You Are Not Book.indb - Stephen H. Wolinsky Ph. D.

298 / You Are Not
discontinuity enters in, it is present in all perceptions
and thinking from the place of the level mind to the
atomic plane. Wherever there is manifestation, there
must be discontinuity or succession . . .” (Taimini, The
Science of Yoga, pp. 299-300)
SpAnDA AS THE ESSEnTiAl nATURE
Of THE SUBSTAnCE
The first verse of this section describes Spanda-sakti represented
by the unmesa (emergence) and nimesa (submergence)
of the (primal energy) . . . and it also includes the individual
is unmesa—nimesa.
“Unmesa and nimesa are only figuratively spoken of
as occurring one after the other. As a matter of fact, they
occur simultaneously.” (Spanda Karikas, p. xviii)
To the linear mind, there is an appearance-disappearance-appearance-disappearance,
and, it can be so described.
However, appear-disappear occurs simultaneously as (IS – IS
NOT) as one solid unit.
This is probably one of the most curious and difficult
things to explain in language, but “I’ll” try.
inTRinSiC OR COnTAinED WiTHin THE “i AM”
iS THE “i AM nOT,” WHiCH AppEARS AS OnE
SOliD UniT. COnTAinED WiTHin THiS i AM –
i AM nOT SEED iS BOTH “i AM” AnD “i AM nOT”
(OR nOT i AM).
Now, when you are (in) I AM, it is central (foreground),
and NOT I AM is background. When you are in NOT I AM,
then NOTHINGNESS and no “I” is (central) foreground and
I AM is background. Prior to or between this appearance of
I AM (presence)—I AM NOT (absence), YOU ARE NOT,