Lesson 15 – Neti Neti with Emotions
When you see very clearly that you exist independent of the things that appear and disappear in your life—not separate from them, but independent from them—then your identity shifts from things to Being. When this happens, usually through the direct recognition of Existence itself, you inherit all the benefits inherent in Beingness-Existence. Bentinho Massaro
In this lesson, you will apply the Neti Neti Meditation to your passing emotions. If you find it helpful, consult the list you created in Lesson 13’s preparation phase.
Now, go and have fun exploring your freedom from your own emotions! You can deeply enjoy the eternal peace that comes over you when you realize the truth that you are not your emotions—not even those you feel most closely identified with.
Neti Neti Meditation (Stage 3) – “I Am Not My Emotions”
Stages 2 and 3 of this in-depth Neti Neti Meditation are extremely well suited for—and highly potent when used in—every day encounters with other-selves; in relationship. I highly recommend using this practice whenever stressful thoughts and emotions arise in relationship to your world and other-selves, whether that other-self is your annoying spouse, your disrespectful neighbor, an unfriendly stranger in the streets, or that disastrous politician you see on television.
Now that you’ve seen clearly that you are not your circumstances nor your thoughts, imagine—or simply observe—the emotions that most often occur in your present-day reality experience.
Look at each emotion that comes up for you, especially the stressful ones, for these are the ones you have misunderstood and mis-identified with. Consult the list you made in the preparation step, if you need to.
Stress or discomfort in the body is a signal—a guidance-mechanism that can be used very effectively to come to much greater understanding of yourself, and empower your consciousness into greater bliss, expansion, and acceleration.
Using emotions in this way will be the focus of The Way of Self-Actualization. For now, with the purpose of advancing along The Way of Self-Realization, all we really need to know is how to transcend our lower sense of self. So, we use emotions, here, almost solely for seeing through our mis-identification with them—not so much for understanding how to use them more effectively to gain insight into our individual purpose and expression of Creation.
As you passively look at the more stressful emotions that frequently visit you in your life—one by one, and without being interested in their stories or suggestions—shift your attention back and forth from the stable, changeless Presence of your true Beingness, to the transient nature of the emotions you observe as comings and goings.
The Starting Focus
“I am here and now. I exist without effort. I am Present. I am Conscious. I am changeless. I am Pure Beingness. I-AM.”
Then Realize…
“The emotion I observe is over there, while I am over here.”
Now go back and forth a few times, between being centered on I-AM, over here, and focusing on the emotion, over there…
Then, continue by making the following observations:
“I-AM—before, during, and after the appearance and disappearance of this emotion, and all emotions alike. This emotion, and all emotions, come and go, while I remain like the ocean remains, as its waves rise and fall, appear and disappear.
Since I am over here, and my beingness remains beingness, even while my emotions come and go on the surface of my beingness, I cannot possibly be my emotions—for I am here witnessing their arrival, their temporary presence, and their inevitable departure.
All the while, I abide, I remain, I know my Self—I stay home.
I exist prior to, and am therefore more fundamental than, the coming and going of emotion-appearances, of which I am effortlessly aware.
If I am conscious of what appears, then I am that which is consciously present, not the emotions that appear to this conscious presence.
I am Presence-Consciousness. I-Exist—no matter what. I-AM, independent of this emotion or that emotion. I remain unaffected by emotions.
My true Identity is Presence-Consciousness. Emotions are just energetic appearances created out of my being’s essential Presence-Energy—again, like waves are made out of the ocean’s water.
Just as the water is unaltered by the dancing of the waves, my basic existence remains unaffected by the forms it uses to express itself.”
Homework
Repeat this powerful meditation with each item on your list of “(painful) emotions” until you feel clear from believing you are attached to them. Clearly see you continue to exist with or without them, and that even while they are present in your life, you are already beyond them, free from them.