1. The Nature of the Mind
2. Prosperity
3. Faith and Inner Struggle
4. Meditation: Seeking the Spiritual Connection
5. Defining the Sense of Self
6. The Concept of The NOW: Understanding the Power of the "Present"
7. Meditation Course for "I Am the Heart"
8. Right Understanding

The Nature of the Mind

by Adrian Newington © 1991

A discussion on the Human Mind to assist both beginners and those more experienced in the practice of Meditation.

Let us start out this dissertation with 3 statements.

• Human consciousness has 2 fundamental aspects, which we shall discuss as the Small Self and the True Self.
• The small self is the personal identification that the majority of people possess in determining who they are.
• The true self is the lesser known in terms of our human perspective on life, but it actually the source of our being.

To assist in the understanding of these 3 statements, I will draw on some analogies.

The small self is the self that is Observed.

That is, I am Adrian
I am Adrian the Husband
I am Adrian the Dad
I am Adrian the Musician
I am Adrian the Technician
I am Adrian the Associate of other Technicians
I am Adrian the Project Manager

On and on the list goes on and on.

All these labels and qualifications heaped onto the small self to further expand the separation of the 2 Selves.

The true self is the self that Observes.

That is, the Self which is always apart from the small self and is the silent witness to all of the above.

These descriptions of the true and small selves can be more easily understood through a simple mental experiment based on some principles of meditation. It does not require any previous meditation experience.

Sit comfortably, relax and settle in. Start with the intention of stilling the Mind Inevitably you will experience thoughts come into your mind. This is OK.

Simply maintain the awareness that you are not to engage, expand upon, or be drawn into following through any thought. Once you are able to do this, still the mind again. Watch any thought that arises, but let them subside and drift away… don’t be lured out of the task WITNESSING your thoughts.

Keep engaged in the process of being a witness to the activity of the Mind until you being to notice that your thoughts can indeed be observed.

Once you have had the geniune experience of your thoughts being witnessed or observed, we can end the experiment and continue the discussion.

And now for the Killer question…

Question: If it is possible to observe your thoughts, what is it that does the observing?

Answer: The True Self.

How can this be explained further?

Consider this: Your eyes, which are the means to vision, can never have a vision of themselves. If your eye is to have a vision of itself, it needs to look in a mirror.

Likewise if consciousness is to become self-aware, it needs a mirror… such a mirror is your Mind. Be aware that the “Mind” does not represent YOU… the Mind is merely an instrument of Perception. The identity of YOU being a unique aspect of creation holds its roots in the True Self.