Being 'almost there' is a concept

News: The Urban Guru Cafe is 'almost here' - some technical details in the behind the scenes are being 'ironed out' for the new Urban Guru website.

I do not assume to know where the programs will go but here is a hint on the first program:

Almost all gurus and western spiritual leaders and teachers are simply fictional entities holding their followers to ransom by telling stories and upholding an image – an image of ‘a future time’ when that ‘self-image’ (you) will attain ‘liberation’ or completion and ‘enlightenment’. – It is all a fiction and so unnecessary.

The Urban Guru Café Podcast will delve into these matters.

This new ‘radio’ program will bring a fresh look at things.

The aim of the program is to stick to the facts as far as possible and to be direct, yet also be entertaining and controversial, without drifting off into fancy realms of belief.

There is no emphasis on pushing any particular teaching and no ‘attacks’ on particular gurus or teachers. - I am sure the program will have a strong impact amongst the so-called Non Duality Circles.

Today's Note:

There is one fact that few come to notice clearly: - That is that everything you know belongs to 'phenomena' and the 'mind' only translates from the impressions that register in that crystal clear 'space of knowing'. - Believing in what the mind translates as being reality is where we 'get into trouble'. - Whatever the mind translates is not 'the real' - it can only be an approximation, a representation - a reflection on Awareness - (we say, 'in the mind').

So in recognizing the subtle difference, KNOWING reveals itself to the habitual mind as a 'familiar and yet estranged friend' - at first. - It dawns on one that this KNOWING is always what I am - I am nothing other than this.

All the rest is stories.............all mind content, labels and words, images etc, all from the 'past' - learned stuff - stale old ideas and memories - it is NEVER the first instant of cognition - the 'touch of the real'.

Too much emphasis is made about the 'seeker'.

It is just a story and in placing so much emphasis on it, it keeps the story going.

Some of these self-appointed 'Gurus' who write and 'rattle on' about Non Duality and make a fuss about the 'seeker' are not doing anyone any favors. - Story telling is a tradition of Story Tellers, interesting to be sure but no story ever released anyone from anything.

(It is interesting to note that one particular western teacher (off sick at the moment) has altered his 'stories' and has dropped the 5-10 year story about 'getting it' etc. - Comparing what he was saying for many years with his new altered story now would be of interest to some - Does one who miss-leads his followers suddenly change his story, without explaining why?
From what I hear, he has obviously been studying what Bob Adamson has been expounding very closely. - Quite a few, more than similar points, have found their way into this chaps 'teaching'.) - All these stories are not necessary!

Just see that right there where you are there is a clear space, totally empty - it is right there where the body appears - the world also appears in that 'space'.

Include the body and its pulsating 'life force' in your perceiving and KNOW that you are beyond it all - you are that space-like awareness. - So simple, everyone misses it.

There is no benefit in this for any 'person' - yet that appearance of a 'personal life' can flow with much more ease, once it is all seen for what it is.

Dear Gilbert, I was just blown away by your website column on Emptiness.
Beautiful in its directness, clarity and simplicity.
- Love, Bill

Hi Gilbert,

I read your post from April 2007 'Emptiness speaks to Emptiness' and had one of those 'moments' of clear understanding. - Very clear pointing in those words. - Some of the clearest I've seen. - I too was blown away...or should it be said, the duality was blown away.

Thanks,

David J.

Response - The concept of being separate vanishes every night - it also vanishes effortlessly when thought is dropped. - The ease of discriminating the fact that you are not 'of the mind' is so simple. - Because it is simple no one suspects that what they so reverently look for in the mind, is actually not 'of the mind' and is more accurately named as 'non-conceptual awareness'. - You cannot 'grasp' it with a concept. - It is indescribable for the mind - it (what is real) is the IMMEDIACY and THAT has never been named because all naming is taken from the mind and the mind is 'the past'. - The 'past' is dead and gone and is only a memory - Mere re-presentations are not 'the actual'.

Here is that note:

“The lamp of the body is the eye:
if therefore your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light”. N.T. - Mathew 6.22

The light by which you see and know - is non-conceptual awareness.

Here below is a revised note written when I started this blog:

Emptiness speaks to Emptiness.

As long as you believe that there is a solid 'someone' who is going to become enlightened in some future time, then a subtle shroud of ignorance clouds the mind.
'When' this someone is seen as a transparency, a pattern appearing within this direct seeing (that I am), then it is known in an unmediated way as an appearance in the knowing presence that I am and so 'it' is known directly and immediately that I am not this appearance-this pattern of belief commonly called 'me'.
'Then', which can only ever be 'this immediacy' of now, this habitual belief pattern has already lost its hold in the mind. - Even so, it is just belief and has no real hold at all.
It re-appears due to its long-standing 'pattern of recurrence' yet its roots have been cut or loosened and with continued effortless seeing, it will be seen through and it will appear to evaporate, taking with it the afflictive identification of that habitual belief in being a limited personality.
Paradoxically for the mind, there is 'no one' making any effort to bring about this freedom. – SEEING is already happening.
It truly is here already. - Pure Seeing is from beyond the instrument of seeing, a clear space of freedom itself and is not limited by the minds interpretations, which are only content of mind, acquired mind – memory or translations of whatever has appeared in that seeing.
In looking into things carefully, one can see clearly that all of our repeating referencing to a self-center are just a series of appearances in the clear and empty nature of mind.
Whatever happens - seeing is still happening.
The question of who sees and who does not see is an invalid question.
This is a profound and simple fact and its cutting profundity is missed by just about everyone. – There is no one actually there in the pure cognition – This will never be palatable information for the mind of habitual notions.
The essential nature of seeing is not easily expressed in words.
In reading these words, seeing is happening. – What the mind makes from it is not the seeing – these Samskara, these impressions are already mind content.
We imagine that we need to get behind the impressions – get to the understanding – but ‘who’ is that? – You are already beyond the mind content, that is why it is seen and known.
Seeing is direct always. - If someone threw a ball at you, you would duck or catch it without having to think about it.
The point I am making is that 'Seeing is happening'.
The more words I use to ‘get that over’ the less likely the message works – no harm done.
The minds interpretations where the psychology (me) appears to get caught - thinking that these conceptual identifications are actually what I am and that those concepts are doing the seeing and knowing. - Its just not so!
It is extremely subtle for many of us yet so obvious it is not suspected at all.
Those who argue against such obviousness have an invested interest in a particular system of belief and it is this belief that forms the grounds for their argument.
All of it is simply content of mind! - Content of mind is not what you are.
Freedom is freedom is freedom.
It appears as a continual natural release from the past events and memories, even from a moment ago. – Seeing is immediate.
What psychological 'stand' can be taken in the face of the empty nature of unmediated direct pure cognition?
This simple profundity remains incontestable due to its simplicity – its empty nature.
In the pure space of seeing, of direct knowing, this emptiness is full of presence.
Habitual grasping attitudes and states of mind all come and go in this space of knowing that you are.
The belief in being a 'someone' also appears and disappears. - This can be seen clearly by paying a little more attention to what is happening. - The habit is to stay stuck in an attitude, within the bounds of the old habitual views and those stale states of mind. – What we unwittingly sacrifice, by not being mindfully present to what is happening, is we sacrifice the freshness of ‘this moment’ of livingness, in exchange for yesterdays impressions, memories or views – Samskaras – and that is the dead past!
DO you see that? - Now?
When can you see anything except now?
'Who' is it that can't see this obviousness?
Cast aside the old mindset and just see – know – it is subtle and it is not the seer or the seen – it is simply SEEING.
It cannot be denied – even in the blind or visually impaired, seeing is happening but not in the sense that we ‘link’ it with.
(I doubt many will agree on that – but I do not give that fact any credence)
The point is: Seeing IS happening!
A mind pattern has no ability to see or know anything at all.
The pure functions are apparently borrowed by mind patterns, which are simply beliefs in some 'entity' that is believed to be able to 'see and know'.
It is simply not so.
An open view, which clearly sees this, is already transcendent to the content of mind.
Do you really believe that you leave this moment of direct cognition?
Where do you go when you leave this moment of actuality?
Direct cognition is all there is and ever is!
This profundity confounds the intellect.
The seeker who has invested so much in the process of liberation without results still resists the clear evidence of the obvious.
Why? - Simply because it can't SEE or KNOW anything! - It is just a PATTERN.
Does the pattern on your kitchen tablecloth have a choice?
Can it 'do' anything? - Beyond all patterns, this actuality of knowing right now is an open view. It is already presently here (for you) and cannot be negated. - It only seemingly is cluttered by these passing visitors in the mind. - They come, they go.
Show me one that has stayed.
Are you one of these transient visitors? - or are you present and aware of all that comes and goes? -There is no choice.
You cannot stop seeing or knowing. When the dream stops you remain.
There is awareness. - It is not 'something', which you can claim to be yours.
Where would the 'you' be without it? Openness remains no matter what appears or disappears. - You will not find teachers of what I am pointing out. - It cannot be taught.
IT IS the actuality (for all concerned). - All is empty. - Where are the traces of the past?
They are present in this actuality yet they are nothing but patterns of energy appearing in the knowing presence that you are.
Show me one that it not in your direct cognition!
You are free right now and 'seeing-knowing' are spontaneously happening.
Where will you go from here?
Emptiness speaks to emptiness.