Drawing on Hindu scripture and the writing of Alan Watts, I liken the mental/material universe outside to a universal subconscious; and thus similiar to a dream, play or movie, the action or stream of thoughts, images and thing-events ocurring mentally and materially interact like a cosmic comedy-drama, often chaotic and subject to the principle of uncertainty. All of which is to say that though what happens in the universe maybe literal and actual, the play of energy itself is illusion (maya), incomplete, not reality. Reality (Totality of Being/Intubeing) Is fully Awake, Aware, Alive and Whole, not partial or outside the Center/Source/Ground of Energy-Consciousness in any way.

Thus God in God, the innermost Being of everything that is, in Resting completely selfless, formless (the Center of Energy-Consciousness Being everywhere nonliterally speaking and nowhere literally speaking), is not the dreamer or universal subconscious. But the conceptual aspect (icon) of God is, that is to say, God in phenomena. Therefore phenomena or thing-events in the dream (creation), that is, the forms dreaming (identifying with the dream), are by themselves conceptual sensations (creations) of the dreamer (mind) or self, in this case, the universal subconscious who, being the essential quality behind the forms (masks), is actually (though unconsciously perhaps) playing every part in the comedy-drama (universe) but sees each thing-event as being separate from and outside of himself (center). Indeed, the icon is not God, no conceptualization can be, but nevertheless such can be used by the individual consciousness to see through itself and return Into Consciousness, Into the Center/Source/Ground (uncarved Block) of Life itself, Ourself as a Whole.

Now God in God knows the Truth, Being the Truth (Principal of Life/Intulife), and so the dream (duality/sensory perception/ego/literal perspective) is no problem, like a reflection in the mirror is no problem to the reflector, who knows who he is (the center) and what the reflection is (outside the center). Likewise, phenomena just is what it is. God does not identify with the phenomena as Himself, and then taking Himself too seriously, allow phenomena to control by Him getting caught up in the dream, projecting preconceptions unto the subject matter.  There’s no attachment. God knows Himself (Ourself as a Whole) as the real happening or nonthing-event (Center of Energy-Consciousness). Therefore the seeming evil and terrible thing-events that happen in a violent and self-victimizing universe are but shadows or creations (projections) of the dreamer and thus insubstantial in themselves (nothingness). These thing-events, being partial, having beginning and ending, cannot occur in the Totality of Being (God in God), which has no past and no future–Resting Complete in Ourself as a Whole.

Thus when the forms dreaming wake up in the dream, the self (dreamer) is seen through from Within, and understanding Awareness, our innermost Being, comes Alive through the form (person). Personhood has psychologically died to itself and Energy-Consciousness (Intuconsciousness) Is regained! The self, even a universal subconscious is only the icon being used by the individual consciousness to confront, penetrate, understand and resolve the contraries of human nature (his own individuality). If the consciousness knows the icon for what it is, then there’s no problem with it, like a reflection in the mirror. The reflection is not the center of consciousness, and has no power, life or cause by itself. Likewise, personhood is insubstantial (nothingness). The only Power, Life or Cause That Is…Is selfless/formless…the pure Intelligence (Spirit/essential Quality) behind and Within all experience, the Totality of Being, Ourself as a Whole (Nonliteral Perspective)!

Welcome to being fully alive, that is, to be knowing without needing self-awareness that one is aware: to see, to feel, to act in a stream of consciousness ever-present to the Oneness and Unity of all things, to the Wholeness Within all things whose Nature Is Now and whose Life Is Love.

We may call That Divine, but the concept of That is not That; nor can self-awareness achieve That, for ego/personality, by its very nature of remaining a separate entity in space and mind, can never be the Enlightenment That Is One, That Is Complete As the Knowing, Being in Ourself as a Whole (Intubeing). Indeed, no soul by itself knows/lives Truth and thus remains a pretender or dark shadow to Ourself, bound to the image and form that stands apart from the Principal of Life, whose Word (Tao) encompasses all in Spirit everlasting.

But when the soul lets go of its own self-awareness, the ego block to happiness is removed and Knowing reigns supreme, even as Selflessness Grounds Our Nature and the Joy of just Being Breathes Our Life. There is nothing outside Ourself as a Whole; what seems outside is only phenomena, maya, creative illusion or projections/sensations of mind. Therefore we do not mind (identify with) what is outside, but see/live/pass through the media (senses) of life, inverting the mind to That Center/Ground of Being Within all, to Who and what We Are.

Intubeing Who and what We Are, one does not project what is happening outside to be to one’s advantage or disadvantage, neither to one’s gain or loss; one does not think anything outside to be good or not good, right or wrong, positive or negative by itself; and regardless of what happens, one does not divide this from that (opposites) but lives the Unity Resting Within all things, intuseeing that all things Are That, Ourself as a Whole.

Thus there is no knower, only the Knowing, no watcher, only the Watching, no doer, only the Doing, only the Streaming of Energy-Consciousness (Intuconsciousness) ever-present: That which Is…Is Selflessly Realizing In and As That…That understanding Awareness. Welcome To Being Fully Alive!

It’s a living discipline with me, watching the mind…a daily conscious exercise. And as the mind becomes still in watching, I can follow  the conceptualization of this very moment rise up out of nothingness, its projection (ego) coloring (spinning) the thing-event in front of me, as if the mind and its ego was all there is. But every thing-event, having a beginning and ending, is phenomena and just is what it is. Even ego, regardless of its behavior, just is what it is. Ego cannot really add anything to the subject matter, or take away, tho’ it never ceases pretending to. Thus is ego an illusion…and if taken for reality, self-deception (delusion). Fortunately, it’s just this clarity that frees the mind from its own clouded ignorance.

In watching the mind, then, with whatever the thought, emotion or experience coming up, ego starts to run, to spin away from right now. Thus it will either attach itself to the thing-event, pretending to be the real thing-event or, if the mind cannot, or will not, face the phenomena, deny any relationship (attachment) to the phenomena thereby suppressing consciousness. In either case, the mind thinks that its ego must act, to make a personal effort to run (escape), to spin away from now…unable to fully accept what just is. It makes no difference what the rationale is for the action taken, ego must seek gratification with the action (identifying with) in order to be in control of the situation. That is its nature, as ego sees itself outside of the phenomena and thus seeks security–which exposes the fact in us that it is fundamentally insecure and out of control.

However, by living meditation, just watching what comes up in the mind, and not making any effort to run from now, the ego-projection exposes itself to the intelligence (spirit) that we are. And when this living discipline (the Way of the cross) is firmly established as the mind’s focus, eventually the projection loses its hold on the mind and fades out, as the intelligence that we are ceases feeding the ego the energy it needs to dominate the situation…and ego (the watcher) dies. Even when the mind is disturbed and wants to escape confrontation with the thing-event, if the intelligence that we are refocuses (centers) on right now, and remains still, absorbing life’s energy into ourself, eventually the impulse to run will pass and the subject matter can be faced without fear rather than suppressed. Thus whatever action taken next will be spontaneous, in line with our innate self.

When the intelligence (spirit) that we are Rests as the Center of Awareness, this Center (Ground) Being everywhere nonliterally speaking and nowhere literally speaking, watches (lives) through every thing-event, for by having absorbed life’s energy Into Ourself, we–Intubeing this Center (Watching) Are Before the subject matter (watcher)–in essence, the very Quality and Dimension of Perception (Intuperception). And though all phenomena, including our thoughts, emotions and experiences, are just what they are, the pure understanding Awareness/Intelligence that We ultimately Are remains nonattached–and Free to just Be (Intubeing) even Before (through) the mind and its ego.

Recently my mother passed away. I was holding her hand when she breathed her last breath. And, as I observed her grasping for breath at the end, it seemed to me like the whole struggle to survive, with all its desires, fears, insecurities, doubts, the entire vanity of life on earth had gone out of her, and in accepting the moment fully, a final peace and liberation had become her. Still, the emptiness and loss I felt at this moment pierced me emotionally to the core, yet there was also a beauty in her death. Her breath and spirit had left the body but now her spirit was free of the pain and suffering that marks our time in the body and as an personality/ego.

Even most Christians do not like to talk about this, but in the gospel story the man Jesus, when arrested by the Romans, does not attempt to escape capture. He puts up no struggle, blames no one for what is happening to him, and continues to live totally in the moment, as if this moment is all there is or ever will be. Accordingly, his ego may be arrested but his spirit remains free, having already died psychologically to the literal perspective (duality/sensory perception/ego). And nothing that happens on this earth can touch such pure Awareness (Intubeing) or overpower it: the spirit, like a current in the Ocean of Divine Breath, continues as that Ocean which is Life in itself continues unimpeded by external events.

So the life that is my mother never really died, only her image (ego) and bodily form, as life in itself (spirit) remains free to return to the Source and Center of Being, ourself as a Whole (God). In death, then, there is Unity in all contrasts and opposites, behind and Within all that appears to the ego as positive or negative, as good or evil, as this or that. For though events seen by themselves may be maya (illusion), in seeing through the same with the Nonliteral Perspective, the underlying Unity remains Complete in itself, just Being (Intubeing) a Positive-Negative, Life-Death Continuum.

Now think about this: death appears to the ego as anti-life. Who, especially in being arrested and facing possible death, would not try to escape his fate? Would not struggle in order to survive? Indeed, even on their death bed, some will not accept what is happening to them. They may even curse God? But those who advance on the spiritual path do so to the degree that they have reached an understanding Awareness about the struggle of life, and no longer need to hold onto it. They can now accept this moment and enter fully into it (intuconsciousness), being right Here, right Now. Yet, for most of us, it is as if we spend our lives on this planet struggling to survive, until finally forced by death to give it up. But Jesus was not forced to give it up. He chose to give it up! He consciously chose, even before being arrested by the Romans, to surrender his ego to God, our innermost Being (Nonego), and remain Free in relation to whatever the world brings to him.

At some point my mother had chosen to die, to surrender her image life and give up the struggle to survive. Many will see this as anti-life, and ask, why did she surrender? But I see in this an inner truth. Ego, by itself, can never know complete peace and liberation. But once ego/personality gives it up and selflessly Realizes the Unity (Nonego) behind and Within all events on this planet, then in death the spirit lives! Thus we may choose to die on the cross and image of life but live spiritually as Life in itself (ourself as a Whole) Lives Totally right Here, right Now! What is called Resurrection is simply the return to the Source of Who and what we really Are, to That which was never born and will never die, our innermost Being, Ourself as a Whole.

In death the spirit lives. Spiritually speaking, this may be a psychological death, as it was with the man Jesus. He consciously chose to accept this moment in its totality, to live life completely open and direct, without any thought of being separated from being right Here, right Now. Such is moment’s Eternity and our true Intustate of Being. For in death ego is annihilated and Nonego, Intubeing Life in itself (ourself), remains that understanding Awareness and Unity which Lives behind and Within all thing-events.

Accept this moment as it is,

and Be Still!

Let the Stillness be your focus,

and confront yourself, asking:

Who and what am I?

Who and what is Aware, watching,

penetrating self as a Whole?

Go into That, into Self, dropping the thought,

and just Be the Heart

and understanding Awareness

coming from Within all consciousness

existing right Here, right Now!

And thereby resolving every attachment to the I,

Live, Be, the Light-Conscious Spirit We Are!

Think of yourself not as the doer but as the doing. When you see yourself as the doer, there’s you and what you are doing, but if you see yourself as the doing, then there’s only the doing, seeing (being) through your own duality, sensory perception and ego. Thus you Are the Intustate of Nondoing, the Totality of Being.

The universe (phenomena) doesn’t see itself as the doer, it just does, even as the Energy-Consciousness Within all thing-events Does without watching itself (Ourself) doing. The world outside you is phenomena, so make no claim on it, and there’s no thought of yourself as the other, no split in your consciousness…and no suffering (guilt) when your claim expires (death/loss/failure).  When there’s no sense of a self apart from what’s happening Now, then Love, Peace and Harmony abide through the happening–as Such Is the Real You, the Real Us (Wholeness of you) that Is just Being, Intubeing (God).

To See (Be) yourself, that is, ourself as a Whole Is Enlightenment. And Such requires no recognition from outside, seeks no gratification as an end in itself, and thus remains Free to just Be. Suchness, then, Is everything, every happening, as everything gets done, for every happening Is You, Us, God, the Totality of Being…and there’s only the doing (Nondoing)!

Spiritually speaking, the Awareness that I Am, that We Are, that God Is, Breathes As Awareness itself , the Totality of Being. Such understanding Awareness, then, Intubeing always right Here, right Now, Knows Ourself as a Whole through every concept in mind, every object in space, the Center (Ground) of Being everywhere and nowhere. Thus the pure Awareness that I Am, that We Are, that God Is, Rests ever-present through every thing-event in time and space, Our Nonliteral Perspective Being wholly Within (Nonsensory), purely Spiritual–not the activity seen without but the very Quality and Dimension of Perception itself (Intuperception).

The object mind that thinks itself aware does not know Ourself as a Whole, as conceptual sensation (ego), being by itself literal and partial, can never know That which Is Nonliteral and Total. And as much as the object mind thinks and attempts to grasp Nonthingness…to literalize the Nonliteral, so to speak, pure understanding Awareness resedes into naught. But as much as the object mind ceases the personal effort to remain separate from its innermost Being, and goes with the Eternal Flow that Is Ourself as a Whole, awareness flows Into Consciousness, the Totality of Being.

Know therefore the Eternal Flow As You, As Us and As God. And Knowing/Being Ourself as a Whole through every concept in mind, every object in space, You, We and God Is never the concept, never the object, Being Before every thing-event in time and space. So, dear reader, drop the concept, let go of the object and Be Yourself, Ourself, God, the Totality of Being. For understanding Awareness Being Selfless, remains ever Alive Before the object mind that thinks itself aware, as Intuconsciousness/Nonthingness Breathes (Rests) as the innermost Being of everything that is, the Totality of Being.

Consider the beauty of a sunset. If this beauty were your conscious awareness right now, it would be because you are the beauty, the very quality itself (ourself), not the sunset, not the form the awareness takes in symbolizing the beauty, but the nonliteral perspective. Likewise, pure Awareness (our innermost Being)  expresses our Nonessentiality in many forms, but Suchness is not a form–and neither are we as a Whole.

In dropping the watcher (ego), in not conceptualizing the moment and then holding onto (identifying with) it as an end in itself, we Are the Nonliteral Perspective (Nonego), and intusee (live) ourself as a Whole…as the Totality of Being (pure Awareness/Intubeing). For even as beauty is the essential quality of the sunset, ourself as a Whole is the essential Quality or Nonessentiality of beauty. And thus throughout the day thing-events come and go in our lives, even as the forms pure Awareness takes arises and passes away in our minds, but we remain as a Whole that very Awareness which Is.

We Are moment’s Eternity, the innate Being and Center of understanding Awareness that sustains every experience, the ever-present Reality that Rests Within every form of experience, the Living Truth that transcends every attempt by the ego to reach it. But the only way to know this ultimate Truth Is to Be the Truth, living Truth…and That is no conceptualization, no it, just pure Being. In Truth, then, we Are Being all that We See; there is nothing to hold onto, no it to grasp…In pure Being (Intubeing) the literal is Nonliteral, the material is Spiritual, the partial is Total, as all things are nonthings (Nonthingness), and we Are That!

So how do we step out of the ego, the void, the emptiness that is form, Into Being? Thus Intubeing the Fullness (Suchness) of Life? Moment’s Eternity? We don’t…for We already Are! In the Total Acceptance of, and Surrender to, our innermost Being, we already Are the  direct Perception (Intuperception), the Reality (Realization) that just Is…Being Complete in Ourself (Totality of Being), and thus the split-consciousness, the watcher, the conceptualization, the partial/literal aspect of being is dropped.

It is by the grace of God, our innermost Being, that we may Be the Realization Within ourself and As Ourself. So the possibility and potential for Nonsensory Perception (Nonliteral Perspective), that is, Being what We See, lies Within each of us who opens his/her heart completely to Who and what we really (intuconsciously) Are.

As life is not the object (body/form) but the Space (Spirit) that we Are, our very Being rather than the image (conceptualization), knowing comes from Within, from the Whole that I Am, that We Are, not from outside of us. The person is but a shadow (partiality), the Spirit its Light (Totality). And when we enter into the Light we breathe the Space and we Are the Space, the Whole Consciousness I Am (Nonego/God).

This is resurrection! Not a resurrection of the shadow, and all the suffering that comes with it, but of the Light, even our Lord and innermost Being. Thus, to Rest through myself the person and know ourself as a Whole (Spirit), is to Live the Principal of Life, God in man (Christ Jesus).

The path reveals itself in many forms but at the Heart of each is the Way of the cross: consciously confronting, penetrating, understanding, and by that understanding coming from Within, resolving any attachment to and conflict with the thing-events set before us. Such is living/being meditation/religion/faith/life/God: an unbroken psychological process and pattern of sublimation and transmutation which opens up and releases the energies of the individual mind or divided ego (complexity) to journey into and through itself, that we may, in a selfless mode or intustate of nonattachment and holy indifference, transcend the human material but lesser dimension of mind, and spiritualize as living light!

I have been aware of my dreams for years. Though most dreams might not seem particularly significant, in fact quite zany, some not only tell me symbolically what is going on with me now but have revealed past incarnations, out of body experiences, direct insights into the human psyche and, on very rare occasions, a revelation from God, our innermost Being. I even dreamt verses of poetry which became part of my first book The Heart Speaks.

Thus dreams have been a very important part of my life: an avenue into self…into what lies through self-consciousness (ego). Sometimes my dreams are like movies, mostly adventure, and often I am the hero facing some dread and conquering it or saving a damsal in distress. At other times, I am a superman doing incredible feats and know myself to be immortal. I look forward to going to sleep because my dreams can be so vivid and exciting. But I also look forward to waking up because I can take that same spirit with me to meet the day.

The insights that have come to me in dreams have changed my life. I have had dreams that have shown me what is going to happen…only to later realize that they came true. In fact, no dream has ever lied to me. In some dreams I am even aware that I am dreaming, but have no fear because I know we are more than the dream, that the dream is only a context through which our spirit communicates with the shadow us, the dreamer. 

I am always contemplating something or meditating just before going to bed, so that probably sets my mind in a proper mode for remembering my dreams and allowing me to be receptive to them. Acceptance and trust is most important. If I want an answer to, or an insight into, something, I will think deeply about it before retiring and then drop the thought completely. Often the answer or insight will show up in a dream, the discernment unmistakable.

I cannot suggest too strongly the need to remember our dreams. This is something we can do for ourselves that will not only help us to better understand what we are thinking and feeling but actually improve our well being in giving us a creative, confident and healthy attutude to meet the day. Dreams can change our life!