Evolution of Love 2

AWARENESS WATCHING AWARENESS

Discovery of the Technique

By the year 2001, the author had been studying the teachings of almost all the various religions and spiritual paths for 27 years, from the bodily age of 15 to 42. He had read more than two thousand spiritual books. He had spent time with many spiritual teachers in America and India. It was clear that the essence of most of the spiritual teachings was focusing the attention on the “I AM”. The place where Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and “Hinduism” meet is turning inward and focusing the attention on the “I AM”.
The most direct and rapid means to eternal bliss, finding the kingdom within, “Self-realization” etc., is turning the attention within to focus on the “I AM”.

One modern example of this in “Hinduism” is Nisargadatta Maharaj. Nisargadatta’s Guru told him to pay attention to the “I AM” to the exclusion of all else. Nisargadatta followed his Guru’s instruction for three years. After three years of practicing in his spare time, Nisargadatta realized his true Self. He had to work to support his family, therefore, he could only practice in his spare time. Nisargadatta used to spend hours each day looking at the true Self.

Focusing the attention on the I AM, while excluding all else from one’s attention, is an ancient practice in “Hinduism”. The importance of looking inward and knowing the “I AM” is found in the Judeo-Christian teachings also :
And God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM”. And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you”. (Exodus 3:14)
“Be still and know I AM God”. (Psalms 46:10)
Jesus said “Before Abraham was, I AM”. (John 8:58)
“The Kingdom of God is within you”. (Luke 17:21)

Jesus did not say the Kingdom of God will be within you after your body dies. Jesus said, “is”. “Is” is present tense. “Is” means now.
The Prophet Mohammad said: “He who knows his Self knows his Lord”.

Another modern example from “Hinduism” is Ramana Maharshi.
Ramana Maharshi taught for more than 50 years that the only effective means to end the ego and sorrow and to remain as eternal joy is to focus on the Self, the I, the I AM.

By the year 2001, the author had attempted to practice the method of focusing the attention on the I AM for 27 years yet he had made very little progress with that or any other method.
In December of the author was in Tiruvannamalai India for the purpose of attending the talks of a teacher in the Ramana Maharshi tradition. He was thinking about all the possible meanings of I and I AM and all the possible approaches to I and I AM that he had read over the years.

- The I thought, the thought I AM.
- The I feeling, the feeling I AM.
- The I consciousness, the I AM consciousness.
- To think I or I AM.
- To feel I or I AM.
- To focus the attention on I or I AM.
- The number of different combinations of the approaches and the different views of what I or I AM means.

After 27 years, the author still was not sure what I AM means in Direct Experience, wondering if there was some way to solve these questions and to have clarity both in the meaning of I or I AM and what to do with it, focus the attention, feel, think, or? He wanted an understanding that was so clear that there would be
nothing vague left, no more choices left.

The author really wanted to know the answer, willing to have his previous understanding shattered if need be. There was a willingness to consider, maybe for the last two and a half decades,
the author had not at all understood what the I AM is and how to focus on it. It was a willingness to allow all the old views to be swept away, if need be.

Ramana Maharshi had said that Self-inquiry is more like feeling than like thought. Asking “Who am I?” or asking “To whom do these thoughts arise?” are easy instructions to follow as long as one stays in the realm of thought. However, when it comes to feeling “Who am I?” or feeling “I AM”, that had always been a bit vague because what exactly is the feeling I AM?
How do I know I AM? Nisargadatta Maharaj and many others had said the I AM is consciousness.

The author wondered is the “I AM” the I-thought or is the “I AM” just my present awareness? If the “I AM” is this present awareness, just the awareness that is now looking at this room, then paying attention to the I AM is just:

My awareness watching my awareness! This was a revelation!

Instead of having some vague practice where one is told to pay attention to the feeling, I AM, without ever being sure exactly what the “I AM” is and feels like, here was an absolutely clear instruction:

My present awareness watching my present awareness. Awareness watching awareness.

Not some unknown seemingly far away awareness labeled the Infinite Self, or labeled God. This awareness, my awareness, here and now watching itself, while ignoring thought, the body, and the world, etc.

Immediately the author tried this practice: Awareness watching awareness while ignoring thought.

The author shut his eyes because the point was also to ignore the world. To turn the attention that normally goes out to the world around 180 degrees and to look inward. To turn the attention away from thought and towards awareness watching awareness.

Awareness paying attention only to itself.
The results were instant!
From the very first moment, one tries this practice, one is abiding as awareness!

There is no waiting!
It is so easy.

One does not mean to imply that from the beginning the ego ends.
It takes years of continuous practice before the ego meets its final end.
However, from the moment one tries this simple, easy to understand practice, one is abiding as awareness!

The author practiced the Awareness Watching Awareness Method for two years, from December 2001 to January 2004.

There were more days with twelve hours of practice than there were days with two hours of practice.

In January of 2004 the author's ego, sorrow and suffering came to its final end and what remained is:

Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss.
Thus the Awareness Watching Awareness Method once again lived up to its reputation as being the most rapid and direct means to eternal bliss here and now in this lifetime.