Visiting Voices: JC TEEFT, On the Nature of Duality / Non-Duality
A former athlete, teacher, and entrepreneur, JC is a critically acclaimed author, video producer, and spiritual teacher who corresponds with students worldwide. His writing is penetrating, and we’re delighted to host him from time to time on NDL. Enjoy your self! 🙂
The meaning of the words duality and non-duality regarding the nature of Conscious Awareness is better understood, it seems, when one realizes the difference between concepts of Mind arising in Consciousness, which in their entirety encompass the world of conceptual duality, and non-dualistic, Pure Awareness, which is that within which concepts arise.
Pure Awareness is Present Moment Awareness wherein concepts of Mind arise. Concepts that arise in Pure Awareness are forever changing – appearing and disappearing in Consciousness – while that which is Aware of concepts, as they arise, is changeless, formless, and Eternally Present – Now.
That which arises in Consciousness, including images, thoughts, emotions, and the like, is dualistic in nature because each inevitably appears in conjunction with a polar opposite concept or effect, such as small vs. large, happy vs sad, easy vs. difficult, anxious vs calm, unenlightened vs enlightened, and so on down the line. And that which appears in Consciousness – whether images, thoughts, emotions or the like – comprises in its totality the content of Consciousness, which is likewise the content of Mind.
On the other hand, that which is Aware of concepts, as they arise, is non-dualistic in nature when absent identification with or attachment to that which arises in Consciousness, as such arise. Moreover, Pure Awareness is eternally present in ALL that arises in Consciousness, while that which arises in Consciousness is constantly changing – appearing and disappearing – from one moment to the next.
Because Pure Awareness is forever changeless, whereas concepts are forever changing from one moment to the next, one cannot discover or approach that which is Eternally Present and Pure from a conceptualized point of view. Instead, one must Awaken unto the Presence of Pure Awareness by means of complete dis-identification with concepts of Mind because that which is Other than Mind is forever beyond the purview of Mind. Put another way, while concepts appear and disappear in Awareness, Awareness does not appear or disappear in concepts of Mind.
Realization of this fact is nothing less than enlightenment.
jctefft
About J.C. Tefft
A student, himself, first of his enlightened father, and later of world-renowned teachers Jiddu Krishnamurti and Eckhart Tolle, JC’s investigation into the nature of Life and the universe led to realizations in Pure Consciousness that ultimately led to the writing of his first book, “The Christ is NOT a Person: The Evolution of Consciousness and the Destiny of Man.” He has since completed a series of video presentations entitled, “Pure Consciousness: The Last Frontier” along with a book by the same name, all of which can be viewed and reviewed online at www.jctefft.com
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