Awareness And Knowing

[Dodo]

Awareness means to know, but not only to know /something/. It means to know the presence (existence) /of something/. I have not made the clear connection between the two until today after contemplating my experience and re-watching a ton of Rupert Spira videos.

Inspiration for the following hit me in the shower - then it must be good!  
When we say, "I am aware of something" we are actually saying "I know the presence of something in my present field of perception"

In the following: { } indicates subject (perceiver); [ ] indicates object (perceived); <=> means equivalent

{I} am aware of [a tree] <=> {I} know the presence of [a tree]
{I} am aware of [thoughts] <=> {I} know the presence of [thoughts]
{I} am aware of [sensations] <=> {I} know the presence of [sensations]
etc..

And now the good part, which is important to be practiced through various self enquiry methods:

{I} am aware <=> {I} know a presence  (when not moving out toward an object)
{I} am aware of awareness <=> {I} know the presence of a knowing presence (no object)
{I} am awareness <=> {I} am a {knowing presence} (no object)

If you prove that you are a knowing presence within your self enquiry, you have proven that you are awareness. Now be who you are.

Do you know experientially the presence of a knowing presence in your experience right now? Yes, I'm talking to you, Atman! 

Edited July 28, 2017 by Dodo

[Joseph Maynor]

@Dodo The crazy thing is that this is just happening naturally for me by realizing that all of my beliefs are false.  Not a single belief in my mind has anything to do with reality.  Once I realize this fully, all my perplexities will fall away.  Even all the non-duality theory is false.  The only true fact is that thought-stories are not reality.  And this is confirmed by direct observation.  This doesn't have to be framed as a statement or belief either because it is directly perceived once the nature of thought is inquired a little bit into.  Because we cannot see thought, it is a little bit confusing about what is going on with thought.  Thought is a little bit slick, but with awareness you can grasp its true nature.  The problem with thought is that it makes fantasy appear to be reality.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Joseph Maynor

[Natasha]

@Dodo As soon as I read the title of this thread, I knew it was Rupert inspired  

But yeah, I like his defining awareness as existential knowing. 

1 hour ago, Dodo said:

Do you know experientially the presence of a knowing presence in your experience right now? Yes, I'm talking to you, Atman! 

Those who have tapped into the deep waters of the Absolute, take infinite pleasure. 

[Lauritz]

I thought this challenges the same topic, if seen from the perspective of enlightenment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHVdFLti6UI

 

It gave me goosebumbs when I watched it so it might be worth something...

[Dodo]

9 minutes ago, Lauritz said:

I thought this challenges the same topic, if seen from the perspective of enlightenment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHVdFLti6UI

 

It gave me goosebumbs when I watched it so it might be worth something...

The peaceful warrior is one of the first books about spirituality that I have read, it was awesome.