Colin Drake - Awakening and Beyond: Self Recognition and its Consequences

Awakening

and Beyond

Consequences

Of

Self Recognition

Pointers to Awakening and its Outcomes

Based on the Meditations, Investigations, Contemplations and Experiences of Forty Years of Spiritual Search and Practice

by Colin Drake

Copyright 2011 by Colin Drake

First Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted, for commercial purposes, without written permission from the author.

Published by Beyond Awakening Publications, Tomewin

Cover design and photography by the author.

Also by the same author:

Beyond the Separate Self

The End of Anxiety and Mental Suffering

A Light Unto The Self

Self Discovery Through Investigation of Experience

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Awareness of Awareness

The Open Way

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Poetry

From Beyond The Separate Self

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Poetry

From Being A Light Unto The Self

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Humanity Our Place in the Universe

The Central Beliefs of the Worlds Religions

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Poetry From Awakening and Beyond

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poetry From Awareness of Awareness

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All of these titles are available as: e-books and in hard copy at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/ColinDrake

Table of Contents

Introduction

This book is the follow up to Beyond The Separate Self and A Light Unto Your Self. All of these books deal with self-identity, Who am I?; which is vital, for without a clear idea of ones essential identity one cannot relate to the world, and others, in an appropriate way. To give a stark example: we have all heard of people who are incarcerated because they believe they are Jesus Christ, or Napoleon Bonaparte say, and it is fairly apparent that any relationship to such a person will be somewhat unusual to say the least! In the same way whilst we believe that we are separate objects, in a universe of separate objects, then we will naturally treat ourselves and others as objects, which I think we can see to be an unsatisfactory arrangement. For this tends to lead to blatant self-interest and exploitation of our fellow beings, the outcome of which is apparent in the modern world.

So the quest is to inquire and discover that which is beyond objectification, the deeper level that is the perceiver, the subjective level in which objects (thoughts and sensations) come and go. This is easily achieved by directly investigating our moment to moment experience, and the previous books provided a simple framework in which this investigation may be easily carried out, see appendix 1. Beyond The Separate Self also included a series of contemplations delving more deeply into what is discovered, and chapters on how to live from this deeper subjective level. A light Unto Your Self continues this whilst concentrating on the need to discover for oneself so that no outside authority is necessary. It also provides a series of contemplations on how to cultivate the first awakening which is the outcome of the initial investigation, and on how to apply this awakening to our day to day existence.

This book continues this theme whilst providing pointers as to what can be expected when one is awake and some of the outcomes of awakening. It also stresses the need for continued cultivation of this, for we have all lived for so long misidentifying as a separate being that we readily nod off again requiring another awakening. The author knows this only too well and makes no claim to lack of sleep! However, when one is awake one is awake so that anything that is discovered, or encountered, in this awakened condition is a valid topic in the smorgasbord that is Awakening and Beyond. For more on this see chapter six: Are there Different Degrees of Awakening?

Much of the information in the following articles relies on the discovery that our body/minds are instruments through which Consciousness can sense, contemplate, experience, act in, engage with and enjoy Its manifestation. The chapter from A Light Unto Your Self , which deals with this, has been included as appendix 2 and it would be advisable to read the appendices first.

Chapter one considers the concept that staying awake is like walking along a razors edge as has been defined in The Upanishads and was the topic of a famous novel by Somerset Maugham . Or as Jesus is purported to say: Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7 v.10) The thrust of this chapter is that awakening is actually remarkably simple, see appendix 1 (Investigation of Experience) which outlines the framework for investigating ones moment to moment experience. It also highlights how easy it is to fall asleep again and in this respect staying awake could be said to be like walking a razors edge. Luckily however, re-awakening is even easier than the first awakening and so nodding off is not a problem provided one continually wakes up again

Chapter two considers the looming global environmental catastrophe and posits that humanity can only overcome this by solving the problems of overpopulation and the unsustainable exploitation of the earths mineral resources . These are caused by those old chestnuts - lust and greed - and this chapter considers how these may be reduced by awakening to our true identity.

Chapter three is concerned with debunking the myth that we need to achieve union (yoga) or integration with the Absolute, for when the subject is examined there is no separation to be found, and thus no union or integration is possible.

Chapter four deals with giving up our personal story of a separate being (object) and seeing this as it actually is just a story.

Chapter five is the answer to a question I received, the gist of which is: If I identify with Awareness why would I want to do anything? The answer concerns the function of conscious beings and the purpose of life itself. This was the first article in a set of four I wrote for the spiritual blog of Hanumandass.

Chapter six is the second of these which deals with the questions of whether there are different degrees of awakening, and whether awakening is gradual or sudden.

Chapter seven is the third in the series and is my answer to the question: Is practice necessary? The article deals with this on three levels body, mind and awakening.

Chapter eight is the last in this series which deals with the problem of identifying oneself as seeker, or practitioner . It also highlights the essential meaningless of labels that attempt to categorize human beings, and deals with the pitfalls of reading meaning into things that have no meaning.

Chapter nine is a dialogue between myself and Hanumandass which resulted from my answering his blogged question: how to apply nondual Awareness to the external world? The gist of my answer was that one does not (need to) apply this in the normal way, for once one awakens then this changes ones relations with, and interaction in, the external world for the better. To back this up I sent him a poem on the subject - Awakening is Immensely Practical which had a profound effect.

Chapter ten is an attempt at a logical proof of the assertion that I am Awareness. It gives a set of premises to back this up and also presents the proof in the Aristotelian format premise one, premise two, conclusion.