What Is Enlightenment?

A bunch of misunderstandings. A concept. A false promise. A myth. But what this term actually points to - the attainment of never ending inner peace for man on earth: This state really exists. Enlightenment - whatever it is - cannot be merited. And because it cannot be merited, man can't do anything for it. Knowing that he can't do anything for it, he has to do everything for it.

A paradox for whose solution the limited means of the thinking mind are truly not sufficient any more. This thinking mind has managed, in the age of "enlightenment", to leave the religious superstition of generations of believers of religions behind. But in the exuberance of the scientific unmasking of myths, which has been ongoing for centuries, the "great philosophy of Enlightenment" has come to a point where it is no longer aware of its own limitation. The consequence is rational high-handedness. Yet no rationalist who mistakes reason for the measure of all things has ever found inner peace, inner bliss. The thinking mind can only conduct research within the boundary of time. Enlightenment, however, is the crack within time. This crack opens in the gap between two thoughts. Welcome to the unknown!

I had many concepts about enlightenment myself, and enlightenment seemed to me like an unattainable throne. I think this is the case for most seekers. The notion of enlightenment already transmits this unattainable throne, this far away cave in the Himalayas. But that it is possible, here and now, - beyond the age and the story of a person- that it is possible for everybody to attain perfect inner peace, this is the surprising truth. What man really searches for, call it enlightenment, wholeness or liberation, is available in this moment.

However, if it really is available for everybody, why is it that hardly anybody ever realizes it? How is it possible that there were and are millions upon millions of seekers in the West that took incredible troubles upon themselves for decades or for many lives without attaining complete liberation. One possible answer that I have found is: There were only a few who really wanted liberation. This is the true mystery! That there was or is almost nobody that had or has a total interest in it is a clear sign of ignorance of one's Self. And my feeling is that this is changing in our time. That there are more and more people ready to listen, ready to recognize what causes their suffering. And who are definitely ready to give up suffering.

Nobody can know how it happens. I can only say this: That enlightenment is possible for you, that there is no higher power, no God who refuses this to you. If there is an obstacle, it is in yourself.