What's Next After Enlightenment
Posted by
patrick
Every swept floor invites another sweep. Each child bathed invites another bathing. Each lawn mowed demands another mowing. Every breath taken requires another breath.
The sun rises each morning and sets every evening. The moon shines each night. Tides ebb and flow each day. Birds sing perfect songs today and sing them again tomorrow.
Oysters open their shells when the moon is high in the heavens. The chambered nautilus creates a new chamber in its spiraled shell every lunar month.
When we breathe, we do not stop breathing because we have taken in all of the oxygen we will ever need. We stop breathing because we have all the oxygen we need for that particular inhalation.
When we exhale we stop exhaling in order to prepare for the next breath. We will need to repeat the process, however, no matter how perfectly we have inhaled and exhaled.
What these scenario are telling us is what is finished invites refinishing.
So what do we do after we become enlightened? We become more enlightened. Once we are consciously one with the Infinite Isness there is a tendency to think we are finished, that we are complete, that we have reached the pinnacle of our perfection.
But nothing could be further from the truth. There is a Zen koan which goes like this: Before enlightenment, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. At the moment one is enlightened, mountains are no longer mountains and rivers are no longer rivers. After enlightenment, mountains are again mountains and rivers are again rivers.
An updated version of this Zen saying comes from Unity minister, Jim Rosemergy who reminds us, "Mystics do not denounce the world once they turn to God. They remain in the world but not of the world. Even mystics have bills to pay."
When we are enlightened, that is, when we positively, absolutely, without a doubt realize we are the Christ expressing as us, we remain in the world, but not of the world to show others the way to enlightenment.
That is our Great Commission: to fully express our Christ potential and help others to do the same. It is the same call to purpose expressed in Matthew 28:19-20.
I will share the New Revised Standard Version and then sprinkle an metaphysical interpretation from the New Metaphysical Version of Matthew to add spiritual depth.
After His resurrection Jesus told His disciples in verse 19:
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
Metaphysically Jesus was referring to three specific nations: our body, mind, and soul. Baptizing the nations means purifying our body, mind, and soul from unhealthy material attachments.
We are to accomplish this 'in the 'name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.' Name means 'in the nature of.' And, metaphysically speaking Father, Son, and Holy Spirit refer to the three aspects of Divine Order (Mind, Idea, Expression).
So, we are to cleanse our body, mind, and soul by becoming one with the nature of the Christ Presence within us so we can divinely order our experience.
Matthew 20 says in the New Revised Standard Version: " Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you, remembering that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
Metaphysically 'teach them' means to walk our talk with integrity. 'I am with you always' means we have an indivisible, unshakable, eternal connection with Spirit. To the 'end of the world' means from one cusp of consciousness to another.
Matthew 20 tells us to walk our talk by letting our Christ Light shine as we move from one level of Christed awareness, one level of refinishing to another. So, what's next after we enlightenment?
We are in the world but not of the world. We live as monks and mystics in cities, towns, and communities. We light up the world with our example. Like the spiritual masters who became enlightened before us we will teach others how to teach others.
We will look like typical men and women, but our values and the way we live, work,and view the world will demonstrate our surrender to our higher calling.
We will have human challenges, but we will not be bound by them. We may use eyeware, hearing aids, or pace makers, but we will not be defined by them.
We may take medications or require hospitalization, but we will not be diminished by them. We may live in a world that is not perfect, but we will not be limited by that imperfection.
We will be in the finishing and refinishing business. We will pot and repot ourselves daily. We will renew and continue to renew ourselves. We will tool and re-tool ourselves constantly.
We will continue to seek a higher calling because enlightenment is a verb, not a noun. Enlightenment is a process, an unfolding, a movement from one exhilarating cusp of consciousness to another.
The sun rises each morning and sets every evening. The moon shines each night. Tides ebb and flow each day. Birds sing perfect songs today and sing them again tomorrow.
Oysters open their shells when the moon is high in the heavens. The chambered nautilus creates a new chamber in its spiraled shell every lunar month.
When we breathe, we do not stop breathing because we have taken in all of the oxygen we will ever need. We stop breathing because we have all the oxygen we need for that particular inhalation.
When we exhale we stop exhaling in order to prepare for the next breath. We will need to repeat the process, however, no matter how perfectly we have inhaled and exhaled.
What these scenario are telling us is what is finished invites refinishing.
So what do we do after we become enlightened? We become more enlightened. Once we are consciously one with the Infinite Isness there is a tendency to think we are finished, that we are complete, that we have reached the pinnacle of our perfection.
But nothing could be further from the truth. There is a Zen koan which goes like this: Before enlightenment, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. At the moment one is enlightened, mountains are no longer mountains and rivers are no longer rivers. After enlightenment, mountains are again mountains and rivers are again rivers.
An updated version of this Zen saying comes from Unity minister, Jim Rosemergy who reminds us, "Mystics do not denounce the world once they turn to God. They remain in the world but not of the world. Even mystics have bills to pay."
When we are enlightened, that is, when we positively, absolutely, without a doubt realize we are the Christ expressing as us, we remain in the world, but not of the world to show others the way to enlightenment.
That is our Great Commission: to fully express our Christ potential and help others to do the same. It is the same call to purpose expressed in Matthew 28:19-20.
I will share the New Revised Standard Version and then sprinkle an metaphysical interpretation from the New Metaphysical Version of Matthew to add spiritual depth.
After His resurrection Jesus told His disciples in verse 19:
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
Metaphysically Jesus was referring to three specific nations: our body, mind, and soul. Baptizing the nations means purifying our body, mind, and soul from unhealthy material attachments.
We are to accomplish this 'in the 'name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.' Name means 'in the nature of.' And, metaphysically speaking Father, Son, and Holy Spirit refer to the three aspects of Divine Order (Mind, Idea, Expression).
So, we are to cleanse our body, mind, and soul by becoming one with the nature of the Christ Presence within us so we can divinely order our experience.
Matthew 20 says in the New Revised Standard Version: " Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you, remembering that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
Metaphysically 'teach them' means to walk our talk with integrity. 'I am with you always' means we have an indivisible, unshakable, eternal connection with Spirit. To the 'end of the world' means from one cusp of consciousness to another.
Matthew 20 tells us to walk our talk by letting our Christ Light shine as we move from one level of Christed awareness, one level of refinishing to another. So, what's next after we enlightenment?
We are in the world but not of the world. We live as monks and mystics in cities, towns, and communities. We light up the world with our example. Like the spiritual masters who became enlightened before us we will teach others how to teach others.
We will look like typical men and women, but our values and the way we live, work,and view the world will demonstrate our surrender to our higher calling.
We will have human challenges, but we will not be bound by them. We may use eyeware, hearing aids, or pace makers, but we will not be defined by them.
We may take medications or require hospitalization, but we will not be diminished by them. We may live in a world that is not perfect, but we will not be limited by that imperfection.
We will be in the finishing and refinishing business. We will pot and repot ourselves daily. We will renew and continue to renew ourselves. We will tool and re-tool ourselves constantly.
We will continue to seek a higher calling because enlightenment is a verb, not a noun. Enlightenment is a process, an unfolding, a movement from one exhilarating cusp of consciousness to another.
About the Author:
Dr. Bil Holton is a metaphysician, Unity minister, and Truth practitioner. His Metaphysical Bible interpretations take readers beyond the limitations of embedded theology to a higher, more enriched perspective of Bible study. Visit his website to view the many resources that are available to help you on your Truth walk and spiritual journey.
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