The aim of the enlightenment period was to become our "better self". It sounded like a noble endeavor but it was crafted by a mind that understands only glimpses of what is truly going on. We can't will ourselves into our imagined paradise. Demons pop up from the depths of our being and eat us for lunch on that journey. Not because we are bad people per se but merely to remind us that we overlook something essential in our quest.
All religious notions of "wrong" and "right" also fall short. No, we are crafting our idiosyncratic life stories, and all we can do is to follow some guiding principles, with the flexibility to adjust and to override our rules, aspirations and fears based on life's feedback mechanisms. Along this journey we discover what truly gives us meaning; we find our place in the cosmos and are guided by our feelings and insights as we experience life's ups and downs.
We call this path after Lao-Tzu, "The WAY", but many different approaches lead to a similar destination. The psychologist C. G. Jung encouraged us to find wholeness in life's opportunities and struggles. Joseph Campbell discovered the 1000 faces of the hero in humanity's stories. Lord Krishna tells us about our spiritual mission in the "Bhagavad Gita", and Joshua's channeled voice encourages us to embark on a divine healing course in "A Course in Miracles".
Many paths lead to Rome so you might as well pick the one closest to you. In the end the outcome will be the same, life will grant you all authentic needs but will be pretty firm in encouraging you to drop all artificial needs, misguided aspirations and fears by the wayside. The age of enlightenment has come full circle and the the demigods have grown up. Claim your heritage, let HER walk you HOME.
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