Charles Dickens offers an indirect glimpse into conscious enlightenment in his tale A Christmas Carol. Scrooge’s dead partner Jacob Marley appears as a ghost burdened with heavy chains in the story. Marley forged each chain link in life and must carry them during his death resulting from his behavior and decisions. This suggest that each person forges his or her own path in life. This acknowledgment is the first step on a person’s inner journey of self-discovery. Marley implies that the totality of his being, in life and death, is the result of free will and choices.
The ghost Marley represents the conscious awareness that dwells within your presence. The details of the world around you are the distractions and restrictions that will forge chains of burden. Equally, this is true for thoughts and emotions that will manipulate if you live in unawareness of your being. And, an unaware existence causes attachment and dependency to the things you confuse as your true self. Thus, these mind and existence details are the chain links that you and every unaware person carry.
Unburden Yourself from the Chains of Attachment
Consequently, it is every person’s choice and decision to carry these chain links or not. Yes, thoughts, emotions, ego and materialistic distractions exist at the level of our existence. However, experiences of mind and body should not be a burden to life and how we live. Conscious awakening to the enlightenment of living suggests and encourages living in the moment without attachment and dependency.
Conscious enlightenment is a choice of being and not an act or decision of wanting or getting. Therefore, thoughts, feelings, and materialistic things are only chains of burden if you attach your sense of being to them. The aware resolution to live in conscious presence unburdens you from mental and even physical attachments and dependency.
