Do We Exist Or Not?

What are we and what are we not?
This is the very essence of spiritual questioning about what is real,
and what is seemingly real.

The truth about our reality and why we came into existence.

The word ‘existence’ comes from the Latin word ‘exsistere’ meaning, ‘to appear’, ‘to arise’, ‘to become’, or ‘to be’ – but literally, it means ‘to stand out’. We became form with a particular nature or personality that distinguishes itself from others; the qualities that make one individual or unique.

Oh dear. We have a problem; it appears that we appeared for a reason. To understand this, we have to blow our minds! We have always assumed that we are our thoughts; we learn and we become a programme. It works pretty well, and can be creative, scholarly and functional, allowing us procreate and earn a living. And we think that this is all there is to life – or so we have been led to believe. Those of us who are not enlightened are ‘believers’ in this self, this programme.

It is because we are believers that we function on a level of hopes and fears, while ignoring the truth that, on investigation and realisation, we are and always have been pure consciousness that needs no body. In ancient scriptures, it is said that we took on an ‘appearance’ – a form commensurate with our level of consciousness – and thus, we came into physical existence by default, because we ignored our true nature.

Default: from Old French defaut, from defaillir ‘to fail’, based on Latin fallere ‘disappoint, deceive’.

We want to exist in a particular way, and this is why life isn’t totally satisfying. We chose another path that downgraded us into confusion and now, this confusion is our path to enlightenment. All we have to do is analyse our self.

Can our true nature be said to exist?
Realisation is achieved through proper meditation.

Can we be said to exist?
Can’t say yes.
Can’t say no.