fear of nothing

deep down, we know the mental structure we've created of who we are to be a pretty shaky thing. this shakiness terrifies us, because we think that the structure's collapse would mean the worst thing imaginable.

this deep fear is what keeps us from the freedom that is encountered when, after the smoke of the crumbling structure clears, the limitless expanse of freed consciousness is revealed.

attention no longer fixed on an object, and yet experience of being still present, consciousness has no choice but to acknowledge itself as formlessness, openness; pure, aware presence.

feigning ignorance

we don't have to do anything to be ourselves. we already are what we are and there's absolutely nothing that can change or add to that.

what we perceive ourselves to be, on the other hand, is subject to change and will take different forms throughout our lives depending on many factors.

but what we really are is immutable. It's present in every changing circumstance of our lives: when we're at peace, in turmoil, nervous, confident, watering a plant, having sex.

in each and every situation of our lives, the presence of what we are is neither increased nor diminished; it always exists in complete totality. it can be overlooked or acknowledged, but even this overlooking is a feigned ignorance; it can only be accomplished by directing a large percentage of our awareness away from ourselves.

the effect is similar to when we become oblivious to pain by concentrating strongly on something else; as soon as we stop paying attention to that something else, the awareness of pain comes rushing back in.