We Are the Dream

dreams-and-reality-collide_small

This morning coming across Nancy Neithercut’s words on a printed page: We are the dream from which we imagine we can escape or transcend. The deeply integrated apprehension of that is the awakening.”

I get the feeling this is what I don’t want to confront, there totally is no self and the only sense of I-ness is this dreamed character as perception and appearance. Logically, there cannot be any doer, nor thinker, nor being in that dream space. Dream is always past tense, it’s appearances, perception, reflection. It is the appearance of my mind. It seems to be light of Oneness streaming through this brain/body and manifesting this dream appearance. It’s clear that it is futile to try to do anything in that reality - not like anyone could do anything anyway — just believing one is doing something and turning around in one’s mind in a dream. Any trying or belief you are doing something is just ignorance, creating the condition or reinforcing the mind’s programming to keep one asleep in the dream. Then I am Oneness … But there is no separate self as the Omnipresence of Oneness makes that impossible. Hmmm. “You are the belief in separation.” (Nancy) What does that really mean? Belief in Separation seems to be due to believing there is a creator and a created, cause and effect - the dualistic viewpoint itself that sees 2 instead of 1. The unseen and the visible. I’ve went back and forth on identity with each of these opposite ends of the spectrum over the years and in recent months it seems I am going back and forth every few days from one to the other. Seemingly, trying to locate the base of truth in this changing appearance from alternative points of view and coming to the conclusion there is only this dream and there is no I doing it.

Betsy
October 28, 2023

Posted in Self-realization Tagged with: , , , , ,
23 comments on “We Are the Dream
  1. Mamata Anurag says:

    If we are the dream Betsy, who is dreaming it? If there is nobody dreaming it, we are the reality. If there is somebody dreaming it, there is separation.

    • betsy rabyor says:

      There is nobody dreaming, the dreaming happens spontaneously as a function of awareness.

      • Lindsey says:

        So as above, so below. I am awake at this time but I sleep at night. As I awaken from sleep naturally so to will I awaken from this “awakeness”. A band called Propaganda had a song in which they referenced “is all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream?” Original poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

        • Mamata Anurag says:

          Exactly! We are either awake or asleep, but not both at the same time. When it’s said “We are the dream”, it could also mean we are the dream spawned out of our own awareness (Own awareness -> Awareness of our higher self). But that awareness still belongs to a time dimension different from the timeline of the self that is dreaming. This difference in timeline brings a veil of separation. Because a part cannot be the part and the whole at the same time.

          • betsy rabyor says:

            Awareness is the default state - our true nature, it is always on (24/7) even in all states of sleep and awakening and as well in samsara or nirvana. There is no duality. Belief in having an inherent existence as a separate self, is what creates the dualistic perspective of me and you, this or that, ours or theirs, etc. Awareness is not owned and there is no higher self. Higher self would indicate there exists a lower self, where in true there is no self at all. There exists only oneness, which is like emptiness that has no location and exists equally everywhere and spontaneously spawns the dream-like experience in it’s multi-faceted expressions as the infinite number of beings. In reality time does not exist, it only seems to exist because of our identity with form as being oneself which results in the dualistic or separate-things point of view of reality. There are no separate selves or selves existing on another timeline. When one identifies one’s true nature, then the veil of separation simply spontaneously disappears. Right, a part cannot be a part and the whole at the same time. So the logistical error is in assuming there are separated parts.

  2. Mamata Anurag says:

    And whose awareness is that Betsy?

    • betsy rabyor says:

      There is nobody to own it.

      • Mamata Anurag says:

        What is the purpose of an awareness that is nobody’s, yet is capable of spawning a dream as its spontaneous function? How is such an awareness created in the first place? Owned up nobody (and hence I assume contributed to, by nobody) how does it flourish further? Why does it even flourish further, if it is nobody’s…what purpose is it meant to serve?

        In short, I’m trying to know - Why and how does an awareness that is nobody’s exist?

        • betsy rabyor says:

          It has no purpose other than the spontaneously arising dream-like experience, which can be called life, evolution or creation itself. It is all that is. As far as existence of awareness, it is eternal, unchanging and thus cannot be destroyed and it is never created as in a solid non-changing or crystallized form. Reality is just this dream-like experience eternally, which one can perceive as emptiness arising spontaneously as forms (creation), emptiness existing for some time spontaneously (maintenance) and then emptiness being spontaneously dissolved (destruction).

          • Sherry Goff says:

            “Right, a part cannot be a part and the whole at the same time. So the logistical error is in assuming there are separated parts.”

            This sentence brought up the concept of fractals. In my own awaking it was studying this that I began to feel and become aware of oneness. The idea of my self as separate is disappearing. The parts are not separate.

            Does that make sense? It is so difficult for me to put into words my awakening. I feel comfort when you write that it is a life long process.

            Sherry Goff

          • betsy rabyor says:

            Makes perfect sense to me Sherry. The idea of the self being separate is ‘just a belief’, but a very common one passed on by the majority to their children who also believe it. As awakening goes on, a big part of this is releasing beliefs related to identity, god and how the world exists and all these beliefs are ‘owned by’ or ‘believed in’ by the imaginary self, which is itself a belief. So this belief is the core one, around which all the others are amassed or collected. 🙂 You are doing fine with your descriptions… I like your energy and feel the resonance too. Love & Blessings, Betsy

  3. Mamata Anurag says:

    Dear Betsy,

    You wrote - “Awareness is the default state…”

    Reading this along with the other comment - “It has no purpose…emptiness arising…emptiness existing…emptiness being spontaneously dissolved”, I assume that you are referring to the awareness in/of the Universe as a whole.

    Now, I don’t intend to speak about the awareness of the Universe as I do not have sufficient knowledge about it. I might have spoken about it myself in my blog/book, but that was when my vibration felt too high and perhaps I wrote about it on a superficial level even then. Anyways, whatever be the case, I feel grounded now and I would like to confine myself to Earth, as I’m an Earthling and have a better/sufficient understanding of it, to discuss out here!

    Earth as a planet is One, it has its parts. They might not be separated, but yes it has its parts. It cannot be day and night at the same TIME on the whole of Earth. But why so? Earth is ONE and if I were to narrow down both your comments to awareness of Earth (oh yeah I consider Earth as a living being, I hope everybody in this discussion does!) instead of awareness of Universe, then there should be no time for Earth. Forget about the Universe, at least we know that Earth is one single entity, yet it has its “Time”!

    Of course, you know the answer to the question - “Why is there time on Earth?”…because Earth rotates, revolves, is inclined….in short, simply because Earth is moving and is not static and different parts of it enjoy/experience different attributes at any given point of “time”! If all parts of Earth were enjoying the same attributes (experiencing Earth identically at all places), perhaps there would have been no need for time.

    Similarly, there would have been no time for any sort of (universal) awareness or its parts if none of them were “changing”! Since they (the parts of the awareness) are changing, and at a different pace (in their own pace) there ought to be time! This is for the reference of each of the parts. And I said - “their own pace”, by this I mean there is something the parts “own”. If they grow, it is “their” growth, if they perish, it is “their” death, while still the sum total (Oneness/Emptiness/Default awareness never changing, the way you want to perceive it) of the Universe probably remaining the same.

    The Universe itself MIGHT not be changing as a whole (or maybe it is changing I don’t know), but I know for sure its parts are changing. We have already discussed Earth. Let’s take Solar System for instance. Its planets are indeed separated and I know for sure they have their own paces of motion and growth. Life on Earth does not belong to Mars and vice versa. I know for sure an Earthling would not experience life on Mars the same way as he/she would experience life on Earth, else why would there be so much preparation for those endeavouring to go to Mars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ychKZIG8ms) ? Even keeping the scientific aspects aside, the awareness of a human being changes from one planet to the other. Why other planet, go out of the atmosphere of Earth and your awareness/energy in the outer space would be quite different. Why even outer space? My Kundalini itself flows differently when I travel to a different place/state/country! Change in Kundalini Energy - wouldn’t that directly imply a change in the Awareness? Because after all Kundalini and Consciousness are interchangeable!

    What you see/listen/feel/understand at this time is different from what I see/listen/feel/understand. I’m sure my human awareness is separate from your human awareness else we wouldn’t be discussing this here!

    Let’s talk about Earth and its parts again! Different continents, different landforms, different layers inside Earth and different layers in Earth’s atmosphere…different properties and different functions. Yes, they all make Earth and the only Oneness that runs them through all is that “They belong to Earth”! There ends the matter! Are they Earth themselves? They are and they aren’t! They are the Earth in a sense they are part of Earth, make Earth, belong to Earth and are affected by Earth, but they alone are NOT Earth!. Is Magma Earth? Yes, part of Earth! But is Magma all that is what we call Earth? No! Earth is much more than Magma!

    Ok, I can go on and on, but I hope I came atleast a little closer to drive my message across, than I did before. Yes, I spoke about similar things a couple of times in this blog 🙂

    I believe Non-Duality is largely being misinterpreted for whatever reasons. (I believe -> it goes without saying that whatever I write here is what “I” believe, not anybody else’s belief or not something I claim is right for “everybody”) Non-Duality is perfect only with reference to the Universe as a whole! Which means if there is ever a being who could experience Universe as a whole in its exactness, yes Non-Duality is perfect for THAT being! The Emptiness/The Oneness/The default Awareness you were referring to! If there is ONE being which/who could experience THAT, then yes, Non-Duality is perfect for that being. For anything/any being the Non-Duality does not hold perfectly well. As far as I’m concerned, only Duality holds good for any other being UNTIL that being becomes one with the Universe by dissolving into it, then again it’s Non-Duality! But that being who previously experienced Duality does NOT exist anymore to experience that Non-Duality. Only Universe as a whole/THAT being (whoever it is!) I referred to earlier, can experience Non-Duality!

    I as a human being can never experience THAT awareness as a whole, even if I want to/will to. I want others to empathize my pain and warmly listen to my inferences, but others wouldn’t! Because there is this “otherness”. Their “self” is not experiencing the same things as “I” am experiencing, so naturally there would be a gap in understanding.

    By higher self, I only mean a self higher in vibration. That is what Ascension is all about! I believe you often talk about raising vibration… “Our Light Body” could itself be one of the possibilities for that higher self!

    You and I are indeed “separate” parts/infinitesimal aspects of the Universe/Earth, else there wouldn’t be long discussions between us. You and I might be One, but that is at a later point of “time”, or at some point of “time” long ago, but for “now”, I’m pretty sure “You” and “I” are indeed different!

    • betsy rabyor says:

      That which I was referring to as awareness is that universal invisible undivided whole, but also it refers to everything manifest or visible and the multitude of infinite beings. There is no difference between those two perspectives; there are no separately existing selves or parts. It just appears that way through sense perception because of lack of self-knowledge and self-identity with what is visible. How I understand it, only this awareness exists and it never changes — it just appears momentarily to do so as the many manifest things as a dream reality. This means everything is inherently empty and aware. When you come to know yourself then you know the whole and realize there is no separation.

      When you look at the crescent moon in the sky, the part that is lit up is only a fraction of the moon. If you look closer or have a telescope you can see the rest of the moon is there appearing in darker color. That basically describes our reality. The One Being (moon) appearing as a crescent moon (slice of light). But you know there is no actual crescent moon existing as a separate part of the moon, it just momentarily appears that way as a “play of light” from that experiential moment.

      Mamata wrote: ” But that being who previously experienced Duality does NOT exist anymore to experience that Non-Duality. Only Universe as a whole/THAT being (whoever it is!) I referred to earlier, can experience Non-Duality!”

      There is no being existing, neither a non-dual nor a dual one. Yet, still there appears a multitude of beings, things, life forms, etc — but all these are just a momentary existence in a state of constant change (creation, maintenance, destruction) they are just a dream reality, the grand play of the awareness. The main thing that happens with enlightenment is a profound shift in perspective from duality (self-identity) to non-duality (all-identity) viewpoint. Before one had identity with separate existing self and eventually realized that was the fault in the mistaken illusion, that there never existed any separate self. It’s like a huge cosmic joke, when you realize you’ve been searching for so long, doing so many things, meditating, reading, etc to get this and as well attributes like: omnipresence, omnipotence, spontaneous response, wisdom, eternal life, etc and to then realize that there was never anything to get or gain - all you wanted and were looking for was already your default nature.

  4. Mamata Anurag says:

    Does this all mean that the individuals who are born here on Earth have no purpose attached to their lives? Because, as per you, there is no individual self and no life to own, hence no purpose for one’s life as that phrase “one’s life” becomes a misnomer then.

    You wrote - “When you come to know yourself then you know the whole and realize there is no separation.”

    How will you come to know yourself when there is no self?

    • betsy rabyor says:

      No, each person has a purpose. It’s like awareness is aware of being aware.

      • Mamata Anurag says:

        There is no “I” you say, but that “I” has a purpose! How do you see such a purpose(s) being fulfilled, when the purpose of each “I” is different?

        • betsy rabyor says:

          The purpose is essentially equivalent to the embodiment of that sentient being which is unfolding during it’s lifetime, but there is no “I” in that process it happens spontaneously - just like an acorn grows into an oak tree. With enlightenment, you realize there are no separate independent beings, everything is your own face.

          • Mamata Anurag says:

            Dear Betsy,

            I don’t understand how there is no “I” in that process. An acorn grows into an oak tree but a corn seed won’t!

            I think all this search, exploration and journey is to unleash our best self. Which goes to say, we have a self and that self evolves/changes with time.

            That is what self-realization is all about! The only thing that differs is the extension of that self. Your self might cover all the humanity on this Earth or even beyond or maybe the timeless self or no-self. That’s good for you! Maybe that is the reason why you are able to see yourself in everybody or at least that’s how it should be as per you when one awakens.

            But again, that is only “your” understanding of a perfect state of awakening. My understanding differs and I’m unable to see everything as my own face. My self is definitely “limited”, according to me and maybe as per you I’ve not attained that perfect state of awakening yet.

            When one loses one’s self (when they lose their connection to their self) they hang on to some identity, it can turn out to be the universal self (or no-self) as in your case, but let me clarify that this might not happen with everybody.

            So I feel it’s not right to say “no I” is the only perfect destination to reach. If you are able to reach there that’s good for you, but that destination might NOT be good for everybody.

            A kidney has to do it’s job just like the heart which does it’s own job. Maybe neither have an identity “outside” the human body, but as long as they are “part” of it, there is an identity and purpose they carry with them failing which the functioning or life of that human body is at stake. If we do not carry our self, we become zombies preying on the identity of something larger (or at least something other) than us!

            /Mamata.

          • betsy rabyor says:

            Dear Mamata,

            Thank you for sharing your perspective and wisdom for this post.

            My reply to the first part of your comment is: A sense of I-ness exists when one has identification with one’s form as oneself. But if you look near to one’s form and search all over inside of it, you will not find any part of your form which is the I. In other words, “I AM” is just a thought supported with conviction in the belief that an I exists.

            I think all this search which is seeking is inbuilt with our main impetus being we want to be happy. But we can never be happy for long when we have identification of ourselves with something that is not solid and is changing. So any attained happiness never lasts, it eventually normalizes and the suffering returns. Then we go back to the grindstone and continue the search to find the source of happiness. The more intense our search is, probably the quicker we will wear it out. Eventually coming to the conclusion that nothing we have ever done has ever worked to get what we wanted which is enlightenment. Also seeing that the ‘me’ is the striver, the me-identification is the one doing all this seeking and realizing that our seeking behavior itself is our jailer. The next thing that arises is awareness aware that it is aware, which is like finding the gold one was looking for and realizing it was right there all along. When one digs into the depths of Oneness, one understands it has no characteristics, no conditioning, it never changes, it is eternal, it is the source of all knowing and that is already self-aware. Nothing else exists but this undivided whole, manifesting mysteriously as what appears to be separate parts. That’s the illusion we work to see through. That is what we are and once you see that, then you realize that what seems to be real as form is actually just a dream-like momentary appearance which is an eternal streaming output of awareness. That (appearance) is what changes but it has no solidity or inherent existence, it appears, lasts a certain amount of time and then dissipates spontaneously. Sure evolution or expansion is happening, but it’s not on an individual scale as how it appears as being embodied and identified with that.

            Whether one is aware of one’s own true nature and how reality exists, really doesn’t make a difference on the grand scale of things. Everything is perfect as it is expressed in the moment, it can’t be other than this divine perfection. When one believes in existence of a personal self, then life is hard at best and suffering is main operating mode and seeking all kinds of things to get happiness freed from suffering. Once the correct View of reality is established, which is really not changing anything, it’s more like a reorientation — then one has found and happiness is the default state. In the end, the suffering drives us onward which driving is mainly that of letting go of beliefs and notions about the world and ourselves.

            Love & Blessings,
            Betsy

  5. Mamata Anurag says:

    Dear Betsy,

    I’m not at all disagreeing with the Oneness and Wholeness part of it. I totally believe in it and understand it too.

    All I’m saying is, though it is all an undivided Whole, the parts need to carry an identity for the well-being of that very Whole. If you see, in the human body analogy, the body is an undivided whole, yet the parts have an identity and function of their own for the well-being of that body.

    A self or ‘I’ need not be mistaken with an ego that over arches the Whole it is part of. It is all about the balance between the identity of parts and the Oneness connecting them all.

    If you actually understand “Soham” which means “I am That - the ultimate spirit/reality of the Universe” if there is no ‘I’ per se, there is no way one can become aware of that ultimate reality.

    The “I” is only a tool in the path of that Self-Awareness or Self-Realization, not an impediment that should vanish or be eliminated altogether!

    Mamata.

    • betsy rabyor says:

      Dear Mamata,

      One more round, probably we don’t see eye to eye but I will try again anyway. 🙂 The parts don’t need to carry an identity for the well-being of that very Whole. The Whole has no needs as it is everything already. The parts intrinsically have identity by their existence in the moment, therefore there no need to carry something one already is. The parts were imagined before they existed and their entire lifetime are spontaneously animated by the Whole and live out or unfold their dreamed character. The notion of there being an ‘I’ only exists due to lack of self-knowledge or mistaken identity. The I-ness feeling-sense comes from universal awareness itself which has no identity, it is that knowingness that is invisible which recognizes that one is awareness itself. The appearance of the part through a particular form, is just a holographic momentary expression (like a dreamed character) that is never created and has no substance, consisting of emptiness itself. There is no difference between the Whole and all of it’s parts. Actually, there are not parts - there is in fact no separation.

      The “I” never existed, so it cannot vanish either. The main thing going on is mainly a matter of mistaken identity.

      Love & Blessings,
      Betsy

  6. clueless says:

    Hello I am a long time visitor since 2012 of your site here… What do you think about people still reporting current ascension energies on youtube? Do you relate any of them? Why have you stop posting? Have you done with ascending already? What are your thoughts on current energies (as if they are common and applicable for everybody awakened?) and
    what do you feel and experience these days anything new on your side? Wish you wrote new posts… feeling like people weaving illusions only on this subject.

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