My previous post emphasized the fact that some realities, like being in love or the nondual state, cannot be fully understood conceptually but must instead be realized through direct experience. The eternal truths that the mystics arising from all the different religions have discovered buried beneath the layers of their consciousness and seated in the centers of their hearts have been strikingly similar with one another.
One can learn more about the parallels that exist in the experiences of the men and women who have sought to find truth/God/reality through the experiential means of meditation by studying the Perennial Philosophy. One such parallel in the conclusions of the mystics worldwide has been that Spirit (God/reality) is found within and to realize and encounter that reality we must shed ourselves of our egos and enter into a nondual state.
In Grace and Grit Ken Wilber and his late wife Treya Wilber discuss this aspect of the Perennial Philosophy as Ken is preparing for an important interview on the topic. During their discussion Treya says to Ken, "St. Paul said, 'I live, yet not I, but Christ in me.' You're saying that St. Paul discovered his true Self, which is one with Christ, and this replaced his old or lower self, his individual soul or psyche." Ken responds, "Yes. Your ruach, or ground is the Supreme Reality, not your nefesh, or ego. "
In Grace and Grit, Wilber states, "Spirit transcends all duality. But one discovers this by consistently looking within, until "within" becomes "beyond"....The individual self or ego is precisely what blocks the realization of the Supreme Identity in the first place."
When one seeks to enter the nondual state they are seeking to enter into the awareness of reality itself. To drop the ego and awaken oneself to what truly Is. I mentioned at the end of the post that there was a particular meditation that I found useful in helping me enter into and experience moments of awareness in the nondual state. I originally came across this meditation in Grace and Grit, and it was again repeated in the book I am currently reading Introducing Ken Wilber: Concepts for an Evolving World, by Lew Howard.
The following meditation is known as a disidentification meditation because it begins to help us disidentify from our egos. It aids us to perceive our egos as object rather than subject. It draws the meditator into a deeper awareness of Self. It is adapted from Roberto Assagioli, founder of Psychosynthesis, and used by Ken Wilber in a number of his books. I hope it leaves you inspired. If you decide to practice it please feel free to share your experiences. In the next post I will describe my own experiences and reflections, limited as they are, of entering into the nondual state.
I have a body, but I am not my body. I can see and feel my body, and what can be seen and felt is not the true Seer. My body may be tired or excited, sick or healthy, heavy or light, anxious or calm, but that has nothing to do with my inward I, the Witness. I have a body, but I am not my body.
I have desires, but I am not my desires. I can know my desires, and what can be known is not the true Knower. Desires come and go, floating through my awareness, but they do not affect my inward I, the Witness. I have desires, but I am not desires.
I have emotions, but I am not my emotions. I can feel and sense my emotions, and what can be felt and sensed is not the true Feeler. Emotions pass through me, but they do not affect my inward I, the Witness. I have emotions, but I am not emotions.
I have thoughts, but I am not my thoughts. I can see and know my thoughts, and what can be known is not the true Knower. Thoughts come to me and thoughts leave me, but they do not affect my inward I, the Witness. I have thoughts, but I am not my thoughts.
Then affirm as concretely as you can: I am what remains, a pure center of awareness, an unmoved Witness of all these thoughts, emotions, feelings, and sensations.
Lew Howard (2005-05-17). Introducing Ken Wilber:Concepts for an Evolving World (Kindle Locations 5404-5412). AuthorHouse. Kindle Edition.
Thoughts? I'd love to hear them! Please leave them in the Comments Section. Thank you!
