Enlightenment is available to all of us, regardless of our addictions. Addictions belong to the body and to the ego mind. When we realize that we are Eternal Souls, the tendency to look for relief from outside sources lessens. But many great teachers and thinkers have had physical dependencies.
It is a mistaken notion that a person needs to be squeaky clean, never desire anything, never feel any unpleasant emotions, and be a saint to be enlightened. One of my favorite enlightened beings, Alan Watts, was a chain smoking alcoholic. Choygyam Trungpa, another great enlightened being, was a drug addicted alcoholic. But that does not negate the brilliant and deep message they so clearly communicated. If they had physical failings, those “flaws” did not touch their pristine Souls.
It is perfectly possible to be enlightened and still make mistakes. We can be enlightened and still be in physical pain. But underneath it all, we are observing from a space of peace that cannot be touched by the ups and downs of life. Getting rid of harmful addictions is a result of living from that space, and is more an effect than a cause.
But again, let’s be gentle with ourselves about addictions and enlightenment. We don’t need to think that just because our body and brain craves certain substances that enlightenment is not for us. Usually the enlightened person choses to be self-nourishing, so harmful addictions will dissolve. But one thing is sure, no matter how the ego mind and body are behaving, we are always capable of contacting who we really are deep down in our Souls.
It is a mistaken notion that a person needs to be squeaky clean, never desire anything, never feel any unpleasant emotions, and be a saint to be enlightened. One of my favorite enlightened beings, Alan Watts, was a chain smoking alcoholic. Choygyam Trungpa, another great enlightened being, was a drug addicted alcoholic. But that does not negate the brilliant and deep message they so clearly communicated. If they had physical failings, those “flaws” did not touch their pristine Souls.
It is perfectly possible to be enlightened and still make mistakes. We can be enlightened and still be in physical pain. But underneath it all, we are observing from a space of peace that cannot be touched by the ups and downs of life. Getting rid of harmful addictions is a result of living from that space, and is more an effect than a cause.
But again, let’s be gentle with ourselves about addictions and enlightenment. We don’t need to think that just because our body and brain craves certain substances that enlightenment is not for us. Usually the enlightened person choses to be self-nourishing, so harmful addictions will dissolve. But one thing is sure, no matter how the ego mind and body are behaving, we are always capable of contacting who we really are deep down in our Souls.
RSS Feed