February 15, 2018
Look around you. What do you see? I don't mean the words for the objects in the room. Nor do I mean the names that have been given to all of those faces that you know. I want to know what you see when all of those names, concepts and relationships are dropped. Can you see through the labels? I don't even want you to answer the question. To do that you would have to use thoughts and words. Just see. It's already here... ALL of it. Don't look for it, name it or try to grasp it, and it will be seen in all of its depth and mystery. It's right Here, it always has been. This is the mystery of Life!
Knowledge is wonderful isn’t it? We use specialized knowledge on a daily basis to do our work, communicate with others and achieve our goals. The human mind is an incredibly powerful device. Think of all the wonders of the world that originated in thought! Beginning as a simple thought, the plans for these marvels were developed through concept, and implemented through communication and planning. It is truly astounding the magnitude and breadth of human endeavor! We can launch machines that penetrate the depths of outer space and even transport us to other celestial bodies. We can split atoms and observe the behaviors of subatomic particles revealing the secrets of the Universe. Each of these endeavors originated as a thought in the human mind. That is quite something.
Have you ever wondered where these powerful entities we call “thoughts” originate? Out of what do they arise? You might say, “Well a thought is a complex interplay of neuronal activity along with the release of various neurotransmitters.” Yet, that would simply be another thought wouldn’t it? What if we experimentally investigate the Source of thought? We can actually do this right here and now. In fact there is no other time or place that this could be accomplished. If we tried to accomplish this task in the future or somewhere other than here we would need to raise another thought wouldn’t we? What if we just feel our way along without relying on additional thoughts and directly investigate that place where a thought arises? Watch as the next thought arises in your mind. No matter what the nature of the thought is you can say to yourself, “Oh that was a thought arising.” Notice the thought as a thought then consider, “Out of what space did that thought arise?” It is clearly nowhere but here, this space. It is clearly not in some other time. So are you able to experimentally turn and look directly into this space, into this Mystery?
Notice any thought, as a thought. Then ask, “Out of what space has this thought arisen?” Be still and do not entertain further thoughts. Just stare right into the Mystery.
I call it is a Mystery because you cannot make any true conclusion about it. If you were to do so that would simply be another thought wouldn’t it? The arising of a conclusion would simply prompt us to again turn our attention into that Mysterious space from which that thought arose.
If we can make no conclusion about this nebulous space out of which thought comes into being, then is this space even important? Can it be grasped? Can it be understood?
All I can say is investigate. Once you touch in to this unfathomable Mystery, you will begin to become aware of its nature. Not in thoughts and beliefs however; you will feel it in your bones, in your marrow. At that point you will see whether there is a desire to label anything “important” or “unimportant.” It will become very obvious whether or not there is a need to grasp for anything at all. Can the Infinite grasp the Infinite? It wouldn’t even bother with such silly idea. As far as understanding goes, thoughts are for understanding.
We don’t need to understand the Mystery, we simply need to give it some of our attention and let it show us what it can do.
