"Enlightenment and You"

A Public Service Announcement

We've all seen it... rows and rows of self-help books promising happiness, prosperity, eternal love, bliss, enlightenment and the secret of life. Many have made big earnings selling these so called secrets, and for some odd reason some writers can keep churning out volume upon volume of these esoteric texts. This trend, the crass commercialization of these concepts and the illusion that they offer the answer to your problems is something I like to call McEnlightenment™ . The offer of an instant, spiritual happy meal (with free Buddha toy) that is so neatly packaged.

But if you're reading this, you're in for a free treat! And the reason why this is possible is because I feel that there are a few basic concepts that are really easy to grasp by anybody and don't require years of meditation or anything like that (and some of these concepts are just repeated and blown out of proportion in many of these books). I'll name a few characters that exemplify some of these concepts, although they are not the sole and only representatives.

Disclaimer: Some of these characters are controversial in their own way, some have their share of haters, and they are easy to be judged with the eye of a microscope. But when it comes to teachers, we need to look past their limitations or their most basic human traits and just listen to their teachings. I'll leave it up to you to research these characters past their teachings and judge for yourself.

Alan Watts: “You are it!” - Alan Watts is one of my favorite zen philosophers, and his main teaching is that simple: “You are it!”. You are everything you need, everything you desire is at right at your fingertips. And this is not talking about material possessions, but of that elusive happiness and bliss, that feeling of satisfaction, the feeling that you need nothing more. It's all there, it's all in front of your nose. There is no need to look any further, any more looking is a distraction. You don't need a drug, you don't need another book, you don't need that new iWhatever. It's all here, right in your hands, the more we push ourselves to look outside the less we see it. This is also a way for us to be happy with what we have, wherever we are in life. You haven't completed that ultimate project? It doesn't matter! what matters is now, and how you perceive the moment. You haven't made a million bucks yet? It doesn't even matter! The goal is to be complete now. Because once you complete that project or make a million bucks you are still going to be stuck back with your old self; and you might keep looking forever to be satisfied.

In this age of ADD internet information overdrive, it's not easy to sit back and contemplate what's in our hands. We need another link, another website, another, another, another thing. Are we ever satisfied? This rush makes us feel incomplete, like we're not attaining that illusory state of mind we seek. But it's all here, ready to go, and free – All you have to do is stop. Breathe. Listen.

Carlos Castañeda: “Seize the moment”, “Shed your identities” - Don Juan teaches us about that “split-second” opportunities that arise in life. We've all experienced those... Little moments where our intuition gets lit up and pokes at us... We either take them or leave them. For the most part they involve a certain risk, a certain invitation to jump into the void so it's easier to play it safe and never partake. But once we learn to take that risk we open up new realities. New realities arise for us when we step out of our comfort zone. They say that when a person does the thing they fear the most they will emerge a different person. And who hasn't experienced this feeling of triumph, when they finally face their fears and take action, when they are able to finally say “No more cowardice!”.

Carlos Castañeda also teaches us that all our academics, all our 'knowledge', all this scientific 'hoopla' can seriously hamper the link we have to our true self. His meetings with Don Juan many times resulted in him being ridiculed, mocked at, and just bewildered. Why? Because he was stuck with the idea that what he knew was certain and final, that his identity as a 'scholar' was enough to give him the tools he needed to figure everything out. The more we are stuck with 'final' ideas about life; these clear cut definitions of the world, the less we are able to experience it; because they are all concepts. For all our material and “civilized” means, we obviously need these concepts, but they are not the ultimate. In enlightenment there are no words, no concepts, just pure experience – and one can only start to access this by shedding all preconceived notions about our selves and the world.

There are those who consider themselves “physicalists” - those that only perceive the world through completely materialistic, scientific lenses; only through the things they can prove through the scientific method. In their eyes, physics books, neuroscience and mathematics solve everything and there is no need for more searching. Enlightenment is found in labs through microscopes and test tubes. Their knowledge is a snapshot of all the scientific journals of the day; and they have no need for anything that offers transcendence from the self, or an experience beyond rational thought. Through this way of thinking, they easily seal off any more searching, and acquire safety in their defined world of straight lines and defined identity. There is much safety to be found in the haven of pure rational thought; but in safety there are no risks... and without risks there is nothing to gain.

While we're thinking about physics and science, here is a quote by Neil De Grasse Tyson:

“Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.”

Even a person with such a high degree of knowledge of physics and cold, factual science, gives us a glimpse at the very human experience of feeling awe at the connections in the universe. There is no actual phsyics law to prove this connection, and most knee-jerk ego attitude is to feel separated from others, separated from plants and animals. And here we have an almost 'hippie' quote by a physicist. "We're all connected, dude!"

Alejandro Jodorowsky: “Access your true self”, “Symbols and signs are everywhere”, “Ritual is a very powerful tool” - Family, society, and culture don't define human beings. Humans have suffered greatly through the creation of all these illusory identities we have given ourselves, be them racial, social, cultural, etc. There is more behind all these masks, inside each an everyone of us there is a direct link to a universal consciousness; a self beyond the ego; the self beyond individuality. This is tricky stuff; but it leads to great wisdom about how we interact with each other as humans (and more!). A good popular example of this philosophy is the introductory lyric to the famous Beatles song “I Am the Walrus” - I am he as you are he as you are me as we are all together. Or the famous mayan saying “In Lak Ech”; which more or less means “I am another you”. Everyone is as valuable as you are, we are all ultimate sacred beings, everything you cherish about your life is cherished by the person next to you; we are all like leaves grown from the same tree. With this we learn to experience life beyond the clear-cut rationality of the ego; a humbling attitude towards life and nature where we seek to find what is behind the man-made curtain we've shrouded our consciousness with. Human life is endless to explore; and those that go beyond the confines of culture and self are rewarded with great insights.

Jodorowsky is famously known for his Tarot reading skill, which he describes as a sacred work of symbolic thought; a tool to access hidden aspects of our lives (not to predict the future). Through this analysis of the symbolic, we learn that the subconscious mind communicates and learns through symbols. In the things that happen to us in daily life, there are also symbols to be found. Through careful observation, we can find synchronicity, signs and hints that help us understand our dealings in life. His own work which he calls “Psychomagic” is derived from the idea that just like in dreams, we can create completely symbolic rituals that can help us uncover aspects of our selves, emotional knots, trauma, etc. You could say that in so many ways, you can 'hack' your own mind by tricking it with objects such as golden tin-foil chocolate coins, honey, ragdolls with a picture of a parent or loved one, etc.

One realization that I had that reminds me of how we deal with the symbolic came to me one day when I was about to go to sleep. I had my eyes open, and I was looking at the ceiling lamp, then I closed my eyes. The lingering image of the lamp stayed in my mind, yet there were already thoughts being created as to what the lamp was. I realized how much we create the reality, how much we add on to our experiences through previous encoded meanings of the symbolic. For example, if you look at a photograph of a soldier, instantly many things that you attribute to soldiers come to mind... honor, patriotism, heroicism, violence, etc; which at times could be entirely disconnected from the actual experience of seeing the photograph. This is why meditation always aims to silence the mind, so that our own constant stream of thought relaxes, and lets us experience things as they are.

A great quote by Alejandro is: “Cherish your life as a thief that has stolen the most precious jewel” - Not only does it inspire us to cherish this rare opportunity that is life, but gives us some trickster happiness!

Terence McKenna: “Culture is your operating system” - Terence McKenna, a charismatic psychonaut, a proponent of psychedelic drugs as tools to access the hidden domains of the mind; which can many times result in enlightenment and a greater comprehension of the self and the natural world. I am not a fan of the word 'psychdelic' as it has a great shadow that for many people has all the implications of drug use. Another word is 'entheogen' – which describes a substance that helps us access higher levels of consciousness to touch the sacred, the divine; in contrast to using them for fun. Terence McKenna teaches us that for too long human civilization has been under the patriarchal fist of culture based on the Judeo-Christian myths. He proposes us to shed all these cultural programming, that carries with it myths of patriarchal dominance, warped gender roles and feelings of guilt over our earthly desires. The key thing to learn is that we have to inspect ourselves to learn how much we've copied/pasted social norms, indoctrination and norms that have nothing to do with who we are as human, and more to do with cultural traditions that have no root in the present.

Questions like “Why has science devoted so little to the teachings to be gained from entheogens?” make us realize that the deep crevices of the mind have eluded us throughout history and we live in a culture that promotes paying attention to things outside ourselves and not to our inner selves. It also goes to show that we are generally afraid of things we can't understand, things we can't easily observe. We'd rather stick to what we can see and what we know, where we feel safe, rather than go deep into our minds, afraid to find some scary secrets. Many of these substances are illegal, and one has to wonder why... Why something like a 'magic' mushroom, which can grow naturally in many places is considered illegal. In my opinion, the state doesn't want people to have experiences that will dismantle their cultural programming; all the patriotism, the fascination with military might, the machismo, the religious myths, the hungry consumer culture... many of these things lose their power and become caricatures when one is able to open their third eye. Imagine what this could mean to the state, that wants us all to be obedient, flag-waving consumers?

There is a downside to the 'psychedelic' approach, and I've seen many end up relying too much on the experiences these substances offer. When you no longer have the capacity to achieve any of these states on your own, by your own wit and observation, you are giving the capacity of the mind a disservice. Yes, you can enjoy the benefits of heightened states of minds sober, the mind is a wonderful thing, it can take you where you want to go as long as it has a map or you give it directions. Another thing to be aware of is that no description of the experiences these things offer ever do justice to the actual feeling of being in it, having a previous definition could only hamper what you might get out of it, as expectations can become an obstacle.

Society deems the mention of this taboo, but we only have to stop being hypocritical and realize that they been around for a long time, and even major technology and entertainment figures that have created big pillars of society have found the secrets within them of utmost significance.

Now, the thing that matters the most is that these ideas need to be put into practice into real life, they require work – you can't just read about it and then expect to see the benefit. Like a Zen riddle, they are ways for us to step into the process but not the answer. There is no easy path, and even though they can be grasped instantly; the process is life-long. That's why it's so ridiculous to think that one can buy a book at Barnes & Noble, finish reading it and walk away a saint, an enlightened avatar that has discovered the secret of life. And through this process, one is able to find what works for your particular situation, mold it to your necessities; and have your own realizations.

There is always a contradiction that I face when I write, or talk about these ideas. One of my favorite quotes ever is “Those who know, do not speak. Those who speak, do not know.” (Lao Tzu) Rather than me promoting an entitled sense of enlightenment, the idea is that this is always about experience, not regurgitation of concepts. So, the ones that only talk, talk, talk and never walk the walk are just dogs barking divine nothingness. It all comes down to experience; and if you reach enlightment there would be no words to describe it! Every abstract concept we come across in life can only be tested in the immediate reality; abstraction gives us the key, but we still need to open the doors.

There are countless other authors and philosophers I have omitted here, but they should not be hard to find once one is on the path to learn more. Youtube might be a great way to sample some of the teachings of these thinkers straight from their mouth. I didn't include many of the more 'meaty' writers, such as D.T. Suzuki on Zen, only because I didn't want to get too stuffy with all the nooks and crannies of concepts such as 'sunyata', 'nirvana', etc; BUT I definitely recommend learning from a variety of sources.

Days after I started writing this blog entry, a great article showed up on “Reality Sandwich”; called “Dynamic Paradoxicalism” which I think offers plenty ideas to expand our consciousness toward a more enlightened outlook. What I like about this way of thinking, is that it promotes flexibility in the mind; the realization that being stuck with any kind of rigid mental structure (liberal or conservative) limits us and separates us. Being open minded also means being able to move beyond our usual comfort zone, it's not limited to just being tolerant of other ways of thinking.

In conclusion, we can always be more than what we think we can be. Life is our ultimate, most precious borrowed possesion, and every experience, from the mundane to the most divine, has plenty of meaning in store for us. The quest for enlightenment won't make you Superman, it won't give you mental powers or make you a saintly human being that is above others. On the contrary, it might make you a simpler, more compassionate and humble person. We can shed our own mental parasites, even though we might have been attached to them emotionally for many years. We can learn to access an enduring happiness that is not based on material possessions, physical features, or even relationships with other people; as well as able ourselves to go beyond our own mental and emotional black lagoons.