Two Aspects of Our Self, Immanent and Transcendent from the media Two Aspects of Our Self, Immanent and Transcendent
Be aware of being aware. When focused on the objects of experience –thoughts, images, feelings – we, awareness, seem to leave our self. In meditation, we relax the focus of attention on experience and return to our self, simply being. There are two aspects of our self, which are intimately one with all experience yet never implicated by it: immanent and transcendent. We initially turn away from experience due to our habit of losing our self in it. Once awareness is recognised as our essential self, we no longer need to turn away. The fact of being aware shines in the midst of all experience. Thoughts may be agitated, but we, awareness, are at peace. We return to our true nature of awareness until it’s not a place we visit; it’s where we live. We don't go toward experience; we allow experience to come and lose itself in us. Thus peace and quiet joy emerge.
Be aware of being aware. When focused on the objects of experience –thoughts, images, feelings – we, awareness, seem to leave our self. In meditation, we relax the focus of attention on experience and return to our self, simply being. There are two aspects of our self, which are intimately one with all experience yet never implicated by it: immanent and transcendent. We initially turn away from experience due to our habit of losing our self in it. Once awareness is recognised as our essential self, we no longer need to turn away. The fact of being aware shines in the midst of all experience. Thoughts may be agitated, but we, awareness, are at peace. We return to our true nature of awareness until it’s not a place we visit; it’s where we live. We don't go toward experience; we allow experience to come and lose itself in us. Thus peace and quiet joy emerge.
A woman asks about how to move on from guilt and shame, which she feels prevents her from establishing herself as awareness. Rupert responds that she is attempting to push these feelings away, which strengthens them, and suggests doing the opposite. Instead of thinking of this guilt as a failure, see it as part of the conditioning of the mind. Move towards these feelings rather than attempting to get away from or get rid of them. See that what you are, as awareness, has done nothing wrong.
A man asks for help with a panic attack he is currently experiencing. Rupert suggests he pay attention to his breath and guides him through the experience focussing on the breath.
A man asks for feedback into his idea that consciousness is made up of energy, information and the capacity to feel. He refers to Einstein who said that thought comes to him and then he gives words to it. He also shares that, as a musician, he has felt an intense presence come over him and his fingers just play. Referring to both examples, Rupert suggests that each was expressing a preverbal understanding. However, consciousness is not made of energy, information or feelings; instead, energy, information and feelings are made of consciousness. Rupert suggests that we can imagine that consciousness’s first vibration might be energy, a feeling or information and then each is subsequently formulated as thoughts, art, music, dance, literature, and so on.
A woman speaks of a whole life of brokenness and says the first time she heard Rupert speak, she knew it was the truth. She mentions ‘The Impersonal Life’ by Joseph Brenner. Rupert responds that she is responding to memories that make her feel broken, but where do all these memories reside except in awareness. He suggests she focus her attention on awareness rather than solely on thoughts, feelings or memories. He guides her in self-enquiry to help her discover where the peace of her true nature is to be found.
Rupert suggests that the recognition ‘I am awareness’ is a first step in response to man who says that although he is aware that he is awareness, he doesn't feel the peace and happiness that he assumed goes along with that recognition. Rupert suggests he continue and discover the nature of awareness and contemplate that nature in the form of self-enquiry. Step one: I am awareness. Step two: the nature of awareness is peace.
A man asks how to handle reservations and doubts that arise along the way and lead to a sense of panic, which makes him wonder if he isn't ready to see clearly. Rupert responds that he is completely ready, but old habits of fear – which is the core feeling of the separate self – is seemingly reasserting itself as the fear of death. You won't die, but your old identity as a temporary, separate self will die. There is no path once that identity dies.
A former Hare Krishna member asks if there is something beyond, or that transcends, awareness. Rupert asks about what knowledge we could have of what is beyond awareness in the absence of awareness. What would know it or how would it be known?
A question is asked about personal responsibility regarding addiction and relationship. Is there no responsibility for taking the drink or committing adultery? Rupert suggests, when confronted with a choice, that we pause and ask which actions express love and truth. Ultimately there is no entity to be responsible but be careful not to confuse levels of the teaching and use any of this to justify behaviour that is not in alignment with love and understanding.
Rupert elaborates on three steps in recognition. Firstly, we recognise awareness of our self as awareness of our identity. When we say, ‘I think’, the ‘I’ refers to the body or mind. When we say, ‘I am aware of thoughts’, the ‘I’ refers to awareness. In the beginning, we separate our self from that which we are aware of. Secondly, we become aware of the nature of awareness. Lastly, we collapse the distinction between awareness and the objects of which we are aware.
A question is asked about surrendering to awareness because of the fear associated with this. Rupert's response is to ask about what will be lost. He suggests that it is the loss of an identity that was never secure or stable to begin with, which brings nothing but sorrow.