Yesterday, a marketing guru asked me a question that left me speechless.
I had retained Bob to review the copy on my Mystic Warrior website from a sales perspective. He asked about reader reactions. As we talked, I told him how some readers felt compelled, while in the midst of my book, to put it down and meditate. In several cases, they described tingling sensations on the crown of their head and of receiving "downloads of energy and information." I told Bob they were "attuning with God" and how this is a step towards enlightenment.
That's when he asked me the question that left me speechless.
He asked, "Why would you want to be enlightened?"
Bob wasn't trying to be funny and he wasn't questioning whether this would benefit people. He asked me this to force me to think about the question in a more fundamental way. (You might say he was acting as a "devil's advocate.")
When I first heard his question, I couldn't respond. Going through my mind were the thoughts, "Isn't this what everybody wants?" and "Isn't this the reason for living?" But before I could even speak, I realized this wasn't true.
A belief as an idea that you accept as true-regardless of whether or not it really is. Many times a belief operates subconsciously and is never examined. This is what happened to me. My belief seemed self-evident and yet, it wasn't true for most people. Not everyone wants to become enlightened-at least not consciously.
So I pondered, "Why would you want to be enlightened?"
This is not a simple question to answer. "Why would you want to be rich?" is easy to answer.
"So I can buy a new BMW M5."
"So I can travel throughout Europe staying at the finest hotels."
"So I can help others less fortunate than me."
The reason it's easy to answer is that being rich only satisfies a physical, emotional or intellectual desire.
Striving for enlightenment is not a physical, emotional or intellectual quest. It arises out of a yearning from deep within the soul. It's beyond emotion or intellect. It's a craving to return to God, a desire to be completely and totally one with God.
Throughout the ages mystics have described this experience. Regardless of what formal religion the individual might practice, the experience almost always includes: a sense of being beyond time or space and connected to everything, joy, knowingness, paradoxicality, ineffability, and transiency with permanent changes.
Anyone who has ever approached such an experience never forgets it. Thereafter, nothing else compares. Consequently, you are no longer content merely with great food, awesome sex, mind-blowing entertainment, or extravagant material goods. You want enlightenment.
But the fact is, not everyone has this craving or is even aware it exists. So short of sitting in the presence of an enlightened master, how do you awaken it in people? Does it trivialize it to say it will improve your life, that you'll lead a happier, less stressful life? Does it cheapen it to point out that as you move towards enlightenment and eliminate the veils (beliefs) that hide the true nature of God, that you'll begin to develop your inner senses, often referred to as psychic abilities?
Do you mention all these benefits when someone asks, "Why would you want to be enlightened?"
Or do you simply say, "Because nothing else matters."
Edwin Harkness Spina is the author of the award-winning spiritual thriller Mystic Warrior. Receive a free copy of Mystic Secrets Revealed when you sign up for the mystic warrior newsletter with mystical techniques to improve your life and expand your mind.
no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..While it isn't my intention to insult anyone (Alright, for... Read More
In the movie "A Beautiful Mind" John Nash (played by... Read More
What is success? It probably means different things to different... Read More
Why do bad things happen to good people? Surely this... Read More
At any given moment, there are 'things' occurring within the... Read More
In Corrogue, Celtic mythology helps me live a wonderful life.As... Read More
Have you ever noticed how much our lives resemble a... Read More
There is no such thing as a coincidence. Albert Einstein... Read More
We all hear of the concept of the "Enlightened Master",... Read More
If anyone says that his/her religion is the only path... Read More
(Channelled)Roy, what a marvellous job you are doing on your... Read More
I recently had the pleasure to interview Richard Rudis, a... Read More
You are a dual being. Part eternal spirit and part... Read More
"Spirit is beyond the void of space. This realm, beyond... Read More
Irish myth has the power to transform your life into... Read More
Sometimes, in traveling a path, we discover a short-cut, and... Read More
"Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line... Read More
Paul's encouragement to the Philippians is also our encouragement. Consider... Read More
Someone asked me the other day what was the most... Read More
It doesn't matter what magazine or newspaper you pick up... Read More
About a month ago I opened up my bible in... Read More
There I was living in a tiny bedroom in my... Read More
There once was a man who wanted to teach himself... Read More
Today I was in rather a whimsical mood, and so... Read More
The time has come for the mass population on Earth... Read More
maid service near Glenview ..Setting boundaries is a common expression that we hear almost... Read More
On Shamans and Shamanism ... Shaman, a Tungus (Siberian) word,... Read More
Do you realize you are creating your future by the... Read More
One cannot make a decision in the moment of now.... Read More
Since the beginning of time mankind has pondered, who God... Read More
In a recent case study which I also summarized in... Read More
People rarely live up to a hundred years of age... Read More
You're probably sabotaging your successful Christian life right now if... Read More
In your quest for enlightenment, always ask what's in it... Read More
One day Gilligan ventures off as usual into the jungle.... Read More
In our fast paced society we often want everything done... Read More
Rabbi Kushner in his book "When Bad Things Happen to... Read More
The question isn't, "Is there life after death."Rather, the question... Read More
We'll begin with a question:What is a moral?I'd say it's... Read More
A magnificent source of life insurance and it's FREE. You... Read More
My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called... Read More
Those five words are from a song that I remember... Read More
The fastest way to raise your frequency is to do... Read More
In Corrogue I am seeking the source of inner beauty.This... Read More
Over the past number of years, while going through my... Read More
The normal Aquarian preoccupation with rational science is clearly seen... Read More
Make no mistake about it, change is challenging whether it... Read More
Even Pandora and her box come in two versions. In... Read More
A lot of times when I am reading people on... Read More
I was recently asked how I interpreted the Mayan and... Read More
Spirituality |