I AM. This is the truth of Holy Being. There is existence and it is real. It’s full of power and strength and might. It’s the other side of Holy Emptiness. Utter fullness, complete and solid, immovable, absolute integrity. These qualities of Holy Being are shared by every aspect of manifested existence. The moment that Unity gives rise to existence, Holy Being is actualized. Its potency and sovereignty are complete and unrivaled.
Unity gives rise to all to all that is. The first trait of what exists is that it exists! It doesn’t exist independently of everything else, but it does exist. There have been many lengthy religious and philosophical debates about this over the centuries. Is all we see just a dream, illusion, or product of our or the Divine’s imagination? No, it’s real, though with much greater dimension than we typically see.
I’ve heard this intriguing question – Why is there something rather than nothing? The Big Bang could have fizzled. Apparently, there was just the right amount of energy and momentum so that the universe could form. Too much and there would just be empty space, too little and it never would have gotten off the ground. But that’s not what happened! Instead, the universe is so full and with so much variety. A miracle.
When God was asked by Moses for his name, God replied, “I AM THAT I AM”. The ground of all existence. Immediately as Unity begins to manifest into Its great variety, as the ground of this staggering multiplicity, there is the simple fact of Beingness. Every aspect of reality shares this fact. If something is part of reality, it IS. One of the titles for the Buddha is Tatagatha and one translation is “The One who has Thus Come”. He is arrived. He is here, completely here. The Advaita teacher Nisargadatta says, “I AM THAT”. His “I AM” is like that in Exodus, it includes and validates all existence. There is One entirety made manifest and that One is real.
This is the ground of all existence, supporting the entirety. We feel it in the solidity of each thing we touch, in the very ground on which we walk. Yes, there is also the truth of Emptiness and the fact of impermanence, but also there is in this immediate moment the truth of Being. In the present moment, this exists, that exists, genuine and substantial. In the next moment, this exists, that exists. Perhaps a different “this” or “that” but just as real. Related sayings include “thusness” and “suchness”. Each thing completely occupies its place, fully and with nothing held back. Even as manifestation continuously unfolds in its variety, each moment is shot through with the irrefutable fact of Holy Being.
Thank you for reading this post, I welcome your comments and questions below. Please share this with anyone you think may be interested. To learn more about classes, discussion groups or one-on-one consultation please contact me at keith at theawakenedenneagram.com.
Keith, it’s such a pleasure to be, out of the blue, hit by your beautiful deep knowledge. Even though I can’t totally follow your thoughts they do sink into me like seawater gently sifting through the sand on a beach. Reading your words reminds me of what a special man you are and of how greatfull I am to be your brother. ♥️