Personal Enlightenment

Personal enlightenment is, in my opinion, the path that resonates most clearly with one's heart and soul. All too often, people everywhere are trying to push and pull at each other in order to sway one another to their personal viewpoints. While much of it is well meaning, it must be up to the individual to find what path seems most "right" for his/her individual awareness. All avenues lead to the same source, in my opinion, whatever the source actually is. We all have different names and concepts given to said source, and each of these viewpoints has the potential to bring more spiritual awareness to an individual.

I would suggest reading spiritual/religious literature with an open mind. What exactly do I mean when I say this? Well, for one thing, having an open mind can help combat one's own personal bias to something he/she may not fully understand. I believe there are many benefits one can receive by many different paths. Something as simple as another viewpoint can possibly make a world of difference for an individual. On the other hand, when I speak of being open minded, I also mean that one should take what they read with a grain of sand. Being open minded doesn't mean that one believes everything he/she reads, it simply means to give each piece of literature a fair chance. If something highly resonates with one individually, then one can adopt that particular concept into his/her lifestyle. If it is something which seems too conflicting or doesn't resonate, then let it go.

I also urge people to challenge their own beliefs. There are no "right" or "wrong" beliefs, rather there are beliefs that can either aid or hinder one in what he/she is trying to achieve. If an old style of thinking no longer resonates with what this particular individual is trying achieve or who that individual is trying to become, then letting it go for the time being can put things in better perspective. I am not asking that one dumps out everything that he/she has learned, only the beliefs that no longer serve him/her. We all create our own perceptions of reality, whether this is done at a conscious or unconscious level, and one's belief system highly dictates the choices made in life whether or not one is aware of it. Think about it, how can one fully expect to achieve something if he/she has comflicting beliefs regarding the desired outcome?

Letting go of long standing beliefs isn't always an easy task due to certain religious beliefs and/or other beliefs learned at a young age. If one is new to this, it could create resistance and discomfort. That is perfectly fine and a natural part of the process. The mind tends to seek what is familiar, and adopting new ways of thinking can create temporary discomfort. There are many avenues and self help approaches to help guide with this transition. I highly recommend one to do research and get assistance through this process whether it is through self help approaches, speaking with others about it, professional counseling, etc. Whatever one is trying to achieve, it definitely is possible if the individual puts an honest effort into the desired outcome. Bringing peace and happiness to oneself is the best gift someone can give to himself/herself. It has been said that a man who conquers himself is better off by far than one who takes a city.