Question:

Ektaji, When I am in confusion I try to stop my action & thoughts to look into the constant companionship of the Witness. Can you guide me on whether my path is right?

Answer:

At the beginner level, it’s okay to think that you have to stop actions and thoughts to abide in the witness because, in the beginning, you have a notion that ‘The Witness is Silent. Noise belongs to the Mind’.

But I would urge you to experiment closely:

Action:

• • Action is not different from perception through sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.
  • Perception through sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell is nothing but a mental phenomenon.
  • The Mind is nothing other than the same substance as the Witnessing awareness.

Therefore we arrive at the explorational conclusion that, ‘Action is made of the same substance as the Witnessing awareness’.

Thought:

• • The thought is nothing but a mental phenomenon.
  • The mind is nothing other than the same substance as the Witnessing awareness.

Therefore we arrive at the explorational conclusion that, ‘Thought is made of the same substance as the Witnessing awareness’.

Conclusion:

The substance that comprises your actions & thoughts is awareness/consciousness. Attempt to notice this in your own inner exploration rather than intellectually. It is a recognition of what already is. You don’t have to manufacture or imagine anything. Simply discard conditioning and see the truth. It is what it is!

When you notice that the Mind is not different from the Witnessing Awareness, you won’t have to reject them. Welcome them into the witnessing awareness as the witnessing awareness!

#AtmaNirvriti #AtmanandaKrishnaMenon #AdvaitaVedanta #Non-Duality