Who told you that you are already enlightened?
If you take a look around the web, many people call themselves enlightened because they have experienced a new layer of existence (self-awareness, more presence and calmness, “brighter” colors in their surroundings, etc.). And in order to make a buck out of it, they sell their enlightenment by telling you that you are already enlightened and that all you need is to buy their program to experience the ultimate bliss.
Of course, among these people there are some genuine teachers who have actually gone through this process, and came out, also telling you that you are enlightened. But how? Even if you experience some moments of peace, you are still controlled by your fears as an example. Even if you try hard to be present, you can’t seem to stop worrying for some reason. Even if you meditate and practice all the spiritual exercises in the universe, you can’t seem to move this weight that stands in your face.
How is that possible if you are enlightened? And by the way, it is true — you are 😉
In order to make sense of this matter, let’s look at it from different angles.
As a human being, what is your relationship with the Earth?
The question may sound weird at first, but give it some thoughts. Most of us are simply born “here,” and then roam around the planet year after year until we pass out. Throughout these years, we experience some highs and some lows, and these experiences condition us to be a certain person.
What do we do about it? For the vast majority of people — nothing. Instead, we allow our past to control us, and we spend lifetimes suffering. There comes a time in our evolutionary journey however when we tell ourselves “enough is enough,” and that’s when we look at ourselves in the “mirror,” and question all the mess we accept as being true.
This is a process of self-discovery, and it usually leads on a spiritual journey. The word “spiritual” has unfortunately become a buzzword lately; let’s say that it’s a natural part of our journeys as souls.
Anyhow, on this journey, by questioning things instead of blindly believing what the government told us, what the media tells us, what our parents and friends tell us, what the experts tell us — we put it all aside, and we start “looking” with our own discernment. We may not have all the answers yet, but we look. This “looking” is how we learn, by paying attention and observing.
Eventually, and coming back to the question about your relationship to the Earth — we may realize that the body we use needs the Earth to live; it needs food that comes from Her, it needs a healthy environment to function properly — which She provides, and not only that, this body is an essential component of the Earth. We are always exchanging energy with our surroundings. The air we breathe, the food we eat, what comes out, our bodies returning to the Earth, etc. — all of it is part of the Earth’s “physiology.”
The Earth therefore is a Being Herself!
And what is your relationship to your cells? Isn’t it similar to yours with the Earth? Aren’t your cells promoting your health and wellbeing? Aren’t they living lives of their own, with different functions — just as human beings do on Earth? We shouldn’t be surprised to find celebrities and politicians among our cells too!
Why am I telling you all this?
To help you see that we both live life from our direct Earthly experience, but also from a higher, more encompassing vantage point. This vantage point is the one from which spiritual masters tell you that you are already enlightened. The reason it doesn’t feel like we are enlightened here on Earth despite them telling us we are is because we live from our Earthly perspective while spiritual masters don’t. Through their own growth — they have learned to live consciously from this higher perspective. And while spiritual aspirants do have experiences of these higher realms every now and then, they don’t last.
That’s why we practice different spiritual exercises such as the ones you mentioned; by using those tools, we bring higher energies down to ourselves — and from these practices, we give ourselves the chance to heal all the stuff we keep at a subconscious level. This healing is what eventually leads us to living from this higher vantage point in the long term, and not just every now and then.
Focus on yourself therefore. Learn from people you trust/have affinity with. Heal what comes up. And reflect on why you are on this path regularly. My master once told me that when we are clear about our motivation — we are unstoppable. And it’s true. The universe responds strongly to intent.
I hope this “novel” answered your question.
Best of luck!
Lastly — if you are on a spiritual path and have a hard time knowing where to focus your efforts, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter from which I share “bigger picture” lessons for free. These will help you know where to focus your efforts, and approach your spiritual growth with practicality. Subscribe for free here.