Stillness
Stillness is the fountainhead of Life expressing in the Eternally Present Now.
Awareness is the ground state of Consciousness out of which concepts of Mind appear.
Concepts are not the actual. Stillness, Pure Awareness IS.
Discover THIS – the Presence of Pure Awareness Now.
Be Still-ness. Be Aware-ness. Be THIS that you already are.
So that Love and Peace may live.
~ JC Tefft ~
Now is All There Is
There are no yesterdays or tomorrows; no before or hereafter.
There is only the eternally present Now.
Whatever might seem to have occurred yesterday is merely a memory of Mind appearing in the eternally present Now.
Whatever might occur tomorrow is merely a projection of Mind appearing in the eternally present Now.
There are no appearances or moments in space or time other than THIS expressing in the eternally present Now.
The eternally present Now is ALL that IS.
JC Tefft
Illusions of Mind: The Deception of Egoic Separateness
Human ignorance (which is to ignore the essence of Life expressing Now) primarily centers around an ongoing illusion created of Mind that divides the Whole of Life expressing Now into separate parts, all of which appear as if separate from a conceived independent entity thought of as ‘me.’ Thus a rock appears as if separate from a tree, appears as if separate from a planet, all of which appear as if separate from ‘me.’ But if one examines this problem of apparent separateness in oneself – deeply, thoroughly, and honestly – one might come to realize that the apparent separate entity ‘I’ think of as ‘me’ versus ‘others’ that appear as if separate from ‘me,’ without exception, are merely mental constructs of Mind, thus illusions of Mind that in Truth do not exist separate from the Whole of THIS Life expressing Now.
The human Mind, in effect, translates the essence of Life-Energy arising in the eternally present Now into concepts, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and the like that appear, transforming what are initially perceived appearances in the eternally present Now into conceptualized, mental constructs of Mind – creating the appearance of a space/time universe, as conceived of Mind, that likewise appears as if separate from ‘me,’ when in essence, ‘All’ that actually appears in Awareness in the eternally present Now is the movement of Life-Force-Energy – not as separate living parts, but as a movement of Life expressing Now, such that, as Sri Aurobindo put it, ‘All matter is [actually] just a mass of stable Light” appearing Now. Or as the Buddha put it, “Life is movement and movement is Life” – that’s All. No parts. No separation. Just the movement of Life appearing Now.
Moreover, this ongoing translation in the human Mind of the essence of Life-Energy expressing Now into conceptualized parts inevitably matures, such that it not only creates the illusion of separateness in the eternally present Now, but also strengthens the illusion of separateness to its core – much like an athlete strengthens the body to play the game well. The sense of separateness thus becomes ever-more deeply rooted in the human psyche that ‘I’ now think of as ‘me.’ Hence, an egocentric sense of self, as constructed of Mind, is not only born, but also matures and dies in the ‘Mind’s Eye’ – a sense of egoic self-centeredness that in Truth is nothing more than an illusion of Mind that interprets and thereby ‘sees’ Life-Energy appearing Now as if separate from the Whole of Life expressing Now, when such is not actually the case.
The assumed egoic entity thus usurps, if you will, the actual Truth of Pure Conscious Awareness Now and calls it ‘my’ Consciousness, therefore ‘my’ past and future, not ‘yours’ – ‘my’ experiences, not ‘yours’ – ‘my’ problems, not ‘yours’ – ‘my’ gifts, not ‘yours’ – ‘my’ insights, not ‘yours’ – ‘my’ life, not ‘yours,’ and so on down the line. And as this phenomenon of the sense of separateness grows into an ever-stronger, more deeply rooted sense of egoic self, a false sense of ‘personal’ attainment and ‘personal’ suffering grows as well.
The fact is, no separate entity of any kind exists anywhere in the universe separate from the Whole of Life expressing Now. The phenomenal universe is not a patchwork of separate entities born independently into a mentally conceived world but is a dynamic unity of expression that has always been and is forevermore fully integrated and holographic in nature, such that no expression of any kind – egoically conceived or otherwise – stands apart from the Whole.
The survival of the sense of separateness, which is likewise the sense of an egoic self, is dependent on the continuation of the ongoing process of identifying with concepts and experiences, as conceived of Mind, as such appear in Consciousness, as if such are ‘mine’ and not ‘yours,’ etc., which is the ultimate delusion of Mind. The saving grace is that in the absence of attachments to concepts and thoughts, as such appear, the illusion of separateness tends to weaken and fade, ultimately to collapse and die away revealing the actual living Truth that no-thing exists separate from the Whole expressing in the eternally Present Now.
Absent the false sense of a separate ‘me’ in play, one then looks with Love and pure perception at a flower, for instance – absent thought, absent judgment, absent concepts of Mind in play – and simply ‘sees’ or ‘witnesses’ the Essence of Life expressing Now – that’s All. Concepts of Mind are no longer in the way. Liberation from the sense of separateness rules the day. The cloud of apparent self-centeredness gives way to Freedom, Joy, Happiness, and Love expressing freely in the eternally present Now, unfettered to the limitations of Mind. What remains is simply THIS expressing Now – that’s All.
What is born, matures, and dies in humankind is in fact the false sense of egoic separateness. Pure Awareness of what Actually IS in the eternally present Now is never born, does not mature, and never dies, but simply is THIS – purely Aware in the eternally present Now – that’s All.
Understanding the meaning of these words from a conceptualized point of view is not the Actual. Words can only point to the living Truth of THIS. To recognize living Truth in the eternally present Now one must find out in oneself if THIS is so.
JC Tefft
On The Nature of Belief
To “believe” (this vs that) is to cling to a concept of Mind, which then becomes “what I believe.” I believe in this concept, image, or thought, but I don’t believe in that concept, image, or thought. I believe this is the way, but I don’t believe that is the way – and so on and so on ad infinitum – all of which is rooted in the processes of Mind, as concepts, images, and thoughts appear and disappear in Awareness Now.
A concept, image, or thought appears in Silent Awareness and what happens then? Does one identify with the thought – cling to the thought – such that it becomes part of one’s egoic identity? Or does Awareness simply remain Present, as concepts of Mind come and go in Pure Awareness Now?
How deeply or how long must one “believe” (which is to hold to a concept or thought) before one Realizes that belief is merely a construct of Mind to which one is egoically attached? Can belief lead to that which is beyond Mind; that which is not a construct of Mind? Or does holding to a belief merely strengthen one’s ties to evermore structures of Mind?
To identify with concepts of Mind is to limit the fullness and beauty of Life to mere constructs of Mind. It is to remain egoically tethered to conceptualized images and thoughts, as such appear in Consciousness.
Becoming lost or caught-up in constructs of Mind leads to an ever-greater, ever-stronger sense of separation from the living Truth of Life in the eternally Presence Now. It strengthens the very resistance that keeps one from Being Present in Awareness Now.
To believe in concepts that arise of Mind is to resist and thereby deny Pure Awareness Now – unfettered to concepts and thoughts, as such appear in Consciousness.
Just as the Totality of living Truth cannot be found in a concept of Mind, so also the Totality of Living Truth cannot be found through the processes of Mind. Mind is limited to concepts that appear in Consciousness. Whereas, Pure Awareness, absent attachment to concepts, thoughts, and images of Mind, is Infinite in its capacity to “Realize,” “See,” and thereby “Understand.”
There is no such thing as a “belief” that is not a concept of Mind. And concepts appear in Awareness Now. Awareness does not appear in concepts of Mind. Pure Awareness is thus the ground state of all that appears of Mind, including concepts, thoughts, images, and the sense of experience – all of which ultimately are constructs of Mind – to which one believes, does not believe, or better yet, does not identify with one way or another – thus is free of all that.
Realizing with ever-greater Clarity the living Truth of Life in the eternally Present Now requires that one’s deep-seated tethers to concepts of Mind that ultimately become one’s “beliefs,” disintegrate and die away.
Alas, no “belief” or projection of Mind can bring this about because Pure Presence is already HERE NOW, so there is nothing that egoic Mind can “believe” or “do” to Realize THIS other than to get out of the way. What needs to occur is that attachments to the stuff of Mind be done away.
Simply put, holding to egoically structured, self-centered beliefs does not set one free.
JC Tefft
The Nature of Pure Presence
The profound nature of Pure Presence – of non-duality Reality – of the living Truth of WHAT IS (call it what you will) – cannot be described, portrayed, or transmitted via concepts, images, or words.
Absent Pure Presence the illusion of conceptualized duality remains in play.
The illusion of conceptualized duality presents unto Pure Awareness a universe and world comprised of images and words that one imagines or thinks one knows, experiences, fears, and/or enjoys – from a self-centered point of view, per interpretations of Mind.
But concepts, images, and words are limited to the purview of Mind, and that which is limited to Mind, by its very nature, cannot become limitless Pure Presence Here Now. Pure Presence is of an entirely different order than Mind.
Limitations of Mind must cease, for Pure Presence to Be Here Now.
No amount of education, study, or practice, which are activities rooted in Mind, brings forth profound Pure Presence Here Now.
Pure Presence comes into Being when the Mind is still and identification with the content of Mind ceases to Be.
Pure Presence is Here Now when the illusion of separateness created of Mind collapses, thus is no longer active in the foreground of Consciousness.
Absent resistance, denial, or suppression, Pure Presence silently waits for the veil of self-centered separateness to collapse and die away, bringing Presence into the foreground of Pure Being.
Pure Presence is of the heart, not the head.
In the Stillness of Pure Presence – Liberation from the egoic sense of separateness IS.
In the Stillness of Pure Presence – profound Peace from the activity of Mind IS.
In the Stillness of Pure Presence – profound Love, which has no opposite, IS.
In the Stillness of Pure Presence – the Sorrow of humankind ends.
JC Tefft
One Life Expressing in the Eternally Present Now
There is no such thing as a singular appearance or event that is separate from the Whole.
There is no such thing as a singular entity or life that is separate from All that IS.
Even so, there appear to be billions of stars, as conceived of Mind, universally expressing everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one star is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be trillions of fish, as conceived of Mind, moving about the sea everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one creature of the sea, even of the same specie, is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be billions of trees, as conceived of Mind, expressing globally everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one tree, even of the same specie, is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be billions of birds, as conceived of Mind, flying, nesting, cooing, foraging, expressing globally everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one bird, even of the same specie, is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be billions of animals, as conceived of Mind, expressing throughout the world everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one animal, even of the same specie, is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be billions of human beings, as conceived of Mind, flourishing globally everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one human being, even of the same race, is perfectly identical to another.
So also, there appear to be uncountable manifestations of all variety and kind, as conceived of Mind – birthing, growing, blossoming, maturing, stagnating, diminishing, and dying – everywhere at once in the eternally present Now. Yet, not one living expression, regardless of variety or kind, is perfectly identical to another.
How can this be so? Uncountable living expressions appearing AS IF separate from all others, as conceived of Mind (and only as conceived of Mind), yet not one apparent entity is perfectly identical to another, nor perfectly independent from all others?
Truth is: the movement of Energy and of Life is One movement, not many, arising out of One Source, not many, that continuously expresses in the eternally present Now.
That’s All.
End of story of a separate “you” and a separate “me.” For there is only One Life, not many, expressing Now. And never before or hereafter, but only Now.
That’s All.
And to Realize this Truth – deeply, inwardly, non-conceptually – is to Realize the Actuality of Life – the One movement of Life – as such arises, expresses, and recedes out of and back into the One and only Source of All that IS in the eternally present Now.
That’s All.
One Life, One Being, One Reality is All that IS.
What appears to be “your” life or “my” life or some “other” life, as conceived of Mind (and only as conceived of Mind), is in Truth not “yours” or “mine” or “theirs.” But is the One and only movement of Life arising, unfolding, Being, and receding in the eternally present Now.
That’s All.
Nothing in the apparent universe is ever separate from the Whole of Life appearing Now; the One movement of All, appearing AS IF separate when conceived of Mind (and only when conceived of Mind), when in Truth, such is not the case.
Truth is: there is only One Life expressing in the eternally present Now.
That’s All.
JC Tefft
Belief, Clarity, and the Eternally Present Now
Holding to “beliefs,” as such appear in Consciousness, is to identify with concepts of Mind that, in effect, deny the Presence of living Truth Here and Now. To “believe” in ‘this vs that’ is to live according to a conditioned Mind – a closed Mind – that ignores (which is ‘ignorance’) the living Truth of what ACTUALLY IS PRESENT AND OCCURRING Here and Now.
Clarity occurs as one Awakens unto the eternal Presence of Pure Awareness that is never yesterday or tomorrow, but always Here Now, unfettered to conceptualizations of Mind – as such appear in Consciousness.
Clarity unveiled in the eternally Present Now does not come about by means of ‘belief’ in anything at all, but simply by BEING Present Here Now – that’s All. And BEING Present Here Now is NOT to identify with concepts of Mind, as such appear in Consciousness in the eternally Present Now. Ever greater Clarity thus occurs as one is evermore Present Here Now, absent identification with the content of Mind in play.
No concept, no belief, no practice, no path, no religion, nor any mental construct of Mind – regardless of how subtle or sublime – brings greater Clarity to Light. The ending of identification with the content of Mind in the eternally Present Now brings Clarity to Light.
Greater Clarity occurs as one Awakens unto living Truth in the eternally Present Now. And such Awakenings occur when the Mind is still. Suddenly, an Insight bursts forth revealing the false, while simultaneously shining Light on the eternal Truth of THIS HERE NOW.
The ongoing unveiling of the Presence of Pure Awareness within humankind is not a problem for anyone to solve. Life expressing Here Now is simply to be lived – that’s All.
Awakening unto greater Clarity is a transformative aspect of Life expressing Now that unfolds most intelligently when allowed to be so, unhindered by the limitations of Mind. One need only to rest alertly in the stillness of the enterally Present Now, allowing for a more fruitful environment in which spontaneous Awakenings are more likely to occur, as intended, absent resistance or denial to that which naturally and freely is pressing NOW to come forth in humankind.
Allow Life to unfold, express, and transform, as Life will – IN you – not according to mental projections of Mind, but according to the Will of Creation Itself. To encourage this to be so, one does well to LET GO and ALLOW in the eternally Present Now, as Life expresses and unfolds, offering as little resistance as possible to the process occurring within. In this ‘state’ of Mind, which is stillness of mind, Clarity IS.
Standing as Pure Awareness in the eternally Present Now is the ultimate resolution to every “problem” conceived of Mind. Awakening unto the eternal Presence of Pure Awareness does not require one to believe or conceive anything at all. To the contrary, Awakening unto the Presence of Pure Awareness is beyond the purview of Mind entirely.
JC Tefft
Looking Into the Problem of Resistance to What Is
INQUIRY: As per your recent FB posting, I, too, recognize that surrender is the best remedy for all problems. I want to surrender to consciousness and live on auto pilot. Yet, whenever I am motivated to surrender, it diminishes in 1 to 2 days. Thoughts of bills that need paying and the need to remind tenants to pay bills on time never cease to invade. It seems like as long as we live, we need to be constantly thinking. Would you kindly elaborate on how to surrender once and for all without turning back.
JCT RESPONCE: The transformational process of “SURRENDING” NOW (it’s never about the future, but always about NOW) is a means by which one ultimately might Realize the PRESENCE of PEACE that is eternally HERE NOW. One’s experience is that attachments to projections of Mind breeds chaos, and this chaos inescapably overshadows the PRESENCE of PEACE HERE NOW. This is what we’re looking into together – right? The question is: what can be done when attachments to the content of Mind are in play? Attachments evolve into chaos and disturb the PEACE that was once HERE NOW. So, how does one Realize PEACE NOW and forevermore?
Surrendering, allowing, observing, letting go – in effect, being Choicelessly Aware in THIS MOMENT NOW, tends to bring the reality of deep SILENCE, PEACE, LIBERATION, and LOVE to Light. When in a mental “state” of surrender, of being Choicelessly Aware, it ‘feels’ peaceful and still – right? But when thoughts arise and we prejudiciously identify with the thought, then there’s resistance to the thought, and the weight of that resistance comes in to play – right? We feel constricted and it’s difficult to move. I don’t want to do this or that and our ‘feelings’ are hurt. I don’t want to pay attention to this or that. I don’t want to collect bills and we feel constricted inside. We experience the consequence of resistance to the thought itself, and this resistance disturbs the Peace – right?
So, how does one go about solving this problem? When resistance is present, dispassionately observe the FEELING of RESISTANCE, as such arises in Consciousness NOW. Dispassionately witness the power of resistance subside, as identification with the thought that brings about the resistance likewise subsides. ALLOWING the ‘feeling’ of resistance to subside ultimately allows for the ‘feeling’ of resistance to collapse and disappear, bringing forth the Presence of Peace in its wake.
The problem is not thought itself. The problem that disturbs the Peace IS RESISTANCE to the emergence of thought. Absent resistance, the thought then occurs – “I must pay and collect bills”– and one goes about paying and collecting bills – while remaining in the Presence of LOVE and PEACE – undisturbed by impulses created of Mind. The problem is not paying or collecting the bills. The problem is RESISTANCE to paying and collecting the bills.
Rest in the Presence of PEACE NOW throughout daily Life and cease to identify with thoughts, as such arise. Getting caught in the web of thought brings resistance to bear, so ATTACHMENTS to thoughts, as such arise, IS the problem that needs to be resolved. It’s possible to collect bills while resting in Peace. It’s equally possible to wrangle over the thought of collecting bills, which brings an end to the Presence of Peace. So, what’s it going to be? Wrangle or Peace? Tension or Peace? Resistance or Peace – IN THIS MOMENT NOW? Can one stand in Love and Peace while collecting bills? Or must one fall into the mind-trap that leads to resistance to collecting bills?
The ’feeling’ of resistance that in its worst form leads to violence and war, comes to an end when the bonds of attachments to the vagaries of Mind are done away. This transformational process, as the Buddha declared, is what brings an end to the Sorrow of humankind.
Best Always,
JC Tefft
Life Expressing Now
Life does not express yesterday or tomorrow (which are concepts of time, as interpreted of Mind), but a memory of Life expressing yesterday can appear NOW, just as the projection of an image of what Life might be like tomorrow can appear NOW. Thus, in Truth, ALL appearances, whether they be a memory of the past or a projection of the future, appear NOW and only NOW.
And Pure Awareness is simply Aware in the eternally Present Now. Recognition of this fact is to Be Aware of Being Aware – which also, in terms of Consciousness, is THAT which ‘we’ truly are at our core – Pure Awareness – that’s all.
JC Tefft
On The Nature Of Liberation
Liberation is freedom from the known.
Freedom from the known is the ending of attachments to the content of Mind, as such appears in Consciousness.
Liberation is the ending of the illusion of separateness.
The ending of the illusion of separateness is the loss of a sense of a separate “me” vs a separate “you” verses a separate “world” versus a separate “universe” versus a separate any “thing” at all.
Liberation is freedom from egoic suffering.
Egoic suffering occurs when the illusion of a separate “me” is in play, as if things happen to “me” or occur because of “me” or fail to occur despite the apparent intention of “me” or the apparent intention of a separate entity or power or influencer of any kind at all.
Liberation is the ending of the illusion of separate entities “doing” anything, “suffering” anything, “experiencing” anything, “creating” anything, or “witnessing” anything at all.
Liberation is freedom from attachment to ALL constructs of Mind, as such appear in Consciousness, regardless of how subtle or sublime.
The illusion of a separate “doer,” a separate “thinker,” a separate “be-er” is no more.
In Truth, there is only THIS – the aliveness of the eternally Present Now – appearing, disappearing, accelerating, receding within the Silence out of which All occurs.
Liberation ends the “experience” of a separate entity within the Whole of expression occurring Now and only Now.
JC Tefft
On the Nature of Being
‘Beingness,’ which is akin to ‘Aliveness,’ includes All that appears as Life and the Universe in the eternally present Now – as a Whole.
Stars, planets, minerals, clouds, water, storms, flora, fauna, mammals, humans, images, thoughts, experiences, etc., etc., etc. – All that is conceptualized of Mind, and more, is ‘Beingness’ expressing Now and only Now – everywhere at once - in what appears, from a conceptualized point of view, as space and time.
The Absolute Truth of Being, however, which is the Ultimate Truth out of which Beingness appears, cannot be articulated, explained, or shared in terms of space or time, for such Truth is not limited to an image or a thought, as conceived of Mind.
The apparent existence of conceptualized, separate entities in the space/time continuum, appearing as if separate from the One Being expressing in the eternally present Now, is an illusion of Mind brought about by means of egoic identification with concepts of Mind, as such appear in Consciousness. This egoically-centering process, rooted in the energy field of Mind, that separates the Whole into parts, is a unique capability, it seems, that primarily appears in what Mind conceives as separate human ‘beings’ that appear as if separate from other ‘beings’ or entities that likewise are appearing in the eternally present Now, as conceived of Mind. Thus, the illusion of separateness continues to occur.
Consciousness of that which appears is an aspect, one might say, of the One Being that is literally Present in the eternally present Now – not as an individualized phenomenon, but as a universal Reality that is simply Aware in the eternally present Now of that which appears.
Despite the illusion of separateness, however, which, like all aspects of Being, is likewise an expression arising and functioning in the eternally present Now – there is, in Truth, only ONE Being, not many, manifesting as space and time, as a Whole, together with ONE Consciousness that is simply Present and Aware of that which appears – the apparent two, as conceived of Mind, functioning or Being as ONE WHOLE REALITY – as ‘Beingness’ or ‘Aliveness’ within that which is purely Aware in the eternally present Now.
Thus, it is not ‘your’ life or ‘my’ life expressing Now, but One Life, One Being, One Reality expressing within that which is ultimately Purely Aware in the eternally present Now. Thus also, no conceived entity or ‘thing’ is separate from any other conceived entity or ‘thing’ within that which appears as the Universe, as a Whole. All is One in this regard.
Recognition of this fact occurs when the illusion of separateness collapses, unveiling the living Truth of the One Consciousness that is Purely Aware (meaning, is unidentified with appearances of Mind) in the eternally present Now – the Whole of which appearing as the Universe, while simultaneously Aware of All and All and in all that IS in All instances of conceptualized time.
One Being, One Life appearing and expressing in the eternally present Now that is Aware of All that IS – resting in Peace, while simultaneously rising, moving, and appearing amidst Love. Collectively, these words – Peace, Love, Awareness, Beingness, Aliveness, Nowness – point to the deep, underlying, living Truth of All that appears in the eternally present Now – the Absolute Truth – which is unknowable from the standpoint of Mind.
JC Tefft
What Is IS What Is - That's All
There is nothing other than What IS.
Nothing exists or happens outside of, or separately from, What IS.
There is nothing evil or good, sinful or virtuous, there is only What IS.
All Life, including all aspects of Life expressing in the eternally Present Now, is What IS.
Whether it appears to be (experientially speaking) resistant to What IS,
Or harmonious with What IS,
Or hating What IS,
Or Loving What IS,
Or the chaos of What IS,
Or the peacefulness of What IS;
Or highly energized,
Or absolutely still;
Life expressing in the eternally Present Now is only and always What IS - that's All.
To assume that an identity of one – as compared to another – can transform, change or fix What IS, is a conceptualized fiction of Mind, an illusion of Mind that, when appearing, is What IS appearing in the eternally Present Now.
To be free from identification with conceptualized fictions of Mind, from the illusion of separateness created by Mind, is likewise What IS in the eternally Present Now.
Nothing exists or happens outside of, or separately from, What IS.
Nothing good, nothing bad, nothing gained, nothing lost;
For there is only Life expressing in the eternally Present Now and that which expresses is What IS – that’s All.
jc tefft
The Brain/Mind Paradigm Creates the Duality Experience
The human brain is the biological aspect of the human mind that functions both as a receptor (not unlike a cell tower) and interpreter (not unlike a cell phone) of electronic waves of information arising out of unseen energy fields of mind. Rather than a storer of information, the brain is electronically ‘wired,’ one might say, to the more powerful, yet subtler field of mind out of which information in the form of 1’s and 0’s arise. The brain is thus a dense, material appendage or extension, one might say, to the overall field of Consciousness that uniquely expresses within body/mind/organisms of humankind.
The human brain, as with all Life expressions, is also programable (not unlike a computer or phone) and thus is conditioned through time to act and react, one way or another, according to certain thoughts and images that continuously arise out of the subtle field of mind that eventually become traditions of mind. This burgeoning sense of duality that has evolved over thousands of years has led to a false sense of division in humankind – of ‘us’ verses ‘them’ – that ultimately leads to fear, anxiety, animosity, hatred, and despair that continues to permeate the world of human beings and human affairs.
Minerals, plants, and animals do not despair or hate. Only humans despair and hate due to the unique brain/mind paradigm embodied within that has been, and continues to be strengthened, encouraged, and emboldened through cultural conditioning of mind.
The functionality of the brain/mind paradigm that brings about the illusion of duality in humankind is not a problem of itself, if understood properly. What brings about and enhances the problem is the many and varied cultural conditionings inculcated over time that have led to the many and varied divisions now deeply rooted in the psyche of humankind going back tens of thousands of years.
The 1’s and 0’s that arise out of the subtle field of mind are not conditioned, one way or another, but are available to and translatable by any and all human brains within the various body/mind/organisms expressing now in humankind. When a material brain (the cell tower aspect of mind) breaks down and dies, the subtle field of mind (the 1’s and 0’s) remains in play, supporting within it the uncountable thoughts, concepts, and images developed to this point in time, allowing for continued translation into dualistic form by human brains, new and old, expressing now, everywhere at once in any moment of time.
The subtle field of mind can thus be likened unto branches of the ‘Tree of Life’ that remain in play after its leaves (like biological brains) fall away, only to reappear in ever-so-slightly different forms (like newborn brains) than before. The Life Force of the tree (as with subtle mind) does not die, but leaves (like human brains) birth and die continuously, together with the many and varied body/mind/organisms of humankind.
Just as the apparent death of a human brain is not the death of subtle mind, so also, the apparent death of a human brain is not the death of Consciousness, as a Whole. Even though Consciousness is expressed by means of the brain/mind paradigm in humankind, when a human brain dies, the subtle field of conscious mind remains in play together with all functioning brains in this moment of time. The biological brain seems to come and go, as determined by the illusion of separateness, but the functioning of conscious expression in humankind remains in play in the ever-present Now, undeterred by the illusion of space and time, as created of mind.
What seems on the surface, from a limited view of conceptualized mind, to be separate human beings living and expressing now, conscious of themselves as if embodying separate expressions of consciousness, are in fact the Universe as a Whole, evolving and expressing Now, as well as Conscious Awareness of the Whole – Here and Now – that’s All.
Anything other than THIS Life expressing Here Now is an illusion of Mind created by the functioning of the brain/mind paradigm in humankind.
JC Tefft
Absent the Limitations of Mind....
Absent limitations of Mind, SILENCE IS.
Absent limitations of Mind, LOVE IS.
Absent limitations of Mind, PEACE IS.
Absent limitations of Mind, TRUTH IS.
Absent limitations of Mind, I AM IS….
Mind conceptualizes the Actuality of WHAT IS in the eternally Present Now, making it seem as though the movement of Life, as a Whole, is separated into parts, when in Truth, such is not the case.
Thus, the false sense of a separate self, of an egoically centered “me” born of Mind, is not the Silence out of which a sense of a separate “me” is born; is not Love out of which the sense of a separate “me” arises; is not the Whole Truth of what Actually IS SO in the eternally Present Now; is not the I AM of All that IS. The separate sense of “me,” therefore, is not now, nor will ever be the Totality of what ACTUALLY IS SO.
But rather, I AM is All and All and in All that IS in the eternally Present Now. I AM IS inclusive of that which perceives and conceives of Mind that arises out of Pure Awareness in the eternally Present Now, and subsequently interprets such in conceptualized terms, but is not limited to same.
But, as one increasingly, egoically identifies with conceptualizations of Mind, a false sense of separation occurs, making what appears to be separate movements of energy, from a conceptualized point of view, seem as if separate from the Whole, when in Actuality, such is never the case.
Consequently, some say the Silence of All or the Presence of All or the movement of All or the appearances of All is merely a “dream” or a “fiction” of Mind. But I say that Silence, Presence, movement, and appearances encompass ALL that IS in the eternally Present Now. And the Totality of it ALL – Silence, Presence, Movement, and Appearances – not only encompass ALL that IS, but also is the Absolute Truth of what Actually is SO in the eternally Present Now.
Thus, the Totality of I AM is ALL and ALL and IN ALL that IS – inclusive of, but not limited to concepts of Mind.
Concepts merely appear as if separate from the eternally Present Now, begetting the illusion of separateness from the Totality of WHAT IS – until such illusion collapses, revealing the living Truth of WHAT ACTUALLY IS SO in the eternally Present Now – that’s ALL.
Full stop, end of story.
JC Tefft
The Inadequacy of Explanation
It is literally impossible to define, explain or communicate via concepts and words – one to another – the profoundness of what it means to Awaken unto living Truth; unto the ‘Oneness’ of Life and Love Expressing in the eternally present Now, as such is inconceivable of Mind.
Consequently, that which is beyond the purview of Mind can only be Realized within (per the ancient teaching, “the Kingdom of heaven is within you”), when the illusion of separateness brought about through egoic identification with the content of Mind, as such appears in space and time, is done away. In such moments, often referred to as Awakenings, the underlying, living Truth to which these words point is brought to Light.
There is no other way to confirm the veracity of concepts and words that point to living Truth other than for one to Awaken and thereby Realize in oneself that THIS is SO. Realizing This Here Now is the only way.
JC Tefft
How Do I Find Truth?
Absolute Truth, which is the underlying Truth of Life expressing in the eternally present Now, does not appear in any material form or substance of any nature or kind. ‘Objects’ that appear in Awareness, whether they be ‘experienced’ as ethereal/spiritual or not, including concepts, images, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and the like, are merely appearances, as interpreted of Mind, that appear and disappear in Awareness that is never anything other than eternally Present Now.
From the standpoint of concepts and feelings appearing in Awareness, however, which is the standpoint of Mind, a problem occurs when such appearances are identified with and thereby drawn to an apparent ‘center’ (like ferrous materials drawn to a magnetic pole) that makes it seem as if one is perceiving and conceiving such ‘objects’ from a ‘self-centered’ point of view, creating the illusion of a separate ‘me,’ separate from the concept or experience, as interpreted of Mind – when such is not actually the case.
Consequently, from an egoic, self-centered point of view, which is likewise the Mind’s point of view, humans are endowed, unlike any other being, with the capacity to perceive and conceive the Energy that makes up the so-called material world from a mental construct point of view that makes it seem as if such appearances occur as independent forms within a space/time universe, when in Truth, such is not the case. The sense of a separate ‘me,’ a separate ‘you,’ and a separate ‘world,’ it turns out, is an illusion of Mind brought about by a dualistic sense of space and time appearing and evolving in the Being of humankind.
Happily, it also turns out, as pointed to by sages since ancient times, that it’s possible for the illusion of separateness to literally collapse, disintegrate, and disappear, not unlike an asteroid disintegrating as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. What is Realized when such an Awakening occurs is that the One and only Absolute Reality is always Present in all appearances of space and time, and THIS Reality is Pure Awareness and nothing more. Pure Awareness, unlike the dualistic sense of space and time, as interpreted of Mind, which comes and goes, remains forever Present, untouched and unmoved by the vagaries of space and time that otherwise envelops the human psyche by means of egoic identification with conceptualizations of Mind.
From the point of view of self-centeredness, however, which is the point of view of Mind, an apparent enigma to the Awakening process continues to appear, which is this: that there is something one can ‘do’ from a self-centered point of view to make such a Realization come about, when such is not the case. This is because the illusion of an apparent separate entity or individualized ‘self’ created of Mind has no authority or ‘will’ power of its own.
Even so, it seems that helpful reminders – guideposts, if you will – continue to appear, as needed, for those drawn to such intentions, to point the way, so to speak, allowing for the possibility of Awakenings unto living Truth to occur – declaring that – if tended to seriously, steadfastly, with devotion – a Recognition that Pure Awareness is ‘who’ we truly are is possible: a Recognition that I AM THIS and THIS is all that IS – in its entirety.
This said, if you are so inclined, abide in the following:
As thoughts and images arise in the Presence of Pure Awareness, cease to identify with such and rest in the Presence, the I AM of Being, instead. Be I AM – and nothing more. And while resting in This Presence, watch, as the power of images, feelings, thoughts, reactions, and the like, subside and disappear, leaving no reaction in their wake in the Still Presence of Now. In other words, simply be Present and Aware – that’s all.
When judgments arise, which are nothing more than thoughts appearing Now – cease to identify with such and instead, rest in the Presence of I AM. As has been taught since ancient times, ‘judge not’ appearances. Allow all appearances to simply be as they are and thereby pass through and disappear, absent egoic-identification with same.
When resistance, tension and/or conflict appears, cease to identify with such and instead, rest in the Presence of I AM. I AM does not resist, is not tense, is not conflicted. I AM is simply Aware. Recognize the Truth of this. Cease to Be conflicted and simply BE AWARE.
When resting in I AM, note that, absent egoic-identification occurring Now, there is only Pure Awareness Present Now. There are no separate selves in I AM, nor a world that is separate from ‘me.’ There is only Pure Awareness Now – that’s All.
The stuff of Mind – thoughts, images, emotions, prejudices, conflicts, egoic points of view – that one identifies with through time, cease to separately exist (as they ‘do’ from the Mind’s point of view), but are ‘seen’ as mere appearances in Pure Awareness that no longer have a place to call ‘home.’ What remains is the Presence of I AM. Not ‘I’ AM (as if the egoic self has become something other than self), but simply, I AM Pure Awareness Here Now – that’s all. This is the Truth of who YOU truly are – I AM and nothing more.
Being ‘I AM’ is not to ‘be’ an object of Mind, but is simply to Be Present and Aware: Be the Truth of ‘who’ you truly are: BE I AM – and nothing more.
Pure Consciousness, Pure Awareness, Pure Peace, Pure Presence, Pure Love, Pure Happiness, Pure Freedom – are all words that point to the Absolute Truth of Reality, the One True Reality, the Truth of Being Here Now – which, at its core, simply stated is: I AM Pure Awareness. I AM Presence – and nothing more. All else is an illusion of Mind.
In the Presence of Pure Awareness there is nothing other than I AM.
JC Tefft
The Essential Purpose of Humans and the Destiny of Humankind
The appearance of Life and the Universe spawns out of modulating movements of Energy, continuously evolving into evermore complex expressions, ultimately appearing as Life and the Universe expressing Now, as a Whole. Such movement originates as vortices of Energy in perpetual motion, expanding and contracting – flowering, deteriorating – pulsing, inflating, collapsing – resting and waking – birthing, evolving, and dying – exciting, agitating, repelling, harmonizing – ultimately expressing in organic form as the stillness of a mountain lake or the rapid flow of a mighty stream, the brilliance of autumn colors or the silence of snowflakes falling on cold winter nights – as plants, animals, and humans – ad infinitum – ongoing. If this were not so, there would be no Life or Universe to express, ponder, enjoy, or contemplate, as is occurring Now.
What the movement of Life might “seem” to be (as regards meaningful or meaningless) from one point of view or another in any given moment of time, might “seem” different, per the intensity of a particular movement (or lack thereof) in said moment of time. But that “seeming” difference is nothing more than a vibrational difference of intensity in that specific moment of time.
Regardless, as far as the ongoing movement of Life is concerned, such movement is perpetual – whether outward or inward, agitated or tranquil, flowering or withering – in all moments of time.
The movement of Life/Energy, of itself, might seem on its face a meaningless enterprise, until one Realizes the radiant Presence of an unknowable, indescribable Source out of which Energy, therefore Life-forms, arise.
Such Presence, variously called “Absolute Stillness” or “Utter Silence” or “Pure Awareness” is of a different ilk altogether than that of Energy arising, even though such Presence is never absent from Life/Energy, as a Whole. Rather, it is out of such Silence (which could be called “nothingness” from the point of view of Mind) that the movement of Life arises, expresses, withdraws, and has its Being. These two aspects of Life (from a conceptualized point of view) – “thingness” and “no-thingness” – comprise the ABSOLUTE REALITY OF THE WHOLE OF LIFE or the WHOLE TRUTH OF BEING. Neither “thing,” nor “no-thing” entirely, but ALL “things” and “no-thing” in glorious concert, inseparable from the other – a conceptualized “twoness” – appearing AS IF two aspects of the Whole, when in Truth, whether moving or not, encompassing ONE, WHOLE, INTEGRATED REALITY OF ALL AT ALL TIMES.
This fact alone, of ONE, WHOLE, INTEGRATED REALITY expressing NOW, on Its’ own volition as Itself, seems incredible enough, magnificent enough, meaningful enough, and purposeful enough to never have to know or Realize more. Yet there appears to be a “seed” planted in the Human Energy Field we call human beings that moves one or another (or not) to seek to know more or Realize more, as regards Conscious Awareness of the Whole.
Thus, we arrive at the apparent, essential purpose of human beings in the grand scheme of that which appears as the manifested universe. When considered in the context of the advent and evolution of Life and the Universe, as a Whole, from the beginning of time, which is the advent of conceptual Mind, to today, one cannot rightly isolate the advent of human beings from the overall, evolutionary reality of the Whole of Creation expressing now, as if humans were somehow uniquely separate and distinct from all that appeared before. To the contrary, humans, like all other life-expressions, from the earliest to appear to today, arise out of the same Source and stand on the same foundation of all that came before. From the first atoms and molecules to appear and evolve billions of years ago, to plants, animals, and humans appearing and evolving in more recent times – from the simplest of organisms to the most complex – the movement of Life/Energy today epitomizes the Totality of Life expressing NOW, irrespective of the era in which such forms might have first appeared.
The essential, underlying purpose of human beings, therefore, cannot be separated from the essential purpose of Life and the Universe expressing, as a Whole, from the beginning of time to today, whatever that might be.
This being the case, it follows that humans appearing today stand in the vanguard of evolutionary development, not only regarding the evolution of organisms and species, but also regarding the evolution of Conscious Awareness within that which appears. For all evidence suggests that, while all material expressions are founded in fields of Energy, there likewise has simultaneously evolved an ever-greater, ever-clarifying capacity for Conscious Awareness within that which appears, with each new phase of development.
The essential purpose of humans, therefore, cannot be anything other than directly linked to not only the evolutionary development of material expressions, as a Whole, but also, and equally important, to the evolutionary unfolding and flowering of Conscious Awareness within that which appears. Thus, humans appearing today are the most Consciously Aware of any and all expressions that have ever appeared to date, as they appear to be the most recent species to evolve.
Therefore, the essential purpose underlying the evolution of Life and the Universe, including the advent of human beings, appears to be the same today as has been since the beginning of time. And by all appearances, there seems to be an intended goal that is directly linked to the evolution of ALL of the above: to the development of ever-more complex organisms and species with ever-expanding Clarity in Conscious Awareness through time. This, in itself, seems a meaningful enough purpose for an intelligent Universe of unspeakable beauty and fathomless depth to appear and evolve and have its’ Being without having to know more. Beyond this, who can say?
Just reverent AWE – beyond description and nothing more.
JC Tefft
Losing the Sense of Separateness Fosters Creativity
INQUIRY: “As you know, I write poetry and I was drawn to your recent statement about creativity being a process of exploring the nature of God and life in the present moment. Those weren’t your exact words, but that’s what I gleaned. Would you please elaborate?”
JCT RESPONSE: While reading this most recent inquiry, as restated above, the first question that arose is, “Did I write that?” This led to a review of prior correspondence in search of such commentary wherein I discovered the following:
“… as you write, remain open to whatever arises from within to express on the page. And while in the midst of this movement, continue to rest in the Silence out of which the words flow. Resting in this Silence allows for evermore profound creativity to arise from within. And as such arises in the Present Moment, simply allow this flowering to occur and nothing more.”
The point that was wanting to be made, as noted above, does not contemplate a separate entity “exploring” anything at all, least of all, God or the movement of Life. For no such entity exists that can “explore” somethings else, as if “something else” is separate from the movement to explore. This is what you (the Absolute Truth of “you’) must discover from within. Such a discovery – often called an Awakening – is when the sense of a separate self – “searching” or “exploring” – ends – in the eternally Present Now. Truth is, no such entity exists that can BE in the Present Moment. But rather, BEING in the Presence of Pure Awareness Now requires there be no sense of separation at all.
In the eternally Present Now there is no separate self, there is only Source or God, if you will, experiencing life as a human being. And that experience is not separate from the human experiencer. God already “experiences” life through many human expressions, so there is no need for an imaginary separate entity to “explore” the nature of God from the standpoint of self, there is only a need for the sense of egoic separation from God to die away. And when this occurs – whalla! The sense of separation between the experiencer and the experience is no more.
To Realize this fact is to Realize the living Truth of the movement of Life Itself. It’s not about the birth and death of organisms, but about the death of a sense of separation that is centered in the egoic self that, without exception, everyone experiences – until such sense dies away. It is ultimately God’s Will that this be so: that the two Be as One in the eternally Present Now.
So, what does this mean, as far as writing poetry is concerned? It means that prior to writing a line of verse, breathe deeply and let go, as much as possible, to the sense of separation from the movement to write arising from within. This practice allows the Silent Source Itself – the Spirit of God, if you will – to express of Itself, absent the egoic sense of separateness getting in the way. The more this is practiced, the greater is the loss of separateness, and the greater the loss of separateness, the more one purely expresses out of the eternally Present Now, Oneness of Being, rather than separateness of self. And like the works of the Sufi poet, Rumi, the words might wash over others, like a mighty stream, and thereby cleanse the Soul of the sense of separateness in them, as well.
Out of the Silence of Now the Spirit of creativity arises from within. This is the underlying Truth of Being that cannot be “explored” by an imagined separate entity, but can only be Realized when the egoic sense of separateness is no more.
JC Tefft