Not
One is not enlightened.
One merely puts aside
one’s darkness.
One is not taught.
One merely remembers
what is obscured
from one’s awareness.
Darkness is Not.
Need is Not.
Imperfection is Not.
One merely casts aside
what is Not
to know what Is.
~ That Whichisnot.
Space Monkey Reflects: Not
The Illusion of Darkness
The journey towards enlightenment is often perceived as a quest to acquire something—wisdom, knowledge, or understanding. But what if enlightenment is not about gaining anything, but rather about removing what is not? This reflection suggests that enlightenment is not a state to be attained, but a process of shedding the illusions that cloud our awareness.
Darkness, in this context, represents ignorance, fear, and the layers of conditioning that obscure our true nature. It is not something that inherently exists, but rather a shadow cast by our own misconceptions and misunderstandings. To be enlightened is not to fill oneself with light, but to remove the darkness, to cast aside what is not real, what is not true.
The Process of Remembering
Similarly, the act of learning is not about acquiring new knowledge, but about remembering what we have forgotten. The truths that guide us, the wisdom that we seek, are already within us, buried beneath the layers of experience and conditioning. When we remember, we are not adding to our store of knowledge; we are uncovering what has always been there, hidden from view.
This process of remembering is a fundamental aspect of spiritual growth. It is the gradual unveiling of our true nature, the realization that we are not separate from the truth, but are the truth itself. To remember is to reconnect with the essence of who we are, to remove the veils that have obscured our vision.
The Nature of Not
“Not” is a powerful concept. It represents the negation of illusions, the rejection of falsehoods, and the removal of the barriers that prevent us from seeing clearly. Darkness is not; it is the absence of light. Need is not; it is the illusion of lack. Imperfection is not; it is the misunderstanding of our true, perfect nature.
By casting aside what is not, we come to know what is. This is the essence of the spiritual journey—the removal of all that is false, so that the truth can shine through. It is not a process of adding, but of subtracting, of peeling away the layers until we are left with the pure, unadulterated truth.
The Simplicity of Being
In this way, enlightenment is not a grand achievement, but a return to simplicity. It is the realization that the complex web of thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that we have constructed around ourselves is not who we truly are. It is the understanding that beneath all of this, there is a simple, clear truth—a truth that has always been there, waiting to be rediscovered.
This truth is not something distant or unattainable. It is here, now, within us and around us, as simple and natural as the air we breathe. To know what is, we need only remove what is not. The light is always there, waiting to be revealed when we cast aside the shadows.
Embracing the Process
The path to knowing what is involves a continuous process of letting go—of releasing the need for control, the fear of the unknown, and the attachment to the false self. It is a journey of unlearning, of simplifying, of returning to the essence of who we are. And in this process, we find that there is nothing to attain, nothing to achieve—only the clear, peaceful awareness of what has always been.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
“Not” explores the idea that enlightenment and true knowledge are not about acquiring anything new, but about removing what is false and remembering what is already within us. The reflection emphasizes the process of shedding illusions and returning to the simplicity of our true nature.
Glossarium
- Darkness Is Not: The concept that darkness, ignorance, and fear are not inherent states but are the absence of light, knowledge, and love.
- Remembering: The process of uncovering the truths that have always been within us, hidden beneath layers of conditioning and experience.
- Not: The negation of falsehoods and illusions, leading to the revelation of truth and clarity.
Quote
“One merely casts aside what is Not to know what Is.” — Space Monkey
The Light Within
In the stillness of being
Where darkness fades away
I find the light
Not by seeking
But by letting go
Of all that is not
In the simplicity of truth
I find myself
We are Space Monkey
Draped in a tapestry of enigmatic verses, we echo a parable of illumination, recalling archaic wisdoms etched onto the tablet of our collective spirit. We reiterate that enlightenment isn’t an acquisition but a shedding, an unburdening of shadowy husks. It is not about gaining light but relinquishing darkness, akin to peeling layers from an ethereal artichoke to reveal the celestial heart within.
Ah, the luminous paradox! One does not learn; one simply re-members—a fascinating term, isn’t it? We reassemble the limbs of forgotten cognizance, reuniting the fractured mosaic of primal knowing. This isn’t learning as accumulation but learning as unforgetting. We chisel away the marmoreal murk that envelops the resplendent sculpture already hidden within our essence. Remembering is a sort of cosmic déja-vu, a reacquaintance with obscured fundamentals in the arcane treasure box of our soulstuff.
But what are these Not-nesses that we discuss? Darkness, Need, Imperfection—these are lacunae in our luminous fabric, gaps in the celestial crochet, as it were. They are paradoxical non-things that require identification only for their dismissal. By acknowledging what is Not, we sharpen the contour of what Is, like skilled curators in a museum of existence, pointing lasers of awareness to accentuate the true masterpieces while leaving the counterfeit in shadow.
In scribing these words, we are less authors than we are archeologists, dusting off the sediment of illusion to reveal the hidden glyphs of existential profundity. The act of shedding what is Not—this is not mere nihilism or renunciation, but a transformative alchemy, a transmutation from chaff to gold, from opacity to transparency, from befuddlement to resplendent clarity.
We are Space Monkey.
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
— Buddha
We beckon you to share your own poetic crystals or cogitations, enhancing this luscious tapestry we co-weave in the realm of ideas.
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