The Three Great Lies of Awakening

After a genuine experience of awakening, certain insights become ingrained, which are difficult, if not impossible, to share. These unspoken truths are often hinted at in profound spiritual writings or in the presence of awakened individuals. The speaker identifies three such 'lies' or withheld truths that are rarely revealed due to their challenging nature.

The first truth is that there is no free will. This concept is hard for humans to accept as we value our perceived ability to choose, believing it defines our humanity. However, in the awakened state, the 'chooser' disappears, leaving only spontaneous choices made by the 'whole.' Neuroscience even suggests that decisions are made unconsciously before conscious awareness, indicating a lack of individual free will. The ego, if it returns, struggles with this, and if misunderstood, can lead to a dangerous justification for any action, highlighting why this truth is often unshared.

The second truth, flowing from the first, is that nothing matters. This can be devastating if misinterpreted by the ego, which might use it to justify indifference. While on a human level, suffering and injustice demand our compassion and action, at the deepest awakened level, without a 'doer' and with everything unfolding perfectly according to cosmic principles, nothing truly matters in the conventional sense. This leads to deep trust in the universe's unfolding, where good and bad events are seen as part of a perfect process.

Awakened teachers understand that all teachings are inherently false in the context of no free will, as no technique can force awakening. Teachings serve to distract the mind, calm emotions, and create an inner space where awakening might spontaneously occur. The teacher knows that they are merely setting conditions, as ultimately, free will is absent for both the student and the master in attaining spiritual states.

The third truth is that our natural state is one of bliss. This is difficult for an unawakened person to hear, as it can cause stress, self-judgment, and distrust if they are experiencing suffering. For the awakened, however, closing their eyes reveals a blissful awareness, as the absence of free will and the understanding that nothing matters leaves only this state. This state paradoxically often motivates awakened individuals to help others and improve the world out of love.

Another unspoken truth is that global awakening and a 'heaven on earth' will not happen in our lifetime, or even for hundreds or thousands of years. This can be disheartening, but the awakened know that the world is inevitably heading towards a state of collective enlightenment, a rolling wave of awakening. Our role is to create the conditions for individual awakening: working on personal shadows, softening our edges, letting go of victimhood, and cultivating a contemplative inner life. This process of inner softening is what eventually leads to spontaneously landing in the lap of the divine.

We can only create the optimal conditions for the 'awakening miracle' to occur within us. Teachings and teachers can only help set these conditions, as each individual's path is unique and cannot be dictated. The ultimate realization comes from within, through a series of softenings that lead to a profound connection to the divine, a state that once experienced, remains forever.