ARE YOU READY TO ILLUMINATE YOUR LIFE ?

The path toward illumination is thick with false illusions and traps of imaginary perceptions

My inner journey started with a book. Although, in hindsight, I can now see previous experiences as brief conscious episodes, nothing made sense before.

The book was “In Search of the Miraculous” by P. D. Ouspensky. It changed my understanding of who I was, removed my illusions and pretenses, and, in short, all the ‘crap’ people tell themselves to feel better.

Let me quote you one sentence from Ouspensky’s Teacher, George Gurdjieff, describing the state of ordinary man: “He [ordinary man] must realize that he does not exist; he must realize that he can lose nothing because he has nothing to lose; he must realize his ‘nothingness’ in the full sense of the term.” (Chapter 8)

I am astonished to see people join a spiritual group and, after a few weeks or months, their outward appearance, words, and behavior have changed dramatically.

I now understand that this is mere human ability to merge into a new identity without understanding its deeper meaning. A mechanism in man is prone to spiritual identification, which can express itself in ego inflation, confirmation bias, euphoria, or spiritual materialism.

What is Illumination?

We all experience Illumination in our lives. These are the moments of deep suffering: losing a loved one, being fired from a job, or having a car accident. Many deep, revealing occurrences make us more alive. These are moments of Consciousness, precious and rare, but they fade away quickly with identification and imagination. It is, though, essential to keep these moments alive in oneself as short flashes of Illumination.

People fantasize about their achievements, lying to themselves about their extraordinary lives, capabilities, and gifts. We are a bunch of liars, imagining something that does not exist yet in us. It exists in the writings of men who have no understanding of the real meaning of life; it exists in our imagination and dreaming that we are on our way to Consciousness.

The first step toward Illumination is the realization that we do not exist. You are dreaming the dreams of people who think they are special. Illumination means the beginning of realizing that nothingness, not your money, not your job, not your thoughts, will bring you closer, but only your humbleness, your misery, your painful experiences of seeing your sleep.

I am constantly reminded of a popular song about imagination. It reads: “Imagination is so funny, it makes a rainy day sunny ….” This is our life: We imagine something that does not exist, you dream the dream of a dreamer, and believe the idols.

I may sound desperate and negative to you. However, I also understand that awakening is a gradual process. It occurs when you are clear about your life; it unfolds when I lift the veil of imagination; it happens in the small moments of my daily life, when I am just present to an insignificant moment. Drinking my first morning coffee is wonderful, feeling the hot cup in my hand and the warm liquid enveloping my mouth. Nothing can be so revealing in our lives as this simple moment, stepping out into the sun, feeling the rays on my face, and bursting with life inside. This is my daily Illumination, my daily awakening to being present in my life—nothing I can brag about, nothing to show for, nothing to tell or explain. I wish you would appreciate the simple, unimportant moments of your life as the revelation of your lifetime. Every morning, when I wake up, I try again. Some days are good; some are horrible, but every day brings me closer to my aim of being present. I do not know what it is, but again, when I lift my blanket off my body with presence, I do know that this day has started with a simple effort, nobody can gratulate me for, but that it is all that matters.