Always the Observer Never the Observed

Can we state what we are (because surely we must know!) without it being something which is itself observed? Can we define ourselves without observing our definition?

Answers on a postcard please.

Multiplication

We get so absorbed in the adding

That we totally forget what we’re adding to.

Question:

Well, who needs Enlightenment?

Exactly...

.....you tell me..

Missing the Obvious

You think you are looking at words....

You're not...

You're looking at the screen....

The Cats Conversation

It’s a beautiful summer’s day in an English garden. Birds hop in the shining grass, blue-grey pigeons coo in the branches of an apple tree, bees and wasps hum about the flowers and bushes. A man sits on a chair reading his newspaper and enjoying the weather. Just then, a slim black cat slides into the garden and settles down effortlessly in the heat of the sun.

The man stares at the cat, the cat stares back at the man, blinking heavily, the sunlight illuminating its silky hair. After some time the cat follows its curious nature and asks the man in a friendly voice what he is up to.

After an initial shock and hoping that the heat hasn’t got to him, he replies that he is reading.

Cat: Reading? What’s reading?

Man: Well, it’s a human activity. I’m reading words which are basically symbols representing ideas. These words are placed in sentences to communicate thoughts or information.

Cat: Ah, I see. But where did these words come from?

Man: Well, erm… we… I mean… people… made them up. We… invented them….really.

Cat: Invented them!

Man: Yes…. because we’re more intelligent than other animals... (ahem, like cats…)

Cat: So you make up words with meanings and then you spend you time reading these invented words to give you information?

Man: Yes. Our whole education and culture is really based on words…and numbers of course…

Cat: Numbers?

Man: Yes, numbers. 1-10 etc., something cats wouldn’t know anything about.

Cat: And where did numbers come from?

Man: Well, we invented them too! As a mark of our intelligence we’ve invented words and numbers. We can communicate meaning to each other with words and measure things with numbers.

Cat: But you said you invented words and numbers.

Man: Yes, and we’re very glad we did thank you very much. Do cats have a Shakespeare? Have any felines ever been to the Moon? I think not.

Cat: We don’t need to. We’re quite happy sunbathing and chasing bird’s thanks. So, if your whole culture is built upon words and numbers which you say you yourselves have invented…then how do you know they really apply to reality?

Man: Ha! A cat talking to me about reality! We made these words….these numbers….these names and ideas….to understand the world…we need to understand you see! – That’s the whole point!!!

Cat: If you say so. What exactly is there to understand?

Man: Life! You poor little cat-brain! The reason why we’re here! Why we have to die! Why there is suffering! What it all means!

Cat: Ok. And have these words and names given you the answer yet? In the time since you invented them, have you humans come to any solutions?

Man: Well….not a definite solution….Everyone has their own ideas of what the best solution is…wars have been fought and millions murdered over what the right answer should be.

Cat: So the problem hasn’t been solved yet?

Man: Not yet…

Cat: Maybe it won’t ever be. It seems to me that you humans have invented arbitrary symbols which you believe to be absolutely true. You sit there reading scribbles which only apply to you – to humans – because you have invented them for yourselves in order to understand yourselves! You’re all living in a bubble of your own making!

Man: Ah but! -

Cat: But what if all your names and words and numbers don’t really apply to reality? Because as far as I can tell there’s only really this…..right now….it doesn’t need a squiggle a symbol or a number. It doesn’t need to be interpreted. It just is what it is. Simple! Probably too simple for your signs and symbols! This garden doesn’t have a name or number. It doesn’t need to be understood. It’s just here isn’t it? Don’t you see that?

Man: Oh I see alright!!! You would like to us abandon our words, our education our culture our politics, sciences and religions and just lay about in the sun all day like a lazy simple-minded cat!!! That would be the end of civilization as we know it!

Cat: I’m just suggesting seeing things the way they are for a change without adding anything to them. This garden doesn’t need an education or culture or politics, it just is. We cats don’t need anything like that either. I just am. Plain and simple! I’m part of nature – in fact I am nature! Keep your so called civilisation if it means so much to you, but just see what happens if you see things as they are, not as you think they are…

Man: It is what it is! Plain and simple! What utter nonsense!!!

Cat: I think talking to a cat is utter nonsense…

At this the man rustled his paper noisily, huffed angrily and pretended to read. The cat watched a bumble-bee float past, yawned and rested its head in the sun.

Empty Abundance

Nothing is happening.

Being in Love

Bodhidharma sat facing a wall

For seven years –

Ah,

But what a wall….

Empty Dream

The dream is empty

Because

Emptiness is the dream

This is Empty

It’s not that there is a you perceiving these words but rather that perception is perceiving itself. All perception is only ever awareness which is itself empty both in-itself and as apparent forms. Therefore, ultimately, emptiness is perceiving itself.

Only Light

The dream is awake.

Ah!

There is nothing for you to get!

Get it?

Transparent Walls

It's funny,

All of your expectations about 'IT',

Your concepts, ideas and prejudices;

They DON'T EXIST!

And yet they get in the way of 'IT'....

Can you?

Can you simply be in this moment without adding anything to it?

Can you stop and rest in this without labelling and naming it, without thinking about it?

Can you see your obviousness?

Can you?

Nightmare

This dream-world

For which so many kill and are killed,

So thin,

So, so thin...

Impossible

Can you capture space

With a net?

Clothed with Nakedness

Awareness is the material from which each perception is made.

Its creativity allows it to be tailored into any and every experience.

Yet – and here’s the confusing part – this so-called cloth just doesn’t exist...

Proof!

Human BEING

…the clue is in our name…

Simplicity

Meet yourself without names and labels.

Be innocent not clever.

It really is this simple.

Wake up!

You are HERE

To WAKE UP to what

You ARE.

(or aren't)...

Dew

The reflection of the garden

In the morning dew

Is only water,

- And yet! And yet!

(with thanks to Issa)

Perception

It is perception itself which is ‘enlightened’ for without the light of perception there is only darkness, the unknown. I don’t mean a particular perception and I don’t mean my perception; Just naked perception – free and as-is.

There are no gaps in perception. No subject-object, no inside-outside. Take a look: there is just the perceiving, the seeing, the experiencing. Separation is a superimposed thought onto what is. Nowhere in any perception is there a line between you and what you perceive. You ARE perception.

Perception is always TOTAL.

Perception is always WHOLE.

The gaps just don’t exist.

If this doesn’t satisfy you – what will?

Scrub it clean

Scrub any object, label or experience with earnest investigation and you’ll find yourself looking back into your own freeing emptiness.

Loneliness

Sad horse,

I'll be,

Your friend.

See-through

There are no objective appearances.

There is no objectivity.

Only Awareness-Awarenessing.

This is your inherent and obvious freedom.

Birds

Magpies at dusk,

- Crisp, clear, alive.

Reality is inHEREnt -