Guided Inquiry with Anantaji - 23rd June 2016

Who am I? I perceive the objects of this world. I am aware of them, but they are not aware of I. I perceive the sensations that seem to define this body, including the sensations of my head and my face. I am aware of them; they are not aware of I. Who am I? Who is the I that is aware even of all of these sensations? And one by one, we go through all of our experiences in this way.

I am aware of the thoughts; they come and go. When a thought is present, I am aware of the thought. When the thought is absent, I am aware of no mind. Therefore, neither mind nor mine am I. Who am I? Whatever emotions, sensations might exist here, I am aware of them; they are not aware of I. Who is this I that is aware of all of this phenomenal existence? Even this sense of existence, the sense of being, my own presence—I am—I is aware of this I am. But even this I am-ness, this being, is not aware of I. Who is this I?

I see that as being is here, being is present, then the play of this world is present, and all of this appearance called life is present. I am aware even of my sleep where nothing is. The body, the outside appearances, feelings, thoughts, emotions, imagination, memory—all of this is not I. Even the sense that I exist dissolves, yet I remain as what I am. I am aware even of nothing. Whether it is nothing or something, the awareness remains unchanged, untouched.

Where is this I in relation to this awareness? I see that I am no thing. There is no separation between awareness and I. For this awareness, I am. Prior even to the sense I am. Unchanging, unmoving, unconcerned. No attributes, no labels. All that comes and goes, comes and goes within me, within the I that is faceless. All space is born within the I that is timeless. All time seems to appear. I am that. I am this.