Clarity vs Doubt

[Raz]

An article from a blog, comments included.









On a recent retreat, an important point came up about awakening. But first, a little background.

I’ve written before about the 3 parts of awakening – the actual shift, the experiences that may come with it, and the purification that may also take place. It’s not unusual for there to be a big release with the shift.

To help avoid confusion for the mind, it’s important to understand that the experiences of opening and purification are not it. They are effects and they are experiences. Awakening itself is not an experience. It is a shift in being. It is a change in the experiencer. We’re shifting from being identified with a local me or ego to recognizing ourself as Self, hence Self Realization.

However, for lifetimes we’ve run our life from the mind and emotions. It’s a deeply ingrained habit that can take time to wind down. Thus, soon after the shift the mind comes in and tries to make sense of it.

Because there is no experience to grab hold of and the shift never meets concepts of it, it’s very easy to doubt – even if it’s been flashy. It often won’t make sense to the mind.

It’s the Self beyond the mind that awakens to itself. The mind does not know or experience this. And it can be fearful of loss of control. So the mind may discount and doubt.

Adyashanti talks about a honeymoon after the shift, then a period of unpacking where the mind reasserts. In that case, the mind is now being wound down but it may seem business as it was for a time. Each shift varies though.

It’s very much like certain stages of growing up. We so much want to be older but can also be timid about owning what has matured.

It can be very useful to have the support of a teacher in this period. Otherwise, there is the tendency to fall back into the mind and its old stories, especially if the shift was more delicate. If there has been a deep enough shift, clarity will return but it can take longer and be more difficult if we don’t support it.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting doubt will happen but there is often some value of this. Just keep in mind it’s the me that doubts. It’s the Self that awakens. Self is vastly larger than any mind, even cosmic mind. At some point, the clarity will overshadow the mind completely. Then the mind will return to its proper role as the servant of being.
/Davidya



Rasmus:



i feel an understanding that there are no impressions or memory, only expression diversity, was a vital step for me. There is of course a practical use for the terms, like there is a practical use in calling water ice or steam. Living with impressions and memory as a standpoint makes the ever deepening waters shallow indeed.

Before enlightenment; Chop wood, carry water.
(Time bound personal task; impressions)

After enlightenment; Chop wood, carry water…
(Timeless universal meditation; expressions)





Davidya:





[font=Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]Yes, Rasmus
It makes quite a difference to shift from using past experiences as the foundation for our sense of self to being infinite, eternal existence.

The past falls into a background function so we have words and remember how to drive, but no longer has the binding influence.


[/font]Rasmus:


[font=Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]in other words; there is space and expression, not space, impression and expression. and in essence, there is potential space in all expression and potential expression in all space, in a never ending dance.

the religious assumption of impressions as something fundamental, creates an imaginary middleman, needing constant upkeep, called me and you. This would not be a “problem” if we took it as more of a theatrical play on the surface rather than something to ground our experience of the present moment in.

[/font]Davidya:



Beautifully put.



And yes, the play can be fun and fascinating but seeing it as reality is profoundly limiting and requires so much work!





http://davidya.ca/2017/04/04/clarity-vs-doubt/

[kevn]

Thanks a lot. Needed to read that!

[sjel]

Adyashanti talks about a honeymoon after the shift, then a period of unpacking where the mind reasserts. In that case, the mind is now being wound down but it may seem business as it was for a time. Each shift varies though.

Glad to read this, Bashar also talked about how the universe will often appear to remain the same for a period of time after changing yourself and your mental perception - this is so that one may observe how the new self reacts to the old frustrations, and if there is any resistance to the old frustrations, they stick around a little longer in order to teach you all they have to offer about why you can love them.


edit - i made a track that embodies the period of confused stupor before the simple clarity that arises from it. https://soundcloud.com/sjel-1/seletsky

[Raz]

Rasmus:
Just a little observation realization on the notion that there is doubt within clarity;

is not the seed of doubt what makes free will potentiated and can be appreciated in clarity as such?

Davidya:

Yes, Rasmus
And seeing doubt as it is allows us to notice it but not give it too much weight.

The issue in the article is feeding the doubt which gives the mind strength to overshadow a delicate shift.

A healthy skepticism remains useful for living life.