Oneness Of Self and Environment

As we let go of thoughts, feelings etc. in the foreground of experience and sink back into the I that is aware in the background of experience we become at one with ourselves. We see that what we call ourselves is a limitless constant “field” that is “aware” or “knowing” (by virtue of the fact that it recognises what is going on within it and recognises itself). We are, in essence, this field of pure knowing or awareness. From here we examine our perceptive experience of the inner and outer landscape of our mind and the environment of our body and the outer world. Then, as we examine it closely, at some point, we understand and experience that our environment is also ‘made’ of the same awareness as ourselves. In fact, on close, examination, all we know of our experience of anything is the knowing of it. Though our minds tell us that conceptually there is something separate out there that we are perceiving, as we examine this in our experience, not intellectually, we never find this thing. Then we see that what we call our environment and what we call ourselves are the same thing. There is no distinction. Then we see that everything in our environment is a vibrant reminder system of eternity to draw us back to the true nature of ourselves, and not just a thing for us to manipulate to fill a vacuum of suffering we may be feeling in the moment. What emerges is a profoundly different relationship with our environment and a dropping of psychological fear, and a sense of personal inadequacy caused by perceiving ourselves to be separate from the environment and therefore vulnerable to it and incapable of negotiating it. At this point, we realise (and experience the joy of this realisation), that everything in our daily lives and environment is a reminder of our essential infinite, eternal whole nature of awareness. Instead of looking for exotic solutions to take us away from this world we truly see that we are living in the midst of the most beautiful garden we could ever have imagined all along. Instead of dismissing ordinariness, we see that it is the most extraordinary thing we can ever experience. We are living in the most breathtaking exotic experience possible all along. We do not need anything else to take us anywhere. We are already here. It is no coincidence that all spiritual teachers say the same thing:

“There is absolutely nothing exotic about enlightenment. The taste of tea or a walk in nature is far more exotic than the knowing of our own being as it is.”

Rupert Spira (Spiritual Teacher)

“To see the world in a blade of grass

And heaven in a wildflower

To Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour.”

William Blake

“I searched for myself and found only God. I searched for God and found only myself. ”

Rumi

“There is something that exists when you don’t look but it’s not spacetime and physical objects”

Donald Hoffman (Scientist)

“No affairs of life or work are in any way different from the ultimate reality”

— Chih-I, (Great Teacher of Middle Way School Of Chinese Buddhism) Hokke Gengi