Can you notice what doesn't happen?

[Gem]

Hello

It seems to me that my awareness is a constant presence to everything that happens, so in this topic I'm alluding to that which doesn't happen rather than anything that does. It is like describing a song in terms of the silence which it sounds in, or talking about the movie screen rather than any movie projected thereon.

There is nothing much to say about the screen. Similarly, the subject of the awareness by which experience is known is rather drab, but in terms of spiritual development, turning the attention toward its own origin could be analogous to watching the screen which is constant rather than the illusions of light that flash upon it.

[Unseeking Seeker]

***

Is what you are saying something along these lines?

Formless awareness silently witnessing
Nonchalantly observing
In-form consciousness movement as of resonation
With chosen vibration

Fulcrum still, periphery moves
Awareness free, consciousness in grooves
Until in-form consciousness & formless awareness merge
Duality dissolving into singularity, as one we surge

***

[iamthat]

We can consider this in terms of form and formlessness. Form is the movie, and the movements of form are the illusions of flashing light. Formlessness is the unchanging and constant screen on which the movie is played. When we know both then we can rest in formlessness while observing the movements of form.

Or as it says in the Bhagavad Gita (Ch 4,verse 18):

Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions.

Peace.

Contrary to popular myth, it's not as easy as saying "be aware".

The consciousness needs to be finely attuned and strong enough to "see".

Seeing is the first step, the rest is called "practice".

JL

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by Gem

Hello

It seems to me that my awareness is a constant presence to everything that happens, so in this topic I'm alluding to that which doesn't happen rather than anything that does. It is like describing a song in terms of the silence which it sounds in, or talking about the movie screen rather than any movie projected thereon.

There is nothing much to say about the screen. Similarly, the subject of the awareness by which experience is known is rather drab, but in terms of spiritual development, turning the attention toward its own origin could be analogous to watching the screen which is constant rather than the illusions of light that flash upon it.

The way I see it ...

Turning to practicalities, a screen has no purpose without a movie, and the movie isn't the illusion; it is the purpose. The illusions are your emotions and beliefs; they distort the perception of the movie.

Same for pure awareness.

If perception isn't reality, that doesn't mean that lack of perception is.

[It Is]

What is "not happening" is beyond the mind - a feeling.

[Shivani Devi]

All I know now is that I can NEVER be spiritual, because if I am first at doing something or being somewhere, I will never step aside for another (I am mentally unable to do so)...I don't care if they have a screaming child in a stroller, or they are disabled... because the words "excuse me" don't cut it with me...oh the looks I get when I say "I exercise my right of personal entitlement NOT to "excuse you".

It is not my problem that the woman behind me in a checkout with a full trolley needs to change her screaming kid's diaper and asks to go before me when I am only getting a few items. She can wait for an extra FIVE minutes...Sheesh!

It is not my problem when an obese woman asks me to move out of her way in a narrow aisle (which means I must backtrack, right down the end of that aisle) when I have not finished looking yet and she has a much shorter distance to backtrack than I do!

In fact, putting others' needs before my own causes me misery, suffering, pain, mental illness and nervous problems...because I KNOW that if the shoe was on the other foot, they would never do the same for ME, so why should I? I don't HAVE to and I am under NO obligation to...besides, I wouldn't even have the audacity to ask other people to do half the things they ask me to do!

There is almost 8 billion people in the world now, a lot have screaming kids and other needs..if you "excuse" one, you need to "excuse them all"...there are not enough minutes in a million lifetimes to do so.

So, I know now that "being a spiritual person" is just an unreasonable and unrealistic dream for me...I would really love to be one, but I have WAY too much self-confidence, assertiveness and being happy and proud of who I am as an individual to ever make it work.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

All I know is that I will NEVER be spiritual, because if I am first at doing something or being somewhere, I will never step aside for another...I don't care if they have a screaming child in a stroller, or they are disabled... the words "excuse me" don't cut it with me...oh the looks I get when I say "I exercise my right of entitlement NOT to "excuse you".

It is not my problem that the woman behind me in a checkout with a full trolley needs to change her screaming baby's diaper and asks to go before me when I am only getting a few things.

It is not my problem when an obese woman asks me to move out of her way in a narrow aisle (which means going right down the end of that aisle) when I have not finished looking yet and she has a much shorter distance to backtrack than I do!

In fact, putting others needs before my own causes me misery, suffering, pain, mental illness and nervous problems...because I KNOW that if the shoe was on the other foot, they would never do the same for ME, so why should I? I don't HAVE to and I am under NO obligation...besides, I wouldn't even have the audacity to ask other people to do the things they ask me to do!

So, I know now that "being a spiritual person" is just an unreasonable and unrealistic dream for me...I would really love to be one, but I have WAY too much self-confidence, assertiveness and being happy and proud of who I am as an individual to ever make it work.

***

Being so honest, so true to your sense of being
Is itself as path of truth, an unhypocritical feeling
Far better than a pretended emotion
You may, as and how you are imbibe the Divine Love potion

Which of course happens by His grace
Within your heartbeat, in the sacred place

Love & Light

***

[running]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

All I know now is that I can NEVER be spiritual, because if I am first at doing something or being somewhere, I will never step aside for another (I am mentally unable to do so)...I don't care if they have a screaming child in a stroller, or they are disabled... because the words "excuse me" don't cut it with me...oh the looks I get when I say "I exercise my right of personal entitlement NOT to "excuse you".

It is not my problem that the woman behind me in a checkout with a full trolley needs to change her screaming kid's diaper and asks to go before me when I am only getting a few items. She can wait for an extra FIVE minutes...Sheesh!

It is not my problem when an obese woman asks me to move out of her way in a narrow aisle (which means I must backtrack, right down the end of that aisle) when I have not finished looking yet and she has a much shorter distance to backtrack than I do!

In fact, putting others' needs before my own causes me misery, suffering, pain, mental illness and nervous problems...because I KNOW that if the shoe was on the other foot, they would never do the same for ME, so why should I? I don't HAVE to and I am under NO obligation to...besides, I wouldn't even have the audacity to ask other people to do half the things they ask me to do!

There is almost 8 billion people in the world now, a lot have screaming kids and other needs..if you "excuse" one, you need to "excuse them all"...there are not enough minutes in a million lifetimes to do so.

So, I know now that "being a spiritual person" is just an unreasonable and unrealistic dream for me...I would really love to be one, but I have WAY too much self-confidence, assertiveness and being happy and proud of who I am as an individual to ever make it work.

this is why we have spiritual practice imo. not because we need to change. im not suggesting you should. or anyone should so much. but because if its not one thing its another. and another. and another. so we have a practice. since there is no end to the things. we go beyond so that amongst the things we experience joy and silence irrespective of what is.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

***

Being so honest, so true to your sense of being
Is itself as path of truth, an unhypocritical feeling
Far better than a pretended emotion
You may, as and how you are imbibe the Divine Love potion

Which of course happens by His grace
Within your heartbeat, in the sacred place

Love & Light

***

Love and Light to you too.

I posted all of this in the wrong thread...my hand fell totally asleep and I dropped the phone...and it happened!

I have had an atrocious day which started in the shopping mall carpark.

I have a totally disabled mother in my car, I literally have to lift her in and take her out of a wheelchair...we also have a disabled parking permit which allows us to access ALL areas.

So, I get into the parking lot looking for a disabled spot.. unfortunately, all of those were taken, but there was ONE "parents with prams" spot that was empty beside it, so I parked there..

As soon as I got out of the car, lifting mum out, another vehicle pulled in behind me...

"This is a PARENTS parking space, not a DISABLED parking space...I have a stroller and a five year old child...please move it so that I can park there..."

Of course, I told him to f*** off.

Then the incident at the checkout, which leads me to sincerely and honestly believe that some people only HAVE children because of all the fringe benefits the PARENTS can access by doing so...not on MY watch!

Is saying "no" when it is socially acceptable to say "yes" a bad thing? My mother seems to think so, when she asks me to move out of my way for others so as "not to cause trouble" which always leaves me asking: "whose needs are more important? those of a stranger, or those of your own flesh and blood?"

I also refused to move for another person who wanted to stand in exactly the same spot I was standing in to look at exactly the same things I was looking at while my mum was saying "let the lady push in...we can always come back later, after she has gone" and I am like "no effing WAY...she can wait for until I have finished" and then I was accused of being obnoxious and difficult.

This is why I prefer to stay at home and meditate...be at total peace... because I become hostile and violent when I am around other people...when I should be loving them and feeling compassion for them...nope, can't feel anything even close to that.