How do I stabilize nothingness to enter pure awareness?

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Gem

I'm actually a dualist with the mindset, 'not that,'

I am the same. But I don't call being aware of the actual other dualism. I think being aware of the other or "two" (me and that) ends dualism in the self. I think you can't transcend thought unless you are aware it is not you and have the perspective it is not you.

I think some do believe "not dualistic" means one no longer perceives any separation between anything. Like seeing a cake on a table and saying "I am that!"

I not sure what others are getting at when they say they are everything. I would assume it means if one drops conceptualizing and labeling things or "knowing and interacting with things through language" then there is no movement of mind or thought when one is living. So that kind of separation is ended. But I would say they are still non-verbally aware they are not the cake or whatever even without naming it. I think it's just obvious what we are in relation to everything else. Our perspective is obvious to me.

There is that famous saying "I am that" but even that can be understood in a lot of different ways. I see it as meaning my reaction to everything is a reflection of what I am, not what the thing is I am interacting with. We normally can't interact as "not me." But I think that is one goal of spirituality.

[Unseeking Seeker]

@ Gem ~ neti neti or not this, not this, in my view, although prescribed as a method to search for what we are, inquiring ‘who am I’ is a result of recognition that our essence transcendent is resident in the manifest as appearance immanent. If the mind inquires, it gets exhausted, negating everything as being impermanent and hence unreal.

So, ‘I am not the body, I am not the thoughts, I am not the senses’ leads us to the result, whereupon the question disappears, when thoughts cease and awareness alone is, shining in its own light. Hence, the importance of abiding in thought rested stillness, in inner silence.

In stillness, our emptiness is enlivened by bliss in fullness, bliss that is, as it is, an ignition renewal continual, luminescence in permanence. Then instead of saying ‘not this, not this’ we may affirm ‘all this, all this’

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

... Please, don't say things as fact...you can say most anything if you say,
"This is what I believe or I read that...or imo."...

I like that.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Maisy

"I am that" can be understood in a lot of different ways.

I totally grok that. Just reflecting there, my basic idea is the universe is an illusion, and in the mind a separation occurs, me and that - like an illusory self defined against 'all else'. When the illusion is seen as the same thing that includes the character dreamed within it, my guess is people think 'all is one', 'I'm one with the universe', 'It's all the same living thing,' and I don't disagree with that, but I still think more can be said. To me, that is more like the illusion is one illusion including the dreamed-up self. However, should that dream vanish along with the dream-man in it, you remain.

Hence, not exactly 'in relation to', but more like 'regardless of'

I take the saying "I am That" from Nisargadatta's book title. It's probably the best non-duality literature ever written, and defo worth a look.

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by iamthat

That which we seek is so close to us that we fail to see it. It gazes out of our eyes looking for itself. It is here, now. And yet we keep on looking for it.

Thanks for making it more simple for me. You are right. Being is nondual. But then where does becoming come from? I cannot explain it. It should not be there. It has to be an illusion! In deep sleep there is no becoming. Where does it come from and what causes it to constantly arise and derise and arise and derise? It is almost as if being is just another side of the coin of being/becoming. Just another duality. And then I don't know where to look for nonduality anymore...

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

the trick isn't to expect that suddenly everything will match some arbitrary definition you have of what would make it 'perfect'... the trick is you change your expectations in such a way as not to continue thinking it isn't good enough the way it already is. While still accepting that that will also change...

I can hardly find myself able to be interesting in things that change. It's always there. It's all that exists. Everything changes. But I'm desperately looking for something that doesn't change. Also not changing from unchanging to changing to unchanging to changing.
Looking for something that is already always non changing right here and now already always unchanging. And that also has no opposite to it or likeness to it or reflection of it or counter to it or opposition of it.

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

@ Gem ~ neti neti or....
.... affirm ‘all this, all this’

I hope I can get there more consistently. In deep sleep this is what I experience. Sometimes I get glimpses of it upon awakening. But only for seconds. And then it fades and all body mind reactions arise and cause instant havoc.

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by Gem

I totally grok...
... defo worth a look.

I coulden't make any sense of the book.
All the terms get confused in me. I don't know which term is referring to what definition.
Like "you are prior to consciousness" and then "you are awareness." and then I dont know anymore what I am.
I wish I could know so much. I fear that he also never found out, just a temporary coping mechanism to the absoluteness of duality and its cruel nature.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Maisy

...Like seeing a cake on a table and saying "I am that!" ... I not sure what others are getting at when they say they are everything. ... But I would say they are still non-verbally aware they are not the cake or whatever even without naming it. I think it's just obvious what we are in relation to everything else.

Yes, there is localised consciousness functioning through a particular physical body surrounded by other physical objects with apparent empty space between these objects.

And we are aware of where the body is in relation to other objects and the fact that in physical terms there is a separation between the physical body and surrounding objects.

So the physical body is here and the cake is on the table over there. We do not suddenly identify with the physical cake, experiencing cakedom, in danger of being eaten at any moment.

But we do see that the Self which gazes out of the eyes is present everywhere, pervading the physical body and the cake and the table and the apparent empty space between it all. The multiplicity of things exist within One thing everywhere. There is nothing which is not the Self.

So we know ourselves to be the cake but even if someone chooses to eat the cake the Self remains untouched by all of it.

Peace

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Ewwerrin

I coulden't make any sense of the book. Like "you are prior to consciousness" and then "you are awareness." and then I dont know anymore what I am..

I was surprised when I was reading some Buddhism and they were talking about getting rid of your consciousness! I tend to define myself, my true self, as consciousness or awareness so it was sure confusing to me at first. I think I know what they were talking about now but I sure would not use that word that way because I use it for something else.

I think there is a problem of sorts whenever anybody says "You are "&&&&&" We just are. We are not really a thing or something else or other. I guess having a name for us serves a bunch of different purposes but it's self evident what we are. We know we are here. It "feels" like we are behind the eyes somewhere, or centered in the head somewhere. I feel like I am looking at my feet or feeling my feet but I am not down there. It may be we picture ourselves somewhere in the head near the eyes because we can't see or look at this area most of the time. We need a mirror to see it.

I am _______________. Not really a point in putting a word in there after I am. But we identify with ideas and opinions and beliefs and a lot of other stuff so we sure find a lot of words to put in there.