A View of Enlightenment

ByMatthew

I read recently that the Dalai Lama said that enlightenment is love and insight working together, like wings on a bird.

I love this idea because it conjures a rich metaphor for understanding our lives.

Neither love or insight alone is enough to live well. Both must come together and act in concert for us to to be happy and accurate, satisfied and effective.

The metaphor is further useful in that there are birds that have wings, but can’t fly. I see people who have the capacity for love and insight, but they are so stunted in their lives, and development, that they cannot “fly.” Perhaps they could glide if they jumped off a cliff or something, but true flight eludes them.

And then there are those who cannot fly because they have had their wings clipped. They could fly if they removed themselves from their current situation and left their feathers regrow, but, for whatever reason, they don’t.

What I want to emphasize is that both love and insight necessary. You need to be introspective and critical, questioning and curious. As importantly, you need to be gentle and nurturing, accepting and inviting.

Do you accept the premise? That to live a truly wonderful life, one must embrace and nurture these different (yet complementary)  impulses?

What do you think?

What do you live, each day?

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