Enlightenment is a state where one is totally at ease with oneself.
It is a state of relaxed awareness; an inner state transcending identities of faith, nationality or gender and beyond outer behaviour. All spiritual practices like yoga and meditation facilitate the journey. Adi Shankara described it thus in the Atmashtakam: "I am not the body, breath, mind, intellect, ego or memory – I am the ever pure consciousness whose nature is bliss, I am that innocence and benevolence." Friendliness, compassion, contentment, an attitude of sharing and caring – all these are the qualities of those who are in their nature, centred. Read more
LIVE Chat with Bhanumathi Narasimhan on 12 March, 2011 at 9 pm IST on www.artofliving.org/live-chat