Month: February 2023

• February 23, 2023

  Higher Reasoning: Does Ego Exist?

  1. Ego is thought to be an enduring ‘something’ that persists throughout the changes undergone by this bodymind. 2. Ego occupies a peculiar position in a first respect: this ego must be married to this bodymind. That is, (a) it can’t be that bodymind A is married to egos X, Y, and Z. Nor (b)…
• February 22, 2023

  Does Ego Exist? An Exploration

  We can use our conclusions from yesterday’s post to provide us with “the coordinates” we need in order to ascertain whether ego exists. Those coordinates are: direct experience and awareness. What Is There? For now, let’s say that “what there is” is direct experience (that is, whatever is arising right now) as well as awareness…
• February 21, 2023

  ‘Outside Of Consciousness, Does Anything Exist?’

  I take the following brief exchange during satsang to be of seminal importance: Nisargadatta: “Outside your consciousness, does anything exist?”Questioner: “It may exist without my knowing it.” I Am That, p. 198. We need to understand that the questioner’s statement cannot be true. But how can that be, given that he seems to be saying…
• February 17, 2023

  Nothing Has Ever Happened

  Papaji, a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, taught, “Nothing has ever happened.” Contemplate: 1. When there is the appearance of mind arising, there is also the appearance of space-time-objectivity. 2. Independent investigations reveal the following: (a) There are no objects as such; there are only arisings-to-awareness. (b) Time does not exist; there is only presence.…
• February 11, 2023

  Neither The Wild Thyme Unseen Nor The Wild Strawberry: A Poem

  The first poem is an excerpt from Eliot’s Four Quartets, the second–a reply–my own. * I. From T. S. Eliot, “East Coker,” Four Quartets I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hopeFor hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love,For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faithBut…