Complete Test on Metaphysical ASAP

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Thomas Francis University • Course G140 • Segment 6

THE SEARCH FOR ENLIGHTENMENT

—Douglas R. Kelley, PhD, CH, CSL

Updated: May 13, 2013

Upon Completion of this Segment, You Will Know:

 The Age of Enlightenment.

 The meaning of “enlightenment”.

 The ego.

 Transcending the ego into enlightenment.

 Embracing enlightenment.

Ignorance has always been the weapon of tyrants; enlightenment the salvation of the free.

—Bill Richardson

he Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason was a Western movement started in the 17th and

18th Centuries in which reason and science were advocated as better options for human ad-

vancement than the religious tyranny extant for centuries. Many men of note published es-

says, books, and writings that criticized and dispelled many of the religious superstitions and myths

of the time (and our time too), and espoused alternative ways for understanding human nature. These

men included Sir Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, René Descartes, John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, David

Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Captain James Cook, Thomas Jefferson, Johann Wolf-

gang von Goethe, and Thomas Paine who wrote The Age of Reason—much to the Church of England’s

chagrin (Paine’s book remains one of the most persuasive critiques of the Bible ever written). The

American Declaration of Independence and the United States Bill of Rights, among others, were in-

spired by the Enlightenment movement.1 Please read the article on the course page entitled, The

Enlightenment by Paul Brians, to get a better idea of what the Age of Enlightenment was all about.

As good as the Age of Enlightenment was, I believe that another, even more significant Age of

Enlightenment is currently underway and has been since the early 1990’s. This Great Age of Enlight-

enment is primarily due to one of the greatest inventions of humanity ever devised: the Internet.

Why do I say this? Because never before has so much information, knowledge, and opportunity been

freely available to the common person. The Internet is not only a vast library of human knowledge,

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment.

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

it is a vast network of individual human experiences. Never before has a vehicle existed that has the

potential to bring together and unite masses of like-minded individuals with common objectives. If a

lack of communication will kill any relationship, then an abundance of communication can strengthen

relationships. Iron sharpens iron, and we all stand to benefit from each other provided we have a

positive attitude and don’t take ourselves too seriously.

It is truly amazing that so many owe their current life circumstances to the Internet, and many

may not even realize this. It has made things possible that would have been very difficult otherwise.

For example, I credit the Internet with helping me to escape a mind-numbing cult by connecting with

others in the same situation, which, in turn, has allowed me to help thousands of others in various

ways. Common people are able to express themselves in ways that were cost-prohibitive in the past,

such as authoring books, blogs, podcasts, and online radio programs. I have met many good people

who have become friends as a result of the Internet. Indeed, it has even brought you and me together;

like-minded individuals seeking answers to our existence as well as alternative methods of helping

humankind evolve to the next level. If you stop and think about it, this Great Age of Enlightenment

has undoubtedly helped you in many ways as well.

THE MEANING OF “ENLIGHTENMENT”

So, what does “enlightenment” mean? Well, it depends on who you ask. While Enlightenment

basically implies some type of spiritual awakening, acquiring greater knowledge, or attaining higher

spiritual awareness, different people and various belief systems each have their own specific defini-

tions. Here are a few for your consideration:

 Wikipedia: “Enlightenment in a secular context often means the ‘full comprehension of a

situation’, but in spiritual terms the word alludes to a spiritual revelation or deep insight

into the meaning and purpose of all things, communication with or understanding of the

mind of God, profound spiritual understanding or a fundamentally changed consciousness

whereby everything is perceived as a unity.”1

 Buddhism: Enlightenment is “the awakening to ultimate truth by which man is freed from

the endless cycle of personal reincarnations to which all men are otherwise subject.”2

 Dalai Lama: “True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully

realized.” (Source: Online quote).

 Hinduism: Enlightenment is “a state of transcendent divine experience represented by

Vishnu: regarded as a goal of all religion.”3

 Immanuel Kant: “Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity.

Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This

immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of

resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another.”4 (Read Kant’s Enlightenment

on the course page.)

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_(spiritual). 2 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enlightenment. 3 Ibid. 4 http://www.english.upenn.edu/~mgamer/Etexts/kant.html. See course page.

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

 Wayne Dyer: “If I could define enlightenment briefly, I would say it is ‘the quiet ac-

ceptance of what is.’” (Source: Online quote).

 Adyashanti: “Not perceiving through the distortion of ego.”1

 Eckhart Tolle: “An egoless state.”2

 UG Krishnamurti: “There is no such thing as enlightenment!”3

 Peter Gay: “The philosophy of the Enlightenment insisted on man's essential autonomy:

man is responsible to himself, to his own rational interests, to his self-development, and,

by an inescapable extension, to the welfare of his fellow man.” 4 (The late Peter Gay was

a Yale Professor of History).

As you can see, numerous definitions exist as to what enlightenment means. Of the ones listed

above, a couple stand out in the light of the teachings in TFU courses. Peter Gay mentioned one’s

own autonomy, responsibility, self-development, and service to others. Wayne Dyer mentioned “a

quiet acceptance of what is.” Before we expand on the common thread running through the above

definitions, let’s talk about Enlightenment’s consort, the Ego.

THE EGO

When it comes to the ego, there is also no shortage of beliefs as to what it is—secularly, philo-

sophically, religiously, and New Age. According to Dictionary.com, the Latin word “ego” basically

means the “I” or “self.” It can also mean one’s self-esteem or self-image as in one’s ego being

wounded or bruised from a callous remark. Too much ego is called “egotism” and means one has too

high of an opinion of him or herself (conceit). There is also the concept of an “alter-ego” in reference

to Dissociative Identity Disorder and also used more loosely by superheroes in comic books.

From a secular point of view, Sigmund Freud developed a

model in the early 20th Century consisting of the Id, the Ego,

and the Super-Ego. The Id contains the basic human drives,

passions, impulses, and acts according to the "pleasure prin-

ciple,” that is, it seeks to gain pleasure and avoid pain. It is

amoral and makes no judgments. It acts instinctively. The Super-Ego is the opposite

of the Id and contains one’s conscience, morality, and the more sensible side. It

punishes the actions of the Id with feelings of guilt and remorse. Stuck in the mid-

dle between the Id and the Super-Ego is the Ego, which tries to balance, please,

and mediate the two. It is essentially the slave of two masters and gets the raw

end of the deal by being pulled in both directions simultaneously.

Philosophically speaking, a number of views exist regarding the ego. In the 17th Century, René

Descartes, “the Father of modern philosophy” as he has been called, formulated a concept based on

his famous saying, “I think, therefore I am” (Latin: “ego cogito ergo sum”). Descartes’ concept of the

1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLQD90Las5c. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdgO4UDrwm8. 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw26nOMENdA&feature=related. 4 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enlightenment.

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

ego was much simpler than Freud’s. Descartes essentially considered the ego as having two compo-

nents: a physical aspect and spiritual or mind aspect. These two parts have the ability to operate

independently of one another. Descartes’ dualistic philosophy of the ego is known as the Cartesian

Ego and has been criticized by many philosophers since his time, especially those with a Materialistic

bent.

Other philosophers have also developed many concepts to explain the ego. One is Armenian mystic,

G.I. Gurdjieff, who says the ego inherently encompasses many "I's":

One of man's important mistakes, one which must be remembered, is his illusion in re-

gard to his I. Man such as we know him, the “man machine,” the man who cannot “do,”

and with whom and through whom everything “happens,” cannot have a permanent and

single I. His I changes as quickly as his thoughts, feelings, and moods, and he makes a

profound mistake in considering himself always one and the same person; in reality he

is always a different person, not the one he was a moment ago. “I am going to read a

newspaper," says the "I" of intellect. "To heck with reading," exclaims the "I" of move-

ment, "I prefer to ride my bicycle." "Forget it," shouts a third ego in disagreement, "I'd

rather eat; I'm hungry.1

Another dualistic approach to the ego is that of the late Samael Aun Weor, a neo-Gnostic writer

in agreement with Gurdjieff above. According to Wikipedia:

Weor used the terms "Being" (equivalent in meaning to Atman in Hinduism) and "ego"

drawing the distinction that the two states possible are that of Being, which is "trans-

parent, crystal-clear, impersonal, real, and true," and that of the "I," which is "a collec-

tive of psychic Aggregates that personify Defects, whose only reason to exist is igno-

rance." He characterized this distinction:

Superior and inferior “I's” are a division of one organism itself. The superior “I”

and the inferior “I” are both the “I;” they are the whole ego. The Intimate, the

Real Being, is not the “I.”The Intimate transcends any type of “I.” He is beyond

any type of “I.” The Intimate is the Being. The Being is the reality. He is what

is not temporal; He is the Divine. The “I” had a beginning and inevitably will

have an end, since everything that has a beginning will have an end. The Being,

the Intimate, did not have a beginning, and so He will not have an end. He is

what He is. He is what has always been and what always will be.2

Various religions also have a variety of definitions for the ego. “Buddhist traditions view Ego not

as a single principle, but rather aggregates of conscious energy which create each individual's con-

sciousness” (Wikipedia.org, “Ego_(spirituality)”).

Spiritual teacher, Adi Da Samraj, describes the ego as “an activity, not an entity. The ego is the

activity of avoidance, the avoidance of relationship. The root of all suffering is called the ‘ego’, as if

it were a ‘thing’, an entity.”3

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_(spirituality). 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid.

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

The above discussion of ego is not exhaustive, but it should give you an idea of the variety of

beliefs regarding it.

TRANSCENDING THE EGO INTO ENLIGHTENMENT

A common thread running through most definitions of “ego” is that it needs to be transcended for

enlightenment to occur. This is to allow “self-knowledge of one's own true nature to become experi-

enced and enacted in the world.”1 Some even use the term “no-self” to describe an egoless state.

The word “transcendence” generally means “going beyond” or “climbing above.” It is a term

heavily steeped in religious spirituality and usually denotes rising beyond the death of the physical

body. The word implies achieving enlightenment, but usually only after death. Similar to enlighten-

ment and ego above, “transcendence” means different things to different people and belief systems.

After having explored a number of views concerning enlightenment and ego, can we integrate the

essence of these views with what has been taught in previous courses in this program? Indeed we can.

The ego can be described as the base behavior and compulsions of a typical person who has no

interest in personal growth or learning and emulating the higher qualities of human behavior. As a

result, they are who they are based on their genetics and environment, and react accordingly to

whatever life brings them, or more accurately, whatever they bring upon themselves due to their

lack of good judgment. They are like a ship on the high seas with no captain at the helm. They are

pushed and pulled by the waves in one direction after another. They never steer clear of the storms

of life because they don’t know that they don’t know. They have them-esteem, live with guilt and

despair, and wonder why life is so unfair. They experience failed relationships and resort to aggressive

behavior to get ahead. Some engage in criminal behavior. In short, they are generally driven by

Freud’s Id, their primal and base instincts. Of course, not everyone is at the same level, and many

people desire to grow, but don’t know how. Obviously, in order to get out of these primal doldrums,

these folks need to acquire control of their “ego.” But how?

Firstly, they must recognize that a change is needed, and secondly, they need to learn to think

for themselves (and some need to learn to just think). Part of our job as metaphysicians and meta-

physical practitioners is to encourage people to think in new ways; to see things from new angles and

in new perspectives. By so doing, we automatically help them along the path to enlightenment by

our very nature.

What Does Enlightenment “Look” Like?

We might say that the above definitions regarding enlightenment describe the basic concept of

self-completeness or self-actualization. In Course G70: Metaphysical and Spiritual Self-Mastery, we

discussed self-completeness and its three primary aspects: self-acceptance, self-responsibility, and

respect for free will. We further discussed that the self-complete person has a strong sense of “self;”

a healthy self-concept, and the ability to stand on one’s own feet. People who are complete within

themselves know who they are and why they are who they are; they are self-determined. They do

not need anything or anyone outside of themselves to validate their existence—they receive all the

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_(spirituality).

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

validation they need from within; they are self-actualized. This is why they are never lonely even

when they are alone.

Self-Complete people also demand and possess autonomy. This doesn’t mean that they feel ex-

empt from compliance with the law of the land nor does it mean they are loners. It means that they

don’t need permission from others to be who they are. It means rather than thinking of themselves

as a solitary island among others, they see themselves as an independent pillar of strength who can

withstand the storms of life and have a positive and uplifting effect on those within their sphere of

influence.

Self-Complete people search for answers within themselves when they face problems or challenges

in life. And each challenge they face only makes them more experienced, more enlightened, and

better equipped for the next challenge. They learn the lessons of their existence.

Self-Complete people are “perfect,” and they know it. They never shirk responsibility, and they

never assume personal responsibility for others. Not only do Self-Complete people rise or fall by their

actions and choices, but they also allow others to do the same.

Self-Complete people are also assertive, which means they express themselves in an appropriate

and win-win fashion without demeaning another person. In other words, Self-Completeness means

protecting one’s own boundaries while not encroaching on the boundaries of others. They understand

and accept that “What is, is,” and they do not try to control anyone other than themselves.

Self-Complete people have evolved to the point of knowing their purpose and calling in life, and

as a result, they have Greatness to Deliver to the world. Their life-approach is to “leave the woodpile

a little higher than they found it.”

“Self-Completeness” describes and embodies a healthy, stable, sensible, positive, productive, and

self-owned individual who “feels comfortable in his or her own skin.” By accepting themselves un-

conditionally, they can also accept others for who they are, not for what they believe—they respect

Free Will.

With the foregoing in mind, we could say that an enlightened person is one who is complete within

him or herself and has transcended the need to stoop to the base, primal instincts so often observed

in human behavior (Freud’s Id). They remain confidently composed and self-possessed, and never

allow the behavior of others to dictate their own behavior. When it comes to understanding and

accepting the human condition, they “get it” on a deeper level than most others.

Therefore, “enlightenment” is not characterized by some type of sudden feeling or sensation you

magically get. It is something you grow and evolve into over a period of time by acquiring healthy

core values and beliefs about yourself, others, and the universe. In a nutshell, enlightenment equates

to a heightened self-awareness, a heightened awareness of others and the universe around you, and

how it all fits and works together.

Retaining Your Individual Distinctiveness

Regarding the general consensus of beliefs on ego and enlightenment, I want to make a very im-

portant point here. The predominate notion among most ego/enlightenment philosophies is that the

“self” is something undesirable and must be either suppressed or dissolved. Closely related to this

either directly or by implication is that a person’s individuality is also something undesirable and

should be dissolved. The reason for this conclusion is because most of these philosophies use the

Segment 6: The Search for Enlightenment

words “I” and “self” when referring to the ego. Let me be very clear about this: There is much more

to the “I” and the “self” than just the “ego.” I am much more than my ego, and there is much more

to your individuality than your ego.

I’m passionate on this point because the thrust of religion has always been on devaluing the indi-

vidual either subtly or blatantly in one form or another. My position is that each one of us is a unique

and valuable part of the greater human family, and for any institution—whether religious or other-

wise—to denigrate and devalue human individuality is not only betraying humanity, it is committing

a crime against humanity. Having said this, I’m positive that those who believe in denigrating the self

would say that my “ego” is the problem here and if I would just lose it, I would understand. However,

that will never happen. My ego is part of what makes me who I am, as does yours. It is entirely

possible and desirable to achieve enlightenment through Self-Completeness and not sacrifice one’s

unique and distinctive soul to the popular Gods of Enlightenment.

EMBRACING ENLIGHTENMENT

Whether one can attain full enlightenment in this lifetime is subject to debate. However, one can

certainly attain a functional degree of Enlightenment and Self-Completeness by working at it as a

matter of regular routine. One of the best ways to identify the areas you need to work on is to

recognize those things that annoy and exasperate you the most about others. To the extent that you

are able to show them love despite their failings, you embrace Enlightenment. But what about those

people who are toxic and dysfunctional? Is attaining Enlightenment contingent on accepting them

regardless of their behavior? In a word, no. You can love someone, but not like them. You can feel

and show compassion for anyone without having an active relationship with them. I’m talking about

an enlightened attitude of tolerance, love, and acceptance in a healthy manner.

So, what have you learned about yourself, your relationships, and others? An enormous amount of

practical and useful information has been presented for your benefit. Have you applied it in practical

ways not only in your life but also to your particular specialization? For example, those focusing on

coaching and counseling have been exposed to numerous concepts, approaches, and techniques for

helping others (and you will learn more in the Course A60: Transpersonal Counseling and Coaching).

Even those specializing in Paranormal Science and Ufology can use this information while conducting

research and investigations, specifically, as it relates to potential human motivations for experiencing

paranormal phenomena.

It is my sincere hope that you will embrace what you’ve learned so far, use it to enhance your own

enlightened outlook, and take it to the next level by not only thinking for yourself, but also empow-

ering those around you in their journey toward enlightenment.