when we get enlightenment, do we lose our individuality?

Question

please explain exactly what happens if you know by scripture or from realization

many good answers on here.

aum explained the different types of mukti, this is good information.

I can see that some desire to merge with God, and some desire individuality with love with God.

Mata made the very important point that in order to have love, there must be exchange, which cannot happen with one person, it must be relationship, there must be 2- reciever and giver of love.

Personally, to lose my individuality would be like a type of death- and this is said of bhaktas of God... The devotee of God prays to the Lord
salokya-sarsti-svarupya-samipyaikatvam apy uta
diyamanam na grhnanti vina mat-sevanam janah
means that when a devotee is offered all 5 types of moksha they reject them all, unless there can be service to the lord along with it. (we can understand that living with the lord- salokya, having powers like the Lord, having a similar form as the Lord, and having direct association with the Lord, all can be had with service to the Lord. but the last one sayujya,

sayujya offers no opportunity for service to the Lord, therefore is completely rejected by stalwart devotees.

Theats7 very beautiful answer, makes me happy :-)

Answer 1

Lord Jesus who is fully enlightened- said 'Me and my father are one' --this oneness means one in Will, one in Love, one in purpose, --not that we will lose our individuality! Never! Even it this world love feels like oneness (although we find out quickly enough that the love here isn't real due to it's inherent selfish and temporary nature--but there is no question of love all alone--it takes two to Love--the love and beloved--the soul and the super-soul the living beings and God--oneness in individuality- TRUE LOVE !

Answer 2

No. It is in fact the opposite. We become more ourselves,
more individual.
But what we lose is the state of being "individuated". We become more aware of and able to communicate with and reach towards others.
Our individuality what is native , or basic personality expands . The aspects which are not really part of our true selves are what we lose as when advance to higher states of existence.

There are many levels of this above the state of Man, or Homosapiens.

I am not a Christian so not familiar with scriptures.
I am describing my own personal experience and achievements from my own religion.

Answer 3

Not there, may never get there, but when I've been close, I've felt united to all and yet never more like myself. There's an old Zen saying that "when horse master is horse master, Zen will be Zen"
The idea being that there is no drama, flash of light, second coming or "last days", just you fully playing the part you were born to play. In a Yogic sense, that was why Jesus' death was such a gift to others; he fulfilled and cleansed the Karma of others by being who he was.

Answer 4

To find enlightenment is a very different path for every individual and in finding that enlightenment we do not lose our individualtiy. One might have the sense of being a part of something larger than oneself and in finding enlightenment may feel connected to all that is but the connection is to other individual parts.

Being disconnected is not individuality it is feeling apart and alone. When one finds enlightement they find a constant connection to all the other individual parts that make up the universe but they retain their individuality.

You are already a part of the system that comprises the universe but without enlightement most people only get glimpses of the connected feeling. With enlightenment comes a sense of peace and constant connection that allows you to feel a part of the whole. Just because you feel that oneness does not mean you have changed or become less than who you already were.

Answer 5

You will always have your individuality, but your motivations will change, so you would seem different to other people.

There is a parable about the Talents, which was a unit of money back at that time. (Not things like drawing and tap-dancing as I was taught in the Pentecostal Sunday school.)

I really don’t want to re-tell it and almost anyone familiar with Christian lore will know it anyway. The Talents represented the life force that God breathed into man. It’s part of God and universally of the same nature in all people; in fact what makes you be alive is the same thing that makes me be alive. This is why karma works, anything I do to you I do to myself whether good or evil. This breath is eternal and will be collected. People that don’t seek it will lose theirs and their measure of life will be given to others who do.

This gradual adaptation to the spirit of god is spoken of.

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Again a reference to how we are all Christ, every one of us. Perhaps sleeping but Christ anyway. The scriptures are quite clear.

The amount of your mind that will survive is the amount of your mind that learns to love and live. The amount of you that will be lost is the amount of you that doesn’t connect with God. That’s why Paul says something about praying for wayward saints to die, they would still get eternal life but only as passing through the fire.

So the final answer is Yes you will keep your individuality if you become enlightened. If you do not become enlightened you will loose your individuality, perhaps even completely.

Just remember the lake of fire that Christians speak of is something completely different than they believe, but I’m to tired to go into it now.

Answer 6

Enlightment is to know the truth and the truth will set you free. Once you know yourself there is no fear to loose your identity.

Your individuality become more clear and pronounced. You stand out in the crowd. Lesser mortals look up at you and get inspired by you. Enlightment is an humbling experience. You are no more attached to worldly judgement and are free from all mental bondage.

Answer 7

Hi to all and peace to all !!!

As we can observe even how enlightened people are, even if the get it from one teacher or guru or from the teachings of their GOD it can not be denied that they do not loose their individuality.

No two humans will be the same and can attain one individuality.

In Christian teachings, man was created in the image and likeness of his CREATOR though there is only one GOD, and though there were all created in HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS no one is equal or thesame any human.

Man has with him the individuality, as one, unique, as his CREATOR.

And even if man masters all the teachings of GOD, man will never be GOD, man will never loose his individuality.

Let us all be holy then an enjoy each othersd individuality.

GOD BLESS US ALL.

Answer 8

What we think of as individuality cannot be lost. We already are enlightened, regardless the evidence to the contrary...for evidence can deceive.

We are everything we seek. We are eternally valid, and loved without question/condition. When we "get" enlightenment, we are actually recognizing that it was always ours, do you see? The basic make-up of your selfhood, or creaturehood, is holy, sacred, pure. Everything that you are, is a blessing.

Answer 9

Yes.

Enlightenment means that we realize that all of our individuality is the same as everyone who is individual.

When we realize that we are the same as everyone else then we begin to become enlightened.

To lose ones individuality - unlike the Western sense of personal propensity - is coming close to enlightenment.

To be an individual is to be separate from enlightenment.

Enlightenment includes.

Individuality excludes.

Answer 10

Oh, we would then KNOW, that we never 'had' anything really to have lost it at anytime ! Till then, we have this individuality to hang on, the very last thing to get dropped !