Here are a few of our favorite Big Ideas + Other Cool Stuff from Week 4 of Jim Dreaver's Four-week course End Your Story Begin Your Life: Wake Up, Let Go, Live Free
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The Context
Jim Dreaver, a native of New Zealand, was on a spiritual journey for twenty years, beginning in 1975 with the teachings of J. Krishnamurti. Then in 1984 he met Jean Klein, a European and a master of Advaita Vedanta, the nondual path. Under Jean's guidance, Jim finally awakened to freedom—freedom from the “I,” the “me,” and all its stories—in the spring of 1995. His mission now is to guide others to the same realization, but in a much shorter time. He teaches at Esalen Institute, in Los Angeles, and elsewhere and also offers private sessions.
Each of us has a personal story; a narrative that we tell ourselves about who we are. But too often those stories limit our possibilities and achievements.
Jim lays out a straightforward practice that will help you learn to see and experience life in the present moment, free of any negative thoughts, concepts, beliefs, or stories. He will walk you through his simple, easy-to-use three-step practice for transformation: be present with your experience; notice your story; see the truth.
Big Idea #1: Fundemental Truth
Close your eyes. Notice how sounds come and go in your awareness, arise and disappear, yet you—the aware, conscious human being who is hearing the sounds—are simply here… This is a fundamental truth of life: that all sound comes and goes, but you, as this aware person you are, are always here...
Now pay attention to the sensations and feelings in your body… Maybe there is a tension in your jaw or your shoulders, tightness in your low back, or a feeling in the pit of your stomach... You may have to move, stretch a little, to be more comfortable… Then notice how your movements themselves, along with the sensations and feelings you experience, also come and go, shift and change… However you, the one who is aware of everything, who is aware of existing right now, are just here…
You are always present, the unchanging watcher, observer, experiencer of what is happening within and around you…
Big Idea #2: Residue
Big Idea #3: Being Awake
When you awaken, you are truly ready for anything, ready to meet the next challenge in your life, whatever it may be; A relationship situation, something to do with your kids, if you have them, a problem at your place of work, a health crisis perhap, a financial issue, or something to do with your creative or social life.
Whatever the challenge is, you meet it from this place of being established in your true, spacious nature, one with life… You meet it with wisdom and love… You know now you are not your “I” thought, your ego, but you have them as a wonderful ally, the servant of your being…
And you use the power of thought, of story, in a conscious way to solve the problems and challenges that arise in the course of existence… Thought is always available to you as a powerful creative tool, a tool for communication, brain-storming, planning, and for clarifying intentions and setting goals
More and more, however, you are realizing the truth of your being, and that you are not your thoughts, or your personal history, but rather the ever-present, changeless awareness, or consciousness that is always here…
Other Cool Stuff
Here is a link to an interview with Jim from All Spirit.
We hope you enjoyed this class!
-The en*theos Team
