Dear Ektaji,

I see everything as an illusion, but when the body-mind gets tired, I lose the Knowingness position. I see it is all but an illusion, yet I get identified with the ‘person’, again and again. How to gather the infinite courage to burn down this identity and live on without it? How to avoid being pulled out of Knowingness? Some identification with the body-mind needs to be severed. How to do that?

Answer:

Yes, you are right, there is a strong identification that needs to be severed. The false identity needs to be burned down. The most important step is to gain a profound and in-depth insight into the steps of identity formation. Simply reading about the ‘I-sense’ or watching videos about Non-duality will not cut it. There has to be a systematic study done to support the erasure of personhood.

The ego doesn’t like the idea of self-study. It wants to exist and knows that the self-study will annihilate it. Because of the resistance of the ego, you are unable to maintain your witnessing stand, your knowingness position, and your recognition of the truth that ‘All is merely illusion’.

If you feel wiser and are ready to accept the challenge of dodging all ego tantrums, begin your sadhana today:

• • Step 1 – Extinguishing the sense of separateness: Recognize that ‘Personhood’ is a constructed idea, a false self-image from the past. Remind yourself that if I consider myself a body-mind person, I am considering myself to be the past. Self-image can only be created by Memory. Memory belongs to the past. Wake up to the truth that what I am considering to be myself now is NOT IN THE NOW!
  • Step 2 – Consuming the persona: Willingly and voluntarily SEE that the sense of being an inherently independent individual entity is an idea limited to the Waking. It disappears in the Dream and Deep Sleep states which comprise 1/3rd of what is called ‘Life’. Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana can be beneficial here.
  • Step 3 – Disidentification from the constructed self: Once it is established that there is an ‘I-sense’ beyond the Waker that continues in the Dream and the Deep Sleep, a disidentification occurs from the Waker [Waking personhood].
  • Step 4 – Annihilation of the ‘I-sense’: A higher realization occurs when there is the recognition of the disappearance of the ‘I-sense’ into the Deep Sleep darkness yet something beyond is sustained. An I-lessness exists beyond the ‘I-sense’ which survives the death of the ‘I-sense’.
  • Step 5 – Transcendence of the self-image: The second level of the realization occurs when it is seen that the ‘I-sense’ reappears from the deep sleep darkness revealing that the I-lessness is superimposed by the I-sense. The I-sense is further superimposed by the Dreamer. The Dreamer is further superimposed by the Waker. The Waker is further superimposed by a variety of Waking World identities. The vicious web is endless.

These 5 steps need to be ceaselessly and relentlessly recognized, acknowledged, confirmed, comprehended, repeatedly observed and registered. Only then does the illusion called the ‘I’ crumble, only then does the Waker and its Waking world lose its grasp on you.

If you look at it from the angle of the mind, you will find this to be very difficult to achieve. But if you look at it through the longing eyes of Consciousness that is seeking itself, you will see it is a single step – realizing one’s true Self beyond the ‘I’. 

Do you truly have the longing to meet yourself? If yes, begin your Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana – Deconditioning by the wisdom of Waking-Dream-Sleep and quit not until you SEE! The following resources might be helpful:

• • Books: https://tinyurl.com/SNGSseries
  • Website knowledge talks: https://www.gnyanasangha.com/

Happy Sleeping!