What Is Self, And What Is Selflessness?

A bird sings.
Who – or rather, what – hears it?
Me!
What’s me?

We make a very simple mistake
which reveals how simple truth actually is.

Sound is first heard through the ears. The ears are only active due to consciousness being present. In that first instant of hearing is pure consciousness. There is no self identity and no relating.

We may assume (wrongly) that, because there is hearing present, a self is present; in actuality, it is just consciousness that is present. Self comes along a moment afterwards, because consciousness becomes ‘interested’ in the situation. Self is a relating mechanism that created and maintains a ‘me’ and my ideas, holding on to perceptions in its own way and building a persona.

Selflessness is the first instant of pure awareness, where there is just empty acknowledgement, without relating.

Clinging to a self creates an I = ego. From a profound point of view, this becomes our pattern of mundane behaviour.

“So you’re calling me mundane?” Yes 😀 – mundane, neurotic and paranoid. Now look at the reaction to that statement.

When any of the senses are in operation, pure consciousness is present and, if left alone, takes care of everything that we need to maintain unadulterated awareness – unconditional happiness.

This is the non-dual reality spoken about in ancient teachings. No belief is required as it’s simple science. Non-duality can only be experienced, rather than read about. Non-duality is selflessness.

If self continues to relate to everything and maintain that relating, we become imprisoned by ideas. Pure consciousness is – and always has been – free, without holding on.

It’s astounding how simple it is …
and how we continually look elsewhere.