What is Enlightenment?

I think I may be slightly delusional living in this time in this space in this mind and feeling as if enlightenment is nothing more or less than being alive in the moment, of being mindful of the "moment," (however a "moment" is defined or counted out in "time" or "breath),  as if enlightenment is really such an ordinary state of being of simply being present to sensations, and movements, the touch of texture the dimensionality of form and shape the graphics of line and pattern and the feel and the story of color, of color as light, of color as depth as color of life and soul all mushed together with shadow and light, with holy spirit-holy body and Life!

Anyway..... I think enlightenment is really and truly so quite ordinary and mundane that we simply over look it.  By thinking perhaps that it must be something grand, something supra-mundane, something magical and mystical we miss the invitation for our participation in the rhythms of life and the call to be part of the various levels of conditions arising simultaneously or nearly so as we live and move and have our being.

But if so, it is a  "kind delusion." One that allows me to imagine  and to actually feel and experience how good it feels to "drop pebbles of loving-kindness" into the world  and observing how people's eyes, faces, and minds light up as the kindness moves upon them.  It is a gift to be mindful of acts and words of  loving-kindness.   There is surprise and delight, and merriment, and now and then, a moment of awakening hits us like a Hallmark movie moment and we are transported and transfigured till  POOF!  Its gone!  But not without leaving an imprint behind.  Which begs the question:  what sort of an imprint do I wish to leave behind??  Which further begs the question: can one mindfully and heartfully scatter, toss,  and  drop, enough pebbles of kindness into the mix of this multi-connecting rhythms of life and life's attendent responsibilities, disciplines, devotions, and deviations being all mushed about?  To make a difference?   Its a wonder ya know?

Its rather nice to take a stroll down Main St and think of others coming and going in kind ways; wishing other energies other entities good will and good heart and being open to opportunities.  Looking to be a kindness to another.  It feels good and it has repercussive effects.  Seems that acts of kindness begat acts of kindness - reaping as we sow as we grow and as we share and connect with others from a gentle spacious space.  From a place of compassion, ripples given from and ripples felt within the open heart.

One wonders where and how-come Christianity missed the boat.  If perhaps the frightful hunger and need for power and control absorbed those who were in positions to make a difference way back when.  Way back when Christianity was a path and a way of living rather than a mental game and a way of manipulating.  A way of manipulating poltically, economically, regionally, and along class lines in order to maintain the status-quo of those who fear the most and would have the most to lose from teaching people the truth and allowing them to explore and have their experiences validated as part of the path - part of the dharma - the way buddhism does it.  Easy and hard, fast or slow.  We walk this path we are all manifestations of the One which appears as many.

Back in philosophy the question was raised:  How does one reconcile the many and the one?  But the question is based on a false premise - that the One is something somehow distinct from the many.  Perhaps I suppose because you and me and the person next door all represent the many, that so the thinking goes that if you are you and I am me and they are them that that necessarily means that we are all separate.  Unrelated.  Unconnected in all but the loosest sense.  When the truth is we are all connected in all ways except the loosest sense.   Divide and conquer.

While sitting in a garden in an alcove on a warm August day, eyes gone soft, breathing slow, mind spacious and at rest a fly arose.  And I wondered what it would be to see this world with eyes of a fly, with fish eye, with multiple lens eye, to see from the perspective of the least among us.  And so I imagined and so I felt and so the understanding settled upon me that the One manifests as Many and it occured to me as I laughed that the One is the Many and the Many loses touch with the One in the multiplicity and the manipulations of the mind.   Mind in lower cap letters.  Mind as in mine and yours.  Each a segment of - each a holograph of the One and of the Many.

I am so fortunate to be able to love and to live, to work and to play, in this delightful town of Durango.  I am so fortunate to have "found" this place so thankful we listened to the call of this space.  And moved here and are learning how to build here.  Here in  our home.   Karen and I.  A place we call "Casa Serene."

doc rob