We sometimes find ourselves tangled in the web of experiences, thoughts, and emotions, feeling separated from the world around us. Yet, it’s in this sense of separation where we can discover the path to true unity and spiritual awareness. Let’s explore this paradoxical journey together, in a way that’s easy to understand and enlightening.
The Paradox of Separation and Unity
Imagine for a moment that you are not just your body, your thoughts, or your emotions. Instead, you are something far more profound and boundless. This is the essence of awareness – a space of pure knowing and being that is difficult to pinpoint because it is formless and intangible. It’s like trying to grasp the air; it’s there, but you can’t hold it. This awareness is what we truly are, beyond the physical and mental layers that we often identify with.
The Process of Purification
The spiritual journey, at its core, is about purification. But don’t let the term mislead you; it’s not about cleansing ourselves of sin or imperfection in a moralistic sense. Instead, it’s about separating the true essence of who we are from the layers of beliefs, emotions, and identifications that cloud our perception. Every time we detach our awareness from these layers, we purify our perception, allowing us to see more clearly the unity of all things.
It might sound counterintuitive, but by separating ourselves from everything – our thoughts, our emotions, our physical sensations – we can actually come closer to realizing our true nature, which is inseparably united with the universe. This isn’t about creating a division; it’s about discerning between what we are and what we are not. And in this discernment, we find unity.
The Subtlety of Awareness
As we continue on this path of separation and purification, our awareness becomes subtler. It’s like peeling away the layers of an onion, each layer representing our attachments and identifications. With each layer we peel away, our perception becomes clearer, and we start to perceive the world not through the distorted lens of our conditioned mind but as it truly is – changeless, boundless, and inherently united.
Unity as the Nature of Things
The ultimate realization on this journey is that unity is not something we create or achieve; it’s the underlying reality of everything. No matter how many thoughts of separation we might have, they cannot alter the fundamental unity of existence. This realization comes not from the mind but from a direct, experiential understanding that emerges as we purify our awareness.
Embracing the Practice
This path of separating to unite is not about adopting a new philosophy or changing our external life circumstances. It’s a practical, direct approach to spiritual growth. It’s about making a clear distinction between what we truly are and what we mistakenly think we are. And in this process, we discover that we are not just connected to everything; we are everything, in the most profound sense.
The journey to spiritual awareness through the paradox of separation and unity is a profound and transformative path. It challenges our deepest beliefs about who we are and invites us to discover the boundless, luminous essence of our true nature. As we embark on this journey, let us remember that in the space of awareness, we find not only the essence of who we are but also the indescribable unity that connects us all.
Quote:
“The greatest illusion is the illusion of separation. Things are the way they are because this is the way the whole is.” – Alan Watts (Emphasizes the interconnectedness of existence)
“The final separation is ironically the realization of absolute infinite unity.” – Bentinho Massaro
Spiritual Reference:
“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10. This verse echoes the essence of finding unity in stillness, where true awareness resides beyond the confines of physical and mental identifications.
Summary Points
- Our common sense of self is often a collection of temporary things we’ve identified with (body, thoughts, personality).
- This creates an illusion of separation from the vastness of reality.
- We can use conscious separation as a tool to unhook our awareness from these identifications.
- This process purifies awareness, allowing us to see things more clearly.
- Ultimately, the separation practice leads us to experience the inherent unity of existence.
Exercises:
- The “I am not this” practice: When a thought, feeling, or sensation arises, mentally say, “I am not this.” Repeat for multiple elements you normally identify with. Notice the awareness that remains even after these identifications dissolve.
- Triggered? Investigate: When you feel triggered by something, rather than reacting, pause and ask yourself, “What am I believing about myself right now that makes me feel this way?”. This can reveal layers of identification.
- Witnessing awareness: Sit comfortably and simply observe the space of your awareness. Notice that it can’t be grasped or defined, yet it’s the backdrop against which everything appears. Rest in this pure awareness.
Important Note: These are simple introductions to potentially profound practices. Be patient with yourself, the goal isn’t to immediately change your experience entirely but to gain insights over time.