Awareness Is Never Veiled by Thoughts

Summary

This script delves into the nature of awareness versus the content of our thoughts and experiences. It likens awareness to a transparent, borderless screen on which the 'movie' of our thoughts and perceptions play. Often, we become so engrossed in the movie that we lose sight of the screen, or awareness itself. The script suggests that by turning away from the objects of distraction and focusing on awareness, we can begin to recognize the screen beneath the movie. It emphasizes the importance of repeatedly questioning 'what is it that knows my experience?' to break the deep-seated habit of being obscured by thoughts and to reestablish ourselves as the awareness in which all experiences appear.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Awareness is like a transparent, borderless screen made of pure knowing, on which thoughts and perceptions appear like a movie on a TV screen.
• 🎬 When we are engrossed in the content of our thoughts, we become less aware of the underlying screen of awareness, similar to how a movie can seem to obscure the TV screen.
• 🔍 The perception of our surroundings appears on the screen of awareness, but we often overlook this because we attribute reality to the objects of perception.
• 🧘‍♂️ The practice of turning away from distracting objects and focusing on awareness is a skillful means to become reacquainted with our inherent state of awareness.
• 🔄 It's a deep-seated habit, formed by cultural conditioning, to allow thoughts, images, and sensations to obscure our awareness, which is the norm for most people.
• 🤔 The question 'What is it that knows my experience?' is pivotal in shifting our focus from the content to the nature of experience, prompting us to explore the subject of experience.
• 🔄 The teaching encourages repeated reflection on the question of awareness to counter the strong habit of focusing on objects, helping the mind to habitually return to awareness.
• 🌱 As we become more familiar with the question of awareness, it takes less time to return to it, and eventually, we may not even need to form the question to feel our state of awareness.
• 🌈 Establishing a strong sense of 'I am awareness' is the goal, which transforms our identity from 'I am a man or woman' to 'I am awareness,' after which we no longer need to use the pathway of questioning.
• 🔑 The teachings provide various pathways to return to the subject of experience, emphasizing the importance of repeated practice to break the habit of object fixation and to realize our true nature.

Q & A

What is the analogy used to describe the relationship between thoughts and awareness?

The analogy compares awareness to a transparent, borderless screen made of pure knowing, and thoughts to a movie that appears on that screen. Just as a movie seems to obscure the TV screen, thoughts can seem to obscure the presence of awareness.

Why do we tend to lose awareness when we are engrossed in our thoughts?

We lose awareness when engrossed in thoughts because we become fascinated by the content of the movie (thoughts), and in that moment, we become involved with the movie, seemingly ceasing to see the screen (awareness).

What is the role of the 'screen of awareness' in our perception of reality?

The 'screen of awareness' is the medium on which our perceptions, thoughts, and experiences appear. It never gets veiled by these perceptions; instead, our focus on the objects of perception obscures our awareness of it.

How does giving reality to objects affect our perception of awareness?

Giving reality to objects, by believing in their separate existence, can obscure our awareness. It's similar to watching a movie and believing in the reality of the landscape, causing us to overlook the screen on which the movie is playing.

What is the first step recommended in the teaching to counter the habit of being obscured by thoughts?

The first step is to turn away from distracting objects and focus on awareness. This is a skillful means, a tool to help us become accustomed to recognizing and returning to the subject of experience.

Why is it important to return to the experience of objects after focusing on awareness?

Returning to the experience of objects is important because it allows us to view them from the perspective of awareness. This helps in understanding that awareness is not separate from experience but is the underlying reality of all experiences.

What is the significance of the question 'What is it that knows my experience?' in the teaching?

This question is significant as it prompts us to inquire into the nature of awareness, guiding us to recognize that there is something that knows or is aware of our experiences, which is the essence of our being.

How does the habit of being infatuated with the content of experience affect our awareness?

Being infatuated with the content of experience, rather than its nature, creates a habit that obscures our awareness. Most people go through life without noticing the 'screen' of awareness because of this cultural conditioning.

What is the purpose of repeatedly asking the question 'What is it that knows my experience?'

Repeating this question helps to break the habit of being lost in the objects of experience and to train the mind to return to awareness. Over time, it becomes easier and more natural to recognize and rest in awareness.

When do we no longer need to use the pathway of questioning to return to awareness?

We no longer need to use the pathway of questioning when we are firmly established as awareness. At this point, we feel 'I am awareness' as strongly as we previously identified with being a man or woman, and the tools of questioning become unnecessary.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 The Illusion of Thoughts on the Screen of Awareness

The speaker uses the analogy of a transparent, borderless screen representing pure awareness, where thoughts appear like a movie on a TV screen. They explain that when we are engrossed in the content of a movie, we tend to overlook the screen itself, which is similar to how our awareness can be obscured by our thoughts and perceptions. The speaker emphasizes that awareness is never truly obscured; it is our focus on the content that makes it seem so. They also discuss the habit of attributing reality to objects, which can prevent us from recognizing the underlying awareness. The process of turning away from distracting objects to focus on awareness is introduced as a first step, with the intention of eventually returning to experience from the perspective of awareness. The speaker acknowledges the deep-seated habit in humans to be distracted by thoughts and sensations, which often goes unnoticed throughout life.

05:02

🔄 Overcoming the Habit of Object-Focused Awareness

In this paragraph, the speaker addresses the strong habit of the mind to constantly revert to focusing on objects rather than the nature of experience. They explain that this habit is so ingrained that it takes repeated efforts to redirect the mind back to awareness. The teaching method involves repeatedly returning to the subject of experience to counter this habit. The speaker encourages the continuous questioning of 'what is it that knows or is aware of my experience?' as a way to familiarize the mind with the concept of awareness. They suggest that with practice, the time it takes to redirect the mind to awareness decreases, eventually leading to a state where one feels 'I am awareness' as strongly as one feels 'I am a man or a woman.' The speaker concludes by stating that until one is firmly established in the awareness of being, tools like questioning and introspection are necessary.

Keywords

💡Awareness

Awareness, in the context of the video, refers to the fundamental consciousness or the state of being conscious or aware of something. It is likened to a transparent screen that is the backdrop against which all thoughts, feelings, and perceptions appear. The video emphasizes that while we are engrossed in the content of our experiences, we often overlook the underlying awareness that makes these experiences possible. For instance, the analogy of a movie on a TV screen is used to illustrate how thoughts can seem to obscure our awareness, just as a movie can seem to obscure the screen on which it is playing.

💡Thoughts

Thoughts are mental events that represent the content of our minds, such as ideas, concepts, or emotions. In the video, thoughts are compared to a movie playing on the screen of awareness. They are transient and can captivate our attention, leading us to become so absorbed in them that we momentarily lose sight of the awareness that underlies them. The video suggests that we often mistake thoughts for reality, which can lead to a sense of being obscured from our true nature of awareness.

💡Fascination

Fascination, as used in the video, describes the intense interest or attraction that one feels towards something, in this case, the content of our thoughts and experiences. It is the state of being so engrossed in the movie of our thoughts that we fail to recognize the screen of awareness. The video implies that fascination with the content of our minds can lead to a neglect of the foundational awareness that supports these experiences.

💡Perception

Perception in the video refers to the process of interpreting and organizing sensory information to give meaning to our experiences. It is one of the ways through which the content of our awareness is formed. The video suggests that just as thoughts can obscure awareness, so too can our perceptions of the world around us, leading us to focus on the objects of perception rather than the awareness itself.

💡Screen of Awareness

The 'screen of awareness' is a metaphor used in the video to represent the pure, unchanging consciousness that underlies all experiences. It is described as a transparent, borderless entity that is not made of anything but pure knowing. The video argues that while our thoughts and perceptions may seem to obscure this screen, they do not actually do so; it is our belief in the reality of these thoughts and perceptions that creates the illusion of obscurity.

💡Reality

Reality, in the context of the video, is the perceived state of things as they are, including the objects and experiences we encounter. The video discusses how our tendency to give reality to the objects of our experience can lead us to overlook the awareness that is the true nature of our being. It suggests that it is not the objects themselves that obscure awareness, but rather our belief in their separate existence.

💡Conditioning

Conditioning refers to the process of learning through exposure to certain stimuli or experiences, which leads to the formation of habits or patterns of behavior. In the video, it is mentioned as a deep habit in each of us, formed by our cultural conditioning, that allows thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, and perceptions to obscure our awareness. This conditioning is so ingrained that it takes conscious effort to recognize and return to awareness.

💡Experience

Experience in the video encompasses the totality of what a person goes through in life, including thoughts, feelings, and sensory perceptions. It is used to illustrate how we can become so absorbed in the content of our experiences that we fail to recognize the awareness that is the foundation of these experiences. The video encourages us to question what it is that knows or is aware of our experiences, suggesting that this inquiry can lead us back to our true nature of awareness.

💡Content of Experience

The content of experience refers to the specific details, events, and phenomena that make up our conscious experiences. The video discusses how we often become infatuated with the content of our experiences, such as the landscape in a movie, and in doing so, we may overlook the awareness that is the context in which these experiences occur. The video suggests that it is our fascination with the content that can lead to a sense of separation from our underlying awareness.

💡Questioning

Questioning in the video is presented as a method of inquiry to explore and understand the nature of awareness. It involves asking oneself questions like 'What is it that knows my experience?' or 'Who am I?' to shift focus from the content of experience to the awareness itself. The video suggests that through persistent questioning, we can become more familiar with the concept of awareness and eventually recognize it as our true nature.

Highlights

The analogy of awareness as a transparent, borderless screen and thoughts as movies that appear on it.

Thoughts can obscure the presence of awareness, similar to how a movie obscures the TV screen.

The fascination with the content of thoughts leads to a temporary 'loss' of awareness.

The perception of the room is an appearance on the screen of awareness, not veiling it.

Giving reality to objects denies the presence of awareness, akin to focusing on a movie's landscape over the screen.

The belief in the reality of objects obscures awareness, which is always present.

The first step is to turn away from distracting objects and focus on awareness.

The teaching will return to objects to view them from the perspective of awareness.

There is a deep habit in us to allow thoughts and perceptions to obscure awareness.

Most people live without noticing the 'screen' of awareness behind their experiences.

The cultural conditioning leads to being infatuated with the content of experience rather than its nature.

The habit of focusing on objects is strong and requires repeated redirection to awareness.

The teaching provides multiple pathways to help the mind become accustomed to returning to awareness.

The question 'What is it that knows or is aware of my experience?' is a tool to redirect the mind to awareness.

Familiarity with the question of awareness reduces the time it takes to return to it.

Establishing oneself as awareness is the goal, feeling 'I am awareness' as strongly as 'I am a man or woman'.

Once firmly established as awareness, the need for questions like 'What is it that knows my experience?' disappears.

Transcripts

but why do I lose that when I get

thoughts or when I go out of here

because because the thoughts if we use

the analogy of awareness like a like a

transparent screen and a screen without

without borders and not made of anything

apart from pure knowing and thoughts are

like a movie that appear on that screen

like the young movie appears on your TV

and in the same way that the movie seems

to obscure the TV screen so I thought

seemed to obscure the presence of

awareness now why do why does a movie

seem to obscure the screen when you're

watching a thriller why do you seem to

cease seeing the screen and become

afraid it's because it's because that we

become fascinated when by the content of

the movie and in that moment we become

involved with the movie and we seem to

see seeing the screen

in fact we never cease seeing the screen

but all there is to this movie is a

screen but we seem to cease seeing the

screen it's exactly the same thing we

become seduced by our thoughts and

feelings and sensations perceptions and

but as a result of this exclusive

fascination with them the screen of

awareness upon which our thoughts are

playing seems to be obscured by them but

but is never really obscured right now

this experience this perception of this

room it is appearing yes the route this

room appears to it it what is it

appearing on or in anything that appears

must appear in something what is the

perception of this room appearing in

I went in exactly the same way that a

movie appears on a screen that the

awarenesses is not veiled by the

perception of this room it it is shining

in the perception of this room but it's

only it's only because we have we give

reality to the objects and by giving

reality to the objects we deny the

presence of awareness it's like when

we're watching a movie we give reality

to the landscape we think it's a real

landscape at the moment we believe it's

a real landscape we seem to see seeing

the screen we deny the presence of the

screen

it's not that the screen is missing that

we're always only to see the screen it

is the belief that the landscape is real

that is what prevents us from seeing the

screen it is our belief that all of

these objects are real in their own

right are not suggesting that experience

is not real it Israel but it is giving

credibility separate existence to all

these objects it is that belief that

obscures awareness which is actually

shining in all experience but that is

why is a first step here we turn away

from the distracting objects and we

focus on awareness in time over the next

over this week we'll go back to the

objects because it is this rejection of

objective experience is just it's just a

skillful means it's just a tool but we

must be at some stage we have to go back

to experience and look at it again from

the point of view of awareness it's a we

bill we'll go there later and

there is a very deep habit in each of us

do to our conditioning of allowing

thoughts images feelings sensations and

perceptions to obscure awareness it has

become our norm most people go through

their entire lives without even noticing

there is something that knows my

experience

can you imagine spend you spending your

life watching movies all day long and

never noticing something called the

screen it's inconceivable and yet most

people go through their entire lives

without ever once asking the question

but what is it that knows my experience

how come there is experience so

infatuated we are through our cultural

conditioning with the content of

experience rather than the nature of

experience so it's a habit and this

habit doesn't just disappear when we

first hear once about awareness the

habit is so strong that the mind goes

back again and again and again to the

object and that is why in this teaching

we go back again to counter that having

we go back to awareness again and again

and again in all these different

pathways are provided in the teaching so

that the mind becomes accustomed to

going back again and again and again to

the subject of experience that that's

why I think I said some times last night

for those of you that have been to the

retreats before and asked this question

don't feel that this is a question just

to be asked once we ask yourself again

and again and again and again what is it

that knows or is aware of my experience

to begin with we asked the question and

it may take some time to as it were walk

our way backwards to awareness but the

more familiar we are with the question

the less and less time it takes many and

we don't even need to form

like the question what is it that knows

or is aware of we just have the thought

we go straight back until we become

established as awareness until till we

feel not just understand until we feel I

am awareness as strongly as we used to

feel I am a man or a woman then when

that is true of us we no longer need to

use the pathway what is it good knows my

experience or Who am i or am i aware of

any such question but until we are

firmly established as awareness we

should use these tools