Dear Ramji,
Just a minor confusion…
Toward the end of his life Ram Dass kept saying that we are all Loving Awareness. He had speech aphasia after his stroke 10 years ago so he kept it concise.
However, I am wondering if that isn’t quite right. If the Self is a non-doer how can one say I am “Loving” Awareness. Wouldn’t that imply doing? “I am awareness” seems more accurate to me. Where does love come into it?
Love, M…..
It’s actually a major point. No, love is the point. Existence/Awareness is parama prema svarupa, meaning “of the nature of non-dual love.” It’s the reason everyone is seeking in the first place. When the firm knowledge “I am Existence shining as Awareness” is firmly established in a pure mind the person experiences his or herself as unconditional love and remains in a state of perfect satisfaction with reference to his or her self and the world. In other words the person lives free of the body/mind/intellect entity and the world.
But yes, the words loving Awareness do imply doing without the benefit of Vedanta. Ram Dass didn’t have the benefit of the complete teaching of a mahatma from the Vedanta sampradaya. He realized the truth, but he only taught it indirectly.
Love,
Ramji
