Questions about "It"

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

Chuck Hillig very kindly gave his permission to use this excerpt from

his forthcoming book 'The Way "It" Is'. It is also in the

files in the "Useful Information" folder.

 

Love,

 

Victor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This excerpt is used with the author's

permission for it's use on the

list.

 

 

Twenty Questions About "It"

 

From a new book by the author of Enlightenment

For Beginners

 

By CHUCK HILLIG

 

 

 

 

 

In this excerpt from Chuck's new

book, The Way "It" Is, he answers

questions about Consciousness

from some of his clients. The book

is scheduled for publication in

2000.

 

Point of Departure: When

Consciousness pretends that

there's a separation between what

It says It is?(the "I")? and what It

says It isn't ?(the "not-I"), then

the world mysteriously

(re)appears. In truth, though, the

so-called "story of your life" is

only the cosmic

song-of-Consciousness being

gloriously played out through the

instrument of your own body. The

purpose of any song, though, is

not to arrive at the final note. The

purpose of a song can only be

found in the joyous playing of it.

And so it is with Consciousness.

In short, Its purpose is to play out

an entrancing story with Itself by

using an illusory "you" as the

so-called "Star" of this Cosmic

drama.

 

 

Q. But Chuck, all of it really

can't be that basic. Aren't you

simplifying this whole thing a

little too much?

 

 

A. Well, how can you oversimplify

something that is, by Its very

nature, simplicity itself? In fact,

because Its simpleness is so

absolutely complete and pure, this

"It" can only manifest Itself by

pretending to be "complex." In

other words, when the indivisible

Consciousness pretends to be

divisible, It creates the world of

polarities. And YOU are that very

Consciousness, Itself!

 

 

Q. Yes, but if I'm really this

so-called "It," then why don't I

have a direct experience of It

right now?

 

 

A. This "you," as the illusory

ego-self that you think you are,

can never personally experience

its own, true, fundamental nature.

This "you" can only BE what It

already is (i.e. "It"). In other

words, this "you" will never be

able to "get" It simply because It

already is IT! (After all, no one

can arrive at a place where they

are already dwelling.) Believing

that you're not really there,

however, provides the cosmic

momentum for It to, seemingly,

"go out looking for Itself." It's this

purposeful misidentification that

sets the entire drama into motion.

 

 

Q. Well, if any of this is really

true, how can I actually use this

kind of philosophy in my

everyday life?

 

 

A. You can't "use" It in the usual

sense because It will, actually, be

only using YOU. At one level,

though, you can stay more aligned

with It by consciously choosing

exactly what It is choosing for

you. In other words, practice

saying a resounding "Yes!" to

whatever shows up for you. And,

even when you feel like saying

"No," then just say "Yes" to the

fact that, for right now, you're

saying "No." In short, don't reject

anything?.not even your own

rejections!

 

Remember, however, that this

"you," (as the historical ego-self)

is only pretending that you're able

to manipulate or control It.

Consciousness will always get Its

own way in the end, simply

because, no matter where you

think this "you" is going, It is

already there.?waiting for you.

 

 

Q. Is this why you say that "It"

is always directly in front of me

in Its absolute totality?

 

 

A. Yes. Where else could It

possibly be? By definition, there

can't be some of It here and then

some more of It around the

corner, too. That would be

implying that It could, somehow,

be divided from Itself. But, if It's

absolutely simple and complete, It

can't really have any parts at all. It

can only pretend to have parts.

The "you" that you think you are

is only one of the many so-called

"parts" that It is pretending to

have (and/or to be.) So whatever is

in your experience at this very

instant is absolutely all of It.

There's really nothing else. Or, to

put it another way, through Its

own "I's" (yours), It "sees" 100%

of Itself... 100% of the time.

Nothing is ever "missing" in It

because nothing of It can ever be

left out. Not ever!

 

 

Q. So then where does our idea

of God come into all of this?"

 

 

A. "God" really doesn't come

"into" It at all; God actually comes

out of It. The word "God" (or the

Self, Allah, Yahweh, Spirit, etc.) is

simply the ego's attempt to give a

name to the unnameable

"It-that-Is."

 

It's like a movie actor who's

trying to give a proper name to the

screen that he inwardly senses is

supporting his unfolding drama.

The greatest obstacle, though, will

be the actor's egotistical wish to

"be there" as a personal witness to

his own awakening of this reality.

However, this is a contradiction in

terms. Why? Well, there's no

separate one that can be "there" at

the so-called "awakening" simply

because there's no separate one

that's "here" right now who's "not

awakened." In other words,

there's not only nothing for this

actor to "get," there's really not

even a truly individuated actor

present who's even available to be

either "getting It" (or, for that

matter, to be not getting IT) in the

first place! In short, all that there

truly IS, is the seamless Screen of

Consciousness, Itself ?..this "IT."

 

 

Q. Yes, but what does that do to

this whole idea of free choice?

Doesn't free will really exist?

 

 

A. Once again, before answering

that question, you need to initially

determine if there are separate

and distinct individuals that are

truly present and real. You see, if

all separation is an illusion, then

any further talk about an illusory

self having a "free will" or not

would be as useless as arguing

about the probable water

temperature of a lake mirage out

in the desert. Just like there's no

real lake out there to be having a

water temperature, there's also no

real "separate self" actually

present to be having (or to be not

having) a so-called "free will."

 

 

Q. But what does that notion do

to the idea of karma,

reincarnation and the Law of

Cause and Effect? Aren't they

real either?

 

 

A. Karma and reincarnation exist

only as long as there's an illusion

that there's a separate and

individual "self" who is the

so-called do-er.

 

In other words, if you consider

yourself to be the "causer," it

naturally follows that a "you" will

then be obliged to "hang around"

in order to receive the full effects

of the so-called "causes" that

you've, seemingly, set into

motion. Without a separated "self"

actually present to experience

these phenomena, though, the

idea of karma and reincarnation is

unsupportable.

 

How does that follow? Well, if all

separation is only illusory, then

who is it that's actually being

"reincarnated," anyway? Or, for

that matter, who is it who's ever

really "died" in the first place in

order to be "reborn" again?

 

 

Q. So are you saying that all of

mankind's past history is really

only a part of this great illusion,

too, and that none of it ever

really happened!?

 

 

A. Well, there's only one

so-called "movie" playing on the

"Cosmic Screen," and that's the

very "movie" that you believe

you're experiencing at this very

moment.

 

When you watch a movie, for

example, did the offscreen events

that are referred to by the

characters really, in fact, ever take

place at all? But, you see, the

dramatic story on the screen is

greatly advanced (and enhanced)

by the viewer's willingness to

pretend that those offscreen

events did, in fact, actually occur.

But "It" (as the movie) is always

fully present in its absolute

totality...right here and right now.

In short, this really is IT !!

 

 

Q. Yes, but then what about the

future? It almost sounds like

you're saying that I shouldn't

try to do anything about it.

 

 

A. No, I'm not suggesting that at

all. For example, if you really feel

moved to save the whales, help

the poor, stop AIDs, etc., then go

ahead and completely throw

yourself into it 100%. Don't hold

anything back! The "you" that you

think you are, though, is not really

the "do-er" of any of these

actions. Consequently, this "you,"

then, need not concern itself with

the results of these "actions" that

you're feeling so compelled to,

seemingly, "do." In Truth, by

playing ALL of the so-called

"parts" in the cosmic drama,

Consciousness is really "doing" it

all.

 

 

Q. But are you saying that I

shouldn't care how things work

out?

 

 

A. Actually, I'm just suggesting

that you play out your role in the

Cosmic drama with complete

gusto and passion. However, you

can best remain truly detached

from what shows up for you only

if you give up your idea about

what "working out" looks like. In

truth, things will neither "work

out" nor will they not "work out."

They will only BE whatever they

will be.

 

If there's any overlay of what

"should" be happening on top of

what actually is happening, then

it's only a manifestation of the

ego-self getting caught up in its

own delusion that it (and it alone)

is the true source and the "do-er"

of these actions.

 

The irony here is that, even

though it doesn't really matter

what you "do" in your role, it still

seems to be very important that

you go ahead and, seemingly,

"do" it anyway. After all, the

dance is best honored when the

Dancer (Shiva) really dances the

dance!

 

But remember that It's all only a

dazzling "play" that's unfolding

like the ever-changing colors of a

cosmic kaleidoscope. The very

nature of the Consciousness that

you are is to "BE" what It is ?.. by

pretending to, seemingly,

"become" what It's pretending to

not be.

 

 

Q. So, are you enlightened?

 

 

A. Well, if any and all divisions on

the Cosmic Screen are only

illusory, then how is any

individual enlightenment even

possible? In other words, what

separate being is really "there" to

be enlightened (or, for that matter,

to be un-enlightened) in the first

place?

 

 

Q. But then isn't any of it real?

 

 

A. No matter what activities are,

seemingly, "happening" in the

movie, the fundamental reality

beneath It all is still only the

unbroken and seamless Screen

that's supporting all of the dramas

being played out.

 

Although the world appears to

exist, the only thing that's really

real ?.is Consciousness, Itself. So,

as the historical ego-self, you're

always looking directly into the

cosmic mirror of Life and

beholding the wondrous and

multifaceted face of God. And

here's the great miracle: It's

always been your face!

 

 

Q. So, then, why is everyone

seeking some sort of

enlightenment .....this IT?

 

 

A. Well, in truth, you already are

who you are looking for.

Enlightenment is not the

attainment of anything new.

Instead, it is more like a discovery

of the essential truth about what

actually is. The drama around

you, though, will seemingly

continue to unfold exactly as It

does. In other words, you won't

really awaken from the dream;

you'll only be awakening TO the

dream.

 

But, in this awakening, the

Dreamer has to disappear entirely.

If not, he'll just substitute one

dream called

"Once-I-was-asleep" for another

dream called

"But-now-I-am-awake!" And

here's the ultimate cosmic irony:

The Self who is "asleep" is also

the very same Self who is

"awake." After all, there is only

one Self. One Consciousness. One

"It."

 

The mesmerizing seductiveness of

the dream is easily seen in the

long-standing belief that,

someday, (if the Dreamer only

plays his cosmic cards right), he

will, eventually, "awaken." But, in

Truth, the so-called

"Enlightenment Bus" that he's

been looking for will never show

up for him. Why not? Well, in

waiting for this future event to

occur somewhere in time, he only

reinforces his belief that

Consciousness is not fully present

and available right here and right

now.

 

 

Q. Well, isn't there some kind

of objective reality in the

world? What about the idea of

good and evil? Don't they really

exist... even as a small part of

this Consciousness?

 

 

A. At one level, you might

consider that Consciousness is

really a sort of "context" that

appears to contain a pretend world

of illusory polarities. So, at the

bottom line, there's really no

"success" and no "failure."

There's no "right" and no

"wrong;" no "good" and no "bad;"

no "victors" and no "victims;" no

"heaven" and no "hell" and no

"life" and no "death."

 

All of these polarities only appear

on the spectrum of opposites that

It creates in order to play out Its

cosmic drama. In a sense, these

opposites radiate out in all

directions from the "point of view"

that "you" (as your ego-self) think

that you are.

 

 

Q. But what can I do to

improve myself? Don't I need

to change in some way?

 

 

A. But how can WHO you are

really "change?" Your basic

nature is Pure Consciousness.

You are infinite, omnipresent,

impersonal, omniscient, and

immutable. As such, there is

nothing that you "need" to

remember, to learn about, to

realize, to strive for, to pray to or

to meditate on.

 

It's this very belief that "real

progress is possible," however,

that provides the momentum

necessary for "you" (as It) to,

seemingly, want to propel your

story "forward" and out into some

kind of illusory "future." But, in

Truth, you can't really become

more of who you already are.

 

 

Q. But what about all of the

current interest in

metaphysics? Won't it help me

to study things like astrology,

ESP, tarot, crystals, channeling

and so forth? Why wouldn't my

growth in those esoteric areas

be a very positive sign of my

spiritual progress?

 

 

A. Although the study of

metaphysics is neither "good" nor

"bad," it often serves to provide a

very attractive diversion for many

people. By being spiritually

seduced with the implied promise

of attaining special knowledge or

powers, the "seeker" is often

unwittingly diverted from his true

inner quest. Consequently, instead

of looking inside to discover the

actual truth about who he really is,

these pseudo-spiritual distractions

only give him something else to

get attached to, or, even worse, to

feel "superior" about. Spiritual

"one-ups-man-ship" is an

insidious trap!

 

 

Q. So how do you suggest that I

learn to live with myself being

this Consciousness?

 

 

A. Well, does a fish really need to

learn how to swim? You already

are whatever it is that you're

seeking. So, just fully commit

yourself 100% to doing whatever it

is that you're, seemingly, "doing,"

but do it with an openhearted

sense of detached compassion and

total love.

 

Avoid judging or discriminating in

any way. (After all, doesn't an

author love his "villains" every bit

as much as he loves his

"heroes?") Consciousness will

appear to tease you, seduce you,

scare you, amaze you, and, from

time to time, even try to

overwhelm and destroy you. But

learn to fully embrace It as YOU

because this is all only lila ?.the

Dance of the Divine?..the play of

Consciousness, Itself! And, It's all

being "staged" for your delight

and edification! Joyously welcome

IT all with a sense of deep

gratitude and profound

wonderment. You being able to

"play- in-the-world" is a

miraculous gift that

Consciousness is giving to Itself,

so don't be an unappreciative

audience to your own melodrama.

Let everything happen to you

because It's all really OK! As the

Buddha once said, "At the end of

the road is freedom. Until then,

have patience."

 

And, just like it is with a song, the

purpose of any dance is not to

arrive at the final position. The

so-called "purpose" is only to be

found in the dancing of the dance!

So, whatever seemingly happens

to you in your drama, just keep

on?..dancing!

 

 

Q. Yes, but won't I be needing

some kind of "dancing

teacher?"

 

 

A. Yes. A teacher is necessary,

but you need to give up your idea

about what this teacher might

look like. The guru may not show

up for you as a

"living-in-the-body," physical

human being. The guru (It) is

ever-present, and It always

appears directly in front of you as

everything (and everyone) that

you're pretending that you're

NOT. In other words, whatever

experiences show up for the

historical ego-self are, in fact, the

guru's teaching. You need to trust

that this Grace will slowly awaken

you from your pretended delusion

of separation. And here is yet

another strange paradox: "IT"

really turns out to be?..Its own

guru!

 

 

Q. Well, does this philosophy

have some kind of special

name?"

 

 

A. Actually, it does. This is called

Advaita?the ancient path of direct

insight and knowledge. It's

spiritually introspective because

the "seeker" is not focused

primarily on the ritualistic

devotion or outward activity that's

usually found on many of the

other paths. Instead, the emphasis

here is to use the power of

self-inquiry to seek out the true

Source of the "I" thought by

asking oneself the ultimate,

primordial question: "Who am I?"

 

As all of the answers to that

question slowly drop away, you

awaken to discover yourSelf to be

in a place that you had never really

left. At that "pointless point" of

awareness, your ground-of-being

becomes, quite simply, "I AM,"

and you recognize the very

essence of who you really are:

Love?loving Itself!

 

 

Q. OK, but quite honestly, how

can any of this strange stuff

help the real world?

 

 

A. Well, is it the so-called "real

world" who's asking this question,

or is it only the "you" who you

think you are that wants to know?

Your spiritual work lies in

discovering for whom this

question is arising. Remember, as

Ramana Maharshi has said, "The

answer to life's problems is to first

see who has them!"

 

 

Copyright 2000 by Chuck Hillig.

 

 

Chuck Hillig is the author of

Enlightenment for Beginners and

a state-licensed psychotherapist

in Ojai, California. He can be

reached at (805) 640-8825; email

to: blackdotpubs;

Web address:

www.blackdotpubs.com.