I Am Awareness, BUT ... - 2nd May 2019
Saar (Essence)
Ananta guides seekers to abandon the 'seeker identity' by letting go of conceptual boxes and the 'I am awareness, but...' trap. He emphasizes that liberation is found in effortless, notionless existence right now.
The 'me' that wants to juggle awareness and worldly life is a made-up entity that only causes suffering.
Nothing stands in the way of your liberation except being more interested in other things.
In your notionless existence, you are already as free as the greatest sage you can imagine.
intimate
Transcript
This transcript is auto-generated and may contain errors.
Namaste and welcome everyone to satsang today. Satguru Sri Mooji Baba ki Jai. Questions, everyone? Is good? Either you're good or you have a question. Okay, good.
Just when we were making tea, someone said, 'Oh, I'm a semi-dry knowledge of being.' See, I don't have to have any knowledge of anything, actually. In that moment, all the knowledge that's necessary for whatever needs to be is just created in that instant. You showed us the thing, the dream I have of a past and you know... see, I don't know. Yes, something just struck me. It's kind of shocking, actually. Even like when you hear computer sounds, only that's who's making up this other sound? Everything, you know, it was just being made up, basically.
Okay, so let me give some context to those who haven't seen it. After satsang the other day, I shared with everyone—and you can also find on YouTube—this effect called the McGurk effect. M-C-G-U-R-K effect. So, what happens in the McGurk effect is that in the recording, the sound is 'bah, bah, bah, bah.' That is the only sound which is playing. But what happens is, when the video shows the lips moving 'fah, fah, fah,' it feels like you're actually hearing 'fah, fah, fah.' And even if you know about this effect and how it works, you still hear 'fah, fah, fah.' You see? There is no sound 'fah, fah, fah' if you're not looking at the screen. If you're not looking at the video, there is no sound 'fah, fah, fah.' So I was asking: Where is the sound? Where is the sound 'fah'?
He says the sound 'fah' is in me, but it still seemed like you heard it from outside. It seemed like you heard it from the computer. If you ask which direction the sound is coming from, you say it is coming from there, and yet where was it? Only inside you. So this boundary that we say, 'in me' and 'outside me,' is just conceptual. We can say, 'Okay, that is an effect, that is an illusion, so therefore I just make a mistake,' you see, and I hear the sound. But if the sound 'fah' can be there inside you but can seem like it's coming from outside, then what about the sound 'bah' itself? This sound that you're hearing now, this voice—at least we cannot confirm for certain. And that not confirming, that not knowing conceptually, makes us open. And this openness is needed. This openness is needed.
Otherwise, we are so convinced that we are just tiny objects in this tiny object of a world. Then, if you are convinced about that and we want to fit spirituality into that box of what you already think you're convinced about, then that is the seeker identity who is struggling to fit God into yourself. Once you let go of these bonds of all that you cannot truly confirm but seem to have confirmed, if you just let go of that box, you see that God is all there is. You don't even have to use the term 'all.' So, as a seeker, if you are not trying to fit everything into the box of our understanding, what is left? You're not trying to do anything for a moment, not trying to get something, not even trying to let go of something. Nothing. What is left of the seeker if you didn't have to struggle with anything at all now?
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And the point I want to give you is that don't presume what this is, what you're left with. You also put that into a mental box. If you put that into a mental box, then it'll be like, 'Okay, I've tried this before, I have done this, I've seen that this is something, this world or something is all that is.' Still too much presumption. Be empty of any notions about what 'we' means as well. To be empty is to be.
Then, Father, when it comes to key and immediate decisions in practical life, even when I try to surrender or observe, I find it too difficult. I find it difficult to disentangle myself from the decision-making process, though I see that eventually some action happens. How do I escape from suffering and confusion in the process?
It's the same. Like, there are key and immediate decisions. Step back then. Let those happen. Be the decision-maker. Make all the choices, evaluate everything, do it, finish it off. But then once it's done, then come back to your emptiness. Because otherwise, what can happen is that this struggle—'But why can't I disengage?'—when I have the important decision to make, all of that will just perpetuate. So if it feels like there's something I can't disengage with, I have to meet it in this way, then finish it, do it. But then after it is done with, then don't pick up guilt, remorse, pride. Don't worry so much about the outcome. And as this openness increases more and more and more, then the temptation to become personal with anything will also reduce more and more and more.
A good example is to look at it this way: Right now you're here in satsang. That means there is no immediate decision at least to be made. So in this satsang, you have the immediate opportunity to be empty and to discover your true self. But the mind creates this drunk card about, 'But what happens when I have these decisions to make?' So then even now we get caught up in that which is past and future, and in this way, you can just perpetuate. Now we say that the struggle is when these decisions come and I have to make this decision. Okay, so the rest of the time, if you are open, if you are effortless and natural the rest of the time, that is enough. The mind plays upon the idea of a problem. The truth has never had any problem. The mind plays upon the idea that there is this problem, but the truth has never had any.
I need to come up, my dear. Not that I'm good, I'm going to move. There was no noise. I just say anyway, I just said I need to come up at least once in a while because, you know, something is just building up. You know, when I don't show myself, just showing myself is already enough. And I wanted to... what just came up with what you said with this McGurk effect or whatever, something similar or relating to that was happening yesterday when some memories were coming up. And I was looking at the memories and thinking that they felt so strange because I wanted to look for the source of the memories and I could not find anything like memories like that. And I felt it was pretty much the same like you said in the beginning. There was the memory, but there's just actually only now, right now. There's just no time as such. And I was only... where does it come from, you know? There's just no answer to anything, actually. And that was so, so, so... yeah, just like falling, you know? It's falling. Nothing has a cause, like you said the other day. We had this cause-and-effect question, and it is actually not like we think it is, because it is something else.
To think about these things in the experience of it... with memory, we end up relying on it so much to provide so much of this reality. But it's so strange, it's so unreliable also, because how many moments of yesterday do we actually remember? One in a hundred? How many moments from yesterday? So there's so many thousands of moments, we just remember a little bit. And that also, we are not certain that that's how it happened. It happens in every discussion, repeating every event in life, that everybody who is there remembers it in a different way. Like sometimes I've seen twins actually speaking, and one twin is saying, 'But when we were younger, this is how it happened,' and the other is saying, 'What are you saying? I was there, of course not, this is not what happened.'
So this memory is very unreliable. And as we are questioning the nature of experience itself—like we're questioning that sound which everyone heard but it wasn't actually there—then what can we say about the experience itself? And memory is just the claim that 'I have the repository of my past experiences.' But you never met the past, actually. Think about this. Do you think about that yesterday, or are they just images that appear in your now? Is there a past which is moving forward into the future? If that is so, then there is no past. Is there a future that is coming here now to die into the past? Then also there is no past. All these become... when we take into these presumptions of being limited in time and space, then they become the narrative of the mind. And I ask you: What is here now? What do you hear as now? The way you know, don't be scared of this question. Don't be scared to leave the mask of separation aside. Don't be scared if it feels like jumping into a void of yourself, because what you may call void, I may call light, more than light.
Father, due to events, there is strong fear and panic. Yes, I am aware, but a desire for these to pass keeps the identification alive. Please say a few words of clarity.
Let's see. So now what happens is that many times we take this mythical position. On one hand, as an option for us, is awareness, and on the other hand, the option for us is person. And then this mythical one keeps juggling. 'Yes, yes, this is awareness, yes, this is like that now.' So when we say that, 'Yes, I'm aware, but...'—anytime we see this tip for everyone and we say, 'I am aware, but,' know that you've taken a position like that. A position that is trying to be beyond even awareness. You're saying, 'This is this for me, and also there is that.' For reality, there is nothing but that itself.
I can repeat again, this is a very important point. If you find ourselves saying, 'I am awareness, but,' then notice that there is some... it's like another mental position that we are taking which wants to make the mind beyond even awareness and say, 'Yes, awareness is there, but also this is happening to me.' And the 'me' to which it is happening is definitely not awareness. So you made this mythical position so strong which is saying that awareness is this, and yet this is what my life is like. Isn't it? So the antidote to this, the way to get around this mind trick, is to say: Who is aware of this awareness? Who is making the claim that 'I am awareness'? And is it the one that is saying, 'I am aware, but'? Who can come to this recognition, 'I am aware'?
In fact, you typed out the 'but' in capital letters, no? So this 'but' is a desire for the identification to pass. But if you are awareness, then what is your desire? In a way, the mind tries to compartmentalize even awareness and say, when we say 'I am aware,' actually saying, 'Yes, actually there is awareness, but also where is this?' But who are you? So don't let the mind create these compartments. You check: Why? If you say that 'I am awareness,' is there anybody after that? In reality, are there any events for this one? And maybe we shouldn't say 'this one,' we should say 'you.' Are there any events for you? Once you realize that awareness is your name, if awareness is your name, does any desire belong to you? Does any event happen to you?
But now, what is this? 'I am awareness, but...' We used to play this game, no? 'I am awareness, but why don't I get it? I am awareness, but why do I keep forgetting it? I am awareness, but why am I so dumb? I am awareness, but when will the identification go?' Whatever favorite reason why 'I am awareness, but...' 'Why can't I stay as it? I am awareness, but then what am I still doing in satsang?' I read, but I keep losing the other topics. It's knowing that we would add that to this 'I am awareness, but me is trying to get it.' It's very rare that effortlessness comes because in effortlessness, it is this easy. So it is not that it is very rare that it comes effortlessly; actually, it is very rare for effortlessness to come, it seems. In your effortlessness, this is apparent to you. Actually, struggle is our play of pretending to be not that we are. Suffering and struggle is just our play of pretending to be not that. And stop this way. How to stop this play? Stop asking how. Stop it. Stop. This is the lovely 'but.' So stop in this moment. No, at least it again, we'll see again without making it... you see yourself as a beautiful example. 'I can stop now, but it can come again.' So now, is it a good idea then that because...
Effortlessness in your foot when you are effortless—this is apparent to you. Actually, a struggle is our play of pretending to be not that we are. Suffering, a struggle, is just our play of pretending to be not that. Stop this way. How to stop this play? Stop asking how. Stop it. Stop. This is the lovely city, but so stop in this moment. No, at least it again, we'll see again without making it see. You see yourself as a beautiful example. I can stop now, but it can come again. So now, is it a good idea then that because when you come again, I don't even stop now? Trixie takes out the wine and they charge you. Who is a trainee reality? The words are spellings and spellings contain spells. Wait, what's in this hypnosis? Oh, you can be free now, but it'll—I'll come back again. And there go, there may thought you mean free now. If you're hungry and you have a buffet in front of you, then will you not eat it because you say, 'Okay, but I will be hungry tomorrow again'? But this is what the mind sells to us. I want the truth, but I know I can get it now, but what about the me which will be there tomorrow? How to help that one who doesn't exist? You are the truth now. That's all I can show you. I want the truth. Here it is. But no, no, I want it for the one who will be there tomorrow. So how to help that non-existent one? Should I help the one who's here now? The one will be that one then you will like that one come. Can you go? The one that needs to be helped, let me meet that one. So the one that is here now, you go and being the one who will be here tomorrow, you've come to it out there. In this right now, I'm fine, but give me some medicine for diseases I may have tomorrow. I'm just saying for you, but this is a general tendency we have. All we have this tendency to say is, is actually, and all this I've seen this many times in the past, so therefore I won't like—I've eaten that first every day or have eaten food every day, so I don't need to eat to be. The tricks that the mind has are actually very, very doin idle. If the mind came to you like a child in front of you and you have that objectivity, then you would laugh at it. But because we seem to lose objectivity when it comes to this voice inside our heads. So if somebody came to Hari and said, 'Oh Hari Ji, right now I seem to be free, you see, I'm fine, but can you help me for the one tomorrow?'
Nice. Realities like flavors. That's right. I don't know, was that actually no live magnet are visibly more or less? So you can just cry, cry, cry if you start there candy and you can put them back something else and they have to be forward. So can we say it is more or less? I will say it is more spontaneous. It is fine. Lots of Jacqueline. Okay. Father, could you please talk on this ability? Harada school. Nothing stands in the way of your liberation and it can happen here and now, but for your being more interested in other things.
Yes, you said it all, no? Basically, one time, one man—this reminded me of this conversation, beautiful convict in terms the easy offer up you type in summers sneezing. So at one time this man came, he sat in front of Papaji and said, 'Ah, when I'm at your feet everything is okay, is it everything is with you, but when I go into the marketplace of the world, how do we find?' So Papaji told him—I'm sorry, phrasing again—he said being at the Master's feet does not mean being here physically. It means to be surrendered to him. And if you are surrendered to him, then no trouble can ever come. But you actually to your surrender, but you tied yourself already with the rope from outside. It then pulls you back again into that. So he said to him, 'All these stories will not help you.' So once you're at the Master's feet, then no marketplace, no outside, because these feet don't have—the Satguru's presence does not have a boundary. So it's very direct what Maharaj meant. And sometimes it's important to be direct like that. And that's why I say truth for truth's sake. If we are in this so that we can get something out of it, besides just theorizing what is true, then that is also in that category of interested in the other things. So how does this play out actually? He said nothing stands in the way of your liberation and it can happen here and now. So nothing stands in the way of your liberation is beautiful. Nothing stands in the way of your liberation; that means you are free now. But there is a way to play as if you are unfree, and you play that by being interested in other things. And what are these other things? Are ideas which the mind is bringing to you, that meaning to your own ideas about your own freedom. So this is like I keep saying, like the seeker is also very, very individualized because the seeker wants to do this my way. And it happens inevitably and somebody says, 'Okay,' like the other day it happens, yeah, 'Father, can you take me through the inquiry?' So I said, 'Who are you?' You know? Sweet conversation. There's a spontaneous, but it was fun to watch cheesy because we will take me something buddy and not like this. But I was thinking that we will have it this way or that. We still have like this attached to an idea of how it should happen for us. So how I am going to get there and how I will do it. And that is when I came in front of my Master physically, then life had already beaten out most of this stuff. I tried every way, like my way was this way, this way, this way. Now something it already opened up very much. So I was just like, 'Please help me even with the first question.' You now, if you hear this and on hearing this you feel like, 'Okay, this can be my way now,' and that is still not it. That's the way to do it. I just go and say, 'Okay, you only tell me the questions,' maybe something like that. But then that is already become a step. It is already become my way. Something becomes very open and in the openness you don't need to hear anything actually. It is just something brings you to that point of openness and you are. This is apparently when you open the divine presence and already apparent is it. Sometimes you might have the physical form of the Master in front of you or you may not have. That is not the critical part. The critical part is to let go of this maybe. So you may say like using some time ago, 'But how to let go when the mind saw me remind you it?' Okay, already that then you let go. Then we say again, 'But how to let go?' No, Master say, 'Okay, then.' Then if you say again, 'But how to let go?' then the Master may say, 'Okay, this ask yourself who you are. Ask yourself Allah.' Or the Master makes a just whatever comes let it be the Satguru's problem. The other simple thing is there are being spoken Jesus as you want to come on an idea I don't now he meant there's so much energy is that pile up here and I only ready wrote something on ha ha ha and I think it's all connected in a way human the thing that I hear you but I don't see your video and you know hey.
Okay, whatever done hard at ha and I feel that in addition to that I feel that there's so much energy piling up here since a few days and it's of course this rigid resistance that I feel everywhere around me. Everything I plan is and there is always an invitation to fight again and I notice fighting so well. And when I'm not fighting, the other thing that how I react is to let go and leave it all by itself and this is this also fear that right? So I don't know where we have to go you know. It is difficult for me to for example like being with with the purity of our ma of my son if I'm not if I'm not fighting the other part I choose is to let go completely and this does also feel right. So I'm I don't know how this works and on the other hand I see I see with all these findings it doesn't matter which issue it is I I can observe this so well this and this stuff doesn't fit anymore into this life. I feel it is like a call-and-response thing that I can see so well. I hope you understand what I mean. So I'm the other on one hand I don't know how to how to deal with it in practical life and on the other hand I see it's so obvious that it there's only space. I hope you understand what I mean.
So there are two apparent positions. One is the fight, fight, fight, I do this. The second is a let go, let go, let go. The other the same way to say this again is the whole struggle, struggle and the space isn't. Now if it is not clear what I am going to say now, we—I want to continue this conversation with you. But what I want to say firstly is that what if one of these was not in opposition to the other? In the sense that the space that you recognize yourself to be, within that how this body-mind functions is it the space is fully open to that, you see? Is it not like this? So because you are recognizing the space in which this body-mind functioning is happening, does it necessarily mean that this body should just sit on the bed and meditate already? So it does not define that. It is not opposed to that also if that is how it unfolds. Now when you see yourself as this space—and I'm hoping that it's not a space which is three-dimensional, not like a space with length, breadth, and height, but a subtler space and you can tell me about this—but when you see it yourself as this space of being, let's call it music, then do you find that there's a mechanism for through which it is doing like with intent these actions? Maybe it is deciding, 'Okay, it was it should only move like this,' or do these actions just seem to unfold within it in a very natural way? And the action can be any type of action, is that it? So this dilemma that there are two ends of the spectrum when you have to pick one is making you suffer. When you see yourself and as you are seeing yourself to be what you are, then it is not a dilemma because in that there is so much openness that everything is allowed. So in one moment you're being the mother who's concerned about the puberty, in another moment you—and when I see you are, I'm still talking about the functioning of the body-mind within this space that you speak of. So sometimes this is functioning this way, sometimes it is functioning that way, and that space is not even concerned about the outcome of these apparent actions of the body-mind. This is a talk like this. So it is not really a decision that you have to make that, 'Should I be this fighter or should I be the letting go one?' As you let go, as you let go, you will find that there are times where the body-mind can still fight. So until you're taking a making position, until making yourself conceptually into 'I do this or that,' when you remain open and spacious like you said, music, then all these apparent movements can come.
I understand what you mean and the thing is when I'm in daily life I know about that space but this stuff is acting out you know and I see this space sees how how ridiculous this is in a way and doesn't judge it in another way and but it's anyhow acting out. I'm fighting with this boy, I'm fighting with this one. So what to do in this in this situation then?
Okay, this is very good and I want to reiterate, I want to re-emphasize that if I gave a little earlier notice that every time you see 'I am aware' or you see 'I am the space' or 'I see this space,' but then notice that you've already made yourself something other than that. Because that space, that awareness, that witnessing, that truth, it does not have that 'but.' So when we try to juggle as a limited entity these two ends of the spectrum, which is one is pure awareness and the other end is a very limited sort of position, using that one who's trying to juggle these two is bound to suffer. In fact, that is suffering. So instead of checking that, 'Okay, is there this space or not?' because then it is objectified even that space and says, 'Yes, there it is, there we must keep checking,' but who am I in this? What am I in this? So as we check on this, then we see that when we say 'I am aware' or 'I am awareness,' then it is impossible to put a 'but' after that actually. I'm not but I'm not willing to listen you. I'm just giving all of us a tip to check because our mind will tell us the story as awareness is there, but what about me? In a way it may not sound like—
Okay, is there this space or not? Because then even that space is objectified. And one says, 'Yes, there it is, there it is.' We must keep checking. But who am I in this? What am I in this? So as we check on this, then we see that when we say 'I am aware' or 'I am awareness,' then it is impossible to put a 'but' after that. Actually, I'm not... but I'm not willing to listen to you. I'm just giving all of us a tip to check, because our mind will tell us the story, 'Yes, awareness is there, but what about me?' In a way, it may not sound like that is what it's saying, but that's exactly what it's saying: 'Yes, awareness is there, but what about me?'
So the 'me' seems to come out of even the inquiry in this unskilled fashion, saying, 'Oh, that was nice.' So it is not like this. To see that I am aware or I am awareness, then there is no little 'me' there. Now, that 'me' we just made up. So the one who wants to juggle between awareness and worldly lives is the made-up entity which is just suffering. It's here to muddy the waters. The one who says 'I am awareness, but what about this and that' is basically saying 'I am awareness, but what about me?' This means the same 'me' that was left behind in the inquiry seems to make a reappearance, saying, 'That was a very nice thing we did, very good. Now, what does this mean for me?'
And some fear can come with this because this is coming to our defenselessness, you see? This is coming to our defenselessness because we become so open that whatever is, just is, is allowed. And to the mind, that can seem scary and it can feel like a loss of control. But it is only the loss of that little mythical 'me.' It was never there anyway. If you like, we used to do this together. If you remember, we say, 'What does the I represent?' And then one time, Omkara told me very beautifully, 'It's just I.' But I another... using 'I' but now what about the 'me'?
So that is why—and I'm remembering Omkara as I see this—that in some satsang it came to me and then I was calling it the ninja sword or something. That who is aware of this awareness? When we say 'I am aware,' then we say also, 'Who is aware of this awareness?' And I said, 'This is my ninja sword which I want to offer.' And then for some days I was saying it like that. Then I told Omkara that I've been so stupid; I realized that ninjas don't have swords. It's samurais who were swordsmen. Ninjas use anything. But anyway, the main point is that when we come to this conclusion 'I am aware,' it is good to ask: 'Who is this I who is aware?'
Then that dichotomy, that possibility to carry the lingering 'me' out of the inquiry, is not really there. Because when we say, 'Yes, yes, I am aware, but this is what to do about this,' then that 'I' is no longer representing awareness. It is representing the 'me' which we don't find. So now, in the same way like you say that 'I am aware'—I don't remember exactly what you said—but 'I am aware, but this...' Whatever the content of the 'but' might be, ask yourself: 'Who is the I who is aware?' None of us should try to be the ones who are juggling awareness and person. That is the supreme sufferer. It may not seem that way because sometimes the mind will try to say, 'I can get a handle on this awareness on one side and there is this me on one side.' You can't. You just can't do it.
When you come to the truth of what you are, then you see that the positions of these opposites are just not real. This is not opposed to anything. Every aspect of the play of the body-mind has always been its play anyway. What seems to switch is that the main mode of the play seems to switch out of this suffering mode into openness. So when you notice that there is... okay, what is the final tip? The tip is that when you notice that you are able to see these things like 'I am aware, but...' or 'I see the space, but something...' and you still have the ability to believe something like that, ask yourselves: 'Who is aware of that? Who is aware of awareness? Who is the I who is aware of awareness?' Thank you, my dear.
If I ask you something? Yes, yes. Can you talk about this resistance, please, that is all over here? I mean, maybe I think this is... I feel it is something like a mirror that you were talking about, this fight, the 'I' and 'me' and whatever. And maybe this is a mirror just around me. That's why it is so immense now. Is that why? Because it wants to show me that?
Yes, that's one way to look at it. But sometimes... okay, tell me something. Tell me what is happening in another way. Don't use the term 'resistance' because resistance is also something that we learned in satsang. So what is happening? Tell me in another way. Maybe like explaining to a child what is happening to you.
Explaining to a child is quiet. Nothing is happening the way I want it.
Yes, yes, yes! But this happens to me all the time as a child. Is that resistance, Auntie? You just said it happens to me. Yeah, that's all I said. You said that's what I'm facing, and that's all I heard. Maybe you said something before that, but you said, 'Nothing is happening the way I wanted to.' And I look at my child life and I say, 'But I wanted so much candy here. I wanted not to go to school. I wanted so many things.' But none of it is happening. So is that what you mean? Then both of us are having the same resistance. The topic is different, but the topic is different. I have resistance to... I don't want to go to school, I want just chocolate, I don't want to eat any green vegetables, you see? And now you seem to have replaced it with other things which seem like more grown-up things, but maybe they are not.
This is very good. So sometimes to talk like this is very important because what has happened? All of us are still children, actually. We are pretending to play grown-up. Give up! Because now here, bigger words, see? But the issues are the same: 'I am not getting my way.' So what would you do? I already was going to ask that because the pretend question was coming. So now, when your son was a little younger and he said, 'I want candy, I want no school, I want to just play in the park all day,' what did you tell him?
But I said something.
What? Say it.
And you said something like this for me: 'She knows better what is good for you.'
So basically, yeah, parents, all of us... and so basically you are telling him to surrender, isn't it? That's exactly what we do in satsang. Don't judge, surrender. Know that this divine presence—God, Father, whatever you call it—knows better than what our mind is saying right now. That this 'resisting' is there, is the resistance. I think personally I took it too personally. Just resist, just what it is. Life never became so strong because it's all grown-up play, and that's why it felt so serious.
Oh, it feels so serious.
Exactly. So that's what happened. Yes, that is why all the sages have said to return to our innocence. Because our grown-up nature hasn't really learned anything important; it just picked up a lot of seriousness along the way. This does not mean that they give in with the children. Sometimes they cry, sometimes they're upset, they throw a tantrum, you see? But they do not hold a grudge. They are not saying, 'Why is life doing this to me?' They might say, 'Why are my parents doing this to me?' but that is also momentary. So this is the topic so far. What we say has changed and become more sophisticated as we have grown up. 'I want candy' has become 'I want freedom,' but the one who wants is the same.
Today I enjoyed this conversation. Next question: 'Is only in the waking state can we recognize the Absolute? Or that consciousness is there, but in deep sleep, and then we know about the person or I am or Absolute? What happens in deep sleep? What exactly happened in this?' So your true self-knowledge is not lost in the deep sleep state. You write that even 'I am' is not there, and all knowledge which is conceptual knowledge of person, conceptual knowledge of being, conceptual knowledge of self or the Absolute is not there. But you are still there. Now, this 'I am still there' is the wordless transition of what you actually know, but know wordlessly.
This is that same apparent truth which I say to all of you that you have. But once you try to capture it in your intellect, in your mind, it is lost. So that self-knowledge is not conceptual there. The Self remains as it is. I remains I, but not as limited, even Jivatma, not even like the individualized consciousness, but that which is beyond that. To discover this which is not sleep in the waking state is playfully called self-recognition. To recognize that which is not sleep and completely knows itself, but never knows itself mentally, never has a need to know itself mentally—that is called recognition. And liberation is to see that this is what I am, and that one remains untouched throughout the play of the disappearing world.
So we can talk a lot more about this, and many times it's very confusing. But one experiment you can do is—and you can't really plan to do this, but somewhere I can see this in you—which is that in the first moment of your waking up, if you can observe what changed, who woke up, then I'm happy to hear and I'm here to report on that. Notice that the I which is aware of being 'I am' has remained untouched throughout all the states. Whatever the state might come and go, and whatever content the states might bring, it never touched this reality. So allow some of these to become your own insights. I can keep providing the inquiry to look.
Maybe this is time play for consciousness?
Yeah, we can't really say any 'why' for why all this happens, or even the 'what' for that matter. But observe even the play of time inside. It's a beautiful inquiry. So time appears only in the presence of your being. We talked about various cases where in these years, time seemed to have gone, but all happened within twenty minutes. See, in this world's time, time seems to be as variable as space for our consciousness, as unlimited, as stretchable for our consciousness as space. And yet we seem to be able to put duration to sleep and waking. Beautiful inquiries.
But does a Jnani have no thoughts, nor any random desires? No desire to eat an ice cream? How is it different from a normal human being? And then we have to ask...
Jnani, tell me if you find one! But can you see what I'm trying to say? For now, there is no Jnani for you. So don't bother with it for some time. No benchmark is needed because you might hear, 'Okay, these are the routes of passage,' if there is such a thing in terms of attributes. So you might hear, 'Okay, this is like this, this is like that.' Then what will you do with that? You will look at your own experience and your day yesterday and you say, 'Oh, look how far I am from the one.' These benchmarks are not useful at this point. So I don't want to say anything. I don't want to tell you about whether the mind continues and it doesn't get believed, or how much it continues, or whether you come to complete dissolution.
Just see. You should let go of any benchmarks and comparative tools for some time because your mind will constantly use them to put you down. I want to tell all of you one thing which is important in this conversation, which is that in your notionless existence, you're as free as the greatest sage that you can imagine. You know the sense of what I'm saying? We have to endure notionless existence. If you want to sit and imagine the greatest sage, then you're not notionless anymore. I'm just saying that whatever you feel is the highest that you can become or the highest there is to achieve is already your true nature in your notionless existence. This is the highest ideal. This is the absolute truth. Thank you all so much for being in satsang today. Satguru Sri Mooji Baba Ki Jai!