← Awareness & Attention
Where is Here?
Anantaji points out that going to the mind for consciousness only yields suffering, then asks 'Where are you?' to direct attention to present awareness.
Seeker
I am Conscious, but I feel it’s coming from my …
Ananta
So, where are we going for this question? I can see in your eyes…
Seeker
Mind.
Ananta
Yes. What will you get from there?
Seeker
Only potatoes [Laughs, making a reference to an earlier statement by Anantaji, if you want tomatoes don’t go digging, you will only find potatoes.]
Ananta
Only potatoes [Laughs]. Potatoes, and we make potato salad and it tastes like suffering. So, don’t visit that playground. Now [Silence] Where are you? Here? There?
Key Teachings
- Consciousness is not located in the mind - the mind is only a tool that produces suffering
- The question 'Where are you?' points directly to present awareness rather than mental exploration
- Going to the mind for answers is like digging for tomatoes and only finding potatoes (suffering)
consciousnessmindsufferingpresencehere-and-now
From: To Come to God, To Come to Being… Is Simply To Recognize Your Very Existence – 4th February 2022