The Experience of Enlightenment

A lot has been said about enlightenment.

In some ways, that has become an obstacle.

The more that is said about the subject, the more people will begin to form expectations about it.

If seeking enlightenment were like any other endeavor, this wouldn’t be an issue.

Comparing your results with the expected results would provide valuable feedback.

But to a person seeking enlightenment, all it does is reinforce the idea that there is an external authority you trust more than yourself to tell you the nature of existence.

And that’s all enlightenment really is—a deep understanding of existence.

When you reach an understanding of reality on such a deep level, it becomes obvious to you that there is no self.

There is no entity trapped within your body, listening to your thoughts.

There is just the experience of these things, without an experiencer.

Really cracks you up the first time you look in a mirror afterwards.

So what is the experience actually like?

I think D.T. Suzuki said it best:

“Enlightenment is like everyday consciousness, but two inches above the ground.”

It’s a tricky thing to convey, but enlightenment is simultaneously the most profound thing a person can experience and also not that big a deal.

The content of your experience is exactly the same, only your perception has changed.

If you find someone telling you what a big deal it is, they probably haven’t found it.