On a weekend retreat some years ago, was introduced to the technique of inquiry.
The instruction was to look into our nature by using the question
” What am I ? ”
We were also given the “answer” to the question.
The “answer” was supposed to be ” I am the potential for awareness.”
So, that was that.
Got it. [wink]
Had the answer.
Done.
Moving right along!
If anyone asks, I’ll know what to say.
(No one ever asked.)
It would be years before I returned to the practice of inquiry.
* * * * * * * *
The inquiry phrase more closely resembles a koan than a conventional question.
Getting an “answer” to the question initially leads to a conceptual dead end.
Open-ended inquiry practice helps to chisel out of the conceptual prison cell built by mind.
In open-ended inquiry practice,
the inquiry phrase acts as a focusing tool for attention,
dragging it away from familiar conceptual resting places,
toward freedom.
The question must remain open until seeing the Truth happens, spontaneously;
until there is nothing left.
A paradox comes with the open-ended question.
The end of this path, dissolution, is characterized by a decline in desires.
Yet, how it looked from here, the engine of practice ran on the fuel of enthusiasm/desire !
Determination and exasperation poured on in great abundance.
How could this be ?
Emotional energy propelled inquiry ?
Desire
to end desire
drove the imagined desirer
closer to its death
every day.
That’s exactly what it looked and felt like.
Until it was done.
* * * * * * * *
Let it happen.
Let it all burn up.
There’s nothing to lose,
except “your” life.
**************************************************************************
Thanks to these websites for the photos:
The dead end sign came from here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_dead_end.jpg
The steam engine came from here: http://www.carrtracks.com/sou4501e.htm
The swan dive comes from here: http://northshoresunsports.blogspot.com/2008/12/plunge-into-warm-hawaiian-waters.html
To further explore inquiry, please see Nirmala’s blog here: http://endless-satsang.com/life-as-question.htm
Or listen to Adyashanti here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCrWn_NueUg
Or Nisargadatta here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW1QUhc9rA0
An open ended question being much more powerful than one with a right answer!
So much more powerful that it can help propel one to awakening. Thanks for commenting and reading.-d
yay! lovely post 🙂
Thank you Christine ! 😉
Dead End! So true! This is a strange answer to a question that should stay unanswered until one awakens to the answer similar to a Koan.