How to Know YOU Are Not The Body Or The Mind (for sure...) Non-Duality

Alex Shailer

14 Jun 202206:45

Summary

TLDRIn this video, the speaker explores the idea that we are not our bodies or minds, which can help reduce suffering. They explain that while the body ages and the mind is filled with thoughts, our true essence remains constant and unaffected. By investigating our current experience, we can see that awareness and pure consciousness exist beyond physical sensations and thoughts. The speaker emphasizes that, on a relative level, we still care for our bodies and minds but ultimately recognize our infinite nature. The video aims to help viewers overcome anxiety and negative thoughts by understanding their true essence.

Takeaways

🧘 Belief in being the body or mind can lead to suffering, as these are impermanent and subject to change.
🔍 The true self is not the body or mind but a deeper, unchanging awareness that exists beyond physical and mental experiences.
🤔 An investigation into one's current experience, rather than intellectual thinking, is key to understanding the self.
💭 The mind is composed of thoughts, mental images, memories, and imagination, and the absence of these does not erase the self.
👶 Even without sense perceptions, the self remains, suggesting that the self is not dependent on the body's sensations.
🌌 Awareness is the fundamental aspect of existence, where all experiences, including those of the body and mind, arise.
🕊 The self, as pure consciousness, is eternal and unchanging, not bound by the concepts of birth or death.
🏠 On a relative level, the body and mind are still part of the self's experience, requiring care and attention.
🌐 Infinite consciousness can create the illusion of being limited to a body and mind, allowing for diverse experiences.
🌀 The infinite being can simultaneously create multiple limited experiences, including those of humans and animals.
🛑 The purpose of the video is to help individuals overcome chronic anxiety, fear, or negative thought patterns through understanding their true nature.

Q & A

What is the main point of the video?
-The main point of the video is to guide viewers to understand and experience that they are not their bodies or their minds, but rather an infinite consciousness that is experiencing life through a temporary human form.
Why does the belief that we are our bodies or minds create suffering?
-This belief creates suffering because the body is subject to aging, disease, and eventual annihilation, and the mind is often filled with negative and destructive thoughts, leading to a sense of loss and fear of non-existence.
What is the method suggested in the video to realize that we are not our bodies or minds?
-The method suggested is self-investigation of one's current experience, observing the nature of thoughts and sensations, and recognizing the underlying consciousness that remains when these elements are absent.
What happens between two thoughts according to the video?
-Between two thoughts, the speaker suggests that there is no disappearance of the self; the individual remains fully present and aware, indicating that thoughts are not essential to one's existence.
How does the video differentiate between the mind and consciousness?
-The video differentiates by stating that the mind is made up of thoughts, mental images, memories, and imagination, whereas consciousness is the awareness that perceives these elements without being dependent on them.
What is the role of the body in our experience of self, as per the video?
-The body is made up of sensations and perceptions, and it appears in our awareness. The video suggests that the body is not the essence of self, as even without the body's sensations, the pure consciousness remains.
What is the 'I am-ness' referred to in the video?
-'I am-ness' refers to the fundamental awareness or consciousness that exists before any thoughts or experiences of the body or mind, and it is suggested to be the true essence of an individual.
Why does the video suggest that the infinite being appears as a limited human experience?
-The video suggests that infinite consciousness localizes itself through a body and mind to create the experience of being limited, allowing it to experience itself in a tangible way.
How does the video reconcile the idea of being an infinite being with the need to take care of the body and mind?
-The video reconciles this by stating that while one is ultimately an infinite being, they still attend to the needs of the body and mind as one would maintain a car or house, for the duration of the earthly experience.
What is the purpose of the localized experience of being a limited human, according to the video?
-The purpose is for the infinite being to experience itself, to create a tangible and localized experience within the infinite consciousness, allowing for a rich and varied existence.
What resources does the video suggest for further help with overcoming chronic anxiety, fear, or negative thought patterns?
-The video suggests visiting speaktoalex.com to book a time for a chat to help with these challenges.

Outlines

00:00

🧘 Understanding True Self Beyond Body and Mind

This paragraph introduces the concept that our true self is not defined by our physical bodies or our minds, which are subject to change, decay, and ultimately dissolution. The speaker invites the audience to investigate their own existence beyond the transient nature of the body and the fluctuating thoughts of the mind. The key point is that between thoughts and beyond bodily sensations, there exists a pure consciousness or awareness that is the essence of one's being. This awareness is not bound by time and is the space in which all experiences, including thoughts and bodily sensations, occur.

05:00

🌌 Embracing the Infinite Within the Finite

The second paragraph delves into the paradox of being an infinite being experiencing life through the limitations of a human body and mind. It suggests that the infinite consciousness localizes itself to have a personal experience, creating the illusion of being a limited individual. The speaker emphasizes that while we are not our bodies or minds, we still take care of them as we would any other aspect of our lives. The video concludes by addressing the question of why we experience life as limited beings, suggesting it is part of the infinite's ability to create varied experiences, and offers assistance for those struggling with anxiety or negative thought patterns through a provided website.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Suffering

Suffering in the context of the video refers to the emotional and mental distress that arises from the belief that one's identity is tied to the physical body and the mind. The script suggests that this belief leads to untold suffering because the body is subject to aging, disease, and eventual death, while the mind is often filled with negative thoughts. The video aims to help viewers understand that they are not their bodies or minds, thereby potentially alleviating this suffering.

💡Investigation

Investigation, as used in the video, is the process of self-examination or introspection to understand one's true nature beyond the physical and mental constructs. It is not about thinking or believing but about directly experiencing and observing one's current state of being. The script encourages viewers to investigate their actual experience to realize that they are not their bodies or minds.

💡Mind

The mind, in the video, is described as a collection of thoughts, mental images, memories, and imagination, which are categorized as 'thinking.' The script challenges the viewer to consider what remains of their identity if all thought processes were to cease, suggesting that the true self exists independently of the mind's activity.

💡Awareness

Awareness is presented as the fundamental consciousness that underlies all experience, including thoughts and bodily sensations. The video posits that awareness is the true essence of an individual, which remains even when all sensory perceptions and thoughts are removed. It is the 'space' in which all experiences occur.

💡Body

The body is discussed in the script as a collection of sensations that one perceives through the senses. It is the physical form that is subject to the laws of nature, including aging and death. The video explores the relationship between the body and awareness, suggesting that the body appears within the awareness rather than the other way around.

💡Thoughts

Thoughts are portrayed as transient mental events that come and go, and are part of what makes up the mind. The script uses the absence of thoughts to illustrate the enduring nature of the self, which remains even when thoughts are no longer present.

💡Sensation

Sensation refers to the physical and sensory experiences that one has through the body, such as seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and feeling. The video suggests that these sensations are perceptions that arise within awareness, and that the true self is the awareness in which these sensations appear.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is the state of being aware, capable of thought, feeling, and perception. In the video, pure consciousness or 'I am-ness' is presented as the unchanging essence of an individual that exists prior to and beyond all thoughts and bodily experiences.

💡Time

Time, in the context of the video, is an appearance within consciousness. The script suggests that the past and future are constructs of thought that appear within awareness, which itself is not bound by time and does not come into or go out of existence.

💡Experience

Experience in the video refers to the subjective perception of events and phenomena as they occur. It is suggested that infinite consciousness localizes itself through a body and mind to create the experience of being a limited human, forgetting the true nature of being an infinite being.

💡Infinite Being

The term 'infinite being' is used to describe the true nature of an individual as a limitless, eternal consciousness that is not confined to the body or mind. The video suggests that this infinite being creates the temporary, limited human experience as a way to experience itself.

Highlights

The video aims to demonstrate that we are not our bodies or minds, which is a belief that can cause suffering.

The body is subject to aging, disease, and eventual dissolution into energy.

The mind is often filled with negative thoughts, yet it feels personal and internal.

Understanding that we are not our bodies or minds requires personal investigation, not just intellectual understanding.

The mind consists of thoughts, mental images, memories, and imagination, all categorized as thinking.

The speaker suggests that between thoughts, the essence of self does not disappear.

The absence of thoughts does not equate to the absence of self.

The body is made up of sensations, which are perceptions that arise in awareness.

The speaker invites the audience to consider if they would still exist without sense perceptions.

The body appears in awareness, suggesting that awareness is the fundamental aspect of self.

The concept of being a newborn without body knowledge is used to illustrate pure consciousness.

Removing all sensations and perceptions leaves only pure consciousness or awareness.

The speaker questions whether awareness appears in the body or if the body appears in awareness.

Without the body, only awareness remains, indicating the true nature of self.

The speaker discusses the timeless nature of awareness, which does not appear or disappear with time.

The video suggests that while we are not our bodies or minds, we still attend to their needs as part of our human experience.

Infinite consciousness localizes itself through a body and mind to create a human experience.

The infinite being can create multiple limited human experiences simultaneously.

The video concludes by offering help for overcoming anxiety, fear, or negative thought patterns through a provided website.