Is this a cult?

[Army]

Crawled through a lot of religious text and rabbit holes to find a message board? What is this and how do I become enlightened.

[Mahavakyamurti]

Your questions regarding both this site and enlightenment will probably have a wide variety of answers all depending on who dares to try answering.

My view regarding "enlightenment" is that it is mostly a hyped-up buzzword primarily used by people trying to make sense of (and often even settle for) their own first glimpse of the expanded consciousness.

There is however a genuine subtle shift of consciousness found among mystics of all traditions that goes beyond any concepts or definitions, for which "enlightenment" is the best word to use when ponting to that which is beyond what language can describe.

There are ways to realize this, differing methods in numerous different traditions, but a common prerequisite in most cases is the dropping of the very concept of "enlightenment" since any concepts, ideas, names and forms obscures reality. Seeking actual "enlightenment" is a rough process, involving the deconstruction of everything you take for granted, including your own very sense of being.

Any genuine seeker, ready to accept this challenge, will find his or her own way to this path no matter the circumstances, wether they try or not, and guidance will all of a sudden be found everywhere. The maze on this site is nothing but a collection, paired with a numerological systematization, of several (but far from every) accounts of where this common undercurrent can be found everywhere in culture and science.

I wouldn't advice anyone to actively seek "enlightenment" since that endeavour most often leads to nothing but detours, but my advice to everyone, regardless of everything else considered here, would be the following: Drop any intention to grasp any concept of "enlightenment", genuine seeking cannot be forced so just immerse yourself in the magnificent power of the works of countless creative minds. The answers to every question already reside within yourself and the realization will dawn upon you when you are ready, until then: just enjoy the ride.

[Oleg]

You have fallen through rabbit holes and wound up here, "but where is here?", you ask. It is a place to stop and discuss the falling through rabbit holes, and to fall through more.
To discard the metaphor, as they can often confuse more than they illustrate, this is a place to share ideas, often 'strange' ideas of occult, spiritual, or metaphysical nature which people elsewhere may not understand or engage with.
As for your question about enlightenment, enlightenment is not a goal to be reached, it is the journey towards that goal.
However as Mahavakyamurti said, answers to these questions may vary greatly depending on the person responding.

[O.P.A.L]

Fall to the call
Of the all
WELCOME TO THE
DEEP
DEED
OF THE MEEK
O
P
A
L

[crunchlord]

a messy path, yet no devilish intentions hidden beneath the swamp.
you got this far