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What do you all think? How is enlightenment achieved, or is it earned?
Is there even such a thing as enlightenment? Writings about Higher plateu's of thinking and realization have been dated back to the Greeks. For a notion that is illogical it certainly is taken seriously as a logical possiblity by people who base there entire profession on logic, places like berley, and harvard study this on a regular basis. So what are your thoughts, if any?

I think enlightenment can be reached...I guess

i dont even know what enlightenment is. Sounds like some kinda religious stuff, which i have no interest in.

It's supposed to be like pure bliss

what, like heaven?

No this is where you're jus' compeletly happy, no worries, no anger

meditation helps

Oh, like being rich?

RR great topic. Well there was a period of Enlightment in around 1600's. so i guess it was a time that Philospheres expanded "knowledge". well there has been enlightment before the 1600's. there has always been enlightment. Currently im doing a project on 4 philosophers.
1. Plato (teacher of Aristotle)
2. Epicurus
3. Horace
4. Aristotle (teacher of ALexandre the Great)

This reminds me of my ethics class. I dont think anyone can reach enlightenment. Its nearly impossible to actually stop craving. And its pretty stupid the concept of it. Its almost like self torture.

Ya have a point Metroplex

Enlightenment is achieved when one gives up trying to achieve enlightenment! Let it go. Realize that there is no answer to such philosophical questions. Instead, focus your energy on having as much fun as possible before you get old and die.

Why the different name TH?

Long story, check out the "all tied up" thread. Basically I changed my email address on my old account and I can no longer access it.

Will do.

enlightenment is complete inner peace and a higher understanding. Aristotle wrote that a higher being of pshycological and physical abilities lie within every one. He believed this plateu was achieved with enlightenment. This is a plane of existence that can only be endured with self purity. anything unpure can not be endulged, the defiance of unpurities cannot be a goal, rather an understanding. Aristotle said that different level's of illumination often find there way into the consciousness of everyone. This is lost however with the corruptions of a distorted mind sets. This led him to believe a higher existence of the universe. These can all be reached with different levels of perception. A famous quote by him is "The human body is perfect,Controlled by perfection that is the brain. This is proof that perfection of the mind can be reached"

anyone ever try meditating..if so how do you do it? i mean what do u think about and what do u do

i have........
u just sit alone and close your eyes and you think of one thing like for example candy........and every time you breath out you say this word to yourself quietly and then keep breathing in and out repeating yourself
after a little while your mind just clicks and you reach this sensation thats like completely cool........u dont worry about anything and ur mind is clear

lol that doesnt sound like my groove baby lol hows about jumping off a building and pulling the cord on your parachute 5 seconds before you can no longer pull it! now thats a rush

meditation is different for everyone. it is very relaxing and helps concentration. It is basically focus, focusing on peace. Anyone can meditate. Sit straight. allign your neck and back Breath deep in through your nose and fill your lungs,hold then exhale through your mouth. you continue this untill a pattern with your breathing begins. Focus on whatever it is that keeps your mind one tracked. just focus on relaxing untill you are lost in consciousness. This is basically a very crude description on a way to meditate, there are different techniques. If your really interested read up on different breathing techniques. this helps. When you take deep breaths in through your nose though, try and breath through your throat, pretend there is a hole in your throat and breath in

enlightenment is only based on one's perception of what being "enlightened" means. And how to reach it is also a matter of perception. The Buddhist belief of reaching Nirvana is not the same as the Hindu's belief of reaching Moksha(sp?)

medidation is wicked.........it gives you a wicked feeling inside

good job rr. i can see you have read many philosophical books . i also enjoy philosophy. Epicurus said that the stomach is the pleasure of the human body. Im hungry...

you know whats strange, montesquie said that all are born equal...but he still liked the idea of having slaves. strange dont you think? rr plz do respond.

Ahh it's always nice to find a fellow admirer of philosophy. You certainly know your sources aswell. Not many people find intrest in montesquieu. I dont know to much about ol monty, ive read some translations of his "spirit laws" Other than that im in the dark with him.

It certainly is a great contradiction that he would say all men are born equal, and endulge in slavery. However just because he acknowledged that all men are born equall. Doesnt mean he would match his morales and values to this way of thinking. Most killers know what they do is wrong. I dont know very much about him, other than a night reading his spirit laws . It is very hard to believe a man of such great intelligence and spiritual awarness would be apart of slavery. They were different times to. He also quoted one of my favorite quotes saying

"liberty is the right to do whatever the laws permit" I always thought of this remark as a sarcastic one, but knowing what i know now im gonna re think this one. One more point, do you know when in his life he said that all men were born equal? maybe he came to this conclusion later in his life after years of slave owning

All we are is dust in the wind, bro.

i dont know i believe we are all wayward children searching for those winds of fortune to carry us home

gj rr.

roface