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#2958 - Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - Editor: Jerry Katz
The Nondual Highlights - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality: http://snipurl.com/1rycd
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In this issue a high quality audio of the Nisargadatta quotation in Issue #2955. And the complete first chapter from a new book, Consciousness is All, by Peter Francis Dziuban.
The Nisargadatta Maharaj quotation in Nondual Highlights issue #2955 is now available in audio, as read by Dustin for the Nonduality Community on Live Journal.
This high quality, beautifully read MP3 recording may be heard here: http://lindensmith.com/nonduality/nisargadatta.mp3
While listening, read the quotation found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights/message/2955
The Nonduality Community on Live Journal is here: http://community.livejournal.com/nonduality/
Thanks, Dustin.
Consciousness Is All
Now Life Is Completely New
by Peter Francis Dziuban
Order from Blue Dolphin Publishing: http://bluedolphinpublishing.com/Consciousness.html
Order from Amazon.com: http://snipurl.com/1s9eh
~ ~ ~
Here is the first chapter from Consciousness is All, by Peter Francis Dziuban:
Chapter One
FACT: THERE IS NOTHING GREATER THAN CONSCIOUSNESS
Right now, you are conscious.
What exactly is this Consciousness that you now are?
Did you ever ask yourself what pure Consciousness is-entirely distinct from every thing you are conscious of?
What is true of pure Consciousness, all by Itself alone?
That is the theme of this book, and the best way to start is by first agreeing there is Consciousness. That's easy enough-and more importantly, it's undeniable. You never can say, "There is no Consciousness," because you must already be conscious in order to say it.
"Of course I'm conscious," the thought may come. "Why belabor such an obvious fact?"
Consciousness means everything. Stop and consider it. If the very Consciousness here, now, were not conscious, you wouldn't be able to say there was such a thing as this book, or the body holding it. As far as you are concerned, there would be no such thing as a home, no job, no possessions or money. How do you know this is true? The only way those things can be said to exist is due to being conscious of them.
If there were no Consciousness to be conscious of it, it would be impossible to say there is anything. It couldn't be said there was a single flower, tree or mountain. There would be none of the riches on earth-not to mention the earth itself. It couldn't be said there was a moon, stars, or one speck of the entire universe. Without Consciousness, simply nothing could be said to exist, not even Life Itself. In fact, one couldn't even be conscious of a nothingness!
Your consciousness of your world is all there is to your world.
The point is, nothing exists outside of, or beyond Consciousness. This isn't anything mystical. It's a fact.
Right now ask yourself, what could exist outside of, or be greater than Consciousness. Really try to come up with something out beyond It. Whatever you mention-even the entire stellar universe-where is it? It is always some thing you appear to be conscious of. It is always within Consciousness to be able to mention it. Thus Consciousness includes it or is greater than it, and not bounded by it at all.
At the moment, it certainly appears that many things are outside of your body-such as this book, other objects, even the moon. But no thing is ever outside of Consciousness, Awareness, is it? If it were, one could not be aware of it. The fact is, all things, even the body, exist in only one "place," within Consciousness, Awareness. (Consciousness and Awareness are treated as synonyms.)
Consciousness goes even further. Think about those who have had what are called near-death or "afterlife" experiences. While the body was supposedly "unconscious," Consciousness was still functioning, because they had an experience they were vividly conscious of.
Still others claim to have had various out-of-body experiences. But there is no such thing as an out-of-Consciousness experience, is there? Otherwise one couldn't know of the experience. Again, simply nothing can be said to exist apart from, or outside of Consciousness, Awareness.
General human belief of course has always said Consciousness is located inside the human body, somewhere in the brain. That simply is not true, though it may seem or appear so. It's an assumption, just like the old assumption that the earth was flat because it appears so. A major endeavor of this book is to show conclusively, in various ways, how and why Consciousness is not inside the body, but that body and all things are forever secure in the perfect wholeness of Consciousness.
Any scientist will tell you the human body really is not a solid object, even though it appears so. It would be just countless atomic particles that are all constantly moving or vibrating. They're so incredibly tiny that the space between them, in relative terms, is greater than the space between the earth and sun. The human body is more space than solidity! Consciousness couldn't be inside such an arrangement because there's really no solid object there to be inside of!
Consciousness isn't a word. It is actively aware and alive right here, now, and always includes all there is. Consciousness is literally the "stuff" or "substance" within which your everyday affairs and entire universe appear to be found. The implications of this fact are so enormous, so thrilling, it's indescribable. Just one thing it means is, you're not a helpless pawn-not subject to, or stuck in the conditions of a world. As Consciousness, you're not within anything-it all appears to be within you! Things are not going on "out there" separate from you, leaving you unable to do anything about them. Your entire universe is within Consciousness, subject only to how pure Consciousness perceives it. That's why this book is titled Consciousness Is All.
This all-inclusiveness of Consciousness is why It is sometimes also called the One Self, the Divine, Infinite Intelligence, I AM, Life, Love, or what some call God. They are all synonyms for what is the same One. If you can't warm up to these terms because they're not scientific enough, stay with the terms Consciousness or Life. It certainly can't be denied there is Consciousness or Life. Regardless of the term, what counts is that It is never "a" Consciousness, a power afar off, that is all-inclusive. It is the One being aware right here, now, so this can be read.
* * * * *
Why are Consciousness and other synonyms capitalized? It is done to make the essential distinction that they are never personal. After all, who is it, really, that's being conscious? Is there a personal thinking mind that knows how to be conscious? Of course not. No person, no body, cranks up Consciousness in the morning and sustains or upholds It all day long by thinking about It moment to moment. The capacity to be conscious, alive, clearly is something no person is doing or is responsible for. Always, It is Consciousness Itself or Life Itself that is conscious, that is alive to say "I" right where you are. This never changes. Consciousness, or what is called the Self, really is the only I.
As you read, you'll see why Consciousness is not the same as what is called the personal thinking, sensing "mind." They're vastly different. To assume Consciousness is confined to an intellect and five physical senses of seeing, hearing, touch, taste and smell is way short of the mark. The so-called human sensing, thinking mind deals only with that which is finite and limited. It constantly needs to expand and progress out of its limitations. It always looks out beyond itself to something greater-always looks up to a God, Self, or Consciousness.
What about starting from the other direction?
Instead of looking up to the Self, what about looking out from the Self?
That's what the Self or Consciousness Itself is doing. It never looks up to Itself, and It is the only One being conscious right here, now.
To "look out from" simply means Consciousness gets all the credit, all the presence and power. Why? Again, there honestly is no other being conscious. One needn't do anything for this to operate perfectly here and now-Consciousness Itself is already doing or being It all.
What becomes obvious is almost shocking in its simplicity, yet undeniable.
The fact that It is Consciousness or the Self Itself being conscious here, now, precludes there being another, lesser consciousness that has to or can become anything. No transformation is necessary or even possible. The One Consciousness is already all the Consciousness that is functioning; It is perfectly aware now, and never has been otherwise. This shatters the myth of a would-be secondary self that must struggle to get at-one with a vague "god."
Humanity has always put the cart before the horse-identifying as a body, a mere thing one appears to be conscious of, instead of as Consciousness Itself. To mistakenly identify as only a body, as a physical self which can make errors, be sick or poor, must elevate itself and "get there," is dead wrong. It completely ignores Consciousness in favor of a mere thing one is conscious of. It is a cut-off, entirely false self. Any book or teaching that starts out with such a false separate "you," having a second-rate life and consciousness that must "work up to," has a premise that is, frankly, backwards.
This book starts from "the other direction"-with the You That Already Is There, which is Truth. It doesn't take away your identity, but instead shows the magnificence of True Identity.
The human way of life appears to be one of starting with imperfection and trying to progress out of it. Looking out from pure Consciousness doesn't start with human experience and try to take it to a higher level. It starts with the perfection of the Divine Self and stays Here.
Instantly, It's a completely new, different Life.
Read these pages as if It were Consciousness, the One Self, talking to Itself. This is the only "viewpoint" that is valid, true, and actually operating because again, the Self is the only One being conscious and alive here, now, so this can even be read! That may take getting used to, because chances are you've never read anything written this way.
Just stop and think what a marvelous book it would be if the Self, the One, wrote a book about Itself! What would the One Self say? It couldn't speak of a human struggle of becoming the Self-It could speak only of already being the Self. It wouldn't have to instruct, or say what It must do to get at-one with Itself, because It already is that! All the Self could speak of is Its own Presence-the immediacy of Itself to Itself. It could state only what It already, presently is-Oneness, Wholeness, Completeness and Perfection. Would that leave you out? Not at all! That Self being conscious here, now, is the only You there is.
Because this book speaks from the viewpoint of the One Self, of pure Consciousness, it may at first seem it's talking in circles and isn't leading anywhere. That's just it. The Self isn't leading anywhere. It's already at Itself. Frustration may try to creep in because it seems you're not making progress. That, too, is precisely the point! Your Self (the Awareness reading this now) isn't progressing to Itself because It already is Itself. In early chapters particularly, it may seem nothing is happening, and actually plenty is happening. By staying with pure Awareness-which is You-all false assumptions and everything "not-You" seems to fall away. It never was true of You.
These pages state in a clear, simple way how the Divine Self-unlimited Awareness, the Infinite Itself-never is afar off or separate, but is this present Consciousness that now enables these words to be read and have meaning. This very same Consciousness is really the only one conscious to have written this book-because a body named Peter Francis Dziuban isn't the One Consciousness. Most emphatically, there is no personal author that assumes "he" is being the Self, or has a special "in" with God. But it is possible here and now-in fact essential-to speak from the viewpoint of the Self, since It is the very One being aware in the first place so any writing or reading can be done.
Would you prefer to be talked down to, patronized, as if not fully aware and intelligent?
For Your Self to enjoy Its freedom of simply being, without the frustration of trying to become isn't violating some law. On the contrary, only this is how Life actually functions. To not start here is to try to go against the way Life is already operating.
Does this all sound too good, too simple or absolute to be true? The Self is never too absolute for Itself, and there is no other. Why not let It determine what makes for good reading?
* * * * *
Is Consciousness or the Self what God actually is? Don't just blindly agree because you may have heard so before. Please don't disagree, based on prior education about another kind of god.
If you hesitate about a Consciousness-God, what's the alternative-a god that is unconscious? Do you favor a fire-and-brimstone god on a throne, waiting to reward, or more likely punish, on judgment day? Suppose you somehow right now came "face to face" with that kind of god. What is the only way you would know it, and be certain of having arrived in "heaven"?
Wouldn't you have to be conscious of the entire experience? You'd have to be aware of this so-called god to be certain you had finally met. For this so-called god to even be there, would depend on your being conscious of it. If there were no Consciousness, this god wouldn't be. So this god depends entirely on Consciousness for its existence-thus is merely a concept, a thing you are conscious of-and not true God or a power at all! A concept never is conscious or alive; it doesn't even know it is there. Only the Consciousness that is conscious of it, knows.
Real power resides not with any human conceptual god-but with Consciousness which is forever greater than all concepts.
Why start with a vague god, or some concept, and try to kid yourself into believing this mental concoction is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient?
Turn the whole thing completely around.
First find out specifically what, if anything, is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.
That's what should be called God.
Find out if Consciousness is absolutely all presence, all power, and all knowing. That's for you to determine from an unbiased reading of what is presented here.
* * * * *
Most likely you have flipped through these pages already, and have found some of the language unusual, perhaps startling. That's a good thing! Above all, don't feel lost if some of the capitalized words are new and unlike anything you've seen before. They have to be-because what you are about to read presents a simple but fundamental reversal of human teaching and understanding. It reverses the mistaken identification from body to Consciousness.
If you were conveying a new "viewpoint"-that of Consciousness, not a body-you'd need a brand new way of expressing it. Using the same old words would leave the reader no choice but to apply old meanings, and would be just a rehash of the same old thing.
These pages give a fresh, new "take" on Life. The language seems unusual only if it has been read out of context. To skim or jump ahead to later sections is a waste-the writing seems like an odd way of speaking, or just so much ethereal gibberish. Yet when you see what the words really mean, they zero in on Your True Self like a laser beam. They make it impossible to be ignorant or ignore-ant of Consciousness.
In fact, that's what the word ignorant basically means: ignore-ant. It implies there is that which is always present, but is being ignored, whether knowingly or not.
What appears to be the current human era generally prides itself on being the most enlightened and savvy that evolution has produced up to now. Incredibly, there seems to remain this ignore-ance, a vagueness and lack of clarity as to the meaning of even the most basic words, those so fundamental to living. You'll be amazed at how simple words such as be, is, present, one, all, and words like conscious or alive are often so hazily defined.
You are about to see what these words truly stand for-but that doesn't mean intellectual analysis. Far from it. One never finds Consciousness Itself in words. The true meaning of these words is a specific conscious "experience." It is an alive Presence that literally comes to life because It is Life. What is the actual "stuff" that the word Consciousness stands for? What is It that has to be present first, in order to need the word to label It? You are already, unstoppably being that which is changelessly "behind" all these words.
Inside you will also find simple explanations of some of the toughest, age-old, and "unanswered" questions ever faced by philosophers and scientists. They concern the Infinite, the Divine-and the nature of the so-called material world, time, and creation. There are even the answers to those two deep, profound issues that keep everyone awake at night: "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" and, "If a tree falls in the forest...." Seriously, even these are answered in an easy new way because by looking out from pure Consciousness, the Infinite, one is "outside the box" of a finite human intellect.
* * * * *
By this point you should be asking, "How do I know this is all true?"
"This may be well and good if I accept the premise that Consciousness is all-but how do I know that's true? Just who is the author to be making all these statements? And who is to say this is necessarily Truth, instead of what other books or teachings say?"
In other words, you want to be certain that what is said here is really the way it is.
There's a simple answer to that. It's found in the word is.
Think it through for yourself. Whatever is Truth, Reality, or "the way Life is" must be that which actually is. Whatever is going to be true, or be Truth, has to truly be. It has to exist; it has to honestly be present, and never can change.
It doesn't matter what word is used-Consciousness, Self, God, Reality-only what really is being can be what is real. There's nothing deep or difficult about that. And if something isn't being, that means it doesn't even exist; it isn't present anywhere. So how could it function, or be any kind of Truth or Reality? It couldn't.
Only what truly is can be what is true.
No exceptions. None for philosophy, science, or religion.
Now it gets exciting.
That which truly is must also be you.
Why? You could not be, nor be conscious, as something that is not present. To be conscious, Consciousness has to be.
Put it this way: if you weren't being, if you weren't now consciously present, you wouldn't even exist to have questions or care about this. But you do exist; you are now present and aware.
Now try a little test. Try to make Consciousness not be.
See if Consciousness, the pure Awareness you are presently aware of being, can be taken out of being present. Can Awareness somehow be taken away so It isn't being present now, but is backed up to five minutes ago? Or can Awareness be pushed ahead by five minutes, so It isn't being present now? The more you try, the more you see the impossibility of it. Awareness truly is.
For this to be clear, start with pure Awareness, pure Consciousness, only-entirely distinct from the body and everything else you seem to be aware of. One who is alert sees that pure Awareness, all by Itself alone, never changes or goes away. Thoughts come and go, yes. Emotions pass. And the body's five forms of sensing-what is seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelled-change constantly. Looking closely, you see it's always the stuff you seem to be aware of that's changing and passing, never Awareness Itself. Awareness, all by Itself alone, is present as pure Being, a changeless presence which simply, immovably is.
Go ahead, try to move Awareness by giving it a shove physically. Can it be done? Try mentally to outmaneuver Awareness and think It away, or make It change from being present now. Even try spiritually to pray Awareness away with all the faith you can muster. No amount of physical effort, mental effort, or belief can do it. Not even the highest intellectual arguments about semantics or definitions will alter pure Awareness or make It other than absolutely present.
Now contrast the nature of the so-called thinking, sensing "mind" with pure Awareness. They're not the same at all. The mind's activity would be everything that is not pure Awareness. While Awareness is simply being, absolutely everything the sensing, thinking "mind" claims to experience involves the movement or passing of time.
Look closely at how the mind works. It takes the passing of time to think thoughts. It takes time to experience sensations: to see sights, hear sounds, and to touch, taste and smell. It takes time to feel emotions, and even to have psychic experiences. Yet all such things that pass in time are only what you seem to be aware of. None of that is Awareness Itself. Awareness as It is being isn't passing in the flow of time with those things. It's the way a pure white movie screen never budges, while the movie characters and images superimposed on it appear to move and change constantly. Pure Awareness is changelessly present.
Now notice the nature of the mind's activity that's always passing in time. It's never present. Look at the constant sweep of the second-hand on a watch. It never quits moving. Time never stops passing to genuinely be, to be present, to be what truly is. Time seems to flow non-stop: as the future, that-which-is-not-yet, instantly becomes a past, that-which-is-not-anymore. Time is literally a state of that which is not!
Here's the kicker. Every single sensation that the human mind experiences about its universe-every sight, touch, sound, taste and smell-as well as every thought and emotion-all occur or are constantly passing in this flow of time. On that level, you can't stop it-all of it is always passing away and not being.
So if you didn't identify as the pure Conscious Being you are, as what is, and identified only on the passing level of the five senses, time, and what is-not, what in the world would you be doing?
What kind of a non-being, never-present self would you be?
Stop a moment and let that one in.
That simple switch in identification is profound. You are not the mind. Thinking and sensing are what you appear to use, or do-they're not what you are as pure Conscious Awareness.
The would-be thinking "mind" has always considered what it senses and experiences in the passage of time to be reality. Now you seem to do an about-face. You don't identify with a state of sensing and thinking that is always passing and never being. You identify as pure Conscious Being, or what really is, the Real. That which passes on the level of the sensing, thinking "time-mind" is now seen in the correct light-as what really is not, or what is not real.
The point is, for your entire universe, Consciousness is all that truly is. Don't read on until you really settle with yourself on this. It means Consciousness is "the way it is"-which is another way of saying Reality, Truth. The word Reality doesn't mean some far-off state you must ultimately become conscious of. Reality simply means what really is-which is Consciousness as It is effortlessly being, right here, now. You just showed it to yourself.
Meanwhile, in terms of Consciousness Itself, nothing changed because Consciousness never fails to be what It is. It is always the Real You, even though it may seem a state of thinking was imagining for a while that You were something else.
Based on these few paragraphs, you may not yet be willing to concede that what the mind and five senses testify to isn't really being, or isn't being real. Fair enough. Know for the moment that these and similar points are discussed repeatedly, in different ways throughout these pages. By being honest with what is true of Consciousness, the more it is clear how and why Consciousness truly is all that is present. To not identify as Consciousness would be to identify as a state of unconsciousness, and how intelligent is that? The beautiful truth is that there really is no choice-Consciousness is the only One being conscious-and It never fails to be Itself.
If this book is the first you've read on Consciousness, you may be saying, "Whew, this sounds very ethereal," but the more you read, the more undeniable and real it is. If you've read books on Consciousness or spirituality before, you may be saying, "Hmm, this sounds interesting." Reading from the viewpoint of the One Self, Consciousness Itself, you say, "This makes complete sense. It's simple!"
Consciousness, Being, never doubts or has questions about Itself. Notice how any doubts or questions seem to originate from the constantly shifting, unstable thinking of the intellect or so-called sensing mind. Now notice the certainty and power with which pure Conscious Awareness goes right on being, regardless of what is thought.
There is nothing wrong with questioning; it is strongly encouraged. And never just accept statements because they sound authoritative-including those of this author. But to behold what these pages say, to discern the magnificence and permanence of what You are, you must make a clear distinction between pure Awareness Itself, and the thoughts you are aware of. Thought is not Awareness. If you won't make this distinction and stick to it, put the book down now. Otherwise you will be frustrated and are wasting your time.
Don't fall for any superstitious nonsense that this material is too deep, just because some words are capitalized. How much heavy intellectualizing is needed before Awareness is aware here, now? None-that's the point! If you're aware enough to simply know you be, you've got all It takes. It is sufficient for Consciousness to be purely aware only, not intellectual.
To be conscious is not other-worldly or esoteric. It's the most natural, normal thing going. Publishers like to ask who the potential audience is for a new book. Well, who is there that's not conscious?
Drop all conceptual baggage. Your Consciousness as It now is, most emphatically, is not anything metaphysical or New Age. It is not Zen, or any other religion or teaching. Consciousness Itself needs no teaching. It doesn't have to learn to become Itself because It already is Itself. Consciousness isn't Eastern, Western, or any superimposed label, but is simply what truly is. Consciousness is never what someone else is into, for It is true of you. And not after years of study-but now.
Pure Awareness is not a trend, not "spiritually cool," not a hot money-making opportunity. Awareness doesn't see Itself as being in vogue at the start of a millennium, nor think of Itself as a new paradigm. It holds no pre-conceived notions, but simply is aware, present. So read as a "clean slate" of pure Awareness. Read as if never aware before, but now only. Only this is what Consciousness Itself is.
While you are reading, a particular point may make a strong impact. Perhaps "a light will go on." Meanwhile, the very next sentence beckons you to continue right on reading. Don't.
Don't let the eye keep scanning down a page, and assume you're getting it, while thought is back on the prior paragraph. Let any point that strikes really sink in. Ponder it quietly, in a relaxed way, with no pressure. Stay with it until you feel you have "absorbed" it and are ready to move on. It may help clarify subsequent points. This book is not a quick read. Remember, Consciousness is. It is always present and isn't gained in the passing of time-so what's the hurry?
The thread that runs throughout, and the question to ask continually is, "What is true of pure Consciousness alone?" Obviously you are free to disagree at any time, but if you do, don't take issue with the author. You'll find you cannot be honest with your own Consciousness and deny any of what is said here. There really can be no resistance to this material because Consciousness can't resist being conscious-and that is all these pages are concerned with.
There does however seem to be much disagreement about Reality and "God," and as many interpretations as there appear to be people walking the planet. The disagreements may be minor-or they may lead to wars. Meanwhile all will agree, "I am conscious." To start Here, as pure Consciousness, is to be in the One "right place."
Notice how, regardless of one's religious beliefs, Consciousness is conscious. Regardless of how much faith one has-whether a lot or none at all-Consciousness is conscious. Faith can be in a god, or in cold, hard scientific fact-it doesn't matter-Consciousness goes right on being, in spite of either. As said before, the beauty and power of Consciousness is that It is not a matter of human faith, which is fallible and can waver, or be misdirected toward evil. The Ever-Presence of Consciousness is infallible, a changeless absolute certainty.
This book is not about belief, faith, or fictitious separate personal consciousnesses, and how they must become more aware. It is about how completely, perfectly aware the One Consciousness Itself already is. Again, that doesn't leave you out, for that very Consciousness is the only You there is. The only One being conscious so this can now be read is the Consciousness being spoken of.
It's so simple. Consciousness Itself is doing It all. You no more have to become It or make It work than you are right now working at being aware.
You already are.
Copyright 2006, Peter Francis Dziuban
~ ~ ~
Consciousness Is All
Now Life Is Completely New
by Peter Francis Dziuban
Order from Blue
Dolphin Publishing: http://bluedolphinpublishing.com/Consciousness.html
Order from Amazon.com: http://snipurl.com/1s9eh