At first glance this world seems to be an aggregate of materials with many different properties. And of course we have five different senses so that we can sense these different properties. I am amazed by the harmony that the senses make. That we have eyes and there are things to see, ears and there are things to hear, a tongue and things to taste, etc.
The world depends on our senses and state of mind
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If we did not have senses, how would we even know that the world was there? If we were born without any senses, we would not have a way of experiencing the world. In fact, for us the world would not exist.
The world also depends on our state of mind as it is through our mind that we interpret what we see. For instance with a slight change in our mind, we enter a completely different world called dream. Remember when we are in the dream, the dream seems like the waking state.
In fact, to the dream character it seems like the dream is made of many different materials. But from our perspective we can see that the dream is really made out of one substance, the mind of the dreamer. We can see that the dream character and everything that he or she sees is nothing but the one mind.
Is the truth behind the world based on separation?
As amazing as this may sound, if you know yourself you will know God. The method is just the opposite of what most people call spiritual, which is faith. The method for us is asking the most basic questions like: “Who am I?” And, “Am I the thing that I see?” Another way of phrasing this is, “Am I the limitations that I see?
If we were caught in limitation we wouldn’t see it
The very fact that we see limitation indicates that we are outside its limits. Another way of saying this is: I see limitation from a perspective that is outside of limitation. This means that if I was really caught in limitation I wouldn't see it. Here are some examples that might make this clearer: The body is limited in volume and in time. If I am aware of these limitations it proves that I am outside of them and therefore free from the body. The same is true of the limitations of our thinking. If we are aware of them we are outside of them.
So our real identity cannot be found in any object that we see. But you rightfully ask,: “If we cannot know ourselves as an object, how can we know what we are?” The answer is simple: we know our self because we are our-self, not as a separate thing.
The world is not a separate independent substance
The most intriguing thing about self-knowledge is that if I am outside of limitation, then what I see is really my own self. If we take our identity to be a separate object, then things appear to be separate from us. But when we find what we really are, we will find that when we appreciate the beauty of the world we are really appreciating our own nature.
This is similar to the dream state. When we wake up, we realize that we were not limited to a person in the dream. In fact, both the inside and the outside were made out of the same stuff, the mind of the dreamer.
When we see what the waking world really is, its beauty and harmony get magnified. Remember the quote from Saint Paul: “Now we see things through a glass darkly, but then face to face.” Self-knowledge is taking off the filters that seem to limit us so that we can see things the way they really are. When we truly know ourselves we know the One God, and we know what the world is too. Although this beauty cannot be described, we know it with the core of our being.
Feel free to ask questions
I wrote this blog at a very high level. But I want you to experience your true identity in its full glory. So please
feel free to continue asking questions. I’m always glad to hear your
reactions and clarify my answers. Unlike the path of faith, on the path
of Self-Knowledge it is curiosity that destroys limitation and allows
you to abide in your natural freedom.
If the comment section of this blog
doesn't work, please send your questions and comments to michael@ananya.com. To find out where this all leads go to, www.light-up-your-life.com. And finally, if you enjoy these blogs please tell your friend
Best Wishes,
Michael Gluckman
