Enlightenment and Depersonalization/Derealization

Discussion in 'Religion, Beliefs and Spirituality' started by thabosshogg, Mar 10, 2011.

  1. It seems to me that there are many similarities (albeit some differences as well) between these two phenomena. One is considered the ultimate state of consciousness, another is considered a mental illness of sorts.


    I had depersonalization a few years ago and I have to admit that some of what I have experienced in the last year resembles it. Enlightenment is like a choice to de-personalize one's self, to step away from what one isn't. It is happy, calm, and beautiful, and one does it very gradually over time and slowly learns more and more about what one's true nature is, about what is real and what is illusion. One learns to seperate his or herself from one's thoughts and from physical reality in a positive way. The ultimate joy comes from this.



    Depersonalization is like experiencing side effects of enlightenment when one isn't ready for it yet. It's taking away everything that someone isn't before they are ready to understand or learn that it isn't who they are. It takes away everything that they thought was meaningful before they are ready to learn that it isn't in fact meaningful in the way they thought it was. It shows them that nothing that they thought was real is actually real. It strips them of their personal identity, of their idea of "Self" and their idea of reality. This leads to depression obviously. Most people can't handle the idea of external reality being an illusion, or of their whole identity being taken away.





    Now this isn't necessarily true, it's just a thought I had. Do you think depersonalization is like experiencing side effects of enlightenment before one is ready to experience them? For example I experienced depersonalization for several months because of dxm and ketamine use. It was overall unpleasent, though at times I enjoyed the trippiness of it. I was also fairly depressed in this time because I couldn't come to terms with leaving my whole identity and notion of "reality" behind.




    Obviously there are parts of enlightenment that have nothing to do with depersonalization and vice versa, and there are major differences between the two when it comes down to it.


    Thoughts?



    Just for the record, "Depersonalization is a subjective experience of unreality in one's sense of self, while derealization is unreality of the outside world".
     
  2. I hope this doesn't sound glib, but only if the reason that you lack self is that you understand the nature of reality correctly. Say for example you 'realised' that you were in an ultimate sense a large pink fish then it would be a misconceived loss if that makes sense? Why did/do you lack self?

    MelT
     
  3. bodhisattva
     
  4. #4 teh_biscuit, Mar 11, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 11, 2011
    I think, depersonalization is not really depersonalization by the means of definition people ascribed to it(more or less.)

    It's like the same as being in a dream. You are "depersonalized". It's like a feeling of naturalness and self-deattachment. It's as if you're just watching yourself. In dreams things just are; reality just is. In it's isness, reality is just being itself. The reality of dreams are in constant flux of change.

    And in the waking life, this "depersonalization" is just a step unto enlightenment.
    I suggest that dreams, enlightenment and depersonalization are inter-connected.

    My belief is that these mental disorders could possibly be like a heightened sensory perception. It's like a step into the unknown when you're not ready yet. Except we just kinda push it our potential a little. But we're kinda just like confused and how to distinguish things.
     

  5. This depersonalization stuff is what I've been going through the past month, and on Tuesday I realized what the terrible feelings I've been experiencing actually are. Idk, just relating to what you're saying. I'm aware now that enlightenment is freedom, and depersonalization/realization is just the leading-up to.
     
  6. MelT, I think I get what you're saying. I agree, the understanding of the nature of reality is the key factor in the direction one's de-realization or de-personalization takes. For instance in my case when I experienced derealization years ago I had a very misguided notion of reality, and I think most people who experience derealization and become depressed do as well.



    tehbiscuit, that is what I was kind of trying to get at. The idea that perhaps derealization or depersonalization (at least the cases in which they lead to depression) is a step into the unknown by those who aren't ready to go there yet.


    Kadredor, I think that it is fairly common to go through what you are going through. I would recommend not thrusting yourself into a bout of depersonalization just for the sake of "enlightenment". It can only happen when it is time for it to happen, and one can even be "enlightened" (on some level, there is no end to enlightenment, it is not a goal to be reached) without being depersonalized or derealized in my opinion.


    If it is happening naturally as a result of your discovery of truth (which I think it probably is if I remember the reasons for it correctly), then I would assume you know that it is just a big transition that takes some getting used to. It can certainly be startling to realize that everything you used to think you were was not who you were, and to begin to understand the nature of reality. It's okay to feel wierd when going through it... but once the wierdness passes it is so wonderful. Again though, just let it happen, don't get involved in your thoughts.

    Who you really are is in complete control, always. Your true self is deep within, always in a place full of love, in a place of complete calm and control.
     
  7. Oh, I'm sure it is. I was just saying how I'm going through it and I'm aware of it. And I really haven't been thrusting myself into it is the thing. It's like when that weirdness you talk about happens, I just think about how I'm not who I "think" I am, and things just become very blissful.

    No worries :cool:
     

  8. That's good to hear. :smoke:



    It really is a blissful feeling. Wierd at first, but after complete acceptance of it life becomes so serene.
     
  9. I see "enlightenment" as nothing more than a different perception. Kind of like you're on a different "wavelength" than everyone else.

    Depersonalization seems to come with this different perception. The normal perception is seeing the world from inside the box, then once you step out of the box...you feel a sense of derealization because your old perception has now broadened into a greater awareness of things.

    In my opinion.
     
  10. um...

    its hard to concentrate, been quitting cigs...

    but yeah. Its sort of like you're living your life by remembering .5 second old memories.

    Like you're not integrated into your perception its almost as if your experience is external and you are reviewing some recently taken footage.

    I remember I didn't even feel like it was me that was talking, it was hard to understand my relationship with those around me, where they real ?

    All I could sense when i looked at the mirror was the space, the distance beween me and the wall...the image was no one I knew...

    I don't think its some prelude to enlightenment although it does have the neat ability to make you question everything you've ever known...but that could just be my reaction

    Idk...maybe somehow its like "lag" Maybe its taking more time for information to become conscious so the slowness of things gives the appearance of unreal
     
  11. #11 Kardredor, Mar 12, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 12, 2011
    I think the understanding of it is the laggy part. I was instilled the perception a few weeks back of how everything is me, but I didn't understand it and I was terrified because I was feeling like everything was fake.

    Now, I understand that the experience was to help rid myself of my 'thoughts' of myself, and to understand that we're all just different aspects of this giant conglomerate of intellectual vicissitudes that is consciousness.
     
  12. When you no longer argue mentally with what is.

    that is the end of self inflicted suffering.
     

  13. Indeed.
     

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