Do you believe it is possible to experience a state of pure awareness?

[FunctionalAtheist]

No wonder you're confused...! I enter the void regularly, and I can't sort this out. Why don't you back up a bit - what's the source of your confusion?

My confusion is what exactly is the OP asking? You imply the void, which I've looked up. Do I understand you are talking about a mental state in which the mind is confined to nothing but the mind itself? I.e. complete awareness of nothing, other than being aware? If so, does the preclude awareness of the self, which would be something in addition to awareness?

 

[Storm]

I did not use isolation as a description..where do you see that? I'd agree with you about communion.

In the op. Which is why I suggested one of us misread it. No clue as to which, and perhaps neither.

At any rate, my practice includes both. Does yours as well?

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I'm simply asking if it is possible to experience of state of consciousness in which awareness is aware of ONLY itself.

I don't think so. It's like trying to see yourself in a mirror without the mirror.

 

[Storm]

Why is the experience of nothing intense?

Nothing but oneself. Including the parts we would prefer didn't belong to us, while stripped of the ability to deny that they do.

 

[FunctionalAtheist]

Yes. You got it.

In that case I'll try to work through the thought with very old experiences as my background. I found it difficult, though not impossible, to achieve a state of consciousness void of all externals. This state was not possible to maintain more than 5 or 10 minutes. I don't believe i ever achieved a state where I was no longer aware of the distinction between the self and the emptiness. Yet there are two states that followed. First, a state of almost unconsciousness where the awareness itself seemed to become something more primal. So while the nothing and the self no longer seemed to be separate, there really didn't seem to awareness, so much as sensation, though I was in some sense aware. Makes no sense I guess after writing it. Second, is the state in which the self, and all reality, flood back into the emptiness, like air flooding into an opened vacuum. Here the self and the sum of reality become inseparable, and at the same time you are beside yourself. This is literally ecstasy, or standing beside one's self.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

If so, does the preclude awareness of the self, which would be something in addition to awareness?

We usually experience "self" as an awareness of our mental activity, ie awareness of thoughts, feelings, moods and so on. It's possible for that activity to entirely subside for periods of time, in which case there is just awareness of the mind, the "container" of mental activity - analogous to empty space.

 

[Storm]

My confusion is what exactly is the OP asking? You imply the void, which I've looked up. Do I understand you are talking about a mental state in which the mind is confined to nothing but the mind itself?

Yes, but awareness is... a function of the mind, not the totality, yes? Others are memory and raw emotion and pure conception and moral awareness and countless others. Whereas the mind is the synergistic whole.

Does that help?

If so, does the preclude awareness of the self, which would be something in addition to awareness?

Perhaps I did misread. Personal variations in vague words......

 

[FunctionalAtheist]

Yes, but awareness is... a function of the mind, not the totality, yes? Others are memory and raw emotion and pure conception and moral awareness and countless others. Whereas the mind is the synergistic whole.

Does that help?

Yes, thanks.

Perhaps I did misread. Personal variations in vague words......

Just more clarification. thanks again.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Yes, but awareness is... a function of the mind, not the totality, yes?

In Buddhism we use a 6-fold classification of consciousness, one for each of the 5 senses and one for mind. So there is eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness through to mind-consciousness as the 6th.
Mind-consciousness is the aspect of consciousness which is internally directed and aware of mind objects like thoughts and feelings - you could call it self-awareness. It's the primary aspect of consciousness in meditative states, when the external senses tend to recede.
It's just one model, but I find it works quite well in understanding the way we experience things.

 

[Gambit]

I don't believe i ever achieved a state where I was no longer aware of the distinction between the self and the emptiness. Yet there are two states that followed. First, a state of almost unconsciousness where the awareness itself seemed to become something more primal. So while the nothing and the self no longer seemed to be separate, there really didn't seem to awareness, so much as sensation, though I was in some sense aware. Makes no sense I guess after writing it.

Awareness, self, emptiness, unconsciousness? Perhaps it makes no sense because it is a non-sensory experience.

Second, is the state in which the self, and all reality, flood back into the emptiness, like air flooding into an opened vacuum. Here the self and the sum of reality become inseparable, and at the same time you are beside yourself. This is literally ecstasy, or standing beside one's self.

What exactly do you mean by the "sum of reality?"

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I have experienced awareness without a body, but I have never experienced awareness without anything else. But it is how I imagine the afterlife to be, existing as a soul, pure purity.

I love your question, let me know if you find anything out.

 

[FunctionalAtheist]

Awareness, self, emptiness, unconsciousness? Perhaps it makes no sense because it is a non-sensory experience.



What exactly do you mean by the "sum of reality?"

Everything in existence. I experienced every human, star, galaxy, etc.,

 

[Valjean]

Why is the experience of nothing intense?

It's more like an experience of "no thing," an overwhelming unity, an awareness only of the awareness itself.

 

[Gambit]

I have experienced awareness without a body, but I have never experienced awareness without anything else. But it is how I imagine the afterlife to be, existing as a soul, pure purity.

That sounds like an OBE (out-of-body experience). I'm talking about "turiya" and/or "alaya-vijnana."

 

[Gambit]

It's more like an experience of "no thing," an overwhelming unity, an awareness only of the awareness itself.

Have you personally experienced this?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Why not try it and see?

Best way to find out. :0)

 

[Gambit]

Everything in existence. I experienced every human, star, galaxy, etc.,

That's a pretty extraordinary claim. Because it would imply nothing short of "God-consciousness." (Only God can experience all experiences.)

 

[Twilight Hue]

That's why the question I am asking is a profound one.

It is. But superficial in means of describing of what's considered to be a state of pure awareness, by which it's dependency becomes the only requirement by which to answer such a question.

 

[FunctionalAtheist]

That's a pretty extraordinary claim. Because it would imply nothing short of "God-consciousness." (Only God can experience all experiences.)

Indeed. At the time my interpretation was that I was being held by the hand of god and shown all of this.

I do not believe I experienced all of reality, only that I experienced the experience of all reality. I believe my experience spanned every neuron and synapse I have.

 

[Twilight Hue]

That's a pretty extraordinary claim. Because it would imply nothing short of "God-consciousness." (Only God can experience all experiences.)

That was actually a common observation by which we experience the entirety or sum of the universe which produces what we are experiencing "as it is".

It answers the op nicely provided we don't miss and obscure the present clarity by overkill.