“People seek the path to enlightenment. I’ll tell you what enlightenment is: Where you once saw a grand society, you now see flies swarming over a pile of shit.” — Steve Suzuki

Humans live in a society that is fundamentally disconnected from the natural world. Almost all of our daily concerns—from our jobs and our status to our relationships and our beliefs—aren’t really important in the natural order of things.

It is sometimes at our lowest point, when our illusions have been shattered, that we can catch a glimpse of the true order of things. It is like getting unplugged from ‘the Matrix’ and seeing reality for the first time. In the movie, when the hero re-enters the Matrix after having seen the real world, he gains superpowers. He must live by the rules of the Matrix, but he can basically ‘hack’ the system and bend the rules almost to the breaking point. Can we gain greater control over our mind, body and lives through enlightenment?

For me, ‘rock bottom’ was not the absolute lowest point possible. I still had my physical health and was fairly financially secure. But I was at a point where I no longer wanted to go on living my life—primarily due to mental health issues. Hopefully, you will never have to hit rock bottom in your life. Hopefully, you have found meaning in your life and experience periods of happiness. But, can you learn lessons from those who have stumbled upon ‘enlightenment’ and build a stronger connection to the natural world?

What is possible and what is not? I believe that we can challenge the assumptions that most people live their lives by. In doing so, we gain greater power over our own lives. What do you really want out of life? If a longer and healthier life is one of your goals, I believe that is possible. Are there ‘hacks’ that can get you there? Let’s explore those possibilities.