An awesomely ordinary state of perception
There are probably many definitions for what Enlightenment is - it is likely that we would each describe it in our own unique way. That is because words are ultimately inadequate to describe what can only be experienced...

That said, words are beneficial to help 'point' towards what that experience is. At Openhand we consider Enlightenment to be a very ordinary (in fact awesomely ordinary) inner state of perception of universal non identified awareness - being the "Seer" of all things.

There is only one being in the Universe - in our truth it would be more appropriate to say the Universe is the expression of that being. The Universe is what you might call a mirror to see ourselves by. Paradoxically the mirror is not separate from ourselves which is why we so easily become confused with it.

We are each a unique expression of the Seer - what some call "Soul". In our truth there is no duality between what is experienced "in here" and what is "out there" because everything is one. Yet in order to have experience at all, there must be at least the experience of separation - one thing relative to another. Otherwise you could not have up without down, hot without cold, me without you for example.

So the Soul is our apparently separate and unique expression of the one being - the Seer. We are each as separate waves on a vast ocean of consciousness. We are being both a wave and the ocean simultaneously.

For many life times the Soul becomes identified with the notion of separation - the Ego. The journey of Enlightenment is the continual reminding of our state of non identified awareness which is always present in the background of activity. Enlightenment is being able to hold the apparent duality of being the Seer and a unique expression of the Seer AT THE SAME TIME, ALL THE TIME...

"To know the truth is to know the self,
to know the self is to know what the self is not,
to be as one with what the self is and is not,
is to be enlightened by all things.
Then there is no trace of enlightenment
although it flows through our daily lives
endlessly."