By Vivian Amis
Everywhere we look, people are seeking someTHING. Some think it’s money, others think it’s health or a relationship. Then once they get what they thought they were seeking, they realize it’s not IT and begin looking again. This cycle results from a deep desire imbedded within us all to know our true Self. It is a longing for happiness beyond measure and a freedom that surpasses all limitations. It is also a knowing deep within us that it is not only possible to find that true Self, but that it is our purpose for being here on earth in human form. What everyone is seeking, consciously or not, cannot be found is this world; it can only be found by looking inward.
Some call this a Spiritual Awakening or Realization, and others call it Enlightenment. Regardless of the name we use, it is that state of bliss, when our cup “runneth” over, that moment when we find true fulfillment, wholeness and oneness—a state of continuous joy, love and peace. We then seek no more, for we need no more. We have found our true Self.
How Do We Get There?
We all have heard the great Masters say, “Go within,” but what does that mean?Within the body?If we believe that’s where IT is, we find ourselves listening to our body without ever hearing the inner voice that will lead us to that which we so desperately seek to find. To go within means to become aware of YOU or more accurately: to become aware of you “being.”
To find our true Self we must strip away every idea we have of being “someTHING” in particular. The problem is that we are our true Self already, and therefore we can’t find it in the external world. We cannot find that which is not separate from us because we are IT.
We are that which we seek.
The only way to “find” is to know, but this “knowing” has nothing to do with gathering information. All “knowledge” is of this world, and what we are seeking to know surpasses all time and space, has no beginning or end and cannot be grasped my the mind.
In order to know our true Self we must go beyond the human mind.
Going Beyond Mind
This is where meditation comes into play, and it is one of the most helpful tools in learning how to separate the true Self from mind. In most meditation practices,attention is focused on one thing. This can be anything, but the easiest object is breathing, and everyone does it. When focusing on the breath, we can close our eyes and shut out visual distractions. By working to minimize visual distractions our other external senses, we can more easily focus our attention inward.
As we focus attention on breathing, thoughts will continue to arise; let them come and watch them go. The goal is to not be become engrossed in any particular thought, but to recognize all “thoughts” simply as separate “thoughts.” Hold no judgment on any thoughts that appear in the mind and try not to attach to any thoughts. If it happens, recognize it and bring attention back to the breathing. With a little practice it will become easier to stay focused on the breathing and find great peace.
Now it’s time to take the next step, and that is to become aware of the ONE who is witnessing thought. Wham…there is your true Self in all your glory. If you are the one witnessing thought you cannot be anything the mind can “come up with,” therefore you are beyond mind and any descriptive terms that it can generate.
Most of our lives we identify with this or that. We identify our Self to be your body, age, health, relationships, job title, personality, or likes and dislikes. At the same time,these things are constantly changing, so all you can truly know is that YOU exist. You existed before anything else came into being and THAT is who you are.
I am that…I am.
Vivian Amis is a teacher of Spiritual Consciousness and author of The Essentials of Life: A Healer’s Journey to the Truth.Vivian lives with her husband and four kids in Tampa, FL. For more information about her teachings, upcoming classes, and articles, visit wwww.VivianAmis.com, email info@vivianamis.com, or phone 813-347-0918.