How to be aware of awareness?

[Preetom]

4 hours ago, Anirban657 said:

@Leo Gura When I try to be aware of who I am, I am able to perceive I-am-ness. 

Sri Ramana Maharishi says to hold on to the I-am-ness or I-ness.

In the beginning of my self-inquiry I started by asking "Who am I? What am I?". Since I am not the body, I am holding on to the sense of I in the direct experience. 

I think that during self-inquiry I am supposed to do that. Correct me if I am wrong @Leo Gura

describe this sense of I. Where is it located?

Is it fixed in one place like somewhere in head or chest?

Or are you kind of chasing it around but can't really grasp it?

[Anirban657]

13 minutes ago, Preetom said:

describe this sense of I. Where is it located?

Is it fixed in one place like somewhere in head or chest?

Or are you kind of chasing it around but can't really grasp it?

@Preetom It's fixed. It's a feeling of awareness itself. Whenever I am aware and there are no thoughts, awareness of I occurs. Basically it's like a point of view coming out from my eyes.

[Robi Steel]

The problem is that you CANNOT be aware of awareness. This would imply that there is anything that could watch or is watching your present experience, which there isnt. The problem is that you put conceptual blocks in the way of just being one with the present moment. The present moment is just actualizing all the time by itself and it isnt experienced by anyone. You are literally the substance of the present moment, so there is absolutely nothing you can do, to experience it "more aware". Awareness is the substance of you

[Anirban657]

11 minutes ago, Robi Steel said:

The problem is that you CANNOT be aware of awareness. This would imply that there is anything that could watch or is watching your present experience, which there isnt. The problem is that you put conceptual blocks in the way of just being one with the present moment. The present moment is just actualizing all the time by itself and it isnt experienced by anyone. You are literally the substance of the present moment, so there is absolutely nothing you can do, to experience it "more aware". Awareness is the substance of you

@Robi Steel Ok now I am confused.

Then I will just let the self-inquiry happen in its own. Whenever thoughts arise, I will ask to whom does this thought occur? I will then let it happen.

[Anirban657]

15 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Try focusing your mind on nothing in particular and just let it sit there. The more it sits there, the more Emptiness will dawn on you. Don't try to grasp it. Let it wash over you.

I will do this

[Robi Steel]

@Anirban657 What you describes is a really good formula for mediation. But also for self-inquiry, give your mind the space to see what is actually there in your present experience, dont get too tied up in there. The insight is really subtle and sudden

[Jkris]

@Anirban657 @Anirban657 Preetom asked you very important questions.He is practicing self enquiry.

Are you able to locate the I am Ness or I feeling ?

Is it fixed or located in chest or head ?

Or really can't grasp it ?

Answer them.

Robin steel is equating awareness to experience which is not the case.

I asked winter knight about your question and my reply.He said it is inexpressible but the KNOWLEDGE self is aware of itself is realized.

In other words awareness is continuously experiencing something other than itself

Only in Nothingness the Truth will be realized.

Regarding self enquiry Hold on to the I feeling or I ness continuously till it vanishes.It this I am Ness which is preventing us from realizing the truth.

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by Jkris
Edit

[Anirban657]

3 hours ago, Preetom said:

describe this sense of I. Where is it located?

Is it fixed in one place like somewhere in head or chest?

Or are you kind of chasing it around but can't really grasp it?

@Preetom It is a feeling of being present and aware of the surrounding objects and environment.

It is located behind the eyes.

It is fixed in the head.

I am trying to perceive the I.

[Anirban657]

8 minutes ago, Jkris said:

Regarding self enquiry Hold on to the I feeling or I ness continuously till it vanishes.It this I am Ness which is preventing us from realizing the truth.

@Jkris Is the I feeling or I ness the same that I answered. I was trying to perceive the I behind my eyes. But I am failing miserably. I don't really feel the I or I ness yet.

[eputkonen]

@Anirban657   That is trying to get the eye to see itself.  Just be aware-ness.

[Jkris]

@Anirban657 You know you are.How do you know you are ?

What is the feeling that makes you think you exist ?

That is the I feeling or me feeling or I am Ness or sense of seperate self or sense of seperatedness. 

It is always present in waking state and disappears momentarily when you get deeply involved in thinking or some activity.

In sleep it is absent.

Hold on to this I feeling continuously when ever you have free time.It is not just 30 minutes meditation.It has to be as long as possible.

Hope it is clear.Feel free to ask any questions you have.

 

 

 

 

[Anirban657]

14 minutes ago, Jkris said:

@Anirban657 You know you are.How do you know you are ?

What is the feeling that makes you think you exist ?

That is the I feeling or me feeling or I am Ness or sense of seperate self or sense of seperatedness. 

It is always present in waking state and disappears momentarily when you get deeply involved in thinking or some activity.

In sleep it is absent.

Hold on to this I feeling continuously when ever you have free time.It is not just 30 minutes meditation.It has to be as long as possible.

Hope it is clear.Feel free to ask any questions you have.

 

 

 

 

@Jkris I understand. The instructions cannot be simpler than this. Thank you! 

[Preetom]

41 minutes ago, Anirban657 said:

@Jkris I understand. The instructions cannot be simpler than this. Thank you! 

Indeed~

[Dumb Enlightened]

On 03/05/2019 at 9:22 AM, Anirban657 said:

I know it looks like a stupid question but still, how to be aware of awareness?

I mean I am looking at the wall. I am aware that I am looking at the wall. I ask myself,"Am I aware of the wall?". And my answer is yes. So I am not aware of awareness.

I mean yesterday for the first time when I tried to become aware of awareness, it worked but now it's not happening. I meditate daily but for 6 months I stopped it due to my psychosis. And so I feel a bit less confident about being aware of awareness.

How do I become aware of awareness?

What question do I ask myself? 

Please comment, thank you!

 

When you look in a mirror, you see the reflection of your face, but you don't see your face directly right ? So the only way for you to know that you have a face is by looking at the reflection at the mirror, cause you will never be able to look at your face directly. The same way, when you look or hear, or sense, or taste anything, this very experience is reflecting the awareness that you are, cause you are knowing the experience. Objects are used to know that there's someone aware of them, so any experience is a reflection of your very awareness, there's no experience without the awareness of it. Just pay more attention to the awareness of the experience than the experience itself.

[Jack River]

Simply be aware of that which is aware of such questions of how to be aware of awareness?

[Jonty]

@Anirban657 The instruction from @Jkris is perfect. I got really bogged down with this as well. In reality, being aware of being aware is very simple, but I always found when reading forums that people try their best to be as profound as possible sometimes when in reality, the process itself is very simplistic. Look at an object in the room and realise what it is that is knowing that object. It is not a thought, it is awareness. Concentrate on that and in time you will realise what you are. As others have said, it can be a long process. Notice it and stay with it as long as you can. 

Awareness is the "thing" that you believe is the "life" in you for want of a better phrase. The thing that you believe you are, behind all the thoughts, behind the sensations. It's the thing that knows all of these things.

As others have mentioned, you cannot grasp it like an object. It's no-thing, but you can be "aware" of it if that makes sense. You can be aware of the no-thing or the awareness.

Hope that makes sense! Watch Leo's video on how to do self inquiry. It's brilliant!

[FredT]

Sit down, close your eyes and get relaxed. Then try to go to sleep in about three seconds. Will yourself to get to sleep in three seconds. You can't do it. What is it that resists? Stay with that. 

[MuddyBoots]

On 03/05/2019 at 10:46 PM, Leo Gura said:

Through lots of practice the mind must become very still. That stillness of mind itself becomes the empty awareness of awareness. You. Are. It.

Try focusing your mind on nothing in particular and just let it sit there. The more it sits there, the more Emptiness will dawn on you. Don't try to grasp it. Let it wash over you.

I'm just starting with self-enquiry, it seems like this is very similar to choiceless awareness, but going the other direction. Either use the self to let go of clinging and move into non-self; or use the self to look into itself, which is also non-self. The paradox is making me spin! Ill try watching Leo's video on self-enquiry. 

[zeroISinfinity]

@MuddyBoots Just have really really strong desire for awakening let go of that desire. Meditate. Could give you forceful method but I do not recommend that to anyone because it is way to extreme. 

There is beauty in path. Drop even slightest neurotic need be really curious and you really need to want to know Truth Just for It's own sake be honest about it. Wanting to know Truth for even slightest self serving shit Will not make it. God is not a moron. 

Edited October 5, 2019 by zeroISinfinity

[Eu Sint]

The answer to the question "Who am I" is silence itself. Ask the mental question and then pay attention to the silence that precedes it. Whenever this peace is disturbed by the occurrence of any thought, notice the thought, do not attach yourself to it and let it go, then return to the quiet before. Stay in this peace as long as you can without forcing yourself and return to it after the appearance of each thought.Note that when you pay attention to this quiet you do not think. You are aware, but you do not think! With time after a consistent practice, you will pay attention just to the inner quiet even if thoughts are still running in the background and you will understand that in fact this peace, this Nothing are You. That way you will become aware that you are the consciousness behind the mind.Learn to practice this. even in the dead times  between daily activities. , I tell you this from my spiritual practice of over 20 yearsI . It worked for me, I hope it helps you and it may work for you too.?