5 Steps to Achieve Enlightenment - All Supported by Science, with Andrew Newberg | Big Think

5 Steps to Achieve Enlightenment - All Supported by Science
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According to Andrew Newberg, director of research at Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine, there are a mere five steps to reaching enlightenment. This is something he’s studied, using 250 brain scans of people during prayer and meditation. With this research, Newberg has come up with a more practical way to help people find their own style of prayer and meditation, their customized path towards enlightenment.
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ANDREW NEWBERG:
Dr. Andrew Newberg is the director of research at the Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and a physician at Jefferson University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine and nuclear medicine. Andrew has been asking questions about reality, truth, and God since he was very young, and he has long been fascinated by the human mind and its complex workings. While a medical student, he met Dr. Eugene d’Aquili, who was studying religious experiences. Combining their interests with Andrew’s background in neuroscience and brain imaging, they were able to break new theoretical and empirical ground on the relationship between the brain and religion.
Andrew’s research now largely focuses on how brain function is associated with various mental states-in particular, religious and mystical experiences. His research has included brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and trance states, as well as surveys of people's spiritual experiences and attitudes. He has also evaluated the relationship between religious or spiritual phenomena and health, and the effect of meditation on memory. He believes that it is important to keep science rigorous and religion religious. Andrew has also used neuroimaging research projects to study aging and dementia, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, depression, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Dr. Newberg has published over 100 research articles, essays and book chapters, and is the co-author of the best selling books, Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief (Ballantine, 2001) and How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist (Ballantine, 2009). He has presented his research throughout the world in both scientific and public forums. He appeared on Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, ABC's World News Tonight, National Public Radio, London Talk Radio and over fifteen nationally syndicated radio programs. His work has been featured in Time, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many other newspapers and magazines.
His newest work is How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain: The New Science of Transformation.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew Newberg: When we look at all of the data that we now have. When we look at the several thousand descriptions that people have of the enlightenment experiences. When we look at over 250 brain scans that we’ve done of people engaged in different types of prayer and meditation practices, I think one of the things that we can ultimately distill out of this on a very practical level is how do we actually help people down their own path to enlightenment? What are the steps that people need to think about taking so that they can find their own path? I think one of the important aspects of all of this is that on one hand we can talk about this in generalities. There are certain basic elements. There’s certain basic approaches that people can take, certain basic aspects of the experience that people are going to have. But it ultimately is also a unique phenomenon and for each person part of what we need to try to encourage them to do is to find their own pathway, to find that own uniqueness that makes it an experience that’s meaningful for them. So when we start to think about the actual steps that people take we’ve been able to define that into five different specific steps that we think are relevant for this process.
The first step we usually talk about is the desire to make this kind of change in your life. The desire to have enlightenment. Now on one hand that may sound like a silly thing to say because on one hand why wouldn’t everybody want to have it? And to some degree that’s true. I mean if you went up to anybody on the street and say hey, would you like to have the most incredible experience you could ever have? Change your life, change the way you think about the world and you’re ...
For the full transcript, check out bigthink.com/videos/andrew-ne...

[@weselynabriee6919]

5 steps, quick and dirty: - Desire to have enlightenment (change your brain) - Prepare for the experience (relaxation techniques and think it through) - Particular practice and rituals to the path (rhythmic process) - Letting it all go (surrendering to the experience) - Reflecting on the experience (integration)

[@alexgaggio2957]

This happened to my brother 5 years ago. Before his experience, he was a complete frat boy. He had a major issue with alcohol and even drug abuse. He was a mess. After his spiritual experience, he stopped drinking. This was the boy that downed a handle of vodka when he was 14. He stopped drinking that day and hasn’t had a drink since. His whole life changed and it was really amazing to witness that transformation. My whole family was so proud of him.

[@rovrola]

I quite enjoyed this presentation. Here's a wee summary: "Part of the whole process to start with is saying yes... I’d like to experience something that’s different than the way I normally thought about things." 1. Intention (desire): Have a clear idea of what enlightenment means to you and why you want it. 2. Relaxation exercises: Eg. Breathing meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, mantras. 3. Ritual: Find a practice that suits your process with experimentation. Rhythmic action suggested. 4. Surrender: Just do it -- learn to trust the process. 5. Reflection: Whether hugely profound moments or small epiphanies, allow space to integrate these experiences.

[@darrenwalshe65]

enlightenment is detachment from ego and knowing this intuitively

[@mery299]

Ive been a yoga practitioner for ten years now, ive been all this years preparing my self for enlightment and i still do. All i can say is try to make your life easier for your next life experience. And when you are near your death. Mantain your peace of mind. Spiritual path is harsh. You try to end up your suffering and throught out the years it seems like you suffer more. In western contries they show us no tools for selfknowledge. Thats why all this people get lost with spiritual fanatism. Enlightment experiencies are good. But you need to be careful to what you think an enlightment experience is. We are not totally prepared and it can sometimes be dangerous. Nowadays we are consuming “spirituality” as something that can save our lifes. In reality our life is good as it is. All we need to acknowledge is ourselves.

[@michaelswanson6677]

From my personal experience this is pretty spot on. I'm at peace these days as a result of teaching myself to let go daily .. let go too of everything that has been taught and told to me to reinvent ..how to think, what to do, how to behave and what to believe.. Take care of myself(mentally/physically), discipline myself (patience, control, respect and acceptance), and forgive(because I a not perfectly functioning) .. self educate though Observing, Absorbing, and Evaluating for one's self . This will make one's life enlighten .. everything else is EGO .. Fears, wants, etc .. this does nothing but imprison your mind in this one and only shot of this life. Just my opinion from my meditation and experiences on my journey . CHeeRS y'all !!

[@Mar-op5ki]

Thanks for sharing love💝 I can relate to many of it but u fortunately the matrix draws me back in this materialistic world😔

[@Starfriend_11]

Reading this was like taking a breath of fresh air, thank you for elaborating😊 love and light❤

[@leocarbaugh5074]

I don't know about you, but I've found I can't let go of anything. Letting go isn't something I DO.

[@Starfriend_11]

@@leocarbaugh5074 YET!!!!!

[@Starfriend_11]

@@leocarbaugh5074 if you don't believe in yourself, how will the change come?????

[@TheAetherOne]

To be enlightened is to be without identity. One who is truly enlightened does not think they are enlightened. In fact, they do not think they are anything at all. They simply are, and that's that. Ultimately such a state of being is beyond definition.

[@andrijanastojadinovic7980]

How do you know?

[@denisebranquinho2377]

@@andrijanastojadinovic7980 He read this at the OSHO books.

[@jareddunlop8411]

This is my sort of understanding of an ideal, but wonder if it is possible to maintain in the developed social world. Wondered for over 20 years now.

[@renshura9238]

@@denisebranquinho2377 didnt osho said he became enlightened like at 21?

[@MorningSignal]

An issue with Western science of enlightenment is that it is focused on inner experience. Whereas when you are "experiencing" nondual enlightenment (for example), distinctions of inner/outer and experience/reality fall away. Despite this, Western psychologists tend to insist that no matter what is learned, it is limited to a person's subjective view and subject to all the potential failures (like hallucination). There is a sense that knowledge from inner experience is not as valid as that of the outer "real world". They fail to acknowledge the fundamental shift where experience and the experiencer are the same. Where all of reality needs the witnesser to exist, moment by moment.

[@danielcampos9628]

All enlightenment is just the dopamine rush you get when you fill your head with so much spiritual bullshit that you disconnect from reality and stop caring about anything. It's kinda sad that people buy into it thinking they can discover any actual objective truth.

[@aspektx]

"I do not think that word means what you think it means." -- Inigo Montoya

[@InigoMontoya-]

Bingo!

[@tylerfh2012]

WTF does enlightenment even mean? Maybe you should define your terms. Until you do, we don't know what you're talking about and it sounds like BS.

[@mordinchemist]

Agreed 100%. Amazing how many people don't seem to understand the importance of having a definition first.

[@drakkeur]

enlightement is basically not having an ego, and living as if you're one with the universe (which you are), you can feel that during meditation, if you take drugs... apparently you can feel that way permanently with enough training

[@HannahMontoya]

The enlightened ones understand 😊

[@logical-functionsmodel9364]

The "ego" is a subjective experience of one's self preservation. Removing it irrevocably is not a good idea. It is better to "hold it in check", which humans are very capable of doing, thanks to our prefrontal cortex.

[@drakkeur]

Logical-Functions Model 93 why ?

[@joesimmonds2849]

Does it not intrigue you to think that there could be another way to experience life? Something more fulfilling. Call it bullshit if you want. Dismiss it as non-scientific if you want. But please keep an open mind to the message in the video. You deserve to find new ways to make your life totally fucking awesome!

[@officer_baitlyn]

I think adding the definitions of the most important words in textform would greatly improve most of Big Think´s Videos just to make sure that everyone watching and making has the same definition in mind when talking about one topic.

[@mohanpanickerpanicker8767]

Why are people so hostile. As a someone into stuff like meditation and spirituality. Newberg research makes so much sense

[@donakavite8286]

john doe, let me help you with your misunderstanding.. What scientists are doing is observing the neuro-physiological and behavioral changes that happen in response to meditative (subjective) practices. i.e., what changes do we see when people do this meditation versus that meditation, or this meditation versus no meditation. As it turns out, modulating consciousness through subjective/meditative practices has measurable and repeatable affects on human biology, behavior, performance, and health.. among other things... with lots of interesting implications and potentials that we have yet to fully explore. So let's keep exploring them :) For more info see liveanddare (dot) com/benefits-of-meditation/ and journal.frontiersin (dot) org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00017/full

[@donakavite8286]

***** Not at all. Let me clarify... _"As far as I know they're scanning the brain during activities and drawing conclusions about those activities based on scans... which is absolutely ridiculous all this brain scanning to figure out what we're thinking is so backwards"_ This is what I'm talking about. Your backwards understanding of what contemplative neuroscience is studying. FYI, they're not studying brain scans to figure out what people are thinking. No. They're studying how modulating consciousness influences physiology, behavior, performance, and health. So stop being a scam artist with your bs scam understanding and actually try to understand what theyre really doing before you start opening your mouth about something you have no idea about.

[@shpongloidia]

Where is the part about vaping a point of DMT?

[@madeanaccountjus2say]

5:18

[@Dnize24]

He made that shit a footnote in this video wtff

[@jaaptenhietbrink5151]

Wow, this is exactly how this went for me. Took me several years to get to what is called enlightenment here. Often if I talk about it people are unable to distinct between religiousness and this desire for enlightenment. Its hard to be taken serious talking about this, as if I am on drugs or that I've lost it. But you do a fantastic job.

[@Neo549]

I like Sound Technology enhanced meditations (Hemi Sync, Holosync etc), balanced with silent Zen practice: I use Floatation Tanks, Acupuncture assisted meditations and Mind Machines to deepen my practice, which have all been wonderful.

[@Leto85]

Thank you for this video. I had a smile at the part where you've said that some people have this experience while walking down the street because that's exactly where I've recognises myself in your talk. :)

[@albertlaet485]

There is a new teacher called rali on a channel called naked reality that I highly recommend for those that like tolle or seek enlightenment. He is an intellectual sounding version of osho. Whom I also recommend.

[@yahuhutmael7298]

Great channel. Thanks

[@dason5408]

Rali is an intellectual version of Osho?! That's a very interesting perspective you have

[@TitoFuentez]

Fuck yea that dudes awesome! He doesn't bullshit you.he's very honest and compassionate

[@pennfitness]

Eat healthy, get good rest, exercise, see new positive things, only surround yourself with positive people. That's a good way to be enlightened.

[@joerivera6334]

--Seriously though, I do like this one. I think it either resonates with you or it doesn't, but I feel like we've all had those breakthrough moments and this shows us how to reach them.

[@PsychopathUltimate]

"One step to achieving enlightenment: think just like me."

[@MotiveVideoBook]

I think this video explains very well from neuroscience on what enlightenment is all about and how to attain it. Great video.

[@DylanEjem]

A million likes for this talk. Thank you very much good sir!

[@HannahMontoya]

Bridging the gap between science and mindfulness, yes I love it!

[@dason5408]

My two cents: find a way to turn the mind from being the subject of experience to an object that is being experienced. Objectify your mind.

[@bvbydo4433]

Omg yesssss ilysm ty

[@bvbydo4433]

With Your two cents and my pocket lint I thinks we make it under the classification "wealthy"

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

American Enlightenment. Special offer for a limited period. Only $500. Money back guarantee.

[@David-gp3fd]

since when does LSD cost $500?

[@David-gp3fd]

Lol. There is definitely a market.

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

+john doe 😎 You can also just buy the certificate for your wall to impress everybody. How much would you pay ne for the certificate?

[@bebo3ful]

Enlightenment "Plus" limited time only for the next 50 callers will be free!

[@kamielheeres8687]

American enlightenment will also cause you to understand the difference between government debt and personal debt. Never again will you emberrass yourself with statements that show how ignorant you are about economics!

[@nickalexander8561]

Yes !!! Religious constructs fall away when enlightenment is experienced because you tune in to the divine and pure love. There is alot of controlling and manipulation and judgment and prejudice in religion. Enlightenment is pure love towards all beings.

[@christophermiller3031]

Thx for your easy to understand explanation... I now understand better how my Nana and I have shared experiences... Just through different methods 😎 This video even has helped me see the story of my papa speaking tongues that one time -> it may have been a mental buildup and one night my papa achieved self enlightenment. Unless he gave himself to the word flow... He couldn't have given himself up. As an atheist... And I'm so logical... I just feel so connected with the universe. Like... Everything. I never envision a god... I believe I doubt it too much :P

[@avonsternen6034]

Whatever the approach or perspective, enlightenment tends to ultimately be a mystical experience. :)

[@Philosification]

As someone who has done a marketing course, this whole thing was marketing. "Ask yourself why you want what I claim to offer you, write down reasons that you want it and convince yourself that you do. I'm claiming to be able to deliver but am giving very few concrete details about anything at all, I'll let you imagine the product. Imagine how great it would be to experience something fantastic, now take for granted that actually I'm offering you something that offers that great feeling you only imagined.

[@Siiggn]

Thank you so much,, I felt so relieved from the first minute

[@debasisjena3264]

Great one really and not for those who thinks science can only deal with external things

[@onemessenger3980]

Enlightenment cannot be achieved but realized on an individual basis. Enlightenment reaches the individual when the time is right. Namaste ॐ

[@Justfor2day10]

Way to enlightenment is don’t chase it. Don’t seek, don’t resist anything and stay present.

[@thehotyounggrandpas8207]

I achieved enlightenment recently. I give it a 6 out of 10.

[@jeffkempton5261]

The twim practice of the 6r’s is very effective and simple with one of three objects of meditation leading the practitioner through the tranquil aware jhanas to nibbana through directly observing the 3 characteristics of existence and the 4 noble truths in the 12 links of dependent origination. This is taught at the dhamma sukkah meditation center in Missouri. They have many cheap but indispensable ebooks on the subject.

[@JordanBartholme]

This might be good to watch before a float session.

[@Smexoffender]

The journey to Enlightenment is different for everyone, & everyone has different lessons to learn to achieve it

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

It stands to reason that the '1st step' has to be in a direction AWAY from any form of desire as such. One has to be 'somewhat' disillusioned with the wanting and desiring of things first for the first 'steps' to be taken towards letting go of all 'that stuff'. Enlightened beings are light because they have let go of things and mental concepts. 😬😂 That 's why they smile all the time.

[@wladicus1]

This is intellectual enlightenment basically - a conceptual understanding - useful in a specific area only. Enlightenment as understood in the "spiritual" context has nothing to do with the brain or experience of any sort. The closest one can come to "pointing" to this enlightenment is to suggest that it is a transcendence of the mental-conceptual and physical. It supersedes all concepts and especially the concept of identity. Enlightenment in this understanding is not something one can "do" in any sense because there is no "doer" to experience anything.

[@216trixie]

This can't really be understood without having had the experiences. And if you have the experiences you'll eventually realize it's a physical process gone out of control. ............No meditation..........Just live and enjoy life.

[@Crouchy232323]

On a practical level I have found and experienced that dilution of the perception you provide to the world around you, and the people in it, will eventually lead to a more succinct and voluminous period of overall overt standardisation. And child sex porn sex also works.

[@demons1222]

‘In this moment, I am euphoric. Not because of any phony god’s blessing. But because, I am enlightened by my intelligence.’"

[@emil_rainbow]

meditate on your intelligence.

[@emil5884]

I appreciate the statistics provided but the how-to part was very hollow.

[@adamloewen456]

Great video. So exciting that this stuff is becoming mainstream.

[@patkelly6033]

Albert Einstein - "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."

[@brishtiteveja]

Pat Kelly Einstein's use of religion has nothing to do with oraganized religion that people follow. Read more.

[@Memento_Mori_Music]

To me, enlightenment would mean bettering myself until I'm happy with who I am & where I stand in life.

[@mounirbaroudi5890]

I feel that. Definitely much more practical than a lot of the nonsense people talk about

[@viggosmiles9496]

In Buddhist terms, you are speaking more on (self) liberation. Enlightenment is the benefit and happiness for all sentient beings.

[@tacotruck7995]

Great video. I need to return to my practices.

[@importantname]

I need to be enlightened by the end of this weekend, so hurry up! Jeessss this is taking too long - where can i buy enlightenment faster?

[@Kianquenseda]

I had a peak experience in 1978. I was enveloped in a loving light, that today I realize was myself, my aura.

[@Kianquenseda]

Anyone that is trying to sell this experience does not know it, and should be ignored because they are fake.

[@Crouchy232323]

How much?

[@ZCasPlays]

I never knew that the progressive muscle relaxation technique was a real technique, I started doing that YEARS ago when I started approaching meditation.

[@JK-fp1pn]

This sounds like mindfulness practices and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

[@JK-fp1pn]

Very helpful video! Thank you for posting this valuable one

[@z0uLess]

people need to believe in things they invest a lot of time into (the sunk cost fallacy). thats why you get these positive results on surveys.

[@amandapereyra5532]

When he was talking about different ways of reaching enlightenment, one of them being through use “drugs”, was he referring to conscious alternating psychedelics or other drugs?

[@jzpding]

Yes.

[@sathishannira]

Desire for enlightenment - everything is lost in the first step itself because of the expectations. Scientists always go after the results, they never work and let the results come naturally. Enlightenment is a natural process we absolutely have no control on it, we simply have to put efforts that is all.

[@ThePhilocypher]

Wow lots of skepticism and negativity on a video about enlightenment. Believe what you must, i found this video very interesting. I firmly science and spirituality are a great pair. For those who disagree i respect your opinion.

[@tytiw516]

Of course you should always be critical on science. Skepticism is the foundation of science. It just humans' ideas and thought. They can be wrong and negligent 😏

[@ushamurali3533]

Very good talk

[@justorobusto2064]

1 to get back to where I was. 2 peace and beauty everywhere. mantra...i am life and love..... prayer + meditation???? looking for the unseen beauty in everything....

[@mink33]

You want enlightenment? Just lighten up on yourself!

[@216trixie]

Yes I have positive things to say about enlightenment. It's like a roller-coaster. So it's fun and thrilling for a few minutes at a time. But when you are waking up and going to sleep night after night and month after month with your head filled with revelations, too many and profound to process, it can get to be overload. .......Then it's solitary time again to recharge and reset.

[@lilacosmanthus]

There's no enlightenment. There's only those who are ignorant and those who are ignorant but willing to learn.

[@David-gp3fd]

Depends what u describe enlightenment as

[@neodark414]

Judging by your obvious lack of knowledge and pure arrogance on the subject I would say you fit into the ignorant category.

[@danielmanahan692]

as are you

[@lilacosmanthus]

Benjamin Wood Well, please enlighten me on the subject. I'm willing learn! I've therefore just negated you.

[@neodark414]

Indigo Osmanthus To say that there is no such thing as enlightenment is just arrogant. Maybe you are just not capable of achieving it, but does that mean that nobody can?

[@sqlblindman]

I think i just watched Big Think jump the shark.

[@R00k81]

... you must be new then.

[@zinqtable1092]

What exact part of the video do you disagree with?

[@sqlblindman]

seth chizmar Name something in the video you found enlightening.

[@zinqtable1092]

The video was about the form of spiritual enlightenment one gets when they realize who or what they existentially are. It has nothing to do with some knowledge or piece of wisdom, it is a way of being.

[@sqlblindman]

seth chizmar _The video was about the form of spiritual enlightenment one gets when they realize who or what they existentially are._ Right. It was bullshit. That was the point of my response.

[@PRPlathXavier]

Good to see the wide interest on the subject. Unfortunately the larger the popular interest the more it becomes a target to those with a "low effort" criticism or a more radicalized attitude. The wider it gets the more it seems to be perceived a danger to be eradicated. I wonder if such a subject has more chances to survive if it remains restricted to an interested segment of society instead of being more widely publicized. "Spreading the word" has never been a strong point of Buddhists or "more deeply interested searchers“ and maybe there are good reasons for it...I have mixed feelings on speaking more openly on the subject, although I also feel "guilty" for my attitude on "keeping it for myself" or just a few who care...maybe I have to review my attitude.Keep searching. Keep an open mind!! your brain wont fall out!!!

[@AniyaBrownDivineOracleEstes]

I literally woke up completely intuned one day! I was a completely different person, I had no idea about spirituality before it just turned on and showed me everything, I’m forever grateful!!

[@redpillmatrix3046]

Good now you need to meditate and continue

[@Alissaec3]

Is enlightenment considered an epiphany and clarity to your biggest problem?? If so I have have that kinda wow moment and no one can give that to you but your own mind. It was pretty amazing to get those at a random time while in the flow state of mindless work is when it happens for me.

[@Aronnax777]

Enlightenment is supposed to be permanent, furthermore your ego is supposed to dissappear if I remember correctly. You might want to look up what the bhuddist teachings say as they will be the most accurate. If you are truly enlightened then awesome, wish you all the best stranger. ❤

[@TheRiddler491]

Enlightenment has little to do with spirituality in an of itself, and more to do with learning or a sudden understanding, at least what I have deduced through the years. Hell, the Great Enlightenment was an explosion in terms of scientific understanding. "Enlightened" is having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook or being spiritually aware." So, it shouldn't be a meaningless term to anyone, in fact it is usually a sign of joy and comprehension. Though it is a double edged sword, Enlightenment to a Scientist is different from enlightenment in a spiritual person, it is just a term that is used as a Eureka Moment for the individual. Much like running in a marathon is different to running for president. It changes the definition of running, but in the end, both are correct.

[@Ren-ug6mj]

Meditation is practice to master the mind. Enlightenment is the byproduct of complete and total surrender of your ego, your perspective of reality. You have to forget who you think you are, where you think you are, and even when you think you are. Forget about the physical and the intangible. Just be and exist

We're all already enlightened. The trick is to figure that out.

[@seerat759]

I heard this in an alan watts lecture - You can’t desire to get rid of your desires

[@davidmichael2032]

You can't bite your own teeth

[@secondwomb9247]

Enlightenment = Finding your highest self

[@juandiegovillacis2151]

Good luck getting enlightened having it as your desired goal

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

Excatly Juan. His very introduction negates his entire narrative. To desire something, anything, including "enlightenment" is the cause that leads to suffering and not the way to transcend ignorance.

[@MindlessTube]

@@JayJacobsPGP2014 But you can not not desire so yah......

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

@@MindlessTube one can surely reach this state of being, including disembodiment.

[@sigmundklaus]

yet another - really bad - intellectual attempt at describing how an apple tastes...

[@PurpleMomgoose]

Beautiful

[@JazevoAudiosurf]

you can only surrender when you understood it. before that it's like "I really badly want to stop controlling but what will happen afterwards". so it requires understanding of things how they REALLY are

[@DrunkenGun]

Check this idea out here. I heard from a KZbin search, "the water fountain you pee in". They mentioned the term "human, like humus, from the earth", from soil, from water, ECT. I like to think of it like this! Do you understand how cells or stem cells work? What happens when you put anything before them, what do they do? For example, when you give a (blank, stem, single digit or less) cell a protein, it eats for a day-, and moves on. Then what, that's it? On a full belly, this familiar sensation is followed up by a pursuit, a need to find more, to overcome the worst conditions, adapt and press on. So- along the way, things change. Whatever this cell comes in contact with it must adapt and become stronger or die trying. Once a protein cell stubs it's toe, it compensates and/or while still traveling may settles for a different snack until successful. If you are active outside and moving, while not being bumped or nudged enough, I guess you are not playing "hard" enough. Everything you eat has to do something or go somewhere, might as well utilize it. If that cell had to overcome and be strong, it must have had to be creative to do so. Stimulate you cells to assimilate your proteins, obstacle, and everything else that comes in your way. Moral of the story, old enough or young enough to kick your own ass? Kick your on ass, your body won't stop thanking you. What can you do on an individual level with out really injuring or killing your self?

[@rezabej9496]

to become enlightenment as fast in 5-steps 1- is to use Psychedelics (DMT) 2- is to use Psychedelics (DMT) 3- is to use Psychedelics (DMT) 4- is to use Psychedelics (DMT) 5- is to use Psychedelics (DMT)

[@seriousissues2012]

What’s the difference between steps 2 and 3?

[@maddiebyfaith]

It's not hard. I am. Just be. We are One.

[@13svetlost]

Nice shirt :)

[@Blessed.2.Teach.4God]

I understand why he says 'most people end up being less religious bcuz perhaps it is limiting' ...but the truth is (from my perspective) that few people actually ever come to know or realize the *true* intention of religion. So in closing, modern day religion I would agree is 'limiting' ..but what if these grand experiences are what *true* 'religion' intended all along..?

[@DaveSaysYesh]

Then religion doesn't aid in having these grand experiences, does it?

[@AM-ui9mc]

There are magic buttons. Plenty of them. They grow in pastureland and look like mushrooms

[@johnashley646]

this will speak to some and not to others. I believe that we are all looking for the same thing, to feel better.. if this works for someone I can't say that it is wrong or bad.. there are a lot of cynical responses here, which is fine, but being judgmental of someone else's view is not really a growth factor is it? hehehe, maybe I'm being judgy too by labeling someone's response as "cynical"... love you all... #TheBeginningisNear

[@MrTrickstercoyote]

Sounds like a bunch of people in the comment section need enlightenment.

[@TarkusT]

On South Park they claimed Shenanigans. I call out Hubris! Whether it be religion, cult or Tony Robbins, (although I guess he is a combination of the two), humanity seems to have this concept that we are inherently so much more than we currently perceive. In biological terms we are what we are. We have a gradient of intelligence that maybe we can enhance to an extant but for the most part all we have is the ability to become more manipulative of others in a number of ways to achieve a relative gain, ie: make people do what we want, but inherently we are not changed in of ourselves but rather we have simply learned how to affect the visage that others perceive of us. We descended from lizard brains and as a result no doubt there are constant internal battles within us to tell ourselves, "okay do not eat that person who just disagreed with me" but let us not confuse the nobility of that battle to suggest to ourselves that there must somehow be a greater nobility beyond. But I guess that would mean admitting that we are not under order, class, phylum or kingdom but that there needs to be a third Kingdom, (well except for all you crazies who think pets are children), where hominidae now reside as a third construct.

[@Seafox0011]

I would hazard a guess, that it is only humans that use labels to define the universe and it's differentiable parts. In the grand scheme of things we observe, but can only see as far as we have evolved to see at each moment in time. A work in progress one might say.

[@TarkusT]

Here is my problem with the "work in progress" debate. In terms of evolution the only discernible change in humanity as been through increased consumption of varied vegetation. As a result women have grown an addition 2.5 inches and men .75 aggregate. I guess the question becomes will these so called gains be lost if the nutritional reality changes? Either way a work in progress is complicated because it has to be measured and as such by what standard. It is easy to say "girls" tend to be taller now but is any of that actual meaningful evolution? Besides the Ilfantrantics, a race that is 1 billion years older than us also defines the universe, oddly enough their definition is based on what we would define as varying degree of hot mustards.

[@NoahNobody]

6:25 was the thing that got me enlightened.

[@TheLkdude]

The Eightfold Path of Buddhism The Eightfold Path of Buddhism, also called the Middle Path or Middle Way, is the system of following these eight divisions of the path to achieve spiritual enlightenment and cease suffering: Right understanding: Understanding that the Four Noble Truths are noble and true. Right thought: Determining and resolving to practice Buddhist faith. Right speech: Avoiding slander, gossip, lying, and all forms of untrue and abusive speech. Right conduct: Adhering to the idea of nonviolence (ahimsa), as well as refraining from any form of stealing or sexual impropriety. Right means of making a living: Not slaughtering animals or working at jobs that force you to violate others. Right mental attitude or effort: Avoiding negative thoughts and emotions, such as anger and jealousy. Right mindfulness: Having a clear sense of one’s mental state and bodily health and feelings. Right concentration: Using meditation to reach the highest level of enlightenment. (this is very simple version - www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-eightfold-path-of-buddhism.html)

[@redolentofmark]

Would any like to list out the 5 steps he said? Step 1: Deciding to take the journey to completion.

[@whatthefunction9140]

Enlightenment is an idealized state, it is a goal always beyond reach. There is no achieving. *If you think you are enlightened you definitely are not enlightened.*

[@davidoran123]

Sat Chit Ananda : Truth Consciousness Bliss.

[@BrnBear]

Non enlightened people look and behave crazy to us, And the enlightened look and behave crazy in their point of view. It's very hard to overcome in a debate, and the person had to want to be enlightened.

[@dapc777]

~to know of the origin where my SOUL* came from as it already knows of the path that it has had for me before I came here~to go back as the first cell of consciousness that went into my heart~to know of thyself as identity, recognition desire attachment and suffering with an ego no longer exist~all is in balance and aligned to the knowing of that being within is the SOUL*~

[@R00k81]

So we're back to the flow state discussions then?

[@justinreedflynn]

(allegedly) Jesus was sent to earth to prove that enlightenment was possible in a human beings lifetime.

[@Goremachine]

I burned through the five steps in 27 minutes. Enlightened now. Jealous? It's pretty sick.

[@CoCrCi]

What about psychedelics? They help with that drop between the levels.

[@holysergic.]

What is the job of this guy? I need to know it cause i'm really interested on find a job like that . I'm 17 and actually I'm living in Italy , but if I had to move out my country I Will do this cause this type of job is my only motivation.

[@danbeggan]

I thought this was a good video, what I take away from it is meditation is good, it can mean different things to different people and it can change your outlook. Don't think thats what enlightenment is, but hey gotta start somewhere :)

[@JayJacobsPGP2014]

Enquire about our Advanced Bodhisattva course.

[@Ri-cha-livebeatzz]

I'm trying Zen, and words are meaningless to represent the reality of the cosmos, so are we trough science, enlightment can not be achieved in a rational way, the only thing reason has developed apart from a little understanding of the whole universe is this violent, anxious, selfishness, egocentric, hunger and self destructing civilization. And I'm not like a master of the Zen temple in my meditation, few real minutes every few days, and I can assure.... enlightenment what ever it is has nothing to do with THINK.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

If you want enlightenment, learn math, read about the environment, things like shark finning, and then decide for yourself where you stand.

[@rock5989]

I am not the body and mind. Temptations are not me or part of me. I am pure a consciousness pure spiritual being having human experience. Say that to yourself continuesly until you understand the meaning behind those statements.