Recently I have come across a lot of posts here which in their essence deal with the ambition of enlightenment/spiritual superiority in a practitioner.
The downsides and dangers of it have been repeatedly mentioned on the forum but the perennial theme that i find is to not discourage beginners by unfolding more of 'reality' than they are prepared to accept without giving up on practice..
I think there shall be a post pinned on the basic reasons that lead a lot into meditation and similar practice and a conservative estimate of what to expect and the often found misconceptions..
This is a good idea, and you describe well some of the regular confusions that arise. Also dhammaseeker posted an interesting similar thread which can be found
here.
Being through a lot of that, I find it hard to either suggest meditation to people i know or talk about the issues they are facing..
Meditation can be a simple addition to a healthy life balance. This is fairly basic. Yet it is not the natural goal of Buddhism.
To understand the natural goal of the Buddhist path one needs right understanding: that cutting the roots of desire, aversion and ignorance is how one denies the ego of food.
"Enlightenment" is quite misunderstood it seems. There is clearly an existential difference between a life lead by ego and a life where the roots of ego have been completely cut. And, when you start to see this clear difference, it is a little frightening even, at first.
It really is swimming against the major currents in this world we live in today. Not many are ready to see, fewer ready to swim upstream. We are programmed by family, culture, school and authority systems to fit in, and enlightenment is quite not fitting in - it is being your true selfless self, unadorned by desires for material success, clear of ignorance and aversion. A big clash with our culture, which values the material above all else.
Having said that, grasping for a goal of "enlightenment" is very toxic: it feeds the ego, it builds clinging and attachment - instead of cutting them, and it is based on ignorance.
With love, Siddharth
Much love to you also Dhamma brother.
M