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Joan Tollifson's avatar

Hello dear Robert,

I resonate whole-heartedly with almost all of this. I did question the paragraph about Alzheimer’s and Ronald Regan's inability to recognize a model of the White House in his aquarium. It seems to me that he was still aware of the model and the aquarium, meaning that he was still perceiving them as shapes and colors, but he was simply no longer able to correctly remember and identify what the model represented. In other words, his memory was damaged, and his ability to put things into the conceptual categories that thought creates, but not his basic awareness. No?

I think the word awareness gets used in several different ways. Sometimes it is simply a synonym for consciousness (whatever that is). In that sense, it is the common factor in every different experience, like the screen that is present in every scene of the movie. Some traditions elevate that to a kind of primordial unchanging ever-present ground of being , as in Awareness with a capitol 'A', and then assume it was here before the material universe and the brain. I think this is the version to which you are objecting, yes? And I agree. While it's true that no brain ever appears outside of consciousness (or awareness, or experience), as far as I can see, that doesn't prove that the brain is not somehow generating consciousness and awareness.

Sometimes awareness is also used to mean the capacity that allows us to SEE thoughts AS thoughts, to "be aware" of when we are being triggered, or what we are feeling, to self-reflect in the best sense. In this sense, it can be cultivated and expanded, as you describe happening visually through photography, or as can happen through somatic work such as Feldenkrais, or through meditation or psychotherapy, etc. I don't know if awareness itself is expanding, but certainly more and more subtleties are being noticed in each of these examples that were not noticed before.

Sometimes I feel awareness is confused with attention, which in my lexicon refers to the FOCUS of awareness, as in paying attention to my left foot--like the lens of a camera or the beam of a flashlight.

Zen teacher (and psychoanalyst) Barry Magid, whom I know you like, gave a talk recently on the Heart Sutra and the meaning of the word emptiness in Buddhism. In Barry's view, Buddhism sees emptiness as non-essentialism, impermanence, and interconnectedness--not as some Empty Aware Ground that contains everything. I think this talk is right up your alley. It's about 30 min long. You can hear it here if you're interested:

https://ordinarymind.s3.amazonaws.com/public/file_assets/463/Barry_Magid_-_Dharma_Talk_-_2024-09-14.m4a?1726608077.

Much Love,

joan

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Stephen's avatar

I always enjoyed the image of the boat and rowing away from the concept of an ego left holding on to a decrepit shell of existence.

Recently my views on non-duality and spirituality have shifted. I see in myself and others that these concepts and beliefs are landing points that humans want to subscribe to and feel a sense of certainty. It seems to be a natural part of human existence to be curious and seek out existential and spiritual avenues.

However, without words and concepts life continues on. It is palpable through the aliveness we experience moment-to-moment. It does not need to be defined, explained, or justified. It simply is as it is. Spirituality, beliefs, and concepts can become an addiction which contributes to a sense of seeking and longing that results in unnecessary suffering and neuroticism. Claiming certainty to a thought or belief system is to fall into the trap of thoughts. Stating there is a self or no-self is a subscription to just another belief system.

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