Why does the stilling of the mind lead to enlightenment?

Maybe you’ve heard of the ego, the source of the apparent

trouble.

What is the ego?

The ego is the incorrect belief in a personal self.

The ego is defined by the thought that “I” am separate from

reality or God.

This is why it’s also called “the thought of separation.”

Why does stilling the mind lead to enlightenment?

The ego is a package deal.

It’s not just a distorted way of looking at the world.

The thought of separation is projected outward as the body, mind, and world.

This is why wise teachers say:

You can’t find happiness “out there.”

“Still the mind” is a polite way of saying: reject the body, mind, and world.

This might sound radical, but you did ask.

The question was:

How does stilling the mind lead to  enlightenment, not just better blood pressure.

The body, mind, and world are an outworking of the thought of separation.

This is why the teachers say: turn  within.

Whenever you get a minute, attend closely to the source of thought.

This is what Ramana Maharshi meant by Self-abidance or Self-attention.

When you abide as this silence and clarity, you are in your true form or true nature.

Stilling the mind is the magic key.

Once you look at clarity - or listen to silence - the thought of separation is in trouble.

There is a wonderful metaphor:

Ego-consciousness is like playing fetch with a dog.

Your attention runs after every thought.

Self-attention is like playing fetch with a lion.

The lion is more interested in the person who threw the stick!

The moment you throw the stick, you will be sorry you got his attention.

When you turn toward the source of thought, only silence remains.