As Soon As Enlightenment is Achieved, Life is Easy?

When I was thirty and beginning on my path of spiritual enlightenment would around for Mentors. People that had gone the distance and really done the work: The Dali Lama, Wayne Dyer and Desmond Tutu, Lady Dianna, Mother Teresa but I quickly realize that these folks were huge in the world media and what did I really know about them. The only things I really know about them is whatever there Media profiles were putting out about them and not they weren't amazing peoples I needed to know someone personally, someone who I could talk to, who didn't appear perfect and was more human because what did I know about these ICONS other than what I was being told. I was looking for a Mentor, someone I could talk to and be with. I found these people and some were Native Elders and others were my parents and friends of our family and some were children, oh and my special needs friends. What could I possibly learn from the special needs community? Tolerance, Acceptance and Empathy. They are and have always been the masters at this but I didn't come to this realization until way down the path of my journey into spiritual enlightenment.

I looked to my goal, which was to be at peace and at one with the universe. No stress with losta Bliss!
To walk graciously, humbly head bow, liken to a Monk helping people wherever I may go. In the  joy of spirit, in the knowing of being one with all things, all beings, creatures big and small, spiders and ants, even cockroaches!

I'd started my journey at the minute I was born but I didn't know this until I became enlightened haha.
So I began with learning on how to be a "Deep Trance Channel" and then the native path, doing vision quests (been on 5 of these, 3 of my own and 2 that I had facilitated) and sweats(at least 40 or more) and drumming and healing circles (countless of these) because it called to me. It doesn't matter which path you go down "They're many path through the forest to get you to the other side," this was the one calling to me. As I continued along my journey I have look and poked around many different belief modalities I even became a Steven Minister with the United Church (This is a counseling outreach program for support with people inside or outside of the Church who are experiencing loss of a loved one, potential depression leading to suicide, split family who were struggling etc.).

The difficulty I had with all these modalities is that everyone wants the Seer, The Healer, The Wiseman, The Prophet, quiet with head bowed in humility, like the Dali Lama! But I am a performer, and am loud, over the top, out outrageous, quick to laugh loudly and enjoy a good joke. So I was waking on a path to become the opposite to who I am? This all seem counter productive and in juxtaposition, it would seem to me to be cutting off my nose to despite my face. Crazy as it may seem I did try to fix myself into this world view of being spiritual. On my first vision quest I was told by creator that I wasn't a medicine man, or a shaman but a "Holy Man"! Aggrh WTF! That is not what I had gone on the vision quest for, I wanted spiritual quiet enlightenment what was I going to do being a "Holy Man"? People had trouble with me now, I was the total opposite to what that was! Or was I?
The words Holy Man is a big Hole to drop all the stereotypes into and become who you are not what the World perceives you SHOULD be. When you go on a vision quest you don't find out "Who You ARE Not", you find out "Who You ARE".

So now I'm almost 60 I've become enlightened and what have I found out: Life is hard, there are wonderful moments so cherish them and some times being spiritual sucks!! I started on my journey before enlightenment chopping wood and carry water and now that I am enlightened I chop wood and carry water. Or "It takes a lot of shit to make a great garden and I have a huge garden!!"

I help people everyday and absolutely practice random acting of kindness but am I rich? No. Do I struggle? Yes. Is life Still tough? Oh yes, however there is a joy of life in me that has been there my whole life (because it always has been,) its who I am but the only difference now is I know. Spiritual enlightenment is worth attaining but its not easy as it looks.

As Soon As Enlightenment is Achieved, Life is Easy? It's easier to be you.