A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut prodesse est"). Salons, commonly associated with French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries, were carried on until recently[when?] in urban settings.

The salon was an Italian invention of the 16th century which flourished in France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The salon continued to flourish in Italy throughout the 19th century. In 16th-century Italy, some scintillating circles formed in the smaller courts which resembled salons, often galvanized by the presence of a beautiful and educated patroness such as Isabella d'Este or Elisabetta Gonzaga.

One important place for the exchange of ideas was the salon. The word salon first appeared in France in 1664 (from the Italian word salone, itself from sala, the large reception hall of Italian mansions). Literary gatherings before this were often referred to by using the name of the room in which they occurred, like cabinet, rduit, ruelle and alcve.[1] Before the end of the 17th century, these gatherings were frequently held in the bedroom (treated as a more private form of drawing room):[2] a lady, reclining on her bed, would receive close friends who would sit on chairs or stools drawn around. This practice may be contrasted with the greater formalities of Louis XIV's petit lever, where all stood. Ruelle, literally meaning "narrow street" or "lane", designates the space between a bed and the wall in a bedroom; it was used commonly to designate the gatherings of the "prcieuses", the intellectual and literary circles that formed around women in the first half of the 17th century. The first renowned salon in France was the Htel de Rambouillet not far from the Palais du Louvre in Paris, which its hostess, Roman-born Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet (15881665), ran from 1607 until her death.[3][4] She established the rules of etiquette of the salon which resembled the earlier codes of Italian chivalry.

The historiography of the salons is far from straightforward. The salons have been studied in depth by a mixture of feminist, Marxist, cultural, social and intellectual historians. Each of these methodologies focus on different aspects of the salons, and thus have varying analyses of the salons importance in terms of French history and the Enlightenment as a whole.

A Reading in the Salon of Mme Geoffrin, 1755

Major historiographical debates focus on the relationship between the salons and the public sphere, as well as the role of women within the salons.

Breaking down the salons into historical periods is complicated due to the various historiographical debates that surround them. Most studies stretch from the early 16th century up until around the end of the 18th century. Goodman is typical in ending her study at the French Revolution where, she writes: 'the literary public sphere was transformed into the political public'.[5] Steven Kale is relatively alone in his recent attempts to extend the period of the salon up until Revolution of 1848.[6] Kale points out:

'A whole world of social arrangements and attitude supported the existence of french salons: an idle aristocracy, an ambitious middle class, an active intellectual life, the social density of a major urban center, sociable traditions, and a certain aristocratic feminism. This world did not disappear in 1789.'[7]

As recently as the 1940s, salons hosted by Gertrude Stein gained notoriety for including Pablo Picasso and other twentieth-century luminaries like Alice B. Toklas.

The content and form of the salon to some extent defines the character and historical importance of the salon. Contemporary literature about the salons is dominated by idealistic notions of politesse, civilit and honntet, but whether the salons lived up to these standards is matter of debate. Older texts on the salons tend to paint an idealistic picture of the salons, where reasoned debate takes precedence and salons are egalitarian spheres of polite conversation.[8] Today, however, this view is rarely considered an adequate analysis of the salon.[9] Dena Goodman claims that rather than being leisure based or 'schools of civilit' salons were instead at 'the very heart of the philosophic community' and thus integral to the process of Enlightenment.[10] In short, Goodman argues, the 17th and 18th century saw the emergence of the academic, Enlightenment salons, which came out of the aristocratic 'schools of civilit'. Politeness, argues Goodman, took second-place to academic discussion.[11]

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Salon (gathering) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cosmic Harmony - The State of Enlightenment "The Universe has been called the Cosmic Form of the Divine. All the beings you see here are manifestations of the Cosmic Form. This means that all are inherently Divine."

What is enlightenment? What is that state of Cosmic Consciousness, the ultimate awareness called variously - enlightenment, nirvana, satori, samadhi, self-realization, rapture, salvation, ascension, unity consciousness, voidness, and many other terms by many various religions? It is the goal of life, the ultimate destination of every individualized being. It is brought about when the individual personality ascends beyond the illusionary perception of self separateness to merge in the Universal Self from which it originated so very long ago. Spiritual evolution towards this goal takes place over ages but the final ascent of Spirit can happen in an instant of time.

How to Achieve the Goal ???

How does one proceed from the normal human condition to the goal of enlightenment? The easiest way to achieve this Ultimate Goal is to follow in the footsteps of those who have passed this way already. The sages, saints and ascended masters of all times have found this path - sometimes through their own unaided efforts but more often by following the written or spoken guidance of a previous Teacher or Guru. The enlightened master sees the grand achievement and encourages others to find the immense treasure within the reach of every sincere seeker. They point out the path, warn of dangers, offer encouragement, and elucidate the methods of advancing on the way.

Short of direct guidance by a living enlightened one (a rare piece of good fortune), there is no better way than to read the lives of saints and pay close attention to their words. These powerful beings are alert on the other side, watching for the seekers, waiting to help and remove hindrances in the path of all those aspiring to the higher life in spirit.

Read their stories. Draw forth their grace. Create that subtle link of consciousness with them. Their photographs are full of power; their words highly instructive; their stories saturated with the essence of enlightenment. Meditate on their actions and you will approach their subtle perfection.

This is a very special time during which spiritual evolution is being immensely accelerated. Powerful beings are working behind the veil with all who are consciously cooperating to change Earth and bring us into a radically new pattern of human attainment. Never before have even small efforts on the spiritual path been so greatly rewarded. So do not miss this rare opportunity - it may not come again for a long time. As it says in the Upanishads, Arise! Awake! From this very day vow to become the Self that you really are and join the army of lightworkers that are even now transforming the planet.

Enlightenment, Nirvana, Ultimate Nature of the Universe What is Enlightenment Cosmic Consciousness All this is Brahman Reality, an Illusion Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Samadhi, Enlightenment, Nirvana

Sages, Saints, and Avatars Promote Harmony in the Universe What is an Avatar Types of Avatars Historical Avatars Immanent vs. Transcendent Role of Sages and Saints Avatars vs. Saints

Mt Kailas, Himalayas, India as guardian of the Vedas and Vedic knowledge Why India? Himalayas The Tibetan Plateau Sacred Mt. Kailas The River Ganga Land of Bharath India, Guardian of Wisdom Vedic Knowledge

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Cosmic Harmony, the State of Enlightenment - Stories and ...

Most people have heard that the Buddha was enlightened, and that Buddhists seek enlightenment. But what does that mean, exactly? What is enlightenment, and how do you know when you've "got" it?

To begin, it's important to understand that "enlightenment" is an English word that can mean several things. For example, in the West, the Age of Enlightenment was a philosophical movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that promoted science and reason over myth and superstition.

In western culture, then, the word "enlightenment" is often associated with intellect and knowledge. But Buddhist enlightenment is something else.

To add to the confusion, the word "enlightenment" has been used to translate several Asian words that don't mean precisely the same thing. For example, several decades ago English speakers were introduced to Buddhism through the writing of D.T. Suzuki (1870-1966), a Japanese scholar who had lived for a time as a Rinzai Zen monk. Suzuki used "enlightenment" to translate the Japanese word satori, derived from the verb satoru, "to know." This translation was not without justification.

But in usage, satori usually refers to an experience of insight into the true nature of reality. It has been compared to the experience of opening a door, but to open a door is still a separation from what's inside the door. Partly through Suzuki's influence, the idea of spiritual enlightenment as a sudden, blissful, transformative experience became embedded in western culture.

However,that's a misleading idea.

Bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "awakening," and it also is often translated as "enlightenment."

In Theravada Buddhism, bodhi is associated with the perfection of insight into the Four Noble Truths, which brings about the cessation of dukkha (suffering; stress; dissatisfaction). The person who has perfected this insight and abandoned all defilements is an arhat, one who is liberated from the cycle of samsara. While alive he enters a sort of conditional nirvana, and at death he enjoys the peace of complete nirvana.

In the Atthinukhopariyaayo Sutta of the Pali Tipitika (Samyutta Nikaya 35.152), the Buddha said,

"Then, monks, this is the criterion whereby a monk, apart from faith, apart from persuasion, apart from inclination, apart from rational speculation, apart from delight in views and theories, could affirm the attainment of enlightenment: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been accomplished, what was to be done is done, there is no further living in this world.'"

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What Is Enlightenment in Buddhism

(1) The Divine Languages (The Enlightenment) Contained herein are easily recognizable English language messages from otherworldly beings found woven into such historical milestones of rock 'n' roll history as Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" and Jimi Hendrix's "Axis: Bold As Love". It provides proof of the spirit world that can be demonstrated to anyone around the world through the Internet today. It announces a Living God by name and title, and delivers a specific message concerning the coming new age of life and reality. The Divine Languages

(2) American Star of Bethlehem There is no sanction of astrology in the Christian religion, and they don't pay attention to signs; however, astrologers, in the form of the Magi, were used to herald Christ's birth. They were alerted to this event by more than just the Star of Bethlehem. There were convergences in the heavens, signs in the sky, and otherworldly messengers. American Star of Bethlehem

(3) There Were Signs In The Sky Impossible coincidences and signs that speak to us through our reality; doing more than just pointing the way to the Living God, they give us the divine opportunity for change. Pay close attention to signs; do not allow them to pass you by, for the opportunity of divine change comes all to seldom. Signs in The Sky

(4) Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" Divinely inspired works are handed to the authors, piece by piece, along with a personal understanding of what it means to them. This can be similar to or completely different from the higher meaning intended by the one who inspired it. What the inspired artist thinks about their work depends on what they can understand and what they would believe. Jethro Tull's - Thick as a Brick

(5) American Living God (The Power of Creation)There are over three hundred ascending stages of belief through proof involved in the forty-days/temptation-test. It is administered by a Godlike being of incredible power, intelligence, and a sense of humor. American Living God

(6) In The Beginning There Was Superman (A War In The Heavens) I called upon the souls of Heaven and Hell; and, the "Normal Universe," to join me in a war against a mad God over the abomination of Hell. It was a stirring and inspirational speech, given as the Lathe of Heaven. I got an immediate response from the Living Goddess, and all of Heaven joined in. Twenty minutes later, I got a response from Hell. Someone with a high pitched cartoon character voice called back and said, "We talked it over. We're all with you!" And Superman Was God

(7) The Fledgling (The Real Story) I have revealed the future as it stands now. I have made you your own judges, and your own saviors, and I have given you a way out through change. You are making the choices right now that will determine the outcome of your souls. Choose well how you devote yourselves in each lifetime. Choose well the stories of your lives. The Fledgling's Story

(8) Elvis Presley Lives I can give you the who, what, where, and why of it all, but you will still have to face the music; one way or the other. You will still have to deal with your problems, in this life, the afterlife, or in the next life. Learning to cope is part of the process of becoming real people. The following presents an important and critical junction in your existence and poses the ever present universal question: "What are you going to do?" Elvis Presley Lives

(9) A Santa This Way Cometh (First The Good Goes) One day, I opened the Christian Bible and read just this: "First the good goes, then the world blows up, and 'then' the Savior comes flying through the clouds." I also got a cartoonish vision of a big billowy cloud, rushing through the sky with a puffy cloud face, blowing hot air through pursed lips. Original Santa Claus

(10) The Highest Probability (It's The Impossible That's True) What is real to us, could be described as a well maintained illusion to a 'being' of infinite intelligence; who maintains reality from moment to moment. In the quantum structured universe, such things as mater, space-time and gravity just could not have naturally precipitated so conveniently from a singularity. The odds of all this happening are about one chance in infinity. The Highest Probability

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Enlightenment : The Power of Creation

The English term enlightenment is the western translation of the term bodhi, "awakening", which has entered the Western world via the 19th century translations of Max Mller. It has the western connotation of a sudden insight into a transcendental truth.

The term is also being used to translate several other Buddhist terms and concepts used to denote insight (prajna, kensho and satori);[dead link] knowledge (vidhya); the "blowing out" (Nirvana) of disturbing emotions and desires and the subsequent freedom or release (vimutti); and the attainment of Buddhahood, as exemplified by Gautama Buddha.

What exactly constituted the Buddha's awakening is unknown. It may probably have involved the knowledge that liberation was attained by the combination of mindfulness and dhyna, applied to the understanding of the arising and ceasing of craving. The relation between dhyana and insight is a core problem in the study of Buddhism, and is one of the fundamentals of Buddhist practice.

In the western world the concept of (spiritual) enlightenment has taken on a romantic meaning. It has become synonymous with self-realization and the true self, being regarded as a substantial essence being covered over by social conditioning.

Robert S. Cohen notes that the majority of English books on Buddhism use the term "enlightenment" to translate the term bodhi. The root budh, from which both bodhi and Buddha are derived, means "to wake up" or "to recover consciousness". Cohen notes that bodhi is not the result of an illumination, but of a path of realization, or coming to understanding. The term "enlightenment" is event-oriented, whereas the term "awakening" is process-oriented. The western use of the term "enlighten" has Christian roots, as in Calvin's "It is God alone who enlightens our minds to perceive his truths".

Early 19th century bodhi was translated as "intelligence". The term "enlighten" was first being used in 1835, in an English translation of a French article. In 1857 The Times used the term "the Enlightened" for the Buddha in a short article, which was reprinted the following year by Max Mller. Thereafter, the use of the term subsided, but reappeared with the publication of Max Mller's Chips from a german Workshop, which included a reprint from the Times-article. The book was translated 1969 into German, using the term "der Erleuchtete". Max Mller was an essentialist, who believed in a natural religion, and saw religion as an inherent capacity of human beings. "Enlightenment" was a means to capture natural religious truths, as distinguished from mere mythology.[note 1]

By the mid-1870s it had become commonplace to call the Buddha "enlightened", and by the end of the 1880s the terms "enlightened" and "enlightenment" dominated the English literature.

Bodhi (Sanskrit, Pli), from the verbal root budd, "to awaken", "to understand", means literally "to have woken up and understood". According to Johannes Bronkhorst, Tillman Vetter, and K.R. Norman,bodhi was at first not specified. K.R. Norman:

It is not at all clear what gaining bodhi means. We are accustomed to the translation "enlightenment" for bodhi, but this is misleading [...] It is not clear what the buddha was awakened to, or at what particular point the awakening came.

According to Norman, bodhi may basically have meant the knowledge that nibbana was attained, due to the practice of dhyana. Originally only "prajna" may have been mentioned, and Tillman Vetter even concludes that originally dhyana itself was deemed liberating, with the stilling of pleasure of pain in the fourth jhana. Gombrich also argues that the emphasis on insight is a later development.

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Enlightenment in Buddhism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Two portraits of Italian violinist Paganini, top by Delacroix, bottom by Ingres

Those following after the (mostly French) Continental schools of Enlightenment, by contrast, tended towards A World Half Full and Rousseau Was Right that is, mankind is a blank slate which is mostly influenced by its environment, and thus not inherently "selfish" or "selfless" inasmuch as simply interested in self-preservation and seeking comfort. They believe that we don't need destroying humanity and recreating it anew, because our selfish genes can be harnessed for the Greater Good if they can be used as rewards for productive behaviourthis is why they advocate utilitarianism, democracynoteIndividuals ambitious for political power must serve the people and compete with other similarly-ambitious people while the people know of their misdeeds, thus keeping them relatively honest and to a lesser extent the incentives provided by industrial capitalism.noteIndividuals ambitious for wealth must manufacture something that society values in order to deserve it, and the competition forces them to continue producing better inventions, possibly forever, as long as everyone is honest. Unfortunately Social Darwinism takes the "competition drives innovation" part to the genocidal extreme. Romanticists generally agree with the "bastardy animals" idea, but they tend to accept it and not the "utilitarianism converts bastardy animalness into prosperity" solution.

For an example of how this works, consider the important proto-postmodern text Dialectic of Enlightenment, which critiqued modernism and Enlightenment as being nothing other than an extended, totalitarian form of the same (Romantic) primitive world-mythology that grips all people - "[M]yth is already enlightenment; and enlightenment reverts to mythology."

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It goes much deeper than that. Madoka transforms from a girl who hates herself toa happy girl who essentially kills herself and disembodies her spirit in order to create a new system where all magical girls are saved while the Energy system is not compromised. Madoka let the Kyubey exist to prevent Entropy and give humanity civilization, only that the worst and unnecessary waste products of the Puella Magi system (witches) are gone. Given that she simultaneously assists Kyubey in his goal of preventing the heat-death of the universe, and that she gives up her self to help fix the world, it seems like a rather Enlightened work to me. If Madoka straight-up wished that Kyubey didn't exist and accepted her life as "naked and living in caves" while the universe dies from entropy, it would be Romanticist.

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Romanticism Versus Enlightenment - TV Tropes

Spiritual Enlightenment transcends religion. It transcends thought. It transcends mind and its senses. And it conveys a level of wisdom and knowledge about life and the universe that is unparalleled. The concept of enlightenment implies complete understanding of life and the universe, which usually is accompanied by a detachment of all things impermanent and a complete awareness of everything that is, at the moment that it is.

Pretty cool, huh? Yeah. Its what gave the Buddha his mojo, what gave Muhammad his immense understanding, and what gave Jesus (and Thomas) the power to heal people and perform other miracles (dont forget Peter walked on water too). If you want to understand more about spiritual enlightenment, please read the article I posted that explains more about spiritual enlightenment here. This article is going to talk about the disciplines used world-wide to attain spiritual enlightenment.

I passed through the portal of the enlightenment experience about 12 years ago. I call it the enlightenment experience, because thats what it was an experience. It was an experience of my regular senses shutting down, to be replaced with amazing visions, sounds, realizations, epiphanies, and a melding with an intelligence and love so overwhelming it literally changed my life and granted me a wisdom of which I was not worthy beforehand. It was brought on by a deep focused meditation after a short prayer. If you would like to hear more about my enlightenment experience, watch the video (or read the transcript) I made about the first time I encountered it.

So how does one become enlightened? Well theres not a set process. It just sorta happens. That said, it rarely happens to someone if theyre not looking for it. So intention is a good ingredient. But beyond that, there are quite a few commonalities among enlightenment stories globally and parallels within spiritual disciplines designed to bring on enlightenment that suggest we can make a few educated guesses on how to more easily get you there. Lets first discuss my pet theory, then we can review how the worlds disciplines to achieve enlightenment support it.

My theory on how to attain spiritual enlightenment is simple: Stop all conscious thought in your mind, and the experience of enlightenment will occur. I suppose I could have made it sound much more mystical by saying cease the noise that exists within your mind, and you will hear the truth that lies just beyond but I think you get the gist. In fact, from a scientific perspective, I believe that enlightenment is caused by certain chemicals that get released within the body during waking conscious hours when brain activity in certain areas of the brain is reduced below a presently non-defined threshold. Well discuss some evidence later in this article that supports this pretty strongly. For now, lets take alook at the disciplines that typically lead to spiritual enlightenment, and then see how they individually stack up to this basic hypothesis. The different disciplines / methods include:

Meditation (various forms discussed below) Prayer Chanting Yoga Martial Arts Fasting Sweat Lodges / Physical Distress Dancing / Quaking / Shaking Pilgrimages Sensory Depravation Near Death Experience Depression / Despair Self Flagellation Psychedelics Spontaneous Enlightenment

There are a number of different types of meditation. Even some of the different disciplines in this very article can be considered forms of physical meditation. But regardless of the flavor of meditation, all types of meditation are connected with calming the mind and bringing conscious attention into oneself so as to reduce the focus on stuff going on outside of you. How does that fit our hypothesis? If you shut down external distractions, it becomes easier to reduce internal distractions, which is of course a baby step to ceasing all thought and attaining enlightenment. Here are the different types of meditation:

I. Mindfulness Meditation, is the popular term for a form of meditation called Vipassana (vih-PAH-sah-nah), and it comes from the Buddhist tradition. It is probably the most popular form of meditation taught in the West, although it is usually not directly tied to Buddhism when it is taught. Vipassana focuses on being present wherever you are, letting your mind run freely, and simply observing whatever thoughts arise without judgement, and with full acceptance. Fans of Eckhart Tolle are familiar with this type of meditation. Its about 2500 years old if not much, much older. The practice of observing ones thoughts lets that person not be controlled by those thoughts, which then results in a detachment or separation of those same thoughts. Eventually, the process of not having your conscious attention drive new thought threads based on the spurious thoughts that fly through your mind (now doing so unmolested in meditation) allows the mind to eventually calm and quiet itself. Having the mind be calm and quiet is one step from having all conscious thought cease. Regardless of you ever being able to get to the point where conscious thought ceases, Vipassana has been shown through multiple studies to have dramatic positive effects on body and emotional health.

II. Sitting Meditation,called Zazen among Zen practitioners, is also very popular, although it is not always performed under the Zen umbrella. Zen, of course, is a form of practical Buddhism designed to lead directly to enlightenment through a conscious ceasing of all thought in the mind (sound familiar?). Zen koans are riddles that are designed not to have mindful answers to them, so that meditating on them may cause the mind to hiccup and stop thinking altogether. Good example: What is the sound of one hand clapping? How could you think your way into a solution to that riddle? Zazen is your opportunity to practice that process.

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The Top 15 Ways to Achieve Spiritual Enlightenment - I AM ...

EFL 1.14 and Enlightenment 0.19.5 are out - go to our Download page.

Enlightenment started as a project to build a Window Manager for X11. That was way back in 1996. It has grown much since. It still produces this Window Manager, but it has evolved to also cover Mobile, Wearable and TV UI needs for projects such as Tizen as well as traditional the desktop UI. We still push out releases, so see our download page for more details on the latest releases, or see our contribute page for source code repositories in their latest development state.

It also is in the transition from X11 to Wayland. We are fully committed to moving to Wayland eventually as this is definitely the future of the graphical display layer on Linux.

We still primarily support Linux for Enlightenment, but there is some effort (based on help and support from users and some developers) to support the BSDs.

In the process of developing a Window Manager, A set of libraries were developed in order to achieve that goal. These libraries are known collectively as EFL. They cover a range of functionality from main-loop, to graphics, scene graphs, networking, widgets, data storage, IPC and much more.

We now are starting to pull in bindings support directly into EFL. We are working on having bindings auto-generated for C++, Lua and Javascript (v8/node.js). We also would like to pull in our Python bindings in the future so we can support as many languages as possible and keep them up to date.

For our libraries, our primary development environment is Linux, but we make an effort to support the BSDs as fully as possible, as well as OSX and Windows.

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Enlightenment Main

...reconnecting the first global social network!

Electronic Enlightenment is the most wide-ranging online collection of edited correspondence of the early modern period, linking people across Europe, the Americas and Asia from the early 17th to the mid-19th century reconstructing one of the world's great historical conversations.

A subscription to EE will give you immediate access to 67,875 historical documents. Listen in on the first global social network as 8,331 historical figures discuss everything from religious tolerance to animal rights, vulcanology to classical archeology, economic modelling to celebrity culture.

All documents and biographies now have a registered DOI.

Now over 67,800 items of correspondence! Our latest update adds over 3,300 documents from six major collections centered on:

With over 500 additions and revisions our Biographical Dictionary now has over 8,300 entries!

For an overview of the update please read the latest News-sheet.

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Electronic Enlightenment letters & lives online