Monday, 18 August 2025

How to Not Get Enlightened - I tried all of these and they really do work

How to Not Get Enlightened (I tried all of these and they really do work) 1• Waiting Enlightenment is the recognition of your own nature – and that can only happen here and now. Waiting for liberation in the future is the fastest and most efficient way to not get enlightened. 2• Being fixated on experiences  Chasing heightened states, bliss states, expanded states. Believing you need more of them to get enlightened or that having them means something. All experiences come and go. If you don’t want to get enlightened, keep chasing them.  3• Confusing concepts with reality Mistaking spiritual teachings for reality itself, instead of seeing them as interpretations. If you’re keen to remain unenlightened, spend your time conditioning your mind with concepts and arguing with others about who’s more right. 4• Staying loyal to a teacher or tradition at the expense of your own liberation. There’s no shortage of loyal, exhausted, broke, unenlightened followers who stick around long after the teaching stops working for them. 5• Being a follower at all Please don’t be one, unless you want to not get enlightened. And definitely don’t put your faith in an ‘infallible’ or ‘perfect’ teacher. Enlightenment is the discovery of your understanding, knowing and authenticity, not someone else’s.  6• Getting lost in the power and group dynamics around a teacher. Conforming, obeying, performing. Pretty much everyone at some point has to stand completely alone and take full responsibility for their own transformation. Relying on others is a great way to not get enlightened.


Source:

"How to Not Get Enlightened (I tried all of these and they really do work)," is a well-known piece of writing in spiritual and non-duality circles. While it is widely shared and attributed to various people, especially Tom Thompson, there is no definitive source that confirms it was written by a specific individual. The content of the piece aligns with common themes found in non-duality and certain modern spiritual teachings, which emphasize that enlightenment is not a future goal to be attained, but a present reality to be recognized. The popularity of this text and the lack of a clear author suggest it might be an anonymous piece of wisdom that has been passed around and resonated with many people.

Based on a comprehensive review of the available sources, the text is not an official title by an author named Tom Thompson. However, it accurately captures the central, paradoxical philosophy of the non-dualistic spiritual works of Madhukar Thompson, specifically his books Enlightenment May or May Not Happen and Enlightenment? Who Cares! These books are not original works by Madhukar Thompson but are transcriptions and compilations of the teachings of the Indian sage Ramesh S. Balsekar. The initial misattribution is likely a result of a common conflation of names and ideas within the spiritual community. The core teaching is that enlightenment is not a goal to be achieved by the individual "me-entity" but rather a spontaneous occurrence that unfolds when the ego's striving ceases.

Tom Thompson is a meditation teacher and personal consultant based in North Carolina, USA. His work focuses on an inclusive approach to enlightenment, drawing on various traditions and psychological frameworks, including Kundalini Yoga, Western Psychology, and Direct Path Teachings. In 1990, he and his wife, Bonnie, founded The Awakened Heart Centre for Conscious Living to support individuals in realizing and living their true nature in everyday life. While Tom Thompson is a legitimate figure in the spiritual community, there is no evidence in the provided sources to suggest he authored a text titled "How to Not Get Enlightened." An automated search of his website, The Awakened Heart Center, failed to find any such document. The misattribution likely stems from the shared surname, "Thompson," and the fact that both individuals are involved in the broader spiritual domain of non-duality and consciousness, a common point of confusion for those navigating this complex field. 

In contrast to Tom Thompson, the provided sources consistently link Madhukar Thompson to works that explore the very concept articulated in the user's query. Madhukar Thompson is identified as the author and editor of the "Enlightenment Series," which includes books titled Enlightenment May or May Not Happen and Enlightenment? Who Cares!. The content of these books is directly relevant to the theme of "not getting enlightened." A crucial point of distinction is that Madhukar Thompson is not the originator of the teachings in these texts. The books are compilations of conversations that he recorded, transcribed, and edited with the late Indian sage Ramesh S. Balsekar. This role as a compiler and editor places him as the correct author for the physical publications, but the intellectual and spiritual source of the ideas lies with Balsekar. 

Thus the text may not be an official title and is not by an author named Tom Thompson. The concepts explored in the query are instead found in the works of Madhukar Thompson, specifically his books Enlightenment May or May Not Happen and Enlightenment? Who Cares!, which are compilations of the teachings of Ramesh S. Balsekar.


Sunday, 22 September 2024

Soul is an ignorant belief


Scientists have developed Xenobots, tiny biological entities created from frog cells using AI and biotechnology, which can execute tasks like robots and even self-replicate.

Limited understanding by ancient humans about life and the world led to the development of beliefs and concepts surrounding the soul.

Ignorance of fundamental principles of the universe gave rise to notions of sin and virtue, associating moral value with taking of life or preservation of life.


Friday, 31 May 2024

Man at Bombay needs to go to Bombay

Man is at Bombay. But misunderstood that he is at Delhi. He wants to go to Bombay. He needs to fully understand that he is already at Bombay. That is the only thing he can do. This is the Truth. This is what Maharaj says.  Since he has not realized it, he is actually at Delhi. Keep on discussing ways to go to Bombay. Do some practices to reach Bombay. Describe the experiences at Bombay. He cannot simply go and realize that he is at Bombay; he has to go through Indore and Gwalior. Do everything except to understand that he is actually at Bombay. This is traditional vedanta. This is religion.

 Man is at Bombay. But misunderstood that he is at Delhi. He wants to go to Bombay. He needs to fully understand that he is already at Bombay. That is the only thing he can do. This is the Truth. This is what Maharaj says.

Since he has not realized it, he is actually at Delhi. Keep on discussing ways to go to Bombay. Do some practices to reach Bombay. Describe the experiences at Bombay. He cannot simply go and realize that he is at Bombay; he has to go through Indore and Gwalior. Do everything except to understand that he is actually at Bombay. This is traditional vedanta. This is religion.

Friday, 24 May 2024

Conscioussness and Awareness

1. Tom, absent in the class - denotes the relative absence of Tom and the absolute presence too. 2. Tom, even if absent, has the absolute potential to be present at any time. This is awareness. Awareness, the absolute potential, always is. Awareness is not an entity to shower grace upon you. 3. Tom, when present, is the manifested consciousness. Conscioussness - the relative presence, comes and goes. Conscioussness is not an entity to give you blessings. 4. Tom, to listen to the class, needs to be relatively present. To experience anything, you need consciousness manifested.

1. Tom, absent in the class - denotes the relative absence of Tom and the absolute presence too.
2. Tom, even if absent, has the absolute potential to be present at any time. This is awareness. Awareness, the absolute potential, always is. Awareness is not an entity to shower grace upon you.
3. Tom, when present, is the manifested consciousness. Conscioussness - the relative presence, comes and goes. Conscioussness is not an entity to give you blessings.
4. Tom, to listen to the class, needs to be relatively present. To experience anything, you need consciousness manifested.

Wednesday, 15 May 2024

Traditional Spirituality vs. Direct Truth

 

Traditional Spirituality vs. [Direct Truth] 1 Organized system of beliefs originated from culture. Structured doctrines vastly shaped by geographies. [Independent & Universal thinking.] 2 Based on fear. Hates questioning. Surrender. Follow. Obey. Rules you. Restricts you. Manipulates you. Intimidates you. [Freedom. Questions everything. Seeks inward. No one above you to control.] 3 Mob or Herd mentality. Attacks if questioned. Yells blasphemy. [You walk alone. Search alone. No ideas to defend.] 4 Discriminating. Exclusion and prejudice based on differing beliefs. 'We are special'. [No beliefs. Anyone can inquire. Earnestness alone matters.] 5 Leadership hierarchy, Institutionalism, Hero worship. 'Initiation' and 'Lineage' for dominance. [Nobody above or below. You are the ruler. You are the guru.] 6 Feeds you with baseless concepts, stories and dogmas. Gurus, Gods, Scriptures, Karma, Sin, Heaven, Hell, Symbols, Idols, Rituals, Visions, Miracles. [Discards all such concepts as sheer ignorance.] 7 Promises achievements and advantages if you follow. Makes you feel lost if not. [No advantages. Nothing to achieve. If you want to understand, do it. Nothing wrong otherwise.] 8 Salvation, Realization, Enlightenment, After-Life, Re-Birth. Great offers.[Rejects as false concepts. There is no such entity to realize or reincarnate.] 9 Practices, Dos and Don'ts, Duties, Rules, Prescriptions, What to think, Eat, Drink and Wear.[Nothing to practice. Nothing to become. You can understand it now, this moment.] 10 No basis for anything claimed. Packed with anti-science and pseudo-science.[You know that you are! Simple.]

Traditional Spirituality vs. [Direct Truth]
1 Organized system of beliefs originated from culture. Structured doctrines vastly shaped by geographies. [Independent & Universal thinking.]
2 Based on fear. Hates questioning. Surrender. Follow. Obey. Rules you. Restricts you. Manipulates you. Intimidates you. [Freedom. Questions everything. Seeks inward. No one above you to control.]
3 Mob or Herd mentality. Attacks if questioned. Yells blasphemy. [You walk alone. Search alone. No ideas to defend.]
4 Discriminating. Exclusion and prejudice based on differing beliefs. 'We are special'. [No beliefs. Anyone can inquire. Earnestness alone matters.]
5 Leadership hierarchy, Institutionalism, Hero worship. 'Initiation' and 'Lineage' for dominance. [Nobody above or below. You are the ruler. You are the guru.]
6 Feeds you with baseless concepts, stories and dogmas. Gurus, Gods, Scriptures, Karma, Sin, Heaven, Hell, Symbols, Idols, Rituals, Visions, Miracles. [Discards all such concepts as sheer ignorance.]
7 Promises achievements and advantages if you follow. Makes you feel lost if not. [No advantages. Nothing to achieve. If you want to understand, do it. Nothing wrong otherwise.]
8 Salvation, Realization, Enlightenment, After-Life, Re-Birth. Great offers.[Rejects as false concepts. There is no such entity to realize or reincarnate.]
9 Practices, Dos and Don'ts, Duties, Rules, Prescriptions, What to think, Eat, Drink and Wear.[Nothing to practice. Nothing to become. You can understand it now, this moment.]
10 No basis for anything claimed. Packed with anti-science and pseudo-science.[You know that you are! Simple.]

Sunday, 31 March 2024

The child of a barren woman

 


In the absence of the substratum of consciousness, there is no manifestation, and therefore, no separate pseudo-entities to ask any questions at all! And consciousness is only a concept. Therefore, I call the entire manifestation, 'The child of a barren woman'.
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Pointers from NM.

Which means, not only that the entire manifestation, the world, does not exist, but also that it is not even possible to exist at all.

Thursday, 28 March 2024

GOD

 


• Did God come and tell you that the world is His creation and concern and not yours?
• To help you, God must know your existence. But you and your world are, dream states. None knows them, and none can help you.
• Your scriptures and your gods have no meaning here.
• Is it not the simple sense of being, the sense of existing, the sense of presence, that has not changed about yourself? 
• If you were not conscious, would your body exist for you? Would there be any world for you? 
• Would there then be any question of God or the Creator?

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
I am That

Friday, 15 March 2024

Let us come back to your problems of re-birth.

 


• What is 'born', the objective body, will, in due course, 'die'; thereafter it will be dissolved i.e. irrevocably annihilated. The objective part of what was once a sentient being will be destroyed, never to be re-born as the same body. 
• And consciousness is not an object, not a 'thing' at all; therefore, consciousness, as something non-objective, cannot be 'born', cannot 'die' and certainly cannot be 're-born'.
• Who is born? And who dies? And who is to be re-born? How does the concept of Karma, causality and re-birth arise at all? 
• Instead of a phenomenon being accepted as a manifestation of the unmanifest, a mistaken identification with a pseudoentity takes place and a phantom with a supposed autonomous existence gets created. 
• This phantom is supposed to have choice of decision and action. It is this phantom that is supposed to be born, to live, to suffer and to die.
• And in this process, it is this phantom who becomes liable to the process of causality known as Karma, accepts the supposed 'bondage' and 're-birth', and seeks an imagined 'liberation'.
• Over the natural process of the manifestation of phenomena, gets superimposed a phantom-self with a supposed autonomous, independent existence, and on this/phantom-self is loaded the concept of the resultant effects of the imagined volitional actions — i.e. Karma, bondage and re-birth!
• Do you understand now why I debunk the theory of re-birth?
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Thursday, 14 March 2024

The entity which is supposed to be re-born does not exist

 


- The entity that you believe to have been born and will die is a concept.
- The entity that you believe to exist and roam about after death is a religious superstition.
- The entity that you believe that will enter into another body after your death is a religious superstition.
- The entity that you believe that will progress gradually, on doing some gimmicks called yoga, or repeating some meaningless words called mantra is a religious superstition.
---------------------------

"The entity which is supposed to be re-born does not exist, except as a mere concept! How can a concept be re-born?"
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Thursday, 22 February 2024

You may know all the right words, quote the scriptures

 


You may know all the right words, quote the scriptures, be brilliant in your discussions and yet remain a bag of bones. Or you may be inconspicuous and humble, an insignificant person altogether, yet glowing with loving kindness and deep wisdom.

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj


A journey into the unknown

 


Once you realize that the person is merely a shadow of the reality, but not reality itself, you cease to fret or worry. You agree to be guided from within and life becomes a journey into the unknown.

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Wednesday, 21 February 2024

The plurality that we perceive is only an appearance

 


The plurality that we perceive is only an appearance; it is not real. Vedantic philosophy has sought to clarify it by a number of analogies, one of the most attractive being the many-faceted crystal which, while showing hundreds of little pictures of what is in reality a single existent object, does not really multiply that object.

Erwin Schrödinger
Austrian physicist. One of the founders of quantum theory.


Tuesday, 11 July 2023

This is not Advaita

This is the fundamental misunderstanding with objective comprehension of scriptures. A-dvaita (non-duality) means ‘not two’. What are those 'two'? “You as an individual and the reality as the other, which will eventually become one” - This is wrong. There are no ‘two’. You are the reality. There is no separate individual. Separate individual is an illusion due to ignorance. Only way is to remove the ignorance and see properly.  “You are now something, and gradually will become another something when your ignorance is removed” - This is wrong. There are no ‘two’. This happens due to objectifying even the ignorance. That you are separate is itself the ignorance.   “All the Truth and absolute states discussed is only for the realized. Until I realize, the relative drama is true for me” - This is wrong. Everything is the same even if you are realized or not. It is you who imagine otherwise. Actually, this is what you need to realize.  Time and space is in you. Not a 'you' in a span of time and a stretch of space. If that is the case, how can ‘you’ gradually realize in time? And, how can ‘you’ eventually merge into something?   The manifestation is in you. Not ‘you’ an object in a world. If that is the case, how can your actions within the appearance or manifestation decide your progress? How can you progress at all and where to? You are THAT even if you understand it or not.

 

Sunday, 25 June 2023

Individual soul is a religious superstition

 


Planarian worms cut into pieces, grow into separate organisms. If each organism has a soul, where from did these extra souls come?

Individual soul, jiva, atman is a religious superstition. That it can carry karma is a myth. That it will take rebirth is a myth. That it will go to heaven and hell is a myth. Individual soul is an imagination out of misidentification with the body. The very purpose of realization is to remove this false idea. Then, how can believing in fairy tales built on the misidentification, enlighten you?

Thursday, 15 June 2023

There is no such thing as matter in itself - Max Planck

 


There is no such thing as matter in itself. What we perceive as matter is merely the manifestation of a force that causes the sub-atomic particles to oscillate and holds them together in the tiniest solar system of the universe.
- Max Planck. German theoretical physicist, originator of quantum theory

Once you realize beyond all trace of doubt that the world is in you and not you in the world, you are out of it.
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

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About Nisargadatta Maharaj

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita (Nondualism), and a Guru, belonging to the Navnath Sampradaya. Sri Nisargadatta, with his direct and minimalistic explanation of non-dualism, is considered the most famous teacher of Advaita since Ramana Maharshi. In 1973, the publication of his most famous and widely-translated book, "I AM THAT", an English translation of his talks in Marathi by Maurice Frydman, brought him worldwide recognition and followers.

According to Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, the purpose of spirituality is simply to know who you are. His discussions are not for academic scholars. He is a rebellious spirit, abrupt in his style of discussion, provocative, and immensely profound, cutting to the core and wasting little effort on inessentials. He talked about the 'direct way' of knowing the Final Reality, in which one becomes aware of one's original nature through mental discrimination, breaking the mind's false identification with the ego, knowing that "You are already That".

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