Whenever this time honored affirmation has appeared in my meditation, or been spoken. Momentarily I want to substitute the words; " Who or What? "in place of the word "that" i.e. "I am who I am" or "I am what I am". Not on a permanent basis by any means but simply to introduce a preface to expand the in-sight. "I am who and what I am, I am that which I think, I am that which I speak, I am that which I do. Of course these are but relative assessments; they are not "Reality". For I am not 'this' or 'that'. For I am "already" {I just is} and always have been. And until we can affirmatively answer this eternal question, as to who and what we are? We will continue to be but wanderers; former residents of another time and space. For ever wondering why? And asking; 'is this all there is'?

It is important for those, the hearers of the words; " I am that I am". To seek out and ask the meaning, the intent of these words for their lives. And it is also essential that this seeking and asking be ceaseless; until these cryptic words reveal their secret. And should by chance someone ask; " How long will this search take? " Answer: It will take as long as it is necessary to take. For some, it is a sudden awakening, for others the search is more arduous. Some chew and assimilate faster than others,for many reasons. We have the milk drinkers and the meat eaters.

The journey through life is uncertain for many. Directions and destinations become confusing and non-important at times for them. As feelings of lost-ness surface, accompanied by a malaise and a depressing boredom, which enters in, embracing the mind, body and spirit. Holding them prisoners; as the light starts receding and the shadows lengthen, taking on a reality of their own. In this diminishing light, life begins its' walk among the shadows of the wastelands. Much like the lives of those 'cave-dwellers' in Plato's walled scenario. Where the Unreal was mistaken for the Real.

If I recall correctly, a story is told; that when Buddha was asked the question; " What are you?" His reply was; " I am aware. " In the case of Christ, the word, " Who " was substituted for the rhetorical "What?" When he ask of his disciples, " Who do you say that I am? " The reply that came back; " I say, you are the son of God." And Christ said;" You also are sons of God. And you will do even greater things than I." Could it not be said that each of these timely messengers knew, who and what they were and why they were here. And where they had come from. Regardless of the semantics used or the origins of each of the stories. And the interpretation of the time. What say we now? " Who and what are we?

The call, the quest, the challenge is waiting for those who want to know their Ultimate Nature, as to who or what they were created to be? Along with the fulfilling of some of our human needs. Such as our identity, our need to belong, be accepted and to be loved. The gifts and graces of the quest are beyond count. Of course the ultimate test does not lie within our rhetoric or in the acquisition of in-sights and the wisdom of life's' journey. But rather, how we become and be, the answers we have arrived at. The incarnation of the Light and the Truth, must take place. And then when we are asked; "Who and What, we are? " We can , without hesitation or stuttering, say; I know 'I am that I am' without any doubt or uncertainty.

Which is to say; that one has to become the definitive definition, of " who and what " they are. The created expressed " image, " the likeness of the Creative Will, the Creative Spirit that moved across the Void, the Absolute Body of Love.

And they will become known by what they have proven to be so. They will be that which, Just is. As are all things above and below. They will be the very Substance of the very Substance, one and the same. For they are part of the Eternal Cycle, i.e., the de-volution and the evolution of " all and everything. " They will returned back knowingly out of a conscious decision and effort.

Paradise Lost has always been within, buried, forgotten at times but never-the-less just a breath away. The triad keys to open the door of the paradise paradigm; are to seek, ask and knock. Until the door of Reality opens. Seek without ceasing, ask the right questions and knock until the door is opened.

If one doubts their ability, their potentially, their possibilities and the Power that stands waiting to be acknowledged; then one needs to self-remember their origins, as to " Who and What. " they are. Those beginnings before time and space became their prison.

The eternal question of our True Nature needs to be answered and can be answered, if we choose it to be so. We live or perish by the choices we make or fail to make. As is said in the game of basketball. The ball is in your court. What are you going to do? Play or pass, Yes or no?

Let's continue along the same line of inquiry. Saying much the same, but with a different spin, a variation. We briefly mentioned an affirmation made by Buddha in a reply to a question addressed to him; "What are you?" And his choice of words; "I am aware". And we ask, aware of what? What does it mean to be aware?

I am reminded of an ancient story which spoke about the importance of "centering", becoming "single- minded, focused and aware". The need for bare attention.

One day, a Zen master was approached and asked; if he would please write down some in-sights, some words of the highest wisdom.

The master took brush in hand and wrote in broad strokes. The word Attention!

Is that all, asked the person. Will you not add something else?

The master then wrote two words in succession. Attention!, Attention!

Well, remarked the person rather indignantly. I see very little discernment in what you have just written. Please give me something more.

The master, brush in hand wrote the same word, three times; Attention!, Attention!, Attention!

By now the person half angered, demanded, "what does that word attention, mean anyway"?

And the master answered ever so gently.
Attention means Attention.

Awareness walks hand in hand, with another pro-active word, alive-ness. If we see a person walking around just to save funeral expenses. We can be sure that both awareness and alive-ness have fled the scene. Awareness and alive-ness are inter-active and part of the ways, means and instruments for our growth and evolution towards; a wholeness, a self-rightness that comes from the Original Intent, the Creational Intent. Where the Intent was willed, imaged into being. Where life was breathed, the Vital breath out of the 'Image of the Will'. Or to say it another way; the Image of the Will was breathed into Being, then and now.

Again we ask; what is this thing called "Aware-ness"? For some the answer to be aware mean to be awake; to see, hear, to know, to understand, to become, to be, to be alive to the moment, the "Now". To live neither in the past or the future. But to become and be the past and the future by being the incarnation of the "Now". As one steps into the light of Light. And shuns the darkness, the unreal, the false, the negative. Becoming the 'giver of light' dispelling the shadows, so that the brilliance of the day can be seen and appreciated.

This awareness of which we speak, this knowing quality gives us the keys to open the "doors of perception." Allowing us to see, to hear, to touch, to taste and smell, the realities of the moment, as to their Is-ness and Thus-ness. It also allows us to observe, watch and witness ourselves in thought and action, as subject and object. To stand outside ourselves and look within and hear the echoes of the Eternal Void, out of which we came. And to watch ourselves as we view the world, people and the things of the world. A sort of viewing ourselves viewing.

This approach to the verities of Truth is age old, reaching back to the oral traditions. Which each new generation passes on to each in coming generation. As their attempts to answer the "Why and Wherefore" of human existence. The truths about our Being, our Ultimate Nature are found in every major and minor religion. In the myths and mythologies of the past and present civilizations. Also in the many esoteric disciplines since time immemorial These energies, these impressions that have arisen from these and other sources, have become the food , the "meat" for those who have become aware and alive to these energy bytes. This Ineffable Power that pervades and permeates "All and Everything", below and above. Has given expression to these words; " I have meat to eat that you do not know of.

We have said it before and will keep on saying it. In one way or another, the Ineffable defies description by our analytical linear sequential thought patterns. But this in no way precludes nor eliminates our possibility to know that we know, the Ultimate Reality. The sum total of the "all and everything" of the "All and Everything, the All in All." And though we may never be able to adequately communicate the Unutterable, the Indescribable, the Infinite, that which just IS.. Never-the-less, we can know we know.

HOW?

When one experiences, becomes and is the expressed image of the original intent, i.e., the will. Then he or she will know and know, they know. Who and what, they are. For then face to face, they will mirror Image the Image, the likeness. And become one and the same with the Creative Spirit. As it was in the beginning and shall be ever more.

As the many seeds are nurtured and exposed to our developing perceptivity and growing consciousness. It is important that we do not mistaken the bloom as an end evolution. As beautiful as the bloom may appear to be. For the bloom is but a prelude for the fruit to come. Which we need to take and eat, for the nourishment of our bodies, mind and spirit. So that we might grow into, becoming and being that which we were imaged to be, since the beginning.

We have been skirting and inadvertently speaking about a paradigm shift, a dimensional leap which differs from our time space continuum. But for the moment let us speak about our consensual time construct by which we measure and run our lives on. We have accepted our present paradigm of time and space. As we accepted that the World was flat at one time and that the Earth was at the center of the, then known Universe. And as then, we still choose to limit our vision and materiality. As well as the levels of our consciousness. We are by all intent and purpose locked into this sequential time system, probably for survival reasons. But for whatever the reasons. To change the restrictions of time, this lock it has on us, we must change the constitutionally of our bodies and minds. By materializing the light within. Becoming and being the Light. (en-lighten-ment)

It is curious indeed that we find ourselves so caught up in this mystery, we call time. Since our origins, our beginnings came out of the VOID, the Creational Womb, the timeless body of love. Where the terms; time,finite and infinite were useless. No duration, no sequential time patterns, a past or a future, no cause and effect. More of a neutralization, a timelessness, a void, a completeness, a wholeness (holiness), and an at-one-ment.

The Creational Intent, i.e. The Will, places us momentarily in the World, but by Intent, we are not of it. Because we have had our beginnings, our birth in and of the Image, as The Void reflected it. But before our Expressed Image was reflected and our descent was inevitable. The Creative Will gave birth to an infinite number of cyclic impressions, forms, appearances and reflections to prepare, for Humanity's' descent down into the World. Into the dimensions of time, a new materiality. Where the Micro meets the Macro, each penetrating one another. But hidden within this process, this downward progression were the beginning seeds of what would or could be the possibility for our ascension, our upward thrust, our return back. Our conscious return back to " Paradise Lost ", our beginnings

"All and everything" was prepared for us to regain our heritage the " who and what, "we were imaged to be. So that if we would so choose and make the conscious effort to do that which is necessary. We would have the possibility to grow and evolve; to ascend back from whence we came. And know, we know " Who and What " we were and are. That which escaped us in that Divine moment of our Infinite Conception. Because we did not know that we knew. In this case, bliss was indeed ignorance.

De-ascension or the de-evolution or as is said by some; "The Fall" was out of a necessity. No descension, no ascension, no darkness, no light, no yang, no yin. As the song goes; you can't have one without the other. Without the descent you and I would not have one of our greatest gifts; the free will to choose. Nor would there have been the gifts of awareness, alive-ness and thanksgiving. So that we might know who and what we are and why? And be thankful that we know, we know.

Let's say, we were conceived and placed in a sanctuary of perfection. Where everything that could possibly be needed for comfort and well-being was provided. A place where strife and conflict were non-existent. No tears, no fears, no sorrows, only joy. A place of peace and harmony, a true Shangra-la. A virtual paradise, a wonderland of opulence, ours forever and ever.

How would we know and appreciate that which we had? If there were no differences, no distinctions between this and that, no levels of discernment, no contrasts, no knowing? How does one know perfection, if one is conceived in perfection? How would we know there was darkness if there was no light? Or beauty, or good, or truth, or love without each of their opposites?

There is a story about a wealthy King, who lived in a beautiful castle. A palace that was known throughout the land, A palace that had no equal in beauty and elegance. But the King of this castle, who had all the riches he needed, lived in the dungeon, in a small room beneath the castle. A damp shabby cell of rags and rubbish which he called his possessions. All his ministers of state, visited him regularly. And tried to explain to him that he was the King, and that he should return to his stately quarters and give up his shabby existence. But he insisted that they were all mad and deluded. And that he would not leave all his treasures.

Let us for a moment, look at that psychological phenomenon, known as amnesia. Where one becomes separated from his identity and his memories. Where he cannot remember any of his experiences, dreams, aspirations or goals. Or in some cases the families, all those things that speak of " who and what " they are, where one belongs. A life, where the slate is wiped clean, all tapes and scripts erased. All the parental, societal and cultural programming deleted. Leaving a person less than they were, a zero. Not to remember, to know, to understand what has happened. To be separated from that which was. To see this happen, is heart rendering.

I do not want to stretch this amnesia analogy to thin, but I am confident that one can see, that there is a concurrent parallel, a close similarity as to our separation. As to " who and what we really are, as to our Absolute Nature. For we too, have forgotten our connective-ness, our heritage, our wealth. As with the amnesia patient, there is that sense of urgency to regain his connective-ness with his past, so it is with us. And in our regaining of what we have lost, for so long. We need to regain our senses and our identity, as does the amnesia patient.

There are many consensual systems that proffer various ways, means and instruments for our return back and for our en-light-ment and at-one-ment. It would seem ludicrous and inane to believe, to assume that there is but one of these consensual methodologies that can speak of 'all the truth and nothing but the truth'.

Our attempts to speak about the Ineffable, are just that, attempts. Our human language; our usual two dimensional posturing, along with our biases and pre-suppositions, are not the best search tools for reaching out beyond our human nature. We need a new language, a new paradigm, a different process. If we are to go beyond the edges of the our envelopes and enter into the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh dimensions of becoming and being. So we can walk up and down, in and out of this process of growth and evolution. And we need to get started, as soon as possible.

How does one find this different paradigm, this ongoing process? Once again, we must seek after without ceasing. Seek after what?

How does one do this seeking?

With all their mind, body and spirit.
With a burning single-mindedness.
A self-discipline and a determination.
Along with the right choice of the more excellent.
To accomplish the task.

Walk the Talk,
And Talk the Walk...