If you read about near death experiences, or watch video accounts of them, there is a commonality to the reports. There is initially darkness, vast and impenetrable. Then a small light appears in the distance. It gets brighter and one is drawn to it. Reports tell of flying towards the light without effort. Upon entering the light, love is felt to a profound depth unknown before. Then a place appears and one is introduced to Christ, or Buddha, or Mohamed, or God, and a life review begins.
I've been told these stories by people who experienced them. They are like the accounts I've read. Yes, I'm talking about these stories, but I would like to point out something more basic. You've heard this pointer before.
Whether in life or in the afterlife, the basic fact is our knowing, our awareness of events. Yes, this basic awareness, so hidden by events. Hidden by stories of life on earth, and in the afterlife. Awareness.
Is there anytime, on earth or in heaven that we are not aware? People who are able to speak of their past lives, can only speak of them as having known them, having been aware of them.
Awareness is basic. It seems to be the ground of being. Existence itself is only evident in awareness. Can we separate existence from awareness?
The ancient sages had a phrase, "Existence, Consciousness, Bliss." They had pierced the veil of content, of story, of objects, and made clear that existence itself was awareness, the ground of being.
Awareness, the ground of eternal knowing, is existence. It is what we really are. Whole, complete, and at peace.
I've been told these stories by people who experienced them. They are like the accounts I've read. Yes, I'm talking about these stories, but I would like to point out something more basic. You've heard this pointer before.
Whether in life or in the afterlife, the basic fact is our knowing, our awareness of events. Yes, this basic awareness, so hidden by events. Hidden by stories of life on earth, and in the afterlife. Awareness.
Is there anytime, on earth or in heaven that we are not aware? People who are able to speak of their past lives, can only speak of them as having known them, having been aware of them.
Awareness is basic. It seems to be the ground of being. Existence itself is only evident in awareness. Can we separate existence from awareness?
The ancient sages had a phrase, "Existence, Consciousness, Bliss." They had pierced the veil of content, of story, of objects, and made clear that existence itself was awareness, the ground of being.
Awareness, the ground of eternal knowing, is existence. It is what we really are. Whole, complete, and at peace.
3 comments:
Thanks for pointing this out Maury. I had a near-death experience identical with the one you describe, except in one feature: Mine was terrifying. However, throughout the experience, I was not identified AT ALL with being a person or a personality; the experience was of a (terrified) awareness apparently moving through space; "I" had disappeared. Just like you say: Awareness is, whether there is a conscious personality or not.
Sorry to hear that your NDE was not pleasant, or at least neutral. Perhaps it has something to do with the circumstances of the event. Your experience is unusual in that most people retain a personal consciousness during an NDE.
It seems apparent that the second the soul determines the body is no longer viable, it leaves. However, if the body doesn't die, it is forced to return. I did have someone recount an NDE where he was very frightened because in the dark space there were sparks which had the feel of little beings were trying to cling to him as he moved towards the light.
Bottom line, however, as you noted, awareness is always present.
It was so long ago (26 years ago) that the terror is just a story now. What remains of vital interest to me is the embodied knowing that consciousness is not generated by the brain, which has helped me to relax into all the other unusual happenings in the life…
Post a Comment