That Silver Screen

My body needs food. My car needs gas. I need nothing. I am everything.

I am that pure consciousness, that open head of awareness,

that silver screen upon which an ego is superimposed like a biopic.

Satcitananda BC

The body-mind is, by itself, inert matter, yet an existent thing per the principle of existence.

The ground of consciousness gives this body-mind action and intelligence. And mind, memory, and ego.

Unconditional love is breathing that essence of bliss. Bliss is that holistic infinity, nonduality, of Parabrahman.

Letting Reality Shine Through

The nondual way of self-control is not about morality, the lower understanding of religion. It’s being less of a person so the real one will shine through.

Detaching from the personal is the first step. The I-Am makes a good halfway home. Detaching from the universal is that last stepless step.

But viveka is job one. If I don’t see the difference between reality and nonreality, consciousness and dream, the rest really doesn’t matter.

Brahman Gold #2

Even space is an appearance in Brahman. Time too.

Space-time is appearing in my open head of pure awareness.

Atman is truly Brahman. The real self is the real.

Every object, every thought, is nothing but a name and form superimposed on Brahman.

The world appears in Brahman like shadowy reflections on a clear calm lake.

The reflections may be dreamlike, but they’re made out of nothing but Brahman.

Be aware. Look at everything as if it’s made of your Self, pure consciousness, Brahman gold.

Brahman Gold

Even space is an appearance in Brahman. Time too.

Space-time is appearing in my open head of pure awareness.

Atman is truly Brahman.

Every object, every thought, is nothing but a name and form superimposed on Brahman.

The world appears in Brahman like shadowy reflections on a clear calm lake.

The reflections may not be real, but still, they're made out of nothing but Brahman.

Be aware. Look at everything as if it's made out of your Self, pure consciousness, Brahman gold.

2. Go go go Satcitananda!

I am sat! I know cit! I love ananda! Go go go Satcitananda!

Atman is the real self. Brahman is the real. The real self is the real.

Nonduality is neither a science nor humanity.

Science and humanity appear in nonduality like islands in the sea.

Self-awareness is job number one, is it not?

Unfortunately fractions are taught here first.

3. I am That is

Not this not this is not enough.

I am That is Tattvamasi.

Brahman is genderless my friends.

4. the ground of consciousness

Space-time may be the main feature

but my silver screen is the real one.

Deconstruct a movie and find a movie screen.

That screen is the ground of consciousness.

5. the ground of consciousness

The ground of consciousness is the principle of existence and the essence of bliss.

The mind is a wildflower growing in that ground of consciousness.

The mind is a wildflower growing in that ground of consciousness.

Shadow God

1. superimposed on the ground of consciousness

This life force is but a shadow of the immortal source

like Saguna Brahman superimposed on the ground of consciousness.

There’s only one absolute light and one conditional shadow.

People are like dreams superimposed on that Shadow God.

2. consciousness cannot be divided

Contrary to popular opinion, consciousness cannot be divided.

Rivers are names and forms. Even the one sea has been given many names and forms.

But the hydrologic is the hydrologic. It doesn't matter what you call it.

3. undivided consciousness

Nondoing is

the highest wisdom of Maya,

the irresistible will of God,

and the greatest magic show

appearing in Nirguna Brahman.

Effortless nondoing is existence unbound.

Intuitive nonknowing is undivided consciousness.

Unconditional nonloving is loving whatever.

4. rebirth

Mixing color with death,

October is the kindest month.

Oak trees are turning gold today—

that is the peak of my geography.

October is great. November is sublime.

November is the rebirth of space in time.

Prasna Creation Story

1.4 To him the teacher said: Prajapati, the Creator, was desirous of progeny. He performed austerities, and having performed austerities, created the pair, the moon (rayi) and the sun (prana). He said to Himself: “These two should produce creatures for Me in manifold ways.”

1.5 The sun Is, indeed, prana, life; the moon is rayi, food. Food is, indeed, all this—what has form and what is formless.

2.2 To the disciple he said: Space, akasa, verily is that god—the wind, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, eye, and ear, as well. These, having manifested their glory, said boastfully: “We [each of us] support this body and uphold it.”

2.3 To them prana, the chiefmost said: “Do not fall into delusion. I alone, dividing myself into five parts, support this body and uphold it.

3.3 This prana is born of Atman. As a shadow is cast by a person, so this prana is, by Atman. Through the activity of the mind it comes into this body.

4.9 He, verily, it is who sees, feels, hears, smells, tastes, thinks, and knows. He is the doer, the intelligent self, the purusha. He is established in the Highest, the imperishable Atman.

4.10 He who knows that imperishable Being, bright, without shadow, without body, without colour, verily attains the Supreme, the undecaying Purusha. O my good friend, he who knows Atman becomes all-knowing, becomes all. About it there is the following verse:

4.11 He, O friend, who knows that imperishable Being wherein rests the intelligent self, together with the gods, the pranas, and the elements —he becomes all-knowing and enters into all.

~Prasna Upanishad (tr-Nikhilananda)

God, Maya, & Wu Wei Walk Into a Bar

1. ignorance wrapped in a dream inside a mind

God is universal existence wielding the power of the dream state.

Individual existence is ignorance wrapped in a dream inside a mind.

Effortless existence is the wisdom of the dream state intuiting the will of God.

2. like a movie

Beyond the Big Bang Dream is that substrate of Pure Existence like a movie screen.

Now playing is I minus Ignorance equals That Substrate minus Maya. I Am That for short.

As if I'm this open head of pure awareness and a universe is playing on me like a movie.

3. all planets must pass

The world is a ghost of course and I’m that pure existence within which it is ghosting.

In truth, ignorance is the enemy. Maya is like the Swiss Alps.

Darkness is like a shadow in the sun. All planets must pass. Happy Halloween!

a. deep sleep is that

In-between the waking dream and the sleeping dream are many dreams.

Between the sleeping dream and the waking dream is deep sleep.

Deep sleep is that in which sleeping and waking appear.

Looking for Ananda

1. names and forms appear in pure existence

Before identifying with the body-mind, ignorance is bliss.

Now it’s like people are looking for bliss in all the wrong places.

It’s not as much that ignorance is bliss, as it is bliss is that in which ignorance is appearing.

Ice appears in a crystal northern lake like names and forms appear in pure existence.

Ice is never not water as the body-mind is never not existence, awareness, bliss.

In conclusion, dreams appear in the mind; the mind appears in satcitananda.

2. earnest about self-inquiry

One person’s karma is another’s DNA.

This is then. That is now.

If you’re earnest about self-inquiry, it doesn’t matter how you got here. 

You ain’t going nowhere.

3. beyond the causal

There are three states of ignorance: the waking dreamstate, the sleeping dreamstate, and the state of pure sleep. Remember, deep sleep is next to godliness.

In the Mandukya, Turiya is not a state. It’s called the fourth because it’s beyond the causal power of three.

Samsara is like a benighted dream sleepwalking. Self-inquiry is the real waking state.

4. mind waves

Lessen your mind waves and the sea is yours!

Never try to stop a wave—ride it out to the shoreless shore.

If deep sleep is godlike, going to sleep is like an act of worship.

5. the power of one

Rivers do not turn to ice. Only their breath freezes over.

I learned this the hard way on Canon Mountain.

No reflection is real including your so-called self.

Maya is the power of three. The power of two is samsara.

Nonduality is the power of one.

Sculptors, Brahman, and Tattooists

1. feels real

No matter how great the sculptor is, a figure sculpted out of rock feels real because of the rock. 

That’s why figures sculpted out of air don’t.

In this way the waking world feels real because it’s an appearance in Brahman.

Not only is Brahman the great tattoo artist, Brahman is that existence being tattooed.

And they call the tattoo Maya.

2. suddenly there’s Brahman

Maya is the power of Nirguna Brahman. Saguna Brahman wields the sword of Maya.

Ignorance and projection are two of the three powers of Maya. Revelation is its third.

First there is no mountain, then there is a mountain, and suddenly there’s Brahman.

a. of would

A figure sculpted out of rock feels real because of the rock. The waking world feels real because it’s an appearance in Brahman.

They call the tattoo Maya. Saguna Brahman wields the sword.

Ignorance and projection are two of three powers of Maya. I love that I know that I am!