Breaking it down...

[Guest guest]

Hi List,

 

In the book " I Am That, " Nisargadatta talks about what commonly

happens upon waking up from sleep. According to him, the sequence

goes, " I am... a body... in the world. "

 

In other words, the first 'thing' that arises upon waking up is the

sense " I am " or consciousness.

 

The " I Am " then (erroneously) identifies itself with the body ( " I am

the body " ), and this " combined " identification creates the sense

of " being in the world. " ( " I am a body in the world " ).

 

Only then does the mind start churning (and the illusion

of " personality " arise).

 

Thus, Nisargadatta suggests to remain with the sense " I am " ('prior

to' the body and the world).

 

This suggests that " I Am " (the beingness) has no particular body, but

in a sense is all bodies, all life forms.

 

It also suggests that a return to simple " I Am ness " would involve

focusing on the body, then the feeling of " beingness " in the body

(but not limited to the body).

 

Namaste,

 

Tim