Rig Veda 10:129

Whence creation has arisen

perhaps forming itself

or perhaps it didn’t.

The one who looks down

from the highest heaven knows

or perhaps doesn’t.

~Rig Veda 10:129 (transcreating Doniger)

Song of Satcitananda

1. To thee I sing

I am is the expression of the principle of existence. To thee I sing.

I know is the outgrowth of the ground of consciousness. To that I listen.

I love is radiating from holistic bliss infinity. To self-awareness.

2. In God, I love

In primordial Maya, I am. In samsara, I’m not even that.

In samsara, I know I am during a profound revelation or two. Otherwise, sometimes I think I am and sometimes I think I’m not.

In God, I love. In samsara, I love some things. In reality, I am holistic bliss infinity.

3. no words

There are no words to describe Parabrahman.

Words can only point to the pointless.

That gap is called Zeno's paradox.

4. For Zeno

There are no words to describe Parabrahman. Words can only point to the pointless. That gap is called Zeno's paradox.

The world is made of memories but I am that before the mind records it.

Personal deconstruction hurts. The personal kills.

5. this Big Bang

I am, I know, I love. Such is the power of three.

Existence, consciousness, bliss, are the names of Maya.

Between absolute awareness and self-awareness appears this Big Bang.

Not this. That.

It’s not about the quality of this.
Not this, not this.
That.

This is an appearance in that.
This isn’t really this.
This is always that.

This is like a dream.
God is like a dreamer
waving its wonder of maya.

God minus maya is that.
I minus this am that.
That is that.

2. that, oh my

Discernment, dispassion, and an earnestness for that, oh my.

Mind-training isn’t rocket science. It’s like learning how to use a hammer.

You can bang your thumb forever or hit the nail on the head.

3. Basho is big

Basho is big in Japan. There are statues of him along the narrow road to the deep north. I have seen the ones at Hiraizumi and Yamadera. His greatest haiku was the one he never wrote. Ya Matsushima.

Fleas, lice,
The horse pissing
Near my pillow
~Basho wrote this one. This is Blyth's translation.

4. to the light

Between DNA and psychological conditioning, I am.

Firewood appears to be on fire. Light is appearing as wood.

Fire is wood returning to the light.

5. beyond bee

Beyond bee and beekeeper is being.

Self-awareness is appearing in awareness.

Satcitananda is beyond words.

On the Ground of Awareness

Senses see the world, mind sees the senses, and awareness witnesses everything.

Awareness is not attention. Attention is mind superimposed on awareness. Awareness is the ground.

I think I am the mind but in reality I’m that awareness. But this is easier said than done.

This is not about belief, the mind’s religion. This is simple self-awareness. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

2. the light of awareness

Awareness is not only the ground of the self, awareness is the ground of the universe. Thus, I minus Avidya equals That minus Maya.

That awareness is like a screen and this universe is like a movie which that screen also illumines. Like television.

Thus the light of awareness is the ground, the omnipresence of existence is the principle, and holistic infinity of bliss is the essence.

3. when

When the mind is turned off, it's called deep sleep. When the mind is turned on, it's called the dream state.

When beginningless ignorance is turned on, it's dreaming or deep sleep. When avidya is turned off, it's samadhi.

Avidya off with mind on is savikalpa, jivanmukti. And with mind off is nirvikalpa samadhi.

4. god

Everyone has a god. Even no god is a god.

Not knowing your god is not knowing yourself

Beyond god is atman and atman is brahman.

5. sitting

Sitting in a sequoia tree singing out raw poetry.

I was a labyrinth in Santa Fe. I was the loneliest road in America.

By the time I got to Woodstock, there's a forest for the trees.

Self-awareness is the big bang. Self-awareness is what's happening. 

Pure consciousness is the movie screen. Reflected consciousness is the movie.

a. greatest hits 241207

This is not about belief, the mind’s religion. This is simple self-awareness. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

Awareness is not only the ground of the self, awareness is the ground of the universe. Thus, I minus Avidya equals That minus Maya.

When the mind is turned off, it’s called deep sleep. When the mind is turned on, it’s called the dream state.

Everyone has a god. Even no god is a god. Not knowing your god is not knowing your self.

Self-awareness is the big bang. Self-awareness is what’s happening.

That Reveals Speech & Not Vice Versa

Whether metaphorical or scientific, no language can describe the absolute nondual Brahman. Language can only point. 

Right brain people prefer the metaphorical and left brainers like the scientific.

Be it slings & arrows of snakes & ropes or powerful equations of satcitananda is not the point.

Pointing out the pointless is.

2. appearances in the principle

Life and death are dreamlike appearances in the principle of existence.

Like waking up and instantly knowing a dream was just a dream.

You’re not the car. You’re the driver witnessing the road.

3. ananda

In the name of the effortless nondoing of existence, the intuitive nonknowing of awareness, and the affectionate nonloving of ananda.

I pledge myself to the principle of existence. Standing on the ground of awareness. Breathing in the essence of ananda.

Cause and effect is appearing in existence. Knowledge and ignorance is appearing in awareness. Love and death is appearing in ananda.

4. festival

Moonlight is the reflection of ananda.

Winter solstice is a festival of existence.

The big bang is awareness of awareness.

The Principle of Satcitananda

Existence is beyond divine. It’s a principle.

The body and the mind and all its thoughts are insentient. It’s the principle of existence which gives them the appearance of something living.

Thus they say you are the principle of existence. For the real you is Brahman.

2. Fireplace

In any working fireplace there’s firewood and woodfire.

Wood is born and cut down. Fire is an eternal principle.

Firewood is to dreaming as woodfire is to reflecting as fire is the subject.

3. Thus Maya

The logic of nonduality requires the paradox of Maya. Otherwise Brahman cannot be Brahman.

For Brahman to be Brahman, Brahman must be beyond all definitions of spacetime.

Whatever appears to be changeable or limited is not Brahman. And Brahman is all there is. Thus Maya.

4. Moonlight

Between ego (I'm somebody) and the principle of existence (I) is reflected existence (I am).

Between the earth and the sun is the moon. Coyotes howl. We sunbathe in its moonlight.

Deconstruct yourself like digging out a loved one following a catastrophic earthquake.

5. Awareness aware of awareness

Awareness aware of awareness appears like a self-reflexive universe.

Are we are on some karmic timeline in that self-reflexive universe?

Self-realization is spontaneous. It only appears to take 13 billion years.

0. My self-reflexive universe

Existence is beyond divine. It’s a principle.

Wood is born and cut down. Fire is an eternal principle.

The logic of nonduality requires the paradox of Maya. Otherwise Brahman cannot be Brahman.

Between the earth and the sun is the moon. Coyotes howl. We sunbathe in its moonlight.

Awareness aware of awareness appears like a self-reflexive universe.

A Paradox Called Maya

The universe is this holographic dream of Brahman.

Not only is this dream appearing in Brahman, it’s nothing but Brahman.

Brahman does not create this dream. It’s a paradox called Maya.

2. three Gods with one Maya

From the point of view of the first two powers of Maya, God is Saguna Brahman.

From the point of view of a third power of Maya, the principle of existence is Nirguna Brahman.

Nirguna Brahman witnesses the universe. Saguna Brahman plays three Gods with one Maya.

3. waiting for its next move

They say nondoing is hard to do.

They say nondoing isn’t something to be done.

They say nondoing is following your heart and waiting for its next move.

4. enough said

Not only does no one get out of here alive, no one gets here born.

In duality, one is the body or the mind after all. 

In nonduality, enough said.

5. No one gets here born octet

Not only does no one get out of here alive.

No one gets here born.

In duality, one is the body or the mind.

In nonduality, enough said.

I am not an object to be illumined by a mind. I am self-luminous.

Only awareness is aware of awareness.

They say with discernment comes dispassion and with dispassion is self-realization. 

Viveka! Viveka! Viveka!

I Am Pure Consciousness

Consciousness is not what you think it is. The mind reflects pure consciousness. (Some call this reflection, consciousness, and pure consciousness, awareness.) Reflected consciousness is what you think consciousness is, but pure consciousness is not this consciousness. 

One can lose this kind of consciousness but awareness can't be lost. Awareness is not a thing in space-time. In fact, space-time appears in awareness. Not only does awareness witness both dream states of the mind (sleeping and waking) but deep sleep (mind off) too.

Consciousness appears in awareness as I Am appears in That. Ignorance of this fact is what makes one human. Dispelling this ignorance is like losing the human form. I am not reflected consciousness. Reflections are the stuff of dreams. I am pure consciousness. Real, not opinion.

2. fearlessence

They say Maya has three powers.

First, it veils; this is called ignorance.

Second, it projects; this is called the dream state.

Third, it reveals; this is called nondual wisdom. 

I pledge my being to that principle of existence. 

I take my stand on that ground of consciousness.

I breathe that fearlessence of holistic bliss infinity.

3. waiting for ananda

driving like star wars in this redwood forest of california where the elk and the ewok play

i am high upon a big sur starry bench with thomas merton and an infinite pacific beneath our wings

standing on the corner of existence street and consciousness waiting for ananda.

4. key

it looks like saguna but it's really nirguna.

superimposition is the key.

you are not a snake.

5.

i remember surprise

i love the unmemorable

snow in san alsemo

6.

Saguna Yoga

Believing people don’t exist is easy thinking.

Knowing you don’t takes the grace of God.

In the world, I am something else. In the grace of God, I am.

From samsara, the way to Nirguna Brahman is through Saguna Brahman.

2. existence

The principle of existence is the silent eye.

The voice of existence says I am.

Samsara hears many things but only loves some of them.

3. that I Am

God is the one manifestation of nonduality.

Consciousness reflecting in the mind makes up many worlds.

Between the principle of existence and this variety of worlds is that I Am.

4. 

The dark side of the moon is who you think you are.

Sometimes I go howling at that full reflection in the sky.

I am sings Werewolves of London from New York to Old Bombay.

0. saguna yoga sutra

In the world, I am something else. In the grace of God, I am. From samsara, the way to Nirguna Brahman is through Saguna Brahman.

The principle of existence is the silent eye. The voice of existence says I am. Samsara hears many things but only loves some of them.

God is the one manifestation of nonduality. Consciousness reflecting in the mind makes up many worlds. Between the principle of existence and this variety of worlds is that I Am.

The dark side of the moon is who you think you are. Sometimes I go howling at that full reflection in the sky. I Am sings Werewolves of London from New York to Old Bombay.

a. Satcitananda is Brahman

There is a time to appear on mountains and a time for mountains to appear in you.

This is the time for mountains to appear in you. Check now if you’re in the right room.

You are not material. The stuff of dreams is conceptual.

The principle of existence is nonconceptual.

Tattvamasi Story

It’s not in God we trust but in God I am. 

For Maya is the power and the glory of Nirguna Brahman.

And God is wielding that Maya conjuring this dream world.

I am, I know, I love. Yes, Parabrahman is Satcitananda.

2.

I have been one to say attention equals awareness plus thought. After further review, I am now saying attention equals awareness plus life (prana, I Am) plus thought.

Be it as it may, between Ego and the Principle of Existence is God. In fact, Life is the Voice of God singing of Nirguna Brahman.

God is life. Life sings I Am.

Ego says I am something else.

The land of death drones on.

Listen to those waves.

3.

Consciousness and existence are beyond imagination

like the sea is beyond any of its islands

until you dip your toe into that water.

4.

Belief is this wasteland.

Revelation is that lightning.

Basho is reflecting on thunder.

5.

Lightning is the dark side of the sun.

The will of god equals the wisdom of maya.

I am that in which all this is appearing.

Brahman and Powers of Three

1. The Sea of I Am

In the ordinary world of samsara, there are attributes of ignorance, the gunas of rajas and tamas, busyness and inertia, doing and not doing. These are Maya’s powers of projection and veiling.

In primordial Maya, the quantum power of Isvara God, there is the effortless nondoing and intuitive nonknowing of the sattva guna. Revelation is Maya’s other power.

I am, I know, I love! God, Saguna Brahman, is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. In reality, there is the principle of existence, ground of consciousness, and essence of bliss. Nirguna Brahman.

2. like

The sun is like that self-shining pure consciousness.

The full moon is like a mind of reflected consciousness in love.

This shadowy world is like conditioned consciousness in its war of long division.

3. In Reality Aham Brahmasmi

In the world I am somebody. In universal consciousness I am. 

I am, I know, I love that harmonious expression of Satcitananda.

The Sea of I Am is holding me afloat until I take you in.

4. God Itself

November in Bar Harbor and the wind begins to blow.

Like March in Grand Canyon when the sun begins to rise.

Spacetime is God Itself appearing in Absolute Reality.

5. Dreams do not know reality

Define your words. Don’t let your words define you.

One does not sense existence. Existence senses you. This is called intuition.

Reality expresses itself in dreams. Dreams do not know reality.

Dreams deconstruct themselves until reality takes them in.

a. an overture until reality takes them in

I am, I know, I love! God, Saguna Brahman, is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.

This shadowy world is like conditioned consciousness in its war of long division.

The Sea of I Am is holding me afloat until I take you in.

Spacetime is God Itself appearing in Absolute Reality.

Dreams are deconstructing themselves until reality takes them in.

Brahman is not Maya

The waves are water and water is the sea. But the sea is not the waves. Brahman is not Maya.

Like I am not these brain waves. I am that consciousness in which brain waves are appearing.

In Brahman and of Brahman but they’re not the nondual Brahman. Atman is.

2. garbage in and garbage out is appearing

Although the body-mind appears in consciousness (despite government-funded efforts of big materialism to prove otherwise), we identify with the body-mind. It’s crazy like the sea identifying with a desert island.

Pay attention. Attention equals awareness plus thought. In egoic consciousness, thought is primary. In awakening consciousness, awareness is primary.

I am neither the input of the senses nor the output of the mind. I am that pure consciousness in which such garbage in and garbage out is appearing.

3. Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome

When I was young, the great outdoors was this space best lit for my mind.

I'm younger than that now. I know the great outdoors appears within my light.

Maya appears in myself. Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome. I am Brahman. 

4. Mahavakya

Perambulating the southern dunes of Plum Island which are strictly off limits to my kind but November makes me do it.

On the highest dunes of Agawam, I see a Snowy Owl just like a Cheshire Cat with eyes that go forever.

Voila!

Talking Tattvamasi

1. Brahman seen through the fog of Maya

Like the universe of space-time, God appears in Brahman.

God is Saguna Brahman, Brahman seen through the fog of Maya.

Thus that great equation: I minus Ignorance equals God minus Maya.

2. Neither winds nor waves are moving

Brahman appears to move like a God when seen in Maya.

It’s like the sea seems to be all waves as seen from its surface.

Neither winds nor waves are moving. It’s Maya. There’s no serpent in the sea.

3. Faith

Faith in reality precedes realization.

Listen to the great revelation.

Confirm if it checks out.

4. Listen

Get out of your mind!

Listen to the ear of the ear.

Figure it out.

5. Another ode to November

November follows the spring, summer, and fall of Leonardo's body.

November precedes Matsuo's shadow being frozen over.

November is number nine turned up to eleven.

In the name of bare woods, November is ground zero.

6. Imagine

Imagine lucid dreaming.

Imagine witnessing deep sleep.

Imagine not imagining.

7. Reality

Reality is not out of this world.

This world appears in reality.

Embodiment is another name for faith.

8. The Expressions

Reflected consciousness is the expression of pure consciousness.

Divine imagination is the expression of reflected consciousness.

Revelation is the expression of divine imagination.

Rope of Awareness. Snake of Attention.

Personally awareness gets lost in attention. 

Attention is thought superimposed on awareness.

Although awareness is that true nature of people

people mistake this attention to be that.

It does no one any good to tell a person that awareness is their true nature

when they’re thinking this attention is that awareness.

This telling needs a good translation.

2. the cit in satcitananda

Attention sees dreams. Awareness sees deep sleep.

Awareness is another name for pure consciousness, the cit in satcitananda.

Satcitananda is the principle of existence, the ground of consciousness, and the essence of bliss. And nondual.

3. Awareness is the movie screen

Attention must be paid. Awareness is always free.

You can’t even give attention to awareness. Awareness is beyond this thought process.

Awareness is the movie screen. The movie is called Maya.

The audience is paying attention to the movie. What's in your wallet?

4. God is giving out road signs

a. I am That

The first time I saw Grand Canyon
I see I am That Pure Consciousness
In which this spacetime is appearing

b. bubbles of awakening

in the boiling of this universe

we are bubbles of awakening

bursting into realization

c. step by step

Belief is hypnotic.

Faith requires confirmation

step by step.

God is giving out road signs.

Not interstates.

Like following cairns carefully

one by one

on a suddenly foggy mountaintop

in downeast Maine.

Of Two Minds in Nonduality

1. three powers of Maya

Some people hold on to nondual truth as if it's a belief rather than a faith to be confirmed. They are like the mind police.

Of course the mind is Maya but as long as this faith has not been truly realized, it’s a most important tool too.

They say there are three powers of Maya. The first two are the powers of veiling and projection—

this is basically the ignorant mind. That third power is revelation. This is the wise mind. Use it wisely.

2. agent of avidya, friend to moksha

Maya gives me the key
to escape from Maya
through its gateless gate

Maya is both prison warden
and great escape artist—
agent of avidya, friend to moksha

Nonduality is not blind faith. 
It’s not walking on water.
That’s a metaphor for realization.

3. Am I Existence

This body was insentient and will be insentient again.

Sentience is that reflection of Consciousness appearing in this insentient body.

Am I Existence giving life to a lifeless body or am I death interrupted by a life?

4. In Revelations

In Genesis, I am someone.

In Revelations, I am.

In Reality, I Am the Principle of Existence

5. I Am the Principle of Existence

Some people hold on to nondual truth as if it’s a belief rather than a faith to be confirmed.

They say there are three powers of Maya. The first two are the powers of veiling and projection. That third power is revelation.

Maya is both prison warden and great escape artist—agent of avidya, friend to moksha.

Am I Existence giving life to a lifeless body or am I death interrupted by a life?

In Revelations, I am. In Reality, I Am the Principle of Existence.

Everything Appears in Brahman

Like reflections in a lake, like dreams in a mind, like movies on a movie screen, everything appears in Brahman.

Such reflections, dreams, and movies are nothing but Maya—like mirages miraculously occurring in the desert air or snakes suddenly superimposed on a strand of rope.

Because the body is reflecting in that Lake of Existence, it seems to exist. Because the mind is flourishing in that Ground of Consciousness, it looks to be conscious. Look closer, there is nothing but Brahman.

2. Brahma Says Brahman

All you need is Brahman. Luckily for you, Brahman is all there is.

Saguna Brahman is for all those people looking for Nirguna Brahman. Love!

God, Brahma, passes on the truth from preceptor to preceptor:

your real self is reality itself. Atman is Brahman.

3. no things

In the dream state, everything is made of mind.

In truth, the mind is made of Maya.

Everything is made of Brahman.

In reality, there are no things.

4. a fifth of november

I love Plum Island in November when forbidden dunes are like the Snowy Owl Mountains and that Big A across the Gulf of Maine is just a kiss of Manitou away.

I love the lavender sunsets of November when leaves have fallen from my picture window revealing a shimmering Venus and her sparkling crescent necklace moon.

And I love that space of pure consciousness in which this dream state is appearing like a grand monadnock through a sacred primeval cathedral of eastern pines.

a. lavender sunsets

Because the body is reflecting in that Lake of Existence, it seems to exist.

Because the mind is flourishing in that Ground of Consciousness, it looks to be conscious.

Look closer, there is nothing but Brahman.

And all you need is Brahman. Luckily for you, Brahman is all there is.

Everything is made of Brahman. In reality, there are no things.

I love the lavender sunsets of November and I love that space of pure consciousness in which this dream state is appearing.

Silently Witnessing Movies

1. like the movie screen

Consciousness is the ground of life. They call Consciousness the mind of the mind.

The mind sees what the eye sees and writes a screenplay. Consciousness is the witness—

not like a moviegoer but like the movie screen, without which there is no movie.

2. like werewolves of London

The body-mind is dead on arrival without unborn consciousness.

The body-mind is reflected consciousness, like the moon, like werewolves of London.

The body-brain complex itself is insentient. Do not identify with death my darlings.

3. like heartbeats in a great silence

I am the light in which the Sun God is appearing.

This Sun God wields the moons of maya and the tides of earth and the rivers of one's lifeblood.

Dreams come and go like heartbeats in a great silence.

4. remember that

The Big Bang is this expression of that Great Silence.

I am not an expression. I am that in which this expression appears.

When the expression gets too loud, remember that.

a. the greatest hits of 241102st

Not like a moviegoer but like the movie screen, without which there is no movie.

The body-brain complex itself is insentient. Do not identify with death my darlings.

I am the light in which the Sun God is appearing.

When the expression gets too loud, remember that.

Carnac Says Brahman

Am I the puppet or the puppeteer, the wet sponge or the water, reflected consciousness or consciousness?

Am I this attention or that awareness? Am I this being or that satcitananda?

One sun is divided by 8 billion people. Two hundred billion trillion stars are appearing in the bliss of holistic infinity. Who am I?

2. the ancient math of meditation

The mind is the light of reflected consciousness. Literally it's the brain on fire.

Attention equals awareness focused by the mind. Attention minus thought equals awareness. This is the ancient math of meditation.

Science calls the nonduality of that holistic infinity a black hole because Brahman can't be measured by the instruments of mind.

3. being real

The real is known to be the real self by being real.

Whether attention equals awareness plus thought or awareness equals attention minus thought, awareness is always X.

Lucid dreaming sees through the dreamer.

4. to tattvamasi

The world of war is an effect of divided consciousness.

Love is consciousness reunited—it feels so good because we understood.

Consciousness is the ground from which the lotus of this universe is flowering in tattvamasi.

5. lotus of self-awareness

This world of war is the result of divided consciousness.

Love is consciousness reunited—it feels so good because that's understood.

Consciousness is the ground from which that lotus of self-awareness is flowering.

Praise Be

From the point of view of this universe, universal consciousness is the nondual absolute parabrahman

endowed with attributes, named Saguna Brahman, Isvara, God, and Its Sword of Power called Maya.

There’s no universal consciousness either. There’s only pure consciousness upon which The Grand Illusion is appearing.

I am Saturday’s child. I was born in December. Praise be the resurrection of the sun from the black hole of our winter solstice.

God and Its Sword of Power

1. From the point of view of this universe

From the point of view of this universe, universal consciousness is the nondual absolute parabrahman endowed with attributes, named Saguna Brahman, Isvara, God, and Its Sword of Power called Maya.

All people have a God. They’re only sold in sets. There are no atheists in this universe. There are only people in-between Gods.

They say even realized ones aren't exempt to this law. They’re just not people anymore. Their real self is no longer a personal one. Atman is Brahman.

2. The Grand Illusion

Of course there’s no individual consciousness. There’s only universal consciousness steeped in ignorance.

There's no universal consciousness either. There’s only pure consciousness upon which The Grand Illusion is appearing.

Your self minus ignorance equals Brahman minus Maya. In samsara, I am somebody. In God, I am. In reality, there is the principle of existence.

3. Ode to Autumn Sun

In October photosynthesis fails. In November, daylight savings time ends. December hits rock bottom.

Halloween marks the end of early autumn. November marks the beginning of the end.

I am Saturday’s child. I was born in December. Praise be the resurrection of the sun from the black hole of our winter solstice .