श्रीरामSatsang with Ananta
Awareness & Attention

Just Let This One Thought Come And Go

Allow each thought to come and go without participation; the sufferer is merely an idea while the witness of the mind is your true self, and your heart/Presence is constant unlike the ephemeral mind.

Seeker

When you were speaking with Madalina, you asked what kind of things we can identify with, like sensations, feelings, objects. So for me it is clear to see that I am not my feeling, not the sensation. But I usually identify myself with the one who suffers them. And Guruji said, that suffering and the sufferer are both sides of one coin.

Ananta

Yes.

Seeker

I really can see that I can witness both. But still this identification with the sufferer is really strong, because I cannot control. The witness cannot control what is the object.

Ananta

Slowly. Just slowly, slowly, slowly.

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

How do you know your identification is strong?

Seeker

Because I suffer a lot, you know. Guruji also said, “Who is the sufferer and the suffering? Transcend him.”

Ananta

Yes.

Seeker

I just couldn't. I gave it up and I am very guilty now, because I take now so much like herbs to let me sleep and things. I mean, I just give it up. I cannot. I cannot transcend everything. I mean, I don't know. It's just overpowering me and ...

Ananta

Let's try to make some of this happen now.

Seeker

Excuse me?

Ananta

Can we try and make some of this happen now? Like suffer a little bit?

Seeker

Yea, but this is the method that now I can't suffer.

Ananta

[Laughing]

Seeker

I know I shouldn't speak in time, but ... And now I was so peaceful over this Satsang and you and it was so beautiful. But I know, if I don't ask it now it is always coming back, this strong identification with the one who suffers the objects. I cannot make the sufferer disappear. I cannot choose or control what is coming up. I just have to take everything as it is and … So how to not identify with the sufferer?

Ananta

Yes, yes. Forget the sufferer for a moment.

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

Forget about the sufferer for a moment.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

The good news is that your mind will only give you one thought at a time.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

You see, it cannot give you two thoughts at a time. It may come very fast. [Laughing] It may be Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! but it will only give you one thought at a time. Now you have only one job, which is to allow that thought to come and go. That's all. [Silence] So how to not identify with the sufferer? Just let it go.

Seeker

It is not going.

Ananta

It'll go. [Laughing] It cannot stay. Have you met a thought that comes and stays?

Seeker

No, sometimes it goes but it's coming back and ...

Ananta

Every time it comes, let it go.

Seeker

Yes, but it is happening anyway, but …

Ananta

What happens?

Seeker

It is already going and coming and going and coming, even if I don't let him come and go.

Ananta

Get out of that ride. Let the thoughts come and go. You get out of that merry-go-round.

Seeker

Excuse me?

Ananta

You don't get on that merry-go-round. You get out of the merry-go-round. The thoughts are coming and going. Thoughts are coming and going. Let it happen.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

You don't participate in that party.

Seeker

But Anantaji, I can see it is even not ...

Ananta

… my control. [Laughing]

Seeker

Yes! I am sorry, my English is not very good, but really it is not my ... It is just automatically happening. It is just I cannot do anything really about it.

Ananta

Can't do anything. Were you here in the beginning of Satsang when we made the deals?

Seeker

Yes, I did. This is why I said now, it is more about after Satsang.

Ananta

No, no. It's okay. The you that does not have control is witnessed. You know I was asking Joanna, how much power does her non-existent cat have?

Seeker

Yeah. Yeah, I know.

Ananta

If it has not any power, it cannot be God obviously, you see? It cannot be God. Because what kind of God would have no power, you see? So either God must be here or you must be here. Who is the one that is here?

Seeker

Always God is here.

Ananta

But God has now become powerless against its own creation with little bit of bubbles called the mind.

Seeker

I don't know why God likes to suffer. [Laughter in the room]

Ananta

[laughing] Let's see. There is God, there is you ...

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

… and there is the mind. Is it like that?

Seeker

No! Me and the mind is the same and there is God.

Ananta

Okay. So you are the mind?

Seeker

Sorry?

Ananta

So you are the mind?

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

Okay. Now between two thoughts, who are you?

Seeker

No, no, sorry. No, I am not. No- no, I am not the mind.

Ananta

Not the mind. Because mind is only thoughts. And you witness even these thoughts and between two thoughts then you would have gone. But you don't go. You witness even the absence of thoughts, isn't it?

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

If you were just the mind, then you would only be there when there is a thought.

Seeker

Yes. But who is the sufferer?

Ananta

There is no sufferer. [Laughing] That is the idea. But don't worry about that for the moment like I said. Don't worry about this. So now there is God, there is you and there is the mind. Now you say that there is no …, like me and the mind is the same. Is that correct?

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

You are the same as your mind?

Seeker

Yes.

Ananta

So when the mind is not there, that means the thought is not there, you also go?

Seeker

This I goes. But something is still here.

Ananta

Okay. So the one that goes, is that more you or the something that is still here is more you?

Seeker

This depends on how much I suffer. I mean this one is always here.

Ananta

Now the simple way is if you were to take my word for it.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

The mind is not you, you see.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

Therefore the sufferer idea is just an idea. It is not you. That which is aware of the perception of the mind is you. Who is that one?

Seeker

Yes. I know. But the one who is aware, is it the same who creates everything?

Ananta

So now what's happening in this conversation is that you are the girl in the middle, okay?

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

There are two of us, who are trying to pull you on both sides. Two, let's call them men pulling you from both sides. The Master is saying, “Come come with me!”, and the mind is saying, “Come come with me!”. And what is happening is that you are trying to have a three-way conversation. So when I tell you, you go back to your mind and say, “Hey, what do think about this?” And mind says, “Bah bah bah bah bah.” And then you say, “Ah! Bah bah bah!” Then I say, “Blah blee blee blee blee.” And you say, “Oh, but he is saying blee blee blee blee blee.” So what? Then he says, “No, blah blah blah.” You see?

Seeker

Sorry, Anantaji. I listen to you now. I'm so sorry.

Ananta

So what is happening is this three-way conversation, where you're in the middle and your Master is pulling you and the mind is pulling you, you see? So I want this to become a two-way conversation for at least a few minutes.

Seeker

Yes, sure.

Ananta

Now a three-way conversation means I say something, you give it to the mind and say, “He is saying this. What do you feel?” The mind says, “But I feel I'm the sufferer. What am I ...?” Like that. Then you represent that. Then I say something in response to that. You give it back to the mind. So for a minute or two just cut that connection.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

Don't make that connection to the mind.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

Don't give anything I'm saying to the mind.

Seeker

No.

Ananta

No other with the responses also.

Seeker

Yeah.

Ananta

Okay. Right now, do you have any question or struggle or problem? [Silence]

Ananta

Don't go …

Seeker

Yeah, yeah. Right now. Right now no problem, because you are here with me.

Ananta

Okay, okay. Now is there any time for you now?

Seeker

No.

Ananta

Is there any time?

Seeker

No.

Ananta

Then if there is no time, then what is the difference between right now and always?

Seeker

Now nothing.

Ananta

[Laughing] But?

Seeker

Because the third one says something, I don't want to say.

Ananta

Don't listen to the third one. Be with me. Listen to your heart. Which is the same as listening to me. Now stay with that. Now tell me, who is the sufferer? Where is the sufferer? [Silence]

Ananta

Don't go to the other guy!

Seeker

I know.[Laughing] It just pulls me really much. And there is a lot of things he wants to say.

Ananta

Yes, yes. Both of us want to say a lot. Who you want to pick is the question.[Laughing]

Seeker

[Laughing] I don't know.

Ananta

Oh really? Good thing I have no ego. Otherwise … [Laughter in the room]

Seeker

I mean, I … [Laughing]

Ananta

At least you're honest. That counts. [Laughing] What does he have that I'm not giving you? [Laughter in the room]

Seeker

Excuse me?

Ananta

What does he have that I am not giving you?

Seeker

[Laughing] I didn't mean it.

Ananta

[Laughing] Because I said, “Who do you wanna pick?” You said, “I don't know.” So I am asking.

Seeker

[Laughing] I wanted to say I don't know where is the sufferer.

Ananta

The suffering. You want it. [Laughter in the room]

Seeker

No, I said at the moment I don't know where the sufferer is. I didn't think the mind. No.

Ananta

Now I want you to do something. Just go away from the zoom. Just walk around in your house for a minute and come back. Tell me, where you lost me.

Seeker

Really? Really you mean I should do it?

Ananta

Yeah. Like Guruji gave that project also to somebody. I want you also to do it. Because you have reported this many times that when you are here in Satsang you are fine. But then after Satsang, what happens? So let's see.

Seeker

[Laughing] Okay.

Ananta

When do I vanish? And it's only the mind, the other guy.

Seeker

But will you wait? Are you going to wait for me? [Laughing] (Laughter in the room)

Ananta

Yes yes. [Laughing] Don't take too long. Just take a minute. [Laughter in the room]

Seeker

Okay. I am going now. [Laughter in the room]

Seeker

[Laughing from far] [Laughter in the room]

Ananta

Still laughing.

Seeker

[Laughing from far]

Ananta

Far. [Laughing from far]

Seeker

Ah, Anantaji! The third one wanted to say: Look! In the kitchen it's not so strong.

Ananta

So he is the first one and I am the third one?

Seeker

No no. The third … yeah [Laughing]

Ananta

At what point did you leave me?

Seeker

[Laughing] Anantaji you never leave me.

Ananta

Yes yes. Exactly. This is never ever about this body. Never about it. It is your own Presence, your own divinity in your own heart. It is always with you and you can always rely on that.

Seeker

[Laughing] Thank you so much Anantaji.

Ananta

You're welcome. So welcome. You don't need to imagine me in this exercise. It is really true. This notion that when I am in Satsang everything is fine, but when I go it all goes away. It is actually the mind which is the ephemeral one. Your heart is not coming and going.

Seeker

[Laughing] I love you.

Ananta

Thank you. Very good.

Seeker

Thank you so much.

Ananta

You're welcome. . . . Highlight from Satsang- 25th February 2022 You Are Beyond Assertion and Negation, None of These Apply to You Time: 1:45:30-2:01:50 Link:https://youtu.be/SFGKxMNATbk

Key Teachings

  • The mind gives only one thought at a time - your only job is to allow that thought to come and go without getting on the merry-go-round of the mind
  • The sufferer is just an idea, not your true self. What witnesses the mind is the real you - awareness itself
  • You're having a three-way conversation between yourself, the Master, and the mind. Make it two-way by not giving what the Master says to the mind
mindthoughtssufferingwitnessawarenesssurrenderletting goidentificationthe self

From: The Way of the Heart – 21st October 2022