%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   As the first blog entry got exhausted. My second book |
| Evolution of Love Part 2 |
Discovery of the Technique By the year 2001 the author had been studying the teachings of almost all the various religions and spiritual paths for 27 years, from the bodily age of 15 to 42. He had read more than two thousand spiritual books. He had spent time with many spiritual teachers in America and India. It was clear that the essence of most of the spiritual teachings was focusing the attention on the âI AMâ. The place where Judaism, Christianity, Islam and âHinduismâ meet is turning inward and focusing the attention on the âI AMâ. The most direct and rapid means to eternal bliss, finding the kingdom within, âSelf-realizationâ etc., is turning the attention within to focus on the âI AMâ. One modern example of this in âHinduismâ is Nisargadatta Maharaj. Nisargadattaâs Guru told him to pay attention to the âI AMâ to the exclusion of all else. Nisargadatta followed his Guruâs instruction for three years. After three years of practicing in his spare time, Nisargadatta realized his true Self. He had to work to support his family, therefore, he could only practice in his spare time. Nisargadatta used to spend hours each day looking at the true Self. Focusing the attention on the I AM, while excluding all else from oneâs attention, is an ancient practice in âHinduismâ. The importance of looking inward and knowing the âI AMâ is found in the Judeo-Christian teachings also : And God said to Moses, âI AM THAT I AMâ. And He said âThus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to youâ. (Exodus 3:14) âBe still and know I AM Godâ. (Psalms 46:10) Jesus said âBefore Abraham was, I AMâ. (John 8:58) âThe Kingdom of God is within youâ. (Luke 17:21) Jesus did not say the Kingdom of God will be within you after your body dies. Jesus said âisâ. âIsâ is present tense. âIsâ means now. The Prophet Mohammad said: âHe who knows his Self knows his Lordâ. Another modern example from âHinduismâ is Ramana Maharshi. Ramana Maharshi taught for more than 50 years that the only effective means to end the ego and sorrow and to remain as eternal joy is to focus on the Self, the I, the I AM. By the year 2001 the author had attempted to practice the method of focusing the attention on the I AM for 27 years yet he had made very little progress with that or any other method. In December of the author was in Tiruvannamalai India for the purpose of attending the talks of a teacher in the Ramana Maharshi tradition. He was thinking about all the possible meanings of I and I AM and all the possible approaches to I and I AM that he had read over the years. - The I thought, the thought I AM. - The I feeling, the feeling I AM. - The I consciousness, the I AM consciousness. - To think I or I AM. - To feel I or I AM. - To focus the attention on I or I AM. - The number of different combinations of the approaches and the different views of what I or I AM means. After 27 years, the author still was not sure what I AM means in Direct Experience, wondering if there was some way to solve these questions and to have clarity both in the meaning of I or I AM and what to do with it, focus the attention, feel, think, or? He wanted an understanding that was so clear that there would be nothing vague left, no more choices left. The author really wanted to know the answer, willing to have his previous understanding shattered, if need be. There was a willingness to consider, maybe for the last two and a half decades, the author had not at all understood what the I AM is and how to focus on it. It was a willingness to allow all the old views to be swept away, if need be. Ramana Maharshi had said that Self-inquiry is more like feeling than like thought. Asking âWho am I?â or asking âTo whom do these thoughts arise?â are easy instructions to follow as long as one stays in the realm of thought. However, when it comes to feeling âWho am I?â or feeling âI AMâ, that had always been a bit vague, because what exactly is the feeling I AM? How do I know I AM? Nisargadatta Maharaj and many others had said the I AM is consciousness. The author wondered is the âI AMâ the I-thought or is the âI AMâ just my present awareness? If the âI AMâ is this present awareness, just the awareness that is now looking at this room, then paying attention to the I AM is just: My awareness watching my awareness! This was a revelation! Instead of having some vague practice where one is told to pay attention to the feeling I AM, without ever being sure exactly what the âI AMâ is and feels like, here was an absolutely clear instruction: My present awareness watching my present awareness. Awareness watching awareness. Not some unknown seemingly far away awareness labeled the Infinite Self, or labeled God. This awareness, my awareness, here and now watching itself, while ignoring thought, the body, and the world, etc. Immediately the author tried this practice: Awareness watching awareness while ignoring thought. The author shut his eyes, because the point was also to ignore the world. To turn the attention that normally goes out to the world around 180 degrees and to look inward. To turn the attention away from thought and towards awareness watching awareness. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
