Key Elements

@Leo Gura That's why the title said 12 Basic Qualities of an Enlightened Person. It's only a general outline, not the entire package. The entire thing is too complicated.

@Huz There is no easy way for me to say this or ask you this question. I'm just going to try my best, but you don't have to respond or answer the question(s), ok? This is only for you to think about. You said that you're in London. Fine. However, originally, you mentioned that you're from some place else. Now, Leo, in one of his clips, talked about cultural transendence. PUA/RSD in and of itself is a totally "different" culture than your place of origin. It will be very interesting and maybe very rare experience for you to join PUA/RSD and watch yourself pick out a girlfriend and return to your place of origin with your girl, and both of you transend both cultures. Where are you going to settle? Best of Journey. But, if you don't get what I'm talking about, you don't have to respond.

12 Basic Qualities of an Enlightened Person by: Charles Francis Author of “Mindfulness Meditation Made Simple: Your Guide to Finding True Inner Peace” “If you think you are enlightened, go home for Thanksgiving.” — Ram Dass We sometimes say that some people are enlightened, but do we really know what that means? We might say that because they are kind, loving, and insightful. While these may indeed be qualities of an enlightened person, it’s hard to be sure unless we ourselves are enlightened. I’ve been on a spiritual path most of my life, and in my experience I’ve seen how people are transformed through spiritual practices. Here is a list of qualities that most of them attain. This is not a comprehensive list, but I think it contains some of their most prominent qualities. Keep in mind that there are varying degrees of enlightenment. That is, everyone is at a different point in his spiritual development, and some may be more enlightened than others. Also, these qualities can be possessed by both men and women. Enlightenment is not exclusive to either sex. 1. Happiness The enlightened person is happy and joyful. He has a cheerful disposition most of the time, and is willing to share that joy with others. He is always optimistic that all challenges have a resolution. Even though the resolution may not be the most desirable, he is confident that he is capable of being at peace with it. 2. Peaceful and Serene The enlightened person is peaceful and serene, because he is free of fear and other unwholesome emotions. He can see that the human condition reaches beyond this physical existence, so he no longer has a fear of the unknown. He is free of worry because he understands that freedom from suffering comes from within, and not from material possessions. 3. Loving, Kind, and Compassionate The enlightened person is loving, kind, and compassionate for two main reasons: 1) he genuinely cares about other people, regardless of whether they care about him, and 2) he knows that other people provide him with the spiritual nourishment he needs to continue growing. Therefore, he remains spiritually open to everyone. 4. Not Self-Centered The enlightened person is not self-centered, because he has lost the sense of a separate self. He can see the interconnected nature of our existence. To him, this is not just a concept, but a reality. He realizes that all physical manifestations (humans, animals, plants, etc.) depend on each other for their survival. 5. Emotionally Stable The enlightened person is emotionally stable because he no longer has an ego that needs validation for its existence. He is not hurt because there is no ego to hurt. He does not get angry because he is understanding and compassionate toward those who are not as far along the spiritual path. 6. Patient and Understanding The enlightened person is patient and understanding because he appreciates how our ignorance creates our own suffering. He understands the challenges of achieving enlightenment, so he doesn’t condemn people for their missteps. 7. Humble The enlightened person is humble. Since he knows his place in the universe, he doesn’t need validation from others. Therefore, he has nothing to prove to anyone, including himself. His humble nature allows him to be kind and gentle, and be open to everyone he encounters. 8. Insightful and Open-Minded The enlightened person is insightful and open-minded. He is able to see the world with great clarity, without attachment to preconceived ideas about people, places, and things. This enables him to observe the world without jumping to conclusions. Belief and intuition are replaced with clarity of vision and understanding. 9. Inner Strength The enlightened person has great inner strength. He has learned healthy ways of connecting with the sources of spiritual nourishment — through healthy interactions with people, and within. He no longer has a need for the power struggles that most of us engage in. 10. Leadership The enlightened person is a leader. Having awakened to the point of understanding the nature of suffering, he realizes his duty to help other people find freedom from suffering. He leads by example, rather than control. People follow him because of who he is and what he stands for. They want to be more like him. 11. Mindful of His Health The enlightened person is mindful of his health — physical, mental, and emotional. He knows that his mind, body, and spirit must be in harmony in order to maintain his spiritual condition. He has developed an understanding of physical and mental health, and doesn’t blindly depend on others for his health. He is mindful of the nutrients and substances he puts into his body. 12. Committed to His Spiritual Practice The enlightened person never forgets how he achieved enlightenment. He is also aware that it takes continuous effort to remain that way. It takes a great deal of spiritual nourishment to help others along their path, so he’s aware that he needs to replenish his spiritual strength on a daily basis. Otherwise, he’ll lose his effectiveness as a spiritual messenger. Overall, the enlightened person is mindful of himself, and the world around him. Furthermore, he is curious and willing to continue learning. He is aware that even though he can see with great clarity, developing an understanding of the true nature of our existence takes time to observe and investigate. This is not a comprehensive list of the qualities of an enlightened person. But I think these are the most prominent. My purpose for examining these qualities is to give us a compass to guide us in our spiritual journey — a vision of the path that lies ahead. From this list, it seems clear that enlightened people live rich and fulfilling lives. Those who achieve any measure of enlightenment do so through some form of daily meditation practice, a willingness to let go of old views, and a commitment to helping others find peace. It takes work and dedication, but it is well worth it. Best wishes on your spiritual journey!

"It's hard to transend culture if you only know your own."

Practice the Action Habit by Robin Sharma, author of Who Will Cry When You Die? "Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it," observed David Starr Jordan. Most of us know what we need to do in order to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. The real problem is that we don't do what we know. I have heard many motivational speakers say, "Knowledge is power." I disagree. Knowledge is not power. Knowledge is only potential power. It transforms itself into actual power the moment you decisively act on it. The mark of a strong character lies not in doing what is fun to do or what is easy to do. The sign of deep moral authority appears in the individual who consistently does what he ought to be doing rather than what he feels like doing. A person of true character spends his days doing that which is the right thing to do. Rather than watching television for three hours after an exhausting day at work; he has the courage to get up off the couch and read to his kids. Instead of sleeping in on cold wintry mornings, this individual exercises his natural reserves of self-discipline and gets out of bed for a run. And since action is a habit, the more positive actions you take, the more you feel like taking. All too often, we spend our days waiting for the ideal path to appear in front of us. We forget that paths are made by walking, not waiting. Dreaming is great. But thinking big thoughts alone will not build a business, pay your bills or make you into the person you know in your heart you can be. In other words of Thomas Carlyle, "The end of man is an action and not a thought, though it were the noblest." The smallest of actions is always better than the boldest of intentions. I like your background, Leo!

Well, if you take a look in your high school, does every teenager want that? Let's say you went to a different high school. How about actually looking into a different high school? Try picking a very "good" high school in your neighbourhood to visit. Does every teenager want that? Why or why not? You don't have to go along with any teenager or make friends with them, just observe. There is a saying, "You become the 5 people you hang out with the most. Choose carefully." Tell you something else... Go visit your local university on your free time. Just take a walk there for a day - nothing special. Browse their catalog of majors. Did any of them match your talents and what you love to do? Which is the closest match? If you didn't find a match, see if there is an university counsellor and go talk to him/her. Make up a liberal study if necessary. In the meantime, visit a local coffee shop and stop and smell the roses along the way. Time to take a break and observe and make light decisions. Get creative. The university is not only for studies. You could also get ideas for a career and where to travel (exchange programs). Don't miss out in this world. It's a great place to do networking / startup. This is where your life purpose comes in. You could do this throughout the life. The university is a great place - many options and resources. Have fun here. Meditate here in a quiet spot under some tree. Join a yoga program here or nearby. I'm not suggesting for you to do any of this - just sharing with you thoughts and ideas. I'm just saying that for me it's casual and relaxing. At the same time, I learn a lot in an easy way.

What is the life that every teenager wants to have?

Correct, I agree. Let me just add, it's great if the person looks ahead and plans ahead. For example, we all heard of the saying, "Put yourself in the other person's shoes." What if we plan to get married and have children, then what? What actually happens if that were to happen? I think this is the radically open-minded thing to do, even though you may not want to do this or not planning to do this yet. Sometimes being radically open-minded is learning the easy way. Knowing what is the other side of the coin in a practical way helps.

Leo also has a clip on detachment...

You were not judging her; she was judging you. It's a misinterpretation on her part and a hasty conclusion. She could've asked what you meant.

School/education:

As I watched, this guy came to mind. Remember him? @DizIzMikey Yes, I agree that we are all totally blessed. I also feel that each and everyday, we have the gift of adding something to our life purpose. It's our backup. It's a journey. Each step and each milestone we approach on it gives us a direction. The direction could even mean the type of job to find. If we just get any job when we are most needy in life, it might not work out, so life gets harder. So ask yourself today, "What do I love to do?" Then, take a baby step on it. Keep going. Something will surely be revealed.

Mine is rather simple - to be more aware of my present moment. In other words, be aware of what I'm doing. If I want to write in my journal for 5 - 10 minutes per day, so be it. I'm not going to be strict on it, but flexible. At the end of the year, I'll have a 365 page book written. I'm just taking this as a metaphor. This metaphor goes for other things in life too. If you don't want to go for a page a day, don't. Just write a sentence. If you're in the mood or not busy, then go for more.