It’s A Matter of Weight, Not Light
Needless to say, the concept of enlightenment has many interpretations, as it is something that is taught in numerous traditions throughout human history. Even so, there are certain fundamental notions that are shared amongst many of these traditions, and it’s these elements that are being transformed through our ongoing evolution. Perhaps the most significant element being transformed is that of the nature of enlightenment itself.
Chances are, whenever you think of the term ‘enlightenment’ you envision a eureka moment, where a person gains clarity on such things as the meaning of life, or some other subject of infinite significance. This makes sense, given the fact that the term ‘enlightenment’ contains the very word ‘light’ within it. Therefore, it’s easy to see why countless people equate enlightenment with the shedding of light on a particular topic or contemplation. To be enlightened is to see things in a whole new way.
While this is a solid interpretation, there is another, New interpretation that is emerging in this time of transition. Simply put, enlightenment is no longer about achieving clarity or visible light, rather, it is about becoming lighter in terms of weight. Instead of shedding ignorance or darkness, the New enlightenment is about shedding those things that weigh you down.
A good way to envision this is to imagine a person on the ocean floor. Needless to say, the ocean floor isn’t an ideal place for a person, and so the goal will always be to rise to the surface. Fortunately, the human body is buoyant by nature, meaning that it is designed to float. Unfortunately, that natural state of buoyancy is cancelled out when a person is weighed down by objects or clothes that make them too heavy to float. And this is where enlightenment finds its New meaning.
In the Old way of thinking, in order to rise to the surface a person must find the items that will enable them to do so. They need to take on an idea, a belief, or even a lifestyle in order to restore their ability to float. The problem with this is that the more items you take on, the heavier you become. In the end, it’s not about finding more things to grab onto, instead, it’s about letting go of the things that are weighing you down. It’s about shedding weight in order to free yourself from your ocean floor dilemma.
Only when you let go of the heavy items you are carrying can you become light enough to swim to the surface. That is the New essence of what it means to achieve enlightenment. It is the act of becoming lighter in your heart and mind, and thus freeing yourself from those negative energies that weigh you down and keep you from achieving your naturally buoyant state. After all, just as the body is designed to float, so too, the soul is naturally buoyant, intended to float freely in a state of peace, love, and happiness.
It’s All About Diet and Exercise
Knowing what enlightenment is and achieving it are two different things. So the question is, how does one become lighter in order to rise up to the surface where Nature intends for them to be? Fortunately, the answer is one everyone is already familiar with. How do you lose weight in day-to-day life? Why, it’s all about diet and exercise.
If a person wants to lose weight, one of the first things they need to do is change the way they eat. Sure, going to the gym five days a week will go a long way to burning off fat, but if you keep eating the foods that pack the fat on then you will be fighting an uphill battle all the way. This is why the word ‘diet’ is always placed first. Taking control of what you eat is the most important measure when it comes to losing physical weight and restoring your body’s health and wellbeing.
Fortunately, the very same rules apply to getting rid of the excess pounds that are weighing your soul down. Simply put, just as you would stop eating fried foods and ice cream if you want to shed physical weight, so too, in order to shed spiritual weight you need to stop taking in negative energy. Like food, energy can be either healthy or unhealthy, each one offering the same rewards or consequences respectively. When you eat fatty foods, you gain excess weight. Likewise, when you take in negative energy you weigh your soul down, causing distress, anxiety, and all the other negative conditions that come from a diet of unhealthy energy. Therefore, the easiest way to lose the heaviness of negative energy is to stop partaking in those things that create negativity in the first place. Once you get your ‘energy diet’ in order you can begin to restore health and wellbeing to your very soul.
What does a negative energy diet look like? For some it might be too much mainstream media, where a constant stream of anger, fear, frustration, and the like are provided to those who ‘feed into’ the narrative. For others it may be dysfunctional relationships, where a lack of balance leads to low self-esteem, constant sacrifice with no returns, or some other emotionally abusive scenario that creates frustration, resentment, and the whole array of negative emotions within a person’s heart and mind. No matter the source, the important thing is to eliminate your intake of negative energy the same way you would eliminate your intake of junk food in order to achieve a healthier way of life.
While eliminating the junk is an all-important first step, the next step is to replace the unhealthy energy with a steady intake of positive, healthier energy. This is no different than eating healthier foods in an attempt to improve your physical condition. In this case you want to find those things that create positive energy, such as fulfilling relationships, meaningful activities, and narratives that empower you to be your best self. Simply put, just as you would replace fried foods and ice cream with fruits, vegetables, and other wholesome foods, the key is to replace fear, anger, and anxiety with love, happiness, and peace. Find those people and places that provide positive energy and make them your New menu.
Just as losing physical weight can take time and effort, losing emotional weight is no different. That’s why exercise can make all the difference when it comes to speeding up the process in order to see faster results. Now, in the case of ‘soul exercise’, the important thing is to engage in activities that only generate positive energy in your heart and mind. Anytime you find yourself in a negative situation, rather than getting entangled in the negativity, walk away and avoid the weight that such a situation would bring. Instead, always conduct yourself in a loving and generous way. Saying kind words or giving a helping hand are ‘exercises’ that can burn off negative energy faster than diet alone.
Fortunately, such exercises are always within arm’s reach, as there are ample opportunities to do good each and every day. The trick is to take those opportunities as they arise and make them your regular habit. And this isn’t about going out of your way each and every time, either. Instead, it’s a simple matter of doing the little gestures of compassion that make all the difference. Smiling and saying ‘hello’ to someone, although seemingly insignificant, can burn off negative energy for both you and that person. Just as the easy exercise of walking each and every day can burn off fat, so too, simple acts of kindness can go a long way to burning off negative energy, thus helping you to achieve your goal of enlightenment.
In the end, it’s really quite simple. Once you develop a lifestyle of taking in and generating positive energy you will find that your heart and mind become lighter in nature. After all, positivity is the natural charge of a person’s energy. Thus, once you stop taking in negative energy, and put an end to generating negativity in your words and actions, then all you are left with is peace, love, and happiness. You don’t need to go on a quest to find these things, instead, you simply need to protect them from the darker energies in order for them to flourish and thrive in your life. And once you free yourself from the negative energy that weighs your heart and mind down your soul will once again become buoyant, floating in the ether as Nature intended. This is what achieving enlightenment means in the New Paradigm.