Today’s reading is an interpretation of three of Jesus’ parables. You can read those parables at this link.
There is an idea that is accepted as fact by nearly every person alive. The idea is, “I am a person, living and moving independently, in a world that is separate from me and bigger than me.”
This idea is a perception. It is not true.
Interestingly, I got caught up in this mistaken perception recently while reading from I Am That, Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. It might be helpful to listen to that audio today, if you have time. It is a 1-hour audio. In the audio, you will hear how I moved from confusion to clarity.
It’s important to realize that the true Self has never been lost. It isn’t something we need to acquire or earn. It is present as us right now.
Our challenge is not one of finding something that is lost. Our challenge is letting go of something that we cling to, something that obscures the true Self. That something is the mind.
It’s important to be clear that if it were not for the mind, our truth would be obvious to us. This is important, because humans tend to value their mind above everything else that they value. That means that we put the obstacle to truth above everything else in our list of ‘What Is Important to Me’.
That’s what needs to change.
I mentioned that I got caught up in confusion while reading I Am That. What does, “I Am That” mean?
“I Am That” means I am the essence that is everything. I am consciousness. Using an example from some exercises we imagined earlier this year, I am the clay.
It isn’t true that I am a person living and moving independently in a world that is separate from me. That is a misperception caused by the mind.
It also isn’t true that I am a part in a bigger world of many parts, which are all connected into one.
I am the essence itself. I Am That.
Realizing this is awakening. Realizing this is also what Jesus called “eternal life,” because we realize that we are that which is eternal instead of this temporary personality-body-mind.
Today’s reading gives us a thought to accept. That thought uses a stepped process to step away from misperception. One who believes she is a person in a world accepts that she is within the Spirit of God and not separate from it. Once this is realized, she takes the next step to realize she is the Spirit of God.
The same idea can be contemplated this way:
Existence is one.
Nothing exists that is outside of existence.
I exist, and so I must be within existence.
I exist, and so I must be one with existence.
I exist, and so I must be existence.
Instead of just saying these words, you can look and see if this is true. Are you existence?
Here is another way to contemplate that idea:
Consciousness is one.
There is only one consciousness.
Minds differ, but consciousness is always the same.
Every conscious being experiences the same consciousness.
I am conscious, and so I experience the one consciousness.
One who experiences the one consciousness is the one consciousness.
I am consciousness.
Again, you can look to see if that is true. Are you consciousness? Isn’t it true that consciousness is more intimately you than the body or the mind?
