The simple Recognition of 'I' is beyond the Mind

Very good. This is the main reason why we gather. The main reason why we gather is to go beyond the mind. And not just go beyond the mind because mind is, what we call in Satsang just one of the percepHons, the set of percepHons which carry the message or the interpretaHon or the subHtles. But the enHre realm of percepHons, like we were sharing in Guru Purnima, that Gurus, whatever form they may appear in, they are just representaHves of the one light which is shining light on that which is unperceivable, beyond all percepHon. And in that way it is a very unique light. To go where no other light can go, because all other light is perceivable. It is the light of the Master, it is the light of your own divinity, your own Satguru Presence which brings you to this discovery of your Self which is beyond all perceptual appearances and disappearances. And definitely beyond the mind which is just one set of percepHons.

Yes. Everything perceivable, everything that has size, shape, color, Hme. Everything perceivable is a percepHon. Everything that, you may say, you get through your senses, get through your aZenHon is a percepHon and therefore phenomenal. How do we come to that which is beyond all this percepHon? And Vedanta tells us that everything that is perceived, it comes and goes and therefore is unreal. So, this unperceivable Reality which is beyond Hme and space, we come to Satsang, we come to hear the voice of our own inner Satguru to hear that, to be clear about it, to come to the discovery of That which is beyond all of this. A simple quesHon we could ask is, who is witnessing all of this? That which is witnessing or perceiving all of the percepHons, who is that one?

You are perceiving it. And yet, this 'I' that is perceiving it, or which is aware of the percepHon of it, can that be perceived?

Can't be perceived. Now, where did you go to make this discovery that it is 'I' that is aware?

Exactly, and yet it is beyond the mind, isn't it. It is not a mental conclusion.

Exactly. So simple, you see.

Simpler than simple, exactly. When we start the conversaHon or the journey, it may seem like there is a long set of steps I will have to take to go beyond the mind. And yet, just the simple recogniHon of 'I' is beyond the mind. Who is aware of the percepHon of this voice right now? It is you. It is you. And again this You is not perceivable. So, how did you find this 'I'?

It's not anything tangible, with a quality, shape, size, none of this. And this is your discovery, because you don't doubt this discovery. You don't say 'Who is that?', unless you're too spiritual in your head. You don't say 'Who is that hearing this voice?'. Everybody is clear it is 'I', and nobody has ever met this 'I', perceived this 'I'. And yet it is apparent. Now the only struggle is that the mind says “But I didn't find anything. What did you find? I didn't find. How can I prove that I found this 'I'?” It cannot prove. Because for proof you need a quality, you need a shape, you need a size. Then the mind will come and say 'Okay, so then what's the use of it? If it doesn't have a quality, shape or size, what's the use of it?'. That's a nonsensical quesHon, because of use to whom? You're discovering your Self. You're not discovering your Self, so you can be of use to the false one. That's an important point also. So what happens is that because of our spiritual condiHoning we may feel like I'm looking for that which is beyond the mind, or I'm looking for my Self, so that then I can be happy. But which 'I' do you want to make happy? If you haven't even found your Self, then which 'I' do you want to make happy? And once you do find your Self, the One that is aware, does that One want happiness? Is it desirous of anything? It Itself is the source of all things. Desire is an alien concept for That. So, the discovery of the Truth is that simple, but when burdened with expectaHons and condiHons from the false idenHty, then it can seem like a journey, it can seem like a project. So I'm going to trouble everyone again with this hand thing [holds up hand]. Are you aware of the percepHon of this hand? Is there any doubt that it is you? Did you have to think to be clear about this, that it is you? Therefore you are already discovering your Self beyond the mind. Now, in this discovery, the only thing that gets in the way is that if you haven't goZen over yourself, your false self, if you haven't goZen over your false self, then that one will want to make something out of it, it wants to say 'Am I enlightened now?', 'Have I got this?', 'Can I stay like this?', 'It happens to me only when I'm in Satsang', you see. Then this 'Me' is the one you have to get over. It doesn't exist. This false one, it doesn't exist. The only true One is what you are discovering now. You're having a very clear insight, your insight is undoubtable. Are you aware now? Those who are unaware of this quesHon, raise your hand [Chuckles]. If you're unaware of the quesHon, raise your hand. You are aware, no? You are aware you are perceiving this voice, you are aware. Now, this You and aware, are there two over there? So, you are making this discovery through what instrument? That there are not two, that it is all one Advaita non-duality. Through what instrument are we making that discovery?

So, that no-instrument, that no-thing is intuiHon. Why does it feel like it's no instrument? I keep saying intuiHon, intuiHon, and yet, when you look, it feels like 'Where's the intuiHon? It just is', you see. By definiHon, intuiHon is that which needs no mechanics, which needs no process, needs no steps. And that is because we're so used to steps, we're used to mechanics, 'This, therefore that, and therefore like this, and then I get there, and then I go over there'. Because we're used to those steps, when we come to this prisHne discovery without having to put any effort it can feel like it's not an instrument, there is no instrument there. But that is the intelligence of your intuiHon itself. That is the intelligence of your Self, the primal intelligence called intuiHon. And you can live with this. You don't need any other source of understanding or knowledge. In fact, this the higher, this is the higher. The mind is just a story teller, it doesn't offer any true intelligence. Everything that the mind concocts is based on This Itself.