Anxiety, which stands for the all the difficult and negative emotions stemming from desire -- desire which basically comes from the sense of division created by a sense of individuality -- is only anxiety when one identifies with the entity that it burdens, that it inflicts with work and pain and wanting. If the mind is pure and no longer so identifies, all those anxieties transform into nothing other than the ecstasy and the bliss of Self.
Enlightenment and the Tenth Person
Enlightenment is ultimately about clearing up a simple misconception about who you are. The simplicity of it all is illustrated by the classic story of the tenth man.
The concept of satori & advaita vedanta: stillness & insight
Satori is the concept in Japanese buddhism that suggests a profound, sudden insight. It is cultivated out of mental silence and concentration, but is not simply the same as them. Out of stillness, a looking or noticing emerges. The same scheme is present in advaita vedanta. Mental purity and then discernment or looking happens -- and that results in true knowledge. The fruit of knowledge is further silence.
Oriented towards the thought that isn't a thought, thought is cut up, evaporates, and peace remains
Through self-inquiry and surrender, we orient towards the thought that is the base of all other thoughts... the thought that isn't a thought, that is our Self. Its vast impenetrable space is that against which all other thoughts dash themselves and evaporate harmlessly. Orienting towards that, we realize that there is nothing but that orientation, effortlessly and always.
Is enlightenment sudden or gradual?
This is a perennial dispute about enlightenment: does it take practice and is it therefore a long process of changing mental tendencies? Is it a sudden understanding that is beyond that all gradualism? Or is there even a third possibility?
The Seeker's Paradox: Why should seekers of liberation strive when they are already what they seek?
It's a strange fact that the nondual spiritual traditions suggest that we are already complete, effortless perfection. And yet seekers are told to exert effort to attain or comprehend this truth. How can this be?
The fear of enlightenment as an obstacle on the spiritual path
Seekers unconsciously sabotage their own efforts at self-inquiry and surrender because they are afraid of what they think enlightenment is: a loss of control and enjoyment.
A seeker's most important attribute: an all-consuming desire for Truth
What really propels a spiritual seeker forward towards the truth is overwhelming desire.
We are the sacred temple
The sense of the sacred quiet in holy places is merely a reflection of the sacredness that we are.
If you really want it, awakening is dead simple
What is awakening/enlightenment? It is the destruction of the false belief that you are a thinking, experiencing, doing person. When this happens, you live in your true nature, which is inexpressible, perfect, stainless, and unchanging. Actually, these last couple of sentences are not quite accurate, since the real truth is beyond words, but they are accurate enough.
If you have a strong, unconflicted desire to awaken, the steps are very simple.
Either self-inquire or ignore all thought.
Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real I am at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't.
Ignoring all thought (also known as surrender) is exactly what it sounds like. It's the simplest way of all. It's not about stopping or fighting thought. It's about moving your attention away from it. The TV could be on, but you could refuse to pay attention. Refuse to pay attention to thought. All thought. Repeat till clarity.
Either self-inquire or ignore all thought every waking moment. If you "lose it," come back to it. Keep doing that until there is clarity. If you do it intensely, clarity will come. Again, if you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't.
That is all it takes to awaken.
Now if you do not have an unconflicted desire to awaken (this will become apparent if you have low motivation to do the above practices, or you keep getting seriously distracted by various other things), you can strengthen it by getting an intellectual framework around the awakening process (through asking questions of a teacher, scriptures, etc.) and by dealing with your emotional baggage (this comes to being more honest about what you want -- psychoanalytic psychotherapy and artistic expression of your feelings can be very helpful).