Q&A for How to Become Enlightened

According to Buddhist tradition, there are 7 stages of meditation, which are part of the path to enlightenment. These are 1) awareness of your body, feelings, and thoughts, 2) awareness of your mental state, 3) energy, 4) rapture, 5) pure bliss, 6) superconsciousness, and 7) upeksha (enlightenment).

There are a variety of opinions on this question, but it depends a bit on your own spiritual tradition or your personal definition of enlightenment. While some people believe that enlightenment means moving beyond personal attachments and desires, others maintain that it doesn’t really change your basic desires and personality that much.

Everyone defines and experiences enlightenment in their own way, so your experience may feel very different from someone else’s. People who claim to have achieved enlightenment may say that they have a deeper awareness of their own emotions or consciousness, or they may feel a greater sense of calm or general satisfaction with their life.

Stay conscious of the your surroundings, and more importantly, be aware of the thoughts running through your mind without being judgemental about them.

Nobody can enlighten someone else. You must enlighten yourself.

You already are enlightened. The goal is to realize and awaken to that fact. You are divinity pretending to be something other than divinity.

You'll just know it when you've reached it.

Keep reading different things and religions and ideologies until one clicks. They're all trying to get the same message across, it just takes some patience to find the one translation that finally makes you go "a-ha!"

Be patient. Intentionally focus on the distraction, and it, too, will pass. Then bring your focus back to where you want it to be. Or, make a note of the distraction and promise yourself to come back to it after you have focussed on the thing you want to. Experiment. You will find the best way for yourself.

You are aware of so much more because you are starting to view the world in a different light, and you are becoming aware of more happening around you.

Not everyone reaches enlightenment.

No. Depending on who you ask, 'following your bliss' is a great pathway to awakening your consciousness. Trust yourself and learn from those around you. For instance, some may say a more aesthetic path of seeking truth or nirvana is most effective. Nevertheless, your best path depends on what you, personally, find to be helpful in your own physical, mental and spiritual journey.

Understand your inner self. Read 'Key to Heaven' by Stella Hermoine Howell, and you will learn how to invoke great Spiritual Beings. Learn how to purify yourself.

Nothing is new about what you feel. Practice one thing, which will be your source of strength, for a long time, like a year or more. If you maintain control for that long, you will know yourself, what tempts you and what you need to do.

You can approach this in two ways. Locally, there will be organizations that will help you, such as the Bahai, Quakers, Buddhists, or similar secular organizations. You can also start exploring different online communities, especially those focused on Buddhism or positive thinking, to meet other people who are seeking the same things you are.

There is no "path"...only choice. Each must follow their own "path," thus yours may not be right for another, just as another's "path" may not be right for you. There is no map to enlightenment like there is a map to get from New York to Chicago. The power of choice is the closet thing we have to a "path." Find an approach that appeals to you and every day make the choice to adhere to that approach. That IS the "path."

According to Theravada Buddhism, people have no souls, just a consciousness, which would not be negatively affected by the process of embalming.

Meditation and focusing on one's thoughts is key to becoming enlightened. Meditate with calm relaxing sounds and clear your mind of everything worldly.

Abstain from what you deem to be impure. The past is done and gone, as are all the beings of the past and their actions. Now you inherit the results of the past, all you can do is in this present moment, do wrong or do right, right now. Be pure, now. We are all defined by what we presently are, not by our past or our futures.