You don't need to realise you are awareness - if anything, you need to simply understand it.
You are ultimately not the thoughts, emotion or body - you are that which is aware of it.
You are beyond all experience, being the experiencer.
Ultimately, you are not the experiencer either, as there is no experience without an experiencer.
You are awareness, experiencing whatever is popping up for you.
You are THAT.
You don't need to understand anything. You are already awareness and so are totally free, just as you are. Just relax and enjoy.
This is a good book - let me know if you're read it.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Advaita on the Undergroud?
There is no central decision maker.
Even though you know there is no free will, you still struggle with decisions. That's okay.
If you wipe all your memories, who are you.
Not understanding this is not in your hands.
You don't exist.
Right now, the universe is looking at itself.
Time and space are illusions like in a dream.
Keep living as you've always lived, if you want. Its perfect.
Searching and not searching are both done by the universe herself.
Love is just an emotional attachment that comes and goes from time to time.
All there is, is love.
These are just lines on a screen. You don't need to understand lines on a screen.
I'm talking complete nonsense. I'm just saying what's popping in my head. I have no other option, until I stop.
You've never done anything in your entire life.
You are the universe.
Feeling confused? Trying to get rid of confusion? Why? What's wrong with being confused? Confusion and non-confusion are both creations of the universe and perfect just as they are.
Everything's perfect including the desire to change the world and try to get justice and end poverty and reduce child labour.
Have you ever done somthing wrong? Could you help it? What if all 'wrong' actions were by people who couldn't help it?
Feel like a separate person? That's perfect.
Feel crap? It'll pass
Feel good? It'll pass
Feel oneness? It'll pass
Feel like everything will pass? It'll pass
You are Awareness.
Why are you still reading this? Because you don't have a choice.
You're a robot that thinks its in charge.
If you think you're free, you're free.
If you think you've got money problems, you've got money problems.
If you think you're okay the way you are, you're okay.
Shamash
Nature does what it does - and so do you
Animals don't need to improve do they? They wake up, eat when they're hungry, sleep when they're tired. The same happens to you. As a human you're a product of nature. A marvellous creation of nature in her intelligence. Nature has given humans consciousness, thought, feelings and actions. You are nature in operation.
Shamash
Friday, 23 April 2010
Advaita and Relationship Conflict
If someone comes up to you and ask something unreasonable (at least you think it's unreasonable), you naturally react. By react, I mean you may feel anger or frustration, depression or other such so called negative emotion. From this influx of emotion, you may say or do something in return. You may find yourself in an argument, or do something that you later regret.
For example, your partner says you never do the shopping and you say you do lots of other things she doesn't do, and an argument starts. You say things that aren't very nice, and so does she. Or you both stop talking altogether. You may go on to feel guity, frustrated, think you're not good enough, go on a personal development class etc. I'm not saying this is good or bad - it's just what may happen.
So, what's going on from an Advaita point of view? Well, whatever your partner is saying is not her fault. Thoughts are coming to her head, and she is saying them. It's not a matter of whether they are true or not - it's just that those thoughts are coming to her head. So, seeing this, you can't really blame her for her reaction. Secondly, whatever you think, say or do is not your fault either. Those thoughts came to your head at the time and the reaction happened. You can't really blame yourself for it, because you didn't do it. So, understanding this, guilt goes out of the window too.
Ultimately, all there is, is Oneness.
The sun is shining here in Kingston, and as I write in Starbucks, the Beatles song Across the Universe plays out. Here it is -I love the lyrics.
Go well, and thanks so much for reading :)
For example, your partner says you never do the shopping and you say you do lots of other things she doesn't do, and an argument starts. You say things that aren't very nice, and so does she. Or you both stop talking altogether. You may go on to feel guity, frustrated, think you're not good enough, go on a personal development class etc. I'm not saying this is good or bad - it's just what may happen.
So, what's going on from an Advaita point of view? Well, whatever your partner is saying is not her fault. Thoughts are coming to her head, and she is saying them. It's not a matter of whether they are true or not - it's just that those thoughts are coming to her head. So, seeing this, you can't really blame her for her reaction. Secondly, whatever you think, say or do is not your fault either. Those thoughts came to your head at the time and the reaction happened. You can't really blame yourself for it, because you didn't do it. So, understanding this, guilt goes out of the window too.
Ultimately, all there is, is Oneness.
The sun is shining here in Kingston, and as I write in Starbucks, the Beatles song Across the Universe plays out. Here it is -I love the lyrics.
Go well, and thanks so much for reading :)
Thursday, 22 April 2010
The Ego and Reality
1. Are you always aware of the sense of I?
No, of course not. It disappears in sleep and also when you're engaged in a task, the sense of I is forgotten.
2. Who is aware of the sense of I?
As you are aware of the sense of I, you can be the sense of I itself. For example, you can see your computer so you're not your computer. You can see your body so you're not your body. You can see your thoughts, so you're not your thoughts. And you can see the sense of I, so you're not the sense of I. You can never be that which you are aware of, you must be that which is aware of it.
So, hopefully you can see that the sense of I am is actually just a thought which has a feeling associated with it, as thoughts do, which kind of pops into and out of your consciousness. So, then the question is, what are you or who are you? Well, actually, nobody knows, because as soon as you experience who you are, that is just an experience, it's not who you are. The important point is that you know that you are not this passing thought/feeling which is 'I'. That's just a thought, like 'banana' or 'laptop'. Just a word.
Being in this state of not knowing, is it. Now, if someone calls you an idiot, and you call them an idiot back, that's just thoughts operating. They didn't mean to do it, they just had that thought pop into their head, and you didn't mean to react, it just happened. Everything just happens...
So, you are free. You always have been free actually. Just that the brain believed very strongly in the thought 'I am' and not it doesn't believe it quite so much. And even if it does believe it, that's okay - that's just the way the brain is at the moment.
Everything is operating according to the energy and laws of physics in the Universe. So called 'you' are part of that too. It's all unfolding automatically, including the feeling that you are a separate person and need to understand this stuff. This is all part of the energy of the universe doing it's thing. It's all a beautiful mystery and nobody understands it, and that's the beauty of life.
Have a nice rest of the day, or night. Best wishes to you.
Shamash
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
The view from my hotel room in Goa
Advaita is not about feeling good all the time, blissed out in oneness. Advaita is to continue living your life as before but knowing it's not the ultimate reality. Advaita is being exactly as you are at the moment. Ultimately, all is well. Relatively, it appears all is not well.
Seeing things from the Universe's point of view helps slot life into perspective.
Shamash
My view this morning
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Questioning Choice
If choice and responsibility don't exist you're free. If you think they do exist, you live with a burden. However you don't even have a choice about what you believe, so it doesn't matter!
Seeking and finding - its already all perfect.
Sunday, 18 April 2010
How to realise Oneness
Today, I know people like steps, so here's a step by step guide to realising Oneness. The steps are designed to help you to realise who you truly are, and your place in this wonderful and sometimes ugly Universe that we're spinning through. If you think I've made a mistake, feel free to comment. If I'm spot on correct, then....comment to. Okay, are you sitting comfortably? No? Then sit comfortably, and here we go.
1. Clear your mind of your past ideas
Just forget about all your past ideas about who you are and where you live and your name and your family and all that other stuff that's in your head. Just forget the whole thing - let's start with a blank slate. What do you mean you can't clear it? Okay, if you can't clear, just pretend you can - that'll do. It's not too important. :)
2. Understand that the whole Universe and everything else is all One big blob
The whole thing is one thing. You just need to understand this in your head really. It's one thing, isn't it. That's why it's called Uni-verse. One. Now, don't start going on about multiple Universes...just accept that everything that exists...everything...is part of the whole Oneness blog thingy. Oh yea, and that includes you too. You're also part of the whole blob.
3. Understand that the Universe is running the whole thing, including you, baby. Yes YOU.
If the Universe is everything, and everything inside the Universe is part of the Universe, then you are also a bit of the Universe. And so, being a bit of the Universe, everything that you do, is actually the Universe doing it. Yea, I know, that's pretty crazy, but it's true isn't it? You, whatever you means, is part of the Universe blob isn't it? Am I making any sense people? Am I talking to myself? I hope not....
4. You are the One, Neo (I stole that line from that awesome filum, the Matrix)
So.....you are one with the universe and everything else. You're like a wave in the ocean. You're part of the whole thing, doing your thing. Everything is just happening. Including you reading this, understanding or not understanding, EVERY FRIGIN THING is just what is. GET IT? And if you don't get, don't worry about it, nobody get it really, they're all just pretending. You cool just the way you are buddy....just the way you are.
Sorry about the chilled out talking style today. I don't know what's happening.....I think that hot curry last night has screwed me up somehow. :)
1. Clear your mind of your past ideas
Just forget about all your past ideas about who you are and where you live and your name and your family and all that other stuff that's in your head. Just forget the whole thing - let's start with a blank slate. What do you mean you can't clear it? Okay, if you can't clear, just pretend you can - that'll do. It's not too important. :)
2. Understand that the whole Universe and everything else is all One big blob
The whole thing is one thing. You just need to understand this in your head really. It's one thing, isn't it. That's why it's called Uni-verse. One. Now, don't start going on about multiple Universes...just accept that everything that exists...everything...is part of the whole Oneness blog thingy. Oh yea, and that includes you too. You're also part of the whole blob.
3. Understand that the Universe is running the whole thing, including you, baby. Yes YOU.
If the Universe is everything, and everything inside the Universe is part of the Universe, then you are also a bit of the Universe. And so, being a bit of the Universe, everything that you do, is actually the Universe doing it. Yea, I know, that's pretty crazy, but it's true isn't it? You, whatever you means, is part of the Universe blob isn't it? Am I making any sense people? Am I talking to myself? I hope not....
4. You are the One, Neo (I stole that line from that awesome filum, the Matrix)
So.....you are one with the universe and everything else. You're like a wave in the ocean. You're part of the whole thing, doing your thing. Everything is just happening. Including you reading this, understanding or not understanding, EVERY FRIGIN THING is just what is. GET IT? And if you don't get, don't worry about it, nobody get it really, they're all just pretending. You cool just the way you are buddy....just the way you are.
Sorry about the chilled out talking style today. I don't know what's happening.....I think that hot curry last night has screwed me up somehow. :)
Friday, 16 April 2010
You are 100% perfect just as you are
You already are perfect with all the guilt and anxiety and stress.
You are doing exactly as your thoughts are telling you to do.
That's all you can do and it's 100% perfect as it is. Wanting to improve is part of the perfection.
If you can't see that you're perfect at the moment, that's perfect too!
Everything, and I mean everything, happens according to Beingness/Consciousness/Awareness/Spirit/God/Oneness/Truth/Reality/Energy/Universe.
All is That, including you.
Not understanding that is not your fault, it's That not understanding, and....you guessed it.....PERFECTOS!
You are doing exactly as your thoughts are telling you to do.
That's all you can do and it's 100% perfect as it is. Wanting to improve is part of the perfection.
If you can't see that you're perfect at the moment, that's perfect too!
Everything, and I mean everything, happens according to Beingness/Consciousness/Awareness/Spirit/God/Oneness/Truth/Reality/Energy/Universe.
All is That, including you.
Not understanding that is not your fault, it's That not understanding, and....you guessed it.....PERFECTOS!
Nonduality and Efficiency
I didn't get much work done today. I wanted to edit 5 chapters but only managed 2. Unsuccessful, some would say. How can this situation be seen from the nonduality perspective? Can I make myself more efficient through understanding the philosophy of nonduality?
1. I have no choice. I didn't decide what thoughts would come to my head to distract me and whether I would be in a calm mind or not.
2. I never do anything anyway. Thoughts arise and actions happen. There's no Shamash actually doing anything. That's an idea that comes and goes.
3. What's wrong with right now, if I don't think about it.....nothing! That's a great sentence to bring to mind.
4. All there is, is That. I use the word That to mean oneness, awareness, god, spirit whatever you want. But That which is everything, is all that exists. The sense of separation comes from that oneness. And the separation is just temporary, like a wave in an ocean. So, does it really matter how efficient you are, knowing this?
5. Efficiency is just an idea, not a fact This is all just thoughts. You may think you were inefficient, whereas someone else may think you've done so much. Efficiency is just a relative concept, with no absolute reality underlying it.
Hopefully, I'll be more efficient tomorrow :)
1. I have no choice. I didn't decide what thoughts would come to my head to distract me and whether I would be in a calm mind or not.
2. I never do anything anyway. Thoughts arise and actions happen. There's no Shamash actually doing anything. That's an idea that comes and goes.
3. What's wrong with right now, if I don't think about it.....nothing! That's a great sentence to bring to mind.
4. All there is, is That. I use the word That to mean oneness, awareness, god, spirit whatever you want. But That which is everything, is all that exists. The sense of separation comes from that oneness. And the separation is just temporary, like a wave in an ocean. So, does it really matter how efficient you are, knowing this?
5. Efficiency is just an idea, not a fact This is all just thoughts. You may think you were inefficient, whereas someone else may think you've done so much. Efficiency is just a relative concept, with no absolute reality underlying it.
Hopefully, I'll be more efficient tomorrow :)
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Is Advaita Therapeutic?
I would say yes! However, remember that everything I'm writing is just thoughts that are popping into my head, so there's no guarantee of it being the 'truth' or the 'false'!
I find Advaita very therapeutic most of the time. I'm talking about pure 100% Advaita, like pure 100% freshly squeezed orange juice. Advaita meaning not two. So, you are not separate from anything else at the moment - you don't need to become free or even realise freedom, as you're already freedom - that kinda Advaita.
I suppose before understanding the whole Advaita thing, everything was quite serious. I would have a tendency to blame myself if something went wrong - now, I'm not too bother generally, as it's not my fault. I had a tendency to lock in my emotions, and it's not good to be angry. Now I love being angry! That's a big change for 'me'. Oh yes, and searching...before I had the idea that I need to search for something, I need to get it. Now I don't care if I'm searching or not - I see it all as oneness. Oh yes, yes, another point. Wow, I'm on a roll this morning. I don't have to go round being 'good'. That's a huge one, and a great relief to let go. I may be nice and do so called good things, but I don't push myself towards such actions at all. Once you see that actually you don't have choice, everything is just f***ing happening, then where does good and bad come into the equation. Without choice, there's no good or bad really - there's just what's happening.
Have a lovely day people!
Shamash
I find Advaita very therapeutic most of the time. I'm talking about pure 100% Advaita, like pure 100% freshly squeezed orange juice. Advaita meaning not two. So, you are not separate from anything else at the moment - you don't need to become free or even realise freedom, as you're already freedom - that kinda Advaita.
I suppose before understanding the whole Advaita thing, everything was quite serious. I would have a tendency to blame myself if something went wrong - now, I'm not too bother generally, as it's not my fault. I had a tendency to lock in my emotions, and it's not good to be angry. Now I love being angry! That's a big change for 'me'. Oh yes, and searching...before I had the idea that I need to search for something, I need to get it. Now I don't care if I'm searching or not - I see it all as oneness. Oh yes, yes, another point. Wow, I'm on a roll this morning. I don't have to go round being 'good'. That's a huge one, and a great relief to let go. I may be nice and do so called good things, but I don't push myself towards such actions at all. Once you see that actually you don't have choice, everything is just f***ing happening, then where does good and bad come into the equation. Without choice, there's no good or bad really - there's just what's happening.
Have a lovely day people!
Shamash
Practise and What is
Why can searching not lead to oneness?
Both search and not searching are both oneness. Oneness includes everything, otherwise it wouldn't be oneness. So, no matter what happens, or what you apprarently do, it's all oneness in action
What about practising to achieve enlightenment - is that possible?
Enlightenment cannot be an experience or state of mind to be gain, as it would be lost again. I think enlightenment just means understanding - but then again, that's just the thought that popped into my mind. How do I know? How does anyone know?
How can I get peace of mind
Whether your mind is at peace or not is not your choice. You don't control thoughts ultimately. Seeing this, you may let go of judging your thoughts. This may lead to a sense of peace, but there's no control in the situation - just an imagined control. So, there is no future peace of mind, there is only now. How's your mind now is all there is.
Both search and not searching are both oneness. Oneness includes everything, otherwise it wouldn't be oneness. So, no matter what happens, or what you apprarently do, it's all oneness in action
What about practising to achieve enlightenment - is that possible?
Enlightenment cannot be an experience or state of mind to be gain, as it would be lost again. I think enlightenment just means understanding - but then again, that's just the thought that popped into my mind. How do I know? How does anyone know?
How can I get peace of mind
Whether your mind is at peace or not is not your choice. You don't control thoughts ultimately. Seeing this, you may let go of judging your thoughts. This may lead to a sense of peace, but there's no control in the situation - just an imagined control. So, there is no future peace of mind, there is only now. How's your mind now is all there is.
Advaita Pointers for You
I continue to listen to the rich and deep pointers on www.advaitanotebook.com and am impressed at the beauty and power of the content.
Last week there was the sense that I was searching for something. I had read on a website somewhere that the search comes to an end when there is no longer suffering. So, I had began searching for the right answer, the right quote, the right teacher that could stop suffering. Then, I finally thought 'Forger this. This is it'....I typed 'this is it' in google and found the right website for my questions....
Here's some pointers that come to mind
What happens, is oneness happening already.
Whether you're seeking or not, it's not your choice. So you're totally free.
Annoyance, irritation, suffering. It's all just arising in the the here and now and perfect just as it is.
It's not that God is somewhere. It's that God is everywhere.
No matter how hard you try at not being one, you are still oneness
There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
No matter how badly your life is going, you're not doing it anyway.
You've never made a single choice.
Life unfolds as it unfolds, including your desire to change it.
Seeking and not seeking are both happening and choiceless and perfect.
Everything that is, is full of the Lord. Claim nothing; enjoy. Do not covet Her property.
Last week there was the sense that I was searching for something. I had read on a website somewhere that the search comes to an end when there is no longer suffering. So, I had began searching for the right answer, the right quote, the right teacher that could stop suffering. Then, I finally thought 'Forger this. This is it'....I typed 'this is it' in google and found the right website for my questions....
Here's some pointers that come to mind
What happens, is oneness happening already.
Whether you're seeking or not, it's not your choice. So you're totally free.
Annoyance, irritation, suffering. It's all just arising in the the here and now and perfect just as it is.
It's not that God is somewhere. It's that God is everywhere.
No matter how hard you try at not being one, you are still oneness
There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
No matter how badly your life is going, you're not doing it anyway.
You've never made a single choice.
Life unfolds as it unfolds, including your desire to change it.
Seeking and not seeking are both happening and choiceless and perfect.
Everything that is, is full of the Lord. Claim nothing; enjoy. Do not covet Her property.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Advaita Notebook
I've really enjoyed reading this website www.advaitanotebook.com The author, Peter Marjason, leaves no room for enlightenment as something to get. My favorite line is
"It’s not that there’s no God
It’s that there’s only God"
I normally don't even think about God, but found this sentence to be absolutely true. Here are some more wonderful lines!
You are totally free
Because there’s nothing you can do
It's not you that's being you
It's life that's being you
The I is nothing special
And therefore has the same free will
As a rock
You are absolutely free
You just can’t know it
It’s not that
“There’s no-one to be enlightened
So don’t bother”
It’s that there’s no-one
To not be enlightened right now
Liberation is not done by you
It would be done by oneness
If it weren’t the case already
Concepts always succeed to fail
What a brilliant set of pointers! Hope you enjoyed them too :)
"It’s not that there’s no God
It’s that there’s only God"
I normally don't even think about God, but found this sentence to be absolutely true. Here are some more wonderful lines!
You are totally free
Because there’s nothing you can do
It's not you that's being you
It's life that's being you
The I is nothing special
And therefore has the same free will
As a rock
You are absolutely free
You just can’t know it
It’s not that
“There’s no-one to be enlightened
So don’t bother”
It’s that there’s no-one
To not be enlightened right now
Liberation is not done by you
It would be done by oneness
If it weren’t the case already
Concepts always succeed to fail
What a brilliant set of pointers! Hope you enjoyed them too :)
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Is there an experiencer, or just experience?
This is a nice video. I found this 'teacher' on youtube, and like his approach. A nice expression of awareness!:)
Today's Top Pointers!
These are from http://www.ashevilleadvaita.info/pointers.html A great site!
"Life will be perfect when _____ happens." - this is a thought story. Peace is here and now and nowhere else.
I am nothing and no one, nor are you. I don't have special knowledge or grace. I am not an authority of any sort. I am.
You cannot kill the ego. Try to smite the air with a stone and you will hit nothing.
Search into the endless universe and you will still be it. You cannot find that which was never missing.
I am.
If I was not, no experence could arise.
The thought “I am” is not what I am.
I am that which is prior to thought, which is it’s precondition.
I have never been limited, no borders impinge on me.
In my clarity, impressions and thoughts arise.
Some of these thoughts pretend to describe me.
Other thoughts reference these images.
Being is never sullied by appearances.
Our nature is freedom, we only suffer in thought.
In reality, oneness is all that ever appears.
There isn’t anyone who “gets this” and “doesn’t get it”.
There is only this.
Thoughts of confusion and separation will pass and this will still be.
Thoughts couldn’t appear without this.
In spiritual circles, the idea of "awakening" is usually seen as a big deal - "Ooooh - he's awakened!" but, in reality, NOTHING can appear to happen without wakefulness/awareness.
Thanks to Morgan's site for these pointers :)
"Life will be perfect when _____ happens." - this is a thought story. Peace is here and now and nowhere else.
I am nothing and no one, nor are you. I don't have special knowledge or grace. I am not an authority of any sort. I am.
You cannot kill the ego. Try to smite the air with a stone and you will hit nothing.
Search into the endless universe and you will still be it. You cannot find that which was never missing.
I am.
If I was not, no experence could arise.
The thought “I am” is not what I am.
I am that which is prior to thought, which is it’s precondition.
I have never been limited, no borders impinge on me.
In my clarity, impressions and thoughts arise.
Some of these thoughts pretend to describe me.
Other thoughts reference these images.
Being is never sullied by appearances.
Our nature is freedom, we only suffer in thought.
In reality, oneness is all that ever appears.
There isn’t anyone who “gets this” and “doesn’t get it”.
There is only this.
Thoughts of confusion and separation will pass and this will still be.
Thoughts couldn’t appear without this.
In spiritual circles, the idea of "awakening" is usually seen as a big deal - "Ooooh - he's awakened!" but, in reality, NOTHING can appear to happen without wakefulness/awareness.
Thanks to Morgan's site for these pointers :)
Friday, 9 April 2010
Pointers on the feeling of I am
Here are some pointers I've summarised to questions I've been asking john wheeler. Some are my own pointers too.
What is the sense or feeling of 'I am'? You can't be that feeling, because You are aware of it. Also, since the feeling of I am comes and goes, you cannot be it or you'd be disappearing and reappearing all the time.
You have no location. The sense of being in your body is a concept that arises in You. Where is Awareness located? Is it not everywhere? ALL experience is in and as Awareness. There's no I in Awareness. The sense of being an observer and the sense of observed are both experiences in the non-conceptual Awareness that you are.
The sense of I am does not disappear. However, the sense of identity with that concept gets annihilated.
As I sit here I become aware of the thought feeling 'I am'. I'm not trying to get rid of it. I look at the sense with love and warmth. I notice the desire for some future freedom and let it go knowing that there is only now. There is still a hope for a future freedom, I notice. So I see that I am awareness and always have been and always will be. I connect with that. I recall that awareness is impersonal and let it operate effortlessly.
Any effort to try and eliminate the centre perpetuates it. Anything I do is by the centre. So there is nothing I can do about it. That's freedom right there.
Let go of all effort to be realised and enjoy the show of awareness.
------------------
What is the sense or feeling of 'I am'? You can't be that feeling, because You are aware of it. Also, since the feeling of I am comes and goes, you cannot be it or you'd be disappearing and reappearing all the time.
You have no location. The sense of being in your body is a concept that arises in You. Where is Awareness located? Is it not everywhere? ALL experience is in and as Awareness. There's no I in Awareness. The sense of being an observer and the sense of observed are both experiences in the non-conceptual Awareness that you are.
The sense of I am does not disappear. However, the sense of identity with that concept gets annihilated.
As I sit here I become aware of the thought feeling 'I am'. I'm not trying to get rid of it. I look at the sense with love and warmth. I notice the desire for some future freedom and let it go knowing that there is only now. There is still a hope for a future freedom, I notice. So I see that I am awareness and always have been and always will be. I connect with that. I recall that awareness is impersonal and let it operate effortlessly.
Any effort to try and eliminate the centre perpetuates it. Anything I do is by the centre. So there is nothing I can do about it. That's freedom right there.
Let go of all effort to be realised and enjoy the show of awareness.
------------------
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Pointers from john wheeler
Here's some pointers I heard in a talk john gave on urbangurucafe.com
Absolute freedom is right now.
Who is here to practice something?
There is no special moment for you to get something as there's nothing to get!
Longing for freedom in the future implies you don't have it.
I'm not a teacher and you're not gonna get anything from me.
That freedom is priceless, valuable and possible.
This approach starts with freedom.
You don't need to wait for an energetic shift.
There's nobody out there that's defective.
I am not awakened yet is an I thought that causes suffering. All 'I' thoughts cause suffering. I is the source of problem.
Ask 'What is the nature of who I am?'
Start from the fact that you're already That.
Your being is That.
There's no experience that you need to get in the future.
Can you recognise the fact of your being right now?
Your own presence is beyond all doubt. You are That.
This is right here and right now. Let the interest be in that. Be clear about that. It perfectly whole and complete and doesn't need awakening or enlightenment.
You already are what you are.
In this moment now there is not a thing wrong.
Your being doesn't need enlightenment. You already are that. You don't need that concept to be free. No more seeking is needed.
Your being is right here. You can't get being from book guru etc. The menu is not the meal. Ask what is undeniably here right now?
Seeking is conceptual as long as the I is believed. It ends when you see right now the fact of your own being is That.
It's not about experiences.
Your being is not your body or any experience.
Be clear about the fact of your own being.
Enjoy ;)
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Absolute freedom is right now.
Who is here to practice something?
There is no special moment for you to get something as there's nothing to get!
Longing for freedom in the future implies you don't have it.
I'm not a teacher and you're not gonna get anything from me.
That freedom is priceless, valuable and possible.
This approach starts with freedom.
You don't need to wait for an energetic shift.
There's nobody out there that's defective.
I am not awakened yet is an I thought that causes suffering. All 'I' thoughts cause suffering. I is the source of problem.
Ask 'What is the nature of who I am?'
Start from the fact that you're already That.
Your being is That.
There's no experience that you need to get in the future.
Can you recognise the fact of your being right now?
Your own presence is beyond all doubt. You are That.
This is right here and right now. Let the interest be in that. Be clear about that. It perfectly whole and complete and doesn't need awakening or enlightenment.
You already are what you are.
In this moment now there is not a thing wrong.
Your being doesn't need enlightenment. You already are that. You don't need that concept to be free. No more seeking is needed.
Your being is right here. You can't get being from book guru etc. The menu is not the meal. Ask what is undeniably here right now?
Seeking is conceptual as long as the I is believed. It ends when you see right now the fact of your own being is That.
It's not about experiences.
Your being is not your body or any experience.
Be clear about the fact of your own being.
Enjoy ;)
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Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Powerful pointers
Let's imagine you as an individual, don't exist. The body mind exists but there is absolutely and completely no one at all inside. You as a person are a total and utter fiction. No individuals have ever existed at all. You as a seeming separate person are no more than thoughts that get together from time to time and say 'I am ....'. Everything happens 100% automatically including all complex thought, and then comes the thought I am xxx every now and then. Imagine if the I am thoughts are completely seen as mere random thoughts with no reality to them at all. There are the senses, thoughts and feelings all lit up by and as awareness. The I am thought is merely pointing to the awareness that is ever operating automatically. I am is a thought just like beach or television. A thought is a thought. Is that possible?
So, who are you? You use your body but aren't actually your body. You're aware of your thoughts but aren't your thoughts themselves. You're aware of your feelings but aren't your feelings. Right now who are you? Reading is happening and if you are fully engaged in the reading, there is no sense of being here. All there is, is observing. The thought 'I am looking' obviously isn't doing any looking. All happens without the need for an 'I'. Does your intuition tell you it could be true?
The I thought is the source of all suffering if believed to be true. I need to xxxx I must xxxx I should xxxx what shall I do. I hate xxxx I love xxxx. If these thoughts are fine if they're not seen as reality but just thoughts dancing like waves in the sea. Does this all sound plausible?
Warm wishes
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So, who are you? You use your body but aren't actually your body. You're aware of your thoughts but aren't your thoughts themselves. You're aware of your feelings but aren't your feelings. Right now who are you? Reading is happening and if you are fully engaged in the reading, there is no sense of being here. All there is, is observing. The thought 'I am looking' obviously isn't doing any looking. All happens without the need for an 'I'. Does your intuition tell you it could be true?
The I thought is the source of all suffering if believed to be true. I need to xxxx I must xxxx I should xxxx what shall I do. I hate xxxx I love xxxx. If these thoughts are fine if they're not seen as reality but just thoughts dancing like waves in the sea. Does this all sound plausible?
Warm wishes
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Monday, 5 April 2010
You're a lion!
If you're a lion but think that you're a lamb, you'll act and behave like a lamb. You'll be scared of other lions and wish you were as powerful and strong as a lion. Once you look a bit more carefully at yourself and see that you were a lion all along, you'll laugh! You don't gradually become a lion - you just look and see you were a lion all along. You don't need lion training. You don't need to study how to be a lion for years, or try to act like a lion. You don't even need to struggle to become a lion. You just need to look clearly.
In the same way, you are awareness, beingness, truth, presence but you think you are a separate individual. You don't need to become awareness because you already are awareness. You just think you're a separate individual - that's the only issue. Notice that being or awareness is effortless and ever shining. Even when dreaming, the dream is lit up by awareness.
Right here and now, get a sense of being. Be here, now. Notice your own presence. Notice awareness happening. See how everything is present as awareness is present. Remember you are awareness - you don't need to become it.
Let go of any ideas of being a separate individual. Allow yourself to be yourself as being. Let go of any ideas about realising this in some future wonderful event and relax into being right now. Be as you are. Nothing but yourself. Notice being is at peace all the time. Being is ever present. Being is whole and beyond separation. Separation is just a thought, an idea. Being is free, and beyond ideas of separation and unity. That's it. You are being. Just be.
Warm wishes from being to being. :-)
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In the same way, you are awareness, beingness, truth, presence but you think you are a separate individual. You don't need to become awareness because you already are awareness. You just think you're a separate individual - that's the only issue. Notice that being or awareness is effortless and ever shining. Even when dreaming, the dream is lit up by awareness.
Right here and now, get a sense of being. Be here, now. Notice your own presence. Notice awareness happening. See how everything is present as awareness is present. Remember you are awareness - you don't need to become it.
Let go of any ideas of being a separate individual. Allow yourself to be yourself as being. Let go of any ideas about realising this in some future wonderful event and relax into being right now. Be as you are. Nothing but yourself. Notice being is at peace all the time. Being is ever present. Being is whole and beyond separation. Separation is just a thought, an idea. Being is free, and beyond ideas of separation and unity. That's it. You are being. Just be.
Warm wishes from being to being. :-)
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Saturday, 3 April 2010
Control through Letting Go
The great thing about blogs is you can write pretty much whatever you want. Whatever thoughts are popping up in the mind can be translated onto the computer screen. I find there is something quite therapeutic in that - there is a sense of freedom and joy in releasing the thoughts from the mind into text. The fact that other people read or at least scan through what has been written is also a joy. Any comments on a post are even more exciting - somebody is so interested in what I have to say, they’ve taken the time to reply. Wonderful.
Right now, I'm sitting on a very comfortable chair in a warm, slightly humid morning overlooking a green lush lawn, with a lake in the distance. I’ll post a picture up if I remember. :) I’ve spent the last 15 minutes or so in choiceless awareness. I sat and found myself looking at the beautiful scenery, listening to the birds, the sound of a closing door and the footsteps of other people. Every now and then, thoughts came up about a variety of different things, I can’t even remember what, and then went back into the sights and sounds around.
When the desire to control attention ceases, relaxation arises more naturally. Meditation is often considered to be a controlled attention, a deliberate focus of awareness onto a chosen experience. You can only be naturally yourself in choiceless awareness, when you are not trying to gain something from your life. The constant desire to improve, to be better, to be healthier becomes a burden, stifling the very life that you wanted to improve. The desire for happiness can be the greatest burden, with the constant questioning ‘am I happy?’. Once you begin to appreciate that you are not the controller, there is no central entity that consciously makes decisions, but thought naturally springs up and creates action, you are no longer responsible is the usual sense of the word. You can sit back and watch the show.
Sometimes I feel annoyed and tired. Sometimes I feel happy and very much alive. That's life.
Right now, I'm sitting on a very comfortable chair in a warm, slightly humid morning overlooking a green lush lawn, with a lake in the distance. I’ll post a picture up if I remember. :) I’ve spent the last 15 minutes or so in choiceless awareness. I sat and found myself looking at the beautiful scenery, listening to the birds, the sound of a closing door and the footsteps of other people. Every now and then, thoughts came up about a variety of different things, I can’t even remember what, and then went back into the sights and sounds around.
When the desire to control attention ceases, relaxation arises more naturally. Meditation is often considered to be a controlled attention, a deliberate focus of awareness onto a chosen experience. You can only be naturally yourself in choiceless awareness, when you are not trying to gain something from your life. The constant desire to improve, to be better, to be healthier becomes a burden, stifling the very life that you wanted to improve. The desire for happiness can be the greatest burden, with the constant questioning ‘am I happy?’. Once you begin to appreciate that you are not the controller, there is no central entity that consciously makes decisions, but thought naturally springs up and creates action, you are no longer responsible is the usual sense of the word. You can sit back and watch the show.
Sometimes I feel annoyed and tired. Sometimes I feel happy and very much alive. That's life.
You are the world
The warmth of the sun through the greenhouse like enclosure of the car is beautifully contrasted by the jet of cool, refreshing air from a fan. Lush vegetation including palm trees decorate the deep, steep valleys and mountains around. The catchy, rhythmic sound of percussion and electronic percolates the ears from a buddha bar CD. People in brightly coloured attire harvest with bare hands in local rice fields.
Life seems to be a combination of fluxing pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Following a pleasant sensation grows the urge to repeat the event. For example, the desire to drive through attractive scenery. The question is, who wants to re-experience? You may say 'I' but that is just a letter. With an understanding that the individual self is a construct of thought, the craving for the pleasant and aversion of the unpleasant reduces. The person that appears to exist is awareness, and awareness simply lights up experience and is indifferent. Awareness is experience. You are experience. You are the world and the sense of being an individual - relax, you are perfect exactly as you are.
The temperature hits 42C outside as we meander down the hill side. The sun creates a shiny mirage near the horizon.
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Life seems to be a combination of fluxing pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Following a pleasant sensation grows the urge to repeat the event. For example, the desire to drive through attractive scenery. The question is, who wants to re-experience? You may say 'I' but that is just a letter. With an understanding that the individual self is a construct of thought, the craving for the pleasant and aversion of the unpleasant reduces. The person that appears to exist is awareness, and awareness simply lights up experience and is indifferent. Awareness is experience. You are experience. You are the world and the sense of being an individual - relax, you are perfect exactly as you are.
The temperature hits 42C outside as we meander down the hill side. The sun creates a shiny mirage near the horizon.
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Friday, 2 April 2010
Claim nothing; enjoy
Its 4.30am and I'm awake. I feel a wave of pain in my left ankle where a mosquito has had some dinner courtesy of my blood. The room is dark and quite warm. I hear the whirling of a ceiling fan and whining of an air-conditioning unit.
As I am awareness, I am everything. I am the sound of the fan, the warmth of the body and the reflection of the pale, silver moon on the lake outside. I am all people and all places. I am the feeling 'I've got it' and the feeling 'I don't understand'. I am the sense of doubt and frustration, and the pangs of hunger. Bondage and liberation are both experiences in me. The twinkly stars and wispy clouds and sense of distance and separation are none other than reflections of experience in me. Any effort I make to try and be one with everything, to attain some special feeling is a desire that comes and goes in the magical, mystical, ordinary and extraordinary awareness that I am.
I feel the desire for breakfast. I notice a wave my fatigue along with another mosquito bite on my thigh. I toss and turn to no avail - sleep has gone walkies. Thoughts about what I'll be doing today come to mind.
All apparent responsibility is illusory. Thoughts arise, desires surface and activity happens. This whole blog is clearly just automatic thoughts. With responsibility comes the idea 'I've got to xxx' which creates unnecessary stress. Seeing there is no doer, actions become spontaneous and aren't judged as good or bad. Is a puddle bad for being muddy? Is the sun good for being shiny?
The end of choice is the beginning of freedom. Claim nothing; enjoy.
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As I am awareness, I am everything. I am the sound of the fan, the warmth of the body and the reflection of the pale, silver moon on the lake outside. I am all people and all places. I am the feeling 'I've got it' and the feeling 'I don't understand'. I am the sense of doubt and frustration, and the pangs of hunger. Bondage and liberation are both experiences in me. The twinkly stars and wispy clouds and sense of distance and separation are none other than reflections of experience in me. Any effort I make to try and be one with everything, to attain some special feeling is a desire that comes and goes in the magical, mystical, ordinary and extraordinary awareness that I am.
I feel the desire for breakfast. I notice a wave my fatigue along with another mosquito bite on my thigh. I toss and turn to no avail - sleep has gone walkies. Thoughts about what I'll be doing today come to mind.
All apparent responsibility is illusory. Thoughts arise, desires surface and activity happens. This whole blog is clearly just automatic thoughts. With responsibility comes the idea 'I've got to xxx' which creates unnecessary stress. Seeing there is no doer, actions become spontaneous and aren't judged as good or bad. Is a puddle bad for being muddy? Is the sun good for being shiny?
The end of choice is the beginning of freedom. Claim nothing; enjoy.
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Thursday, 1 April 2010
No choice, no problem
If you take a seed and plant it in the ground, in the right conditions it grows. It doesn't have a choice. This is the nature of nature. The seed is not behaving well if it grows to be a strong tree or naughty if it is weak. The seed is what it is. Humans are the same. They are the product of their genes and conditioning. All actions arise from conditioned thought and in this is great freedom. There is no free will just like a seed has no free will. You are not to blame when you got angry at that guy because the hot thoughts arose in mind and naturally led to the speech. You are not to be praised for working at that charity for all those years because the thought arose to help the poor and the action followed.
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All there is, is universe
All there is, is the universe. Universe is one complete and whole thing. Universe appears to have separate aspects, but is just apparent separation. Just like waves arise from the ocean, but are still ocean, so there are many apparent people but are all universe. It feels like you are looking at the universe but actually universe is looking at itself. You didn't choose to become alive and look at the universe. The universe created beings that look at itself. All is unfolding perfectly as it is.
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What are you searching for?
In the realm of spirituality often people describe themselves as seekers. Are you a seeker? If you are, slow down and consider the following question - what are you searching for? Many say enlightenment, oneness, self realisation etc. These are just concepts. What do you really want from what you are seeking? Often, people are seeking some sort of experience. But experience always has a beginning and an end. So no matter how wonderful an experience you gain, it will dissipate and lead to a low experience. Seeing this, you can forget about searching for an experience.
Spirituality is essentially about discovering oneself. So discovering is required rather than an experience. Now can YOU understand YOURself? You are yourself! So being already yourself, you cannot see or experience you. Anything you experience is NOT you. The closest you can get is a sense of beingness or 'I am ness'.
You are already that which you seek. Just be yourself. Be as you are.
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