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There were about a dozen ‘eyes-shut’ dreams last night. Every old-time friend and colleague, every loved place on the planet, seemed to turn up in amazing and absurd stories to press all the buttons that evoke all the emotions that would like to convince one that a Real Person is ‘having a dream!’
I ask myself: Is there any difference at all between these ‘eyes-shut’ dreams and the daytime ‘wide-open-eyes’ dream?
The only difference seems to be that after dreaming while asleep I awaken and say, “Whew. It was only a dream.”
And when dreaming while not sleeping I say, “Oooops. This is real.”
Until wideawakeness kicks in: “Wow! No dream, real or unreal, no dreamer, asleep or awake – only an endless unfolding and dissolving of appearances happening here…”
Life’s spinning Its suchness stories
around Its still and silent dimensionless point.
~
echoes from emptiness 
Wave after wave rising and then subsiding on the surface of an immense ocean.
Does anything move?
Is that a rhetorical question dear AM?
I am reminded of the zen story where two monks were debating whether the fluttering flag they were watching was moving – or whether it was the wind that was moving. Along came Ta-chien (Hui-neng) and silenced them both with:
“Neither, boys. Mind is moving.”
Hah!
_/|\_
~ ml
Yes, it was rhetorical, and I was probaby subconsciously reminded of that zen story. Time is movement. Movement, change require time. Is movement real? Is it apparent? Undoubtedly there is a ‘part’ or aspect of consciousness or ultimate reality which is, or presents itself as dynamic, accounting for all life; this at the empirical level.
You say, “endless unfolding and dissolving of appearances… ”
Is then time involved? Or are ‘appearances’ only apparent, including time?
Time may be a mystery, but there is the intuition that it is not inherently real, the same as with space and causality – they are all concepts, which help us to understand the world, or rather our experience of the world (or do they deviate from that understanding?). I am not trying to give a mini-lecture, only reflect on this mystery (for the intellect).
‘Eternity – in time’. Cycles upon cycles in endless repetitions, like a clock… but is it not always Now?
Note to self: If it has been irrevocably ‘seen’ that Aware-ing-ness is the totality of all that can be experienced – as well as the substance thereof – and if it has been fully experienced that said Aware-ing-ness is always here and now, in exactly this, one must admit that there is no such ‘thing’ as time. Where would it fit?
Even if I refer to something that apparently happened ‘before’ or dream of what might happen ‘later’ – when is my reference occurring? Now. Always and only now.
That reference – memory/fantasy – is the make-up of the me. It’s a fantastic creation and indispensable for the Game of Life. Just don’t confuse it with the OmniPresence that’s really running the show.
Ha. A mini-lecture from Emptiness. Interesting!
Happy Sunday dear AM!
~ ml