abrakamowse

I don't know anything...

That happened to me some time ago... did you tried mindfulness meditation? That helped me a lot to get "separated" from the thoughts. You can't control the thoughts, being aware of them is the best way to "control them". Being aware knowing those thoughts are not "your" thoughts. There's not a "thinker of thoughts".

I agree with @AleksM and @SOUL posts. I see time like changes in consciousness. Things are constantly changing and we "measure" those changes in something that we call "time". Same thing with other measures, like inches, or kilometers. There's not distance between objects in awareness, but we have the illusion through our senses that there are, so we can "measure" distances like we "measure" time. But what happens is constant changes in the now. The mind tries to understand what's happening and "creates" the explanation through ideas. But he is not creating anything, mind is trying to interpret reality. And from the point of view of awareness it fails. That's what creates the whole universe. We need to see reality that way to have experiences. Awareness is always there, not moving and not doing anything. Just being aware.

Thanks guys for the comments! I was just curious. Maybe I am wrong but I feel that what IS is more than awareness or experience or anything. We have to be open and reject any ideas to see it, and if we attach to certain idea then we won't be able to see it. Thanks again!!!!

I just want to know opinions. There's some people that think that pure awareness cannot exist, because awareness will always need experience to know itself. So, they conclude that experience and awareness are different words for the same thing. So they say experience is self aware. And you are experience! Can awareness know itself without experience? Is experience and awareness the same thing? What do you think? I would like to know different opinions. Not because I don't have one, but to go deeper into this point. Thanks for participating!!! :-)

It can no be measured and it can not be converted into an object. It can't be known. Whatever you know is not you. The only thing you don't know is your essence, because everything that is an object is not you... neti neti... (not this not this) To find the Brahman or your essence you have to do like an sculptor, that removes the rock that is not the piece of art until the sculpture appears. By removing what is not, you find what is... but if you have the experience of knowing your self, after the experience you won't find words to describe it accurately, because there aren't. It's not possible. :-)

@Vitamine Water Thanks for that, I will definitely try that exercise!

This is my take, Awareness is just a word for WHAT IS. The problem is that awareness implies that there must be something to be aware. And that's not the case, because we know awareness doesn't need anything. I know that Awareness is prior to everything, because I had an experience of nothingness. I lost reference of everything, it was completely black but there was no sensations, no perceptions, it was just me without any memory. When I began to wake up, the ego got crazy, and the character (what I think I am) was in shock. Couldn't think well, etc... but I was aware of everything. And that's awareness. I was aware too that there was no experiences at that moment.

That's what I told them, I am aware of deep sleep. But they say that when you go to sleep awareness continues. You fall asleep and then you wake up. There's a continuity in awareness. So they conclude that awareness without experience is not possible. And I know it is. :-)

Nisargadatta says this: " Awareness is primordial; it is the original state, beginningless, endless, uncaused, unsupported, without parts, without change. Consciousness is on contact, a reflection against a surface, a state of duality. There can be no consciousness without awareness, but there can be awareness without consciousness, as in deep sleep. Awareness is absolute, consciousness is relative to its content; consciousness is always of something. Consciousness is partial and changeful, awareness is total, changeless, calm and silent. And it is the common matrix of every experience."

@AleksM Ok, thanks! I will read it!!! I am doing your exercises about focusing on the breathing. Very interesting indeed. I will post something on your thread so we don't go off topic on this one. :-) Thanks again!

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-we-control-our-thoughts/

@Natasha It seems to me that the mind needs something to hold on, because of fear. It can't be alone without creating a "reality" and it does that by labeling, that's true. Is always looking for something. Today I realized that I have to stop desiring enlightenment. I mean, I knew that from the beginning. But is like today I had a certainty that I really need to stop wishing enlightenment. Because in the desire itself it is the "thing" that prevents enlightenment to happen. Thanks for your input! Really good pointer.

The question as to what causes the illusion of things has already assumed the existence of a thing that could cause the illusion. Apparent ignorance is causeless - because there is no real ignorance.

Try to see what there's in the now and don't impose ideas about anything. Just search for Direct Experience. And trust your intuition.

Maybe is a different kind of life... probably that new life will open unexpected things. He mentions that at the end of the video. I think about that very often, when you are close to enlightenment or when you are interested in it a lot of things lose sense. Because you don't cling to them anymore, and you realize that you don't need anything. :-)

We have to see reality distorted to survive as "human beings" Check this video https://www.ted.com/talks/donald_hoffman_do_we_see_reality_as_it_is

I had a short experience, while my wife was cutting my hair I sat and relaxed and I thought, I will meditate while she cut my hair. Suddenly it was amazing, I felt I wasn't there anymore. Everything was flowing and happening so naturally. I felt like I was a shell with no content. I am just trying to explain how it felt, but it wasn't exactly like that... there's no words to explain it. It was just some seconds, but it felt like a lot. I think it was less than a second. I will continue meditating and see how this unfolds. Just wanted to share guys! Thanks @Azrael for posting your experience.

They can be dead or alive, I think I will exclude the obvious like Jesus, Buddha, prophets, etc... Mine are Mooji Alan Watts Jed McKenna Eckhart Tolle D.T. Suzuki Shunryū Suzuki Those are some, the most important at this moment.

Thanks for this topic, now I realized how I talk about other people. Not about co workers or friends, family. The sneaky behavior came to me hiding or in disguise in the form of talking bad about politics, actors, famous people... Now I realize that, that's the same thing I was trying to avoid!!! The ego is really tricky! Thanks for posting this topic OP!!!

God is reality, our true nature, consciousness, our higher self... the universe... but none of those words describe him, because "he/she" is indescribable. For that reason Ramana and Nisagardatta called "him/her" THAT. Anyway, THAT is also a word that can't describe God/Reality. One of the best descriptions for me is I AM. The bible says when Moises ask God who was him, God said "I AM that I AM"... that can be translated as "he/she is existence"... "he/she" just IS.

@Random User Try labeling meditation also known as noting meditation. It's really good to become more detached from thoughts. https://youtu.be/StBTuX0tqU8

It's easy, if you go to the home of the forum, you will see it is divided in several themes or topics. I tend to go more frequently to this section (the one we are now) called "Meditation, Consciousness, Enlightenment, Spirituality "

@Tano I understand, thanks for sharing!!!