One of the many joys of this understanding is that you are recognizing something that has always been present. There is no attaining anything.
**********
Seekers are looking for mystical experiences, when what is fundamentally there is a presence of spaciousness in which experiences are occurring.
**********
Even the superb "Understanding is all" is only a concept, a pointer. You are already beyond all seeing and apperception. Your mind--i.e., your thoughts and ideas--can in no way envision the vastness and immediacy of what you are at this very moment.
**********
Remember, you are the key: Not "you" the person that you imagine yourself to be. But your own ever-present peace and immensity that you so readily overlook. That is the answer for which you never have to wait or seek.
**********
There is no "honeymoon period" after recognizing one's nonconceptual nature. For it is ever-new, radiant, and immeasurable.
**********
Self-knowing isn't a matter of entering, harnessing, accessing, or letting go of anything. Any teacher or teaching that places emphasis upon these expressions isn't conveying the true nature of things.
**********
Progressive paths can't take you there. They only end up reinforcing the assumptions that not only are you a person, but that this peson can somehow be liberated. But liberation, if anything, is simply the sudden realization of what you actually are: This glorious presence of awarness from which you never move.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Q & A: In Plain View
QUESTIONER/FRIEND: I'm very excited about your blog, and surprised. I feel as if this is something about you I've never known. Doesn't that sound funny?
Rodney: Well, up until reading John Wheeler's Awakening to the Natural State, I didn't know how easily this presence of awareness could be known, not to mention overlooked. It simply was always there, radiant and in plain view. John's writing and emails hit the nail on the head for me, which is almost a given, since his pointers are so clear and resolute. Before that, I certainly intuited that there was a final truth to the question of "Who am I?" And through the decades, I sought it. I just refused to let the question go. But trust me, there was nothing romantic about the search in the least. If my blog says anything, it is that practices and seeking are absolutely unnecessary. The answer is here and now. Even the question "Who am I?" implicitly contends that there is some actual person to become "enlightened." So during those wayward decades, one fiction was piled upon another, until I began to discern that the ultimate question is not "Who am I?" It is "What am I?" This, finally, was pointing to the heart of the matter.
Q: I've never quite been exposed to the clarity of your thoughts and the calming effect they have.
Rodney: Whatever qualities are there are because I'm speaking from the Source. Presence is talking with presence. So a reader or listener's thoughts and beliefs are, in varying degrees, bypassed. Thus, an indefinable repose is often felt. But this is because you are sensing your own immediacy and stillness. My part in this is quite minuscule.
Q: Well, just know that I feel encouraged by your writing and the beauty of your sharing and expression, because evolution is important to me.
Rodney: I'm happy that the blog is resonating with you. But please know that there is no evolution here. Mistaken identification--that you are your body, mind, gender, personality, occupation, etc--can't gradually be dispelled. It isn't a matter of "evolving" to some attainment. The seeing or understanding is instantaneous. It would be even more accurate to say that it is timeless. What suddenly is comprehended is that there is a felt and ubiquitous presence within and before you. It is sheer, living, and incontestible. And there is never a moment when it is not. You are that Supreme Existence. Indeed, the universe--and its plethora of marvels and dimensions--are wholly within you.
Q:Yes, I keep reminding myself of that and hoping that it will help me to focus on what matters most.
Rodney: Be careful not to turn it into a practice or repetition. If you want to bring yourself back to something, let it be this: "When no thought is present, what is present?" This pointer has an innate "halting" quality to it. Because it points to Truth so directly, it is difficult to reflect upon it mechanically. Thus, you are brought to a Full Stop, especially when you haven't raised the question for a while, and come upon it anew. Remain fully still when the pause occurs. Nisargadatta Maharaj reinterated the importance of "not moving" and "abidance" again and again in his books. But most people miss it. During that pause, see that there is a clear and immanent fullness before and within you. It is without beginning or end, and you are That.
Q: Thank you so much, Rodney.
Rodney: You're most welcome
Rodney: Well, up until reading John Wheeler's Awakening to the Natural State, I didn't know how easily this presence of awareness could be known, not to mention overlooked. It simply was always there, radiant and in plain view. John's writing and emails hit the nail on the head for me, which is almost a given, since his pointers are so clear and resolute. Before that, I certainly intuited that there was a final truth to the question of "Who am I?" And through the decades, I sought it. I just refused to let the question go. But trust me, there was nothing romantic about the search in the least. If my blog says anything, it is that practices and seeking are absolutely unnecessary. The answer is here and now. Even the question "Who am I?" implicitly contends that there is some actual person to become "enlightened." So during those wayward decades, one fiction was piled upon another, until I began to discern that the ultimate question is not "Who am I?" It is "What am I?" This, finally, was pointing to the heart of the matter.
Q: I've never quite been exposed to the clarity of your thoughts and the calming effect they have.
Rodney: Whatever qualities are there are because I'm speaking from the Source. Presence is talking with presence. So a reader or listener's thoughts and beliefs are, in varying degrees, bypassed. Thus, an indefinable repose is often felt. But this is because you are sensing your own immediacy and stillness. My part in this is quite minuscule.
Q: Well, just know that I feel encouraged by your writing and the beauty of your sharing and expression, because evolution is important to me.
Rodney: I'm happy that the blog is resonating with you. But please know that there is no evolution here. Mistaken identification--that you are your body, mind, gender, personality, occupation, etc--can't gradually be dispelled. It isn't a matter of "evolving" to some attainment. The seeing or understanding is instantaneous. It would be even more accurate to say that it is timeless. What suddenly is comprehended is that there is a felt and ubiquitous presence within and before you. It is sheer, living, and incontestible. And there is never a moment when it is not. You are that Supreme Existence. Indeed, the universe--and its plethora of marvels and dimensions--are wholly within you.
Q:Yes, I keep reminding myself of that and hoping that it will help me to focus on what matters most.
Rodney: Be careful not to turn it into a practice or repetition. If you want to bring yourself back to something, let it be this: "When no thought is present, what is present?" This pointer has an innate "halting" quality to it. Because it points to Truth so directly, it is difficult to reflect upon it mechanically. Thus, you are brought to a Full Stop, especially when you haven't raised the question for a while, and come upon it anew. Remain fully still when the pause occurs. Nisargadatta Maharaj reinterated the importance of "not moving" and "abidance" again and again in his books. But most people miss it. During that pause, see that there is a clear and immanent fullness before and within you. It is without beginning or end, and you are That.
Q: Thank you so much, Rodney.
Rodney: You're most welcome
Friday, April 17, 2009
Commendable Links
John Wheeler
(San Francisco Bay Area)
The Natural State
http://www.thenaturalstate.org/
"Seeking enlightenment, working on 'my' beliefs, during 'my' inner work, pursing awakening or liberation, etc are all self-centered activities. This is why the seeking, suffering, and doubts go on, however many teachers you follow, events you attend, and so-called spiritual experiences you may have."
**********
Charlie Hayes
(Enid, Oklahoma)
The Eternal State
http://charliehayes36.tripod.com/
"The key to realizing the differences between false 'flashing experiences' that come and go, and the actual eternal reality of timeless being consists finally in your own undeniable and direct seeing, knowing: You ARE. In short, that there is no person, yet you are."
**********
Randall Friend
(Louisville, Kentucky)
You Are Dreaming
http://avastu0.blogspot.com/
"It simply cannot be missed. It can be overlooked, ignored--yet Presence, this opening, ground of Reality is the most intimate aspect of experience. It is Beingness. It is what we really mean by 'I'."
**********
Mary McGovern
(Paris, France)
Grace Is Now
http://graceisnow.blogspot.com/
"Are 'you' looking to see that there is no 'you?' Or is it simply seen that there is no one, by no one?"
**********
Brian Lake
(San Francisco Bay Area)
Awareness, That Simple
http://awarenessthatsimple.blogspot.com/
"Keep it simple. First, know what you are. Take a relaxed, long-paused, timeless-in-the-instant look. What you are is reality. This is that which is always observing."
**********
James Corrigan
(Stony Brook University/New York)
An Introduction to Awarness
http://www.anintroductiontoawarenss.com/
"I like to use the Colorado Aspen tree to show what I mean by nonduality. These trees grow from a single root system, and even though they appear to be separate trees from above the ground...they are, in fact, one whole tree."
**********
Julian Noyce
(Salisbury, United Kingdom)
Non-Duality Press
http://www.non-dualitypress.com
This is a sterling publisher of books on contemporary Advaita. Its authors include John Wheeler, "Sailor" Bob Adamson, Nathan Gill, Jean Klein, and Joan Tollisfson. They also now offer nondual-related DVDs.
(San Francisco Bay Area)
The Natural State
http://www.thenaturalstate.org/
"Seeking enlightenment, working on 'my' beliefs, during 'my' inner work, pursing awakening or liberation, etc are all self-centered activities. This is why the seeking, suffering, and doubts go on, however many teachers you follow, events you attend, and so-called spiritual experiences you may have."
**********
Charlie Hayes
(Enid, Oklahoma)
The Eternal State
http://charliehayes36.tripod.com/
"The key to realizing the differences between false 'flashing experiences' that come and go, and the actual eternal reality of timeless being consists finally in your own undeniable and direct seeing, knowing: You ARE. In short, that there is no person, yet you are."
**********
Randall Friend
(Louisville, Kentucky)
You Are Dreaming
http://avastu0.blogspot.com/
"It simply cannot be missed. It can be overlooked, ignored--yet Presence, this opening, ground of Reality is the most intimate aspect of experience. It is Beingness. It is what we really mean by 'I'."
**********
Mary McGovern
(Paris, France)
Grace Is Now
http://graceisnow.blogspot.com/
"Are 'you' looking to see that there is no 'you?' Or is it simply seen that there is no one, by no one?"
**********
Brian Lake
(San Francisco Bay Area)
Awareness, That Simple
http://awarenessthatsimple.blogspot.com/
"Keep it simple. First, know what you are. Take a relaxed, long-paused, timeless-in-the-instant look. What you are is reality. This is that which is always observing."
**********
James Corrigan
(Stony Brook University/New York)
An Introduction to Awarness
http://www.anintroductiontoawarenss.com/
"I like to use the Colorado Aspen tree to show what I mean by nonduality. These trees grow from a single root system, and even though they appear to be separate trees from above the ground...they are, in fact, one whole tree."
**********
Julian Noyce
(Salisbury, United Kingdom)
Non-Duality Press
http://www.non-dualitypress.com
This is a sterling publisher of books on contemporary Advaita. Its authors include John Wheeler, "Sailor" Bob Adamson, Nathan Gill, Jean Klein, and Joan Tollisfson. They also now offer nondual-related DVDs.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Pointers
When no thought is present, what is present?
**********
You are already established in that stateless state that is prior to all thoughts and knowledge. You don't have to do a thing, except see or understand what is being pointed to.
**********
What is it, right now, that exists without any doubts, questions, or suffering? That beingness is what you are.
**********
Pausing to see that there is no "me" or that there is a living presence before and within you (and is nothing but you), is not a conceptual endeavor. It is a direct inquiry into your natural state.
**********
Despite what immensely popular spiritual writers assert, there is no person to "accept" whatever arises; presence doesn't "hold" or "embrace" you--you are It; unhappiness ultimately occurs because you assume that there is a mind, not because of the mind's "conditioning"; an "alignment with Now" presupposes an individual that will be doing the aligning; and there is no need for you to "transcend" your thoughts--for not only is having thoughts part of your normal functioning, thoughts, by their inert nature, are automatically transcended by your ever-present, nonconceptual reality.
**********
How splendidly odd: To see and speak from this body, yet to unequivocally know that I am without name or form.
**********
The literal meaning of the Buddhist term nirvana is a lovely one: "A blowing out." But the ego cannot be extinguished, given that it--as a constant and defined entity--isn't there in the first place. What is present are self-centered thoughts and feelings, arising and falling in awareness. Even after self-realization, such thoughts and emotions continue to come up. It's just that their frequency is increasingly low; and when they do appear, they are immediately seen for what they are: Information and responses that aren't necessarily accurate.
**********
Awareness is seen by awareness, not by a thought or a sensation or a belief. That is why this understanding is so vivid, immediate, and clear when it happens. But when you meditate or engage in a process or practice, you (as an individual person) are attempting to attain some form of bliss or continual happiness, which is your idea of what you think "enlightenment" may be. But this is sheer folly. Why? Because it is simply one concept is chasing another. What truth can come from that? Yet, that is precisely what spiritual seekers are doing the world over. See the reality of this right now: Awareness is seen by awareness, not by a thought or a sensation or a belief. You cannot look or understand this with a thought or idea. Thus, only the seeing remains. And awareness can only be seen by awareness. Don't move from this. Allow it to resonate. It is your essence.
**********
You are already established in that stateless state that is prior to all thoughts and knowledge. You don't have to do a thing, except see or understand what is being pointed to.
**********
What is it, right now, that exists without any doubts, questions, or suffering? That beingness is what you are.
**********
Pausing to see that there is no "me" or that there is a living presence before and within you (and is nothing but you), is not a conceptual endeavor. It is a direct inquiry into your natural state.
**********
Despite what immensely popular spiritual writers assert, there is no person to "accept" whatever arises; presence doesn't "hold" or "embrace" you--you are It; unhappiness ultimately occurs because you assume that there is a mind, not because of the mind's "conditioning"; an "alignment with Now" presupposes an individual that will be doing the aligning; and there is no need for you to "transcend" your thoughts--for not only is having thoughts part of your normal functioning, thoughts, by their inert nature, are automatically transcended by your ever-present, nonconceptual reality.
**********
How splendidly odd: To see and speak from this body, yet to unequivocally know that I am without name or form.
**********
The literal meaning of the Buddhist term nirvana is a lovely one: "A blowing out." But the ego cannot be extinguished, given that it--as a constant and defined entity--isn't there in the first place. What is present are self-centered thoughts and feelings, arising and falling in awareness. Even after self-realization, such thoughts and emotions continue to come up. It's just that their frequency is increasingly low; and when they do appear, they are immediately seen for what they are: Information and responses that aren't necessarily accurate.
**********
Awareness is seen by awareness, not by a thought or a sensation or a belief. That is why this understanding is so vivid, immediate, and clear when it happens. But when you meditate or engage in a process or practice, you (as an individual person) are attempting to attain some form of bliss or continual happiness, which is your idea of what you think "enlightenment" may be. But this is sheer folly. Why? Because it is simply one concept is chasing another. What truth can come from that? Yet, that is precisely what spiritual seekers are doing the world over. See the reality of this right now: Awareness is seen by awareness, not by a thought or a sensation or a belief. You cannot look or understand this with a thought or idea. Thus, only the seeing remains. And awareness can only be seen by awareness. Don't move from this. Allow it to resonate. It is your essence.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Views & Viewing
I recently read (in The Economist, March 14th-20th, p.34) that the American toy company Fisher-Price is eliminating many of their View Master titles. For over half-a-decade, kids and adults have put the circular reels into the boxy-binocular-like viewers and gasped. For the reels (over 1.5 billion have been produced) held brilliant, three-dimensional images of people, places, and events from around the world. And even the universe!
Now, of course, 3D-viewing can easily been seen in films, on DVDs, and the Web. So Fisher-Price is purging much of its titles. This though reel images are now larger and offer enhanced viewing quality. And the View Masters themselves come in such hot colors as neon green and electric blue.
As a boy, I wasn't drawn to pictures of India and the Himalayas. Rather, I gravitated--for whatever reason--towards such locales as Davos in winter, Norwegian Fjords, and idyllic Zermatt, that Swiss village without cars at the foot of the Matterhorn. Riveting, too, were the 3D-pictures of Hoover Dam and England's Oxford University.
Viewing through the View Master is akin to seeing your commonplace awareness in all its depth, sheerness, and uniformity. You quickly perceive that its peace is without parallel. Indeed, it is stillness itself--a stillness with absolutely no space for any "whoms" with a view. Have a look.
Now, of course, 3D-viewing can easily been seen in films, on DVDs, and the Web. So Fisher-Price is purging much of its titles. This though reel images are now larger and offer enhanced viewing quality. And the View Masters themselves come in such hot colors as neon green and electric blue.
As a boy, I wasn't drawn to pictures of India and the Himalayas. Rather, I gravitated--for whatever reason--towards such locales as Davos in winter, Norwegian Fjords, and idyllic Zermatt, that Swiss village without cars at the foot of the Matterhorn. Riveting, too, were the 3D-pictures of Hoover Dam and England's Oxford University.
Viewing through the View Master is akin to seeing your commonplace awareness in all its depth, sheerness, and uniformity. You quickly perceive that its peace is without parallel. Indeed, it is stillness itself--a stillness with absolutely no space for any "whoms" with a view. Have a look.
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