AVAILABLE LIGHT: Resting In Aware Peace

It seems we’re going to continue this emerging “AVAILABLE LIGHT” theme; it might open up more possibilities all around to widen and deepen our recognition of this multi-faceted jewel we call our Self. In short, it’s a theme that helps by adding various and sundry voices to the choir! So here’s this edition and along with it, I invite you to share your light with our NDL community @ nondualityliving@gmail.com whenever it makes itself available! :)ames

What is aware living?

Aware living is spontaneous. Sudden. Like these words in their appearing in awareness here and now. Indeed, as it presents itself to itself, we could say that awareness is a simultaneously transcendent and immanent, self-knowing. And the daily experience of this awareness is that it doesn’t know in particular, where it’s going at any given moment! It finds its way simply, by deeply listening to what’s happening in this moment.

There’s no doer, doing; it’s simply spirit, moving. Discovering it’s self as it goes. All of which sounds, as they say in England: “frightfully dangerous.” Well, they’d also probably add: “never mind, press on regardless!” so let’s move on with this borrowed light from an Indian sage:

“Remember facts, forget opinions”
-Nisargadatta

Indeed, it’s possible – and much more practical, free and freeing – to function without opinions. Awareness functions, and it functions nimbly and well. It’s not being freighted with heavy demands and requirements. It doesn’t have an imagined “future” full of detailed and believed conceptual plans and agendas, hopes and expectations, likes and dislikes.

Of course, all kinds of bidden and unbidden ideas arise in all our minds, whose very nature is to move, to vibrate. To be alive. These mental images – vibrations – we could call “vaporware.” Like vaporware, these verbal vibes live and die, arise and disappear in consciousness – usually within seconds, sometimes within days – you never know!

Most of this thought-stream is watched and dismissed routinely; but some more potent thoughts may drag a little before they’re rejected and dropped, as Zen says: “like a hot coal”. This effortless Knowing comes from our direct recognition of the unsatisfying and passing nature of all ideas, things and experiences – indeed, all manifest phenomena, ( compared to the unmanifest, or “nomena”). This constant letting go may be what Jesus meant when he said:“Be ye passers by.”

And this letting go involves a fearless peering into the nature of our self-talking minds. But not with our minds! As J.Krishnamurti says: “Our difficulty lies in that we have built around ourselves “conclusions” which we call understanding.” Indeed, that which sees this mind based “knowledge” is awareness.

In short, awareness doesn’t conclude; it endlessly allows for, and embraces, constant change. It’s always open to life – to itself. It goes along harmoniously with the flow, like a shiny rainbow trout in a sunny brook patiently watching in the quiet of its nature while everything it needs, including yummy food, is abundantly delivered to its open mouth!

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TRAVELLING LIGHT
(A letter to a friend)

Hi, thanks for your e-note. I want to encourage you M, to move about on your busy business trip in quiet; to carve out some space daily to rest, relax, enjoy the simple, the subtle; to let the “noise of the mind” dissolve simply by watching it but not engaging in it. From this ground of quiet, in your meetings, your appropriate response and expertise will arise, and rich new connections will be made on many levels.

:)ames