Guiding Thought

Everywhere Fulfillment is, I am. Fulfillment is everywhere. Fulfillment is. I am.

This day, first Journey of Fulfillment, 2014
This day, second Journey of Fulfillment, 2016
One year ago–It’s already done: Journey of Peace 2017– Day 28

Sharing

We are on the final stretch, the last 10 days! Pat yourself on the back–you are doing great. I know sometimes it does not feel like anything is “happening”–at least I feel that way, sometimes. But I can assure you, that if you have been taking a few minutes each day to read and think about the Guiding Thoughts, you are changing; your perceptions and perspectives are broadening, and you are allowing more love and light into your mind and your heart–and I hope you have seen that love and light encourage bold action, especially in a currently dark world.

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In “What is Enlightenment?”,  Steven Norquist says this:

Enlightenment is the feeling/knowing that no one exists including you and that everything that happens does so spontaneously and perfectly. Enlightenment is the feeling/knowing that what exists is Universe/Consciousness, they are the same, U=C. Existence is itself consciousness and that is why there is something rather than nothing. This is the real state of things and because it is so natural, so simple and so obvious, we miss it daily.

This has my head spinning a bit today (I just found this essay). So much of modern, western personal and social identity comes out of Descartes’, “I think therefore I am”…especially the I am. Yet, Norquist is saying that “you” do not exist, “no one exists including you”. Today’s Guiding Thought relies heavily on the “I am”, which now is being questioned through this quote.

There is no existence, as we have defined it for centuries. Think about how that totally obliterates identity politics.

There is, however, happening, according to Norquist: “everything that happens does so spontaneously and perfectly”.

No existence. Only happening.

But then Norquist goes on to say, “Enlightenment is the feeling/knowing that what exists is Universe/Consciousness, they are the same, U=C”.

Follow me here… if there is no existence, how can he then say “that what exists” is anything? Moreover, if there is no existence, who or what is doing the feeling/knowing about what “exists”?

This, I’m sure, is merely a reflection of the problem with words trying to express concepts bigger than our linear-language can accommodate.

The bottom line (I believe) for Norquist is that only consciousness exists: “Existence is itself consciousness”.

Consciousness is the only thing that exists. Existence is consciousness; consciousness is existence. Existence is the fulfillment of consciousness; consciousness fulfills existence. “You” are this consciousness–the existence of everything. “You” as an identity do not exist. You think therefore you are? No. You just are.

And because what you are is the existence of everything, it is so natural, so simple and so obvious.  You are. The very essence of existence.