TheDreamofSeparation
Allthereis,isNothingBeingEverythingandwhatappearsaspartofthateverythingisthebeliefand experienceofbeingaseparateselfanapparentindividualwithitsownfreewill,choiceandabilityto act.Thishappeningisuniquelyhumanandiscalledselfconsciousness.Tomostpeopleitisthereality. Thatapparentfeelingofbeingseparateisattherootofthesuffering,inadequacyandsenseoflossthat drivespeopletosearchforescapeorresolution.ItisBeingdreamingthatitisapartfromitself,looking allovertheplaceforthatwhichisalreadyEverything.Itisthehypnoticdreamofseparationwhich,for thedreamer,isveryreal. Thedilemmaforthedreamseekeristhatthefeelingofseparationdrivestheseekingforresolution, whichfurtherfuelsthesenseofseparation. Thedevelopmentofanintelligentunderstanding'mind'apparentlybringswithittheabilitytomake choicesandtakeactionsinanattempttonegotiatewith'theworld'livedin.Thesenegotiationsarenot alwayssuccessfulandtheindividualseemstoexperienceitsownpainandpleasure.Italsodevelopsa greatrespectfortheguidanceandcontrolapparentlyemanatingfromtheunderstanding'mind'. However,aslongasthereisasenseofseparation,thereisasenseofdisquietorlossandthereisa seekingtodispelthatsense.Itseemslogicalthatthemuchrespectedunderstanding'mind'mustbe capableofinvestigatingthecauseofthisdisquietanddiscoveringwaysofdispellingit. Theseparateentitycanonlytrytoimagineorprojectanideaofwhatitmustbelikenottobeseparate. Whatissoughtisthepossibilityofafuturegoalorstatethatcanberealisedandtherefore,logically, mustbeapproachable.Consequently,thefunctionofseekingandtheteachingofbecominglocksthe seekerintoastateofcontinuouslyapproachingsomethingthatitcannotcomprehend.Allofthisisthe expressionofBeing,arisingasthegood,old,dependableandreliableunderstandingmindfunctioning asitcanonlyfunction...incontinualmovementandanticipation.Itisthisactivityofbecomingwhich veryeffectivelykeepstheseekerinthehypnoticdreamofreachingoutforsomethingitcannotgrasp. Ofcourse,Liberationcanapparentlyhappendespiteallofthiseffort. Theonlyotherhopeforthedreamseekeristobelievethatanotherbenevolentenergy(sayGod, Consciousnessorasocalledenlightenedteacher)wouldbemotivatedtoguideandinfluencetheseeker alongapathwhichwouldeventuallyleadthemtofulfilment.Alloftheseideasofbecoming,purpose anddestinyariseinthedream. ButtheparadoxisthatalthoughBeingappearsasthedreamseeker,Beingisnotastatethatcanbe imagined,conceivedof,attainedorevenrealisedbytheseekingofit.Beingrequiresabsolutelynothing itistheNothingandEverythingthatisalreadyimmaculatefulfilmentandwholeness.Nothingneeds tobechangedorattained,lostorfound,forBeingtosimplyBe.Theappearanceofseparationissimply theexpressionofBeing.Theveryideaofsomethingneedingtoapproachthatwhichitalreadyis,is wonderfullyfutile.Beingisacomedianwithanaudiencewhichneverlaughs.
Thedreamseekerfeelsasenseoflossandunworthiness,andsoisveryattractedtodreamteachings whichinvolvepurification,hardcommittedeffort,surrender,devotionandthedevelopmentof renunciationanddetachment.Thereisakindoflogicalinevitabilityandworthinessabouttheseideas whichresonateswiththesenseoflack.Thealmostendlesspathofstrivinghappilyensuresthe continuationoftheindividualexperience.Theseideasseemtoariseoutofaverysubstantialand reliablehistoryoftraditionalwisdomwhichsurelymustberespected,eventhoughitisonlyavailableas wordsonbitsofpaper. Twotraditionalwayswhichseekresolution,orescape,fromthesenseofseparationaremeditationand selfenquiry. Inmeditationitseemspossible,throughapparentchoiceandguidance,toreachcertainstatesof stillnessorblisswhichseembetterthanfeelingseparate.Thebeliefisthatcontinuouseffortwith meditationwillsolidifythestateandeventuallymakeitpermanent.Butthesestatesareonlyrefined personalexperienceshappeningwithinthedreamstory.Solikeallothertimebasedactivitiesthey comeandgoaway. Selfenquiryisasimilarprocessinthatthegoalisfortheindividualtochoosetotakeactionormakethe efforttoreachaplacecalledawarenesswhich,itsteacherspromise,willbringpersonalpeaceofmind, happinessandtheendofallsuffering(?). Thereisagreatemphasisontheneedforproperlycarriedoutinvestigationofthoughtprocessesetc, andthenecessityforvigilancefrombeingdistractedbyselfcentredthoughts. Allofthisactivityisbasedontheprincipleoftheenquirergettingonenessandmaintainingpersonal possessionofit. Theeffectofthestateofawarenessisapparentmovementintoaplaceofdetachmentwhichatfirst feelsveryfreeing,powerfulandsafe...ratherlikebeinginaglassboxfromwhichlifecanbewatched withoutthewatcherbeingaffected.Itisstillasubtlydualpersonalexperiencewithinthedreamstoryof separationandsoitistransitory. Awarenessoflifehappeningisnot'Beinglife'. Predictablythestateofawareness(Buddhistmindfulness)iseasilyforgottenormislaid,oritcanbe overwhelmedbydreamthinkingoranypowerfulemotionalsituation,forinstance.Theglassbox shattersandtheplaceyouseemedtobeinseemslostagain.Thedreamseekereitherstartsself enquiringagain,foranotherboost,oritisrealisedthatawarenessisjustanotherrefugefromwithinthe dreamofseparation.AllofthisissimplytheexpressionofBeing. AnotherwayforthedreamseekertoavoidsimplyBeingistotrytounderstandordevelopclarityabout itsownnature.ItisveryeasytogetstuckinAdvaitaornondualconcepts.Thesingularand unrelentingreiterationofsuchideasasallthereisisBeing",everythingistheexpressionofBeingor thereisnooneareanaridandsimplisticformofcommunication.Itdoesn'taddressorilluminatethe
dreamseekersapparentdilemmaanditobviouslyignorestheprimaryenergeticessenceoftheimplicit alivenessofsimplyBeing. TocontinuouslysaythatbeingawakeorbeingasleepisnotrelevantbecauseBeingisallthereisislike tellingablindpersonthatitsOKtobeblindbecauseseeingisallthereis.Thisispureidealism.Of course,thereisnosuchthingasbeingasleeporbeingawake,butthisisnotseenuntilthereisnoone looking. TheOpenSecretcommunicationisnotdependentonclearconcepts,howevermuchtheymayexpose confusedconcepts.Speakinghappensandwordscanonlypointtoanotherpossibilitywhichisbeyond verbalexpression.Itistheeternallynewmessagewhichishiddenwithinthescripturesandeither overlookedorrejectedinthemind. Theideaofprescriptiveteaching,guidanceortheofferofanykindofhelpsimplydoesnotarise.Thisis amessagewithouthopeorcomfortofanykindfortheindividual,butinvariablythedreamseekerwill stillbelievethatsomethingisonofferthisisthefunctionofseeking.Itisalsopossiblethatallthatwill beleftisnothing,andthenanotherpossibilitycouldarise.However,thereisnoagendaormotive becausenothingisforsale. Itispossiblethatclaritycouldarise,butabsoluteunderstandingisnotliberation.Nevertheless,allofthis conceptualcommunicationissecondarytotheprimaryelementthatismostilluminating.Thatprimary elementisenergetic,impersonalalivenesstheimplicit,vibrantwonderofsimplyBeing.Itisan energeticshift,apparentlyoutofcontractionintoboundlessness.Thisboundlessnesscannotbeowned andsocannotbegiven.Itssimplicityutterlyconfoundsthemind,butwhatarisesisanimpersonal recognitionthatthereisnooneandnothingtobeliberated.Allideasofseparation,individualsuffering, freewill,choice,meaningandpurpose,destiny,hierarchyandtradition,aresimplyseenbynooneas thedreamplayofBeing. Itseemsthattheseekingmindisfascinatedbystruggleandcomplexity.Thewholefabricofseekingis fullofstoriesofgreatedifices,seeminglyarisingoutofsimplebeginnings.Buddhism,Christianityandso manyotherdogmas,ariseandgrowandfighteachotheroverhavingbettergods.Catechismsofsinand worthiness,degreesofawarenessandlevelsofenlightenmentareinvestigated,dissectedandstruggled over. Themindlovestheideaofenlightenmentbeingsomekindofdistant,virtuallyunobtainable,perfect placeofpermanentbliss,freefromsufferingandfullofomniscience,omnipresenceandlotsofother importantomnisstompingaround,shoutingtheoddsandsavingtheworld.Andofcourse,becauseall thisgloryandspecialnesshastobeattained,itseemstherehastobealonghaulthroughthedarknight ofthesoul,endlesspastkarmas,originalsin,rightthinking,rightactionandpreparationforthebardos. Itisataletoldbyafool,fullofsoundandfury,signifyingnothing. YetNaturalBeingissuchanordinaryandgentleconstant.Whenitisseenitis.Whenitisavoideditis.It requiresnoeffortanddemandsnostandards.Beingtimelessthereisnopathtotread,nodebttopay. Whenthisisheardandconfusioncollapses,whenthecontractionofstrugglingtogetsomethingfalls 3
awayandthevibrantenergyofbeingalivenessbecomesapparent,somethingelseisseen,verynaturally ofcourse,becauseitisalreadyallthatis. TonyParsons 1stJuly2006
