Consciousness, the Waking Dream, Multiple Universes and Self-Realization by Katie Davis, Author, "Awake Joy"

Consciousness, the Waking Dream, Multiple Universes and Self-Realization by Katie Davis, Author, "Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment"

That which is perceivable is born of pleasure or pain, whereas the Heart and the illumined mind’s pure consciousness display as a wise love and a certain charity for life, while transcending the dual opposites of the pleasure-pain cycle.

The altered state of consciousness (ego) changes along with its perceived conditions and only experiences its own judgment. That judgment is either based on past experience or an imagined future. The reaction varies according to the mind’s desire for pleasure or fear of pain based on its delusion of separation.

The egoic “I” and its body are time and therefore cannot be conscious of the formless and timeless now. Egoic “I” as identity is the obstruction.

Ego can become sort of present with the content of the present moment which is an important first step. Yet the body as identity cannot step out of space and time. You are not in space and time. They are within you.

What is independent of time is beyond the mind, its consciousness and remains uncreated and changeless; pure potentiality.

The consciousness of change points to the fact that you are already changeless; just as the consciousness of thought, emotion, the body, mental images, physical energies, memory, cognition, perception and evermore subtle layers of the intellect imply that you are beyond all of them.

Some say that when the mind dissolves that "nothing" remains and yet nothing also depends on “something.” It is another concept imposed by the divided mind before its dissolution. Nothing is dependent on the memory of something.

Are you losing your mind?

No, all that dies is its idea of separation as identity and therefore the end of suffering.

Pure Beingness is independent from that which is definable and altogether free of existence ...  yet identical and the same!

Consciousness also comes and goes, while Pure Awareness alone "shines."

However this word "awareness" is used by many and one can never be certain when it is used, where the word is truly pointing or where "you think" that it is pointing. It always depends upon who is looking. Are we speaking of the physical eye's attention that is the person, or the watcher that is the self-observer, or the field of attention of the witnessing consciousness, or is it beyond all?

I suppose we could speak of who I am as Pure I or the Heart, yet being indescribable, any word falls short.

Simply put, I am beyond all and without contradiction all of the above.

When one's identity is based solely on the person, there is consciousness, the "I am" that is existence and this existence is still witnessed. Witnessing is the subtle fabric of the mind and disappears with all its objects.

The witness is still within duality and hence we have this sense of being “between two worlds” that appears after complete and spontaneous detachment; formlessness that is separate from all form and still unity consciousness.

This separation ceases in Non-duality and the fully integrated life of Self-realization.

Being-consciousness-bliss depends upon “one another,” as well as upon the Supreme Reality.

In the Non-dual reality, all is real whether in movement or motionless, yet it is only the mind that moves creating the illusion.

For the "aspirant," it must be understood that virtually nothing that can be perceived or conceptualized can be who you are.

That which is witnessed is the mind's imagination and you will find that this is based on either the mind’s fear or desire.

The daytime dream is just that … a dream … it has continuity solely due to memory. Just like your nighttime dreams, you can wake up.

Within consciousness, there are infinite universes and when you realize that you are that which makes all possible (including the mind’s consciousness), you may experience any of these real/unreal dimensions, whenever they happen or appear.

They are just as real/unreal as your present daytime dream. Some are denser and others illuminated with more light, such as when only wise love prevails or when they are free of judgment and therefore negativity.

Each operates under different “universal” laws. Once again, by trial and error, these laws reveal themselves.

Could it be possible that we never step into the same river twice?

Are the laws that we have learned and been conditioned to believe for this “dimension” that we call “earth and universe” truly steadfast and “universal” or is it just that we believe in those limitations and mind structure?

Alas! First things first, before the adventures begin!

May I repeat and profoundly stress that as alluring as this might be for the mind and its consciousness, you are never anything that you can perceive!

This requires that you to step out of the tiny boat of personal identity that is the body limitation with its given name for an address. We lose nothing. We shift in identity only.

Nothing you perceive is your own.

First is the great disappearance of the universe. Then, when the consciousness of the illumined mind is pure and the world reappears, nothing is the same.

While extraordinary or dumbfounding, visions are essentially meaningless. You know who is calling you back!

Who are you really is the only essential question.

The invitation is to contemplate this and examine carefully so that this is realized directly.

 Nothing of true value can come from the impermanent “outside.”

You are only limited by the perception of yourself and the body is only another object seeming to appear in the ever changing field of consciousness.

I merely make all things possible, including nothing.

The only thing required is to be aware of being and all will be effortlessly revealed.

Apply the Self-inquiry question, “Who am I?” each time the compulsive, altered state of consciousness projects towards its sense objects and refuses to remain as the resting power that is the witness. This is not immediate! Persistence is required.

Self-inquiry is successful!

Where is “I” arising from?

Even here as the witness, you will disappear, so continue the Self-inquiry as the altered states of consciousness dissolve and the mirror of the mind gains perfect clarity and therefore a perfect reflection.

Finally, attend satsang with a “realized teacher.”

I believe the analogy used by many is that a wet log is nearly impossible to light with a single match, yet when you drop it into a roaring fire, it readily ignites. You will notice that for weeks after satsang the intensity seems to increase. One fine day, it will never again diminish. Yet, this too is a misperception.

The sun remains as brilliant on a cloudy day as when the sky is blue.

Satsang is not the entire answer. Awareness of being as an all day-long movement meditation, Self-inquiry and satsang, intensives or longer silent retreats are simple answers.

Further, once all of the wrong ideas are removed, what remains is Truth and the talks offered during satsang assist this right understanding, while silently burning tendencies.

While you cannot know who you are, since you are beyond the mind and its cognition, you can learn all that you are not and once directly encountered and spontaneously surrendered, what remains is who you really are.

However once again, if the one who is pointing is only half way up the mountain, detours and dead ends are likely. Nonetheless, when you are ready, the “appropriate teacher” finds you and conditions appear without seeking, evaluation and choice.

Everywhere you are is perfection.

It all happens by itself.

Deeply contemplate each of these paragraphs over time and when appropriate. The timeless has no issue with time.

I am not asking you to philosophize, agree, disagree or “do” anything. That would be counterproductive. Contemplation is meditation and deep noticing.

What seems to be true right now may in fact be false later. So we crystallize nothing and change nothing.

No one arrives anywhere.

Katie Davis Website www.katiedavis.org