It seems that there are many people that are looking for enlightenment. Are you one of these people? I know there was a time when I was one of them. There are some wonderful adventures and great things to learn and experiences to have, but they all take a tremendous amount of your time. So it comes down to what do you want to do with this life? Do you want to spend your life in search of the meaning or it or would you prefer to live it in a such a way that it is meaningful? Buddha once said, “In all things, strive for balance.” Whenever we become obsessed with something the first thing to go is balance. Our relationships suffer, our other hobbies are put aside, and we put our creative nature on hold. There are so many practices in the name of spirituality. People go without eating, they boil in sweat lodges, they give up all kinds of pleasures and things they enjoy. In the end I am not sure that they are necessarily enlightened and would be more apt to think that they are frustrated and troubled. Some of the most profound spiritual experiences have come out of the blue. I use to meditate daily for at least and hour and sometimes more. Then one day I laid down to sleep for the evening and closed my eyes and I had the most profound experience I have ever had. I didn’t even get a chance to meditate or even think about anything. If there is a such a thing as enlightenment I think it is caused by how your think and feel and not by what you practice. It is by your will that you gain this understanding that you are looking for. So whether you are hoping to become enlightened or just wanting to enjoy life, remember that the most important thing is to remain in balance. Keep your regular activities going, make time for socializing, read books that are for your entertainment and not just enlightenment. You will be very surprised that in this more relaxed state that you will find what you are looking for. It is very hard to be happy and positive if those that you care about are unhappy with the amount of time you have left to spend with them. So, squeeze it all in and remember it all is equally important.