Do not think you're so important that
you have to overcome a problem.
That is all you're doing
when you think you have a problem to overcome.
It makes you feel important.
I've got to solve this problem, I've got to overcome this situation.
As if 'I' is somebody important.
'I' doesn't exist.
If 'I' doesn't exist neither does your problem.
You know by now that your problem exists
because you believe in your 'I'.
When you realize 'I' does not exist everything disappears.
This is what I mean when I tell you sometimes, there are no problems, there never were any problems and
there never will be any problems.
But as soon as you begin to think there are problems.
Even while you're sitting here listening to me,
if you allow your mind to think doesn't a problem come up in your life that you're thinking about,
that you think is so important at the present time?
But if you were spontaneous and live in the eternal present,
the eternal now, forget about the past,
don't worry about the future but live in this particular second,
in this second there are no problems.
If you can only stay in this split second, no-one is hungry,
no-one is ill, no-one is in need, no-one is suffering.
As you begin to stay in that split second, this split second expands into a minute, into two minutes,
into ten minutes and as you abide in it, it turns into eternity.
You are always in that split second where nothing is happening.
Where no thing is taking place.
That split second is bliss, pure intelligence,
absolute reality and you are that.
So again, it begins when you get up in the morning.
You observe the 'I'.
You watch yourself thinking I got up, I just woke up.
But now here's the catch, do not allow the 'I' to go any further.
As soon as you watch yourself saying, "I just woke up".
Try to catch yourself and ask yourself the question,
"Who is the 'I' that just woke up?"
For in that split second prior to awakening you were in bliss,
no thoughts.
But as soon as you begin to think of the 'I',
the world comes into play.
In that split second before I came along you were awake.
Yet there was no world, there were no people,
there was no universe, there were no problems.
In that split second.
But as soon as you began to think of 'I' your troubles began.
Because you're thinking about the day, I'm hungry,
I have to take a shower.
I have to get dressed and I begins to do its mischief.
That is why it's very important to observe the 'I' coming out.
If you can really observe it you will see that the 'I' is coming out of your spiritual heart on the right side of your chest.
But a funny thing will happen.
As you observe it, it will go back, isn't that interesting?
As you observe the 'I' or as you question it,
"Where did the 'I' come from?"
It will stop.
It will stop its procedure, it will stop its journey to the brain where you become body conscious.
All these things happen in a split second.
So you have to be aware, you have to be alert, you have to watch for it.
I admit it takes some effort in the beginning but it's well worth it.
Think about this again.
Just before you awaken to the 'I',
you are already awake in that split second.
In that split second there is no world but you are awake,
you are conscious, you're totally happy, you're totally self-realized in that split second.
But then the 'I' begins its journey from the heart to the brain.
Now if you can observe the 'I' and question its authority, it will lose its momentum and slow down.
And begin to return to the heart.
If you can get it to return to the heart,
you will be conscious but you will be liberated.
You will go about your business like you always do.
You will take your shower, you will eat your breakfast,
it will all happen spontaneously.
There will be no thoughts.
The only experience you will have is total bliss.
Total happiness,
total joy and yet your body will go about it's business.
It can happen all at once or it can take time.
But it's worth the effort isn't it? Even if it takes you a lifetime,
at least you will be free at that time.
What is more important than this?
Can anything be more important than this?
This guarantees that you do not return to this earth.
It guarantees that while you are alive in your body, so-to-speak, you will be a jivan-mukta, self-realized in the body.
This is your only salvation.
But you've got to do it.
These teachings used to be handed out by the Rishis from mouth to mouth to explain it.
It is most difficult to comprehend the books.
Even though some of them are very clear...
(tape break then Robert continues)
...something within that knows what to do to make it happen.
But if you try to understand with your brain, with your head,
you will forget.
And when tomorrow morning comes you will get up
and your 'I' will take over immediately.
You will say I'm late for work, I'm in a hurry, I'm this and I'm that and you will forget everything we're talking about this evening.
But if you are listening with your heart, when tomorrow morning comes you will spontaneously be able to catch yourself.
I will repeat again how to do this.
When you first open your eyes,
in that split second you are conscious.
The 'I' has not risen yet,
but remember it's all happening in a second.
So you've got to be aware, you've got to be awake, intelligent.
Watch and you will notice that the 'I' begins very faintly and becomes stronger.
You can shout out, "Who are you?"
That's the same as saying, "Who am I?"
Who gave you permission to awaken?
Observe, watch.
The 'I' will begin to lose momentum.
The 'I' will become weaker and weaker.
The way it usually happens with people, with most people, is they're able to catch it for maybe a few seconds and then the 'I' will take over completely.
Do not be disappointed, that is the worst thing you can do.
It has taken most people years,
centuries perhaps to go all the way.
Be happy with what you've got.
But as you begin to do this practice diligently,
everyday, that split second where you observe the 'I',
will expand into a full second,
into two-seconds,
into three-seconds.
In other words for those three-seconds
you will be self-realized to an extent.
You will be conscious, period.
You will not be conscious of this or that, you will be conscious.
And you will feel something you never felt before, a joy.
You will know you're on the right track.
Then when the 'I' takes over completely you can get up and go about your business and ask yourself, "Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
During the day as the thoughts come to you, be receptive, be alert, question, "To whom do these thoughts come?"
They come to me, "Who's me?
Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
Practice that all day.
The next morning you do the same thing.
If you do this my friends I can assure you, things will begin to happen to you that you never dreamed possible.
May you all experience bliss and your true Self.

From "How Bad Do You Want To Awaken"