There are lots of tools out there to invite in healing, maturing and even awakening, and they can all be very helpful.
But it is also good to notice that what we seek is already here, and that is the gift of Advaita.
That is what Advaita – more than any other tradition – reminds us of. It gives us a reminder of how simple it is, and an invitation to notice here now.
Even if there is not an immediate shift into a full awakening, we can still notice it, get a taste of it, rest in/as what is.
And that may well invite in a full awakening.
We get familiar with what is already here. More comfortable with it. We learn to trust it.
And we also get familiar – in a very direct and immediate way – with what is between our regular way of experiencing the world and what is already here. We get to notice the sense of a doer and observer, and how that too is just content of experience. We notice beliefs and can inquire into them.
For most of us, noticing what is already here will be included among a variety of tools and practices. No matter how helpful they all seem and how comfortable and familiar we are with those tools, it is good to take a few seconds or minutes to just notice what is already here, and even have that as our main curiosity for a few days, months or even years – without any other practices.
One great benefit of including this among other tools is how it helps us notice how we relate to practices in general and these other tools in particular.
Do I imagine that what i am looking for is somewhere else – in the future, past, out there in others?
Do I want to get something out of practices, including noticing what is here now? Is it true that it is not already here?
Do I rely on teachings and practices as a refuge? As a way to find security? A way to imagine that there is “solid ground” here somewhere? That I know? That I am on right track? That I am on track somewhere?
By simply noticing what is here now, all of those tendencies and impulses may come up and be noticed.
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outline….
- gift of adveita
- tools/practices can be very helpful, invite in healing, maturing, awakening
- but also good to notice that what I seek is already here
- the gift of adveita, remind us of how simple it is, invite us to notice here now
- even if not a full awakening, can still notice, get a taste of, rest in/as what is
- and may well lead into a full awakening
- also, helps us notice what is between here and full awakening – invite us to inquire into beliefs etc.
- for most, will be included among other tools/practices
- good to take a few minutes or days or months to just notice what is already here
- and also notice what happens when use other tools/practices, the tendency to
- imagine that what I am looking for is somewhere else – in the future, past, out there in others etc.
- wanting to get something out of it
- relying on teachings/practices as a refuge, a way to allow myself to imagine “solid ground”, also imagine “I am right, they are wrong” etc.
There are lots of tools out there to invite in healing, maturing and even awakening, and they can all be very helpful.
But it is also good to notice that what we seek is already here, and that is what Advaita – more than any other tradition – reminds us of.
That is the gift of Advaita, the reminder of how simple it is, and the invitation to notice here now.
Even if there is not a shift into a full awakening, we can still notice it, get a taste of it, rest in/as what is.
And that may well invite in a full awakening.
We get familiar with what is already here. More comfortable with it. Learn to trust it.
And we also get familiar – in a very direct way – with what is between our regular way of experiencing the world and what is already here. We get to notice the sense of a doer and observer, and how that too is just content of experience. We notice beliefs and can inquire into them.
For most of us, noticing what is already here will be included among a variety of tools and practices.
……………
Advaita – and related practices such as headless experiments and the Big Mind process – is the perfect remedy for complexity and a sense of lack