Why Not Enlightenment?

When I ask my clients for their spiritual development goals, I often hear that they would like to more fully embrace their Soul’s purpose, or develop a closer relationship with their Divine Self. These are wonderful goals … but, surprisingly, no-one has ever told me: “I would like to become fully enlightened.”

Enlightenment is the goal of spiritual development. And yet, very few of us on a spiritual path seem to openly aspire to this goal. Why are we not reaching for enlightenment? Why are we not setting enlightenment as an intention for our path?

Here are some of the reasons you may be selling yourself short by aspiring to less lofty spiritual goals:

"I’m not special enough."

Surely enlightenment is reserved for those very special Souls, for those individuals that show amazing psychic ability and great wisdom from an early age! Who are we to think that we could ever hope to become enlightened?

Of course, if we believe ourselves undeserving of enlightenment, it will forever remain elusive. If we do not conceive of this goal, if we do not ask for spiritual assistance in becoming enlightened Beings, then we will also not receive it. But really, who are we to judge ourselves as unworthy of enlightenment? How can we diminish ourselves, say that we are “less than” others on a spiritual path? All spiritual teaching uphold that we are equal, that we are One. Who are we to argue? Enlightenment is available to everyone at all times.

"I’m not spiritually advanced enough."

So we haven’t been meditating since we were six years old. Maybe we just began our path a few years ago. We might feel that we don’t have enough time to accomplish our goal in this lifetime.

This assumes that the path of spiritual development is a linear progression. In fact, we can make incredible leaps and shifts in our spiritual evolution in a very short period of time. When we ask for assistance towards enlightenment, doors will open towards that goal. The spiritual realm is not limited by linear time.

"I would no longer be who I am."

Who would we be, if we became enlightened? Would we have to give up who we are? Would we have to give up our family, our friends? Could we still go to the movies, or have a few beers on a Saturday night?

This is perhaps the greatest fear we have, a fear that our ego upholds. The ego is afraid that it would cease to exist, that our physical life circumstances would suddenly mean nothing to us. Our ego would like us to believe that enlightenment means we would have to leave our life, our family, and our bank account behind and sit on a mountain top meditating for eighteen hours a day.

Enlightenment does not mean eradication of the ego! It does not mean that we leave the physical plane behind. First of all, we need our ego self in order to manage the practical aspects of life on the physical plane. Secondly, we still have a life on the physical plane – and that life includes everything it does now! As we move forward on our path of spiritual evolution, our physical life circumstances begin to express the creativity of our Divine Self more and more. Life therefore becomes more satisfying and fulfilling. Enlightenment does not force us to give up what we hold dear.

Enlightenment does mean that our identification completely shifts from the ego self to our Divine Self. The ego becomes a tool, a helpful aspect of ourselves that is completely subjected to the will of our Divinity. Enlightenment is the complete experience, the full ownership of our Divinity. Our ego does not like this idea very much, and so it creates fear and doubt that enlightenment is a desirable state!

Are you ready to set a greater spiritual goal for yourself? Are you ready to ask your spiritual Guides and helpers to show you the path to enlightenment?

Blessings,
Andrea