' Examine the nature of unborn awareness'...

"Examine the nature of unborn awareness." Who is this "I"? Where did it
some from? Who is the one who realizes anything? Who is it that's aware?
The slogan points to the transparency of everything, including our beloved
identity, this precious M-E. Who is this ME?

The armor we erect around our hearts causes a lot of misery. But don't be
deceived, it's very transparent. The more vivid it gets, the more clearly you
see it, the more you realize that this shield - this cocoon - is just made up of
thoughts that we churn out and regard as solid. It's not made of iron. The
armor is not made out of metal. In fact, it's made out of passing memory.

...If you think this big burden of ego, this big monster cocoon, is something, it
isn't. It's just passing memory. Yet it's so vivid. The more you practice, the
more vivid it gets. It's a paradox - it can't be found, and yet it couldn't be
more vivid.

When we awaken our hearts, we're changing the whole pattern, but not by
creating an new pattern. We are moving further and further away form
concretizing and making things so solid and always trying to get some ground
underneath our feet. This moving away from comfort and security, this
stepping out into the unknown, uncharted, and shaky - that's called
enlightenment, liberation.


- Pema Chodron