Who knows in deep sleep - clarification on the Sakshi?

 

Question: In deep sleep there is absence of the mind, absence of the subject-object duality, absence of the knower, the pramata. Yet when we wake up, we say ‘I slept well, I knew nothing’ – so who knows this, as consciousness is not a pramata and there is absence of mind in deep sleep.

Swami Brahmavidananda (of Mumbai) answers: You are struggling with this as you are trying to categorize it.

When the sakshi (witness consciousness) functions through the mind, it is called as the pramata or the knower. The  sakshi with reference to itself is atma- sat-cit-ananda…. (ever-present, changeless, timeless, infinite consciousness-being). The atma or sakshi is present in deep sleep. Sakshi is the term given to atma with reference to the fact that it illumines everything, witnesses everything – yet it does not record. Recording, memory is the function of the mind.  In deep sleep the mind is asleep, but because mind is there is potential condition, subtle vrittis (thoughts) are there. On waking when the pramata is up, the memory of witnessing of the deep sleep experience is there in the mind because of the extremely subtle vrittis present in deep sleep. Therefore the witnessing of the sakshi in deep sleep is connected with the waking pramata ( the knower)  and we say I slept very well.

So in deep sleep, the pramata is asleep, yet the sakshi is there. As mentioned earlier, Sakshi is the term given to atma (the Self) with reference to the fact that it illumines everything.

Questioner: Thank you

A Vedanta Meditation

 

The purpose of this meditation is help you assimilate that :-

You are consciousness, that is self-evident, self-revealing, independent, infinite- that is present in every single experience

So when you are caught in an experience like a memory or a sensation or a story around any event in your life,  you are invited to notice that you have a choice to either get involved with the details of the experience or to simply observe it and allow it to unravel and dissipate into the calm spaciousness of your Being.

Om Tat Sat

Is there any evidence to support my belief that I am a limited being?

 

Is there any evidence to support my belief that I am a limited being?

A sentence I heard from Francis Lucille really got me thinking that is there any evidence to support my belief that I am a limited being?

This investigation into my true nature depends on my capacity to keenly discriminate the nature of the subject and the object.

My belief that I am a limited being is based on my capacity to perceive  limitations. Limitations are perceived – there is no doubt about that. Limitations are perceived in the body. Limitations are perceived in the mind too. The very fact that they are perceived clearly show that they are objects of my knowledge or experience.

The question is can they belong to me, in whose ever-presence they are perceived. Am I an object of knowledge? Or am I fundamentally different in nature, being the awareness or consciousness in  whose presence they are perceived?

We must ascertain this clearly for ourself – each person has to clearly ascertain for himself or herself.

What evidence is there to support the belief that the one in whose presence limitations are perceived is limited by those limitations?

The one in whose presence changes are perceived has to be changeless awareness – otherwise how can changes be perceived?

The body is changing moment to moment and it has many limitations for whatever reasons – could be effects of karma (genetic), wrong lifestyle choices. The mind is changing moment to moment and it has many limitations too for whatever reasons – could be karma (genetic), faulty habits of thinking, childhood experiences etc. Can these changes and limitations belong to the one in whose changeless presence they are perceived?

A proper study of Vedanta will reveal that there is absolutely no evidence to support our belief that limitations of any sort whatsoever can ever belong to be me, the changeless ever-present awareness in whose presence they are illumined. Vedanta does not say limitations at the level of body, mind are not there or not perceived. Vedanta simply says they do not belong to me as I am – ascertain that for yourself and be free. This is the first step.

It is only through identification with the body and mind due to ignorance that one lumps limitations with the oneself, the pure awareness in whose presence they are perceived. And at every moment there is a choice present to be alive to one’s presence as it is and be free or to identify with the issues of the body-mind and be miserable. The choice that you take is the destiny that you make! So make the choice to study Vedanta with an open mind and understand what it has to say.

Om Tat Sat

Just Be The Open Presence You Are

 

This is one of the best meditations on just being the open effortless whole welcoming presence that one is, that I have heard. Enjoy.

The sense of being localized is not real

 A common issue that we face after studying Vedanta, is the dehatma buddhi ...meaning the sense of I am the body, which is really the sense of being localized.

When we examine this 'I am the body' feeling or sense, we discover it to be a thought, and even a sensation in the body ...somewhere in the body. It's very convincing. Yet this sensation or vritti can't be the truth about me, because :-

* It's not always there with me ...in deep sleep, or even when deeply absorbed in something it's not there

* It's an object of my knowledge and I am not an object...I am the one who illuminates all objects

So when I convinced that this sensation or vritti is only due to false identification, it's time to drop it by not subscribing to it...to again and again be alert  to recognize it as not real  and live as the universal consciousness that one is...in the recognition of one's shared being with all that is.

Om Tat Sat

Karana Sharira - The Causal Body

 A beutiful talk by Pujya Swami Viditatmanandaji explaining karana sharira or the causal body as given in Tattvabodha - do listen.

Letting Go and Owning Up One's Freedom

The light of consciousness that is self-evident, self-existent and self-revealing as 'I',  is always free. It is  limitless, independent, changeless, absolute. How can it be covered?   

It is never covered by either our feelings, thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, sensations, memories, ignorance or ego. It is our own belief that it is covered that as though covers it. It our holding on to our internal world, especially our disturbing emotions that appears to limit us.

Supposing there is a feeling of anger. Can this feeling limit the light of consciousness? Can it make it limited and incomplete? It cannot - because consciousness is an independent changeless reality in whose ever-presence alone the feeling of anger is illumined. It is the ego-me who is subscribing tothe anger. And as long as one subscribes or holds on to the emotion, so long it appears as though the consciousness that one is, is limited by that emotion.

So the trick is really in learning to let go of holding on to the disturbing emotion. When you let go, it's very much easier to recognize that you are indeed the limitless light of consciousness that is never affected by anything. 

One feeling can be connected to millions of thoughts. One does not let go the thought, one let's go the feelings ...it's much easier.

The first step in letting go is to focus on the feelings, not the story you have attached to the feeling. The second step is not run away from the feeling, not denying the feeling, not distracting oneself from the feeling. Usually if we feel uncomfortable, our immediate reaction is to distract ourselves somehow. Move into the feeling, not away from it...... Stay with it. It can take time from one minute onwards. Now ask yourself can I allow this feeling? The very asking of this question puts you on neutral ground...you have allowed yourself to rise into a different internal state, where you have now recognized that really it is your choice to allow or not allow the feeling. Next you ask yourself am I ready and willing to let it go, to stop holding on to it? The very asking of this question allows you to recognize that it is your choice to hold onto the feeling and consequently feel limited, or let it go and own up your freedom. You have the choice now of surrendering it to Ishvara ...letting it go...rising to sattva.

The choice is yours. When you surrender or let go the feeling, you let go holding on to the story, the thoughts you have attached to the feeling ...you embrace your natural freedom. The choice is yours.

I learnt this really simple method from Dr David Hawkins book Letting Go, the Pathway to Surrender 

Om Tat Sat