A Guide to Enlightenment
A Guide to Enlightenment
These are quotes from the The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment
by Thaddeus Golas
A Fable
Once upon a time there dwelt an old King
in a palace. In the center of a golden table
in the main hall, there shone a large and magnificent
jewel.
Each day of the King's life,
the stone sparkled more resplendently.
One day a thief stole the jewel and ran
from the palace, hiding in a forest. As he
stared with deep joy at the stone, to his
amazement the image of the King appeared in it.
"I have come to thank you," said the
King. "You have released me from my attachment to
Earth. I thought I was freed when I
acquired the jewel, but then I learned that I
would be released only when I passed it on,
with a pure heart, to another.
"Each day of my life I polished that
stone, until finally this day arrived, when the
jewel became so beautiful that you stole it,
and I have passed it on, and am released.
"The jewel you hold is Understanding.
You cannot add to its beauty by hiding it and
hinting that you have it, nor yet by wearing it
with vanity. Its beauty comes of the consciousness
that others have of it. Honor that
which gives it beauty."
The following is Thaddeus Golas'
selection of reminders from the text:
We are equal beings and the universe
is our relations with each other.
What am I doing on a level of consciousness
where this is real?
No resistance.
Love it the way it is.
Love as much as you can from
wherever you are.
Whether I am conscious of it or not, I am
one with the cause of all that exists.
Whether I feel it or not, I am one with
all the love in the universe.
Love is the only dimension that needs
to be changed.
Go beyond reason to love: it is safe.
It is the only safety.
All states of consciousness are
available right now.
It's always within us to relate this way.
Enlightenment doesn't care how
you get there.
Whatever you are doing, love yourself
for doing it.
There is nothing you need to do first
in order to be enlightened.
This, too, can be experienced with
a completely expanded awareness.
I wouldn't deny this experience to
the One Mind.
What did you think it was that needed
to be loved?
When you learn to love hell, you will
be in heaven.
Thank you, brothers and sisters, for
letting my consciousness be in this place.
Enlightenment is a state of being in which an individual experiences greater understanding and insight, and may also be described as a spiritual awakening. It is often associated with Buddhism, but can be pursued and experienced by people of any spiritual tradition or none. The path to enlightenment can involve practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and self-inquiry, and may involve letting go of attachments, ego, and preconceived notions in order to see the world more clearly. The ultimate goal of enlightenment is to live in the present moment and to be at peace with oneself and the world. It is important to note that enlightenment is not a destination or a state that can be attained, but rather a way of being that is experienced in each moment.