My father was a lawyer.  He often said, *I dont know is the right answer, if you dont know*.

Religion is what you believe.  I believe in that which has come to me in meditation as The Spirit.  Thats my religion, and I have a right to it.

Philosophy is what you want to believe.  My philosphy is to each their own, live and let live, die and let die, mind your own business, and hopefully others will mind theirs.

Reality is what you perceive, what you are experiencing, whether awake, dreaming, or in visions, at the moment.  All five senses contribute sensory inputs, but it is the brain which decides what to do with the data.  And it can do anything with the information it receives.  We are all experiencing our own reality, which is intended to be useful and favorable to us as individuals, while overlapping with the realities of others at least enough to get along.

What really is and what really isnt ?  I dont know.  Im primarily interested in the reality that my brain is producing for me, while coincidentally getting along with other peoples realities as well as I can.

In the history of Shayne and me, we have been locked in verbal combat since he posted some time ago: *Im enlightened.  At least I think so.  Yeah, Im enlightened.*  And I had the audacity to say *No, you are not....*  But Alan has settled the argument.  He says if someone wants to come on here and play Zen Master, thats okay. 

So, okay Jedi Master Shayne, have at it.  I dont know, and I dont care, about your reality. 

Quote: "Alan?"
.........

Hey man, why you be callin the fuzz ?  Aint no problem here.

Shayne is the leader of the free world, incognito like, and of course he has to stay in touch with all the other world leaders, natch !!

Quote: "I believe that one can not tell if another being is enlightened ... unless that person leads you to enlightenment.
Or, that you are enlightened to the point where you can judge for yourself the state of others.
Often this requires a face to face to acquire the right mind.

But, hey, I don't know .... hahaha
"
.........

I came here about 10 years after awakening, to look for other awakened people, to see if they shared the same understanding as me, or if was in my own world afterall.

I found other awakened people, and found that although all of our satori/nirvana experiences were different and unique, tailored for us as individuals, we do all share the same *understanding*.  We are a set, of sorts.  Different in a certain way.  Whether that makes us awakened or enlightened is a matter of perspective.  Whoever or whatever we are, we are on the same page regarding something we understand.  

My father became awakened before he died, and we talked for hours.  To have that understanding with him before he went is worth more to me than with anyone else.

Ive claimed to be psychic or clairevoyant, and my Mom confirmed my perceptions before she died, and they helped me to help her to pass on.  To share that with her before she died, and to be able to help her at the time, is worth more to me than what someone else thinks about it.

And hey too, Im pretty smart.  I already have my Mensa card, so it doesnt matter what anyone elses opinion is on that either.

Whatever others may think of you, its what you know about yourself that matters.