#94 Remaining Aware of Senses

Whenever awareness is increased through any sense organ, remain in that awareness. Then, the mind will be dissolved and one will be filled with the Supreme Self.Verse 117, Vigyan Bhairava Tantra

There are moments in our life when our awareness is increased, in response to our external environment. This can happen through any sense organ. We can hear a piece of music we love, and suddenly our attention picks up. We see something beautiful, and our awareness increases. It could be beautiful scenery, a beautiful person, or an 9bject that we are attracted to. What happens next is that our awareness increases. We stop thinking and become aware. The verse asks us to maintain that increased level of awareness. We can experience higher levels of awareness in response to our external environment. Once experienced, it can be maintained. We sometimes lose awareness. However, it is possible to regain awareness and move to higher and still higher levels of awareness. That is the beautiful thing about awareness – it can never be permanently lost. It is our true nature. One can be aware again by simply deciding to be aware. Then, the mind will be dissolved and one will be filled with the Supreme Self.

People often make the mistake of thinking that salvation is difficult and requires a few lifetimes’ worth of effort. This belief, like all other beliefs, becomes self-fulfilling. Actually, at any given point of time, we are only a moment away from salvation. This text repeatedly makes the point that without thoughts, the mind loses its support, and dissolves. It only requires the mind to be without thoughts for a brief period of time for it to disappear forever. Therefore, one is always only a few minutes away from salvation. Salvation is also possible immediately. The Vigyan Bhairava and the Ashtavakra Gita make this point. It depends on the intensity of one’s desire to be free. The greater the desire, the faster one is liberated.