Awakening - The Complete Road Map - Step 4

Join us for a transformative series of talks exploring the journey of consciousness as it matures and blossoms into its fullest potential. Over the course of 10 sessions, we will delve into progressively advanced levels of maturity—beginning with a contracted sense of a separate self and culminating in a state of fully expanded awareness. In this session, we will discuss the fourth revelation a maturing consciousness reveals- The realization that I AM Awareness.

Transcript

So, Consciousness reaches that evolutionary stage where it realizes that the I that used to have a relationship with life is consciousness itself. Meaning it cannot generate an answer to the question, Who am I, When referring to external event anymore, Including I am not my story. I am not my thoughts and opinions. I am not the pile of beliefs I protect regarding what is true and false, What is good and bad, What I should do or shouldn't do, What other people should do and refrain from doing. All that I cannot use anymore. This is not who I am. Realizing that the identification I built to myself over the years, When referring to external event is just an illusion. It's not who I am. So here consciousness realizes, No, I am the consciousness itself. I am the awareness. And just like when we did and keep on doing in the beginning of every session, What you find there as awareness is stillness, Silence, Nothingness, Emptiness, Void, I don't know which other word to use, Knownness, There is nothing there. Beyond the realm of events there is just silence. What characterizes silence as opposed to a changing event? A changing event has a beginning, Therefore it has an end. The realm of phenomena is characterized by the fact that it is changing all the time. It begins and it ends, Every phenomena begins and it ends and changes for all the time. But consciousness does not belong to that realm, Meaning there is no change, There is no beginning and there is no end. Do you see that? Listen to those words, Not necessarily from your intellect, Listen with your heart. It's like a wake-up call for your heart. But consciousness realizes I don't belong to the realm of changing event. Consciousness does not start, Did not start any time in the past and will not end any time in the future. Therefore, It doesn't change. Consciousness is the is-ness of the present moment, Just like the skies beyond the clouds are always blue. It doesn't matter how black the clouds may be, It could be a sunny day or a rainy day or a stormy day, The skies are blue behind that, It's just a matter of how patient we are, The blue will be there. But it just hides behind the clouds, Same. Consciousness hides behind the changing events, Our eyes are focused on the changing events, Hypnotized by it. But when you are patient enough or mature enough, You are able to recognize stillness that hides behind the changing events. That is your new identity at this point of evolution of consciousness. I am that stillness, I am that silence. Another beautiful thing that happens once that realization is awakened is that life cannot be intimidating anymore. The context of the way we allow ourselves to meet life and engage with life is devoid of fear altogether. Think about it. The eternal cannot be intimidated by the temporary. It's not possible. The temporary lives with an innate sense of doom, Because doom is coming to the event. Doom is coming, Yes. Everything that started must end. Everything that goes up must come down. Everything that was born will die. And that innate sense of doom is there always in every phenomena, Conscious or unconscious. But when you realize yourself to be consciousness itself that doesn't begin and doesn't end, How can you be afraid anymore? Do you see what I'm saying? That's a natural outcome of that realization at this point of the whole journey. As I say, Like the theater hall cannot be intimidated by the play that is currently being played on the stage. That's an easy explanation. Once you realize you are not the show, You are not the play, You are not the characters running left and right, Metaphor, Thanks, You're not those characters running, You're not a part of that drama. This is all just a play. It's a game. It's not real, Not in the sense of a valid answer to the question, Who am I? It's just a game, Play. Sometimes it's a funny play, Sometimes it's sad, Sometimes terrible tragedy. So what? The theater hall? How can the theater hall be intimidated by what kind of play is being played at this moment? Do you see what I'm saying? Realizing that I am eternity. I am eternity. I was never born and I can never die. I am consciousness that holds everything, Embraces everything, Allows everything. Allows it to be born and to die and to be experienced in that short period that it exists. I am that space of consciousness within life exists, Physical life, On the physical realm. But I don't belong to that life. I am eternity. Waking up to that realization is the fifth step. What do you say? Questions. I'm wondering, Where does this meet you? Hearing these words, Hearing that invitation. Do share. Otherwise, I'm feeling I'm sitting here talking to myself, Which makes me feel like a village idiot. Baba is asking, So consciousness has no form? All the forms are included in consciousness. Consciousness itself has no form. Just like space. Space has no form, But it holds all the matter and energy in it, Right? Same. Consciousness has no form. It holds all the forms. It allows all the forms to exist. Panda is asking, I was overwhelmed when I was watching the news. So instead of avoiding it, Are you saying we should just accept it but not make it a part of us? Accepting it is the inevitable first step out of misery, Out of suffering. Because reality is going to happen, And whether you accept it or not. The present moment doesn't care if you accept it or reject it. It's going to happen. It's not asking for your opinion. What you do with the present moment is your own thing, Your own agenda. The same alternative is always to accept. Accept people and situations as they are. Realizing present moment is inevitable. But in order to do that, You have to be in the present moment. You see how it works? Be in the present moment. Realize present moment is inevitable. So accept people and situations as they are. And then you choose what you want to do with that. But you do it because you accept, Not because you reject. You do it not because you hate or you're afraid. You do it because you love. You love the opportunity to experience. Experience what? Experience that. And now you go change the world out of love, Not out of fear and suffering. So accepting is definitely the first step out of misery. These steps are a prequel to our journey. If you are blinded by fear and by stress and by suffering, Blinded by opposing ideas, Blinded by the drama, You are not even available to make the first step. So definitely. You can listen to the recordings on my Insight Timer page about how to deal with suffering. There are many, Many, Many talks available for you. Please do that. Don't be lazy. Commit yourself. I want to grow beyond suffering. And the tools are there. The path is laid. You just need to start working on it. And regarding the second part of your question, Accept it, Yes, But not make it a part of us. It is a part of you, Whether you like it or not. You are part of that. Separation is artificial. They cannot be true separation. You are that. But that I needs to be redefined. That I belong to the eternity. And eternity cannot be intimidated by the temporary. So whatever is happening, I embrace it. I love it. I experience it with a whole heart and a willing soul. Why? Because this is what is happening right now. That's it. And it cannot destroy me, Whatever it is. So there's no need to protect myself against life anymore. I am the consciousness that allows that to be experienced. Mm-hmm. Do you see what I'm saying? Tony is saying, I am aware of consciousness and aware of being distracted. Good, Good. It means that you still live in a human body. Next time you're aware that you're distracted, Just have a quick laugh and come back to the remembrance. Oh, I once was blind, But now I see. Temporarily blind. What else? Enough for today? Last chance. Last call. Last round. The way of saying, I think of I as my ego. Did you say to redefine I as eternity? It's a tricky question because it's not a matter of definition. It's not you defining, Okay, So I am eternity. What does it mean? Well, It's just an idea. You know, A beautiful idea, A spiritual idea. It's just an idea and a concept. Don't put your energy on trying to redefine concepts. The truth hides behind the concept. No concept can hold the truth. Let go of concepts, Of ideas. Ideas have no power. Wake up to realize that. Oh, Aha, Miranjana. Of course, I am that. For a lack of a better word. Hmm? You see what I'm saying, Debra? That moment of awakening has got nothing to do with the ideas you have about it. Concepts. It actually prevents awakening because you're stuck on some idea, Waiting for reality to conform with your ideas. Manishest, Your ideas. Ah, I know what enlightenment is. Let's wait so reality will show me that it meets my ideas. Then I know I'm enlightened. I guarantee it will never happen. Because you're pre-consumed with concepts and ideas. You're not available at all. Yeah, Drop them. You just allow grace to replace your intellect. Next week we're going to discuss the next step consciousness achieves as it matures towards a complete awakening. So don't miss it. And bring your friends. The more we are here, The greater the energy is. And all of us benefit, Including consciousness itself. So, Ah, Homework, Don't forget. Use this week. Practice. Practice what? Practice, Invite that opportunity to experience stillness in the midst of noise. Experience the non-changing as everything else is changing. Just sit there. Be there. Invite that. Meet eternity in the midst of changing events. Meet eternity as an expression of yourself. Invite that. Sit with that intention. What might help is if you search for this guided meditation in my Insight Timer page that is called Self. I am Self. Practice that. OK? Don't be lazy. Search for it and practice it. And I'll see you again here next week. Yes. Goodbye. Thank you very much. Love you. Hello, Dear people. Welcome. To another unique opportunity we give ourselves to stop the rush. Hold hands and walk the path together. Not just as individuals, But also as a united consciousness that is asking and answering itself. And while doing that, It evolves. So your questions are part of this event. This is the driving force, Actually. So don't hold back. Ask. Share your concerns, Your doubts, Whatever feels like a burden. Lay it off your back into the circle. That's what the circle is designed to do. Help you become lighter and freer. OK, So let's review where we are and what we've done so far. We are in the middle of a journey that is courageously trying to describe the path that an awakened consciousness is going through as it matures. And the idea behind that description is to create a coherent and accessible way forward. Because, You know, Spirituality can be very confusing and up for interpretation. And people easily get lost and lose interest because of that. Yeah, Sorry, I forgot to mention that Carly, Our beloved Carly, Is not here physically next to me, But on the digital realm she is. So once that road map is laid in front of us, Our journey can be much more oriented and our energy and intention can be much more directed and clear. Therefore, The journey itself can become much more effective. That's the idea behind this series of talks. So we slowly, Step by step, Describe what happens to consciousness as it evolves. And it's also an opportunity for you to check where you are on this. And sometimes, You know, You find that you've been carried away to somewhere else and you just want to remind yourself, No, No, This is the most important thing for me. I want to come back to the path. Orient my life, Orient my sankalpa, My laser point attention to that. And sometimes, You know, We do one step forward and two step backwards. It's okay. As long as the path is there, Clear for you, You can decide how fast, How deep down the rabbit hole do you want to go. So let's review quickly what we've done so we can be available to discuss the fifth step that we are going to discuss today. It starts with the sparking of that longing within us. To the longing to understand the deeper meaning of life. To realize the truth behind the illusion. As we realize that the life that we've lived so far are not satisfactory for many reasons. It could be, You know, Just dealing with the hardships of life or dealing with loss or illness. It could be because we are inspired by a conversation we had a spiritual teacher or reading a book or we had a mystical vision or life can give us many opportunities for that spark to lit. Point is that it is lit now and we are not ignoring that calling anymore. So our energy, Our intention is now directed according to that calling. That's the first step. Without that, A true journey cannot really begin. And assuming all of us have heard the calling, Otherwise you won't be there here tonight or this morning, Wherever you are. We can start discussing what happens after recognizing that spark. So the first step consciousness is doing as soon as it leaves the cage in which it was operating until this point, Is the realization that the realm of phenomena has no power. And specifically thoughts have no power. And we develop the ability to observe and meet those phenomena without believing, Without identifying, Without being manipulated by the drama it suggests. And that's the doorway to a huge space of freedom. That was not accessible until now. We were hypnotized by events, By thoughts, Ideas, Opinions. And there was no freedom because we reacted automatically to them, Identifying with them, Reacting automatically to them. So just that, Realizing that thoughts have no power is already a huge step forward. The first step forward. You can stop me anytime in this description if something is not clear. And then the second step is a new kind of alignment between our body and the physical reality that we meet. So we are finally able to be present, Truly present. Because usually we were blinded by our ideas and opinions and thoughts and determining for us what we are looking at and what kind of a relationship we should have with that. So free from that hold that thought had on us, We are finally available to be present, Truly present. And there is a new kind of alignment because the body is now physically available to meet the present moment. And express that meeting with no agenda, With no preconception. Think about it. How many times you've met reality with no authenticity because you're so preoccupied with preconceptions, With past impressions, With stress accumulated in your body because of the history of your story. Stress that got nothing to do with the present moment. That didn't require stress at all. But you are just stressed because everything you've been through, Right? That is evaporating at the second stage. We are now available to be truly present for the first time. Yes? No questions? I'm rushing forward. So at this stage, Next stage is what we can call total listening or whole listening. What is whole listening? It's the ability to be present physically, Emotionally, Mentally, Spiritually. Be present with no reaction. With no reaction because we realize that nothing out there can truly harm us. Nothing out there can truly destroy us. Up till that point, Meeting reality came with automatic, Inevitable, Two kinds of reactions, Either craving or aversion. Either I want that, That's good, I want more of that, Or I'm holding on to that so it won't go away. Protecting it because it's mine, Hoping that life will lead me to it. Will not take it away from me. Or trying to avoid it because it's bad, I don't want it. Trying to manipulate reality so I won't be required to deal with it. Yes, Craving and aversion, Craving and aversion. Automatically reacting to what we meet. And there is no freedom there. So at this fourth stage, Consciousness goes through. Those automatic reactions are evaporating. And for the first time, We are able to truly, Totally listen. Meet the present moment with no reaction. Pleasant or unpleasant, Painful or pleasurable, Just be there, Meet it, No judgment, No preconception. Free from any type of intimidation. That's a quick review of what we've done so far. Questions? Either everything is 100% understood or nothing is understood. Okay, So, Silly thing, Starting to feel what you've said. I've said many things, What specifically didn't you? Do share. So, We are now making another step forward. What happens to consciousness at this evolutionary stage is that consciousness starts to ask who is experiencing all that. Up till now, It was always in the context of relationship. Me and my thoughts. Me and my opinions. Me and my ideas. My ideas. Me and my body and the way my body meets reality. Me and my ability to be this or that. There is always a context of relationship. Me and whatever is being experienced and the way it's being experienced. My will to be free. Yeah? Me and mind. Me and mind. At this point, Consciousness is vacant enough to start reflecting on this question, Who is experiencing all that? What is that? That associated all these experiences to itself and generated some kind of identity around it. And then the realization of this step comes. You can call it in one sentence. I am awareness. I am that awareness. That awareness that met all these events and all the opinions and thoughts and ideas about that event. I am the awareness that met that. It's just like what we did in the beginning of the session where the focus of attention turns away from the realm of phenomena. All the things that happens and face itself for the first time. You see how naturally, Organically, This is inevitable. As soon as the realm of phenomena loses its charm, Loses its power, And we don't need, We don't feel we need to either protect ourselves against it or try to cling on to it. Because we realize it has no power. Then we are more and more available to self-reflect. We don't need the flashlight to point outward all the time in case something terrible is happening and we need to keep alert. Something terrible like being taken away from me or not fulfilling the promise of providing what I need. Because the realm of phenomena has no power. Now I'm more available to redirect the energy of observation back towards the observer. And the observer realizes for the first time, I am that, I am consciousness, I am awareness that met all of this. Not just as an idea, A philosophical idea or a spiritual idea, But truly realizing, Aha, This is what I am. And this realization leads to a few more that I will describe in a minute. But let's read your questions. Celia is saying, Have a conversation and try to stay authentic and natural, Neutral in your feeling. This is what he feels like following what I said. Okay, And T is saying, I practiced this week, Thoughts have no power. Worked out, I kept forgetting and becoming unconscious again. Yeah, It worked, But I kept forgetting and becoming unconscious again. You know, That is inevitable. Don't be frustrated. Don't judge yourself too harshly that you've been forgetting. It's a part of the pulse of life. We forget, And then we remember, And then we forget, And then we remember. It's inevitable. It means that we are alive. We are human. Yeah, So just see that once you realize that you forgot, You're already awake. No? Because it's like waking up from a dream. Oh, No, This is not real. I was just dreaming. You can only know that when you're awake. So how to forget less and remember more? Debra is pleading me to remind you, Guys, Keep the four S's alive, Alive in your daily lives. Seva, Satsang, Sadhana and Sadguru. Four S's. Seva is a consciousness of service, An attitude of service. Okay? You just ask. Keep asking. What can I do for you? Random acts of kindness. More and more. Do that. Artificially, If needed. Doesn't matter. You just do that. Ask people around you. Find people that suffer more than you do. Help them. Service. That's the first thing. And then Satsang, Which is surround yourself with people that helps you grow. Inspires you. Like we do now. This is Satsang. What we do now is Satsang. And if possible, Physically, Where you live, Find a group of people that are on the path and join that. And if it doesn't exist, Create one. Doesn't matter. Three, Four, Five, Forty, A hundred people. Doesn't matter. Go there. Two, Three times a week. Be together. Hold hands. People can help you. Remind you what is most important to you. And inspire you to stay on the path. Sadhana is the practice. Daily practice. Again and again and again. You remind yourself who are you and what is most important thing for you. And the last is Sadguru, The teacher. The teacher that is there as a lighthouse for you. Shedding light on your path inspires you to keep on expanding more and more. Find the teacher. Surrender to the teacher. It could be in the form of a human body or some other source of inspiration for you. So, Once you keep those four pillars steady and stable in your life, Seva, Satsang, Sadhana, Sadguru, You'll see you will forget less and remember more. Okay? Jai Gurudev. And I tell you, It all boils down to one question. How important it is to you? Is it more important than anything else? Is it more important than gaining what you believe you don't have and you need? Is it more important than protecting what you believe you don't have? What you believe you already have and you don't want to lose it? Is it more important than staying hidden deep within your comfort zone? That's the secret. How important is it to you? When it becomes the most important thing, That's it. Nothing can stop you. Nothing. Guaranteed. But you have to ask yourself, How important is it to me? Okay, Let's go back to the journey, Shall we?