Isms

Dualism - There is matter and then there is mind. Two different things. Matter is realm of science and mind is realm of the soul & spiritual. When you die, matter decomposes and the soul moves on to it's next destination.

Materialism - World is made of physical things - atoms. Consciousness is an epiphenomenon. It emerges somehow (still mysterious from modern science perspective on the mechanics of this epiphenomenon) from atoms. Matter is primary and mind / consciousness is virtual.

Idealism - Consciousness is all there is. The world out there is kind of like a dream world. It's like how a realistic world is made by our mind in dreams. Matter is virtual.

Non-Dualism - Consciousness and Matter are two sides of the same coin. If & when you have an enlightenment experience, you realize it's all one thing. There is no separation of subject (consciousness) from object (matter). There is no experiencer and object that is experienced. There is only experience.

Transcendence

Why would different cultures and traditions have symbols / words describing similar conscious experience unless it’s real and experienced by people over millennia 

From ChatGPT 

Different religious and spiritual traditions have their own unique words and concepts for enlightenment, liberation, or spiritual awakening—often referring to freedom from suffering, union with the divine, or realization of ultimate truth.

1. Indian Traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism)

🔹 Moksha (मोक्ष) – Hinduism

• Liberation from samsara (cycle of rebirth) and union with Brahman (the ultimate reality).

• Attained through self-realization, devotion (bhakti), or wisdom (jnana).

🔹 Nirvana (निर्वाण) – Buddhism & Jainism

• Buddhism: The cessation of desire, suffering, and rebirth; a state of complete peace and bliss.

• Jainism: Liberation from karmic bondage and realization of the pure soul.

🔹 Kaivalya (कैवल्य) – Yoga & Jainism

• Absolute detachment from the material world, leading to pure consciousness and self-awareness.

🔹 Sahaj (ਸਹਜ) – Sikhism

• A natural state of divine awareness and oneness with God (Waheguru).

• Achieved through meditation, selfless service, and devotion.

2. East Asian Traditions (Taoism, Zen, Confucianism)

🔹 Satori (悟り) – Zen Buddhism (Japan)

• A sudden, deep realization of truth; an instant awakening to reality.

• Often achieved through meditation (zazen) or koans (riddles).

🔹 Kensho (見性) – Zen Buddhism

• An initial glimpse into one’s true nature, leading to deeper enlightenment.

🔹 Wu (悟) – Chinese Buddhism & Taoism

• Spiritual awakening, direct realization of the Dao (Tao).

• Can be spontaneous or cultivated through inner stillness and natural flow.

🔹 Jīngzuò (静坐) – Confucianism & Daoism

• A state of quiet sitting meditation, where one attains harmony with the universe.

3. Middle Eastern & Abrahamic Traditions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam)

🔹 Fana (فناء‎) – Sufism (Islamic Mysticism)

• Ego dissolution and merging with Allah (God).

• Achieved through dhikr (remembrance), devotion, and love for the divine.

🔹 Baqa (بقاء‎) – Sufism

• The state after fana, where one lives in awareness of divine presence while in the world.

🔹 Gnosis – Christian Mysticism & Gnosticism

• Direct spiritual knowledge of God, beyond doctrine or intellect.

• Achieved through inner awakening, prayer, and contemplation.

🔹 Theosis (Θέωσις) – Eastern Orthodox Christianity

• Becoming one with God, participating in divine nature through holiness and grace.

🔹 Hitbodedut (התבודדות) – Jewish Mysticism (Kabbalah & Hasidism)

• Deep personal prayer and self-seclusion, leading to union with the divine.

4. Indigenous & Other Spiritual Traditions

🔹 Great Awakening – Native American Traditions

• Spiritual vision quests, communion with nature, and realization of cosmic harmony.

🔹 Bodhi (बोधि) – Theravāda Buddhism

• Perfect wisdom and awakening to the nature of reality.

🔹 Samadhi (समाधि) – Hindu & Buddhist Yoga

• A deep state of meditative absorption where the self dissolves into pure awareness.

🔹 At-One-Ment – Western Mysticism & Esoteric Traditions

• A state of unification with the cosmos, the divine, or higher self.

🔹 Illumination – Christian Mysticism & Esotericism

• Being filled with divine light and wisdom.

📝 Final Takeaways

✅ Different traditions describe the same experience of transcendence in different ways.

✅ Some emphasize liberation (moksha, nirvana), while others focus on divine union (fana, theosis).

✅ States of sudden enlightenment (satori, kensho) contrast with gradual realization (samadhi, theosis).

Waiting on God

You feel finite. Doing the same things over and over again. Nothing fills you up.

You have everything. Some have more. Some have less.

You desire to feel complete. God is good. God is complete. But you can't see God. You are stuck in your head. 

You and God are two sides of the same coin. But you can't flip it to see it. So close yet so far.

You look for meaning. You look for a sign. All you find is habit.

You have read about non-dual experiences where the individual consciousness expands out of the body, where the observed and the observer are one and the same, where love pervades, where truth prevails. But all you experience right now is finite consciousness trapped within a body, experiencing the mundane, where love is fleeting and truth is an abstract concept. 

You wonder, would I be so lucky to see God one day in this life ? You pray for it like you once did as an innocent child before you realized it was all a sham. And now you've come back to it as the world doesn't fill you up.

You have a god-shaped hole in your heart.