Enlightenment

How to seek enlightenment

Imagine your twin, separated at birth, growing up in a secluded, secular world.  Your twin is your age and looks like you.  However your twin has just now learned about religion and is open to learning more.  Your twin begins to practice the religion they are taught.  They pray, sing, read and engage in social activities with others of their religion.  What happens to their brain and mind?

Prior to about 1990, science had little understanding of the neuroplasticity of the brain.  During most of the 20th century, the general consensus among neuroscientists was that brain structure is relatively unchangeable after a critical period during early childhood. This belief has been challenged by new findings, revealing that many aspects of the brain can be rewired even into adulthood.

The aphorism, "neurons that fire together, wire together" - "neurons that fire apart, wire apart,” captures how the brain changes with learning.  Your twin begins to rewire their brain as they practice their new religion.  They do this by learning words and what they mean, by learning songs, by praying and by engaging their emotions and senses in social activities with others of their religion.  They learn and as they learn their brain is rewired.

They have an epiphany. They are born again.  They feel enlightened.  They begin to experience life in a completely new way.  Naturally they want to share this experience with others.  But because what happened to them was all in their brain, no one saw it happen and therefore others don’t believe.  Also, your twin tries to describe what happened so that others can follow the same practice and get to the same place.  However, very few others are able to replicate your twin’s experience.

Your twin was able to rewire their brain because they engaged all of their senses, all day, every day in their practice.  In the beginning, they were uncertain and did not believe or have faith that an epiphany would happen.  They hoped for enlightenment but knew that might not happen.  They were told about people feeling born again.  Only by fully engaging and committing their life to daily practice were they able to achieve their dream.