Oakville Zen Meditation
Who am I? True Self, Little Self, and Awakening
What is the True Self?
This is the state of being. It is found in consciousness or awareness's still, silent, and alert presence. Consciousness is incarnated in each of us for the purpose not only of being a functional human—see below the little self—but also of understanding and experiencing the genuine Reality of Life and its interconnectedness to all things.
We still need a proper definition and understanding of what consciousness is. It is probably beyond our comprehension.
So, what is the little self?
It is a crucial part of all of us such as the societal role we play, the functions we fulfill, whatever we do, we think. The little self is, you, me, mother, father, spouse, child, elder, worker, etc….
The little self is what Zen calls: the form as opposed to the True Self which is formless.
What are their differences?
They are not separated, nor opposed, but interwoven, and interdependent.
Maybe, the difference is the fact that the little self is prone to be trapped in mind-made often ego-driven fictional daydreams causing discontentment and suffering from ongoing desire. hatred, attachment, ignorance, illusion, and delusion.
Being in a daydreaming state prevents access to Awakening which is being able to differentiate the genuine reality of Life from the mind-made fictional world.
What do I have to do to achieve Awakening?
Being Awakened exists already in all of us. No divine intervention, no books are required, just a little guidance from a genuine teacher.
The key practices to digging up Awakening ( also called Enlightenment or Satori in Japanese), and moving out from our mind-made fictional world as often as possible are the following:
1-Meditation
Through focused attention on breathing to anchor our mind, and with sustained practice, meditation
1- helps quiet, tame then control the mind, 2- dissolves the grasp of the ego, and
3- enhance our understanding of the true nature of the self and the world.
Without diligent meditation practice, Awakening cannot be revealed.
2-Practicing mindfulness:
Paying attention in a nonjudgmental way to the current moment, to our body through sensations, what it is doing, to our thoughts, feelings, and ego at work.
This intense awareness can dissolve the illusions of our fictional daydreaming, and provide a clearer view of the true nature of reality, and ourselves. Mindfulness goes hand-in-hand with meditation.
3-Letting go of the ego-self:
It involves recognizing the illusory, deceptive nature of the ego and cultivating a sense of detachment from it. Since the ego is the main source of our discontentment and suffering, letting go of our attachment to our ego helps us to control the main causes of suffering better, such as attachment, desire, hatred, ignorance, illusion, and delusion. There is no Awakening with a strong ego.
4- Interconnectedness:
By recognizing the interdependence and interconnectedness of all things, we can transcend the dualistic thinking that creates separation and division and realize that each of us is not an independent, separate, self-entity. This sense of interconnectedness leads to a deep sense of peace, compassion, empathy, and understanding, which are central to the experience of the Awakening
5) Finally: being familiar with the Dharma ( teaching ), especially the 4 Noble Truths is expected.
