Pursuing Consciousness

1. Enlightenment is direct consciousness of absolute truth, not an experience

Enlightenment is not an experience or something experienced. It is not a perception or something perceived. It is not an object or even a subject.

Direct consciousness. Enlightenment is fundamentally different from our everyday experiences and perceptions. It is not a special state of mind, an emotional high, or a mystical vision. Rather, it is an immediate and unmediated awareness of absolute reality or truth. This direct consciousness transcends the limitations of the mind, sensory perceptions, and conceptual thinking.

Beyond the mind. Enlightenment cannot be grasped through intellectual understanding or described adequately in words. It is a non-dual awareness that dissolves the apparent separation between subject and object, knower and known. This is why traditional methods of seeking enlightenment through accumulating knowledge or having extraordinary experiences often fall short.

Gradual process. While enlightenment itself is sudden and outside of time, the journey towards it is often gradual. It involves:

• Questioning assumptions about reality
• Cultivating open-mindedness and humility
• Practicing sustained contemplation
• Developing the capacity for direct seeing beyond concepts
• Experiencing multiple "glimpses" of enlightenment that deepen over time

2. Transformation requires changing the foundations of self-identity

Transformation is changing the very person that you experience being—the "you" that's looking out from your eyes right now.

Radical change. True transformation goes beyond superficial self-improvement or adopting new beliefs. It demands a fundamental shift in how we experience ourselves and the world. This involves examining and potentially dismantling core aspects of our self-identity that we typically take for granted.

Uncovering assumptions. Our sense of self is built upon unconscious assumptions, beliefs, and emotional patterns. Transformation requires:

• Identifying these hidden foundations of identity
• Questioning their validity and necessity
• Recognizing how they shape our perceptions and behaviors
• Consciously choosing new ways of being that align with a more authentic self

Letting go. Paradoxically, transformation often involves a process of subtraction rather than addition. It means:

• Releasing attachments to familiar self-concepts
• Embracing uncertainty and not-knowing
• Allowing new possibilities to emerge naturally
• Recognizing that our true nature transcends any fixed identity

3. Our perceptions and experiences are shaped by our self-agenda

Your perception of the world is only that particular way because of what you assume yourself to be.

Self-referential loop. Our experiences and perceptions are not objective reflections of reality, but are heavily filtered and shaped by our self-identity and survival agenda. This creates a closed feedback loop:

• We interpret events based on our existing self-concept
• Our interpretations reinforce that self-concept
• This strengthened self-concept further colors our perceptions

Hidden motivations. Many of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that seem spontaneous or externally caused are actually driven by unconscious attempts to maintain our sense of self. This includes:

• Emotional reactions
• Judgments of others
• Likes and dislikes
• Beliefs about the world

Breaking the cycle. Becoming aware of this self-referential nature of experience is a crucial step in both transformation and enlightenment. It involves:

• Cultivating metacognitive awareness
• Questioning the source of our reactions and beliefs
• Recognizing the difference between direct perception and interpretation
• Practicing seeing things "as they are" rather than filtered through self-interest

4. Suffering arises from attachment to self and can be transcended

Suffering is "putting up with an unwanted experience," and you aren't "putting up" with it anymore.

Root of suffering. At its core, suffering stems from our identification with a limited sense of self and our attempts to protect and promote that self. This manifests as:

• Resistance to present-moment experiences
• Attachment to desired outcomes
• Fear of loss or change
• Constant comparison and judgment

Embracing pain. Counterintuitively, the path to freedom from suffering often involves fully embracing our pain rather than trying to avoid it. This means:

• Turning towards difficult emotions with curiosity
• Allowing sensations to be felt without resistance
• Investigating the beliefs and assumptions underlying our pain
• Recognizing that pain is a natural part of human experience

Beyond suffering. As we loosen our grip on a fixed self-identity and open to the present moment, we discover a profound shift in our relationship to experience:

• Acceptance of what is, rather than constant struggle
• Decreased reactivity to external circumstances
• Greater equanimity in the face of life's ups and downs
• Access to a deeper sense of peace and wholeness that isn't dependent on conditions

5. Honesty and not-knowing are essential for pursuing consciousness

Honesty commands a declaration not of faith but of ignorance.

Radical honesty. The pursuit of consciousness demands unflinching honesty with ourselves. This goes beyond simply telling the truth to others. It involves:

• Admitting what we don't know or understand
• Questioning our deepest assumptions and beliefs
• Facing uncomfortable truths about ourselves and reality
• Communicating from a place of authenticity rather than manipulation

Embracing uncertainty. Paradoxically, true understanding often begins with a recognition of our fundamental ignorance. This "not-knowing" is different from mere lack of information:

• It's an open, receptive state of mind
• It allows for fresh perception unclouded by preconceptions
• It creates space for genuine insight and discovery
• It protects against premature conclusions or false certainty

Ongoing practice. Cultivating honesty and not-knowing is a continuous process:

• Regularly examining our motivations and assumptions
• Staying open to new information that challenges our views
• Practicing "beginner's mind" even in familiar situations
• Communicating our experiences and insights without pretense

6. The present moment (Now) is the only access point to absolute reality

Now is actually an absolute. Absolutes don't lend themselves well to any kind of model, or understanding.

Beyond time. The present moment, or Now, is not simply a fleeting instant between past and future. It is the timeless ground of all existence. Understanding this involves recognizing:

• The conceptual nature of past and future
• The illusory nature of linear time
• That all experience only ever occurs Now

Direct access. The present moment is our only direct connection to reality as it is, unmediated by thought or concept. Exploring this involves:

• Cultivating present-moment awareness
• Distinguishing between direct experience and mental overlay
• Recognizing the spaciousness of awareness itself

Paradoxical nature. The absolute Now is both ever-present and impossible to grasp conceptually:

• It cannot be experienced as an object
• It is not a "span" of time, no matter how small
• It is both empty of content and the fullness of all existence

Practical implications. While understanding the absolute nature of Now is challenging, orienting ourselves towards present-moment awareness has profound effects:

• Decreased anxiety about past and future
• Increased ability to respond skillfully to life
• Greater sense of aliveness and presence
• Access to deeper intuition and insight

7. Beliefs and religions often hinder direct consciousness of truth

Accepting people regardless of their beliefs is not the same as validating whatever organized system they may follow.

Beliefs vs. truth. While beliefs can provide comfort and meaning, they are fundamentally different from direct consciousness of truth:

• Beliefs are mental constructs, while truth is beyond conception
• Beliefs require faith, while truth is self-evident when directly perceived
• Beliefs can be debated, while truth is absolute

Religious pitfalls. Organized religions, despite potential benefits, often create obstacles to direct realization:

• Encouraging belief over personal investigation
• Ritualization and dogma replacing genuine inquiry
• Claims of absolute knowledge blocking openness to truth
• Prioritizing organizational survival over individual awakening

Beyond belief. Genuine spiritual pursuit involves:

• Questioning all beliefs, even cherished ones
• Cultivating direct experience rather than accepting secondhand knowledge
• Recognizing the limitations of conceptual understanding
• Embracing uncertainty and not-knowing as gateways to truth

Discernment. While respecting others' beliefs, it's crucial to:

• Distinguish between compassion for individuals and validation of belief systems
• Recognize when beliefs are hindering rather than helping spiritual growth
• Encourage open-minded inquiry and personal investigation of truth

8. Life and death are conceptual constructs obscuring absolute existence

Has Being ceased to be? Has existence disappeared or diminished in any way? No. Not at all. We confuse being some thing with Being.

Beyond duality. Our conventional understanding of life and death as opposites obscures a deeper truth about the nature of existence. From an absolute perspective:

• Life and death are conceptual distinctions within undivided Being
• Existence itself neither comes into being nor ceases
• Our true nature transcends both birth and death

Fear of non-existence. Much of our suffering around death stems from identifying with a limited sense of self:

• We imagine a future state of non-existence
• We fear the loss of our individual identity
• We struggle to conceive of reality without "us" in it

Reconsidering existence. Exploring the nature of Being involves:

• Recognizing the difference between existence and particular forms
• Investigating our direct experience of being prior to conceptualization
• Questioning our assumptions about the nature of consciousness and identity

Practical implications. While intellectually grasping these ideas is challenging, contemplating them can lead to:

• Decreased fear of death
• Greater appreciation for the present moment
• A sense of connection to something beyond individual existence
• Increased ability to live fully while accepting impermanence

Last updated: July 31, 2024