Resources

Articles

SIGNPOSTS
Enlighten up

by John Bower

If you’re interested in attaining enlightenment, it’s available, although you’ll have to go looking for it because it’s not advertised on billboards the way luxury goods and insurance products are. Those who have achieved the state tend not to announce it, in much the same way wealthy people don’t tell others that they’re wealthy because they don’t need to prove anything. But you can spot them by the way they live.

There have been many academic studies of enlightenment, but for those who want it, it’s readily accessible without sacrificing a lot of time and money.

The experience that led me to understand this was about as mundane as a Sunday stroll. I just started meeting people who seemed knowledgeable, and as a result of researching their backgrounds discovered the truth. A process that on average used to require 10 years’ committed practice in a Zen monastery now can take place in two- or three-day weekends.

The number of enlightened people in the world, in the traditional sense, aren’t counted in the few historical examples such as Buddha or Gandhi, but rather in the thousands of people living around us now.

The word enlightenment is used by many to mean different things and, to further confuse, psychologists tend to avoid it entirely so as to distance themselves from its religious connotations. A long time ago, Buddha said “I’m awake” – and 2,500 years later psychologists study “psychological awareness” instead.

The definition I prefer is given by Charles Berner in his book Consciousness of Truth. He says: “Enlightenment is consciousness of a state of direct knowledge of yourself as you truly are”.

Some recorded benefits of a state of enlightenment include:

• a sense of joy and freedom;
• experiencing pleasure without guilt;
• increased flexibility and resourcefulness;
• peace; and
• stronger relationships

An additional benefit is that other, more traditional selfdevelopment disciplines, including religious practices, bring faster benefits when practised with enlightenment. The bad news is that as much as enlightenment reveals knowledge, it doesn’t change your life. At least, there’s no immediate change without further work.

Of course, if you do want to change or improve your life, knowing yourself is an essential first step, regardless of what belief system you may follow.

So what can we learn about essential life skills that can be adopted from a study of enlightenment? Fear not – you don’t need to book into a monastery. Surely, if you want to advance quickly and can afford the luxury, that’s a good way, but here are three simpler tips:

• Meditate regularly. Whether your goal is enlightenment or not, this practice improves concentration, reduces rigid habits, and improves creativity.
• Contemplate the question: “Who am I?” This is at the core of all the effective processes that lead people to enlightenment, and you can do it while going about your daily business.
• Practise caring for others, making sure you also tend to your own needs. This will not in itself lead you to enlightenment, but indirectly reduces one of the blocks that can delay it.

Enjoy what you discover. Good or bad, it will just be the truth

John Bower is a member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (info@coachinghk.org)