Everything you may have heard about enlightenment, which I call Illumination, is based on hearsay derived from metaphors too out of date for most people to fully understand. That is why I have reinterpreted the metaphors for the 21st century, making your path to Illumination easier to follow than ever!

But I wasn't always Illuminated. I was born a Christian, born again, brought to Atheism through critical thought, and only found my way through Buddhism after a decade of hard work. Illumination was not found by following what I had been told but by searching deliberately. If you want to see the kingdom of heaven, you have to actually look.

Illumination is the essential ingredient missing from much of western religion and atheism is not designed to help you find it. Though it fits well in the atheist system - Illumination requires no god or worship - Illumination should be sought by Christians as well, for a more complete understanding of where they fit in the universe.

Because, as it turns out, Illumination (or enlightenment) is not as difficult to find as you might think. Heaven (or Nirvana) is all around you; you just need to know where and how to look. Understand such concepts as Samsara, Reincarnation, Karma, and Sunyata in ways you probably never imagined, ways that enrich your life - the only one you'll ever get - so you don't spend all of your time expecting it in a life after this one.

Illumination can be as simple as a change in perspective or as difficult as the destruction of the self, comprehending the significance of your own insignificance. But you can do it right now without dogma, without authoritarian rule, and without god.