This morning, writing a response at TZF’s Open Forum (no longer active), I posed a question about a struggle that has troubled me for many years. The statement I made said in effect that I have struggled with the distraction of the delights, beauties, and attractions of the world while trying to remain focused on who I am, or on my spiritual search, and how difficult it was to deal with that conflict. As I wrote the words, I realized in a flash of extraordinary clarity, the statement made by U.G. Krishnamurti to the effect that we do not want to solve our problems, we want to discuss our problems. And that, at the same time, if you listen to the question, you will discover the answer to the question within the question. U.G. is so persistent and insistent on both these points throughout his talks, that it seemed to me that this was a key he used to facilitate understanding, like a riddle, or a pointer. Well, I was right, and he was right. And when I realized this, my mind came to a complete, dead stop, as solid and firm as a granite ledge. There was no movement whatsoever, and the activity and motion of consciousness ceased, and within that space was total immense freedom. The actual realization that the dilemma that I found problematical was in fact the problem itself, and that the resolution of the problem lay in the formation of the problem itself, was shattering. It kind of worked like anti-matter, in that, upon discovering this, the entire dialogue within myself, and with another outside myself, came to a total end. Ceased entirely. This realization is hard to explain, but what happens is that the problems we find ourselves in are created solely by a mind which depends upon these problems for its very existence. If we solve the problems, the mind ceases (usually only for a moment until it forms a new problem), and because as a separate, bodily being, we believe our consciousness which is composed of unique thoughts strung together, to be who we are, we maintain this deception in order not to realize it is a deception in order to maintain our “survival.”. So, the mind weaves problems, and then discusses them in order to prolong its survival. When one looks at a question, or a problem, with true objectivity, one sees this fact clearly, and realizes that there is no problem at all, and that the mind has created a dichotomy in order to pose a problem, in order to discuss the problem, in order to pose further problems. So, the problem of remaining focused while distracted by a world of delights and beauties is not a problem, focus is not a problem, distraction is not a problem, delights and beauties is not a problem, spiritual work is not a problem, because spiritual work’s aim, as I see it, is to know that there is NO problem whatsoever with anything. This is so firm, and so unassailable, that I cannot cut through it or find any holes in it. It is just simply a hard, steady fact. The most beautiful thing about this entire event was the mirror of my conversation resided within another human being, the one at TZF’s Open Forum who had posted the original question to which I was responding. Indeed, as I responded to him, I discovered that I was actually talking to myself. His points were every bit as correct, important, and relevant to the event as mine were. The mirror quality of this person, while unbeknownst to himself, was full of love and non-duality. The conversation between us was kind of like God talking to God, but in the form of two bodies. Neither of us was divided, neither of us existed, only the conversation existed and lived through us, and the content was irrelevant, and ultimately, meaningless, but the relatedness and responsiveness was the whole point of the interchange and nothing else ’ not the problem, not the resolution, not the participants. |
The purpose of life is survival; If you understand what wishes to survive, and if you understand what the purpose of Life is, both purposes will be fulfilled. It is the standing in the position of one or the other that obscures the realization of both. It is the clinging to one without recognition and allowance of the other that obstructs the fulfillment of either. |
See what your mind is doing to you.
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