What does enlightenment mean to you?

Most people perceive enlightenment as an end goal, i.e.  "I'll be finished with my spiritual development once I acheive enlightenment."  I believe that enlightenment is simply another step in our learning and growth.  It is a higher perspective, another lens through which we look at life while we continue to learn and grow.

To me, "enlightenment" is recognizing that there is an illusion of separation and seeking to peer beyond the illusion for the truth.  i.e. "Enlightenment" is a change of perspective from an ego-centric perspective to a cosmic or infinite perspective. See my blog, Higher Perspectives for more on this.

Andrew Cohen's (founder of WIE magazine) teaching makes a lot of sense here:  This teaching says that the reason we need to transcend the postmodern psychological disease of extreme narcissism is so that we can be that One.

Indeed, we see examples of this "extreme narcissism" rampant throughout religion. 

Isn't the basis of most religion the seeking of salvation - the saving of "self"?  "What is the condition of my soul?" is a common question.  Buddhism seeks nirvana which is a mode of being that is free from mind-contaminants (Kilesa) such as lust, anger or craving. It is thus a state of great inner peace and contentment - the end of suffering, or Dukkha, according to Wikipedia.  But isn't this yet another form of ego-centric focus, or narcissism?  Isn't ego the focus of most "self-help" groups?

Let me clarify what I mean when I say "ego-centric" or "narcissism":  All concern is on "my" state of being; how "I" feel; what "I" want or don't want; "my" relationship with "God"; how external events influence "me"...etc.

Living in ego is living in the illusion of separation.  "Enlightenment" is recognizing that the perspective produced by ego is an illusory perspective.

Try to think of it this way:  The most common idea of "God" is as an omnipotent, omnipresent being from which all creation originated.  So, if we consider the thought that "God" is The Source of All Creation, a natural question that arises is "what did S/He create everything from?"  In other words, what was the basic building material from which everything was created, if nothing else existed besides "God?"  The logical answer would be "God created everything from Her/His/Its self."

Or, look at it from a scientific point of view.  The Big Bang theory tells us that the entire universe emerged from a "singularity."  All energy/matter emerged from a single, condensed origination point at a specific point in space/time, and has evolved into denser states of matter and higher forms of consciousness, producing the universe as we know it today.

If the universe, including us, has been created out of "God," does that make any one part of it "less than God"?  If all energy/matter has been evolving towards higher forms of consciousness since the creation of the universe, and we humans have the highest known form of consciousness (homo sapiens sapiens, to paraphrase, = man that is conscious he is conscious), what does that say about us?  What does that say about evolution and "enlightenment"?

I don't think it has anything to do with managing stress or personal salvation.

I think the highest expression of "Enlightenment" must be compassion towards every being, and all of creation, knowing that we are all part of the Whole, that we are all Divine.  "Enlightenment" must produce higher states of consciousness, grander perspectives. 

My argument has always been that enlightenment is not some lofty, unattainable end goal, but something real and attainable.  Moreover, enlightened thought does not produce a dissolution of the physical self and immediate reunion with the divine, but rather it produces enlightened action.  Any enlightened action will lead to the possibility of attainment of enlightenment for others.  In helping ourselves, we help others, which helps us, which helps others, which helps....the collective Whole!  In my opinion, there cannot be enlightenment without fruit. "Enlightenment" must seek to continue our existence, in order to allow this grand experiment to unfold to its full potential.  It must be concerned with preservation of our planet.  It must devote itself to the well-being of all creatures.

True "Enlightenment" does not encourage the debate.  True "Enlightenment" knows that, at this present moment, action is required in order to continue our existence.

It is a higher perspective.  It is unconditional love and compassion. As for compassion, maybe "unconditional love" would be a better term to use since the word compassion has been so tainted with dogma.  "The unconditional love of God" or more precisely "God's unconditional love?"  To love others as if they are you.  To love the planet as if it were your mother/child/self.