Nothing is required... ?
 

Nothing is required in order for your true nature to be the case. It's already the case right now. THIS… is already the case. Oneness is already the case. Reality requires nothing in order for Reality to be.

According to some teachings that's that. They point out 'you are what you seek' ‘Oneness is already the case' therefore any seeking, inquiry, meditation etc. is futile, pointless, worthless.

But this overlooks an essential point - it may be quite true to say that nothing is required in order to BE who you are, but in order to REALISE this, a 'penny dropping' felt-sense-recognition IS required. Without this it's just an intellectual rationalisation (and many teachings are just that.)

Anything that apparently helps facilitate this 'felt-sense recognition' - be it meditation, self-inquiry, existential crisis, solitude, walking across a London park etc. is no bad thing.

But let's be clear, this is not about becoming, it's not about about struggle or straining for perfection, it's not about something that becomes something else - it's about the realisation of something that is always already the case.

There are things that could facilitate this "felt-sense recognition", but if someone does anything in order to facilitate it...they are just reinforcing the illusion. In this way, anything given to facilitate the recognition will very likely become another doing which has the opposite effect.

It is a bit tricky that way.

Hi Eric

Yes, it is tricky. But I don’t buy into the notion that all spiritual approaches reinforce the sense of a separate entity (though some certainly do.) Some approaches specifically undermine that sense (shikantaza, inquiry etc.)

Of course there is no separate entity to partake in such an approach - just as there is no separate entity to partake in this forum… and yet participation happens.

Shikantaza and inquiry have turned into traps as well for many. Traps of doing that just reinforce a separate "me".

Shikantaza (or Zazen) is just sitting. Not a "me" sitting. Not in order to get anything. Not a doing in any way. Just sitting...without purpose. The tricky part is can there be a "practicing" of shikantaza without trying to get anything out of it? If so, then it could facilitate this "felt-sense recognition". However, if there is a "me" doing shikantana in order to facilitate this "felt-sense recognition"...now it is corrupted. It turns into something that reinforces the delusion of "me" and reinforces the feeling of separation and fuels the feeling of trying to get out of separation and into "felt-sense recognition".

It is tricky. Shikantaza could help or hinder...depending on the motivation.

Inquiry is the same.

Perfect. There is nothing to be said beyond that.

Nothing in Universe is fixed. By the time you'd realize who you are, you wouldn't be you anymore. To progress you don't really need to know who you are, you need to know what you need to learn now. I believe that, as a human, you aren't capable to comprehend who your higher self is. :smile:

except - my felt sense recognition is swathed in blankets and I at least have to take them off, so, I do have to struggle to do that much if I want to reach the goal you have set out.

Better not to try to reach the goal that you have set out.

Hi FallingLeaves

Yes, better not to struggle to reach goals. You can’t force the felt-sense recognition but it’s there when delusion falls away.

Hi baro-san

“By the time you'd realize who you are, you wouldn't be you anymore.”

Exactly that.

Hi Ground

Yes, if that is realised then seeking is over.