Awareness Is Never Veiled by Thoughts
Summary
TLDRThis 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
- π Awareness is like a transparent, borderless screen made of pure knowing, on which thoughts and perceptions appear like a movie on a TV screen.
- π¬ 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.
- π 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.
- π§ββοΈ 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.
- π 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.
- π€ 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.
- π 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.
- π± 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.
- π 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.
- π 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
π₯ 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.
π 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Awareness
π‘Thoughts
π‘Fascination
π‘Perception
π‘Screen of Awareness
π‘Reality
π‘Conditioning
π‘Experience
π‘Content of Experience
π‘Questioning
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
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