This, which is mysterious, uncaused, unnameable — yet called by many names… Mystery, Pure Awareness, Pure Consciousness, Parabrahman, He, She, It, This, God — has given birth to the entire universe. By the power of its own free will, the Mystery unfolds the entire cosmos out of itself, while always remaining one with its creations.
Its infinite array of expressions appear as seemingly separate names and forms. In constant interaction, one with the other. Even as its infinite expressions appear separate from one another, in essence they remain forever undivided, one with the Mystery. Through the power of the Mystery’s own free will, it contracts and limits itself as body-minds, who perceive separation and separate objects everywhere. As a body-mind, the mystery conceals its true nature. Identifies with the mind’s movements. Feels itself limited by time, space, desire, knowledge and form. And takes on the belief that it, and everything, are separate.
Though always undivided as a body-mind, the mystery conceals itself in the belief of separation. Perceiving itself as many separate forms. Two, three, four, five, thirty-five — all distinct, one from the other. The Mystery conceals itself in views, beliefs, perspectives, religions and philosophical systems. And enjoys perceiving itself as an infinite array of seemingly separate expressions, forms and roles.
Through the power of self-limitation, the Mystery takes on the role of being a limited entity, who is born, dies, believes in separation, suffers and searches to end suffering. Concealing its true identity and taking on the belief of separation, the Mystery engages in the five functions of manifestation, maintenance, reabsorption, concealment and divine grace-revelation.
As an apparently separate entity, the Mystery engages in its five acts of birth, maintenance, death, concealment or forgetting, and revelation or remembering. Identified as a separate entity who is born and bewildered, suffers and dies, the Mystery conceals its true undivided nature, that is always one with, and never separate from, its expressions. While engaging in its play of birth, life, death and forgetting.
Then, in its role as a separate soul, the Mystery turns the entity’s mind inward, enabling it to remember the true state of affairs, that the entire play of birth, life, death, concealment and revelation are simply the Mystery disguised, delighting in its own display of apparently separate forms and names.
Concealed within the illusory veil of separation, with mind turned inward, the Mystery’s fire of awareness begins to burn away all mis-perceptions of separation and suffering.
As the belief in separation dissolves in a timeless moment of revelation, the entire universe, everything, is realized to be simply the Mystery’s own Self. In this moment, the Mystery absorbs everything back into itself.
The realization that I and everything is the Mystery is enlightenment — liberation from the belief in duality and separation, even as the Mystery continues to spin its web of duality of apparently infinite separate forms. Enlightenment blossoms forth the bliss of the Mystery’s essential nature, which is our true heart and true home.
The means for recognizing and abiding in and as This, our true heart, and true home, include, but are not limited to, not identifying with thoughts as they arise. Abiding as a thought-free state of mind. Remaining inwardly-focused, even as attention turns outward towards worldly objects and movements. Remaining as the dynamic stillness of pure awareness amidst every thought, action and deed. Abiding as the stillness of pure awareness, which is present during and at the end of each breath.
Steadily abiding as This, that is unchanging, amidst all changing states of consciousness, establishment as essential nature unfolds… Establishment brings recognition, in every moment, and under all circumstances, of our true heart. This, which is ineffable, unborn and ever free, that is forever inseperably One with all creation. This is the true blessing that enlightenment reveals and bestows.