The world as seen as an individual bodymind is separate, needing protection and defense. The individual world is full of projections, jealousy, resentments, etc. When the identity shifts to the Self, impersonal Awareness, you stop creating that world of separate beings and populating it with the slings and arrows of individuality.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Saturday, March 30, 2019
TV Dramas
When you are watching a good movie on TV, you are totally wrapped up in the action on the screen. You forget all about the TV. In fact, you are not even aware of the TV, you are only aware of the story. Yet, without the TV, there would be no action on the screen.
Our lives are similar. We are so wrapped up in the story of me and my dramas, that we do not recognize the Awareness that we are. Awareness perceiving the story.
So, if we never stop to ask, "What is this Awareness that holds and knows this story, this drama," we never know we are that Awareness, and not the story.
We are the TV that receives all channels, knows all channels, and is all channels. The stories appear in me, and yet, I am free of all the stories.
Our lives are similar. We are so wrapped up in the story of me and my dramas, that we do not recognize the Awareness that we are. Awareness perceiving the story.
So, if we never stop to ask, "What is this Awareness that holds and knows this story, this drama," we never know we are that Awareness, and not the story.
We are the TV that receives all channels, knows all channels, and is all channels. The stories appear in me, and yet, I am free of all the stories.
You Are Not The Story
You only need to be aware that awareness is what you already are. I used to remind myself by saying "I am the awareness that knows Maury, the awareness in which Maury appears."
You, is a story being played out in awareness. You can see the story because you are NOT the story. You are the awareness that sees the story. As awareness you are not affected by the story, not anxious, not afraid. You are the knower of the story, not the story character.
You, is a story being played out in awareness. You can see the story because you are NOT the story. You are the awareness that sees the story. As awareness you are not affected by the story, not anxious, not afraid. You are the knower of the story, not the story character.
Friday, March 29, 2019
You Are Awareness
Someone asked me, "I'm having the hardest time staying present in my day-to-day. Is there anything you can suggest (mantra, what have you) to help a novice get a better grip on Now?"
Actually, what you are is presence, is awareness. Awareness is always here. When you find yourself distracted, anxious, or worried, it is awareness that is knowing those thoughts. You are not the distracting thoughts, the anxious feelings. You are the awareness that knows those thoughts and feelings.
You can never be outside awareness. Yes, your mind may be distracted, but whatever is the distraction, it is known by awareness. So, rather than a mantra, and certainly not the mantra that "I am distracted," just realize that awareness is knowing the distraction, and you are that awareness.
So, you are never not present, you are eternally present as that Awareness. It is what you are. If you just remember you are awareness, when you feel distracted, that is enough.
Actually, what you are is presence, is awareness. Awareness is always here. When you find yourself distracted, anxious, or worried, it is awareness that is knowing those thoughts. You are not the distracting thoughts, the anxious feelings. You are the awareness that knows those thoughts and feelings.
You can never be outside awareness. Yes, your mind may be distracted, but whatever is the distraction, it is known by awareness. So, rather than a mantra, and certainly not the mantra that "I am distracted," just realize that awareness is knowing the distraction, and you are that awareness.
So, you are never not present, you are eternally present as that Awareness. It is what you are. If you just remember you are awareness, when you feel distracted, that is enough.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Freedom
Freedom is freedom from suffering, from fearing death. It is freedom from the limitation of identification with the body. It is not freedom to do what you want without responsibility. It's feeling free as identity has shifted to being impersonal awareness. It not about action, it's about freedom from the actor.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
The Most Unchanging
Jordan Peterson, in his book "12 Rules For Life, An Antidote to Chaos" has this to say on page 13.
"It's chaos, within order, within chaos, within higher order. The order that is most real is the order that is most unchanging -- and that is not necessarily the order that is most easily seen."
Reading those words really stunned me due to my understanding of non duality. In the world understood by the non dual sages, reality is defined as "That which does not change." Now isn't it astounding that Jordan Peterson, one of the most profound intellectuals of our current Western thinkers, has discovered this? Doesn't his statement make it clear that the ground of being is that which doesn't change?
That which doesn't change is ineffable, unlimited, unbound, beyond good or bad. The ancient Hindu sages stated thousands of years ago that Reality is that which doesn't change. And now, in our time, Jordan Peterson, perhaps the most popular lecturer of our time is saying the same thing, having made the same discovery.
Anyone who has pursued enlightenment can vouch for the fact that understanding and finding the impersonal non dual Self is perhaps the hardest thing a man can pursue. The difficulty lies in the simple fact that it is not easily seen. One literally has to step back from the personal self which changes, and discover the pure Awareness that is unchanging, no matter what is appearing in its field.
I believe the popularity of Jordan Peterson may be that he is touching on this foundational truth of Reality, that the ground of being is Awareness. And since it is the truth, and it is foundational, it can be trusted.
"It's chaos, within order, within chaos, within higher order. The order that is most real is the order that is most unchanging -- and that is not necessarily the order that is most easily seen."
Reading those words really stunned me due to my understanding of non duality. In the world understood by the non dual sages, reality is defined as "That which does not change." Now isn't it astounding that Jordan Peterson, one of the most profound intellectuals of our current Western thinkers, has discovered this? Doesn't his statement make it clear that the ground of being is that which doesn't change?
That which doesn't change is ineffable, unlimited, unbound, beyond good or bad. The ancient Hindu sages stated thousands of years ago that Reality is that which doesn't change. And now, in our time, Jordan Peterson, perhaps the most popular lecturer of our time is saying the same thing, having made the same discovery.
Anyone who has pursued enlightenment can vouch for the fact that understanding and finding the impersonal non dual Self is perhaps the hardest thing a man can pursue. The difficulty lies in the simple fact that it is not easily seen. One literally has to step back from the personal self which changes, and discover the pure Awareness that is unchanging, no matter what is appearing in its field.
I believe the popularity of Jordan Peterson may be that he is touching on this foundational truth of Reality, that the ground of being is Awareness. And since it is the truth, and it is foundational, it can be trusted.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Realization Is Not Sainthood
I read that "Realization, enlightenment, or awakening, does not necessarily make one kinder, more compassionate, more caring, more truthful, more saintly, more open, more noble, more ethical or more religious."
That's true, realization is no guarantee of virtues. However, there is a tendency towards less reactivity, less projection, and less egoic concern, resulting in a more peaceful disposition with less concern. Grieve not for the living or the dead,' begins to make sense.
So the trend upon realization is good, but the results vary. Anomalies abound.
Even Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? No one is good--except God alone."
My own pursuit of realization was never about being good, or being saintly. My only concern was for the Truth. My devotion was to Truth. I believe this helped me stay clear of lousy half-baked teachings and guru worship. I always knew the guru was just the messenger. I never put a teacher above my own head.
Lastly, realizing "I am That," does not automatically make you different. It stops your seeking, and your mind quiets down, but you don't just become saintly because of the knowledge. I think the current talk in spiritual circles about embodiment and actualization reflect the fact that after realization there must follow a lifelong unfolding of what that implies.
That's true, realization is no guarantee of virtues. However, there is a tendency towards less reactivity, less projection, and less egoic concern, resulting in a more peaceful disposition with less concern. Grieve not for the living or the dead,' begins to make sense.
So the trend upon realization is good, but the results vary. Anomalies abound.
Even Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? No one is good--except God alone."
My own pursuit of realization was never about being good, or being saintly. My only concern was for the Truth. My devotion was to Truth. I believe this helped me stay clear of lousy half-baked teachings and guru worship. I always knew the guru was just the messenger. I never put a teacher above my own head.
Lastly, realizing "I am That," does not automatically make you different. It stops your seeking, and your mind quiets down, but you don't just become saintly because of the knowledge. I think the current talk in spiritual circles about embodiment and actualization reflect the fact that after realization there must follow a lifelong unfolding of what that implies.
Friday, March 8, 2019
Watching Your Thoughts
Watching your thoughts should simply point out that what is watching is who you really are. The thoughts are what you took to be yourself, but now you see that they are only appearances upon the real Self, awareness.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Existence Equals Awareness
The ear doesn't make sound, but it hears all sounds. The eye doesn't make images, but it sees any image that appears. The nose doesn't make smells, but it smells many different scents. The skin doesn't make touch, but it senses many different textures. The tongue doesn't have a taste, but it tastes whatever is put on it.
You could say that the senses are neutral. They simply reveal what is available. The single factor behind all these sense organs is awareness. It registers without choice, what the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin reveal.
Just so, the knower, awareness, doesn't have a preference for what it experiences. It simply registers whatever experience is presented. However different our lived experience, it is all known by awareness. Isn't it obvious that awareness, the knower, is universal?
I can say that my experiences are different from your experiences, but can I say that the knower, awareness, is different from yours?
It is said that the one thing no one can deny, is that I exist. Your knowledge of existence is rooted in awareness. Is there any difference between the knower and existence? Can't we then say, that there is one existent awareness, and every experience, name and form, is nothing but that?
You could say that the senses are neutral. They simply reveal what is available. The single factor behind all these sense organs is awareness. It registers without choice, what the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin reveal.
Just so, the knower, awareness, doesn't have a preference for what it experiences. It simply registers whatever experience is presented. However different our lived experience, it is all known by awareness. Isn't it obvious that awareness, the knower, is universal?
I can say that my experiences are different from your experiences, but can I say that the knower, awareness, is different from yours?
It is said that the one thing no one can deny, is that I exist. Your knowledge of existence is rooted in awareness. Is there any difference between the knower and existence? Can't we then say, that there is one existent awareness, and every experience, name and form, is nothing but that?
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Unveiling Awareness
It seems to me that the void of emptiness reveals that even the most subtle object we can know, unveils awareness as the knower of all.
Friday, March 1, 2019
All Religions Are Non Dual
If nondual means not two, and Brahman is the principle of Awareness, does it matter what branch of Advaita, or what religion one claims? No. Whatever God you pray to appears in awareness. Whatever God you believe in, and how you think and feel about that God appears only in awareness. Likewise, any experience of any kind appears in awareness. Nothing appears without the presence of awareness. So, nonduality is a fact and verified by anyone who looks. So whatever your religion or philosophy, it appears in nondual awareness. You might say that Advaita is actually a science of consciousness and it only appears to be a religion because awareness is seen to be the absolute irreducible fact of existence.