Q: You say to put your attention before the thoughts arise. My mind starts to question with a how do you do that? I understand that the mind will never get it but could you please explain it in words.
Jac: The pointer that is suggested is to place attention where thoughts arise from. This suggests a sense of a place or even a blank image can arise for some – like a blank canvas before the picture appears on it.
With Advaita it can be taken as a general guideline that when mind asks ‘how’ its nothing more than avoidance of following the lead that is suggested. One could just as easily be running any thought (e.g. I’d love a coffee) as running the ‘how’ thought. Asking how is simply running another thought and not following the suggestion. So it’s not about finding out how, its about following the lead regardless of what happens. You see you can’t really get this wrong; it’s the willingness to give it a go that is required. Then what happens happens. The how of it all, together with right and wrong outcomes can be ignored…we are stepping beyond such judgements when placing attention prior from where thoughts arise.
Q: Could you speak about the unconscious conditioned mind that creates so much suffering.
Jac: For suffering to be experienced it is absolutely necessary that there must be an individual who believes they are personally suffering. If it is realised that what you are is not separate, not individual then there is no sense to the statement that something happens to ‘me’. When it is seen that there is only the Absolute then what is happening is by you, from you, to you…even the so called experience being had is also you in another form. So how could it be that something can happen to you as its all you; all the same in essence, mind only sees difference (e.g. labeling forms as if they are different to each other in essence) when the belief in separation is running.
With the contribution of material from the unconscious conditioned mind to your conscious mind, it follows that every time your thoughts are taken to be true, until this mechanism of thinking is seen through. Unquestioned thoughts automatically manifest as your reality. This is not actually because what you perceive is reality, it is because there is a sequence of thoughts that you are believing and this gives rise to what you would call your reality or your experience of reality.
Q: How can just being aware of the thoughts alleviate the suffering?
Jac: If you can see your thoughts; recognizing that they are simply thoughts, then at that moment of seeing you are not a slave of the stories they present. For most, the habit of suffering is so strong that thoughts are seen for a split second and mind does not rest there, simply habit pulls attention back into ‘all out me ‘cos I am suffering’ story. This is very addictive as its comparable to a magnet toward the ideas of a sufferer which makes the ego self perpetuate. It takes vigilance to make and recognise that break between the experience of suffering and the seeing of thoughts.
To believe your own thoughts, then you must without question take them to be true and thus there is no distance between you and your thoughts. In observing thoughts, there is a certain autonomy that arises. You can not be caught up in the story of your thoughts as well as observing them at the same time; that’s a fact. Seeing the thoughts as thoughts breaks the drug of being a slave of your mind.
Q: Is consciousness all there is? What does that actually mean?
Jac: Phenomenally, yes.The phenomenal world or we can call it all that is created appears in consciousness. If you are not conscious the world does not exist. Without consciousness there is not even the sense of an absence of the world; there is simply nothing happening when you are ‘out of it’ or unconscious. And yes, this also means that there is no ‘you’ as it is only the ideas of you that are believed give rise to the appearance of you in creation. In resuming consciousness (like waking up after a general anesthetic) we just assume that everything existed while we were ‘gone’ but if all were unconscious at the same time – then would the world appear at all? Would creation exist without any aspect of consciousness? No. Manifestation does not have an independent existence outside of consciousness. So phenomenally, all there is in terms of what can exist and be seen, experienced etc. requires a viewer, a seer, an experiencer – a facility that is conscious of it all phenomenally.
All that happens is a happening in consciousness and beyond that – there is no separation. And without separation there is nothing to see anything. So nothing can exist as an individual item/entity for it takes two to make this work.
Q: In my experience there seems to be a higher intelligence at play that directs ALL manifestations of my life. I like to call it God's will or Grace. Is enlightenment due to Grace?
Jac: God does not have a will. God doesn’t have qualities or attributes. God is beyond the ‘subject-object’ way of looking at things yet includes all. When it comes to God, there is only the subject and there is only God. So let’s stick with the word grace here perhaps. Yes it can be said enlightenment is due to grace simply because the separate you can not make it happen, no matter how much spiritual practice you do, the final burning is way beyond any capability of the separate I. That separate I, the one that thinks he is not enlightened is simply a veil hiding the Truth, thus the I is the very obstacle to enlightenment. He can never become enlightenment, he is simply distracting attention for a while from what remains unchanging and untouched by creation. You are THAT.
Q: I used to be excited about listening to satsang and reading dharma books. Now it just seems like a bunch of words (rubbish) really just repeating itself over and over. The love affair is over. Should I get a divorce?
Jac: Don’t decide such things with your mind. Feel in your gut if there is a pull to this material or not. If it has no resonance; if it’s not drawing you in, in any way then of course drop it. Go live your life and enjoy it. At another stage in life it may call your attention again. If not nothing is lost and nothing is gained either way. But for most the point of no return with this non duality material makes most sense when it is seen and realised that nothing in the world of creation can offer any peace or happiness. But if the world is still doing it for you then go live and enjoy!
Q: There seems to be in this stage of humanity an enlightened state of awareness for many beings. Why do you think that is happening right now?
Jac: Maybe it’s just the internet making communication of such happenings so much easier?? News spreads fast nowadays!
Jac O Keeffe is a spiritual speaker in the non dual advaita vendata tradition. She left her work and her every day routine of life behind in 2006 in Ireland to deepen her own spiritual practice. Her personal quest led to that which is beyond the mind - a transcendence of dualistic thought. Jackie now lives in Ireland and India. She facilitates spiritual gatherings in question-and-answer format, offering clear pointers to spiritual seekers of truth. She is the author of "Born to be Free" a must-read for all who search for truth and inner direction. Her website is www.jackieokeeffe.com. Her video page can be seen here.
Your welcome. I couldn't agree with you more. If you get an opportunity to attend her satsang go for it. She's even more radiant in person. Thanks for dropping by.
Q: You say to put your attention before the thoughts arise. My mind starts to question with a how do you do that? I understand that the mind will never get it but could you please explain it in words.
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