Beginner Mind

A Simple Way of 'Being Aware of Being Aware'

8 posts in this topic

If you're reading this right now, chances are you're familiar with this teaching from Rupert Spira, the teaching of "Being Aware of Being Aware".  If you're anything like me, you've found this instruction confusing, difficult to put into practice.  I've spoken in the past about ways to do this successfully, but here I'd like to share what I've found to be the simplest way of 'being aware of being aware'.

Are you ready for it?  Here it is: Just be, knowingly.  That is, just be, and be aware of the fact that you are just being.

That's it.  It's that simple.  How does this work?  Well, basically, your Beingness is aware, awareness itself (your true nature).  So to place your attention on just Being is to place your attention on Awareness.  To just be, knowingly, is to be aware of being aware.

I hope this clears up some confusion for some of you who have struggled with this practice.  I should also mention: patience is required for this practice.  Don't expect the experience of peace to happen instantly.  It usually takes time for the peace to emerge.

Good luck!

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Will apply it to my evening meditation today:)

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Thanks for sharing.  Could you elaborate on what sort of effects you've noticed from this?  Was there a clear "aha" moment when you finally felt it?

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6 hours ago, Real Eyes said:

Thanks for sharing.  Could you elaborate on what sort of effects you've noticed from this?  Was there a clear "aha" moment when you finally felt it?

There are no "fireworks" when you become aware of being aware.  It's extremely ordinary.  The only thing that stands out about it is the peace you feel.  And as I said in my initial post, this peace can take some time to emerge.  So meditators may think, "Where is the peace?  I must be doing this wrong."  I believe that many people actually do "being aware of being aware" correctly, but because they don't experience instant peace, they give up.

If the pointer "Just be, knowingly" doesn't work for you, I also recommend this pointer: Notice the fact that you are experiencing anything at all.  Both of these pointers have worked well for me in the past.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

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I'd like to add that one should also try to be aware of everything possible in their experience, even thoughts, imaginations, memories, the 5 senses, breath, that itch in your ass, etc. Everything at once. I find that to be the same thing as being aware of being aware as it slowly brings you back into being, and then later being merges with everything,

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@Swarnim Someone wiser than myself described their process very similarly to yours.  It's not my approach but I'm sure it's worthwhile.

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