Lesson 14 – Neti Neti with Thoughts
When you see very clearly that you exist independent of the things that appear and disappear in your life—not separate from them, but independent from them—then your identity shifts from things to Being. When this happens, usually through the direct recognition of Existence itself, you inherit all the benefits inherent in Beingness-Existence. Bentinho Massaro
In this lesson, you will apply the Neti Neti Meditation to your passing thoughts. If you find it helpful, consult the list you created in Lesson 13’s preparation phase.
Now, go and have fun exploring your freedom from your own thoughts! You can deeply enjoy the eternal peace that comes over you when you realize the truth that you are not your thoughts, not even the ones you feel most closely identified with.
Neti Neti Meditation (Stage 2) – “I Am Not My Thoughts”
Stages 2 and 3 of this in-depth Neti Neti Meditation, are extremely well suited for—and highly potent when used in—everyday encounters with other-selves: in relationship. I highly recommend using this practice whenever stressful thoughts and emotions arise in relationship to your world and other-selves, whether that other-self is your annoying spouse, your disrespectful neighbor, an unfriendly stranger in the streets, or that disastrous politician you see on television.
Now that you’ve seen clearly that you are not your circumstances, imagine—or simply observe—the thoughts that most often occur in your present-day reality experience. Or, really, any thought will do for seeing that you’re not it. Consult your list of stressful thoughts and go through them.
As you passively observe a thought right now, shift your attention back and forth from the stable, changeless Presence of your true Beingness, to the transient nature of the thoughts that you observe. Back and forth between I-AM, and the appearance appearing to I-AM.
The Starting Focus
“I am here and now. I exist without effort. I am Present. I am Conscious. I am changeless. I am Pure Beingness. I-AM.”
Then Realize…
“The thought I observe is over there, while I am over here.”
Now, go back and forth a few times between being centered on I-AM, over here, and focusing on the thought, over there…
Then continue by making the following observations:
I-AM before, during, and after the appearance and disappearance of this thought, and all other thoughts. This thought, and all other thoughts, come and go, while I remain like the ocean remains, as its waves rise and fall, appear and disappear.
Since I am over here, and my beingness remains beingness, even while my thoughts come and go on the surface of my beingness, I cannot possibly be my thoughts—for I am here witnessing their arrival, their temporary presence, and their inevitable departure.
All the while, I abide, I remain, I know my Self—I stay home.
I exist prior to, and am more fundamental than, the coming and going of thoughts, of which I am effortlessly aware.
If I am conscious of what appears, then I am that which is consciously present, not the thoughts that appear to this conscious presence.
I am Presence-Consciousness. I-Exist, no matter what. I-AM, independent of this thought or that thought. I remain unaffected by thoughts.
My true Identity is Presence-Consciousness. Thoughts are just energetic appearances created out of my being’s essential Presence-Energy, like waves are made out of the ocean’s water.
Just as the water is unaltered by the dancing of the waves, my basic existence remains unaffected by the forms it uses to express itself.
Homework
Repeat this powerful meditation with each item on your list of “stressful thoughts” until you feel clear from believing you are attached to them. Clearly see you continue to exist with or without them, and that even while they are present in your life, you are already beyond them, free from them.