The Sharing

There is an end to suffering. There is an end to seeking. Freedom is here now.

Freedom is ever present as one’s own true nature. It cannot be found without; it exists within. It does not need to be practiced or attained; it’s what we naturally are. The recognition of this true nature is simple, accessible and immediate. Through direct investigation, one immediately encounters the ever-present peace of the self. The ordinariness of it is what causes us to overlook it. However, what we are is here now.

The Unfoldment

As with many seekers, I experienced a lot of suffering which led to looking for some relief or healing to alleviate the suffering. Self recognition began to spontaneously occur. It was not understood that what was being experienced was one’s own ever-present nature. It was assumed to be something external that needed to be obtained, so the seeking machine got engaged full force.

Eventually, The Power of Now appeared (quite literally on my doorstep). The teaching helped to clarify and stabilize the recognition of self, and to identify the nature of suffering. It became clear that suffering was all in the mind and that the awareness of the suffering was unchanging and ever present – the very presence of peace itself.

However, after a period of time it became clear that the sense of the doer was reinforced through spiritual practices. I abandoned all spiritual teachings, recognizing that any external search would only lead to more time and continue to reinforce the seeker.

One day, Ramana’s self inquiry spontaneously arose and the thinker was seen to be non-existent. There was simply nothing there – no entity, no self, nothing. What remained was the ever-present awareness.

This ever present awareness was finally understood to be what I am. Through the grace of Pamela Wilson, the nature of all of the appearances was seen to be THAT also. The natural state was relaxed into and seeking came to rest.

Occasionally, residual suffering would arise, associated with a long-term illness. Upon deeper investigation it became clear that some remaining sense of “I” was hidden in the condition; this illness was happening to “me”. I came across John Wheeler's teaching as this inquiry was ongoing. His clear explanation of the cause of suffering made the investigation effortless.

Suffering truly comes to an end in the light of the clear, open awareness that is ever present.

 

Freedom is ever present as one’s own true nature. It cannot be found without; it exists within. It does not need to be practiced or attained; it’s what we naturally are. The recognition of this true nature is simple, accessible and immediate. Through direct investigation, one immediately encounters the ever-present peace of the self. The ordinariness of it is what causes us to overlook it. However, what we are is here now.