Awareness while sleeping

[Tokan]

Hi,
Ok. I'm not my body. I'm not my thoughts. I'm my awareness. Well....what happens when I'm sleeping and I'm not aware of anything?

Gassho,
Ester

Hi Ester

Well, I'm not offering any Zen answers, you've got those already, but from a physiological perspective, I wonder, are we really 'unaware' during sleep?

Although I sleep, my senses still function, so perception is still possible, as are mental formations, the thumping noise from one of the kid's bedrooms enters my 'sleeping awareness' and I wake momentarily to listen for any other sounds from that direction....no, they've gone back to sleep. Similarly, I can 'hear' other sounds through the night. When my sleep lightens, I might be 'aware' of the person next to me in the bed, or of the light rain outside. Were it not for this ability to remain partially 'aware' while asleep, humans may not have made it this far!

No teaching is intended in my comment, as I am a humble novice-priest with no teaching to offer.

Gassho, Tokan (satlah)

[Shoshin]

Advaita Vedanta has a lot of very interesting things to say on this topic Shoshin . And they encourage sitting as well.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

Yes, I've been leaning Advaita Vedanta for some time. According to spme answers above it seems that I've failed to grasp some fundamental difference between Advaita and Zen
I hope I can figure out what am I misunderstanding.
I'm really happy I made the question.

Gassho
Ester
Satlah

[Shoshin]

Well, are you sure you are not all those things combined? Where does awareness reside without a body? Are you still Ester when asleep and a whole system of organs, nerves and tissue consciously works relentlessly so that you can wake up or simply continue to breathe? Is someone who is in a coma still themselves?

Gassho
sat lah

Ummm...I guess I'm everything combined and I'm the pillow, and I'm you, and I'm the sky...
But aren't ultimately we-me-us-all awareness?
Is Advaita Vedanta too mixed up with my zen?

Thanks!
Gassho,
Ester
Satlah

[Shoshin]

Are you your awareness?

Gassho, Hōzan
satlah

I'm I not the observer?

Thanks!
Gassho,
Ester

[Shoshin]

That is the kind of thing that is said in some kind of "Eastern" or New Age teachings which is not really said in Zen ... They emphasize some underlying conscious or "Watcher" or the like that we are supposed to realize. Zen folks should not be distracted by such wild goose chases.

You are causes and conditions which have come together to be a body, thoughts and awareness which, for some years, is "Ester" ... and you are also the whole world manifesting in this one place as "Ester" ... and your body is all this, your thoughts are all this and your awareness is all this ... and when those causes and conditions someday dissipate and "Ester" is no more, you are still all this ...

Now, that is true when you are awake or asleep. So, please go sit some Zazen, then go to bed and sleep well!

Gassho, J
stlah

In my case it's not New agey stuff (thay I never found very interesting) but Advaita Vedanta (in particular the Ramakrishna school) what is mixing up with zen in my poor little brain.
I'd be supe grateful if you could develop your answer a bit more so as I understand the role of "awareness" in zen. What's"the observer" according to zen, then?


Thanks!
Gassho,
Ester
Satlah

Advaita Vedanta has a lot of very interesting things to say on this topic Shoshin . And they encourage sitting as well.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

Ok. I'm not my body. I'm not my thoughts. I'm my awareness. Well....what happens when I'm sleeping and I'm not aware of anything?

That is the kind of thing that is said in some kind of "Eastern" or New Age teachings which is not really said in Zen ... They emphasize some underlying conscious or "Watcher" or the like that we are supposed to realize. Zen folks should not be distracted by such wild goose chases.

You are causes and conditions which have come together to be a body, thoughts and awareness which, for some years, is "Ester" ... and you are also the whole world manifesting in this one place as "Ester" ... and your body is all this, your thoughts are all this and your awareness is all this ... and when those causes and conditions someday dissipate and "Ester" is no more, you are still all this ...

Now, that is true when you are awake or asleep. So, please go sit some Zazen, then go to bed and sleep well!

Gassho, J
stlah

[Bion]

Hi,

(Please, if this is not the right sub forum for this question let me know, I'm learning to navigate the forum)

Ok. I'm not my body. I'm not my thoughts. I'm my awareness. Well....what happens when I'm sleeping and I'm not aware of anything?

I know that ultimately there is no "I" but I guess that the question still makes sense. Doesn't it?

Thanks!
Gassho,
Ester
Satlah

Well, are you sure you are not all those things combined? Where does awareness reside without a body? Are you still Ester when asleep and a whole system of organs, nerves and tissue consciously works relentlessly so that you can wake up or simply continue to breathe? Is someone who is in a coma still themselves?

Gassho
sat lah

[Houzan]

Are you your awareness?

Gassho, Hōzan
satlah

[Shoshin]

Hi,

(Please, if this is not the right sub forum for this question let me know, I'm learning to navigate the forum)

Ok. I'm not my body. I'm not my thoughts. I'm my awareness. Well....what happens when I'm sleeping and I'm not aware of anything?

I know that ultimately there is no "I" but I guess that the question still makes sense. Doesn't it?

Thanks!
Gassho,
Ester
Satlah