Exploring Reality 9/01/14
This paper the first of its kind--for me--as an experiment in putting together and blending notes from books and notes written from listening to 'liberated' teachers and my own experiences exploring Reality of nondualism. I've been involved for past 5 years ... exploring what is Here, Now...
initially, reading > Byron Katie... Eckhardt Tolle... Miguel Ruiz... then, 'discovering' non-duality authors and... then... meeting, in person, hearing & discussion with 'liberated' Teachers...
By NO Means is this a Complete picture - and I've intentionally left out particular truths, for now.
In past 3 years looking deeper into what is True - SEEING the conditioning – pointed to by these teachers...
This year seeing even more what we've been taught to believe by consensus reality as really UpSideDown from Truth
Understanding shared here is limited – and I share with you what I understanding, now.
SEE what is True... for You !
Why Explore Reality? – We believe we already Know it. But that's just it - Reality can Not be Known by the mind. Reality can only be Experienced - however, unbeknownst to us, our concepts and convictions camouflage our ability to see Reality/Truth. In Not understanding the Truth > Reality –there is ALWAYS suffering... simply look back in 'history' – look at the current world situation – there is Suffering...
Names of things are NOT what they actually are
Our (unexamined) convictions--beliefs Interfere with seeing Reality– society supports these faulty conviction that:
The dualistic mind believes in a division between a person and the experience 'happening to a person'. It puts every experience in a time-bound, thought-based self-story.
*****One way of EXPLORING your beliefs & convictions is by listening to your choices of words – and others' words – will offer insight into your perspective on life...your beliefs, convictions
What Happened? How did we get here?
Infants experience reality, totally and completely – No names for things, no self-identity, no separate objects – Everything is ONE.
Utter glee, exploration,newness, amazement – Observe a child under the age of one and see this Reality. (see image below)
Then – Conditioning sets in –(See – Voice of Knowledge by Miguel Ruiz - or, Becoming your True Self by Vivian Broughton
Now, we are completely Used to – feel at Home with – this particular view of Reality – the belief in 'what we must Do' & how we must 'Be' to Feel Safe ! (memories and thoughts that we're living out of – today...
SEE them for what they are – they are creating our reality, over and over.
Steps toward Seeing What IS:
Awareness is Who / What we Truly Are...
Consider the metaphor of being in a movie theater – watching the film called: 'My Life'
In the metaphor we have a movie screen, we have the movie starring the actors viewed on the screen, and we have the stuff that's happening... or occurring to the actors in the movie.
SEEING all that occurs in our life as Occurrences - neither good nor bad - It just IS... thoughts, feelings, states, beliefs...
Letting Go of the 'should's/shouldn'ts'... relaxing into the present moment - into Awareness
Challenges in life: We are hypnotized by Life. Life (society) has So many demands upon us – pressure has been created to fit in, conform, comply, submit to Life's expectations – we hope to feel sense of 'belonging'.
Viewing Reality in this way does not deny the existence of world, but demonstrates it as Occurrences, like a movie on a movie screen. As a movie, a movie seems real... and as the world, the world seems real... Seeing the Occurrences in our lives as things that occur... and then disappear... it's possible to loosen the grip the mind has in believing these occurrences as something that should or shouldn't happen - or that we can control... Recognizing sensation of bodily contractions... tensions cause by objecting, fear, anger... Loosening the grip - relaxing, inwardly.
This paper the first of its kind--for me--as an experiment in putting together and blending notes from books and notes written from listening to 'liberated' teachers and my own experiences exploring Reality of nondualism. I've been involved for past 5 years ... exploring what is Here, Now...
initially, reading > Byron Katie... Eckhardt Tolle... Miguel Ruiz... then, 'discovering' non-duality authors and... then... meeting, in person, hearing & discussion with 'liberated' Teachers...
By NO Means is this a Complete picture - and I've intentionally left out particular truths, for now.
In past 3 years looking deeper into what is True - SEEING the conditioning – pointed to by these teachers...
This year seeing even more what we've been taught to believe by consensus reality as really UpSideDown from Truth
Understanding shared here is limited – and I share with you what I understanding, now.
SEE what is True... for You !
Why Explore Reality? – We believe we already Know it. But that's just it - Reality can Not be Known by the mind. Reality can only be Experienced - however, unbeknownst to us, our concepts and convictions camouflage our ability to see Reality/Truth. In Not understanding the Truth > Reality –there is ALWAYS suffering... simply look back in 'history' – look at the current world situation – there is Suffering...
- emotionally, psychologically...dissatisfaction, self-criticism, deficiency 'stories' create Much suffering in us.
- Realizing Truth offers reducing of stress, anxiety, conflict and addiction as old beliefs fall away.
- Reality is and can never be Other Than what is Right Here – Right Now
- Past and Future only exist in our Mind – happening right here and right now
- We
say things are happening to me from 'out there'--in the world-- we
think there is an 'out there' – but we are actually experiencing
ourselves (in here)
- The mind can not know reality because the mind only knows 'concepts' – it is incapable of understanding reality...therefore, unable to Experience it
Names of things are NOT what they actually are
- the names for things are actually merely arbitrary sounds that have been agreed upon by society
- naming a thing interferes with our connection with that thing
- we come to see that we've had no way of knowing of an object except through our habits of thought. So we come to see that thought is not mirroring reality. .. in fact, interferes with seeing.
Our (unexamined) convictions--beliefs Interfere with seeing Reality– society supports these faulty conviction that:
- conceptual interpretations we make are True and accurately describe reality
- the 'naming' of things describe and point to what it actually is – including each other
- past and future are real – things are happening to me 'out there' – names of things indicate what a thing Is –
- the belief that people are 'acting toward me' – or that I am responsible
- things & people 'should' be a certain way – what's happening is unacceptable
- we can control outcome
- conviction
in the belief in opposites – dichotomy, mutually exclusive – rather
than seeing the illusory creation of polarization – imagined
separateness (running rampant in society)
- my wants, needs, 'must haves' or 'don't wants' Should be satisfied – or I will be unhappy, dissatisfied
- everything
stays the Same (or should)... (we see others & experiences from the
past – not in the present – mind has a concept
- we must improve – become better – how we are at present is not good enough
The dualistic mind believes in a division between a person and the experience 'happening to a person'. It puts every experience in a time-bound, thought-based self-story.
*****One way of EXPLORING your beliefs & convictions is by listening to your choices of words – and others' words – will offer insight into your perspective on life...your beliefs, convictions
What Happened? How did we get here?
Infants experience reality, totally and completely – No names for things, no self-identity, no separate objects – Everything is ONE.
Utter glee, exploration,newness, amazement – Observe a child under the age of one and see this Reality. (see image below)
Then – Conditioning sets in –(See – Voice of Knowledge by Miguel Ruiz - or, Becoming your True Self by Vivian Broughton
-
Survivor self is created – Interpreting with limitations of child-mind,
its life experiences – like looking through a slit and believing she's
seeing entire picture of what Is.
- No longer able to See Reality – survivor strategies & creation of filters interfere with ability to see Reality.
- Because it's easy to feel 'unsafe', we live in fear, anxiety, pressure, stress...particularly of 'aughts' and 'shoulds'.
- Survival strategies we Believed we needed to survive childhood/family are Still being used – now – out of habit – even though the trauma is over and we have Already Survived!
- We're caught in habits of mind, memory & belief/convictions of which we've forgotten the contents.
Now, we are completely Used to – feel at Home with – this particular view of Reality – the belief in 'what we must Do' & how we must 'Be' to Feel Safe ! (memories and thoughts that we're living out of – today...
SEE them for what they are – they are creating our reality, over and over.
Steps toward Seeing What IS:
- This exploration involves a SEEING.... Not a 'Doing'
- Desiring to see Reality as it IS – to see Truth
- SEEING our out-moded perspectives – seeing how it has been limiting you, causing suffering
- SEEING
deep unconscious habits of conditioning – (fear of not being enough,
fear of not having enough – are Not personal experiences – they are a
deep habit of consciousness)
- Connecting with Awareness
Awareness is Who / What we Truly Are...
- Awareness is always present regardless of what's happening
- Awareness is the space in which all occurrences appear.
- it's the Space between an occurrence – where we may Remember to Breathe – Connect with Awareness...
- Occurrence = body sensations, perceptions (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, states); and world (experiences... everything we believe is 'out there')
Consider the metaphor of being in a movie theater – watching the film called: 'My Life'
In the metaphor we have a movie screen, we have the movie starring the actors viewed on the screen, and we have the stuff that's happening... or occurring to the actors in the movie.
- the screen represents Awareness (or oneness)
- movie that plays upon the screen is subject and objects (appearing as Separate things 'happening)...
- Occurrences (everything that comes and goes) including others - our thoughts, feelings, experiences, states
- We, as individuals, are characters in the movie and as such are unable to see the screen (Awareness) upon which we're being played and we believe our role as separate individuals in the movie. We can turn, look back, up and down, and even within, and we can never see the screen itself.
SEEING all that occurs in our life as Occurrences - neither good nor bad - It just IS... thoughts, feelings, states, beliefs...
Letting Go of the 'should's/shouldn'ts'... relaxing into the present moment - into Awareness
Challenges in life: We are hypnotized by Life. Life (society) has So many demands upon us – pressure has been created to fit in, conform, comply, submit to Life's expectations – we hope to feel sense of 'belonging'.
Viewing Reality in this way does not deny the existence of world, but demonstrates it as Occurrences, like a movie on a movie screen. As a movie, a movie seems real... and as the world, the world seems real... Seeing the Occurrences in our lives as things that occur... and then disappear... it's possible to loosen the grip the mind has in believing these occurrences as something that should or shouldn't happen - or that we can control... Recognizing sensation of bodily contractions... tensions cause by objecting, fear, anger... Loosening the grip - relaxing, inwardly.
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