You Are Not Book.indb - Stephen H. Wolinsky Ph. D.

inTRODUCTiOn
enlightenment
This section brings us back not only to the origin and
title of the book, YOU ARE NOT, but also to the roots of the
human desire to seek pleasure (enlightenment), avoid pain
(endarkenment) or, in a word, to survive.
Once we pierce the veils of solidified consciousness,
which act as seeds and bring forth the delusions of personal
enlightenment as the nervous system’s desire to survive better,
we can begin to understand enlightenment as quite the
opposite.
The veil of personal enlightenment in today’s “spiritual”
circles are manifested as more teachers proposing their
version of enlightenment; how to get “there,” and I am
(Enlightened). This has even brought forth schools with a
wide range of technologies such as mantra, a relationship
with an enlightened master, theories of living in the world
(having it all) in some integrated way, schools that guarantee
enlightenment (like a diploma or certificate if you finish the
course) to get you there. All of these veils (theories) continue
to change in order for these organizations to survive as the
20 th century moves into the 21 st century, and as the survival
of the individual teacher becomes highlighted even more
than ever. In this way, our “spiritual” institutions change to
survive. In other words, if the purpose of the nervous system
is to organize chaos and survive better, and if an organization
is an extension of individuals, then the organization is
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