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Soh

 Conversation with Mr K.

got to experience one mind and no mind on mushrooms
Was cool to experience and see the difference between those insights and anatta
Wow nice
I revisited the impersonality and intense i amness/god realization states on mushroom in 2015

[clarification: when studying overseas. I have not tripped for years]
You replied to Mr. K
I got to experience one mind and no mind on mushrooms
Just?
Yeah it seemed to pique with a total absorption state
How was it like?
And whats the dosage
1:29 PM
Was very oceanic. I noted that “Universe is nexus of self-appearing consciousness” and “Undulating waves” and “Sounds as perturbations in nexus”
Was just 2.5 grams
I remember wanting to tell my friend and the universe laughed as if that is even possible, because it was all just self-appearing consciousness
But it was like an experience
Wasn’t insight into dharma seal like anātman
But I could see how people could mistake that for awakening
Or definitive anatta type awakening I mean
Does that sound no mind’ish ? I just figured it was something like that
2:13 PM
Sounds like. One mind is like overarching consciousness that is like the field in which all manifestations occur, like body and thoughts is not consciousness but in consciousness. But consciousness was seen as unchanging due to wrong view. In no mind, even the overarching consciousness is forgotten and the sensations colors sounds etc are the consciousness, but merely as a temporary experience not an insight. The view can still be based on inherent/unchanging mirror and reflections, sky and clouds. Anatta is the realization of the absence of a background or agent or unchanging consciousness and consciousness being mere name for the vivid self luminous manifestation.. as always the case.
However as john tan said there is a deep state of equipoise with anatta insight that seems like one mind but is not
https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2018/10/the-unbound-field-of-awareness.html
The Unbounded Field of Awareness
awakeningtoreality.com
Is your experience like that?
3:04 PM
It was no mind during the trip
7:59 PM
John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:39am UTC+10 jax must also know that the non-dual experience does not lost but become natural, spontaneous and the intensity of luminosity heightened. Anatta is to eliminate the trace to have total and vivid experience, not to hinder it. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:41am UTC+10 there will come a time where awareness is like standing out and the clarity becomes unsurpassed it expanse without boundaries. This is very important. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:42am UTC+10 That is the transparency of awareness expanse way beyond ... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:43am UTC+10 This radiance can only arise in total effortlessness and spontaneity... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:44am UTC+10 just like substantialist non-dual in perfection Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:46am UTC+10 what do u mean just like substantialist non-dual in perfection John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:46am UTC+10 it is very difficult to explain John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:47am UTC+10 in a mind body drop...there is no boundary..just pure sound, sensations... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:48am UTC+10 rem the last post i wrote and u told me it is just like non-dual awareness? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:49am UTC+10 u closed ur eyes and u said u experienced like substantialist non-dual awareness? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:50am UTC+10 u mean then i fell asleep woke up etc? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:50am UTC+10 no John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:51am UTC+10 i told u to contemplate about the 2 fold emptiness and i said emptiness has another meaning for me...then i wrote for u ...u said u followed and feel like being a substantial non-dual awareness? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:51am UTC+10 yeah Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:52am UTC+10 then i told u i experience the void awareness Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:52am UTC+10 like snap out of the thought into the void awareness Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:52am UTC+10 then fell asleep but woke up due to sinking back to a mirror John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:52am UTC+10 yeah John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:52am UTC+10 there is nothing wrong with it... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:54am UTC+10 there is a very intense and much deeper state i assure u...but there is clear understanding that the manifestation is it....however awareness is like an unbounded and limitless expanse field John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:54am UTC+10 the luminosity is intensely clear Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:55am UTC+10 so its like boundless but as manifestation Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:55am UTC+10 and vivid John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:55am UTC+10 not exactly John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:56am UTC+10 the experience is like Non-Dual Awareness broke lose and exist as a unbounded FIELD John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:57am UTC+10 there is a difference in seeing sound and a hearer and realizing sound as awareness itself John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:57am UTC+10 i think i have told u before John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:58am UTC+10 Awareness is like standing out Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:58am UTC+10 i see.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:58am UTC+10 u cannot focus and there cannot be any sense of effort John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:58am UTC+10 there cannot be any sense of boundaries Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 does focusing spoil the experience? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 just itself John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 yes it spoil the experience John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 u must be very very stable and mature in the anatta state John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 just like what i wrote in our blog Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 1:59am UTC+10 oic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:00am UTC+10 maybe taking lsd ppl experience that...lol Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:00am UTC+10 haha... Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:01am UTC+10 did i tell u what the dj X experienced after ayahuasca? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:01am UTC+10 nope...who is dj X? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:02am UTC+10 and u cannot be in an enclosed room... Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:02am UTC+10 X, dj X.. he's the 11th most famous dj in the world and got half a million fans in his facebook page lol. he is doing self inquiry and converses with me Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:02am UTC+10 oic, u cant experience that in enlosed room? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:02am UTC+10 ic Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:04am UTC+10 he told me: Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:04am UTC+10 I had a guy, a professional, who guided me.. We sat and he guided me with a short meditation. After that, he asked me to drink the glass. He asked me to ask the plant to be kind and to thank her, which I did. The adrenaline was rushing through my body and I took a little moment with the glass in my hands and then took it. The taste was disgusting. Bitter, sour, I don't know. haha. Then, he guided me in a chakra meditation. He asked me to close my eyes and pointed that it would be good to keep my eyes closed as much as possible during the journey. So then we started, from the lowest chakra upwards. When we came to the heart chakra, I think almost half an hour after drinking, I noticed that it started. The blackness with my eyes closed started to get perspective and colors. It started to come to life. Very quickly then, it became very very intense, like being launched into a tunnel through space. With colors coming at me at an enormous speed. I also felt somewhat sick at that moment. The voice of the guy guiding me sounded like it was pitched down and vanished a bit to the background. From sitting in lotus position, I lied down on the bed, on my back. He continued with the meditation but I was completely taken by the experience and a bit uncomfortable. When he finished I asked him if he had an advice, how to get through this. He said: "Why? You don't need to do anything, just let it go.. Let it go." He turned on the music, I decided at that moment to completely let go and then the whole experience exploded into a beautiful journey. At that moment peace fell over me and the music started guiding me. There was almost no notion of the body already, everything was completely taking place on a screen, taking up the whole experience. I first was confronted with memories of my childhood, it showed me the moments that I felt lonely and not loved. All the love that lacked when I was a child, was cured and filled up at that moment. I started crying out of happiness. Crying so much, but tears of joy. Also the notion of time was getting less and less. It is very hard to say what happened when or how long it lasted. The music was essential in the experience. Music has got a whole new meaning. I have no words for how beautiful it was. Like it was telling the truth of the whole universe, without words, just resonating on a different level. Then for a moment, I felt like I was everything, the whole universe. I saw the night sky and there was absolutely no feeling of being a human being. It was grande. I felt energy rushing through the third eye, winding up, winding up and then releasing and exploding, receiving light. Bright light, with diamond-like reflections. Then another chakra in my belly started winding up and released, exploded and receiving bright light. So intense and full of love. Then all that exploded into full being-ness. An endless ocean of love. Ultimate happiness. This must have been the happiest moment of my life. There were no events at that moment. Just light and being and unconditional love. This was the climax of the experience. But it was not over yet. After that a whole story began which was being witnessed. For a moment I was experiencing being my father, my mother, my uncle, and going through a certain situation in their life. I also for a moment was a gorilla and a lion. Sometimes I remembered my question. "Who am I"? So I asked it, but when I asked it I got the answer: "Who wants to know?" I realized very well that the one that wants to know is that one that creates the suffering. That is the one that can't accept not knowing and always wants more. I felt that that was not me. At that moment I felt like a little chid who was constantly overruled by his big brother. But the plant was inviting the little child to come out to play and was unveiling the big brother's agenda. Every time I asked the question the plant corrected me and got a little bit upset for a moment. Then I realized who was asking and I surrendered again. I felt guided throughout the experience. Guided by the plant? A higher power? I don't know. Something was smiling at me. Letting me know that it was ok to let go. I also remember having died. I was lowered into a coffin with grey hair and my hands crossed on my chest. It was a very peaceful experience. Also I remember some moments from my birth, difficult moment. I felt that the plant was helping to resolve traumas. Sometimes I felt that it was focusing on the physical body. It would for example lift a leg, start shaking it very rapid and then released it. And later the other leg. Then an arm, the other arm. It was releasing energy. The my right eye would started tearing very much. Later on my left eye, and so on. Sometimes it would focus and a certain spot in the body where there was a stress spot. It would focus on it until the stress was released. And there would be no pain at that spot anymore. Sometimes the body started gaping very loud too. When the effects started to wear off, which was a slow process, I sometimes came back into the physical world for a moment and then got pushed back into it. But when my first thoughts came up, one of the first things that came up was a complete utter respect for this body. I was/am so thankful to the body for having gone through all those years of suffering and treating it badly with bad eating, smoking, drugs, alcohol etc. Also this experience which was intense for the physical body. I thanked it deeply for it and at that moment decided that I was going to treat the body like a temple. Treat it with complete respect. This was definitely the most profound experience of my life. The sense of self was gone mostly throughout the experience. After the experience it came back, but I feel like it has released a lot of negative energy and I have felt unconditional love like this for the first time. I will definitely do it again in the future as I truly think it can be of help on the path. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:04am UTC+10 it is difficult to experience in an enclosed room unless u r in deep samadhi Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:04am UTC+10 oic.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:05am UTC+10 is deep samadhi necessary or helpful Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:05am UTC+10 for this experience? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:05am UTC+10 not exactly, it is the effortlessness and crystal clear transparency and intensity of luminosity... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:08am UTC+10 but duality must no more trouble the practitioner, phenomena is clearly understood as the radiance...so nothing is obscuring then in total effortless and emanation arises and the expanse just continues Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:10am UTC+10 ic.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:10am UTC+10 should i tell this to jax? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:13am UTC+10 i m thinking how to tell him...since he just broke through...a person in such a state is difficult to turn back That is why i wrote in the post and said "it is empty"....and ask what does that emptiness mean Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:14am UTC+10 turn back to ? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:14am UTC+10 substantial one mind? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:15am UTC+10 but u're not asking him to turn back to one mind view right, just refining the anatta experience in certain way John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:15am UTC+10 from substantial non-dual awareness John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:16am UTC+10 it is different..if the intensity of experience is that strong John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:16am UTC+10 it is not easy to lead one with such intensity of experience with mere intellectual exchange John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:17am UTC+10 but i doubt without right view and anatta, one can reach that state Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:17am UTC+10 u mean that awareness field state? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:18am UTC+10 yes...in experience it is like that Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:18am UTC+10 but u said its similar to substantial one mind right Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:18am UTC+10 so one mind people also experience it or not? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:18am UTC+10 u don't get what i mean John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:19am UTC+10 one mind is subsuming John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:19am UTC+10 therefore there is a sense of dual John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:19am UTC+10 in this case there isn't Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:20am UTC+10 oic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:22am UTC+10 it is like a drop of water landed on the surface of a clear ocean. the nature of water and ocean are one and the same...nothing containing anything John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:24am UTC+10 when sounds and music arise...they are like water and waves in ocean...everything is it John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:25am UTC+10 when the intensity is amplified many folds, it will not be easy for a practitioner to overcome. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:26am UTC+10 overcome? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:26am UTC+10 so its like Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:26am UTC+10 one oceanic happening-awareness Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:27am UTC+10 ? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:32am UTC+10 hm...was reading what u send me about X's ayahuasca. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:32am UTC+10 The intensity of experience is there. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:34am UTC+10 yes oceanic happening-awareness Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:34am UTC+10 oic.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:34am UTC+10 so is wilhem experience like what u said? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:35am UTC+10 mine is very much under controlled...lol...the intensity is there John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:36am UTC+10 it is a very natural and effortless state John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:36am UTC+10 his is like out of control...lol Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:36am UTC+10 lol.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:39am UTC+10 when the mind is so confused about the background and the phenomena, such intense experience will not arise unless probably with the help of such drug Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:39am UTC+10 oic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:41am UTC+10 but one is purified of the deep dualistic/inherent tendencies, the experience will surface and become a natural and effortless state. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:42am UTC+10 ic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:42am UTC+10 there must not be any sense of twoness...just what is...and it must be completely effortless...spontaneous arising... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:44am UTC+10 therefore u must spend quality hours in such non-dual mode in walking, seeing, tasting...no effort but fully just this dimensionless suchness as appearance John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:44am UTC+10 now u r having too much thoughts Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:46am UTC+10 oic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:50am UTC+10 I have told u in the post commenting the rainbow body: Now penetration of the 3 states is only supported by the strength of your view and realization, not by the intensity of your non-conceptual experience.

[Soh: Referring to this - Rainbow Body and Thusness's Advice to Me] Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:52am UTC+10 ic.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:53am UTC+10 btw u said focus will spoil the experience Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:53am UTC+10 that means it can only be experienced in a meditative setting? Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:53am UTC+10 cos daily life requires focus to do task isnt it Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:53am UTC+10 like right now dont u need some focus to see, type etc John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:55am UTC+10 no John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:56am UTC+10 there is no need for meditative setting...it is the result of the dissolution of deeply held tendencies. But u r not allowing the conditions to manifest John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:58am UTC+10 all will simply arise spontaneously ....it is u must be out and have quality experience on scenery, music, scent...etc...have a not so enclose and cooling environment... Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 2:59am UTC+10 yah just now i was walking outside awareness/experience is expansive and boundless but not sure if its like what u said John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:00am UTC+10 one way to help is to emanate out Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:00am UTC+10 what u mean by emanate out John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:01am UTC+10 means awareness kept expanding... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:02am UTC+10 just keep practicing expanding...open, emanate Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:03am UTC+10 yes.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:03am UTC+10 even in dream i experience that Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:03am UTC+10 then it becomes transparent and expansive and nondual Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:03am UTC+10 few days ago i also experience it John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:04am UTC+10 don't focus on the intensity of luminosity, but expand to dissolve the center, the core...keep expanding...the intensity of luminosity will naturally be there....not to focus on luminosity Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:04am UTC+10 its strange i dont know if what i experience is sleep paralysis... its just dark and i keep expanding until i feel like floaty Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:04am UTC+10 but later woke up Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:04am UTC+10 but theres this strange feeling like i'm going to fall off the bed or something, i think hallucination John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:04am UTC+10 yes in waking state is also needed Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:05am UTC+10 in waking state when walking outside its quite easy Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:05am UTC+10 like u said John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:06am UTC+10 at hm when u meditate...listen to music....musics that relates to the sound nature Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:07am UTC+10 oic.. John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:10am UTC+10 anyway don't chase after experiences...sever the center. The purpose is to tell jax it is a refinement of his view so that he can perfect his non-dual state. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:10am UTC+10 oic.. Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:10am UTC+10 u tell him ah, i dunno how to tell him :P John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:13am UTC+10 yes when the time is right.... John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:13am UTC+10 lol Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:13am UTC+10 lol John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:15am UTC+10 din has undergone so much confusion that now the refuge is in the Awareness...lol Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:16am UTC+10 lol Soh Wei YuSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:16am UTC+10 its like what u said regarding fear of establishing view? John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:19am UTC+10 yes but because
John TanSunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:19am UTC+10 yes but because what that led him out of confusion is the understanding that all these are mind stories, so that becomes his outlet but it is also the condition that prevents his further seeking.
Soh

A mirror is not cognizant of what is appearing in it. The opposite of cognizant would be ignorant, or oblivious, or “unaffected by”

StillJustJames
Book Contents 📖 TOC | PROEM | TRADITIONS | PRACTICES | INSIGHTS | DISCUSSION | BACK MATTER

The allegory of a mirror is often used to help individuals understand what awareness truly is like. It is said that, like a mirror, awareness reflects all manner of things and yet is never affected by what appears.

Unfortunately, there is a misleading problem lurking within this allegory which instills a very false understanding of awareness in those that take this allegory to heart, in the absence of direct meditational insights of the nature of awareness and of mind. Granted, the misunderstanding is already held to be the truth by most people who have not yet trained their minds, so they find this allegory very acceptable.

While awareness may be like a mirror which is unaffected by what it reflects, awareness isn’t reflecting anything, and in this important way, it is not like a mirror at all. That unaffectedness that is part of this allegory is ultimately true of awareness, but the image of reflections in a mirror is completely misleading.

It is true that a mirror reflects what is before it; but it also reverses that image relative to the viewer. Perhaps we should focus more on that reversal aspect of a mirror’s reflection than we do on its reflectivity, because describing awareness as being like a mirror — even allegorically — conveys an understanding of awareness that is completely opposite that which is necessarily true.

Awareness is not reflective. Images of things are not reflected in awareness. This would imply a dualism of subject and object, which is ok if we are talking about a video camera, or a set of eyes — mundane things, in other words— but it’s not ok when we are speaking of that which can be directly known (imperienced) as the ground or origin of all manifested phenomena, and which is nothing other than the very naturing of all those phenomena. But most of us miss that rather significant bump in the road to enlightened speech, in part because we are taught the allegory before we can counter its false structure with actual insight.

Yet, even in relation to its unaffectedness, this allegory is contrary to our everyday experience and leads us to a proliferation of reified “minds” which are used as necessary explanatory devices to get around the initial error of holding that awareness is unaffected by what appears “in the mirror.” This whole concept of “mind” is a fundamental error which causes us to impose a dualistic structure on a necessarily nondual reality.

Awareness is essentially the aspect of cognizance of the activity of this nondual reality — its responsiveness — and cognizance is not reflectivity. It is what it says: knowing; but not in the normal sense of someone having knowledge of something, especially something abstract, but rather, as a performance in which what is known is shown in the performance. Knowing how to dance is not a set of instructions on how to move — instead, it is the ability to move in certain ways. And having a trained mind is not the accumulation of facts and instructions on how to train your mind, read from some source text — rather, it is having done the practice for some length of time and thereby having accomplished the training of your mind.

So what is it that reality knows? Well, everything — you, me, this planet and the sense of beauty we discover when we see it for what it is, these words, every living thing, even those that we, because of our misunderstanding of reality, call ‘inanimate objects’. This world is the immediate expression of, and the ‘state of awareness’ of, reality — from the entangled perspectives of what is Now.

That idea of reflectivity splits the naturing of this display into two parts and then asserts that one — the awareness of the other part — is not affected by it; yet both are one and only one activity of naturing all that appears. Of course it is affected by the appearances; they are the natural activity of this naturing. It doesn’t mean that this nondual reality is permanently affected by anything at all, as all that appears is impermanent.

Unlike awareness, a mirror is not cognizant of what is appearing in it. The opposite of “cognizant” would be “ignorant,” or “oblivious,” and even “unaffected by,” and that last antonym is exactly what this allegory seems to convey, and is touted for conveying — thus this allegory illustrates the very opposite of awareness’s essential character and confuses all that hear it and try to make sense of what is being said, by imposing a conceptual understanding in the place of a direct imperience of the truth!

Awareness is affected by what it cognizes; unlike a mirror that is “unaffected by” its reflections because it is not cognizant of them — awareness is cognizance in essence and has no other nature.

We are told that awareness is unaffected by what appears in a misleading effort to convey an important point about what is more properly called “pure presence” and this leads me to the first proof that awareness is affected by what appears:

Pure presence is directly known once cognizance of the Now — the Now that is pure presence — is recognized. This recognition is a breakthrough, and the cognizance that marks its arrival is necessarily called awareness. That is to say, the meta-cognitive state that accompanies the direct imperience of the presence that we normally refer to as Now, is nothing other than awareness of the naturing of the appearances arising in that moment of insight. It is pointed out in Dzogchen, for example, that once we become aware of the Now as nothing other than pure presence we are liberated. What is liberated? The cognizant aspect of our naturing — which is what we are referring to when we say “awareness.” This is what is liberated from our normal absorption in the appearances — our forgetting that which we truly are. So what are these appearances? They are the collection of reifications that we hypostatize into our “self” with all that identifies ourself, and to which we have an emotional (egoic) attachment to (i.e., our thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, and perceptions).

This reveals that awareness is affected by what appears. How is awareness affected? Three ways: by remaining attentive in approval; by turning away in disapproval; and by remaining neutral, or unattached, so that neither approval or disapproval arises. These two affective responses, and one neutral state, guide, or condition, what can appear next as the coherent natural display of reality.

The second proof that awareness is affected is more subtle, relying on a clarification of exactly how awareness cognizes.

Awareness is not something other than the “presencing” (i.e. naturing) of appearances in the pure presence of the Now. The Now is not a time, and Awareness is not some thing. Awareness is not part of a thing. It is not even an “aspect” of a process — it is the process.

Fortunately, the very word itself, with its “-ness” suffix, signals that it is a conceptual abstraction of some characteristic of something, and that is completely wrong in structure in this case — a dead-giveaway that confusion reigns.

First, there is no entity to have an aspect, and second, because abstracting awareness away, making it a thing-in-itself (which is the linguistic meaning of “-ness”) completely obfuscates that it is not only the essential character of a process, it is the only character of the process, thus it is the process — not some aspect of it.

This is why when awareness is said to be the “ground” of all that arises a subtle erroneous understanding also arises because it is confusing “knowing” for the unknowable “ground” that stands under (understands) the appearances. This may sound like a word game, but what it means is that we can not know the ground, but only the appearances — because the knowing is the appearances.

Effectively, abstracting awareness removes the natural process (from itself), confusing us into thinking that something substantive has been uncovered. And by giving that abstraction substance in our minds we are led directly away from the Truth.

In regard to “pure presence,” awareness corresponds to the arising activity of “presencing,” which is pointed out to us — our first pointing out instruction — as the “knowing” of appearances. Unfortunately, the concept of knowledge is completely dualistic today, so awareness becomes a subject entity and the appearances become an object entity. This very subtle dualism starts the confusion, which snowballs as we go forward.

Pure presence is not something to be known in a positive sense, and is only recognized via this naturing or presencing of appearances Now — the Now being the perspective that we call “self” and take as evidence of the reality of things, but which is not any thing.

Why? Because the essence of pure presence is that (it) is empty of any characteristics or identity, thus there is nothing intelligible at all about (it), and yet, (it) is the presencing of all that appears (note the deficiency of language with its need for a subject in this last group of statements). And it is this point which does not entail awareness in the sense that is normally meant when we use the word “presence” in conjunction with the appearances — what, after all, would there be cognizance of?

Is this Idealism? No. There is no “mind” that is “minding the store” here. No “mind” creating fantasies, nor realities. Certainly no “mind” that is aware. And yet the word “mind” is so often used; but not to denote any actual thing that can be pointed to — it’s used simply to point you away from your foot, brain, and everything in between.

Thus the “purity” that is pointed to is the unknowable ground, since nothing positive can be said (or known) about it — which most mystical religious traditions refer to as “Godhead.” We cannot know if it is a chimerical artifact of our reasoning when we say or understand “Godhead,” or if it is an absolute Truth.

What we may suddenly recognize, however, is the Now in which all appearances present — the appearances that are ephemeral and are void of any inherent self nature, but which are, however, evidential. That is, evidence that can lead us to recognize — when we suddenly notice the “clearing” of the Now (of pure presence) — that the Now is not a time, but is the venue of all that appears.

“Now” is never affected by what appears — what, after all, is there to affect? But “Awareness” is always affected by what is appearing because this abstraction points to the very essence of cognizance, and thus the very essence of the process of naturing, which is always responsive. Or more literally, awareness is the cognizing of appearances now, limiting and guiding the possibility of what can arise “next,” and this is the sum total of the process.

To conflate awareness with pure presence is a mental crutch that conflates knowing with the unknowable — expressing “facts” about that to which no facts apply. When recognized, the Now is known to be pure presence. But pure presence is not a thing — there is no entity in the naturing — so what could be stained by what appears as cognized?

Thus, the problem is that in making awareness something, in the allegory of the mirror, we subtly separate it from the naturing of all appearances — of which it is the only essential character. Then we find the need to prove that it is unaffected by what it cognizes because otherwise there is no “pure” state. Yet we know that the essence of this naturing is cognizance, and cognizance is not the “nature of the naturing of appearances.” Such a construction is mentation gone wild.

In reality there is no entity; so how could there be any entities in the appearances that arise? And these — appearances and reality — are not two things, so why do we make awareness into something that must be kept clean? Perhaps it is only a lack of recognition directly imperienced that provides the fertile soil for the genesis of this confusion.

And finally, if you are not yet convinced, let me ask you: “What do you think happens when you become conscious of something that you have perceived or thought? Where, exactly, is the location of the cognizance that you are trying to describe and how does it come to be?” For in each proposed solution, you will always already have cognizance implied in the structure of your answer, regardless of what you are pointing to.

Soh

Soh Wei Yu: Liberating shadows has to do with overcoming the dichotomy of 'self' and 'otherness' imputed upon appearances. All the advices above are good. I just like to add this, sorry if it doesn't really address the OP.

10 JULY 2007

Soh Wei Yu: What do you think?

Questioner: In certain situations in life I feel blocked by a fear which prevents me from acting. How can I be free from this obstacle?

Jean Klein: First free yourself from the word, the concept, 'fear'. It is loaded with memory. Face only the perception. Accept the sensation completely. When the personality who judges and controls is completely absent, when there is no longer a psychological relationship with the sensation, it is really welcomed and unfolds. Only in welcoming without a welcomer can there be real transformation.

We are in essence one with all existence; when we truly observe ourselves there is ultimately no observer, only observation - awareness. In simple openness which is welcoming you will come to accept and get to know your negative feelings, desires and fears. Once welcomed and nondirected attention to these feelings will burn themselves up, leaving only silence. — Jean Klein

Soh Wei Yu: By the way, have you seen your email?

John Tan: What Jean Klein said is very true. However, the naked awareness must be practiced to quite a great stability to achieve that. It has to penetrate to the depth of our consciousness, otherwise 'fear' will continue to surface and we would have to again accept the sensation till the "personality who judges and controls is completely absent" and that is being naked and bare.

Soh Wei Yu: I see.

John Tan: What you asked in the second question of your mail is true. All the 3 aspects of self-liberation are regarding 'the sense of self'. But it is again a form of perception shift that resulted in effortless liberation.

Soh Wei Yu: I see. How about the other email... the very long one, have you read it?

John Tan: Because it is very long, I have not. Hehehe. What are the 3-2-1 about?

Soh Wei Yu: Hahaha...

"You're not going to feel fear, you're going to feel, 'I hate you so much I want to kill you' or 'I'm so angry at you I could rip your head off' or something like that. So that's the way that you can - to some degree, on your own, and at least as a sort of introduction/initiation into it - you can get a sense of your shadow, because it's really helping you feel almost the opposite of what you think you're feeling. Like I say, just feeling your feelings and getting in touch with your feelings and all that, that won't get you in touch with your shadow, because your shadow is the opposite of what you feel, and that's just a pretty good definition of what the shadow is - the opposite of what you're consciously feeling..."

"One of the things that's great about shadow work is it doesn't just have you say, feel into your feelings, get in touch with feelings, how do you feel about it, etc. It actually takes the opposite of how you feel and says 'OK, feel that.' Because that's pretty much what your shadow is, is the opposite of what you're consciously aware of. So as I say, using the monster example again, if you are out of touch with your aggression, your anger - and, incidentally, for Buddhists to say, 'well, you're never supposed to feel anger,' the point is, well, if you're unconsciously feeling it, you have to consciously feel it first, and then you can try to transcend it or transmute it - but for you to just go around saying, 'I'm not going to feel anger now,' that just seals your repression. So the worst possible thing you can do if you have repressed negatives like anger or aggression is to get caught up in one of those practices that say that aggression is the root of all evil because your shadow loves that kind of stuff."
Ken: Well, that's probably not your shadow - you're just getting in touch with the primary mood of the separate self, and the self-contraction just is a feeling of suffering and a feeling of fear, that's just sort of all it is; and so there's no specific shadow content to that. If you're just on the verge of entering a causal or a nondual state the fear is just fear of dying, it's just fear of death. It's with specific content elements that the shadow 3-2-1 process is meant to work, but there are all sorts of other negative emotions and so on that don't really have this specific type of shadow content, and so 3-2-1 wasn't meant to cover those and wouldn't cover that.
"...So a shadow element would be some part of you that is inducing fear and gets something out of it; but in any event you want to just try to increase it, because you are generating these feelings of fear but you don't know how you're doing it. Fritz Perls used to say it's like somebody coming in and they're pinching themselves, and you can see them pinching themselves, but all they tell you is, 'I've got a pain here, it hurts.' And you say, 'Well, stop pinching yourself!' 'I'm not pinching myself!' [both laugh] And you go, 'OK, try to make the pain worse.' In other words, if you can see that you're producing the pain of pinching, once you see that you're doing it, you won't ask how to stop. You'll just stop! Because it's a voluntary movement, it's like once you see that you've got your hand in the air, you can put it down."

John Tan: In summary what is it trying to convey?

Soh Wei Yu: I think it's about becoming aware of some of our unconscious parts of our ego identification/momentum?

John Tan: By?

Soh Wei Yu: Huh?

John Tan: The way of sensing, what did they suggest? What is shadow?

Soh Wei Yu: It says, "Because that's pretty much what your shadow is, is the opposite of what you're consciously aware of. So as I say, using the monster example again, if you are out of touch with your aggression, your anger - and, incidentally, for Buddhists to say, “well, you're never supposed to feel anger,” the point is, well, if you're unconsciously feeling it, you have to consciously feel it first, and then you can try to transcend it or transmute it - but for you to just go around saying, “I'm not going to feel anger now,” that just seals your repression."

John Tan: So what does that mean?

Soh Wei Yu: The internet says shadow is "the part of the unconscious self that a conscious mind sees as undesirable and tries to define as the 'other'."

John Tan: Good. And the solution?

Soh Wei Yu: By feeling/being it?

John Tan: Yes and no.

Soh Wei Yu: How come?

John Tan: It has to be like what Jean Klein said. That is just the first step. This is a form of practice like vipassana; however, the true insight does not arise yet. It is just like practicing insight meditation does not equal the arising of non-dual insight.

Soh Wei Yu: I see.

John Tan: But once you are truly non-dual, then you know it is like that. Just like Sim Pern Chong, given enough time, whatever he says will be like Buddha. But he need not read what is taught by Buddha.

Soh Wei Yu: I see.

John Tan: However by reading it, it may help him and speed up his progress.

Soh Wei Yu: I see. Did you ask him to read the sutras?

John Tan: The difference is he does not like to be labeled. Nope.

Soh Wei Yu: I see. Labeled as a Buddhist?

John Tan: Anything. As for me, I don't mind... hehehe.

Soh Wei Yu: Lol. By the way, have you read Jean Klein before?

John Tan: No. But I think someone posted some posts before.

Soh Wei Yu: I see, where?

John Tan: Don't know... I thought it was in your forum? If it is not in your forum, then I don't know. Maybe not. Lol.

Soh Wei Yu: Jean Klein is an Advaita one. Not Buddhist. I think one of Nisargadatta’s students, not sure.

John Tan: I see.