It is always present all around us, in us and in all living beings. In fact it can never not be present and that makes it incredibly easy to overlook. It is the backdrop of our lives, the screen that the movie of life is playing on, the canvas that gives life to a work of art. It is so profoundly important that without it nothing would exist and yet we overlook, skip over and ignore it. It is no fault of our own because we are not raised to have the awareness that there is something greater than the body and mind.
Like so many crucial parts of life it is easily taken for granted and not given the attention it actually deserves. Just the fact that we wake up and experience the gift of life each day is easy to disregard while other tasks and activities steal a majority of our attention. There is nothing wrong with this it does happen this way for most people and as we progress through life we have the opportunity to grow, change and deepen. Then one day seemingly out of the blue we are ready to see life differently and more fully.
Without the quiet space between words, the pauses in a piece of music or the space that naturally exists between thoughts the message would be lost. Music, words and thoughts would be a run on of notes, words and chatter with no particular emphasis or meaning. When we recognize this we can begin to notice the power of the silence itself.
When we meditate a common instruction is to release the thoughts or notice your thoughts and allow them to pass. What is there to witness a thought passing? What is always there as the silent observer? Your answer may be, “nothing, absolutely nothing is there.” Your answer would be correct however it isn’t just dead space. It is aware and happens to be conscious of absolutely everything in and around us. It is also totally aware of our behavior, feelings and actions and is able to report on them in stunning detail. As an example a simple inner observation may look something like this. “I was listening to my friend talking and my mind wandered to what I was going to prepare for dinner. I started thinking about going to the grocery store and a conversation I had earlier with my partner about cooking. Then I refocused my attention so I could concentrate on the conversation.” This is a very simplified version of something that happens constantly and is an example of our ability to watch ourselves and report on it naturally and with ease.
So I guess my question to you is what is aware? What would it be like to focus on the space that is allowing life to play? Is it the same as considering a blank canvas? Does it have any discernible qualities? When you place your attention on this space how does it feel?
There must be a reason that spiritual practices direct us to this over and over again pointing us ever inward to our own consciousness rather than outward.
This is a discovery in itself to become aware of being aware and it points us beyond just our personal physical and psychological self and into the realm of the non-physical self – or the space of being. It is indescribable in words therefore we can only be pointed in the direction and the discovery has to happen within each of us.
Once discovered or known it never can be unknown again. You may not fully understand why this is important but without it it’s like having soup with no broth, something vital is missing. When discovered it imbues life with a different quality and power that I won’t get into here because it is experiential and unique for each person. You learn to rest in a deeper awareness and let life play knowing all of life flows and is held by a power greater than yourself.
My hope is that this is me putting into words what you are already intuitively aware of.
Jai Ma.
How perfect!!