When someone suggests life is bliss and that it unfolds in an ocean of love (as I do), it may be a little hard to accept or even fathom. Our fullest experiences of happiness are often fleeting. Often we have trouble even remembering them.
What most of us routinely experience as happiness is the emotional variety. The emotions are our way of experiencing the energy qualities of life. But as they express in the field of action and change, they inherently come and go. Energy is also a flow between and thus has polar values; positive and negative, yin and yang, etc. This is why we experience emotions as polar – happy and sad, fear and love, and so forth.
The sages tell us that the issue is getting caught by our experiences and forgetting who we are underneath the noise. We get absorbed in the senses and emotions and thoughts that arise and are thus buffeted by the winds of change. We experience them as “mine” or me.
But underneath all the drama of action is the field in which it plays out, the ocean of pure existence. This is the field of the play of consciousness, the experiencer, that which you truly are.
When we step back into pure awareness, we discover the silent peace that we are, beneath the waves on the surface. In time, we shift from experiencing that to being it (as we already are); we become the peace.
From that peace, we discover that the surface or edge of expression is a lively field of happiness. Each time we step into or out of silence, we might notice a wave of bliss. Once established in being or Self, the happiness comes to be with us all the time, even in deep sleep. Even during the most difficult experiences of life.
All of us know, at some deep level, that it’s there. Although it may not have made a memory impression, all of us have had some glimpses.
Most remarkable, this is just the foundation of full enlightenment. Eternal peace and happiness are just the beginning of the remarkable unfolding of what it means to be fully human.
A fine thing indeed.
Davidya
Once I went into a Barnes and Noble and they had a whole table full of books on the topic of happiness. It’s a growth industry! And the field of positive psychology is expanding too. The most popular course at Harvard is about happiness.
Your blog reminds me of something Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said once, “Bliss is not always blissful.”
I’m not sure that it’s always, as you say in paragraph 5, a matter of stepping back into pure awareness. Sometimes it seems the pure awareness has thrust itself forward.
Well yes, we can step back into peace but sometimes the peace steps forward into us. In fact, the second is the nature of awakening. The individual is never awakened. It is Self that wakes up to Itself through the individual. And sometimes, this happens quite unexpectedly, without any recent practice. Some of the well-known teachers these days had such a shift, like Eckhart Tolle.
But for living life, stepping back into who we are is our easiest way to peace. Until it comes to live us more consciously.
Thanks for your thoughts.
This is a Beautiful post Davidya! This line resonated greatly…
“When we step back into pure awareness, we discover the silent peace that we are, beneath the waves on the surface. In time, we shift from experiencing that to being it (as we already are); we become the peace.”
I would say I can turn towards it, and it has stepped forward into me as well. In my youth when my energy waned or I was tapped out from too much trying or failed efforting, I would just give up and land in pure experiencing. Once the ego became convinced it could do no more, it would give up.
From there, it could be hours, or it could be days. There eventually would be a surge of energy often accompanied by insight. This would be followed by the ego re-building itself and taking off on a new mission in the world. The feeling would be of happiness. I don’t know if I would always describe it as happiness although that is one descriptor.
I think I would also use the word connection. It seems there was a deep connection to something fundamental and that connection would “energize” an authentic emergence into the world. That would run its course, and I would tap out again because I would fail to see I was running on “me” power or pure mental power without a connection to source or balance.
Now, I would say that I can choose to turn towards pure awareness, pure experiencing and rest there letting it step forward when it desires. That willingness is new. In these years the learning is to flow with the authentic step forward rather than pushing forward and running the well dry. It is as you write more of an allowing. I would describe it as a partnership in navigation and learning to trust it.
Very interesting angle on this, I am not sure I saw as clearly until now.
Deep Bow!
Thought I would share this as well since Karen does a good job of describing what I am trying to say…
http://www.nondualitynetwork.com/?p=1140
Hi Ben
Interesting description from youth. I’ve heard some describe that that’s how concentration techniques work. They fatigue the mind until it lets go. Effortless meditation is easier. 😉
And yes, it very much comes to us also. Ultimately, thats what happens in awakening.
Wow- you describe that so very clearly. Some insight and the mind grasps this and rebuilds a construct. I was talking about this with Takuin over on Profound Intelligence. I learned to just allow that and then we get used to the collapse and rebuild. It also allows us to communicate it. The problem is not in building, its in the believing it, taking it too seriously.
https://davidya.ca/2011/10/01/the-profound-intelligence-of-being/
In India, they use the example of dying the cloth. Dip it in dye, bleach in the sun and repeat. Eventually, the colour becomes fast. These events do lead to a more abiding experience, then a sense of normalcy where it becomes ordinary. But a much better ordinary. 😉
I’ve not listened to either but Karen was also recently interviewed here: (video also)
http://batgap.com/karen-richards/
Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your words.