Contents
The Mechanisms
Like the wax that drips and falls a hundred drops, your eyes, so slowly, fall asleep. Though there lies a thought or two that linger in your mind, you wander towards the silence in-between. As your weary eyes struggle to break the seal of fatigue, you find yourself in an elegant bar, only half the size of your feeble cabin. You’re dreaming.
“What can I get you?” asks the bartender behind the lumber topped bar. The empty bottles and scattered glasses are illuminated by the fire-lit chandelier. “Pardon?” You mumble as you hover above a leather-bound burgundy stool. “H-how am I flying?” Your confusion and persistent questioning likens the bartender’s fascination in you.
“Well, deary me!” The bartender points to an empty chalice that rests atop a puddle of hop. “You must know you’re dreaming, no? Here, let me fix you up a drink.” The copper chalice floats above its filthy leak and makes its way into the tender’s hold. “You’re looking for someone, aren’t you?” The bartender’s interrogation lets a fluster befall you, for it would seem that the ‘someone’ you are looking for is… yourself! You are looking for The Knower!
The Knower is knowing the experience of a physical world and knowing the experience of the mind. There is no time in which The Knower is knowing, for The Knower is only knowing now. That is, time is subject to the experience. Yet, such experience seems to have the capabilities of elongating the one, eternal moment of now, into what we know to be memories, or imagined foresight into the future. The physical being may doubt the reality of your transcendence with questions similar to “How do I know I’m not going insane?”, “What if I’m just hallucinating?” and “Is what I’m seeing real?”
In this instance, The Knower is knowing the experience of a physical being dreaming. The Knower does not dream, nor does The Knower recognise a difference between reality and a dream, for The Knower is only able to know the experience. Therefore, The Knower is knowing the experience of a physical being dreaming, but you are not the physical being, you are The Knower.
In the knowing of the experience of the physical world, the physical being may fall victim to the menace of doubt, more often than not. The physical being may doubt themself, as well as believe that they are not strong enough to fulfil the alignment this journey requires. Yet, it is important for the physical being to remember that The Knower cannot know belief, but only the experience in which beliefs may or may not exist. This means, that should the physical being assume The Knower is doing any thing that is not the knowing of an experience, the physical being has simply forgotten the eternal essence of The Knower. The physical being has forgotten the essence of The Knower, for The Knower can only ever know.
You are The Knower, who does not exist in time, but rather no time. You are The Knower who is not a thing, but rather no thing. You are The Knower, knowing the experience in which a physical world exists. You are knowing the experience in which a physical world exists, wherein such a world would have the necessary beliefs and deceptions to keep you in it. That is, the physical being would believe The Knower is experiencing a physical world, yet by definition of The Knower, The Knower only knows. Therefore, The Knower can know the experience in which a physical being believed they were a physical being, but will forever be the knowing of such experience.
The experience with which the physical being may feel extremely familiar, only feels familiar because it is all The Knower has ever known. That is, the familiarity the physical being experiences is actually the familiarity you, The Knower, possess in regards to only ever knowing. In the same way you know the experience of being yourself, you are The Knower, who only knows. That is, the immeasurable familiarity the physical being has with themself, for no reason other than their very being, is the expression of how well The Knower may know the experience. The Knower may know the experience, but never fall into the experience. The Knower may never become a part of the experience.
In the knowing of such a vivid and convincing experience, the physical being may forget the essence of The Knower, yet it remains The Knower who is knowing the experience of the physical being forgetting. It is not that you are forgetting the essence of The Knower, for it is you who is The Knower, but rather you are knowing the experience in which a physical being forgets the essence of The Knower.
It only takes one moment to remember the essence of The Knower, for it is in the one moment of now that The Knower is knowing. Yet, there are many mechanisms within the experience known by you, The Knower, that seem to persuade the physical being that you, The Knower, are within the experience. The familiarity you have with the knowing of the experience is in itself the essence of The Knower, yet in the knowing, the physical being can forget that you are The Knower.
The physical being must align themself with what it truly means to be The Knower, casting aside any beliefs or doubts, preconceptions or any thing that is not knowing of the experience. Unfortunately, the experience will always try to satisfy the physical being into being able to let go of the essence of The Knower that is knowing. It will always try to satisfy the physical being into being convinced that The Knower is experiencing an experience, but you cannot experience any thing, for you are The Knower, and you can only ever know.
“Here’s the menu, love! Give us a shout when you know what you want!” The bartender hands you a withered rag with a variety of drinks. Bewildered by the whole ordeal, you choose to play along, “I’ll just start with a Flaming Familiarity, if that’s no bother.”
The Familiarity
“Here you go, one Flaming Familiarity on the house. The trick is to get it down before it curdles…” The bartender places a silver chalice atop a wooden coaster. The salmon brim is set aflame, yet the fire seems under control. You can taste a tinge of tangerine through the burning scent of bittersweet liquor. “Will this scorching chalice not burn through my fingers?” You anxiously put forth to the tender. “For the love of all that is good! You keep forgetting that this is a dream, don’t you?” The tender reassures you. You take a sip.
Though you know you’re still dreaming, you find it hard to believe, for it all seems so familiar. You remember the potent scent of an open bottle like it remembers you. You recognise the murmuring of the regulars and the bickering of the grumblers. You notice the generosity of the tenders and the reciprocity of the ones to whom they tend. Is it that everything is familiar, or simply that you believe it is?
To say that you are familiar with this experience would be an understatement. You are so familiar with this experience because you have only ever known this experience, meaning you know nothing else. Yet, it is a sense of familiarity that is almost impossible to detach from, unless The Knower knows the experience in which a physical being is in alignment with The Knower. That is, the physical being from within the experience has aligned themself with the unfathomable comprehension of The Knower. For example, the physical being can never be The Knower, nor can they comprehend The Knower, but they can accept that they can never comprehend The Knower. The physical being can never comprehend The Knower because they are subject to The Knower.
An interesting illusion the experience will impose on the physical being is how familiar a person is with their physical experience. However, the familiarity a physical being feels with their physical experience is actually the familiarity you, The Knower, hold in regard to knowing, as it is all The Knower has ever been capable of. The physical being must understand that their illusive familiarity has the capability of being fabricated in one moment, whereas The Knower has only ever known. For example, The Knower can know the experience in which a physical being may believe they are extremely familiar with the physical body they are experiencing, but it remains that you are only ever knowing.
Although it seems that you are extremely familiar with this quaint bar and its quiet mumblings, you are The Knower, and you do not have the capacity to be familiar with anything other than the being of The Knower. You are not familiar with this bar, rather you are The Knower, knowing the experience in which a physical being is dreaming about a bar, a bar with which they are extremely familiar. The illusion is not how familiar the physical being is with the bar, but rather how illusive the experience can be, so much that the physical being believes the physical experience of dreaming is any different from the physical experience of reality.
The physical being from within the experience must come to terms with their inability to comprehend The Knower, which is no thing that can be understood. The physical being from within the experience must come to understand their limitations and that should there be a knowing of them, it would be no where, in a place they do not know how to find, for it is not a place that can be found. That is, the physical being cannot see what they cannot see, nor can they understand what they cannot understand, so it is the acceptance of this limitation I am pertaining to. The physical being within the experience must surrender the will to know, for they are unable to know The Knower, for it is impossible for the experience to know The Knower.
When I allude to a physical being who does anything, whether it be aligning themself, or coming to terms with the essence of you, The Knower, I am speaking of the physical being of which you are knowing. The physical being which you are only ever knowing within the experience. That is, if I said to let go of all beliefs, The Knower would not be able to, for The Knower does not have the capacity to believe. However, the physical being would have the capacity to do a thing within the experience, allowing you, The Knower, to know the experience in which a physical being is doing something suggested by this book.
In the same way the physical being may not ever comprehend The Knower, for the physical being is subject to The Knower, the physical being dreaming about drinking in a bar can never know the whereabouts of the physical being who is dreaming. It would be ridiculous for a character in a dream to search for the one who is dreaming them into existence. Similarly, it would be ridiculous for the physical being to search for The Knower who is knowing them into existence.
It is impossible for the experience to know The Knower because the experience is subject to The Knower, not the other way around. Though the experience can create the illusion of a physical being who is able to comprehend The Knower, it is you knowing the experience in which a physical being believes that they are able to comprehend or be The Knower. Yet, they cannot be The Knower, because you are The Knower, and you are not a physical being.
Because of the familiarity expressed by your very being of The Knower, The Knower is able to know the experience in which a physical being may believe they are The Knower. However, it is only when the physical being forgets that they cannot be The Knower, that you, The Knower, will know the experience in which a physical being may believe they are experiencing knowing as opposed to being known as an experience. In other words, the physical being may forget that they are unable to be The Knower, for they exist within the experience, yet it will still be you, The Knower, who is knowing the experience in which a physical being forgets their limitations.
“I simply do not understand how I can know this bar so well, although I have ever known it once? I know I have never been here before, yet I remember that I have. I am convinced that I am familiar with everything in this bar, the wooden doors, the rickety stools, the olden curtains and your eternal kindness. But… I do not know you, what is happening to me?” You are in shock of how familiar you have become with this friendly bar. “The Flaming Familiarity will do that to you! But don’t you worry, have a couple more drinks and I’ll tell you where to find the one you are searching for.” The tender tender reassures you once more.
It is not that The Knower is knowing an illusion, wherein the concepts and ideas of an experience are explored, but rather The Knower is knowing an experience, wherein the concepts and ideas of illusions are explored. Therefore, it is very easy for the physical being to find perfect reasoning for the doubt they may experience in regards to their own existence. It is easy for the physical being to accept that they are able to exist independent of The Knower knowing, although the physical being cannot exist unless the experience in which they exist is known by you, The Knower.
It is also very easy for the physical being to find a reason within the experience that satisfies their inability to comprehend The Knower, ultimately resulting in a disbelief that such a being, you, may even exist. Yet, even in the disbelief and assertion that you do not exist… the physical being would be correct, for you are not able to exist at all, wherein lies a joke. Luckily for you, The Knower, you are only ever knowing, and you do not know reasoning or disbelief, but rather the experience in which reasoning and disbelief may or may not exist.
“Why do you think that you can tell me the whereabouts of The Knower, if The Knower cannot be found? Who’s to say The Knower even exists? Who’s to know the presence of The Knower is not of simple belief? Who’s to know The Knower at all?” You prompt the bartender. “You must have forgotten, for The Knower cannot be found, so do not go looking to find. The Knower cannot exist, for The Knower is no thing, hidden in plain sight… no where! The Knower cannot be believed in, so do not go looking to believe, for you will fall victim to the menace of doubt. Another drink?”
All The Knower is able to do is know, and the physical being must surrender themself by accepting that they are subject to the experience, and the experience subject to The Knower. You, The Knower, only ever know, and should the physical being feel a familiarity with their physical body, it would be an illusion imposed by the experience. It is an illusion for it is not how familiar the physical being is with the experience, but rather how familiar The Knower is with knowing, should The Knower have the capacity to be familiar with any thing, yet, you are only ever knowing.
“Ah, I think a Reasoning Riesling is a perfect compliment to the Flaming Familiarity! Care to give it a try?”
The Reasoning
“Maybe not too much for this drink, I’ve only just started and I’m already a little on edge…” You suggest. “You haven’t even touched the Reasoning Riesling… talk about premature inebriation.” The bartender jokes. The deep yellow stream of fermented grape waltzes from the ocherous bottle. The ridiculousness of the liquid ballerinas floating in mid-air reminds you that you’re dreaming. A soft tinkling falls from the ephemeral dancers as they pirouette into your empty, blighted chalice.
As you sample the perfumed wine, you cannot believe how unbelievable this dream has become. “Floating wine ballerinas? Flaming hot liquid that didn’t so much as prick my tongue? Free drinks? There are many reasons to make me believe that this is a dream, yet here I am, entertaining the illusion. Why are you still pretending?” You try to reason with the bartender. “I am not pretending at all. This is my place, and right now, I am to serve you drinks. Yours is to simply enjoy. What’s so illusive about that? And who said anything about free drinks?”
You are only ever knowing, now. The only truth you are able to comprehend, is simply your being of The Knower. Yet, The Knower cannot know truth, but rather The Knower knows the experience in which the concept of truth may or may not be expressed. Although the experience can seem to associate a truth with The Knower knowing, it is only from within the experience that it is known that truth is comprehended.
There is no truth that is external to the knowing of the experience, for truth is subject to the experience, not the other way around. Although the physical being within the experience may believe that The Knower is or is not true, it is from within the experience that the limited understanding of truth is being superimposed over The Knower. Yet, the physical being can never experience any thing that will allow for the unfathomable understanding of you, The Knower, for you are simply unfathomable.
“There is much to tell me that all of this is illusion, but who is it telling? I know that this is but a dream, but who is the one knowing it other than me? Would it ever matter, the knowing of a dream and the knowing of reality, if not for the infinite similarities that both so convincingly share? There is no benefit in the recognition of a dream as much as there is no benefit in the recognition of reality, for simply recognising the nature of ones experience does not so much as end it, but more so make them aware. So what is the point? Why do I know that this is a dream? Why do I know that I am yet to wake? What will it matter when I open my eyes?” You leave the bartender speechless for a moment, as they wipe the bar of the yellow grog.
“What will it matter you ask? Does a character in a dream search to find the dreamer, or enjoy the floating ballerinas? Does a character in a dream search to find the dreamer, or enjoy the painless touch of fiery silver? Does a character in a dream search to find the dreamer, or enjoy the story being told? Stop looking for what cannot be found, and simply enjoy what is already here! I think it’s time for a Hallucination Carbonation! What do you think?” The bartender is chuffed with their return.
Though you are unfathomable, the physical being within the experience will always attempt to fathom you, even after accepting the unfathomable nature of your essence. The physical being within the experience will always attempt to find a reason to remain in the physical experience, for it is afraid of what it cannot know, which is you, The Knower. The physical being within the experience will be presented with many mechanisms to satisfy its illusory existence, yet it remains that you, The Knower, will only ever know the experience in which a physical being is satisfied with the experience.
The Knower only knows the experience in which a physical being is able to comprehend physical concepts within the experience. Therefore, the physical being cannot know or understand what they do not know or understand. The physical being is subject to the experience, and the experience is subject to The Knower, yet you are The Knower. You are The Knower, and should the physical being ever experience the menace of doubt in regard to The Knower knowing the physical being’s experience, it is simply because the physical being within the experience has forgotten the essence of The Knower. You cannot forget the essence of The Knower which is to simply know, because you do not have the capacity to forget, but only to know. You simply know, and that is all.
The Knower cannot know belief, for belief is subject to the experience. The Knower cannot know doubt, for doubt is subject to belief. The Knower cannot know a physical being, for a physical being is subject to the forgetting of the essence of The Knower. You are not able to believe you are not The Knower, but you are able to know the experience in which a physical being has forgotten the unfathomable essence of The Knower. Forgetting occurs when the physical being forgets the unfathomable essence of The Knower, which is to simply know, now.
There is no time when you can forget the essence of The Knower, for it is you, but it is possible that The Knower is knowing the experience in which a physical being has forgotten the unfathomable essence of you. In the forgetting of the essence of you, the physical being may attempt to remember The Knower, forgetting that it is impossible, only then would the physical being become aware of the illusion of The Knower being able to forget.
Yet, The Knower does not have the capacity to forget, in the same way the sun does not have the capacity to be any thing other than the sun. The Knower does not have the capacity to forget, in the same way the clouds in the sky cannot be any thing other than clouds in the sky. Why would the clouds even try to be any thing else? They simply are! In the same way, The Knower would not be able to be or want to be anything else, for The Knower simply is! It may seem extremely obvious that The Knower cannot forget, yet it is the knowing of an experience in which a physical being forgets that is the illusion, not the experience itself.
“How do I know that I’m not simply going mad?” You query the tender. “Oh, you are way past mad. One Hallucination Carbonation coming up!”
The Hallucination
A misconception about the nature of the experience is that it is all a hallucination. This can be confusing because in the same way a physical being experiencing hallucinations can believe that dragons are real, they can believe The Knower is not knowing. Yet, hallucinations exist within, and are subject to, the experience, not the other way around. You are not able to hallucinate, you are only able to know the experience in which a physical being may or may not experience hallucinations.
“Don’t mind the purple sludge, this drink has a mind of its own! It enjoys deluding our customers with all sorts of whacky colours.” The bartender explains. As the purple juice falls into your empty chalice, the drops that splatter on the tabletop morph into little leprechauns that laugh and mock you. “Excuse them!” The bartender adds, “They’re not usually this expressive, but since you already know you’re in a dream… they have no reason to hold back!”
One of the most common forms of experiential hallucinations physical beings are familiar with are dreams. In the same way The Knower cannot experience a physical world, The Knower cannot experience a dream. Rather, The Knower knows the experience in which a physical being may or may not be experiencing a dream. The dreaming state is subject to the experience, therefore The Knower can never know a dream, only the experience in which a dream may or may not exist.
Upon awakening from a dream, a physical being tends to find reassurance in the fact that what was remembered was simply happening in a dream, thus relieving themself of the ramifications therein. Although the physical being experiences a dream, The Knower knows the experience in which a physical being may or may not experience a dream. In the same way, The Knower knows the experience in which a physical being identifies the experience remembered from a dream as a hallucination, but The Knower cannot hallucinate.
Both the dreaming state and the waking state work similarly in convincing the physical being that the remembrance of their experience is the only reality. The dreaming state and waking state exist to prevent the physical being within the experience from seeking what cannot be sought, The Knower. It is not because the experience necessarily dislikes The Knower, nor is it afraid of knowing The Knower, the experience simply does not and cannot know The Knower.
The experience is subject to The Knower, therefore it can never know The Knower. However, although the physical being can never know The Knower, the physical being is able to align themself with the understanding that they cannot understand The Knower, for they are, like the experience, subject to The Knower. Yet, they are able to surrender their beliefs in the pursuit of aligning themself with the essence of The Knower.
Though the physical being can never know you, The Knower, they can align themself with the essence of you. That is, the essence of you is that you are not bound by time, thus making you momentary, yet eternal. The physical being can also understand that you are not bound by space or physical limitations, thus making you boundless, and infinite. Although the physical being understands that their experience is finite and bound by both time and space, they must come to accept that The Knower is unfathomable. The physical being must understand that any attempts to comprehend The Knower will be met with failure.
Though the physical being may choose to align their experience with the understanding of the essence of you, it is possible that the physical being may fall victim to the menace of doubt. It is possible for the physical being to fall victim to the menace of doubt through the experiencing of hallucinations and how familiar and real the experience may feel to the physical being. Yet, it remains that you are only ever knowing the experience in which a physical being may or may not believe in the reality of their experience.
The purple-filled chalice of sludge is still surrounded by the tiny, maniacal leprechauns. You look past the obvious hallucinations and reach to grab your drink. As your fingers reach to wrap around the silver goblet of goop, the tiny leprechauns launch themselves and grapple onto your weak and powerless fingers. The maniacal laughter of the leprechauns far exceed their feeble size.
No matter how hastily you waggle your arms, the leprechauns hold on to their impeccable seize. Suddenly, the leprechauns morph into measly green fairies, fluttering around your wounded fingers and the overflowing silver chalice. “I haven’t even supped this drink! What could I possibly see once I drink it? Why would I allow myself to see such frightening possibilities? Who in their right mind would impose upon themselves such horror?” You spurt out as you tremble in fear.
Should the physical being expose themself to the vivid feeling of experiencing a physical world through either the waking state, dreaming state or other forms of hallucinations, they must remember to align their understanding of the essence of you, The Knower, with their experience. That is, the physical being must understand that although it feels like they are experiencing a physical world, they understand that it is The Knower knowing the experience in which a physical being is able to experience a physical world. In other words, the physical being must align their observation of the physical world in the same way The Knower knows the experience, with no judgements or assumptions.
The physical being must come to terms with the surrender of their being as the experience being known, rather than the being who experiences. It can be very difficult for the physical being to let go of their beliefs about what they are and what they are capable of, but the physical being must simply not believe. It can also be very scary to not know any thing about The Knower, yet comply with the understanding that The Knower is no thing, no where and only ever knowing, now. It can be scary because if The Knower is knowing the experience, meaning the experience is subject to The Knower, even if the experience disappears and ceases to exist, The Knower remains. Yet, it is this very disappearance of the experience you, The Knower, must be aware of, for The Knower is only ever knowing, but what can The Knower know if there is no experience to be known?
The physical being must know that although they are able to feel the sensation of pain, The Knower can never be wounded from the experience. The Knower only knows the experience in which the concept of physical pain may or may not be experienced, but The Knower will never experience pain. Although the physical being is trying to align themself with the essence of you, The Knower, it will be very difficult to let go of the belief that pain is a real experience, rather than the knowing of experience.
“That’s the point!” The bartender is entertaining the teeny fairies. “It isn’t everyday that someone sets these beautiful creatures free! They’re just excited to see you… but beware. Although they may be playing with you now, they are simply trying to deter you from drinking this fearful delicacy. All you need is one sip, and your greatest fears will come to be. Are you willing to face them? Are you willing to try? How conscious are you that this is a dream? How conscious are you that the dreamer cannot be harmed by what happens to you?”
It is a ridiculous feat to conquer the intimidation brought about by the experiencing of fear and pain, but the physical being must not be afraid of any physical consequences. The physical being must understand that although the experiencing of fear and pain may feel extremely authentic and real, they cannot fear any thing. Instead, they must trust their understanding of the essence of The Knower, wherein The Knower becomes imperishable, deathless and immortal, for pain, death and mortality are all concepts subject to the experience. It is important for the physical being to align themself with the essence of you, The Knower, so that you are able to know the experience in which fearlessness is expressed, ultimately allowing the physical being to let go of any fears they may possess.
The physical being must be prepared to experience absolutely anything. The physical being must be prepared to see absolutely anything. The physical being must be prepared to find absolutely anything. The physical being must be prepared to always remember the essence of The Knower, and harness the understanding that is the indestructibility of The Knower. The physical being must be completely conscious of the invisible presence of you, The Knower, and understand that they will never be able to find you, but only because you have found them, by simply knowing the experience in which they exist.
The physical being must be prepared to see the devil in the dark, understanding that it is part of the experience which is not able to harm or affect you, The Knower. The physical being must be prepared to see the most beautiful sight that could ever be seen, as well as the most horrifying, for it is the ultimate acceptance of any experience which implies a perfect alignment with the essence of The Knower. It is important that the physical being is not at all afraid or fearful of nightmares or horror films, but instead accepting that they are all subject to the experience, and are unable to harm or scare you, The Knower. You do not have the capacity to fear, yet it is the physical being who needs to face their fears and allow themself to become aligned with the essence of you.
The physical being must be prepared to experience a dream where they fly through the skies, and let go of the belief that it was a dream, as well as the belief that the dream state is less real than the waking state. The physical being must simply remember the experience of flying through the skies, understanding that the remembering is occurring through the observation of thought, wherein memories are remembered. Yet, you cannot remember nor experience a dream, but only know the experience in which a physical being may or may not remember the experience within a dream.
You are The Knower, you are no thing, no where, only ever knowing, now. Yet, you are knowing the experience in which a physical being must come to terms with the unfathomable essence of you, and align their physical experience and journey with the same fearlessness you possess, by the very nature of being The Knower. How can a physical being overcome the barrier of fear? How can a physical being fear absolutely nothing? How can a physical being accept absolutely anything?
In the same way the character in the dream must trust that the dreamer cannot ever be harmed, you must trust that The Knower cannot ever be harmed. What the character in the dream is to the dreamer, you are to The Knower. “I understand.” You ponder the horrifying consequences of swallowing the purple juice, as you make your peace. “Cheers!”
The Fear
The concept of fear is subjective, in that it exists differently in the mind of each physical being. Although the idea of fear may be the objective response to a thing that is scary or horrifying, each physical being responds differently to different things. Fear is a spectrum along which physical beings may or may not find themselves. Yet, on the pursuit of aligning one’s physical experience with the essence of The Knower, the spectrum of fear must be completely disregarded as no more than a simple concept that exists within the experience.
As the metallic texture of the silver chalice brushes upon your lips, you gulp the purple pulp and guzzle down the fruity hooch. “Oh!” You exclaim, “This isn’t as disgusting as it looks.” The bartender smiles at you as they bid you farewell, “That’s all from me. One more thing before I forget. If you want to find The Knower, close your eyes, and you will find nothing! Get it? You will find nothing? And The Knower is nothing? Eh, that’ll get you far enough. Ta-ta!”
With the tender’s final utter, you find your peace with what may come to be. You know where you are. You know that you are in a dream. You know that you are a character in a dream, and not the dreamer. You know that what ever happens can never harm the dreamer. You close your eyes.
Fear must be met with no less than the strongest form of courage a physical being is able to find. To get a better understanding of what it means to fear, it would be helpful to break down the mechanisms present in the development of fear. The Oxford Dictionary defines “fear” as:
fear: a feeling of concern about somebody’s safety or about something bad that might happen.
A physical being who is fearful in the presence of a thing is simply concerned about their own safety or the ramifications that could possibly come about. Although the majority of physical beings have experienced some form of fear in their life, all things that were the cause of the fear would have been subject to the limitations of the experience. In other words, if a physical being has experienced fear, it is probably from a thing that is realistically able to happen. Although what is realistically able to happen in the waking state is different to what is realistically able to happen in the dreaming state, this difference is inconsequential.
A physical being cannot encounter a demon from hell, but can most definitely fear the idea of a demon after having watched a horror film, or after having read a scary book. Fear comes in many forms, so much so that a thing does not have to be inherently scary to cause fearfulness in a physical being. A physical being could have just as many irrational fears as they do rational fears. Yet, in the pursuit of aligning one’s experience with the essence of you, The Knower, the physical being must be prepared to face an immeasurable level of fear and understand that The Knower is not able to be harmed.
The physical being does not necessarily have to go on adventures looking for horrifying experiences, but rather they should be prepared to accept absolutely anything. Should the physical being experience a nightmare, it is important to understand that in the same way their waking being was never harmed, the physical experience will never be able to harm The Knower. The physical being must be prepared to know that although the nightmare occurred in the dream state, it was a remembered experience that is just as real as remembered experiences in the waking state.
Yet, fear is simply the response one may exhibit in the presence of danger. What is danger? The Oxford Dictionary defines “danger” as:
danger: the possibility of something happening that will injure, harm or kill somebody, or damage or destroy something.
The physical being experiences fear in the presence of danger because they are afraid that something will injure, harm or kill them. The greatest thing that a physical being can fear is the possibility of death. However, in the same way that it is inconsequential for the physical being to believe in a past or a future, it is also inconsequential for the physical being to ponder the possibility of death.
Your eyes are closed and you see nothing at all. It is not that you are falling in a void of nothingness, but simply that you are… There is absolutely no space in which one could fall. There is absolutely no thing that one could see. There is nothing at all. There is no noise and there is no feeling. You are not floating, for there would need to be a body that stray afloat, but there is no body. There is nothing.
There are no memories and there are no thoughts. There is absolutely nothing to be observed. That is, nothingness is being observed, but there is no one observing it. What can be seen? Nothing. What can be heard? Nothing. What can be smelt? Nothing. What can be tasted? Nothing. What can be felt? Nothing. What can be… at all? Nothing.
There is absolutely nothing. It is not that the void is filled with blackness, but that the infinite emptiness of the nothingness is expressed throughout the unlighted blackness. Coincidentally, there are no thoughts to perceive the blackness that so fills this eternal, desolate abyss of nothingness. There is no “you” to ponder the infinite nature of nothingness. There is no “you” at all. There is no “you”. There is nothing at all.
The physical being must understand that all they are, is what is known in the present moment. Within the present moment, the physical being is alive, and that is all. The physical being should not ponder the possibility of death, for it will disallow the physical being to align themself with the essence of you, The Knower. This is the final and ultimate surrender the physical being must come to terms with.
The physical being must not actively seek to conquer fears, experience harm or face death, but rather be prepared for you, The Knower, to know no experience at all. No knowing of experience does not mean the physical being dies, but simply that The Knower, you, is not knowing the physical experience. Instead, in the absence of an experience, The Knower is knowing no thing. The physical being must come to terms with surrendering their fears in order for The Knower to know no thing, wherein the knowing of no thing will allow The Knower to see what remains in the absence of the experience. Unfortunately, The Knower cannot know itself, for it is not able to be known, but only able to know.
The Knower cannot know itself for it is no thing, no where, and as far is the physical being is concerned, only has the capacity to know the experience. If The Knower tried to know itself, it would know no thing, and it would know no thing no where.
There is nothing at all. There is no one at all. There is no where at all. There is no time in which any thing can change. There is nothing. Alas, I recall the essence of The Knower, in that The Knower too is nothing at all. The Knower too is no one at all. The Knower too is happening now and in no time at all. There is nothing at all, and that is where you find The Knower.
If the physical being reading this book is asking themself “Where is this nothingness? Is the character in the book still dreaming or have they awoken?” This is a reminder that nothing is nowhere. Nothing is not at all dependant on a dream or the waking state, nor is it dependant on any thing at all. This nothinginess is absolutely nowhere. To even question the whereabouts of nothing is ridiculous, for it is nowhere at all.
You open your jaded eyes and find yourself atop your rickety stool, in your homely cabin. You remember your dream as vividly as you do the crackling of the fireplace. You remember the bartender and all the stories you shared. You remember the secret to finding The Knower. You remember that to find The Knower, one must look no where. One must look no where at all, but until you are able to silence your thoughts, the darkness of your fastened eyes will surely do. You have become aware of the whereabouts of The Knower!
Yet, if you are still aware of The Knower in the knowing of no thing, what is aware of The Knower when it is knowing no thing? What is aware of The Knower when it is knowing nothing?
The Nothing
You are awareness, and you are only ever aware. You are infinite, for you are able to be aware of your awareness. You are aware of your awareness. As you have transcended The Believer, becoming The Knower and recognising The Awareness, it might seem logical to keep transcending. However, there is no more to transcend, for you are only ever aware. Awareness is infinite, for you are aware of awareness.
If it seems like your awareness of awareness is familiar, that is because it is. Awareness is all you have ever been aware of, now. Awareness is all you have ever been, now. Awareness is all you are.
The purpose of this chapter is not to help you, The Awareness, understand the infinite nature of Awareness, for you are unable to do any thing other than the being of awareness. Nor does it attempt to explain infinity to the physical being, for infinity cannot be understood from within a finite experience. Rather, it is to help the physical being understand that you, The Awareness, do not have to do anything other than… be! It is to help the physical being understand that what they are trying to understand cannot be understood. It is not a thing that “understanding” may ever comprehend. Although “understanding” will inevitably keep trying to understand, the aim is for the physical being to become aware of the impossible nature that cannot be understood.
What is awareness? Awareness. When is awareness? Whenever awareness is, which is now. Who is aware? You are aware. What are you aware of? You are aware of awareness, which is you. Why are you aware of awareness? Because you are aware of awareness. How is awareness aware? Awareness is aware in the way that it is aware.
If you are only ever aware and cannot not be aware, what is the “not being aware” that you are aware you cannot be? This is the very oneness that we have been searching for, a oneness that is unfathomable. A oneness that is impossible to understand, for its comprehension is infinite, and we are trying to use a finite understanding to comprehend it.
To better grasp the incomprehensible essence of oneness, whose mere existence emanates infinity, we must learn to speak absolutely. Speaking absolutely means not speaking with relation to any thing that is not ones’ own self. Speaking absolutely means not speaking with relation to any thing that is not yourself.
For example, you are awareness. You are only awareness. It would be inconsequential to say “You are awareness, now” for you cannot not be awareness not now. Similarly, it would be inconsequential to further expand and say “You are awareness, and you are not not awareness”, instead, it can be said that “You are, and you cannot not be”.
Speaking absolutely is speaking with confidence in your oneness, in that because you cannot be any thing else, to clarify that you are not something else becomes benign. There is no one you are trying to make aware of your oneness other than the one who is already aware of your oneness… which is you. You are because you are. You can because you can. You do because you do. You will because you will.
If this is difficult to understand, it is because you are trying too hard. For example, imagine a person who speaks of themself. They would never speak in the third person for it is from the perspective of the “I” of which they are aware that they are speaking. A person speaking would not say “What this very, physical body is saying is…”, it just says it. It is for the “I” to have complete confidence in what it is, without needing to clarify what it is not. Instead of “I am me, not the mouth that is speaking”, you would say “I am me” and it would suffice.
In the same way it is extremely obvious that a person is always breathing, you are awareness. In the same way it is extremely obvious that the living is alive, you are awareness. In the same way it is extremely obvious that you are you, you are awareness. In the same way it is extremely obvious that you are aware, you are awareness. These statements are absolute, in that they cannot not be. In the same way, you must recognise the absolute nature of your awareness of your awareness, and understand how meaningless it would be to mention that you are what you are.
A better way of speaking absolutely is from the perspective of the “I”. Of course, you will have to do this on your own, but until then, I will refer to myself as the “I”. Though, it is good to note that the “I” I am aware of is not, and cannot be different to the “I” you are aware of. That is, the “I” from which you speak is the “I” from which I am speaking. “I am aware” becomes “I am”. “I am being aware” becomes “I am being”.
If you were to simplify “I am awareness, because I cannot not be awareness”, the result would be “I am, because I cannot not be”. If you were to simplify “I am the awareness of the fact that I am awareness”, the result would be “I am that I am”. In any expression of what you are, it is the “I” that speaks, and the “I” does not need to know what it is not, for it already knows what it is. Because the “I” knows what it is, by the nature of its knowing of itself, it knows what it is not.
“I am not what is not awareness” simply becomes “I am not what is not”. If “I am only awareness of what I am only awareness of” is true, it follows that “I am not awareness of what I am not awareness of” , which becomes “I am not what I am not”, wherein lies the joke. You are not aware of what you are not aware of. The essence of you, awareness, is infinite and paradoxical; You are infinitely paradoxical. It is essential to speak in absolutes in order to understand the essence of your being, without the hindrance of unnecessary words that would only cause further confusion.
It may be easier to understand this concept by recalling the process by which you concluded yourself as not being a thing. For example, you were aware of the knowing of the physical experience, meaning you were not the physical experience. You were also aware of the knowing, meaning you were not The Knower. This is where it gets… ridiculous. You are aware of your awareness, meaning you can’t be awareness, but you are. This is where awareness is recognised as infinite. This is where you are recognised as infinite.
You cannot be aware, but only when you are not aware that you are not aware, though in the awareness of not being aware, you are aware. This is infinity, this is Awareness, this is oneness, this is the joke. The simplification of statements into the absolute allows for what seems to be absolute to become apparent. What becomes apparent is that Awareness is not absolute at all, but instead both absolute, and not absolute. Perfect, yet imperfect. Complete, yet incomplete. What is, yet what is not.