The Light of Knowing

Q: Can it be apparent that i am not a person
and yet still experience limitation and not the boundlessness
that is spoken of?

A: Bob says: Start from the FACT that you ARE ALREADY THAT.

What is being pointed out here?

there has never been an individual separate entity. NEVER.

It is believed that what you ARE is a person--this is entirely false.

There is an assumption that these pointers: "you are KNOWING/SEEING/BEING"

are possessions of a person.....again, entirely false.

KNOWING is ALWAYS shining... miraculously...there isn't a person there "doing it"

"person" or "your name", "me" "I" are just concepts that float in and out appearing like clouds in the open, vast sky....

How are these thoughts recognized?

Just as we look at colours, we overlook the light that is suffused with the colour. It is only due to the light that we can register colours. you ARE the light of KNOWING.

How can anything register without the KNOWING?

KNOWING IS the rock-solid foundation. More real than any concrete structure (this too shall crumble).

This KNOWING cannot be shut off (or turned on)....it is the light switch that is ALWAYS shining.

This KNOWING doesn't need enlightenment or need peace or perfection because it doesn't have any characteristics or limitations. Any limitations are concepts that appear and disappear. This KNOWING doesn't care what is registering....it is ALWAYS registering...

What is SEEING the mind? It is certainly not a 'me'...that is another concept!

Undeniably it is happening?

Gilbert asks: where are you SEEING FROM?

Watch the disappearance of thoughts...and re-cognize that this AWARE-ing is ALWAYS happening.

It is obvious that thoughts just....appear.....and disappear.......

Life is just happening.....spontaneously....miraculously....no doer, no one running the show



Has this AWARE-ing ever changed? Has this AWARE-ing ever appeared? Is this a FACT?

Can you deny EXISTENCE? Can you say: "I am NOT" doesn't this presuppose existence? KNOWING IS EXISTENCE...this aliveness...this sense of presence.....yet not a feeling. THAT which knows feelings.

This cannot be understood because this is what you ARE. Has the ocean ever left water?
Can the ocean understand water?

it IS water.

you ARE THAT (one without a second)

ONE singular block of reality

Enlightenment is Bullshit

We’ve read books and heard stories about a grand “enlightenment.” This is the ultimate spiritual trophy. A goliath and golden 8 ft. tall symbol of achievement. It is the ultimate war story to show off and brag to friends.

The stories of monks meditating in the Himalayas for twenty years letting out a thunderous laughter imply that this “spiritual” seeking must be an arduous and painful journey. That seems to match what we’ve read about the Hindu yogis that starve themselves and chant endlessly, hoping to one day figure all of this out. And because the seeking of enlightenment was such a difficult path for those special few, enlightenment must be a flowery, holy and permanently blissful state of happiness and permanent high.

This is a huge and heaping pile of bullshit.

Recognize that any experience that pops up is just another transient experience-- just another event that comes and goes. It is rather obvious that what comes/goes. Any experience, no matter how ‘grand’, ‘profound’ or ‘spiritual’ is just another experience that will inevitably pass.

As this ‘mystical’ experience passes, recognize the psychological suffering that arises:

“I want to achieve that state that I worked so hard to get”.

Notice that every single time (without exception) that there is psychological suffering it is referring to an individual, separate ‘I’. It is this ‘I’ that wants more, needs more, needs to become something, needs to be protected against something, is quietly waiting for something to happen and most of all, needs to become enlightened.

What if this fundamental assumption, “I” is completely false—a fiction

What if a ‘person’ is NOT always here?

So we question…

To whom does this thought “I” appear to?

It cannot be “I”? Isn’t this just another thought?

Where is this witness? Where is the seer of thoughts?

What are we really pointing to when we refer to this “I”?

If this “I” is merely a concept that is coming and going…just another transient image, then I am not thoughts. What I am never changes….but this “I” thought is ephemeral.

Thoughts are just appearing/disappearing…..

If I am not the thought “I” then clearly, the opposite of “I” (as an individual) not-“I”, (we can call this “the world”) must also be false. Boundaries (only conceptualizations) fall apart because both are false. Where can you find limitations? Where are there beginnings and endings? Isn’t it only in concepts? Concepts are merely fleeting labels with no substance.

So if there isn’t a person there….who has the problem? Who would be there to suffer psychologically? Who would be troubled by thoughts? Who would be there to make choices?

Whatever your name (or persona, which is Latin for “mask”) is a fictional character perpetuated by conversation, much like our favorite superheroes. We can talk at great lengths about how Lex Luthor is going to expose Superman to kryptonite and jeopardize his ability to save the world—but does Superman really suffer from kryptonite? It’s all fantasy, just stories supported by other stories. This is why we say “nothing is happening.” Whatever you dreamt last night, did it really happen? Did you really show up to class absolutely naked? Did you really get chased by monsters? Is the dream state any different than the waking state?

But to say that “Nothing is happening” falls short in its description. If there is no “I” here that can suffer psychologically, how in the hell is this all happening if there is no ‘doer’ of actions?

We can also say that Life is functioning. Life is expressing itself, spontaneously and miraculously.

No one is driving the bus. And with no one to suffer, all we can say (which still falls short) is THIS.

Without conceptualizing what can be said?

But the fiction keeps on rolling….

As Bob says, ONE essence expressing itself as the many.

ONE (without a second)

How could there be something lacking in ONENESS?

Or, what could be added or attained in ONE (without a second)?

THIS wakefulness loves itself and loves to exist.

We can call it the Infinite because it is unborn; beyond time and space.

The closest we can come to an accurate description in words is “I AM”

You are not the words “I AM”, what are these words pointing to?

This HERE-ness, this CERTAINTY that you EXIST is an undeniable FACT!

A wordless, silent confirmation of existence…

No one walks around and questions their existence, or says “I am not.”

It is not a hypothesis that you are present. It is not something that you theorize and will present at an upcoming conference and reveal your findings to other scholars in the field.

The FACT of BEING is not a concept, yet a 100% certainty.

This is why the Buddhists call what you ARE: “non-conceptual Awareness.”

It does not require a concept to know that you are awake.

How is this known?

Is this KNOWING ALWAYS radiantly shining?

How is this known?

This Aliveness…..

How is this known?

This wakefulness is ALREADY happening effortlessly.

What effort does it take for the ocean to become water?

Are ‘you’ present?

Without conceptualizing, how is this known?

Urban Guru Cafe

An interview with Jason Swanson has just been posted at the Urban Guru Cafe--give it a lesson if you are moved to do so.

The Urban Guru Cafe is a treasure trove of clear podcasts that point directly to what you ARE.

the Sun

Does the Sun know darkness? Could the Sun even know light?

Is the Sun still shining at midnight?

Does the Sun ever "shut off"?

Even if the clouds roll through the sky, doesn't the light of the Sun shine through the clouds? Isn't this light what makes knowing the clouds even possible?

Self-shining Knowing

Conversation with Charlie Hayes

A conversation with Charlie Hayes has been recorded and posted to his website. Check out all of his podcasts here.

You Are No Thing: Recognising Your True Nature

Randall Friend's new book has been recently released courtesy of the folks at Non-duality Press.

With laser-like focus, Randall is undeviatingly pointing to the simple fact of Being.

click here to order the book

What is SEEING the mind?

Q: I know we've must have addressed this, but can you tell me where the thoughts come from? Is the mind creating thoughts and the appearance? ... and then labeling and believing its own made up story? If not, what creates thoughts/appearance? Is this something we cannot comprehend or do we not know?

A:What is happening in direct experience? What is really the truth of what is happening? Isn't this all that is ever happening?

Can you find a location where thoughts arise from? Or do they just appear?

The mind doesn't create thoughts--the mind IS thoughts.

The mind can be defined as an endless train of thoughts....one damn thought after the other...

Thoughts can appear as labels or stories

But there isn't a mind that is witnessing mind.

There isn't a mind that is knowing mind.

Mind cannot known itself and believe in itself.

They are just labels, stories.

THAT which SEES labels and stories is what YOU ARE.

The infinite space in which these stories/labels appear on/in.

The mind gets frustrated because it cannot find SEEING.

The mind cannot and will not ever find it; so it gives up.

No matter how rigorous the search is--it is impossible because thoughts cannot do anything!

Intelligence is functioning; KNOWING the thoughts that spontaneously appear/disappear



The answer is NOT in the mind!



What is SEEING the mind?

What is SEEING the thought 'me' arise?

Surely it cannot be a 'me' that is SEEING the 'me'? Wouldn't that be another thought?

Don't you see the dog chasing its tail?

What is SEEING this maddening cycle?

SEEING is happening THEN thoughts arise

SEEING is happening then the thought 'me' arises

a 'person' is not SEEING

the label 'your name' is not SEEING

the thought 'your name' is an appearance in the SEEING

SEEING is undeniable then BS stories (seemingly) attach to 'your name' rise/fall

THAT KNOWING/SEEING never changes!

This CANNOT be understood

This is not some complex mathematical formula where it said "Yes! I have it"

This is something that is gained--or added, what could be added to the Infinite?

IT IS KNOW-ING!

Nothing to achieve

No personal enlightenment.
No grand awakening.
No final understanding.
No getting it.
No permanent state of bliss.
Absolutely nothing to achieve.
The Infinite is already present. How could the Infinite disappear/reappear?
The Infinite is what ‘you’ ARE.
Who do all of these transient images appear to?
Isn’t the answer ‘me’ just another image that appears and disappears?
Can images ‘do’ anything?
Knowing ALWAYS IS—but these words inevitably fall short…
‘Knowing ALWAYS IS’, what are these words pointing to?
Is this undeniable? Has this ever changed?

Everything happens NOW

Q:Hi Jason - I like your blog a lot and realised that all non-dual people say there is ONLY THIS . The mind tries to conceptualise THIS but cant understand. So finally I just forget about it. Is THIS something that can be pointed in a more meaningful way? I keep hearing there is only this happening - what is happening , how can happening be described because everything moves into the past so quickly and I wonder if there is even a present moment?

I only experience thoughts all the time , thoughts about past and future and so dont know what is present moment. And then I just give up...All this is too complicated. I am OK with my pain, stories, suffering - who cares? I know I will live and die without any eventful stories.

A: Thank you for writing my friend. Time is thought--merely a concept about the past, future that is some sort of fear/worry/regret that can only be happening NOW. A thought cannot happen five minutes, five hours, five weeks or five years ago... There is an immediate registering that is happening spontaneously that cannot be 'turned off' so to speak. These thoughts, as you seem to recognize, are ephemeral appearances that cannot last. Whatever these stories may be, stories of pain, stories of suffering, stories of bliss, stories of peace, they appear and disappear without exception. All of these appearances in consciousness are transient, yet what 'you' ARE is the changeless, infinite background in which these seemingly separate images appear; just THIS. THIS is the changeless background in which all of the apparently separate objects appear on/in.

Exactly right! THIS cannot be known as a thought/concept, nor is it a thing to grab onto and say 'yes here it is...i have it' because that story of 'getting it' is just another appearance that appears and disappears. We can never know THIS, just the contents of THIS. There is not a special state that confirm this because any state that would appear would assuredly disappear. But, the habit of the mind doesn't 'like' that because it is used to finding and labeling. What knows the mind? Is 'me' or 'I' or 'your name' a thought? Can thoughts know thought?

So there is nothing to get or receive, no 'special' understanding or esoteric gain of any sort.

Recognize that the KNOWING....is not a thought. The effortless registering, that is ALWAYS shining this SEEING, for example of the computer monitor, doesn't require a thought.

This is what you ARE, prior to any investigation, prior to any search, prior to reading any scriptures....so start from the FACT that 'you' already ARE THAT, not a 'person' who is trying to 'get it'!

Any practice to obtain or get something is immediately futile because 'you' already ARE the infinite! What would be needed to add to the Totality?

That sense of BEING is always present, but it gets translated through the mind as the thought 'I AM'. This is where the separation appears to happen. Then the thoughts of 'me', 'I', 'your name' appear/disappear or 'i am a man, i am a good person'....So, 'your name' is just another thought/concept; thoughts and concepts don't 'do' anything (they're just labels), so there was never a person that existed who could have suffered!

My friend, suffering never happened.

Look now!

Do 'you' exist? (Surely 'you' do not say I AM NOT!!!, wouldn't that require existence to even state?)

Are 'you' awake?

What effort is needed to recognize the FACT of BEING? (certainly not twenty years in the Himalayas....)

Wouldn't BEING be a prerequisite for thoughts to appear?

That KNOWING is what 'you' ARE!

'You' are SEEING-ONENESS looking at itself, KNOWING, knowing itself, BEING, being itself....

much love,

jason

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

Being is indisputable

How many more books need to be read?

How many more blogs need to be visited?

How many more meetings need to be attended?

How many more podcasts need to be listened to?

How many more Youtube videos need to be watched?

Memorizing and parroting quotes are completely worthless.

Any practice for that matter is worthless. It's all futile.

This hunger for more, presupposes that there is something to get or to achieve.

Anything that comes, most certainly goes…

There is nothing to get.

Seeing is already happening—prior to any searching.

Once this message is ‘heard’, take a look and investigate NOW.

YOU ARE, this is the only FACT that you are absolutely sure of, this isn’t debatable, a hypothesis or an assumption.

Surely you don’t doubt the FACT of Existence or Being!

Everything else is an assumption, simply an ephemeral appearance.

YOU ARE THIS—the open and empty space that these transient images appear and disappear in/on.

Are you present? Are you here? Are you awake? Is SEEING spontaneously happening?

With brutal honestly, is this an undeniable, indisputable Fact?