As One Is

1. True freedom requires breaking free from societal conditioning

"To free the mind from all conditioning, that is, as long as it is conditioned as a Christian, a Buddhist, a Hindu, a communist, or whatnot, there must be problems."

Societal conditioning limits our thinking. From birth, we are shaped by our culture, religion, education, and social norms. This conditioning creates a framework through which we interpret the world, often without realizing its influence. It affects our beliefs, values, and behaviors, creating unconscious biases and limitations.

Breaking free requires awareness and questioning. To achieve true freedom, we must first recognize our conditioning. This involves:

• Examining our beliefs and their origins
• Questioning societal norms and expectations
• Challenging our automatic responses and reactions
• Seeking to understand different perspectives and worldviews

By consciously examining and questioning our conditioning, we can begin to see beyond its limitations and open ourselves to new possibilities and understandings.

2. Self-knowledge is the key to understanding and transforming the mind

"Self-knowledge is not cumulative, and I think it is very important to understand that. If self-knowledge is cumulative, it is merely mechanical."

Self-knowledge requires continuous observation. Unlike academic knowledge, self-knowledge cannot be accumulated or stored. It demands ongoing, moment-to-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. This process is dynamic and ever-changing, requiring constant attention and openness.

Transformation comes through understanding, not accumulation. True self-knowledge leads to transformation by:

• Revealing our unconscious motivations and patterns
• Exposing the roots of our conflicts and suffering
• Allowing us to see ourselves as we truly are, without judgment or evaluation
• Facilitating a natural process of change that isn't based on will or effort

As we develop this deep understanding of ourselves, we become capable of responding to life with greater clarity, compassion, and wisdom, free from the limitations of our past conditioning.

3. Violence stems from the desire for power and domination

"If we can discover from what the sense of domination springs, that discovery may answer the question of why we are violent."

The roots of violence lie in our psychological makeup. Violence is not just physical aggression, but includes psychological forms such as competition, ambition, and the desire for success. These all stem from a fundamental desire to dominate and control, which is deeply ingrained in our societal structures and individual psyches.

Understanding violence requires self-examination. To address violence, we must:

• Recognize our own violent tendencies, both obvious and subtle
• Explore the fears and insecurities that drive our desire for power
• Question the societal values that promote competition and domination
• Examine how our actions contribute to a culture of violence

By understanding the psychological origins of violence within ourselves, we can begin to address it at its root, rather than merely trying to suppress its symptoms.

4. Peace cannot be found through opposition to violence

"A man who practices nonviolence hasn't solved the problem of violence at all; he is merely practicing an idea, and he has never tackled this deep, fundamental issue from which all action springs."

True peace is not the opposite of violence. Many attempt to achieve peace by suppressing or opposing violence. However, this approach creates a new form of conflict and does not address the underlying causes of violence. It is merely a reaction, not a resolution.

Peace emerges from understanding, not effort. To find genuine peace:

• We must look beyond the dualities of violence and nonviolence
• Understand the psychological roots of conflict within ourselves
• Let go of the desire to achieve or become something
• Allow peace to emerge naturally as we release our inner conflicts

When we deeply understand the nature of violence and conflict within ourselves, peace arises not as an achievement, but as the natural state of a mind free from internal struggle.

5. The mind must be free from all conditioning to discover truth

"When the mind is free from all conditioning, then you will find that there comes the creativity of reality, of God, or what you will, and it is only such a mind, a mind which is constantly experiencing this creativity, that can bring about a different outlook, different values, a different world."

Conditioning limits our perception of reality. Our minds are shaped by past experiences, cultural beliefs, and acquired knowledge. This conditioning acts as a filter, preventing us from seeing things as they truly are. It creates preconceptions and biases that distort our understanding of reality.

Freedom from conditioning allows for direct perception. To discover truth:

• We must be aware of our conditioned responses
• Question our assumptions and beliefs
• Let go of our attachment to past knowledge and experiences
• Cultivate a state of openness and receptivity to what is

When the mind is free from conditioning, it becomes capable of perceiving reality directly, without the distortions of past knowledge or future projections. This state of clarity and openness allows for genuine creativity and insight to emerge.

6. Attention without an object leads to profound stillness and creativity

"In attention there is no particular object at all—you are just listening as you would listen to distant music or to the notes of a song. In that state you are relaxed, attentive; there is no strain."

Attention differs from concentration. Most of us are familiar with focused concentration, which involves effort and often creates tension. True attention, however, is a state of relaxed awareness without a specific object or goal. It is open, receptive, and free from the strain of trying to achieve something.

This form of attention allows for deeper insights. When we cultivate this quality of attention:

• The mind becomes quiet and still
• We become more receptive to subtle perceptions
• Creativity and insight can arise spontaneously
• We experience a sense of wholeness and connection

By practicing this form of attention in daily life, we can develop a more profound understanding of ourselves and the world around us, leading to a state of creativity and clarity that is not bound by our usual mental patterns.

7. Dreams reflect the unconscious mind's attempt to communicate

"The unconscious obviously wants to tell the superficial mind something, and as the superficial mind is quiet when it is asleep, the unconscious tries to tell it."

Dreams serve a psychological purpose. Rather than being random or meaningless, dreams are a way for the unconscious mind to communicate important information to the conscious mind. This communication often takes place through symbols and metaphors, which can be difficult to interpret directly.

Understanding dreams requires self-awareness. To benefit from our dreams:

• Pay attention to recurring themes or symbols in dreams
• Reflect on the emotional content of dreams, not just the literal events
• Consider how dream content relates to current life situations
• Cultivate awareness of unconscious thoughts and feelings during waking life

By developing a greater awareness of our unconscious mind, both through dreams and waking self-reflection, we can gain valuable insights into our deeper selves and resolve internal conflicts.

8. The collective shapes our thinking, but true individuality is possible

"Are you an individual? You have a particular name, a private bank account, a separate house, certain facial and psychological differentiations, but are you an individual?"

Most of our thinking is shaped by collective influences. Our beliefs, values, and even our sense of self are largely products of our culture, education, and social environment. What we often consider to be our individual thoughts and opinions are often unconscious reflections of collective conditioning.

True individuality requires transcending the collective. To become truly individual:

• Recognize the extent of collective influence on our thinking
• Question our assumptions and beliefs, tracing their origins
• Develop the capacity for original thought, free from societal conditioning
• Cultivate a deep understanding of oneself beyond social identities

Achieving true individuality is a challenging process that requires continuous self-examination and the courage to stand apart from collective norms and expectations. It is through this process that we can discover our authentic selves.

9. Reality emerges when the mind is completely alone and unconditioned

"The religious man is he who does not belong to any religion, to any nation, to any race, who is inwardly completely alone, in a state of not-knowing, and for him the blessing of the sacred comes into being."

True reality is beyond mental constructs. Our usual perception of reality is filtered through our conditioning, beliefs, and accumulated knowledge. This creates a barrier between us and direct experience of what is. To perceive reality as it is, we must move beyond these mental constructs.

Aloneness and not-knowing open the door to reality. To experience true reality:

• Cultivate inner aloneness, free from dependence on others' thoughts or beliefs
• Develop the capacity to say "I don't know" and be comfortable with uncertainty
• Let go of the need for mental security and certainty
• Allow the mind to be still, without seeking or grasping

When the mind is in this state of complete aloneness and openness, unencumbered by past knowledge or future projections, it becomes capable of perceiving reality directly. This direct perception of reality is the essence of true spirituality and the source of profound transformation.

Last updated: April 22, 2025