Guest guest Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 Just keep in mind the feeling 'I am', merge in it, till your mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts you will stumble on the right balance of attention and affection and your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling 'I am'. Whatever you think, say, or do, this sense of immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present background of the mind. ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj Interesting the notion of " right balance of attention and affection " . Also the notion of " thought-feeling " ('I am' or otherwise). For myself experience does seem to be a fundamentally merged sense of seeing-feeling. As if there is a *depth* that comes from the merging of that combination. Neither can be separated out (they are truly merged), and yet somehow there is a sense of both seeing and feeling as in that. This all brings to mind: I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, I become the very thing I look at, and experience the kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any name you like. Love says " I am everything " . Wisdom says " I am nothing " . Between the two, my life flows. Since at any point of time and space I can be both the subject and the object of experience, I express it by saying that I am both, and neither, and beyond both. --Nisargadatta Maharaj There again the sense of the two aspects profoundly merged. I have sometimes called this kind of dual unity " twoness without distinction " . Am struck just now by the comment in the second quote: " I call this capacity of entering other focal points of consciousness, love. " Am really struck by that as it resonates with my experience in connecting with others. To really connect with others and in a sense " merge " with them I experience as a deep opening of awareness into profound connection with the " other " . His description seems to map to that very well. Speaking of love, my path has been a fundamentally jnana path. Investigating the nature and experience of attention has been a key part of that. Just this year I have started noticing a sense of " being Love " , as if awareness itself were a great Presence that seemed only natural to call Love. A friend and I used to debate about Love vs Truth. To me Truth was the most fundamental. To her it was Love. My path has always been that of Truth (investigation of attention being part of that). It struck me this year that here I am finding Love as my " filled cup " . It is as if for me Truth has been the path, and Love the *consequence*. All of which relates back to the two Nisargadatta quotes above. I wonder if for some the path is Love and the consequence is Truth. Perhaps that is what it was for my friend (she is now deceased). I don't know. But it seems plausible. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn wrote: > > Just keep in mind the feeling 'I am', merge in it, till your > mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts you will > stumble on the right balance of attention and affection and > your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling > 'I am'. Whatever you think, say, or do, this sense of > immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present > background of the mind. > > ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > Interesting the notion of " right balance of attention and > affection " . > > Also the notion of " thought-feeling " ('I am' or otherwise). > > For myself experience does seem to be a fundamentally merged > sense of seeing-feeling. As if there is a *depth* that comes > from the merging of that combination. Neither can be > separated out (they are truly merged), and yet somehow there > is a sense of both seeing and feeling as in that. > > This all brings to mind: > > I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, > I become the very thing I look at, and experience the > kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness > of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other > focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any > name you like. Love says " I am everything " . Wisdom says > " I am nothing " . Between the two, my life flows. Since at > any point of time and space I can be both the subject > and the object of experience, I express it by saying > that I am both, and neither, and beyond both. > > --Nisargadatta Maharaj > > There again the sense of the two aspects profoundly merged. > > I have sometimes called this kind of dual unity " twoness > without distinction " . > > Am struck just now by the comment in the second quote: > " I call this capacity of entering other focal points of > consciousness, love. " Am really struck by that as it > resonates with my experience in connecting with others. > To really connect with others and in a sense " merge " with > them I experience as a deep opening of awareness into > profound connection with the " other " . His description > seems to map to that very well. > > Speaking of love, my path has been a fundamentally jnana > path. Investigating the nature and experience of attention > has been a key part of that. Just this year I have started > noticing a sense of " being Love " , as if awareness itself > were a great Presence that seemed only natural to call > Love. A friend and I used to debate about Love vs Truth. > To me Truth was the most fundamental. To her it was Love. > My path has always been that of Truth (investigation of > attention being part of that). It struck me this year > that here I am finding Love as my " filled cup " . It is as > if for me Truth has been the path, and Love the > *consequence*. All of which relates back to the two > Nisargadatta quotes above. > > I wonder if for some the path is Love and the consequence > is Truth. Perhaps that is what it was for my friend (she > is now deceased). I don't know. But it seems plausible. > > > Bill > the path for me...is who I am...and also the goal... ....the essence of myself that is... many words can be used to describe it... but they will all just be words...not the essence itself... ....iietsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nisargadatta , " iietsa " <iietsa wrote: > > Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn@> > wrote: > > > > Just keep in mind the feeling 'I am', merge in it, till your > > mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts you will > > stumble on the right balance of attention and affection and > > your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling > > 'I am'. Whatever you think, say, or do, this sense of > > immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present > > background of the mind. > > > > ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > > > Interesting the notion of " right balance of attention and > > affection " . > > > > Also the notion of " thought-feeling " ('I am' or otherwise). > > > > For myself experience does seem to be a fundamentally merged > > sense of seeing-feeling. As if there is a *depth* that comes > > from the merging of that combination. Neither can be > > separated out (they are truly merged), and yet somehow there > > is a sense of both seeing and feeling as in that. > > > > This all brings to mind: > > > > I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, > > I become the very thing I look at, and experience the > > kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness > > of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other > > focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any > > name you like. Love says " I am everything " . Wisdom says > > " I am nothing " . Between the two, my life flows. Since at > > any point of time and space I can be both the subject > > and the object of experience, I express it by saying > > that I am both, and neither, and beyond both. > > > > --Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > There again the sense of the two aspects profoundly merged. > > > > I have sometimes called this kind of dual unity " twoness > > without distinction " . > > > > Am struck just now by the comment in the second quote: > > " I call this capacity of entering other focal points of > > consciousness, love. " Am really struck by that as it > > resonates with my experience in connecting with others. > > To really connect with others and in a sense " merge " with > > them I experience as a deep opening of awareness into > > profound connection with the " other " . His description > > seems to map to that very well. > > > > Speaking of love, my path has been a fundamentally jnana > > path. Investigating the nature and experience of attention > > has been a key part of that. Just this year I have started > > noticing a sense of " being Love " , as if awareness itself > > were a great Presence that seemed only natural to call > > Love. A friend and I used to debate about Love vs Truth. > > To me Truth was the most fundamental. To her it was Love. > > My path has always been that of Truth (investigation of > > attention being part of that). It struck me this year > > that here I am finding Love as my " filled cup " . It is as > > if for me Truth has been the path, and Love the > > *consequence*. All of which relates back to the two > > Nisargadatta quotes above. > > > > I wonder if for some the path is Love and the consequence > > is Truth. Perhaps that is what it was for my friend (she > > is now deceased). I don't know. But it seems plausible. > > > > > > Bill > > > > the path for me...is who I am...and also the goal... > ...the essence of myself that is... > many words can be used to describe it... > but they will all just be words...not the essence itself... > ...iietsa > the essence itself... never known except as lived Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn wrote: > > Nisargadatta , " iietsa " <iietsa@> wrote: > > > > Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Just keep in mind the feeling 'I am', merge in it, till your > > > mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts you will > > > stumble on the right balance of attention and affection and > > > your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling > > > 'I am'. Whatever you think, say, or do, this sense of > > > immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present > > > background of the mind. > > > > > > ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > > > > > > Interesting the notion of " right balance of attention and > > > affection " . > > > > > > Also the notion of " thought-feeling " ('I am' or otherwise). > > > > > > For myself experience does seem to be a fundamentally merged > > > sense of seeing-feeling. As if there is a *depth* that comes > > > from the merging of that combination. Neither can be > > > separated out (they are truly merged), and yet somehow there > > > is a sense of both seeing and feeling as in that. > > > > > > This all brings to mind: > > > > > > I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, > > > I become the very thing I look at, and experience the > > > kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness > > > of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other > > > focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any > > > name you like. Love says " I am everything " . Wisdom says > > > " I am nothing " . Between the two, my life flows. Since at > > > any point of time and space I can be both the subject > > > and the object of experience, I express it by saying > > > that I am both, and neither, and beyond both. > > > > > > --Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > > > There again the sense of the two aspects profoundly merged. > > > > > > I have sometimes called this kind of dual unity " twoness > > > without distinction " . > > > > > > Am struck just now by the comment in the second quote: > > > " I call this capacity of entering other focal points of > > > consciousness, love. " Am really struck by that as it > > > resonates with my experience in connecting with others. > > > To really connect with others and in a sense " merge " with > > > them I experience as a deep opening of awareness into > > > profound connection with the " other " . His description > > > seems to map to that very well. > > > > > > Speaking of love, my path has been a fundamentally jnana > > > path. Investigating the nature and experience of attention > > > has been a key part of that. Just this year I have started > > > noticing a sense of " being Love " , as if awareness itself > > > were a great Presence that seemed only natural to call > > > Love. A friend and I used to debate about Love vs Truth. > > > To me Truth was the most fundamental. To her it was Love. > > > My path has always been that of Truth (investigation of > > > attention being part of that). It struck me this year > > > that here I am finding Love as my " filled cup " . It is as > > > if for me Truth has been the path, and Love the > > > *consequence*. All of which relates back to the two > > > Nisargadatta quotes above. > > > > > > I wonder if for some the path is Love and the consequence > > > is Truth. Perhaps that is what it was for my friend (she > > > is now deceased). I don't know. But it seems plausible. > > > > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > > the path for me...is who I am...and also the goal... > > ...the essence of myself that is... > > many words can be used to describe it... > > but they will all just be words...not the essence itself... > > ...iietsa > > > > the essence itself... > never known > except as lived > > Bill > Sometimes it seems that this should be a simple matter: We are always only dealing with our own feeling. But one of those feelings is-often- a feeling of estrangement and separation.Annoyance.Fatigue.Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nisargadatta , " tom " <jeusisbuen wrote: > > Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn@> > wrote: > > > > Nisargadatta , " iietsa " <iietsa@> wrote: > > > > > > Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > Just keep in mind the feeling 'I am', merge in it, till your > > > > mind and feeling become one. By repeated attempts you will > > > > stumble on the right balance of attention and affection and > > > > your mind will be firmly established in the thought-feeling > > > > 'I am'. Whatever you think, say, or do, this sense of > > > > immutable and affectionate being remains as the ever-present > > > > background of the mind. > > > > > > > > ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > > > > > > > > > Interesting the notion of " right balance of attention and > > > > affection " . > > > > > > > > Also the notion of " thought-feeling " ('I am' or otherwise). > > > > > > > > For myself experience does seem to be a fundamentally merged > > > > sense of seeing-feeling. As if there is a *depth* that comes > > > > from the merging of that combination. Neither can be > > > > separated out (they are truly merged), and yet somehow there > > > > is a sense of both seeing and feeling as in that. > > > > > > > > This all brings to mind: > > > > > > > > I find that somehow, by shifting the focus of attention, > > > > I become the very thing I look at, and experience the > > > > kind of consciousness it has; I become the inner witness > > > > of the thing. I call this capacity of entering other > > > > focal points of consciousness, love; you may give it any > > > > name you like. Love says " I am everything " . Wisdom says > > > > " I am nothing " . Between the two, my life flows. Since at > > > > any point of time and space I can be both the subject > > > > and the object of experience, I express it by saying > > > > that I am both, and neither, and beyond both. > > > > > > > > --Nisargadatta Maharaj > > > > > > > > There again the sense of the two aspects profoundly merged. > > > > > > > > I have sometimes called this kind of dual unity " twoness > > > > without distinction " . > > > > > > > > Am struck just now by the comment in the second quote: > > > > " I call this capacity of entering other focal points of > > > > consciousness, love. " Am really struck by that as it > > > > resonates with my experience in connecting with others. > > > > To really connect with others and in a sense " merge " with > > > > them I experience as a deep opening of awareness into > > > > profound connection with the " other " . His description > > > > seems to map to that very well. > > > > > > > > Speaking of love, my path has been a fundamentally jnana > > > > path. Investigating the nature and experience of attention > > > > has been a key part of that. Just this year I have started > > > > noticing a sense of " being Love " , as if awareness itself > > > > were a great Presence that seemed only natural to call > > > > Love. A friend and I used to debate about Love vs Truth. > > > > To me Truth was the most fundamental. To her it was Love. > > > > My path has always been that of Truth (investigation of > > > > attention being part of that). It struck me this year > > > > that here I am finding Love as my " filled cup " . It is as > > > > if for me Truth has been the path, and Love the > > > > *consequence*. All of which relates back to the two > > > > Nisargadatta quotes above. > > > > > > > > I wonder if for some the path is Love and the consequence > > > > is Truth. Perhaps that is what it was for my friend (she > > > > is now deceased). I don't know. But it seems plausible. > > > > > > > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > > > > > the path for me...is who I am...and also the goal... > > > ...the essence of myself that is... > > > many words can be used to describe it... > > > but they will all just be words...not the essence itself... > > > ...iietsa > > > > > > > the essence itself... > > never known > > except as lived > > > > Bill > > > Sometimes it seems that this should be a simple matter: We are > always only dealing with our own feeling. But one of those feelings > is-often- a feeling of estrangement and > separation.Annoyance.Fatigue.Etc. to taste such feeling fully, truly, even joyfully as one own lost child found in tatters on the street, such is truth, such is coming home. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.