The word “concept,” according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as “something conceived in the mind: thought, notion.” This is a great example of the often overlooked subtlety of the conceptual framework of the mind. It is indeed, as the definition states, “the mind” rather than “your mind” or “my mind.”
With this concept “in mind” (pardon the pun), the question of locality inevitably arises due to the fact that the use of the word “the” implies that not only is the mind an object existing in space, but that there must be a subject observing it. Therefore, it would make most sense that it must be “I” (the subject) who is observing the mind (the object). This therefore is no different from my observation that I am observing “the tree” outside my window or “the laptop” on which I am typing. This subject-object relationship is what defines what we refer to as duality, the so-called reality in which we appear to exist. The reality that consists of things to experience in one form or another. The reality which brings forth not just immense beauty and intense pleasure, but challenges, struggles, barriers, trauma and pain.
The notion of simply observing the mind rather than possessing it is difficult to comprehend because it is not only hard to envision the mind as an external object being observed, but to understand the nature of that which would be observing it if this were the case; the mind-less “I” in the “I am” the one observing the mind.
Many are conditioned to believe that the mind is performing certain physiological functions as you experience life, synonymous with the brain. And while this is not entirely inaccurate, it is also not entirely accurate. What is required therefore is to reconcile this paradox. This starts with understanding what it truly is to be the “I” in “I am.”
Life and Death; Kinetic and Potential Energy
Throughout history, across the globe, great spiritual seekers, gurus, and philosophers alike have pondered the paradoxical nature of “I am” in the form of the question, “Who Am I?”. It has been a focus of many meditations, many teachings, and many books. This highlights its magnitude for those seeking “enlightenment.” Many of these individuals arrived at one consistent conclusion; I am consciousness. I am that which exists absent of the ego “bolt-ons” that are simply the result of my own conditioning or, according to the definition, “the process by which I have been trained to behave in a certain way or to accept certain circumstances.”
I am that which is prior to my gender role (man), my professional role (advisor, consultant, investor), my family role (both father and son). After all, at any point in time, I can change my gender role, my profession or my decision to participate in my family as a father or as a son. I can choose any point in time to overhaul my story, create a new identity, but I can never cease to exist. And if the thought arises that death is equivalent to not existing, I would point you to one of the most fundamental principles of the universe, the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only converted. Potential energy (the energy which can animate us at a later point) will convert to kinetic energy (energy of motion) and vice versa. This resulting movement associated with the conversion to potential energy from the kinetic life we lead is a foundational component in conceptualizing your true state of being; one that can only be experienced however..
It is certainly not easy to contemplate what one would be if free from a concrete identity; free from the story you have created for yourself as an individual among other individuals. But with the idea that the “I,” consciousness (the subject) is observing the mind (the object) then we now arrive at the entry point to contemplate the complexity of these intimately linked concepts. And that is all they can be for the purpose of this dialogue, concepts.
And like all concepts, they will be limited by your conditioning; what you already know, what you feel about what you’ve read so far (i.e. how does this compare to what you’ve already read, been taught, intuitively understand etc.) or perhaps (hopefully) how intrigued you are to consider something never before considered. All of the concepts since birth stacked on top of each other will either be further solidified or modified by my words. So, take a moment to consider that; consider that what you know, your “knowledge” is nothing more than an ever-changing series of concepts brought about through experience, observation or education. Now try to wipe the slate clean and proceed with what is called a “beginner’s mind,” a Zen Buddhist term used to define “having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.”
Not This, Not That
One of the best ways to work within the limitations of conceptualizing the nature of consciousness is to consider the Sanskrit term, “Neti Neti,” which can be interpreted to mean “not this, not that.” This term arose in certain spiritual circles as a means to conceptualize the nature of consciousness for the many people that sought to understand it. Essentially, what it sought to convey was that to contemplate the nature of consciousness, you could only discuss it as being the opposite of that which we experience now in duality. Consciousness is without time & space, it is non-dualistic, formless, has no life and death cycle, no ego or conditioning-derived story of itself. It is beyond all concepts, which implies it can, again, only be known through experience. This is what people often refer to as achieving “enlightenment,” the experience of consciousness as the subject.
No doubt this concept is certainly a head-scratcher. How does one understand this state of being if it cannot be understood and only experienced? The answer is, like so many enlightened beings that have come before us and shared their wisdom, is to find a means to “navigate” the object, the mind, and gain a perspective on it. This is where the incredible power of psychedelics (mind-manifestors) often come into play, but this is by no means the only way because the mind does not have to be outside of our grasp when not in a state of non-ordinary consciousness if we recall the importance of a beginner’s mind.
In the next blog, we will explore the mind further.
