The very short answer to this question is that Enlightenment occurs when the soul experiences a reconnection to the oneness and knows itself to be a part of the Oneness and not a soul living in separation.

This moment is what is known as Enlightenment.Many have experienced this, either consciously or subconsciously, and they begin to know themselves as one with everyone and everything around them.  When this occurs, there is an experience of lightness, peace and bliss.Until that point, there are certainly moments of experiencing light and expansion as the soul continues to evolve and remember its true essence, a Universal Being of Light. 

One way to describe the soul’s experience of reaching Enlightenment, is to use the analogy of a house.  When your soul awakens and steps onto the path to Enlightenment, it can be compared to a light switching on in a room on the first floor of the house.  Before the light went on, you were living in darkness, trying to find your way through life. When the light of the soul connects, you begin to see things in a different light.  You begin to have ‘aha’ moments and see experiences and others around it in a different way.  You now have a light to begin guiding you instead of trying to find your way in the dark. This is what is known as the first soul initiation and your soul has stepped onto the path towards Enlightenment.

After you’ve experienced the effects of this light and have used it to uncover and clear out the debris that accumulated in the house before the light was turned on, you discover that there are steps leading to a second story.  At first, you might be a little afraid of where these steps lead because this second story is still dark.  

Taking your newly acquired light from the first floor, you begin exploring the second level of the house.  Soon you find that the second floor is even larger than the first.  You begin to explore and open doors to rooms that you didn't know existed.  Each door you open brings in even more light into this level and you begin to remember yourself as a soul who has attained wisdom in previous soul experiences.  There is a desire to share this wisdom with others and to find others who have also connected with their wisdom.

The light that comes expands who you are at a soul level but also shines into corners and small, dark places that need your attention.  The light reveals things that have been too painful to see until this point and, at the same time you are connecting with your wisdom, you begin clearing karma that your soul has accumulated throughout its experiences.You find yourself settling in and becoming comfortable in this expanded level of the house and it begins to feel like home. 

After a while, however, it begins to feel too small and you begin searching for something more.  Perhaps there is something happening that forces you to search such as an illness or the loss of a job.  You begin searching for answers and find that there is another staircase leading to another part of the house.  

From your past experience, you may not go into fear but instead are a bit curious to see what exists on the next level of the house.  There may be some resistance in leaving the level of your house.  After all, you did a lot of work to get to that level and clean out the debris and make it your home.  But something inside of you, or perhaps outside of you, pushes you forward.

Taking your light that you now have gathered from the first and second floors, you begin your climb to the third floor.  These steps appear a bit steeper and it seems to take longer to get to the next level but your desire to see what is there for you, keeps you going.Along the way, you find a growing inner strength and determination.  You discover that you are needing to use the light of the first floor and the wisdom of the second floor along the way to the next level and you begin finding answers and new discoveries along the way.When you finally reach the third floor, you are amazed at how much light exists.  You can hardly believe that this level was there all along and you are grateful for whatever pushed you out of the comfort of your second level.

At this expanded level, your view of everything changes.  You find that you can see things beyond your own house that you didn’t see before and you even have a better vantage point to seeing things in your own house.  Situations in your life become so much clearer and your understanding of why and how events happened come into focus.  You begin seeing your part in the events that have played out in your life and you begin to accept responsibility for what you created or allowed.  This newly expanded light gives you the opportunity to see even more of the rooms in your house that need to be cleared.  You now feel you have the courage to open doors too painful to be opened before now.  With the spiritual wisdom and sight you have attained, you may begin helping others, uplifting them in ways you were not able to do before now.  You begin to feel strong, capable and fulfilled as you make this third floor of your house your new home.

It takes a bit longer to get totally comfortable at this new level of your house but after a while, you begin to feel a slight nudging. Is this all there is or is there more?  Little things begin feeling uncomfortable and you start searching for the next staircase.  You remember the determination and strength it took to get you to this level and you wonder if you are ready to make the climb.  

At a certain moment, you realize that this new level has given you all there is to give you.  You feel prepared for the journey.  Gathering all of the light you have acquired, you begin your climb.  The climb is more difficult than you imagined, and you are happy that you had a chance to rest and gather all your strength on the lower floors before you made this climb.  There are challenges and some pitfalls along the way; twists and turns that you hadn’t expected but you persevere.This climb takes you the longest of all the climbs.  It feels like it will never end.  When will you finally reach the next floor? 

You realize along the way that you have the opportunity to use everything you acquired up to this point in order to keep going.  Doubts and fears surface and you need to remind yourself that this will all be worth it when you reach the next floor. At some point, you begin to see a dim light and you begin to feel hope.  Keeping your eyes on the light, it continues to guide you until you finally reach the fourth floor of your house.  As you step onto this level, the light changes from white light to a beautiful golden light.  

The light, the prana, the energy of this floor is beyond anything you had ever imagined!  The light evokes a calm sense of peace and everything inside of you relaxes.  You allow this beautiful golden light to fill you and surround you and all you feel is bliss.  When you have been filled with this beautiful energy and your eyes get accustomed to the bright light, you begin to explore this fourth level of your house and soon realize you are connected to everyone and everything. 

You had heard others talk about this feeling of oneness but until now, there was no way to really know what this felt like.The thought of ‘I’m home’ keeps surfacing in your mind and, indeed, it does feel like this is where you came from and this is where you belong.