श्रीरामSatsang with Ananta
Awareness & Attention

Absent of Any Connotation Is Your Reality

Stop waiting for the mind to stop; the mind's idea of stopping is itself a trick—stay open, empty, and aware in the Unborn.

Ananta

Don’t allow these words, which sound very humble, but actually become the refuge for the mind to hide: “I’m just trying to balance between my work life and my spiritual life.” Who are you to balance? [smiles] If the one who is shining all of this Light went away, what is work and what is life? Just let go. Let go. You’ll be fine. It’s natural for fear to come, but don’t fear the fear. Just let go. But we started with a quesHon of the struggle between or the confusion between intuiHon and mind, isn’t it? So now, I’ve given you a Hp saying: where it is apparent to you who you are, stay with that, which is the same as saying: stay in no-mind, stay in the Unborn, stay open and empty, stay in your noHonless existence. How many different ways to say the same thing? Are you waiHng for something to go away? [chuckles]

Seeker

[inaudible] [smiles]

Ananta

If you keep waiHng for something to go away or to appear, then you’re falling into the mind trap saying that what is appearing is not perfect as it is. The director of this movie is perfect, and its creaHon is always perfect. I don’t like to use the word ‘perfect’, but just provisionally. Trust it. Inwardly, always remain open and empty. Many hear open and empty as if I’m proclaiming some sort of passivity externally. I’m not doing that. Externally, you could be full of movement and acHon, or completely sHll, or living in a cave, or get a full-Hme job, it doesn't maZer. Inwardly, nothing can stop you from being open and empty. Nothing. Especially not: “my mind says, but my mind says” [smiles]. What are you expecHng it to say?

Seeker

In a sense it’s just an idea that the mind should stop completely.

Ananta

Yes, exactly. It’s an idea. That idea itself is the mind. The mind itself says: “You’ll be done in ‘Manonasha’ – it means ‘the dissoluHon of the mind’. Bhagavan had said ‘Manonasha’. “When ‘Manonasha’ happens to you, then you’ll be done.” Who’s saying that? ‘Mana’ itself. ‘Mana’ itself. [smiles] This is the classical thief dressed up as a policeman saying to the thief: “yes, you are it.” [chuckles]. See through these tricks. See through these tricks. [waves arm] Every idea, every thought is a thought. Every idea. It’s important to see through this because someHmes it can feel like: “it’s a thought, but…it’s too…no?” No! [chuckles] This is the way the mind tries to be your friend: “Come, we are human aeer all”. It’ll say: “All this talk of God and Oneness is fine, but at the end of the game, let’s get real. What are we?” NoHce your mind trying to grab the opportunity to claim ‘personhood’ in the guise of a beZer label.

Key Teachings

  • The mind uses spiritual language like 'balancing work and spiritual life' as a refuge to hide - this is a trick of the mind
  • Stay in no-mind, the Unborn, open and empty - don't wait for thoughts to go away, as the mind's idea of stopping is itself the mind
  • The mind dresses up as the solution ('you should stop the mind') while being the problem - see through this 'thief dressed as policeman' trick
mind tricksno-mindawarenessletting gopresencenon-waitingsurrender

From: Absent of Any Connotation Is Your Reality - 11th January 2021