Many people who embark on spiritual journeys find themselves in search of what’s often called "awakening" or "enlightenment." This is typically framed as a mystical or transformative state where all the difficulties of Life dissolve, and a person steps into a state of eternal peace, clarity, and understanding. It sounds perfect, right? But let’s pause for a moment. What are we really searching for when we seek awakening?
The underlying belief driving this search is that something is missing from our current experience. There's a sense that we are somehow incomplete, and that by reaching awakening, we’ll finally be whole. But here’s the twist: What if what you're looking for isn't something to find, but something you’ve never truly lost? What if the very act of seeking is what keeps you from noticing what’s already here?
The Illusion of a Final Destination
When we talk about seeking awakening, it often feels like we’re chasing an idealised version of ourselves. We imagine a future where all our problems dissolve, where our identity shifts into something much grander, more peaceful, more… enlightened. But what we often overlook is that this search is built on the assumption that there’s something wrong with us right now. We believe there's a gap between where we are and where we need to be.
Yet, when you deeply explore this idea, you find that this gap is an illusion - a product of thought. The very notion that you need to become awakened to fix something in yourself is based on a belief that something is missing or broken. But this belief itself is part of the illusion that keeps us from seeing that Life is already unfolding perfectly, right here, right now.
Awakening as a Realisation, Not a Destination
Here’s the thing about awakening: it’s not a magical event that suddenly happens through effort and willpower. It’s more of a subtle shift in perspective. It’s the realisation that what you’ve been searching for has been present all along.
You don't have to strive or struggle to make awakening happen. Awakening is not a finish line to cross; it’s simply recognising that Life, in its wholeness, is already happening. And you are not separate from that. The idea of a separate, individual "you" trying to awaken is just a story. In truth, there is only Life, and Life is already fully awake.
The Seeking Trap
The act of seeking often becomes the very thing that keeps us from seeing what’s already here. When we’re focused on getting somewhere - achieving awakening, reaching a higher state - we’re not present with what’s happening now. We become fixated on a future ideal, missing the reality that Life is already expressing itself effortlessly, whether we notice it or not.
This is why the search for awakening can feel endless. Every time we think we’ve gotten closer, the goalpost seems to move further away. But what if the goalpost was never real? What if there was no goal, no final state, no future achievement? What if the very search was built on a false premise?
Resting in Life as It Is
The truth of awakening is much simpler than we often make it out to be. There’s nothing to achieve, nothing to figure out, and no state to arrive at. Life, in its full expression, is happening right now - whether you’re aware of it or not. The breath you’re taking, the thoughts passing through your mind, the sensations in your body - all of it is Life expressing itself effortlessly.
When the search for awakening falls away, what remains is this: Life, just as it is. There's a sense of deep peace and relaxation when you stop trying to change or control it. There’s no need to get anywhere because you’re already here.
The Paradox of Seeking
Here’s the paradox: In trying to find awakening, we overlook the fact that we are already it. The very idea that you need to seek awakening presupposes that you are separate from it. But the truth is, you are Life. You are already the very thing you are seeking. Awakening is not about becoming something new, but about realising what has always been the case.
So, the next time you find yourself feeling like you need to reach awakening, pause for a moment. Notice the breath happening without effort. Notice the sensations in the body, the thoughts arising and dissolving. All of it is Life. All of it is already awake. And that includes you. The search can stop here. Life is already unfolding as you, in all its wholeness and perfection. There’s nothing left to do but to rest in that simple, beautiful fact.
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