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

Questions and Answers & exercises / 81
nothIng IS BREathIng
(Nisargadatta Maharaj’s, “Focus on
that which animates the breathing apparatus.”)
EXERCISE #9
1) Feel your breath.
2) Rather than “you” breathing, “notice” that “you”
are being breathed.
THE pERCEivER Of THE BODY iS pART Of THE BODY
fOR MOST, THE SEARCH fOR EnliGHTEnMEnT
iS ABOUT SURvivinG BETTER
This is a hard one for “spiritual seekers” (fans) to stomach.
The nervous system uses its searching-seeking mechanism to
find better and better ways to survive. In this case, enlightenment
is a spiritualized survival mechanism to enhance
survival. In short, “If I get enlightened, I’ll survive better.”
THE nERvOUS SYSTEM Will nOT
AllOW YOU TO SEE
AnYTHinG BUT SURvivAl
When there is a point of view from within the body-mind
nervous system, the perception is a phenomenon, hence
the point of perception, which is nervous system based, is
survival based. In this way, the only thing that is allowed in
our perceptions or understanding is that which supports our
perceptual apparatus and its survival.
Moreover, the nervous system contains a searching-seeking
mechanism, which is structured to enhance survival by avoiding
pain and seeking pleasure.