How to Find Spiritual Enlightenment Anywhere

How to Find Spiritual Enlightenment Anywhere
By Eric J. Leech
The Truth is Everywhere if You Know How to Look

I would hazard a guess that the majority of you know someone who has embarked on a pilgrimage to achieve spiritual enlightenment. It has become a common belief, that in order to find our destiny, sometimes we need to travel across the world. This implies that we may have left a part of ourselves somewhere in a small Italian cafe. Perhaps, in an old English manor, or better yet, in some romantic tropical getaway, where the men and women roam free and naked. These trips may bring a certain amount of spiritual enlightenment. However, if we had to make such a pilgrimage each time we felt like we were losing our mind (or love), a good portion of us would be in the poor house by the end of the month.

J. Z. Knight, a mystic, teacher, author, and expert in the 2004 film, What the Bleep Do We Know?, has been all over the world. She has experienced the Nazca Lines of Peru, the Glastonbury Tor of England, and the Chartres Cathedral of Paris. However, out of all these great spiritual destinations, one of her favorite places to retreat is her own mind, as the sun is casting its farewell across the evening sky.

“I’ve been to just about every other place in the world—to the most powerful places,” says Knight. “There are many incredible sites to see, but the one place we are always welcome, is in our own backyard (mind)—contemplating the beauty and restoring hope.”

“It is not so much that a place heals us,” explains Knight. “It is our reaction to these places.” Whether you’re witnessing the Divine light of the Emei Shan mountains, or a simple cloud making its way across the sky, you are consciously making the decision to either see the moment as a gift, or a break in the day to think about your troubles, worries, and fears.

People often get the idea that the only way to escape their problems, is to go far away where their troubles can’t reach them. What they soon find out, is their miseries follow them no matter where they go. You can’t run from something that is such a huge part of you, and nor can you ignore its (your) effects without experiencing some sort of consequence.

“Spirituality is in our super consciousness,” says Knight. “We have in every moment of our life, the ability to contact our inner hero, our own awareness, and be our greatest defender.” How can you accomplish this? You can decide that you’re not going to be judgmental today. You are not going to live in fear. You can make the decision to reverse the negative flow of defeat and failure, and see yourself as a winner. You can treat yourself with respect, honor your needs, and allow yourself to make the right choices, not because you’re told they are what you have to do, but because you know they’re what’s best for you.

Our body experiences everything we think, and those thoughts are interconnected with our DNA and cellular response. “The moment we consciously make the decision to live for ourselves, we start to heal,” explains Knight. In a sense, our mind is the ultimate destination, where we can whisk ourselves away anytime to nourish the soul and replenish our spirit. Considering our body listens to what we tell it, if you choose to feel depressed and trapped, it will respect your wishes, and adapt itself to your woes. However, if you choose to walk outside your dome of negativity and breathe the wonder and mystery of everyday life, it will adjust to this rational, allowing the positive flow of energy to become the norm.

“You don’t have to be spiritual at a site (place). You can be spiritual on your way to the bathroom from your coffee break. You can say I have always been a genius. I have always been filled with joy. People think that if you wear a certain color, it makes you spiritual. If you wear a crystal, somehow you are going to be enlightened. If you do a certain diet, it will purify you. You can be the purest person, with the worst personality, and that is not going to wash the inner you. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, and it doesn’t matter what you look like. What matters is that you care enough to ask the great questions inside of yourself, and you can do that at any moment. We only need to be told we can.” — J. Z. Knight