What is Enlightenment?
Throughout history, people have explored human potential and have yearned for what is often referred to as Enlightenment, Awakening or Self-Realization. Let’s look at enlightenment and our true potential as human beings from the perspective of REN XUE. Yuan Tze created Ren Xue and Yuan Qigong to provide safe and effective tools for progressing along the path toward Ren Xue’s ultimate goal – higher realization and wisdom. Within the Ren Xue system, enlightenment is the 4th of 9 stages along this pathway. Since enlightenment is a stage that people can achieve, it is important to have a clear understanding of its characteristics and its place in the wider context of life cultivation.
What does Awakening mean?
Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of awakening or enlightenment. There have also been a variety of attempts to outline a path to getting there. Paths to enlightenment generally fall into 3 categories:
- Cultivating and opening the heart
- Cultivating and purifying the consciousness through self-inquiry
- Cultivating true awareness
Ren Xue encompasses all three. It is both safe and effective. It uplifts body, Qi, heart and mind and guides the practitioner toward awareness in every moment. At the stage referred to as enlightenment, there is a permanent, fundamental shift in consciousness. It results from dismantling the faulty patterns of our consciousness. Tearing down the false self allows for the manifestation of the True Self. With the emergence of the True Self, one’s experience of life dramatically changes – like lifting a veil and encountering everything for the very first time. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPM29-Ny4PY[/embedyt]
What are the characteristics of Enlightenment or Awakening?
The all-encompassing internal changes that accompany enlightenment make it difficult to define. In some traditions, there has been a reluctance to speak openly about the key aspects of spiritual awakening. They are often shrouded in mystery and accessible to only the very few. Yuan Tze, the creator of Ren Xue and Yuan Qigong, feels an open discussion of the phenomenon is important so that as many people as possible can reach their full potential as human beings. In Ren Xue, the main characteristics and manifestations of enlightenment are:
- A big leap on the level of the heart and the constant manifestation of the essential qualities of the heart (trust, openness, love, gratitude, and true respect)
- A big leap on the consciousness level, especially with regard to transforming negative patterns; and a dramatic change to one’s worldview and value system
- The manifestation of wisdom, enabling one to see reality and one’s life clearly and determine its direction; and the manifestation of new abilities
- The emergence of a strong sense of purpose and mission.
Join us on Global Awakening Day, on the first Sunday in October each year! The REN XUE pathway to Awakening The Ren Xue pathway encompasses theories, teachings, and a contemporary Qigong system called Yuan Qigong. Together, they provide effective tools for working on the three necessary aspects for awakening: heart, consciousness and true awareness. They also prepare the Qi and body to serve as the foundation for this work. The first 6 Yuan Qigong methods work to strengthen the body and Qi. Methods 7, 8, and 9 work on the heart, consciousness and true awareness. Most of the Yuan Qigong methods can be learned online. The courses are accompanied by free monthly Deep Dive sessions that offer support and the opportunity to interact with credentialed teachers and fellow community members.
