My understanding of enlightenment deviates from the classical Buddhist notion of it, but only somewhat.

Essentially, my understanding of enlightenment involves physics, the Hindu chakra system, and a specific cosmology.

We are in a certain "density" of the universe. In the same way that our eyes have a visible range and our ears can only hear sounds within a certain range, so too can our physical bodies only interact with certain "densities" of the universe. The vibrational speed of the matter must be compatible in order for interactivity to be possible.

In order to break the cycle of reincarnation, we must develop for ourselves a body composed of light...magnetic light...aura/halo light. This is done by activating the heart chakra, the wisdom chakra, and the 3rd eye. The lower 3 chakras and the upper crown are already active. Activating the upper chakras requires balancing of the lowers as a prerequisite.

When all 7 chakras are active, all 7 colors of the rainbow are present in what the Tibetans call "the rainbow body". The 7 colors form brilliant white light. The enlightened person is enlightened by virtue of their aura.

This light aura IS the light body that will be used in the next density. Once the enlightened being "dies" from this physical incarnation, they will not go through the usual reincarnation routine but rather will be born into the next density.

Physics gets very wonky around light speed. Near death experiences often involve people feeling like they were surrounded by love and light. UFO/UAP encounters often have light anomalies associated with them.

If light speed is the "boundary" between the density of the universe that we call "physical reality" and the next density, a density of light, then it makes sense that, in order to exist in a density of light, one would need a body of light.

There are some essential aspects to enlightenment that seem to correspond better to one chakra or another. For example, the heart chakra seems to correspond well with the loving/being everyone aspect of Buddha's enlightenment. The wisdom chakra corresponds with the dissolution of the persona and the rediscovery of the true self who is not just this Earthly person/role/character. The 3rd eye seems to be related to the surrender aspect of enlightenment.

I think enlightenment experiences are essentially "full" Kundalini awakenings where all 3 higher chakras are activated.

Kundalini awakenings have some degree of variance as experiences. There is a lot of commonality from one Kundalini awakening experience to the rest however each experience tends to be somewhat unique, which makes sense given that each mind/body/spirit complex is unique.

Some have visions like Buddha did of some bodiless, disincarnated state of total awareness. Some have visions like George Washington journaled about. Many experience a sort of internal fire or electricity throughout the central nervous system. Some experience involuntary movements. Dr. Lee Sannella MD studied this and covered it in his book "Kundalini: Psychosis or Transcendence".