Consciousness

You are the one who hears the voice in your head, Michael Singer says in 'The Untethered Soul'. Wow, what a concept!  Take your body for example, please run a little experiment and have a look at your body right now. Step in front of a large mirror if you have one. Have a look at your hair, your face, your entire body and listen to what the voice in your head says. Is the voice expressing any criticism anywhere? Perhaps too little hair on the head or too much hair elsewhere, too much fat in some areas or too little in others, perhaps something is wrong with your face? Just listen to the voice in your head and perhaps you are able to step outside of yourself at this moment and listen to the opinion of an important person in your life, but not really you. If you manage to do that than at this precious moment you have met 'I Am'.

You might say what happens if you love everything you see. Not much, I would think, how would you be able to observe that something is wrong with the picture when everything is as should be? Normally, when we observe that something is wrong we take action to get back to the harmonious state: we start a diet, we hit the gym, we live and eat better, we sign up for plastic surgery. Who is the authority who takes charge and does something to change the picture. It is the same institution as the voice in the head, isn't it? So it appears the 'I Am' can only appear if either the mind is still, or if somehow you manage to step outside of yourself and observe the 'I' complaining or taking charge.

I hope you observe as well that when you hear the voice that response to the voice of criticism and says "I must not be so vain,I need to accept myself as I am, or I should not consider plastic surgery,  you are still dealing with the same voice in your head which takes issue with the first voice in the head. No, the consciousness 'I Am' just perceives the voice and the plan of action, but otherwise there is stillness.