I am not convinced that it is possible to ‘attain enlightenment’. That term is rife with misconceptions, bogged down by tradition, and muddied by the claims of less than scrupulous gurus looking to take advantage of vulnerable followers. To attain enlightenment may mean anything from the attainment of peace in this moment all the way up to the end of all suffering, forever.

So what exactly would it mean to attain enlightenment in any real sense of the word? As a meditation instructor and psychotherapist I prefer to approach the benefits and promises of mindfulness meditation from a functional perspective; reduction in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptomology, improvements in focus, task initiation, and sense of self worth. From this perspective, to attain enlightenment may not be the permanent ending of suffering, but rather the gradual release of long held limiting beliefs that no longer serve along with the acceptance of ourselves, for who we are, as we are, in this moment.