By Peter Cutler
There is a very simple formula for what we call awakening, which is liberation from a dream/illusion/virtual reality.
Here it is:
The dream/illusion/virtual reality is a world created entirely from thoughts with a central character (me) that this virtual world revolves around. It is the story of me, my thoughts, my opinions, my perceptions, my experiences, etc.
So the formula of awakening is very simple.
- The less of this me and the less of this story, the less suffering there is.
- The more of this me and the more of whatever story my mind has created, the more suffering there is.
- The more awake the less suffering.
- The less awake the more suffering.
All the other words about awakening are meaningless if we don’t understand this.
True awakening means no story and no I. And without an I there is no story. And without an I there is no suffering.
There is no awake teacher because in awakening there is no I. An awake teacher does not experience an I or a story of me. An awake teacher does not feel “I am awake.” because an awake teacher or awake being does not experience an I. Therefore an awake teacher does not suffer. In order to suffer the illusion of an I must be present. When the illusion of an I is present awakening is not present.
So suffering and awakening do not go together. They are mutually exclusive. When there is one there is not the other. Awakening is liberation from the I. Liberation from the I is the end of suffering.
There are so many words, labels, and stories about awakening. Most of them simply create suffering and confusion.
There are many spiritual teachers claiming to be awake who still experience an I that is now an awake I (spiritual ego). They are confused but not awake. Their confusion helps others be more confused than they already are. So understanding this very simple formula is very important if you don’t want to be confused by others who are confused but don’t realize they are confused.
Most spiritual teachers today teach you how to have a better I and a better story. Since they are attached to their I and their story this resonates with the majority of humanity who are attached to their I and their story.
They may promise you a happier, more peaceful, more loving I, a more powerful or more prosperous I, an I with less suffering, and even an awakened I. All of this appeals very much to the I. Religions do the same thing.
None of this really works. Have you noticed yet? Hopefully, the simple formula above explains why.
Naturally the I does not want to listen to this. It jeopardizes its whole story. It means the death of its dream/illusion/virtual reality. And that is actually what awakening is. It is not a happier, more peaceful, more loving, less suffering, and more enlightened I. It is the end of the I.
The I is not thrilled with this.
On the positive side, there is no more suffering. And the peace, happiness, love, enlightenment, yeah, that’s here too. But there’s no I. And should the I arise again, we’ll always have suffering to remind us of this. That’s really what it’s here for.
Editor”s Note::
A Zen monk, artist, author, and spiritual teacher Peter Cutler helps people experience the awakened consciousness that is always available to everyone. For the past twenty years Peter’s openness to the Pure Energy beyond the limitations of thought and separation have helped hundreds of people directly experience the Pure Boundless Energy of their True Self through direct transmission or Shaktipat.