In each moment, when
we recognize our essential aware nature, we realize that the road we
have been traveling on our whole life—paved by many forms of mundane and
spiritual seeking—has been pointing to this very spot, where we are
right now, never lost or distant, always 100% available to notice
whenever we choose to. We have just chosen to travel many unnecessary
and meandering miles. And this is nowhere more apparent than in
spiritual seeking.
Just now -
Don't focus on
anything for a few seconds.
Notice that you are
aware.
Awareness is
present.
When you notice that
you are aware, that awareness is present, you are recognizing your
essential nature, your true home.
By continuing to do
this at all times and in all circumstances, you will become doubtless
that that is true.
When doubtlessness
that this is your true nature dawns on you, and when you realize that
this has always been here, always been the case, you will come to know
freedom. You have always been free, you just didn't know it.
Because -
You have been told
your whole life by your religions and cultures that home is very far
off, in the future, almost impossible to realize and attain,
And that -
You will need to go
on a long journey to get there. So, you put on your seeking helmet, get
your many maps, and you are on your way—in the opposite direction of
where you have always been.
Just now -
Notice that you are aware!
Just as in this beautiful picture,
the sun has been present on your journey the
whole time.
Just take your eyes
off the road and look out the window.
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9xS5UUn_JPU/S8Nj1lkdiUI/AAAAAAAAAIU/ifTaIeE_b0k/S45/Divine-Golden-Sunlight_Water_Ripples_Reflection-Of-The-Law_Of.jpg" width="35" height="35" class="photo" alt="">
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sBZQ7bnYl28/S7ZjyNk7rUI/AAAAAAAAAKc/mpl44OtZG1M/S45/Perfect%2BAwarness%2BLogo.jpg" width="35" height="35" class="photo" alt="">
Thank you for putting this clearly.
For a while I tried to stop thoughts from arising and realized that it only made it worse.
From my experience the battle was with the thoughts that felt bad or annoying.When anger would arise and i felt compelled to act calm and collected only to feel worse about it later on.The movement was always with what was arising in my mind.
Nothing has changed with regard to experience but i notice the thoughts and the anger as it arises but then again i don't know this that that notices except that sometimes there is awareness of thoughts and feelings arising and sometimes there is not.
What is most interesting is that the mind cannot explain this.In a more a suble way there is a feeling of wanting to grasp this awareness and call it mine.Define it and have an interlectual understanding of it.
Sounds so simple, Sal. But remembering to notice that awareness is fleeting. It seems very powerful, though. It's an amazing "place" once you catch a glimpse, if only for a second. I've never thought about it like you've posted here on your blog. Very refreshing. Thanks for your insight!
Mike
Hi Triza, I know what you mean—"sometimes there is awareness of thoughts". But you can just be aware that you are aware, regardless of what appears. There is a subtle difference. In awareness of thoughts you create a division—you-aware of-thoughts. That is the seer, the seeing and the seen, duality. When you notice simply that you are aware, and let everything be as it is, there is no separation. Awareness shines in and through the thoughts. The thought becomes the flavor of awareness in that moment.
I think what you mean is that there is a feeling of wanting to grasp this awareness and make it last. It is your awareness, because it is you. When you notice that you are aware you are resting as your true nature. But it doesn't have to be held on to either, you don't have to keep being aware that you are aware. When you begin to notice awareness and thoughts arising inseparably you will come to know freedom. And then it doesn't matter if you seem to be lost in thoughts or not.
Hi Mike, It is fleeting for sure, but once you commit yourself to doing that, it will begin to happen more and more. But I would just like to reiterate that what I speak of is very simple and obvious. You are just aware, and you know that you are aware. That is all. It's just like a little click, "Ah, I'm aware." Just for a few seconds. Everyone knows this. But as you do this more and more you begin to realize that this is your home.
It's important to not expect something grand. Of course, if you do that's fine, let that be as it is. We are very convinced, even from our Christian upbringing that Heaven is some amazing place far off and very difficult to reach. And then we switch that belief over to Nirvana or Enlightenment, two more place we feel completely unworthy of.
Your essential nature of awareness is simple. It has been with you since you were born, and before. And you notice it every time you notice, "Ah, I'm aware." By training yourself to notice this more and more, just like Nisargadatta said to do and just like Ramana said to do you will become doubtless and free.