A guide for staying the I Am

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It's what can never be directly known just like the face cannot directly see itself.

nice explanation

[Mak6831]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It's what can never be directly known just like the face cannot directly see itself.

So would that mean that there is no practice. we are trying to search for what we already are. I feel this really resonantes with me because I think my seeking has been starting to become detrimental. My attempts at changing my experience are not fruitful and only amplify the ego.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Mak6831

So would that mean that there is no practice. we are trying to search for what we already are. I feel this really resonantes with me because I think my seeking has been starting to become detrimental. My attempts at changing my experience are not fruitful and only amplify the ego.

It could be argued that even not practising is itself a practice, because we are not practising with the hope that this absence of practice will lead to realisation. And what is it that we are not practising?

Yes, we are trying to seek that which we already are, but finding that which we already are means penetrating our identification with what we are not. Various Neo-Advaitist teachers advocate doing nothing, but I suspect that there are Advaitaholics who go from one teacher to the next, trying to do nothing and failing to attain realisation.

It seems that complete surrender is necessary for realisation. Surrender of our identification with the separate self and all that goes with it. Maybe we could not do any practice and live a normal life with the hope that one day this will happen. But it makes more sense to me that we do whatever practice suits us in order to reach the stage where we are ready to surrender. Of course, there are people who are exceptions to this, but who knows what practices they have done in the past.

Peace

[Mak6831]

Originally Posted by iamthat

It seems that complete surrender is necessary for realisation. Surrender of our identification with the separate self and all that goes with it. Maybe we could not do any practice and live a normal life with the hope that one day this will happen. But it makes more sense to me that we do whatever practice suits us in order to reach the stage where we are ready to surrender. Of course, there are people who are exceptions to this, but who knows what practices they have done in the past.

Peace

I think I agree with you definitely, I have fallen down the neo advaita hole before and it was pretty horrific for me. But I talked to a friend yesterday about this and he through a series of messages made me realise that an attempt and removing the ego is actually the ego trying to make the present situation better for him or herself, creating a fictional narrative. when i realised this, the ego kind of dissappeared, and since ive been noticing how the ego saying 'how do you go about being more present?' or 'I need to identify to the I' and when in fact i am already that. there is definitely condition still in me, without a doubt but that will arise naturally and i hope i will see it for what it is! but residing in the I without too much intellectualising feels the intuitive path.

please correct me if im wrong.

Originally Posted by Mak6831

So would that mean that there is no practice. we are trying to search for what we already are. I feel this really resonantes with me because I think my seeking has been starting to become detrimental. My attempts at changing my experience are not fruitful and only amplify the ego.

Not at all. As far as I'm concerned practice is essential. It's not trying to change your experience but realize what your experience points to.

By Its very definition the Ineffable is simply ineffable. Mind is not capable of comprehending it. What will eventually happen is when mind is quiet enough, has enough clarity and purity, it will recognize what's always been Self-revealing and Self-evident but ego (Ahamkara) has been claiming as its own. In essence mind will realize and accept it's just a reflection of the Ineffable and ego is sadly mistaken.

[pixiedust]

Originally Posted by iamthat

It could be argued that even not practising is itself a practice, because we are not practising with the hope that this absence of practice will lead to realisation. And what is it that we are not practising?

Yes, we are trying to seek that which we already are, but finding that which we already are means penetrating our identification with what we are not. Various Neo-Advaitist teachers advocate doing nothing, but I suspect that there are Advaitaholics who go from one teacher to the next, trying to do nothing and failing to attain realisation.

It seems that complete surrender is necessary for realisation. Surrender of our identification with the separate self and all that goes with it. Maybe we could not do any practice and live a normal life with the hope that one day this will happen. But it makes more sense to me that we do whatever practice suits us in order to reach the stage where we are ready to surrender. Of course, there are people who are exceptions to this, but who knows what practices they have done in the past.

Peace

Excellent

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Mak6831

... but what is 'I'?

I'm gonna ponder this...cuz right now there is the I that is a separate individual....but if I close
my eyes to focus better...there is a bigger 'I'....like witnessing me playing a part as Miss H. and breathing Miss H ...
and digesting her food....(I mean I exp that...I'm not intellectualizing those ideas...or using my imagination.)
There is a power....it doesn't feel like 'me', tho, Miss H...
it's a presence, a spirit, something amazingly big and powerful...and 'neutral'.
(Other times not so neutral!!!!!)
Crazy, to try to explain.

[utopiandreamchild]

Originally Posted by Mak6831

Hello, I've read a lot of stuff here that I dont seem to resonate with a lot, so i thought I would set up this thread in order to for people to share truth along our path to freedom. I have read much of I Am That, I have read some of ramana maharshi, I enjoy listening to rupert spira and mooji. can people please give me more advice to stay as 'I am', I am constantly getting distracted. I know this is my mind but i haven't been able to become established within I am
Any advice dudes?

I AM is a statement refering to what it is that an individual is being in the moment. I AM love, I AM one with.god. I AM an ascended master, I AM fearless. In these example the I AM can be used as an affirmation. I AM one with all that is. Amen

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by Mak6831

I think I get all of you are saying but what is 'I'?

The I or I AM is oneness the eternal and infinite right here and right now being and becoming (itself) in physical form to express, and entertain itself.

[MikeS80]

Originally Posted by hazada guess

nice explanation

You can know and see your own face directly when you look in the mirror. What you see in the mirror is a reflection and what you see is what you get.

Now, it will be a different story, if you where to wear a mask while looking in a mirror.