"I am"

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Harsha!

 

A sharing of awareness is

called for by your

simple and profound

pointing.

 

Even in total disintegration,

"I am," for who else could

be knowing this experience

as disintegration?

 

This "I am" is the knowing of

"affirmation," the knowing of "negation",

hence is beyond "yes" or "no",

beyond "being" or "nonbeing".

 

My knowing is "I am" with no

"I am not."

The valid statement

of "I am not" is: "I am ...

not this, I am ... not that."

 

That which can be made

not to exist, cannot

be who I am.

 

When I first knew something

as existing, and could

conceive of it as not existing,

there arose the possibility

of misidentification.

 

Misidentification with concept,

with that which is born

and dies, gave me

an outside and provided

a conditionality

to "I am."

 

As "I am" releases Self

from misidentification,

sees through the

conceptual contradictions of

name, time, and location ...

 

There is only the identity of

no particular identity;

With no opposite state,

there is only the state of all

states; Being in no particular

state as opposed to

any other state, no particular

form as opposed to any other

form, "I am" is emancipated from

the imagined need for emancipation,

free from conditions and concepts.

 

Transcending any "anchoring"

feeling or perception of "I"

and "am", there is

no where I am not. Being

no one, "I am" free to be

anyone and everyone,

and there is nothing

and no place I refuse to be.

 

You may find me as a holy book,

or you may find me as a bird

dropping on your windshield.

 

I am not saying this for any other

reason than "there is literally

no where I am not!"

 

Blessed be,

Dan

 

 

At 10:00 PM 7/24/00 -0400, you wrote:

>

>

>Robert Watson [niche]

>

>In answer to your question, I'm not sure I have any deepest truth, other

>than a commitment to intellectual integrity. Whether it pertains to

>ourselves, our personalities, our health, or whatever, it's always better to

>know the truth as best we can, and deal with it.

>

>Robert.

>

>Yes. I would agree with that Robert. A search for truth is critical. I will

>start sharing this conversation with a as well, if you don't

>mind.

>

>The answer to "What is our deepest truth" might differ from person to person

>and according to circumstances and the moment. In intense suffering, our

>deepest truth might appear to be our pain and anguish. To a hungry and

>starving man, the deepest truth of the moment may be food, and to a thirsty

>man the deepest truth of the moment may be water. To a child crying, the

>deepest truth of the moment may be the mother.

>

>Still, even though what the deepest truth is, appears conditioned by

>circumstances, perceptions, culture, experiences, and education, sages tell

>us that the deepest truth of any moment, whether we consciously realize it

>or not, is the fact of our existence.

>

>Perhaps you know that Ramana Maharshi used to say that we cannot deny our

>existence. Statements such as "I exist" or "I am" appear to be self-evident

>as they intuitively correlate to sensing or feeling our existence. This

>feeling/sensing is not an emotion or a sensation but something prior to

>these. It is simply an awareness/feeling that "I exist." It does not require

>thought and precedes it. Even in a dream or a vision one can feel/sense

>through practice that "I am" without getting lost in the landscape.

>

>Logically, we cannot say "how" or "where" we exist (and whether it is a

>dream, vision, waking state, etc) or why we exist (that is, what is the

>motif or cause of our existence) without bringing in other concepts such as

>karma and reincarnation. But we can clearly state, "I am" or "I exist"

>independently and without the help of other notions. As pointed out by Sri

>Ramana, the world and God only appear after the "I" thought appears.

>Similarly, scriptures, perceptions, feelings, knowledge, experiences,

>sensations are all predicated on the assumption of our existence.

>

>When our sages tell us to "Be Still", they are indicating this simple,

>beautiful, and natural path. This self-evident feeling/awareness of "I am",

>when held to, with a satisfied, relaxed, contented, and an aware mind, is

>the gateway to Self-Realization. This is the simplest and yet perhaps a

>difficult practice as it lacks any structure or an anchor. So it seems to me

>that we should consider seriously whether our deepest truth is the

>feeling/awareness that "I exist."

>

>Harsha

>

>

>

>

>------

>Failed tests, classes skipped, forgotten locker combinations.

>Remember the good 'ol days

>http://click./1/7076/6/_/489436/_/964490412/

>------

>

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