What Exactly is Democratizing Enlightenment?

The word enlightenment literally means to be “filled with light." Sounds awesome, right? But wait a minute… what kind of light are we talking about? Because if it’s from a fluorescent bulb or blue light after sunset...

There are many definitions of the term enlightenment that go far beyond its etymological origins. 

At Troscriptions, we use a definition developed by our Chief Science Officer and Founder, Dr. Ted Achacoso.

Dr. Ted’s definition takes its origins from his training in the ancient spiritual tradition of Dzogchen. Dzogchen was developed in Tibet thousands of years ago within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Translated, Dzogchen means the “Great Perfection” or the true inherent nature (or primordial state) of all beings, free from all limitations and conditioning.

The uniqueness of the Dzogchen teaching is the direct transmission or "pointing out instruction" in which the master and the student find themselves in the primordial state at the same moment through one of the experiences related to body, voice, or mind. Due to the power of the pointing out instruction, students are able to discover their own real condition through direct introduction.

For a contemporary introduction, Dr. Ted highly recommends the Waking Up app by Sam Harris. Sam uses Dzogchen as his guiding philosophy throughout his meditations, lessons, and conversations. 

So... What is Enlightenment, Anyway?

"Enlightenment is the freedom from the illusion of the self. The term illusion in this context doesn’t mean that the self does not exist. Rather, it means that it is not what it seems to be." 
– Dr. Ted

The self is the self-referential system, the ego, which is a verb and not a noun. It is a process. We are selfing all the time. In strict neuroscientific terms, the ego is a patterned firing of the default mode network of the brain that produces the illusion of a constant identity.

The Default Mode Network

For those not familiar, the default mode network or DMN (also known as the medial frontoparietal network) is a large-scale brain network primarily composed of the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, and angular gyrus. It is active when we are “selfing” or replaying in our mind our usual stories such as our name, our profession, what we believe, what we do for a living, etc.

The DMN is less active when we are in the “flow state” or task-focused. And when it’s less active, there’s a greater chance that you’ll break through perceived limitations (i.e., get out of your own way) and make new connections/gains/shifts.

Of note, meditation and various psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are also well-known to decrease DMN activity.

Even glimpses of enlightenment (or the freedom from the illusion of the self) can be transformative. The more of them you have, the less you will suffer and the more happiness, contentment, compassion, and generosity you’ll very likely feel.

Democratizing Enlightenment

Here at Troscriptions, our mission is to Democratize Enlightenment by decreasing suffering in ourselves and others, knowing that there is no other. We do this through Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMeHOPe), our sister nonprofit organization, as well as through our products (#buccalup). 

HOMeHOPe is the first clinical practice that defines and delivers a standard of care for health, not disease. Pioneered by Dr. Ted, the Essential Certification in HOMeHOPe is now available as an online education course for doctors and health practitioners who seek a foundational framework that optimizes health. There are also advanced modules available in cannabis and peptides available!

Our products at Troscriptions are “1 cent solutions” developed to Democratize Enlightenment.

What are 1 cent solutions? Let us explain using the story of Enlightenment Island, one of Dr. Ted’s favorites: 

Many years ago…

The Buddha and the Guru are walking along the bank of Enlightenment River. In the middle of the river is Enlightenment Island.

The Guru tells the Buddha that he has studied levitation at Levitation Island for 30 years and can now walk on water and reach Enlightenment Island. The Buddha looked at the Guru incredulously and asked him: "Why did you do that? 30 years?! The ferry to Enlightenment Island only costs 1 cent!"

1 Cent Solutions

At Troscriptions, we have 1 cent solutions in the form of a buccal troche that rapidly address the bottlenecks we all face on the path to health optimization. These include challenges with focus, memory, mitochondrial health, inflammation, stress and tension, sleep, pain, and many more on the way.

Think of our troches as enlightenment “cheat codes” because as you address these bottlenecks and relieve suffering, the easier your path will become. 

But okay, we’ll admit… our troches don’t actually cost 1 cent and they won’t make you levitate (yet), but there’s always the ferry, right?

Are you ready? Try our buccal troches and see how you feel.

Just Blue for mitochondrial optimization, decreasing inflammation, and a smooth energy rise, Blue Cannatine for a massive kick of productivity, focus, and verbal fluidity, Tro Calm to take the edge off, relax, and perform better from the boardroom to the bedroom, Tro Zzz for a comprehensive sleep solution, and more on the way!