On the one hand, a well-established enlightenment brings with it an immersion in profound intelligence, love, peace, and happiness.
In contrast, we also experience the world’s suffering, our very human limitations, old karma arising (those sprouted seeds), and the usual detritus of a life.
From an awake perceptive, we’re not caught by these arisings but we remain human.
This reminds me of a quote from late in the ancient Rig Veda:
“By virtue of unitedness and by means of that which remains to be united, I perform action to generate wholeness of life.”
It is through contrast that we become seekers, that we recognize who we are, and that furthers enlightenment.
It is “by means of that which remains to be united” that we shift what is unresolved to light and we evolve.
Davidya
Grist for the mill. Amen to that 🙂
Amen, Ishtar. 🙂
It is wonderful to read this. And it all make sense, if I think from an enlightened perspective, sort of. Maybe the harder it gets, the faster we are evolving? But it is all mind generated, right? The mind got us in to this stuff but it can’t get us out? From a dreaming perspective it all just seems confusing as karma gets in the way of living a fulfilled life. Is it because I don’t want enlightenment enough? Is there still someone’s hand holding me down so I can get a full dose of contrast, or is it all in my mind? Do these questions make sense?
Hi Steve
I’d say the harder it gets, the greater the opportunity there is to evolve. However, how we respond to the challenges (and contrast) makes all the difference. It’s not what’s happening, it’s how we are with it that makes it evolutionary or another turn of the wheel of karma.
Mind generated, but not personally. Cosmic-mind generated by the laws of nature. When ego is identified with the body-mind, the personal mind makes stories about being the cause to feel in control. But that’s just a story, a kind of waking dream. So no, the mind didn’t get us in and can’t get us out.
Identification got us caught and transcending the identification to discover our cosmic nature is what gets us out. You have to go beyond the problem to see the bigger picture and thus solution.
Karma doesn’t get in the way. It’s the way the universe stays in balance so it can continue for us to have experiences and evolve. Out of balance, it would collapse or dissolve and experiencing would cease. We would have no form and no life to evolve with. Finding the right relationship with karma, with what is arising, allows us to restore balance and live a fulfilled life. Karma is the means to a fulfilled life, not the barrier (sometimes a difficult lesson).
It’s is only the ego that is holding you (itself) down, trying to stay in control. Contrast helps you see this and let go.
And yes, the questions make perfect sense. Been there. 🙂 Mind is trying to figure itself out without letting go. That doesn’t go very far.
As it happens, Dorothy Rowe and Andrew Hewson touched on this topic in an episode prior to my joining them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlLT8G7iBGM