Seeing, Seeing itself

Q:How can there be this Presence/Awareness without a body? Isn't this awareness contingent upon the body after all? I've sat with several people who have died-one moment they seem 'there'/aware and the next-nothing--like a rock. My understanding is that you saying that awareness is still there even when the body dies--and I can't seem to grok this!
Everything that is expressed about what never changes etc makes so much sense-it is indeed seen- but the thought quickly appears that it is because there is a body functioning. Without it, ??? How can anything be aware without that apparatus which then makes me wonder about ALL of the non duality message. It seems inextricably connected to the human form.

Even though I hear that it is not in the mind, the mind will never understand this, etc...is there no way to put this whereby the mind would feel at rest about it and stop this yes, but...business????

How can there be seeing, awaring, being without a physical apparatus in which to transmit this 'energy'????

Well hopefully you get the gist of the question and any words you'd like to share would be greatly appreciated.

A:Presence/Awareness ALWAYS IS. If what we say is that Presence/Awareness is Reality, then it must ALWAYS BE; there is never a time when it is not. First of all, can 'you' honestly say, at anytime, "I am not"? It seems that the sense of Being or Presence/Awareness ALWAYS IS.

But, somehow, there is a misunderstanding. The thought "I", "me" or "your name" is a label that is put on the body and that is seemingly taking credit for all of the actions that take place. But, thoughts cannot "do" anything--they are merely labels.

Take a good look: Does the body appear and disappear? Doesn't the body disappear in deep sleep? Notice that everything that is perceived or conceived is an appearance that comes and goes like waves in the ocean, but the waves are not separate from the ocean. There is only ONE essence appearing as the many.

So who is it, that sees this body? Isn't the answer: "I see the body"? It seems that everything refers back to this "I"?

Who/What is this "I"? Isn't this just another thought that appears and disappears? If you were to pause thoughts, surely 'you' don't disappear, because the word/label is not the thing being pointed out. The word fire will never burn anything, the word water will never get anything wet.....

Thoughts are merely labels or stories, and the mind is just a collection of thoughts or stories. The mind is hunger, searching, needing.....that's what the mind does, just see it for what it is. Isn't every thought, without exception, about some "other time" the past and future: "I really don't want to go to work tomorrow...I can't believe I said that at work yesterday.....I don't want to see my parents this weekend...."

But, aren't all of these thoughts happening HERE and NOW? It is impossible to "get out of" NOW!

SEEING is just happening spontaneously and effortlessly....then thoughts arise: "I am seeing the body" or "Is this body necessary to function?"

LIFE is living itself, SEEING itself, KNOWING itself....BEING itself....

What effort does it take to KNOW that 'you' are looking directly at a computer monitor RIGHT NOW?

What effort does it take to KNOW that 'you' are registering, effortlessly, the sensation of 'your' butt pressing up against a chair?

The apparently "separate" object cannot be separated from the SEEING/KNOWING. For instance, you hear the doorbell ring, without concepts or labels, what can 'you' possibly say about that sound without a concept? Later the thought appears: "I heard the doorbell ring" which creates duality a subject "me" or "I" then the "doorbell". Prior to those concepts of subject/object there was only the ringing of the doorbell.

Presence/Awareness cannot be separated from NOW.

This KNOWING is self-shining like the sun....and always shining....always aware-ing....

This KNOWING or sense of BEING is translated through the mind as the thought: "I Am". No one walks around and affirms to themselves, "I am" "I am" "I am"......

That KNOWING is always shining....this activity of KNOWING (that's right, 'you' are a verb!) ALWAYS IS.

love,

Jason