Beloved: Can you share more about remembering the true Self?
Dylan: Initially, for me, the focus seemed to have started out being solely perception based. Because the true Self seems to be overlooked at first, one’s focus or attention seems to be solely based on form and specifics. All of the problems you think you have to solve and all of the peace, love, happiness, and fulfilment are seen as specific-based: to be gained in the world. When I get this particular outcome or situation only then I will be happy, peaceful and fulfilled.
When nondual teachings fell into my lap, it wasn’t until I started applying them—making no exceptions—and transferring the ‘mind training’ that my focus or attention was brought back inwards. The practical application would shift my attention off of perception to what was arising mentally, to what thoughts and beliefs were arising in mind that the mind was seemingly misidentifying with.
It was through this, along with intuitive insight, that the recognition dawned that everything that was seen in perception was just a projection of mind. Just like in a night time dream it is all stemming from mind. All of the seeming problems that needed to be solved in perception were just a projection of the causeless, problematic ego thought system that just projected itself out onto perception. Like smoke and mirrors, if one is dealing with false effects in perception then one is totally distracted away from the true underlying false cause on the mind level.
With the desire to awaken combined with intuition, this turning of the attention from perception to the mind level—mind-watching—was for the purpose of sorting out what was true and what was false. This is termed self-inquiry in Nonduality and forgiveness in A Course in Miracles. What is true is the true Self, that which is unchanging, eternal, and always unaffected. What is false is the ego, that which is changing, temporal, and always vulnerable and without a source.
In getting clear of the Purpose, recognising that you are either resting as the true Self or misidentifying with the ego, you get closer to recognising that the Truth is true and only the Truth is true—the experience of consistent Peace. Seeing the meaningful choice where it is, on the level of mind, between the true Self or false sense of self—which is a stepping-stone pointer—you get to look at everything that is arising with non-judgement and see the false sense of self’s falsity, along with the misidentification to it.
All of the seeming choices, that are not really choices at all, that seem to be in the world are but the false projection of the meaningful choice where it truly lies. This helpful stepping stone of choice being on the mind level allows the intuitive realisation to dawn in the distinction between what has all Meaning and what is meaningless.
When the false sense of self is seen as totally meaningless the Self that One Already Is is accepted right here and right now, and is left shining in the wordless and indescribable Magnificence that It Is. It is always a present experience. The ego projects this present experience into a future goal to be achieved: only when my partner’s behaviour changes will I then be peaceful and happy. See how it is a future goal.
The knowledge that the Truth is true and only the Truth is true is experienced as the unbreakable Peace that “surpasses human understanding” or the intellect. This is the same as saying, I no longer value all of the ego’s aplit desires for future happiness, peace, and salvation. I now value the singular desire for peace. I want peace over anything else. “Let thine eye be single.” Matthew 6:22. If your desire is singular for peace, you will experience only that. There is nothing else to desire, nothing else to choose between now!
Choiceless awareness is known, as there is no “other” to choose between. Peace, the radiant swirl of Love, and the aliveness or contentment of Being is the only experience.
The whole spiritual journey is now seen as just as metaphor, to realise the Self One always Is—the Self that never slept. No person can awaken or gain or become Enlightened, because the personal false sense of self was the seeming problem. Therefore, Enlightenment is foolproof or ego-proof because it cannot be intellectualised, which is why nondual or spiritual teachings seem to be so complicated to understand.
All healing is non-linear, not something to be gained in the future, therefore, the true Self is ever-present and always available this very moment—the Self You Are this very moment. It is just a realisation that is not even dependent on an improvement of self. What an absolute Joy! The Kingdom is at hand!
One Silent Mind 