Spiritual practice

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Here is a simple spiritual practice:

 

Look at a tree. Then you will experience an image of the tree

in 'your' mind. But you will also experience the 'you' as the

observer of the tree at the same time. So there is the observation of

the tree and also the observation of 'you'. In a state of pure

observation there is only observation, and the tree and 'you' are

objects appearing in that observation.

 

This practice is somewhat a mind game, unless you really are looking

at a tree right now. To make this practice real, observe the computer

screen in front of you. And as you read these words, notice that you

are aware of the words and their meaning, and that you are also aware

of the 'you' being an observer.

 

So, what is the purpose of this practice? The answer is that the

purpose is to make you aware of yourself as the Pure Witness, the

Clear Observer in which the world appear.

 

If you have some 30+ years of spiritual practice behind you, then

notice that these 30+ years of practice is now just a timeless memory

in your mind in the present moment. Notice further, that there is

no 'you' having done any 30+ years of sincere sadhana, or whatever,

and that this 'I have done this and that' is a timeless form

appearing now, being observed now, is happening now. Why is there

no 'you' having done anything in the past? The 'you' _and_ the

experience of what 'you' have done are the same timeless memory. It

is not possible to separate the memory of the experience from the

memory of 'you' other than as _ideas_ in your mind, which, again, are

also from the same memory.

 

/AL