Question:

Being lost in the object and withdrawing from the object and becoming a “sakshi”. I am able to do it for a split second especially when I am typing on a keyboard I can see my fingers moving and witness it without being “involved” but I am unable to do that at other times.

Answer:

There is a difference between drushya [scene], darshak [spectator] and drushta [witness]. Right now, you are reading this email on your computer, iPad or phone. This computer, iPad or phone and the email and the content of this email is all a scene [drushya].

If the one who is looking through those eyes is lost in the scene, he is a darshak. If you are lost in the words of the email and are unaware of the one who is reading this email, if you are unaware of how the mind is processing this email, if you are unaware of the thoughts running here and there in connection to the words in this email, then you are a darshak [spectator/audience].

But if you are aware of the one who is reading this, you are in Sakshi bhava [witness], you are a drushta, you are 100% awareness yourself.

Being a Sakshi requires effort to be in the ‘Present Moment 100%’. It is 100% knowingness. The path of attaining perfection is obviously going to be for the extremely courageous one. Buddha was one who attained this perfection of Sakshi Bhava! It is possible for you to attain it provided you apply yourself.

How to apply yourself?

Keep practicing to be in 100% awareness all the time and 100% perfection is bound to happen to you! And what is the practice? The practice is to move beyond being a ‘darshak’ to being a ‘drushta’. This takes only awareness to wake up from darshak bhava to drushta bhava. Waking up does not take effort. Remember, only you can wake yourself up, only you can make it happen for yourself.

If it is not happening?

Then it means that you are not applying yourself enough. You are relishing in the darshak bhava.

Sharpness of awareness cannot be explained just like the skill to play the best music cannot be explained. Will you become a rockstar guitarist by picking up the guitar once in a while? NO! Similarly, Sakshi Bhava perfection can only be attained by an intense commitment to your own practice. Keep practicing!

If it starts happening?

Do NOT get overconfident or egoistic about it. It is like quicksand, it will just slip away and take you down with it.

Just keep ‘being aware’, moment to moment to moment, of everything that is happening around and within this body-mind complex. Beyond this ‘Sakshi bhava’ cannot be explained, it can only be experienced because it falls beyond the realm of the mind & intellect. Have courage to step beyond ‘understanding’ to ‘experiencing’ and you will surely get it!