The Enlightenment Technique
At the core of the Enlightenment Intensive is the dyad. These dyad periods are 40 minutes long, during which each participant sits opposite a partner whilst contemplating a koan (a question that the mind cannot answer satisfactorily), with the intention of directly experiencing themselves.
The koan most often used is “Who Am I?” The contemplator communicates to a silent listening partner whatever occurs in his/her consciousness as a direct result of their contemplation. After 5 minutes the roles reverse and the contemplator becomes the listener, and vice versa. This cycles around until the 40 minute period has passed.
The Power of Real Contact
One of the reasons this process is so powerful is due to the direct contact participants have. The nature of this contact is non-physical and differs greatly from the type of contact that we have become accustomed to in the world.
Ordinarily, contact is based on forming and maintaining relationships which mostly carry personal agendas and are inevitably charged. The contact that is established on an Enlightenment Intensive is not orientated toward developing relationships, but rather to be supportive in a silent openness of reflection.
In the receptive role, one is simply available to the other, listening without interuption, evaluation or consequences overlaid on what is communicated. In the active role, one is encouraged to communicate authentically, honestly, and without discerning what is usually considered socially acceptable according to the individuals preferred model.
The participant simply communicates what arises out of their contemplation from wherever they are, regardless of whether it is egoic, mental, emotional, or from the very core of their Being. This type of contact is a very significant part of the Intensive and one which carries far reaching implications when the individual returns to a more normal environment outside of the retreat.
The Schedule & Rules
Additionally there is a carefully crafted pre-set schedule and a set of simple rules, which together with the Enlightenment technique are designed to maximise the participants chances of having an enlightenment experience.
Essentially by employing these means in a self-responsible manner, a conducive environment is co-created which disarms the mind's Self-avoidance strategies and therefore becomes fertile ground for awakening to occur. This environment is an all too rare opportunity for the individual to let go of all external considerations and simply focus all their attention on enlightenment for the duration of the retreat (most often 3 days) without distraction.
The Fundamental Questions
'Nothingness'
Throughout time mystics and devotees of the enlightenment traditions have contemplated the fundamental questions which arise out of a sincere and conscious consideration of life and human existence. In relation- ship to this specific format there are four potential areas of contemplation. Who am I? What am I? What is life? What is another?
The aim of this contemplation is not to find the correct answer to the question, rather it is to have a direct experience of it. The individual is invited to suspend all ideas, beliefs or predilections held, letting go for a moment, free from the burden of holding on to being right or wrong, and simply resting in what Is.
The Immaculate Way of No Teaching
Although there is a very specific structure within the Enlightenment Intensive format, there is no formal teaching offered. The Enlightenment Intensive is ultimately focused upon supporting the contemplators to experience the Truth for themselves. This is an empowerment process which encourages Self-Realisation, without the use of imposed religious/spiritual perspectives. Teaching methods serve only by means of contemplative instruction.
Whilst this is a highly effective format there is no guarantee how many people will have enlightenment experiences. Approximately 30% is normal. Regardless of the degrees of experience occurring, whatever realisations and insights participants do receive on Intensives, the benefits are rarely insignificant.
Generally speaking, the enlightenment experiences received on Intensives have a lasting effect and are usually sufficiently powerful to empower definite transformation in peoples lives.
Profound appreciation of life and others, authenticity of Being, openness, clarity, increased capacity to Love, are some of the qualities which are cultivated as a result of direct experiences of Self, life and others.
The Journey
The Intensive does not in itself function as a psycho-therapeutic forum, although it is quite normal for participants to come up against mental and emotional barriers on their journey toward the Truth. Participants are supported to work through these, while keeping focused on the goal of enlightenment.
Although Intensives usually last only 3 days the challenges encountered can be considerable. It is quite normal for participants to undergo a diverse journey through the different facets of their own psyche. This journey often includes as many shadow aspects, such as frustration, fear and hopelessness, as it does the generally preferred states such as euphoria, love and clarity.
Although the intention of the individual always remains to penetrate ultimate reality, this is not a transcendence process where reason is used to justify a bypass of the undesirable. The key to this process is being open to whatever occurs in the experiencer whilst contemplating, regardless of whether this is comfortable or not, and allowing it to be as it is, neither clinging to preferable experiences nor rejecting uncomfortable experiences.
As a result an allowance is cultivated where different states come and go naturally within the process, whilst the contemplator remains resolute in their intention to discover the Truth which underlies all these transient states.
Intention and Surrender
'Dyad'
At its core the Enlightenment Intensive approaches contemplation with a balance of intention and surrender.
The participant intends to have an enlightenment experience, though ultimately accepts that having invested sufficient right effort, such an experience cannot be forced. The participants place themselves in the best position to receive such an experience, and then surrender, understanding that realisation occurs in a moment of complete openness, when effort ceases.
This is a logical approach, which when examined more closely, reveals a functional pattern that is evident throughout lifes journey. One engages life fully, though remains detached from outcomes, and in turn remains free from suffering.
In enlightenment terms both intention and surrender are necessary in order to realise the non-dual state.
Intention
It is widely acknowledged that what we feed energy to grows. If we feed energy into reinforcing our identity within a worldly context then our concerns are always on worldly issues and our experience of life maintains a more surface characteristic, whereas if we focus our attention on cultivating a richer inner world then our capacity to remain established in that particular facet of reality is strengthened and our experience of life trawls deeper.
Initially intention requires some effort. There has to be some clarity over what one is intending to do, and one has to make a decision to follow through where possible.
This is commitment, and as one becomes more established in this commitment then effort becomes less due to the base line reality having shifted toward an overall orientation around the intention. For the duration of an Enlightenment Intensive there is only one intention, and all focus is directed toward this end; enlightenment.
Surrender
In this context surrender could be seen as being completely open, or Being with absence of effort. Being completely open is a state where there are no contractions, no refusal to accept, nor tendancy to hold on. There is no longer any grasping or rejecting, nor is there any need to control in order to have preferences met or self identifications reinforced.
There is an emptiness of Being.
It is like a bottomless vessel through which life pours. The vessel is fully present engaging with life in the moment, though remains perpetually empty of content, always open, always empty, and consequently always free.
In this surrendered state, a natural authenticity of Being dawns.
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