I Disagree With Everything You're Saying

[Guest guest]

**********************

 

I Disagree With Everything You're Saying

 

Q: I don't understand most of what you're saying, and the parts that

I do understand, I completely disagree with you.

 

Stephen: What I'm talking about is so fundamental and basic that it

cannot be understood. It's too simple to be understood. How can

you " understand " consciousness? We can try to understand concepts,

but concepts about consciousness are not consciousness.

 

Anything that we can agree or disagree about is irrelevant, but can

you disagree that you exist, you are aware?

 

Q: But you said that consciousness is all there is, and I am That.

You're implying that nothing is real except consciousness. And

you've quoted Nisargadatta's words that nothing can trouble you but

your own imagination. This implies that my problems are not real

and are just imaginary. How can you say what is real or unreal,

which problems are real or imaginary. Then, if I disagree with you,

you say it's irrelevant!

 

Stephen: Let's keep this practical. What do you want to get out of

this? Surely you want more than understanding concepts, and

agreeing or disagreeing about what is real or imaginary?

 

Q: Ultimately, I'm interested in happiness, joy, peace. I'm

frustrated by what seem to be inconsistent, contradictory concepts.

My life seems to be like a pendulum that swings from happiness to

sadness constantly. I'd like to be free of my suffering like this.

 

Stephen: So you're interested in happiness, joy, and peace

themselves: not the concepts of happiness, joy, and peace.

 

Q: Yes, of course.

 

Stephen: Sitting here right now we can hear the wind blowing through

the trees, we feel the cool breeze on our faces, we see the birds in

the trees and we hear them chirping. We feel the chairs we're

sitting in, we see the clouds floating by in the blue sky, and we

feel the sun's heat on our backs. We smell the barbecue cooking on

the grill. Do we have any problems right now?

 

Q: No, but if someone approached us here and attacked us with a bat,

we'd have a problem. We couldn't survive if there wasn't a sense of

concern about our safety and well-being in the future. I have to

think about my education, my career, my family, my finances, etc.

 

Stephen: So sitting here right now we have no problems and no

suffering. There is a sense of peace and happiness as we are aware

of our surroundings. When do the problems and the suffering start?

 

Q: When I start thinking about the future and my responsibilities,

and whether I'll be able to meet them.

 

Stephen: So problems and suffering start when you're thinking about

the future. Maybe things will work out as you hope, maybe they

won't; you can only speculate. This thinking and speculating I'm

calling imagination. Right now you know that you exist, that there

is consciousness. This cannot be denied. This consciousness I'm

calling real.

 

Consciousness, your essential nature, is always present here and

now. It is the non-conceptual awareness of being. It is too

fundamental and simple to " understand " , agree or disagree with.

This sense of presence-awareness is the peaceful happiness you're

seeking. Not the concepts of peace and happiness, but peace and

happiness itself.

 

If you believe that your thoughts and speculations are real, your

experience will seem to be like a pendulum swinging from happiness

to sadness, and you'll suffer.

 

When you see that your thoughts and speculations are imaginary, they

lose their power to influence your experience. You'll notice that

the pendulum swings less frequently and less drastically.

 

You can agree or disagree with all of these concepts. But the fact

of your own being, your own existence as consciousness, cannot be

denied. It's always here and now, untouched, peaceful and aware.

 

Drop all your concepts, and enjoy the simple presence of your own

being.

 

Stephen Wingate

www.livinginpeace-thenaturalstate.com

 

**************************