The Time It Takes To Become Enlightened

Jan 22, 2012 by mywisdomclub - Sanjib

By Sanjib Mukherjee

A diamond may be kept in a dark room for fifty years, yet as soon as the doors are opened, how long does it take for the diamond to receive the light? It happens instantaneously! The same can be observed when we look at our very own spiritual growth.

Scriptures dictate that enlightenment can never be gained; it is something that inherently resides within us all. It is only our lack of awareness of this dormant energy which gives us the illusion of having any spiritual deficiencies. All the practices we undertake: meditation, yoga, pranayama, breathing, etc, are mere tools to help guide the mind inwards and connect with the reality of our true selves.

The time it takes for us to reach the essence of our true being, is merely dependant on how quickly we can remove our own ignorance. In fact, the Buddha commented beautifully on this topic when a few days after reaching an enlightened state he was asked, “Does it feel now you have gained the highest state in life?” To which the Buddha replied, “To reach the highest state I have gained nothing, but lost everything.”

The depth to the Buddha’s message was extremely profound: in losing everything, Buddha was referring to finally shedding all traces of ego and possessions from his mind. In doing so, he connected to the ultimate source of energy which flows and connects every aspect of our lives to the universe.

Some sincere seekers may attain enlightenment very early on in their lives; others may take a while longer. The important aspect to remember is we will all get there in the end. Time is not of the essence; we literally have all the time in the world. The Vedas suggest enlightenment happens when our minds are fully ready to comprehend the ultimate powers we have within. Until we get to that point, stay persistent with your practices and enjoy the inward journey taking you back to your true self.

You never know when your doors will be flung open and allow the light to come in. A split second is all the time it takes for the awareness of our enlightenment to dawn upon us all. Use these thoughts to stay persistent in your spiritual practices and continue to keep the faith in everything you do.