#136 Witness and/or participation in life
A few years ago, a young, dynamic couple came to me for counselling. They were very much in love but also frustrated with each other’s ways. The girl friend was fed up of the man’s restrained behaviour which he attributed to years of witnessing meditation. He explained that he was happiest when he was witnessing his thoughts, emotions and sensations. He could clearly see that he was free from all of them. It felt like pure joy for him. Responsibilities, planning, interacting with others felt like a disturbance for him. With their corporate jobs and busy lives, the girl friend wanted to spend her free time with him which he too wanted. But he also needed his meditation time – hours of it to recover from the busyness and the turmoil of day to day living. For this intelligent man, being the Sakshi, witness was understood literally and that was opposed to participation.
But, Life is not a spectator ‘s sport.
Life is meant for us to relate, to participate wholeheartedly in our relationships as well as see the reality of it all.
The Sakshi is the ever-present witness of the Sakshyam, that which is being observed.
Then what or who is the Sakshi? Let ‘s explore this.
Sights, Sounds, Flavours, Fragrances and Textures. Who or what experiences these?
The Mind? The sense organs? Both work hand in hand to register our many external experiences.
How about our internal experiences? As we move from one thought to another, one memory to another, one emotion to another, which sense organs are involved? Are there internal eyes and ears? Obviously no. We can witness without the need for sense organs.
Then what or who knows of our rapidly changing mind or the monkey mind?
It is Sakshi, witness- consciousness or witness awareness, the pure being who is changeless but in whose presence all changes take place.
In the presence of Sakshi, the intensity of our emotions are observed – From slight irritation to raving rage.. …from mild affection to deep love…from a little anxiety to debilitating fear…from cheerfulness to delight…In the presence of Sakshi, everything comes to light.
We started Vedanta – the river of wisdom podcast about three years ago. I enjoy putting it together. When one of you shares your delight it makes my smile wider.
Observe what I just did – I moved from the memory of 3 years to my enjoyment to the physical manifestation of happiness – all of it is observed or rather lit up by me the Sakshi and also you, the Sakshi. Are there many Sakshi-s?
No, just one but as though conditioned by many body-minds.
The Sakshi as Witness Consciousness is always present.
Much like the light in a room during the day. I ask you – what do you observe in your room? You will list a host of things. What about light? It is likely that your list did not include the presence of light in the room. The light in the presence of which all things are illumined.
That light which does not have a judgment on how clean or messy the room is.
That light which is not influenced by the bigness or smallness of the room
That light which is not enhanced by the antiques present in the room nor is degraded by the garbage present in the bins for dry waste or wet waste.
That light which does not have a view on whether the room ought be minimalistic or full of your favourite things from twenty years ago to today.
Light remains neutral, uninvolved and yet involved and illumining everything.
Is Sakshi one half of the mind? No. If it was so then Sakshi that is the one who is aware of the mind could not be aware of the mind. Our experience suggests that we are aware of what is happening in our entire mind.
Is Sakshi a property of the mind? No. If it was so then like all properties it is subject to changing. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad. Sometimes alert, sometimes dull. But you are aware of feeling dull or alert. Is n’t it? This is possible because of the Sakshi.
Is Sakshi a culmination of an elaborate process that your mind undertook? No. Only if the Sakshi is present can the mind or anything else be present.
Although Sakshi means witness please don’t imagine another version of you sitting and observing you making it two personalities. That is why we add the word witness consciousness to differentiate between any other witness or eye witness.
When we say the sun shines..is it an action performed by the sun? If it was then it is subject to more or less action or no action at all. ‘Shines’ seems to be a verb that is used. But it is the nature of the sun to shine.
It is the nature of Sakshi, witness consciousness to make aware everything. And so we can say, in the presence of Sakshi everything comes to light.
Sakshi is the self evident being in relation to sakshyam, that which is being observed or lit up or becoming known.
In the presence of Sakshi, even the confusion about a subject is illumined.
What sadhana do you have to do, to be the Sakshi? No sadhana at all.
You are the Sakshi in and through the different thoughts.
Which mantra do you have to chant to be the Sakshi? No mantra.
You are the Sakshi when you chant a mantra or you are having a nonsensical conversation.
Which yoga aasana do you have to perform to be the Sakshi? No asana or pranayama either.
You are the Sakshi, witness awareness in the presence of which all aasanas and pranayama take place.
Which Vedanta text do you have to study to be the Sakshi? No text can make you that which you already are.
A word can liberate or limit your understanding.
Sakshi, the witness implies some sort of aloofness or detachment. The word implies that the witness is some sort of spectator watching the game of life from a safe distance afraid to be involved.
But the Sakshi is NOT opposed to participation.
The Sakshi illumines all our identities particularly the karta, doer and the bhokta, the experiencer.
The karta, the doer, the one who has a long to do list and checks off the boxes one by one. The dishes to be done, the bills to be paid, the meetings to be organized, the phone calls to be made, the events to be organized. The karta reviews the year so far, reorganizes priorities, adds a few more things to be done for this year and drops a few other scheduled activities for the year.
The Sakshi is in and through all of the activities and responsibilities of the karta.
The Sakshi illumines the karta all the way, is free from the doer, the karta but lends reality to the karta.
The bhokta, experiencer looks back on the year so far and has mixed feeling about the losses and gains, seeks some stability and certainty in finances and is looking forward to going on vacation with loved ones. Feeling restricted, the bhokta is waiting for the pandemic to get over. The Sakshi is not afraid to participate in any experience.
Being the Sakshi does not mean a withdrawal from activities or a withdrawal from life.
To see the water in the ocean do you have to wait for the waves to calm down? The content of the form of the waves is all that matters. Whether the ocean is stormy or calm, can you ever lose sight of the water?
The peace that comes from neutrality, the sense of being untouched by the shenanigans and drama of the karta, doer and the bhokta, experiencer may lead us to believe that we have to reduce our involvement in life. Far from it.
I am the Sakshi that is in and through it all. Much like the lotus which is very much in the pond, touched yet untouched by the water.
I am the Sakshi, in the world and yet untouched by it all.
