You are Awareness

 You are awareness. Awareness is another name for you. Since you are awareness, there is no need to attain or cultivate it.

Ramana Maharshi

 

Has it ever happened to you that you were so lost in thoughts that you pulled into the driveway and suddenly awoke from a trance and asked yourself who drove you home? Strangely, there was thinking and driving but no one around to notice. Awareness was present though. The driving was done efficiently only the thinking was likely a waste of time and energy as it even consumed the thinker in the process.

 

A friend reported this strange occurrence. In a play he got so lost in a character that he temporarily forgot himself, and when he woke up from his trance he wondered if he is losing his mind. In fact, his spiritual quest started with this incidence, starting an inquiry who he truly is behind it all. Once again, scary as this episode may have been for the self, awareness was present. With no other self present, he played his role authentically.  

 

Awareness is! We cannot cultivate it. We cannot attain it. Awareness is, always. What we can do though is to be mindful of the interferences, likely meaningless trains of thought ruminating in our head, or prior pain bodies getting triggered and making their presence felt. Take a step back as you read this and just be aware of “Awareness is.”