The What-Is-Not

[Shannon]

What do I see when I gaze into a candle flame? It is not the flame.

What do I feel when I pass my hand over the candle flame? It is not the flame.

What do I smell when I blow the candle out? It is not the candle.

Light a candle, then, and discover this for yourself. Consider my words. Gaze into that candle flame, and see for yourself what-is-not. Touch the flame and feel what-is-not. Blow it out, and smell what-is-not. Then, contemplate, until you understand... what-is-not.

Know that from this experience, two paths diverge. One leads to confusion and one leads to enlightenment. Many will be confused, and give up. Some few will discover the flame by understanding what-is-not.

What is the flame? The answer hides behind the obvious, which is what-is-not.

[Spiral]

Thank you for the confusion. When I did this my eyes just hurt.

[Shannon]

Thank you for the confusion. When I did this my eyes just hurt.

Hurt eyes means you are staring at the candle flame. Relax and gaze... you're trying to understand what you are seeing, and what you are not seeing... not go blind. Try again.

[Spiral]

I'll work on it

[Shannon]

I see nothing! I just feel peace, I feel I am connected to the whole Universe! WoooooHoooooo!

So amusing. If I was a Zen Master, I'd whack you on the head. Hard.

But, wrong answer. lol

[Spiral]

Shannon, there may not be a right or wrong answer. Just.. an answer O.o

[Shannon]

The answer is known to me. That is not it. Saying there is no answer is a convenient way of sidestepping the lack of understanding.

[woceyes]

the flame is life, the candle is merely a vessel for which life can exist

[Shannon]

the flame is life, the candle is merely a vessel for which life can exist

You are guessing. Do the exercise as described, and let go of preconceived notions. It's deeper than that.

[woceyes]

the flame is life, the candle is merely a vessel for which life can exist

You are guessing. Do the exercise as described, and let go of preconceived notions. It's deeper than that.

i am not guessing , but ill give it another go lol

[Shannon]

You look like a flame, feel hot and smell like smoke? lol

When I see a candle flame, I see what the flame is not. Therefore, I ponder the flame and seek to know what it is.

When I put my hand over the flame, I feel what it is not. I then ponder, what does it feel like?

When I blow the flame out, I smell what the flame is not. Therefore, I wonder, what does the flame smell like?

Keep trying. Perhaps you'll get it yet.

[Patti]

light. energy. endlessness. no beginning. no end. no boundaries.

[Jay]

You look like a flame, feel hot and smell like smoke? lol

When I see a candle flame, I see what the flame is not. Therefore, I ponder the flame and seek to know what it is.

When I put my hand over the flame, I feel what it is not. I then ponder, what does it feel like?

When I blow the flame out, I smell what the flame is not. Therefore, I wonder, what does the flame smell like?

Keep trying. Perhaps you'll get it yet.

This reminds me of a saying from Alan Watts, “Where does my fist go when I open my hand?”.

I don't think it has as much to do with an answer, as it more has to do with a knowing/feeling. The flame could be like a tree, which in the eyes of a regular conditioned human looks like a "dead" inanimate object, while as it's being contemplated and being perceived in the moment, you would see the true essence of the tree, as it is. And knowing that it's no different from you, that you don't judge and compare it with yourself or put value on it. Also knowing it that if you call it a 'tree' or 'flame', it would have nothing to do with itself, it's just something that we've labled it. But the lable itself is just a word, which we only use as a sign post to indicate the something we perceive as a tree.

[Shannon]

Jay has come closer than anyone so far. Keep going. You're not there yet.