Why Search for Enlightenment?

As one reaches the stage of enlightenment, one achieves knowingness about existence, consciousness, the Absolute and the nature of the human condition. However, the journey toward enlightenment itself has its own rewards. If one embarks upon this quest, one must start stripping away the many veils that life has put upon us. We have an animal nature that was needed for survival, but does not necessarily serve us well as we learn to live within a society and learn to relate to others and the environment. We have angers, judgments, fears, hatreds and many conflicting emotions. We have parents that influenced us in various ways - for better or for worse. We have societies which impose rules, whether they are right or wrong for us. We have religions that impose their beliefs and rules. We all search for happiness, often in the wrong places, which often leads to frustrations, addictions, broken relationships, and eventually unhappiness.

The journey toward enlightenment requires one to look within oneself and to look for the truth. In doing so, one, out of necessity, strips away falsehoods that imprison us. These are often the positions that we have taken, not out of truth but out of emotions or fears that have been poured into us from our animal instincts, parents, religions, societal rules or governments. In the enlightenment process, one begins to understand the true nature of the Self/Consciousness - that one is not the ego/mind that responds to all of the emotions/fears and that takes so many positions that lead to unhappiness, but that one is the Witness and Consciousness that is eternal. As we take the journey toward enlightenment, we gradually strip away the many false premises which make us unhappy. We learn to live a life of truth and we strip away the many causes that make us unhappy. As we take the journey, one comes to an understanding of unconditional love, truth, compassion, gratitude and forgiveness. We then begin to live a life according to those principles. These are all very good reasons to take the steps toward consciousness and enlightenment.

I have learned and experienced much on this subject, especially from the books and teachings of David Hawkins (Power vs. Force, Eye and I) and Eliza MADA Dalian ( In Search of the Miraculous : Healing into Consciousness). Consciousness is MADA's term for enlightenment; it is a great term for it teaches us to be in a state of consciousness, of knowing the truth, and not be at the mercy of the ego/mind.

Jerry Gin
Director and Co-Chairman, FMBR


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