Spontaneous Contemplation #1: Is This Waking State a Dream?

The following is an entry from the journal I kept during stage 4 of the Path of Knowledge Program. This was relatively spontaneous and written in one sitting. They are not as “thought out” as other articles but hopefully a line or two will be useful to fellow seekers.

Is this waking state a dream? To answer this question one must distinguish between the terms "waking state" and a "dream". By the end of this discussion, it should be clear that the answer is that everything is a dream. There is only changing Experience and the Experiencer of those Experiences. More fundamentally, there is only Experiencing when the mind drops these two concepts. Whether it be the waking state, dream state, or sleep state, all are illusory. 

How do we distinguish between waking and dreaming? Familiarity, reliability, and consistency distinguish between waking and dreaming. We call the waking state “real” or “true” and the dreaming state “fake” or “false”. The temporary nature of the dream also defines it. We know it does not continue. The dream state is clearly different experientially because it follows a different set of rules and physics compared to the waking state. There is less familiarity there and is seemingly random.

Now, let’s compare the waking state. The mind can predict what comes next. This waking state will follow rules and is predictable. If I jump in this waking state, I will come down. Who knows what will happen in the dream state? Again, experientially they appear to be different. The orderliness of the waking state defines it, compared to the dream state.

But is this waking state truly orderly, consistent, and permanent? The answer to this question depends on the scope in which you view the waking state. From the individual view, do you have any control over what happens in this waking state? Can you truly predict, with precision, what will happen next? Can you predict what this body will do next? Just sitting here in this chair and watching, are you really able to predict what the next thought or action will be? There appears to be control from an individual level but this is only an appearance based on the increased order and consistency. The waking state is the default mode of operation due to it’s increased order and consistency. What about when we look at other people? We clearly know that we cannot control them. We stay around people that are consistent and predictable. We run from those who are not. What about at the larger scale? We know that this Earth has undergone incredible changes that make it unrecognizable today compared to 1 million years ago. The change is slow, much slower than the world of the dream state which is rapidly shifting, but the change is present. What about this lifespan? This waking experience certainly won’t last forever. This orderly experience is dependent upon an orderly mind and body. Those will be destroyed in the end. 

Therefore we see that the waking state also shares the features of unpredictability, inconsistency, and impermanence. The scale of change is the only difference between the two states. 

Finally, we have to ask the question, what is the one thing that does not change in the dream state or in the waking state? The presence, witnessing, experiencing is what are always present. The Experiencer is always present. The scenes in the waking state movie are more orderly compared to the dream state but the Experiencer is always there.

The waking state and dream state must be seen as the same, from the perspective of the Experiencer. All appearances in both states are impermanent, changing, illusory, finite, unpredictable, and empty of inherent, permanent existence. There should be acceptance of both and no preference for one state over the other. Simply be the witness of all states.

The same can be said for the sleep state, projected states, and states after death. These are not me, not mine, not myself. It is Maya, an illusion. What exists in Maya? Birth, death, rebirth, cause, effect, name, form, mind, body, feelings, perceptions, thought, sensing. How does one leave this cycle? There is recognition that there is no one in this cycle. There is no individual in Maya. Maya creates it’s own characters who believe they are real but unfortunately are subject to all of the rules of the Maya including impermanence and change. You are beyond that. You are that which never changes and is present in all Experience. There is no need to favor one state over the other. All is Maya and you are not of those states. You were never born. You will never die. You are infinite. You are bliss, pure witnessing, spotless, absolute rest. You are the peace, freedom, and happiness that is sought in all states waking, dreaming, or otherwise.