals your HS is still closely associated with, post-(insert your term of choice for "getting out of here"). You can get a sense of them from here; both their HS's, and their 3D incarnations, if they're here at this time.

In my experience those people usually end up being those that I have a strong affinity for here, though there have been a few surprises. There are people I've met only in passing that my HS is close with, and people who have figured prominently in this life with whom he apparently has no further affiliation. I believe that working on these connections also brings the energy of the higher selves of my other associates (for lack of a better term) "down to earth" in a sense, so if they haven't necessarily cultivated their own connections, they'll at least get some sense of it through their earthly association with myself. This may help account for a few surprises I've had with these people popping out with things I wouldn't have expected from them, and showing sudden signs of moving in the direction I'd expect from the sense I get of their HS.

In any case, cultivating this sense of "spiritual family" has given me something I can tap into that takes away a lot of the "craving" and sense of isolation. Sure, it'd still be nice to make some more connections at a human level who could at least hold a conversation on a lot of the things I'm interested in and involved with, spiritually speaking. But this way, a signiicant amount of my thoughts and energy are no longer being pulled in that direction; I feel more free to get on with what I'm here for, knowing that the whole social thing will sort itself out, possibly while still here, but definitely once I've moved on.

[i_am_beth]

Hastor (and anybody else struggling with the whole isolation thing),

What I'd recommend, based on what has worked for me, is working on the heart chakra as well as your connection with your higher self.

I completely agree with working with the heart chakra. I spent several years working with the energy of Kwan Yin, developing a strong sense of compassion on a 3D level - and through that beginning to let go of judgment. I believe that it's through the heart that we feel our connection to "others" most easily.

Something else that helped soothe me, when I was first beginning this awakening process, is to work with my inner child. I imagined myself as a small child, crying or angry or whatever I was dealing with at the time, and comfort her. Surprisingly enough, I found I could comfort myself - often when people around me could not.

I also remember that it's all story - my story, your story, our story, and though it feels oh so real, one day we'll wake up and realize who we really are.

[Palehorse Redivivus]

I completely agree with working with the heart chakra. I spent several years working with the energy of Kwan Yin, developing a strong sense of compassion on a 3D level - and through that beginning to let go of judgment. I believe that it's through the heart that we feel our connection to "others" most easily.

Totally. *nod*

In the past I was always seen and treated as unapproachable no matter *what* I did to appear friendly and all that other recommended "how to win friends and influence people(tm)" stuff. The real change happened when I discovered that my heart chakra was literally encased in the energetic-blockage equivalent of a superfortress that I hadn't known about, got rid of that, and made a habit of beaming heart-stuff to others. For you 80's kids, it's a lot like the Care Bear Stare, though I try not to think about that. *ahem* Long story short, others now approach me just as often as not, without me having to make any overt attempt to do anything other than make sure the energy's crankin'.

As an aside I think all too often those of us who are spiritual tend to assume that others won't be receptive by default -- I know I've had that tendency, anyway. After getting the heart stuff working though, I've been pleasantly surprised by people I wouldn't have suspected; sometimes even random people will pop out with something first, without knowing anything about me or what I'm into. o_O I've been a bit too preoccupied lately to focus much on the heart-networking side of things, but I've at least seen enough to know that when I swing back around to focusing on social stuff more, that'll be the way to go.

I also wanted to say that while it may be rare to find someone who can demonstrate a deep understanding of all or most of one's own individual process, it may be worth considering that there can be value in different people being able to connect and resonate with different facets. I do happen to be lucky to have someone that I share a whole lot with, but beyond that, if someone can genuinely connect with even a relatively small part of who I am and what I'm about, then that's something to be valued too IMO.

[wstein]

I can offer a few suggestions for the near ones.

If you approach this by asking questions, you must be willing to accept the answer no matter what it might be. Further you must try to ask all questions, no matter how absurd they may seem to be. One of my favorites is "have you considered the possibility that you exist?"

I can pretty mush assure you that its not anything like you think it is (while asleep). After awakening, its still not like anything you think, but you realize that what you think is not that relevant.

If you have things you wonder about, try traveling to them yourself (projection, phasing, lucid dreaming, whatever). Do not rely on second hand accounts as descriptions are not anywhere near a complete experience. Most concepts also have a place where they can be 'seen' in operation. A perennial favorite is a place of pure consciousness. Having a landscape to explore is at least helpful for the mind (even if the place is imaginary). For instance, if you wonder who created the universe, go find out.

Come to terms that you might lose everything. I know, its not that easy. Its still hard for most to deal with the fear and panic even with preparation. The part that will go away when you actually awake wasn't there to start with. Its no different than waking from a dream.

The hardest part to deal with is the starkness of it all. The whole rich world just crumbles to dust leaving frighteningly little. During the process it seems like nothing will be left. I don't know if a warning will help but I thought it worth a try.

Know that it can be done, as witnessed by several that have awoken recently and have kindly shared their experience here.

[ButterflyWoman]

I can pretty mush assure you that its not anything like you think it is (while asleep).

*nod* This has been one of the most difficult things for me to adjust to.

After awakening, its still not like anything you think, but you realize that what you think is not that relevant.

Come to terms that you might lose everything.

*nod* And by "everything", that means, literally, EVERYTHING. Every belief, every concept, everything you "know", everything you want, everything you think you need to survive, all of it.

Its no different than waking from a dream.

And going with that same metaphor, it can take some time to become really fully "awake", in the sense that you're completely alert and functioning fully. Many of us need a cup of coffee or a shower or a morning walk or breakfast or all of the above before we really feel entirely "awake". It's not that different with spiritual awakening. It can take a while to rub the sleep out of your eyes, so to speak.

The hardest part to deal with is the starkness of it all.

Yes. That and the silence of the mind. For some people, that may not be an issue. For me, it's been (and still is) a rather strange adjustment. I spent most of my life with a very noisy mind, always chattering, often with more than one "voice", and sometimes all at the same time. To have my mind fall into silence is... well, it's peaceful, but it's strange. Ever notice how when the power goes out, your home becomes very, very quiet? All the humming and clicking and whirring of various appliances and so forth just stops, and everything is quiet... It's peaceful, but it's disconcerting.

Also, although it sounds kind of bleak, I don't really experience it as such. It's just... different. Stark is a good word. It is empty, too, but not necessarily in a bad way. So hard to put it into words...

As weird as it can get, I still have to say I wouldn't go back. The Truth is worth any price, even if the cost is "everything". The Truth is always better than a lie, no matter how entertaining, distracting, beautiful, or otherwise alluring the lie (or illusion).

Also please note, I'm not claiming "to be enlightened". I will never claim such a thing. I don't even know what it's supposed to mean, so I don't have any idea how I would know if I was it. I just am, and I see, more and more as the illusion of linear time passes, and that's all I can say about the matter.

[i_am_beth]

OlderWiser wrote:
Also please note, I'm not claiming "to be enlightened".
(not getting the quote function to work properly today...)

Response: As long as we have separation/duality/3D there will always be a continuum. Always greater and lesser. So each of us is more awake and less awake than "others."

[ButterflyWoman]

Understood. But I was mostly saying that in a slightly tongue-in-cheek way because I know full well the way people tend to react to things of this sort. I was preemptively heading off any accusations or arguments that might arise from those who want to bicker and nitpick what I write because, in their personal view, I'm "not enlightened".

As I said, I will never make such a claim. It's not something that can even BE attained. This little avatar of self whose mind is used to write these posts cannot possibly grasp the whole of the truth of Reality, so it's certainly true that "I" am not enlightened, nor will "I" ever be. It's simply not possible. This mind can be expanded, altered, detached, and various other changes may occur in order to make it more possible for Source to operate through it, yes, but that's only what it is, and nothing more.