The Human Buddha

Awakening of Awareness

How do you know that you are awake? How do you know that you are alive? It is
Awareness which enables you to know the truth of your existence. But where is this
Awareness? The light of Awareness allows you to recognise this vast universe but is itself
beyond any appearance. If you look for Awareness you cannot find it, for it is not outside
of you. Awareness is the very essence of your Me. You know your existence only because
you are made from the light of Awareness. Wake up from the dream, look back to the
source of perception and uphold the seer of all. Discover the Host of your mind, the King of
Presence. Yes, it is you, the Awareness which never changes.

YOU are the Sky of Awareness!

Student: Is it right trying to look at the empty nature of thoughts in order to realise pure
awareness?
Aziz: No, it is not right. Thoughts are external to you, therefore, the emptiness which you see is
also external. It is not the emptiness of I Am. You make the same mistake like those who imagine
to perceive thoughts as clouds covering the sky of their true nature. It is as if they wanted to see
through these clouds in order to realise the sky of awareness. They assume that the perceiver of
the clouds is somehow located below, between the clouds and the sky. Do you see what we
mean? You must radically change the perspective. YOU are the sky! It is the sky in form of you
which is looking at the clouds. The sky is before thinking. It is not by seeing through thoughts that
you discover pure awareness but by turning attention back to its source. Don't look at the thoughts
trying to see what is behind them. Recognise the one who is looking, see the seer! It is already
there. Just relax into your own presence.
Do you know the story of the fool who lost himself in the market place and spent the whole day
was looking for himself? Don't behave like him!
To Crystallise Attention
Student: What does it mean to crystallise attention?
Aziz: It means to create certain solidity in the mind. Awareness, in the case of an average person
is completely fragmented and dispersed. Therefore, one is not able to experience any clear sense
of Me within the mind. For this reason the need to bring the energy of the mind into focus arises
desperately. A crystallised attention has continuity, solidity and a clear sense of its subjective
existence within the movement of the mind. To crystallise attention is to bring structure or form
into the chaos. That's why, all schools of meditation work with the development of mindfulness.
Attention which has been crystallised, in the ultimate sense of this word, is self-aware and self-
contained. It has become one with itself in an objectless way. But, when the process of
crystallisation is complete, the next step is to let go into the space of Being which has no point of
reference. This is what we call de-centralisation. Crystallised attention is the essence of our
Presence. However, it is only through the letting go of our presence into the Universal Presence
that we can become truly absent, that is, absorbed in Reality.
Awareness is All-inclusive
Student: The last days I have been practicing retaining the State of Presence. Today when we
did the meditation with open eyes, I felt like the state got lost, dissolved in the outer.
Aziz: Yes… You are simply facing some difficulties which relate to the process of maturation. You
are not able to experience simultaneously the subject and the object. In the beginning you are
aware only of the objective reality. If you evolve in consciousness, one day you recognise the
subject; you discover that there is a subjective reality completely independent from the outer.
We spoke about the mind which creates the inner dialogue. In the case of an unawakened person,
there is only this dialogue, which does not refer to any clear subject. Each thought assumes the
role of Me, of the subject. Each thought says: 'I am the most important!' When you awaken the
State of Presence, you discover this type of 'I' which is independent of any thought. In this way the
inner dialogue, for the first time, refers to the real 'I'! Here, you are not watching the mind. It is not
the mind watching itself, now participating in the inner dialogue. That is a case of some kinds of
schizophrenia! You are not watching the mind, but you are present within this mind. Awakening to
the State of Presence is a function of individual evolution. One is not born with this faculty, which
means that it is not shared by collective consciousness.
Consciousness evolves like this: first it is aware of the phenomenal reality only and later if
cultivated, it becomes aware of itself, of its own subjective presence. However, after recognising
the subject, your consciousness still oscillates between the subjective and objective polarities of
experience.
That's why, the moment you become conscious of the outer object, the awareness of the subject
gets lost. You fluctuate between subject-object-subject-object. At that stage, you are unable to
keep them both. It is natural. As you stay with the subject, it grows; the experience of it matures
and rises in strength. The ability to be established in the State of Presence while simultaneously
experiencing the world is not merely a question of dividing attention… or of training yourself to
look inside and outside simultaneously. It is an outcome of maturation and the transmutation of
energy; it takes place more and more naturally as you grow. Later you will ask yourself: 'how was
it possible that I was losing the State of Presence?' It will become an integral part of your sense of
identity. It is like having your head in the right place. Could you imagine the loss of your head?
You cannot force this ability but you can help this process through your remembrance. From time
to time you will experience shifts, certain quantum leaps, in the way awareness functions. Through
accumulating the energy of awareness, you generate a certain momentum which eventually
transforms into qualitatively higher state and experience. You cannot make it happen, but you can
co-operate. Breathing into the belly is a very powerful, though indirect tool in the process of
awakening awareness. This is because the stabilisation takes place on the energy level. It is not
just a matter of will for the energy must be transformed. Otherwise, your energy system is unable
to contain the higher state; the frequency of energy is too high. Now you are preparing the ground
for future stabilisation. It is a detailed process as it takes place on a subatomic-molecule level.
Consciousness is fuelled by energy. That's why self-knowledge is not enough.
To Keep the State of Presence
Student: When I speak to people, I lose the State of Presence. It is much easier for me to keep it
when I sit and meditate.
Aziz: It is a question of training because in order to remember yourself, a part of your intelligence
has to be involved in this process of self-remembrance. The moment you speak with another
person, your mind and emotions are involved, therefore, attention gets exteriorised and loses the
focus of self-remembrance. But through the process of self-remembrance, your attention becomes
stronger and the centre of consciousness becomes more and more spontaneously present – this
means you do not need to focus on it anymore. The Natural experience of witnessing is when you
don't know that you are witnessing! When you know that you are witnessing, it is still not the true
witnessing. It is still witnessing mixed with observations from the mind. True witnessing doesn't
know that it is witnessing. It is simply witnessing which means that there is a presence which
includes all and this presence is not personal. This presence is simply present there. For instance,
you are completely involved in conversation… and suddenly you remember the state and realise it
has been there all the time. Self-remembrance doesn't mean always that you remember yourself.
It means that the state is present. This is a very important distinction because many seekers make
this mistake, thinking that one's personal intelligence has to all the time remember its centre of
awareness. When you relax with the State of Presence, you do not need to remember it anymore.
You relax within awareness.
Here, there are two possibilities. One is that you do not remember consciously the State of
Presence being absorbed in the conversation and you might think you have lost it. But the centre
is there at the background, even though you don't focus on it. The second possibility is that after
getting absorbed in conversation, you have simply lost the State of Presence. Is it clear? There
are two types of self-remembrance; one is when your mind remembers the centre. It says 'oh I am
in the centre!' – the checker is present. The second type of experience with the centre is when it is
present on the energy level, but you are not aware of it, your intelligence has been distracted.
It is very simple. For example, you are talking to someone and you have forgotten to remember
yourself, when suddenly, you remember! Your subtle memory is able to reveal whether the state
was present on the energy level (even though you didn't consciously remember it) or whether it
got completely lost. It is important to know that to establish oneself in the State of Presence is
beyond only the conscious self-remembrance – it is a stabilisation of energy. When the State of
Presence is established, it simply vibrates at all times inside your head – your intelligence has a
constant energetic centre. So afterwards, you do not even care anymore whether the state is
there or not. It has become an integral part of you.
Let us repeat. One level of remembrance is when you as the mind try to remember and check
whether the state is present. The second level of remembrance is when the state is spontaneously
present on the energy level and you do not pay attention to it. For that reason, when you forgot
about remembering the centre, you have to check whether the state was vibrating spontaneously
in the background or whether it was completely lost. Sometimes it is difficult to be certain whether
the state was fully gone or not. Introspection and sensitive self-observation is necessary.

Student: At all times?

Aziz: No, not at all times. Be spontaneous and from time to time check whether the centre is there
or not. Check whether you became completely lost or whether the centre was still vibrating. In the
beginning of the practice, one has to remember it through one's own intelligence because the
centre is simply dead. There is no centre. But when one progresses in this practice, there is less a
need for such focus. Here, one can be more and more spontaneous and remembrance takes a
function of an automatic pilot. It means that the Presence is vibrating irrespective of your personal
will and intention. You need to check these moments when you do not consciously remember the
centre, to be certain whether the state was spontaneously present.

Student: Do I have to dwell in the energetic sensation which the State of Presence creates in the
head?
Aziz: It is very important. That is what you need to do. This is your task for through dwelling on the
vibration at the centre of awareness, you activate it more and make the experience permanent.

Student: Isn't it a trick?

Aziz: It is not a trick. It is wisdom. It is not a trick at all. It is very important what you are doing. But
in those moments when you forget, check whether the centre was vibrating spontaneously or
whether you got completely lost. Simply check.
It is pretty clear that you still do not understand those two different types of remembrance. One is
when you remember it – you check, you verify the state. The second is when you are not paying
attention but the state is still present on the energy level. In the case when remembering is
absent, neither you remember nor is the state present.
For example you speak to someone and you are completely absorbed in the conversation but
there is a certain depth of Presence. Afterwards with your subtle memory, you can recollect
whether the State of Presence was there or not. What does it mean to get lost? Consciousness
gets exteriorised completely outside; it loses its depth; it is no longer panoramic. This is what we
mean by being lost. Awareness is no longer four-dimensional, it is flat and shallow, reduced back
to three-dimensions. Here, consciousness is lost in the phenomenal reality. When the centre is
present, you have depth, a panoramic awareness. There are moments when you get absorbed in
the external reality, like in conversation for example, yes? But, suddenly, you remember and
through your subtle memory you can verify the state and the degree of its depth.

Student: Do you remember the state through sensation?

Aziz: No, no – you remember the state by remembering the sensation which was present before
you got lost in conversation or whatever other activity. By remembering it, check if it was there or
not. Contemplate it. It is important.
Awareness: Is It a Centre or Space?
Student: How is it that the State of Presence has both, the quality of a centre and space?
Aziz: When you recognise consciously the centre of awareness, you simultaneously direct
attention there; it is then that a certain concentration of energy, a quality of a centre is formed.
From the other side, when you relax with the state, self-referral itself relaxes becoming absorbed
into the natural state. When self-referral is gentle, it does not formulate a crystallised centre but
rather a Centralised Space. As you rest within awareness, a further expansion occurs and
Awareness merges into Being. This means that energetically the experience moves down from
the head in the direction of the lower belly, creating one energy field embracing the whole of you.
Cultivating the State of Presence
Student: These days I concentrate on the State of Presence. I was wondering whether I could
accelerate the process by doing more meditations or Vipassana retreats?
Aziz: To do retreats is always very helpful. But if you do a Vipassana retreat, for instance, the
technique which they use, can remove you from your centre and disturb the awakening process. It
is really sad but it is really difficult to find a school of meditation that points directly and clearly to
the Self! Every school is attached to its technique and thereby sacrifices a clear understanding of I
Am. It is not by chance that we call the meditation which we teach 'Absolute Meditation.' It is
called Absolute Meditation not out of conceit but because it points to the whole of Me and not
merely to her fragments.

Student: But I would like to do the Vipassana retreat and keep the State of Presence.
Aziz: Yes, this you can do. The problem is a certain psychological discomfort, as the environment
does not support your effort and can be even hostile if you share your practice! Personally, I was
cultivating the State of Presence in Vipassana and Zen retreats and felt quite alone in my practice.
Even Zen does not clearly teach the State of Presence; its emphasis lays in the Hara. A true
seeker is quite lonely, as even some spiritual environments can be quite unconscious.
For most practitioners, to do retreats is not an option but a necessity. You see, in order to reach
transformation, the psyche has to be freed from its past. When you are in a situation of a retreat
and the best is in a foreign country, you have this chance. Certain associations in your
subconscious mind which are responsible for creating your past self-image, get cut off and
disconnected from your experience of the Now. Within this gap created out of this disconnection,
the New can enter. Without it, it cannot for your psyche is not free. It is utterly unable to go beyond
its past, it is stuck in its ignorant sense of identity. Can you retain the state during activity?

Student: After the energy transmission that you gave me in our private meetings, it was very
easy. I was able to do everything without losing the state. Next day it became a bit difficult.
Aziz: Yes… The state at this point in your practice needs to be lost sometimes. Otherwise, the
energy would be too intense. The awakening and integration of energies is taking place. As you
bring the state back, over and over through self-remembrance, it will become more and more
natural and spontaneous.
The State of Presence and Falling Asleep
Student: When I concentrate on the State of Presence, I have difficulties falling asleep.
Aziz: It is natural, for the centre of wakefulness has been activated. What does it mean to fall
asleep? It means that the centre of wakefulness switches off and only some subconscious parts of
the brain function. At some stage of sleep even these subconscious activities of the mind go to
sleep and you find yourself in the dream-less state. The difficulty you experience is a good sign
and you can use it as an opportunity to keep as much awareness as you can during the night. The
night practice goes very deep. It is generally helpful to wake up in the middle of the night and
meditate for a short time.
Self-awareness: Mindfulness without Object
Student: Is it possible that the mind plays the role of the Presence?
Aziz: But the mind who 'plays' the role of the Presence, is the Presence! The mind cannot pretend
to be present unless it moves beyond thinking. However, one can deceive oneself that one is in
the State of Presence, while not being truly present. But, here, the mind is not present. For
example, the mind is paying attention to something, whether it is an outer activity or thinking
processes, and translates it as being in the State of Presence. Paying attention or being mindful is
in-between unconscious or subconscious realities and the actual self-conscious centre of
awareness. For instance, you are attentive to the act of walking, but still you are not in the State of
Presence; you are present just to this activity and not yet to the Presence itself. That's why we use
the term 'State of Presence,' in contrast to the general notion of 'being present.' The difference
between mindfulness of the object and mindfulness of the subject is enormous – it is a quantum
leap in the dimension of awareness.
Unfortunately, in most available spiritual teachings, this difference is not seen at all! That's why
many seekers are truly lost in this area of growth. Most seekers assume that by being generally
mindful or by paying attention to breathing, they are on the Path…but they have not yet entered
the Path. Awakening takes place when one becomes mindful of the one who is mindful. Here,
mindfulness becomes mindful of mindfulness. We call it mindfulness without an object. If you
study teachers like the popular Thich Nhat Hanh, you can see that they do not, in truth, point to
the realisation of the Self, but rather to the general growth of awareness. As the New Age can be
seen as the bridge, for most people, between ignorance and real spirituality, so there are many
teachings, which operate in the dimension of growth below Awakening. These teachings are
deeper than New Age understanding, but, still, cannot cross the line which separates us from the
Absolute Subjectivity.
Location of the State of Presence
Student: I am not sure about the location of the State of Presence. Sometimes I feel it at the back
of the head, sometimes in the front…sometimes feel it all-over and sometimes the energy is more
focussed in one place….
Aziz: The centre of awareness behaves differently depending on the function, depending on the
situation. If you don't understand this phenomenon, you can get confused because you will
experience it in different areas of the brain. The centre itself is one and a half inches inside the
brain. However, the centre which is the light of awareness, radiates energy into various areas of
the brain. For instance, when you think consciously, the front of the brain is activated because
conscious thinking is located in the front of the brain. The ego is there. Human beings have
developed this part of the brain more fully.

Student: What is the ego?

Aziz: The ego, as such, is a step in evolution. It is not a thing. It is an ability to think consciously;
that is the ego. It does not mean to have a 'big ego.' The big ego is just a negative term for being
attached to one's mask-image. The ego, itself, is neither positive nor negative. It is a function of
the front of the brain, which is able to think consciously. When the energy from the third eye is
focussed in the front of the brain, you feel the energy there more. If you experiment, you will find
that when your eyes are open and you have no focus, the energy is felt at the back of the head
because the optic nerve is there. Seeing actually happens at the back of the head not in the eyes.
The image goes to the back of the head and is being translated by the brain in terms of
recognition.
When you are aware, it simply means attention is looking back. For example you walk on the
street and you are aware of the centre of attention. In order to be aware of the centre of attention,
energy has to be turned in, within your skull. This is an energy phenomenon.
What does it mean not to be aware of the centre of awareness? It means that energy is
exteriorised, lost in the phenomenal reality. Energy is diffused in the outer and has no depth, for
the seer is not present to himself. But the moment you become aware of the centre of awareness,
the energy naturally moves towards the back of the head. When you relax and don't have any
special focus, energy is felt more in the middle of the brain. When you close your eyes, it fills up
your whole skull. These are the ways the State of Presence naturally behaves. When you focus
on something, the sense of Presence naturally becomes directed somewhere.
What does it mean to focus? It means that your attention is moved in some direction by your
intelligence. For instance, this happens when you look at a tree. There is a decision, in your
intelligence to look at the tree. This intelligence is using attention in order to see, but attention
must be supported by intelligence. For example, when you are aware of your breath, you use your
attention to be aware of this area. When you are not using will the State of Presence is simply
resting in itself. Here, you experience the Natural State without any focus; attention has no
direction and is simply resting. Initially, it is simply resting in the head's space. Next, when you
become more absorbed, attention gets diffused in Being. Here, you experience yourself
everywhere and nowhere at the same time. There is no focal point.
The moment you use your will to direct attention to any area, there is immediately a certain
change in the energetic experience of the centre. These are the natural ways of behaving for the
centre of awareness. You do not even need to know about them. If you know them too much, it
can confuse you. You simply feel the centre and the centre will know how to behave; that is the
wisdom of consciousness. The wisdom of your brain directs attention and energy to the right spot,
depending on the function and on the situation. It is the flavour of Presence, this very sense of Me,
the primal vibration of attention which has to be remembered. When you remember and locate this
feeling, you will not worry about locating the right spot. This very feeling you have to remember.
Do not focus too much on trying to pinpoint the exact location of Presence inside your head.

Student: Sometimes I am not sure whether the State of Presence is there, particularly when I am
engaged in activity.
Aziz: Check whether it has been there. If you are not paying attention to it, it does not mean that
the state is present in the background. When it is not there, it is simply not there. You need to
check whether it has been there or whether it got completely lost. Do you understand? There are
situations, when the centre is not there. It has simply become lost. There are also situations when
you are absorbed in activity and the State of Presence is just gently vibrating in the background of
the mind. The moment you come back, you can verify whether the state has been there, even
though you didn't pay conscious attention to it. This is an important point, because the centre
cannot always be remembered by your conscious mind. Sometimes it vibrates without you
recognising it. Still, your subtle memory allows you to recollect if the state was there or not.

Student: Going back to the State of Presence again, I recognise the experience in the moment of
remembering it. But is there a qualitative difference in the case that this state, just a moment ago,
has been completely lost? Will I feel the difference?
Aziz: In that case your memory will remember whether there has been continuity. The moment
you come back to the State of Presence, you experience what is Now, the present experience.
But by using your subtle memory, you can sensitively recollect your experience from the
immediate past. You need to be sensitive. You will know whether or not you were in the State of
Presence, even though you may not consciously remember it. It is a very subtle presence on the
energy level.
It is not true that you need to remember the State of Presence all the time. This would mean that
you would be like a self-conscious robot. In the beginning, it is true that you have to remember the
state as it is not there without you remembering it. So by remembering you activate the state. You
are using a lot of will and concentration, but later on as the state becomes increasingly integrated,
you don't need to focus as much. You can be more natural and spontaneous. You just need from
time to time to check the state. Are you familiar with the ten ox-herding pictures? These are the
Zen pictures describing the process of awakening towards the State of Presence. The bull
symbolises the State of Presence:
1. Seeking the bull
This shows a man lost in a forest trying to find the bull. He is looking here and there but he does
not know where the bull is. This picture represents the seeker at the beginning of the Path. He is
trying to find the Self. But where could it be?
2. The seeker finds traces
He knows finally where the bull is hiding. This picture represents the stage where you receive the
right teaching. This teaching is telling you to look inside, to look into the direction of the seer. The
self is not on the moon – the traces are in front of you.
3. The seeker sees the back of the bull.
Here, one has glimpsed the Self. 'Oh, it is just Me!' But the experience is still not clear.
4. He sees the whole bull
Then, there is the process of taming the bull, which means remembering him. When the whole bull
is seen, you clearly experience the State of Presence…but it still escapes. The bull is wild; he
likes to go to the grass and disappear for days so you have to put him on a rope and hold him
tight. That is the whole process of taming. The moment you lose concentration, the State of
Presence vanishes. You need to use a strong focus.
5. The seeker gently holds the bull with the rope.
He is not even pulling but just lightly keeping it. This represents the stage when the State of
Presence is easy to keep but you still need pay attention to it.
6. The seeker rides the bull.
He is playing the flute. He can be occupied spontaneously with the outer world, but the bull is
always present. No more does he need to control the bull.
These are different stages of integrating the State of Presence. They represent a deepening of
experience. You are in a stage where you are holding the bull and he is following you wherever
you go. But still, you have to check from time to time whether the bull is still present or... maybe it
has disappeared off into the grass. The bull maybe walking with you nicely and suddenly you see
that it has already gone. At this stage, you have to check whether the bull is there or not.
Sometimes you go into the opposite direction and you forget all about the bull. The State of
Presence is vibrating but you are not paying attention to it; you are involved in other activities. It
requires introspection. You have to double check, using your subtle memory and sensitivity. When
you are active in the outer, the vibration of the centre can be quite subtle. Was it there or not? You
will experience doubts although later it will become more clear.

Student: Sometimes I cannot tell whether it is there or not....

Aziz: Yes, this is normal. There are two reasons for not being certain. You may not be sensitive
enough to recognise this experience or the state is not strong enough. Another possibility is that
the state is simply absent.

Student: How long does it take to stabilise in the State of Presence? Sometimes I have a doubt
whether it can be done in such a short time…
Aziz: It can be done in a relatively short time if one is really dedicated. It is important to know that
a hundred percent stabilisation is not always absolutely required for the Soul's completion. For
most practitioners, the aim is to be able to effortlessly experience this state most of the day, and to
at will be able to come back to this state when is gets lost. The hundred percent stabilisation is an
idea from past traditions, but it is not necessary for everyone. It is necessary for some Souls who
have 'stabilisation karma,' but it is not the case with most seekers. Stabilising in the State of
Presence is nothing special. It is a constant self-awareness on the energy level – that is all.
Your doubts perhaps are coming from over-estimating both the phenomenon of awakening to the
State of Presence and the stabilisation of this experience. It is a very high and precious state, but
at the same time, it is nothing special. You have been initiated into the state of Pure Awareness.
Being initiated means the awakening process is triggered on the energy level. We spoke about a
six months period for an average seeker to establish this experience. But, in truth, this is quite a
long time for someone who is dedicated to this task. Life is short. There are more important things
to do than stabilising in the State of Presence. Isn't it true? Stabilising in the State of Presence has
to be done so that you can get on with more interesting things. Life is not a practice; life is to be
lived. Practice just creates a basic sanity – a basic foundation.

Student: How many of your students have stabilised in the State of Presence and the Absolute?
Aziz: Quite a lot have stabilised the State of Presence and some have reached the Absolute
State. This practice is scientific. It is not romantic or mystical in the naïve sense of the word. This
practice is scientific which means that the results will happen without a doubt. It does not mean
that this process is linear and everybody has to do it in the same way. There are some variations
on the Path, but this teaching also includes these differences. For how long during a day are you
able to retain the State of Presence?

Student: Around ninety percent.

Aziz: That is almost stabilised. You have been here only a week. Isn't that a miracle? To stabilise
in the State of Presence is a lifetime's task. In the past it took twenty years for a Zen monk to
stabilise this experience. Why would you doubt that six months, for someone who is dedicated,
and being initiated is not sufficient time? The results are obvious. The results are already
present… we are not just giving you promises. The results are already there.
Knowing the State of Presence
Student: Is it possible to obtain the nature of the mind without practicing with the State of
Presence? I am thinking about the teaching of one Korean Zen master which I was following for
some time. He did not point so precisely as you do to the State of Presence.
Aziz: It is not possible for the State of Presence is the nature of the mind! But you see, there is a
possibility that different types of practice may bring you indirectly to the same state. In Zen,
strangely enough, they are not officially aware of the actual location of the State of Presence. Zen
is a Sudden Path but the problem is that it is too sudden! They try to point from the beginning to
the complete experience, and it is not possible. In Zen practice, they focus on the Hara. If you
focus on the Hara in Zazen, you have more chance to experience Being. However, because they
emphasise so much attention, the State of Presence can be awakened in a roundabout way. The
problem is that because the teaching is not locating the actual state, it may slow down the
stabilising process.

Student: So how does this master keep his State of Presence, if he doesn't know about its
location?
Aziz: He keeps it by keeping it! It means that he does the right thing, without being fully self-
conscious of what he is actually doing. But because the process is not described clearly, most
students are simply confused. They try to keep their Hara, and even when they glimpse the State
of Presence, they give it up, for they think it is a wrong focus! You see now, how important is to be
fully conscious about the awakening process!
We should not forget that often awakening is brought by the power of Grace. In many of traditions,
students are supported from the esoteric dimension. That's why, even when one is doing the
practice without having the full understanding but one is sincere and genuine – transformation
simply does take place. Grace is even higher than our understanding and practice. Grace is the
ultimate source of Awakening.
Self-Remembrance: Just Do It!
Student: Could you suggest something about remembering?
Aziz: The suggestion is to remember yourself from the moment you wake up, to the moment you
fall asleep. And you remember through remembering. The only way to remember is to remember.
There is no question of 'how' to remember. Just do it.

Student: Do we have to use the mind to remember?

Aziz: Who is remembering?

Student: I am.
Aziz: But who is remembering this 'I' to which you refer? This question has given a headache to
thousands of seeker in the past and will give the same headache to thousands in the future. But
the answer is surprisingly very simple. The one whom you remember is the State of Presence.
And the one who is doing the remembering is the dynamic extension of this core 'I' which is
intelligence. Intelligence is responsible for remembering. Who is listening now? It is your
intelligence, isn't it? But when you are ignorant, this intelligence does not refer to any clear sense
of Me. To remember is to remember your real 'I.' When the State of Presence is more activated,
you don't have to use so much of your intelligence to remember it. Here, the state remembers
itself; it keeps itself on the energy level. We call it the primal remembrance, which is the very
spontaneous presence of the state itself.
This is how we measure progress – by seeing how much of the state is spontaneously present.
Your attention must be constantly turned in, from morning to night. You have to renounce all what
distracts you from this work. You must give up your forgetfulness! You have been indulging in it for
too long already! Isn't it enough? But at this stage, however much you try, the state cannot be kept
all the time. The reason is that stabilisation is an energy phenomenon – it is beyond the personal
will. So be patient and forgive yourself when you forget, as not everything is in your hands. From
your part, you remember as much as you can, and the rest is a function of evolution and Grace.
Awareness in Sleep
Student: Why in some schools of Enlightenment do they insist on bringing awareness into the
sleep state?
Aziz: The role of awareness in awakening is crucial but it should not be overestimated either. For
some reasons, in most traditions awareness became too important. Some traditions identify
awareness even with God! It is absolutely incorrect. Awareness is just a function to bring into the
field of knowingness the truth of Creation.
If awareness was the Ultimate, why would we need to make the effort to awaken it? It is a clear
contradiction. The desire to bring awareness into the Sleep State was a logical continuation of this
first misconception. One can easily become obsessed with the desire to be aware all the time! But
it is not natural. A person who keeps awareness in a sleep state becomes quickly imbalance. We
should not interfere too much with nature. The time of sleep is very crucial for the rearranging of
all subconscious elements. In the dream state, a lot of healing takes place which can be disturbed
by the presence of attention.
Awareness is not eternal and cannot be taken beyond the death of the body; so what is the use of
crystallising it so much? Cultivation of attention has some limits and at one stage, must be
dropped. Only when the cultivation is transcended does one reach the truly natural state. Here,
one doesn't manipulate with consciousness, trying to enforce some of its elements, but relaxes
into the open space of spontaneity and Beingness.
When the State of Presence is established, it does enter the Sleep State, but not in a self-
conscious way. The reason is because the conscious mind is switched off and cannot give
feedback to this experience. The State of Presence is present only on the energy level. There is
therefore, a certain depth at the background of dreaming activity.
Let us contemplate two situations. One is in activity, when your attention is completely lost in the
outer, but the State of Presence vibrates at the background. The other is when you are in the
Sleep State with the State of Presence at the background. What is the difference in the
experience and recognition of the State of Presence? The difference is the connection of
intelligence with the State of Presence. In the waking state, even when one is absorbed in the
outer, there is still a gentle connection between the conscious mind and the State of Presence. It
is neither fully conscious, nor is it unconscious. In the dream state, this connection is completely
cut off; that's why you have no way of knowing that you are in the State of Presence. You need to
see that what they call 'lucid dreaming,' has nothing to do with the cultivation of awareness. Lucid
dreaming is the presence of ego-consciousness in the dream state.
Stay at the Centre of Awareness
Student: I have been doing Tai Chi and Chi Gong for the past few years almost every day.
Recently, I started to do Tai Chi from the centre of awareness. Normally in Tai Chi, you have three
types of awareness: awareness of the body, awareness of the mind and awareness of life. Being
in the centre of awareness is rather interesting. My question: should you focus on the State of
Presence or rather on these other points?
Aziz: Tai Chi is a very beautiful system of working with energy, but it does not point directly to the
awakening of the witness-presence. There are many systems which cultivate the general
mindfulness of the environment or the mind, but they do not point directly to the subject.
Awakening to the State of Presence still seems to be a secret and hidden knowledge.
In your case, because you are in the process of stabilising the centre of awareness, you need to
primarily focus on this particular state. For the time being, the State of Presence is the point from
which you live and connect to the world. Later on, when the centre is more steady, you can relax
this focus and let go more into Being. In this way, energy will get distributed throughout your body.
The complete experience or the Natural State is not to be focussed anywhere in particular, for all
centres of I Am function simultaneously. But the end result is very different than general presence
in Tai Chi. Here, one has actually changed dimensions, abiding firmly in the place beyond the
body and mind, in the Kingdom of the Self.
Now you are choosing the State of Presence as your main location. For the sake of training, you
create a sort of artificial situation. As you become more integrated, the presence of your Me also
reaches into Being and the Heart. At the moment, your Tai Chi is becoming rooted deeper into the
reality of the Self. As you keep the State of Presence, don't fall into the habit of 'watching.' There
is nothing to watch! Just maintain the form. Allow the State of Presence to remain present in a
natural way, using a minimum of self-referral in keeping it. You do need to hold it, but rather relax
into Being. Just maintain your form, remaining gently conscious of the centre of awareness. It is
similar to the Sufi dance. The purpose of whirling is to recognise the one who is not whirling – that
which is still inside, that which doesn't move. Therefore, stay with that one which is not doing Tai
Chi, as you do Tai Chi.
It is easy to have the wrong concept of 'being One with action.' There are two ways of being One
with action. The first is when you get lost in dance, for instance, and you are in a semi-trance
state. This type of being One with action is purely subconscious. And the second way is the
Buddha way, where the whole activity is contained in the clear space of awareness, rooted in a
clear experience of Being. Here, movement and non-movement meet, merging into one.
There was a master who told his awakened disciple. 'I don't care what you do and I don't give you
any moral rules of conduct, as long as you don't lose your state!' When you are One with I Am, the
natural wisdom of the body and mind takes care of everything. The highest spontaneity is beyond
consciousness and subconsciousness. The highest spontaneity is where one is just flowing but
firmly rooted in the unconditional state. This I Am is not 'witnessing' but embracing the personality,
bringing a new quality of transcendental presence.
Awareness Is Not the Ultimate
Student: If the State of Presence can be constant, why does it feel like there is a very subtle
fluctuation?
Aziz: Because the State of Presence or the centre of awareness is experienced within your
relative brain, within your relative third eye. Awareness on some level is affected by the play of the
five elements and also the moon, stars, earth and sky. You experience the State of Presence
within Creation and within your separate body. That's why, the State of Presence is not the
Ultimate. It has a certain flavour of the Ultimate but at the same time, it is relative.
We can call the State of Presence a reflection of Universal Consciousness within the individual
Soul and the individual psychosomatic reality. When the state is mature, it reaches a maximum
harmony and minimum fluctuation. It reaches its optimum; when it reaches its optimum, it
surrenders into Being where the experience is more unconditional for it gravitates towards the
Unmanifested. Being is the link between consciousness and the Source, the Absolute. That's why,
the more you get absorbed in Being, the less fluctuation there is.
Ignorant Advises
Student: I spoke about the State of Presence with two of my friends who are in an awakened
state. They say that keeping the centre in the mind is incorrect and there is nothing to keep for
there is only space. Could you comment on that?
Aziz: Yes… It is dangerous to receive advice from those who have a limited understanding about
the awakening process and the nature of consciousness. Most seekers, who reach one of the
awakened states, are not always entirely clear and conscious of the experience. Their
descriptions are vague and not precise, based on slogans and simplistic concepts.
Certainly, when the State of Presence is established, its energy relaxes and loses its crystallised
quality. The natural state is like a space of awareness; one is not keeping it, but abiding in this
field of consciousness. However, even when the state is established, in certain situations it
crystallises itself as a centre. It happens when we simply focus more in the mind or create the self-
referral which is a natural function of the human consciousness.
You must understand that, at this stage you cannot abide freely in this space, for the State of
Presence is not yet established. If you just relax, you lose your subjectivity, defusing your sense of
identity into some semi-conscious states of the mind. The only way to establish pure awareness is
to keep it at all times! Your friends are not helping you but they disturb your practice. But, on the
other hand, it is all reflecting your own understanding. Your doubts come from the lack of clarity,
as to what your are actually doing and what is the truth of awakening.