I was asked to design the cover of the book with the arresting title: 'What's wrong with right now, unless you think about it' by 'Sailor' Bob Adamson. For preparation and inspiration I opened the book and read, and read… it seems to be jewel!
In lucid, simple and clear language he describes without stop the direct and unconditional 'functioning' of what is.
'Sailor' Bob Adamson is an Australian who traveled to India in the 70's where he discovered his peer in Nisargadatta.
Nisargadatta told him that that 'the greatest help that you can give anyone is to take him or her beyond the need for further help'. That has been Bob's mission for 25 years.

[…] The description can never be the described. All we are doing is describing what is. Right here, right now, presently, is what is happening. There is nothing other.
Primarily there is that registering of everything. Just like that mirror on the wall is reflecting everything in front of it, so that essence, intelligence or whatever name you like to call it, is registering everything just as it is. You heard that siren, but you didn't have to say it was a siren. You are hearing this voice, seeing the sights in the room, feeling your body sitting in the chair. All just as it is. And—just as it is—what can you say about it? You can't say anything at all about it. From that point of view, it either is or is not. The description can never be the described, the what is.
The thinking is being registered also. That is discriminated into 'this thought' or 'my thought' or whatever the word might be. Rather, be aware that it all is just as it is. Say you are walking somewhere and you are not naming anything, there is no thinking going on. You are passing houses, trees, picket fences or whatever is in the street. Everything is registering immediately. You don't have to name each individual thing. Your thoughts might be happening, and your mind might be totally involved in those thoughts. Yet one piece of concrete pavement may be higher than the other, but you won't trip over it. It will be registered immediately and the appropriate steps will be taken over it.

Or if there is a crowd walking in the street, you're not going to bump into everyone. You find yourself avoiding them quite effortlessly without having to think, 'I have to dodge around this one'. Yet they will be coming from all directions and all places, but that intelligence is registering everything just as it is. And in the moment, the proper activity takes place.

Now it is the same with thoughts also. As you are going along, you're passing this house or the next house. And as you are going along, thoughts are happening too. They are registered just as is. What happens? The house you have just passed has disappeared from view, or the picket fence you passed is gone. Thought is registered just as is also. What has happened to that thought? It is left behind. It also disappears. One thought might be acted upon, the next may not be.

the 'I' that I believe

The only way we can change what is, is to correct it, modify it or alter it in some way or form. The only thing that can do that is the mind: 'The chair over there is in the wrong position and I want to move it'. It is no longer what is. It is what I think I would like it to be. That is all that has happened—the thinking 'That should not be there'. That thought, of itself, has no power whatsoever. It is only a thought; it is only based on words. But it refers to this 'I' that I believe, or have believed, myself to be up until investigation. That is so, because what has been added to that 'I', that belief, has become the 'self-centre' or the 'reference point'. Everything is evaluated from that reference point. And because it is closely associated with that pure intelligence, it has come to believe also that it is the intelligence.
Like the piece of iron in the fire, it will get red-hot and burn, just like fire. Now, if the iron had a mind it would think it was the fire: 'I am going to burn this and that'. But take it out of the fire and what can it do? So it is with the thoughts: 'I can', 'I will', 'I am'. Take them away from awareness or consciousness or that pure intelligence: what substance have they got? Can they stand without that? Can you have a single thought if you are not conscious or not aware?
Constantly over the years with the habit patterns going on it (thought) has believed itself to be the intelligence. It believes it has reality; it has power; it has will; it can do what it likes and what it thinks it wants to do.

That is why this investigation is needed. Just stop and question. Have a look at what we have believed ourselves to be. Thought can't of itself do anything! Because that thought 'I see', can't see! The thought 'I hear', can't hear! The thought 'I am aware', can't be aware! But there is seeing; there is hearing; and there is awareness. It is happening right now! The seeing itself cannot conceptualize. It cannot say 'I am seeing this'. Neither can the hearing say 'I am hearing this'. It is just pure seeing and pure hearing. It is conceptualized by the mind, which must refer to some past memory to get that name. The mind or the 'me', the thought that I have about myself, is the past. That is all it is. It is the past, and the past is dead. It is gone. It has happened. It is not what is. That centre that we constantly refer to or believe in is a dead image.
Now, can you understand why it can never be happy, it can never be complete or whole: because it can't keep up with what is. What is, is this manifestation, this transient manifestation, which is constantly changing. Like the river, it is constantly flowing. How can a bucket of water, taken from the river, keep up with the river?
It is impossible.

So, we tell you right here, that what you are seeking you already are! The idea of a separation is only a concept. With that idea of separation, there immediately comes along with it the sense of insecurity and vulnerability. Anything that thinks or believes it is separate must also feel isolated and alone, apart from me, other than me. That is the way the mind functions. As soon as there is 'me', there must be 'other than me', and that is the seeming separation. That is the cause of all of our problems. When that is understood, what problem is there, if there is no centre to refer it to?
Got it?

the mind is the past

Q: The mind is just thinking that there is a problem.

Exactly. It is the nature of the mind to start stories and add to them and keep adding to them. You must see from that, that there can never be any answer in the mind. So, if there is no answer in the mind, what must happen? Whatever direction you go in, must be in the mind. So, full stop.
In seeing and being with that, even in that split second, to know that there is nothing wrong with right now, unless I am thinking about it, then after that, does it matter whether the mind is there or not? Because if the mind has been seen through and understood, it is not going to be given the same belief, just the same in the understanding that the blue sky is not really blue. But we still see it as blue, and acknowledge it when saying, 'What a beautiful blue sky'. But we know the truth about it.
As the scripture says: 'Know the truth and the truth will set you free'. Know the truth about yourself! You will see that you ever were free. You were always free. Just a seemingly erroneous belief: we ignore our true nature and believe in the appearance.

Q: You have got to use the mind to reach this conclusion, but the mind has such deep programming. The idea of intellectually knowing the truth… I find in practice I can know it, and I can try and stop the mind, but basically it takes time for me to accept it gradually. I can be told it. I can understand it, as a little bit more and a little bit more. It takes time.

As you say, we have got to use the mind. Well, the only instrument that we have is the mind. That is why the mind needs to be understood. Understood thoroughly! Then it is there as a very useful instrument.
You say that all this programming is there. Now understand: the mind is the past; it is the 'me'; it is the conditioning, all this so-called programming. Can the mind be rid of this past? […]

No one is making an effort to do it

[…] Thought is time appearing on the timeless.
Well, looking from the other angle, right here, right now, everyone is breathing; everyone's heart is beating; blood is coursing around the body; hair is growing; fingernails are growing; cells are being replaced; food is being digested. Who is making any effort to do it? Is there any 'me' or idea in the mind saying, 'I have to take the next breath', 'I've got to beat my heart', 'I have to digest my food'? Or is it happening effortlessly? Is there an innate intrinsic intelligence, an energy within that manifestation of the body that is coursing the blood through your veins right now? Isn't it causing the diaphragm to draw down, bringing in the air, and then pushing it up to expel the air? It is taking all the food and all these various things that are needed to these different cells. You can feel that energy. You can feel it in your fingertips and in your toes, if you like to watch closely enough, to feel closely enough. You can feel it there, pulsating, throbbing. The livingness is pulsing and throbbing through this pattern of energy right now. Effortlessly.
No one is making an effort to do it. […]

the answer is not in the mind

[…]
Q: For a period of time, my life has been going well, in comparison to what it was before. However, sometimes my mind will tell me I need something to happen to see how well I am. Why is that? Why, when things are going well, do I want to question things?

Here is a little story. There is this traveler in the desert. It's very, very hot, and he is thirsty. In the distance there is one lone tree. He didn't know that it was a wishing tree. He goes and sits beneath it and he thinks, 'this is nice, I only wish I had a cool drink now'. Lo and behold, a cool drink appears in his hand. 'Oh! Terrific!' he says. 'Now if I had a soft bed to lie on and drink this with a bit of a breeze to fan me'. Lo and behold, a soft bed appears, as well as a maiden with a fan, fanning him. 'Oh! This is terrific. Now all I need is a good meal to go with all this and everything would be just right'. Lo and behold, a big meal appears. Then the mind says, 'Hey! What's all this? What's going on? Maybe it's a devil?' And the devil appears. The mind then says 'Oh! He's going to eat me'. And he does!
So, when everything is going right, the mind, just on its own, wants to question. This is the usual pattern. The answer is not in the mind. Full stop! If you understand that, what direction can you take from that?

Q: No direction.

That's right. Full stop. […]

From: What's wrong with right now, unless you think about it – Sailor Bob Adamson
(Non-Duality Press, ISBN 0-9547792-0-7, www.non-dualitybooks.com )

Published with permission of the publisher.

Website 'Sailor' Bob: http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~adamson7/

[selection: Kees Schreuders]