Essence of Advaita

[DSingerny]

In a message dated 97-12-28 17:19:06 EST, you write:

<< If, being the Absolute, I can^Òt
 change, then why bother at all to speak about enlightenment? Who would be
 enlightened? Why seeking for truth? Who would find it? Why speaking about
 anything at all? Why on earth am I writing this post?
  >>
I am touched by your earnestess.The processes of consciousness  i.e. seeking,
speaking. writing, are as natural as taking a shower or making a cup of
coffee. The activities of the mind and the activities of life are only
different densities of this dream. My experience tells me that the deeper
taste of this life is  a shifting of the "attention",  a function distinct
from ideas, notions, hopes, and aspirations. Some discover this shift through
classical study, others through meeting someone who can
be a "pointer" for them, other's spontaneously without either, and all shades
of experience in between. Here's a tip from my the archives of my own journey:
When I leave my apartment, and open the door to the outside, the sun might be
very bright (for example) and the heat very strong. Meeting it there is a pure
experience of sensation. There is a spontaneous stopping of thought, but then,
"thought" or "concept" would enter and  internally say "Gee, it's hot!" or "I
forgot my sunglasses".  So there is this momentary window in consciousness, a
space or a gap between the actual experience of meeting the phenomenon and
then, the "thinking ABOUT the phenomenon".  Abiding in this gap is one way
that I just allow the condition of "be quiet" to arise. It is different from
the play of ideas or notions.  How do I know this experience is in the right
direction? Only by the taste and honest valuation.  I don't want to just think
about the Absolute.(I don't for a minute, by the way, believe that you do
either...I am speaking of myself here only), but wish to use the "attention"
consigned to this body-mind toward freedom and away from enslavement to the
conceptualisation process that appears to make us feel seperated from a
greater
totality of life.   Don't know if this is helpful.   Very Best, Daniel