The Chalice of Wisdom - Part 2

Awareness Of Awareness - The Open Way
By Colin Drake author of " Ripples in the Lake of Eternity "

I call awakening by becoming aware of, and identifying with, Awareness ‘The Open Way’ because it is both ‘open’ and a ‘way’. That is to say that it is not restricted, closed, covered or protected and is open to all people, situations and life-occurrences. It is also a way, a means, to awaken and cultivation of this is a way, path, to full self--realization. Moreover, it is a way to be completely open to life with all of its possibilities and opportunities.

There are many other ways (means or paths) to awakening but most require certain elements to be in place, thus restricting access to them. Typical elements are a guru, initiation, secret knowledge and practices, physical fitness, mental concentration and great discipline. Whereas becoming aware of, and identifying with, Awareness is very simple and open to all by examining this very moment in which we find thoughts (including all mental content), sensations (everything sensed by the body and its sense organs) and the Awareness of these. Just check to see whether you can find anything else, even all ‘external objects’ are perceived by us as a mixture of thoughts and sensations appearing in Awareness. The former are a flow of fleeting ‘objects’ (things that may be perceived) whilst the latter is a constant conscious perceiving presence which has perceived every thought/sensation that has occurred since our birth. As I am sure we all identify as having been constantly present since we were born then it is much more accurate to say that we are this Awareness, rather than the mind/body which is ever changing and is experienced as this flow of thoughts and sensations.

The one element in common with all ‘ways’ is that they require great determination and persistence. For although ‘the open way’ is simple and the first awakening occurs readily this is soon swamped by old thought patterns and samskaras (mental tendencies or ‘well-worn grooves in the mind’). So awakening needs to be established by repeated enquiry, or investigation, until one no longer ‘nods off’. This can take a long time, many life times some Buddhists say, but one need not be discouraged by this for every new awakening fills one with a lightness of being as the worldly burdens are lifted, temporarily or permanently if slumber is not resumed. This lightness is so appealing that it makes enquiry/investigation a joy and thus persistence in this can be readily attained. So one should never say that one does not have time for, or is to busy to, enquire/investigate for this releases time by making us more alert and efficient. I recommend that one should spend two or three periods of at least twenty minutes per day deeply relaxing into the recognition of Pure Awareness, as this will establish awakening and make us less likely to be tossed by the storms of worldly life.

As being awake is the means to overcome the mental suffering that is caused by identifying oneself as a separate object (in a universe of the same) then the occurrence of this can be recognised as a symptom that one has nodded off. So it can be used as a trigger to recommence investigation which can be performed in a few seconds by realizing that one is effortlessly aware of this mental suffering and (at the deepest level) one is this Awareness! In the same way if any remark causes offence, by taking it personally, then once again misidentification is occurring and so this can be used as another wake-up call. Thus the day is filled with multiple opportunities to reawaken and I am sure that you will discover many more …

The one thing that is required is the determination to awaken and remain awake whenever possible. This may sound onerous but the outcome of being awake is so wonderful and freeing, compared to being trapped in a separate personal headspace, that this determination becomes self-nurturing requiring no effort. For when awake one is open to all people, possibilities and situations. Once one sees that, at the deepest level, one is Pure Awareness, then one sees that ‘others’ are also That too, and this completely changes ones interaction with them. For they are then seen to be of the same essence, or essentially the same, as oneself and thus their needs and wishes become of equal weight to ones own! In fact one could go even further and say that one sees all as oneself …

The ‘all’ that is mentioned does not only apply to people for, in the final analysis, all is consciousness existing in two modes – at rest as Pure Awareness and in motion as Cosmic Energy of which the universe(s) is a manifestation. Thus our body/minds are temporary manifestations of consciousness in motion, underlying which is Pure Awareness, consciousness at rest. So full awakening produces this ‘panoramic awareness’ of no separation or nonduality. In this one is open to all possibilities and situations, as one is not restricted by protecting an imaginary separate personal self. Also one sees everything openly, as it actually is, and not covered or concealed by one’s opinions, judgements, self-interest etc…

Love Always
mudra

Love Loving Itself

By Colin Drake

Here is a practice, written and also recorded, for ‘sensing’ the Absolute, through which the lover - pure Awareness, Consciousness at rest – and the beloved – the manifest universe, cosmic energy, Consciousness in motion – can ‘know’ and love each other. Thus the Absolute, Consciousness in both modes, can know and love Itself.

Lie, or sit, in the most comfortable position you can possibly find, with your eyes closed. Make sure that the phone is off the hook and that the ‘do not disturb’ sign is on the door. Spend as much time as you need in each step until you really ‘feel’ it, or until it really resonates with your ‘being’.

1/ Notice the sensations (and feelings) in, and on the surface of, the body. Sink into these sensations, really luxuriate in them as much as possible. Ignore all other sense impressions and thoughts except these sensations.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the nervous system, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can feel the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

2/ Notice the sounds, occurring in the body and the room. Ignore all other sense impressions and thoughts except these sounds.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the ears, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can hear the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

3/ Notice the aromas occurring in the room. Ignore all other sense impressions and thoughts except these aromas.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the nose, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can smell the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

4/ Notice the tastes, occurring in the mouth. Ignore all other sense impressions and thoughts except these tastes.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the taste buds, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can taste the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

5/ Open your eyes and notice what is seen. Ignore all other sense impressions and thoughts except these sights.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the eye, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can see the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

6/ Close your eyes and notice the thoughts, occurring in the mind. Ignore all sense impressions just noticing the thoughts.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the mind, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can contemplate the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

7/ Notice the mental images occurring in the mind. Ignore all sense impressions just noticing these images.

Realize that these occur, are detected by the mind, and are then ‘seen’ by Awareness – i.e. you become ‘aware’ of them.

So the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can imagine the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

8/ Therefore the body/mind is an instrument through which Awareness- Consciousness at rest, the lover – can experience, engage with and enjoy the external world – Consciousness in motion, the beloved.

9/ To put this another way the body/mind – itself an ephemeral manifestation of Consciousness in motion, the beloved – is an instrument, or conduit, through which the lover can ‘know’ and love the beloved.

This is the end of the first phase, that of the lover loving the beloved.

10/ Now notice that through this practice you are ‘aware of Awareness’. This means that the mind notices the presence of Awareness. So this is the beloved noticing the lover.
Next investigate this Awareness so that the beloved can ‘get to know’ the lover better:

11/ Observe whether any effort is required to be aware of any thought/mental image/sensation.
This readily reveals that this Awareness is effortlessly present and effortlessly aware... It requires no effort by the mind/body and they cannot make it vanish however much effort they apply.

12/ Observe whether there is any choice in becoming aware of thoughts/mental images/sensations. This also reveals that this Awareness is choicelessly present and choicelessly aware. Once again it requires no choice of the body/mind and they cannot block it however they try. i.e. If you have a toothache there is effortless Awareness of it and the mind/body cannot choose for this not to be the case. You may think that this is bad news but that is not the case, can you imagine if you had to make a choice whether you would like to be aware for every sensation that the body experiences! In fact be grateful that there is no effort or choice involved for Awareness just to be...such ease and simplicity...which is not surprising for, at the deepest level, you are this Awareness!

13/ Observe whether you can ever experiences a time or place when Awareness is not present. Even during sleep there is Awareness of dreams, the quality of the sleep, and bodily sensations, in that if a noise is loud enough or a feeling (of pain or discomfort for instance) is strong enough it will bring the mind back to the conscious state, i.e. One will wake up... The natural conclusion to this is that for each of us Awareness is omnipresent, i.e. always present. Once again be grateful that the mind/body is never required to search for this Awareness, it is just always there, which of course is not surprising for one is this Awareness.

14/ Next notice that this Awareness is absolutely still for it is aware of the slightest movement of body or mind. For example we all know that to be completely ‘aware’ of what is going on around us in a busy environment we have to be completely still, just witnessing the activity.

15/ In the same vein this Awareness can be ‘seen’ to be totally silent as it is aware of the slightest sound, the smallest thought. The natural conclusion to be drawn is that Awareness is always in a state of perfect peace for complete stillness and total silence is perfect peace.

16/ Notice that Awareness is omniscient, in that every thought/mental image/sensation appears in it, exists in it, is known by it, and disappears back into it. Before any particular thought or sensation there is effortless Awareness of 'what is' (the sum of all thoughts and sensations occurring at any given instant), during the thought or sensation in question there is effortless Awareness of it within ‘what is’, and then when it has gone there is still effortless Awareness of 'what is'.

17/ Finally notice that every thought/mental image/sensation is ‘seen’ by the ‘light’ of Awareness, i.e. Awareness is radiant.

So now we have reached the ‘Radiant, still, silent, omnipresent, omniscient, ocean of effortless, choiceless, Awareness’ (the Absolute without form or attributes) which, at the deepest level, we all are! Thus the mind, an expression of the beloved, has come to ‘know’ (more about) Awareness, the lover.

Therefore, the body/mind - itself an ephemeral manifestation of Consciousness in motion, the beloved – is an instrument, or conduit, through which the lover can ‘know’ and love the beloved, and through which the beloved can ‘know’ and love the lover. Thus the Absolute, Consciousness, the union of lover and beloved, can love itself in both ‘modes’ – at rest or in motion – each ‘mode’ loving the other.

Feeling you my love.
Hearing you my love.
Smelling you my love.
Tasting you my love.
Seeing you my love.
Imagining you my love.
Thinking of you my love.
Knowing you my love.
Loving you my love.

In which the ‘doer’ is pure Awareness, the lover, and that which is being addressed is the manifestation, the beloved. The instrument, body/mind, itself an ephemeral manifestation of the beloved, is the conduit through which love is loving itself.

Feeling you my love.
Hearing you my love.
Smelling you my love.
Tasting you my love.
Seeing you my love.
Imagining you my love.
Thinking of you my love.
Knowing you my love.
Loving you my love.

As you arise from this exercise let it continue, effortlessly, as long as it may, treating every thought and sensation with, and as, love. This will ultimately culminate in being totally in love with existence itself, in which there is nothing but love …

Just to show that this is not an exercise which requires that one be a spiritual adept there is a story about one of the first soviet cosmonauts which illustrates this. It seems that some external equipment on the sputnik became loose and was continually knocking on the windscreen. This was driving him mad and he thought that he would not be able to handle it for the long period he would be orbiting the earth. However, he then had the realization that all he had to do was to learn to love this sound … which he did and this solved the problem!
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In this there can be no separate ‘saying’,
Manifestation is the Lover and Beloved playing.
What appears to us as ‘you’ and ‘me’,
Are wondrous instruments, of the Beloved, Thee.

Between The Unmanifest and Creation,
There can be no separation.
For the Lover and Beloved are already one,
Appearing as the ‘many’ just for fun!
Locked in an eternal embrace,
From which no parting can ever take place.

For there is only Consciousness,
All is Consciousness.
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Set against (recorded live in) a background of the stunning dawn chorus provided by the many species of birds in a Northern NSW sub tropical rainforest. A link to a 41 minute relaxation/meditation ‘Love Loving Itself’, the first of these practices to be developed, where the body/mind is used as a vehicle for Consciousness to love Itself in both modes – at rest as Pure Awareness (the lover) and in motion as cosmic energy, the manifestation (the beloved):

Love Loving itself MP3

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1tgh41sfcj49zfg/Love%20Loving%20Itself.mp3?dl=0

Love Always
mudra

On Attaining Buddhahood In This Lifetime

By Colin Drake

Loosely based on a letter, with the same title, by Nichiren
a 13th century Japanese Buddhist master.

To free yourself from the suffering of birth and dying,
You must perceive the Mystic Truth of being,
That it’s inherent Awareness on which you’re relying,
For all sensations and thoughts to be seeing.

This is the Mystic Law of the mutual relation
Between this moment, phenomena and the life-force,
Consciousness at rest and in manifestation,
Awareness and Cosmic Energy, the ‘causeless cause’.

If you think this Mystic Truth is outside yourself,
You are embracing a vastly inferior teaching,
Discover Awareness – your essential Self,
Or for Buddhahood you’ll always be reaching.

Investigation of this moment to moment experience
Reveals mind/body to be an objective flow,
Of thoughts and sensations in Awareness, whence
In this still presence they come and they go.

Practices will not the suffering of birth and death relieve,
Unless you perceive the true nature of your life,
Rather than external seeking find That which cannot leave,
Your inherent essence, Awareness, beyond all strife.

By chanting, meditating, reciting sutras and such,
You may gain benefit, merit, and of mind some peace.
But compared to Awakening these are not much
For when attaining Buddhahood all anxieties cease,

Not mental and physical pain inherent in existence,
But the burdens of illusory separate selfhood.
No self, just a flow of objects in the still essence,
This is the Mystic Truth of Buddhahood.

A new poem based on a chapter of 'Ripples In The Lake Of Eternity'.

Love Always
mudra

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Love Always
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Part of man’s frustration is that he has become accustomed to expect language and thought to offer explanations which they cannot give. To want life to be “intelligible” in this sense is to want it to be something other than life.

Alan Watts

Love Always
mudra

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Look to this day,
for it is life, the very breath of life.
In its brief course lie
all the realities of your existence;
the bliss of growth,
the glory of action,
the splendor of beauty.
For yesterday is only a dream,
and tomorrow is but a vision.
But today, well lived,
makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,
and every tomorrow
a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
.
.
A Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa that reminds us that the past and the future dwell only in our minds, and in truth, all that we ever experience is this present moment. .

Love Always
mudra

Grow where they say you can’t. Cling to their roughness and use it to find the light. Reach, just reach, and you can become anything you wish to be.
Tyler Knott Gregson



Love Always
mudra