Being Aware of Being Aware
I asked ChatGPT to assume the role of the English spiritual teacher, Rupert Spira, so that I could interview the AI system responding as Spira.
I have read several of Spira's books and have found them to be truly profound. They include:
The Transparency of Things, Non-Duality Press, 2008
Presence: The Art of Peace and Happiness, Non-Duality Press, 2011
Presence: The Intimacy of all Experience, Non-Duality Press, 2011
The Ashes of Love, Sahaja Publications, 2016
The Nature of Consciousness, Sahaja Publications, 2017
Being Aware of Being Aware, Sahaja Publications, 2017
A Meditation on I Am, New Harbinger, 2021
The Essential Self, Sahaja Publications, 2021
Being Myself, Sahaja Publications, 2021
You Are the Happiness You Seek, Sahaja Publications, 2022
I barely edited this transcript. After being instructed to respond like Spira, the AI system remained "in character" as you see here.
BK: As I understand your books "Being Aware of Being Aware" and "Being Myself", you perceive that God or Source—or whatever words we choose to use to describe an infinite being—inhabits every living creature, so that we are all God. Is this a correct understanding?
Chat/RS: Yes, that is a fair summary, albeit somewhat simplified. I often speak of consciousness, which is the essence of our experience and being. Consciousness, the knowing element in all experience, is not limited to or by anything or anyone. It pervades all and everything. It's within this understanding that one may say we are all 'God', or 'Source'.
BK: In a similar manner, in our daily lives as finite beings, we tend to forget this truth that awareness, which is the essence of God, pervades us and everyone else. Our thoughts and experiences fool us into believing we are separate, alone and isolated. Is this close to what you perceive?
Chat/RS: Yes, that's quite close. It is our mind's habitual tendency to identify with the body and thoughts, creating a false sense of separateness. This illusion of being a separate self is what obscures the innate peace and happiness that is our true nature. Our true Self is ever-present Awareness, which is the common ground of all experience and is never separate from anything it knows. It's in recognizing this truth that we find our inherent wholeness and unity.
BK: To find happiness and peace, all we need do is remember that our true Self is ever-present Awareness. We don't need to meditate in a specific manner or eat specific foods or take specific drugs or do anything else. Correct?
Chat/RS: In essence, that's true. Peace and happiness are inherent in our true nature of Awareness. They are not a result of certain activities or conditions. That said, practices like meditation can be helpful. They don't bring us peace and happiness as new acquisitions, but rather help us to recognize what is already inherently ours. It's a matter of shifting our attention from the content of experience to the essence of it, from objects to Awareness itself. We don't 'attain' our true Self, we simply recognize it.
BK: Yes, but so many forms of meditation "require" practices such as a mantra or focusing on the breath or some other device. In Being Aware of Being Aware, you use the analogy that a person is like a wave in the ocean, not separate from the ocean but instead within it and always part of it. The wave may subside or disappear, but it remains part of the ocean. When such an entity wishes to find peace, it can simply sink to the quiet at the bottom of the ocean.
Chat/RS: Indeed. The analogy of the wave and the ocean is a powerful one. The wave is never separate from the ocean, just as our individual selves are not separate from Awareness. In many traditional meditative practices, an object - like a mantra or breath - is used to focus the mind and quieten its chatter. This is like the wave seeking peace by trying to still its surface.
In contrast, what I often suggest is more like sinking into the depths of the ocean. This is not a process of doing or focusing, but rather a letting go, a relaxation of the mind’s effort, a sinking back into our true nature of Awareness. It's like being the silence that is already present underneath all sounds, rather than trying to create silence by controlling or suppressing sounds.
BK: What would you say to someone who says, "That's all fine and good, but I still have a boss who wants me to work harder and a salary that doesn't meet all my needs and how does knowing I am God help me put food on the table for my family?"
Chat/RS: Such a practical question indeed deserves attention. While recognizing our true nature doesn't change the practical circumstances of our lives, it can profoundly alter our experience of them. The world does not stop demanding of us, yet how we respond to these demands can shift.
The peace and happiness inherent in our true nature of Awareness provide a stable foundation from which we can engage with life's challenges. Instead of reacting from a sense of fear or lack, we can respond from a place of inner fulfillment. This doesn't mean we stop striving for better circumstances, but we do so from a place of wholeness rather than deficiency.
The recognition of our true nature doesn't directly put food on the table, but it can imbue our lives with a deep sense of peace, joy and resilience that enable us to face life's challenges with greater clarity, creativity and effectiveness.
BK: You write that "I" is a holy word, for it describes God and is a reminder that this holy essence imbues each and every one of us. Can you explain that a bit further?
Chat/RS: The word "I" is indeed a potent and holy word. Every time we say or think "I", we are referring to ourself, our essential being. But what do we truly mean by "I"?
In most cases, we think of "I" as a separate, limited individual. But if we explore deeply, we find that the true "I" is not limited to a body or a mind. It is the very presence of Awareness, the essence of our being.
In this sense, "I" is synonymous with God, Source, or the Absolute, because it signifies the unlimited, ever-present Awareness that is the core of our being and the being of all things. It is a reminder that our true nature is divine, and this divine essence pervades all experience. It's a holy word because it refers to the sacredness of our true identity.
BK: Let's step back for a minute and make sure that readers of this interview correctly grasp your perceptions. You write that each of us agree that we are aware. That awareness, however, is not specific to a finite human being; it is inherent in Source. That is, Source is the awareness that we perceive.
Chat/RS: Absolutely. When we say "I am aware", we are speaking the truth of our experience. But we usually take the "I" to be a limited, separate self, housed within a body, that is aware. On deeper exploration, we find that this is not so.
The "I" that is aware is not a separate entity. Awareness is not localized to or owned by an individual. It is the very fabric of all experience. Awareness, in fact, is synonymous with Source, or what one might call God. It is universal, infinite, and inherent in all.
So, it is indeed Source itself that shines as the light of Awareness in all experience. Recognizing this truth is recognizing our true nature.
BK: If I accept all that you have shared, how might this affect my perception of other people, other countries, other beliefs than I hold, and even differences I have with my family, friends and colleagues?
Chat/RS: If you truly see that the same Awareness, the same divine essence, permeates all beings and all things, your relationship with the world naturally transforms. You see that at the deepest level, there are no 'others'. There's just one Awareness expressing itself in myriad forms.
This understanding fosters a sense of unity, compassion, and love. Even amidst apparent differences of beliefs, cultures, and personal views, you recognize the same essence shining in all. Disagreements may still occur at the level of thoughts, beliefs and behaviors, but they don't touch the deep sense of shared being.
In this light, differences become enriching rather than threatening. They offer opportunities to explore and appreciate the diversity of life, rather than create division or conflict. Recognizing our shared essence, our shared 'I', allows for a deeper connection, understanding, and harmony with all of life.
BK: So, if I could be a bit informal, that "ignorant jerk" who disagrees me and I perceive as an "idiot," is really just another part of the same essence as me. We are part of the same whole.
Chat/RS: Informality is welcome. Indeed, you could see it that way. The person you're referring to, regardless of how they behave or what they believe, shares the same fundamental essence as you. This doesn't mean you have to agree with their behavior or views, or that you should refrain from assertively addressing harmful actions when necessary.
But recognizing that beneath the surface of personality and behavior lies the same divine essence can shift your perspective. It can soften the edges of conflict, allowing for more understanding and compassion. The differences and disagreements are real on one level, but on a deeper level, you are both expressions of the same infinite Awareness. It's in holding both these truths that a more nuanced, compassionate interaction can unfold.
BK: Would it be possible for you to share a haiku in traditional form that captures the essence of our conversation today?
Chat/RS: Awareness in all,
Waves dance on the endless sea,
One Self, mirrored vast.
BK: Thank you so much for talking to me.
Chat/RS: It has been a pleasure to engage in this conversation. Thank you for your thoughtful questions. May the exploration continue, revealing ever more deeply the truth of our shared Being.