End of the Search

We may acquire concepts and techniques to work on negative emotions and imagination, to still the mind. To try to be present is the spiritual fashion of the century. Those techniques and efforts must all have effects on a relative level: experiences change and new ones arise and subside. But the fundamental search for peace and absolute understanding about our being/existence remains as that search does not end as the result of the use of those concepts and efforts. The fact remains that while efforts are made without the fundamental knowledge of 'who' or what power is making the efforts the search for freedom is perpetuated ad infinitum — more teaching is required, new techniques, more knowledge, more experience; perhaps another teacher or another lifetime will do the trick.

The absolute end of the search does not depend directly on spiritual work. This is so because all spiritual work including the feeling of its need pertain to the realm of experience and concepts; to the realm of relativity. How can the absolute resolution of our spiritual search and endeavors be found in the relative and everchanging world of experience? All we can say for sure in relation to spiritual work is that it happens. And that there are effects that appear and disappear. We can never assert that it creates an absolute and permanent effect. It simply is not possible — the very nature of creation, is impermanence. The permanent lies in another realm altogether.

The knowledge/cosnciousness of our being is ever present. It is not part of or result of creation. It has no location, no time, no beginning or end, no limit, no center or self to radiate from. It has always been present throughout our life but was overlooked while the imaginary was ascribed an absolute value it does not have.

When the knowledge/cosnciousness of our being is recognized in absolute and undeniable terms spiritual work with the aim to 'my' freedom ceases and a particular kind of imagination is eradicated. With the belief in the separate self eradicated truth remains and shines on and through all perception and conceptualizing, allowing these not to be taken as the only reality — allowing the imaginary not to be taken as truth. Thus our true self is revealed in its absolute needlessness. . .

Existence, our being, the consciousness of our being is not a concept. It is the consciousness/existence itself and the concurrent knowing of this as our identity. This is not a passing experience that can be defined or described. It is the ever-present background to all experience. Experience has relative value and has nothing to do, in causal terms, with knowing the self and the peace that comes with abiding as this knowingness.

The peace of self-knowledge arises concurrently with the ceasing of the striving to save or liberate something that does not really exist: the imaginary self we refer to during our daily endeavors. Until our spiritual teachers point clearly at what we truly are and reveal clearly what we are not; until the question 'who am I?' is answered in our hearts; until grace manifests as the seeing through of that imaginary self there will not be peace and imagination will be running the show. . . - Felipe Oliviera