10 Ways to Self-Realization/Enlightenment
This is an outline of ten approaches to spiritual Enlightenment from the most direct approach to the least direct method. Each pathways has its own methodology and its own terminology. There are similarities and differences between the various perspectives, paths and practices but there are ultimately two basic principles that unite all approaches or methods of Self-Awareness for the purpose of Self-Realization/Enlightenment. What is the one element or principle that all of the most direct means to Self-Realization have in common? Defocusing of awareness. This is the one practice or principle that is present in all direct paths to Enlightenment. What is the single element that is integral to all of the least direct spiritual paths? Focusing of awareness.
Every roundabout way to Self-Awareness is based upon and rooted in practices of focusing of awareness. When one understands these two fundamental points, one is in a better position to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different spiritual practices, methods or disciplines. Is it a spiritual method or is it a psychological method? Does it focus awareness or does it defocus awareness? All ambiguity can be removed through understanding these two principles of practice.
Given that most spiritual practices are derived from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, this view explains the hit and miss nature of the majority of spiritual traditions. The fact of Patanjali's methodology forming the underpinnings of practically all spiritual practices and methods, within Yoga, Buddhism or Taoism may be due more to historical accident rather than to any significant practical misunderstanding, mistaken notions or major oversight on the part of the many spiritual teachers throughout history. There have always been two paths, one being based on the incorrect methodology of Patanjali and the other being based upon the correct methodology of defocusing awareness. The majority of approaches are founded upon the arguments and assumptions of Patanjali and as a consequence are incorrect methodologies. The rarer practices are those that have elaborated methods based upon the correct methodology of defocusing awareness. These are the paths that have catalyzed and precipitated the most consistent results that speak for themselves.
This is not meant to be an attack upon or devaluation of methods for focusing awareness. Methods that focus awareness are useful, if properly understood and when appropriately applied. We need to focus awareness for many reasons and for a variety of purposes just not for Enlightenment. There is nothing wrong with focusing awareness per se, it is just an incorrect methodology or an inappropriate approach for Self-Awareness. Focusing of awareness may be a pathway to many things, such as success, creation, evolution, development, growth, learning and experience but it is an unreliable, inconsistent and variable method of or for Self-Awareness. A correct methodology for Self-Realization/Enlightenment can only be based upon the practice of the defocusing of awareness. An unfocused objectless awareness can only be achieved through the practice of defocusing awareness. Every object-focused awareness is only a distraction from the natural state of awareness which is realized directly through defocusing.
I include ten ways in my list to point one in the right practical directions. There may be new teachers, with new tricks or gimmicks but I doubt that many will surpass the indications to application given by each of these 10 paths/teachers/methods.
Here is the list of the ten ways to spiritual realization from the most effective to the least effective:
1. Dzogchen - Self-Liberation
2. Douglas Harding - Self-Seeing
3. Richard Rose - Reverse Vector
4. Ramana Maharshi - Self-Inquiry
5. Hesychasm - Mystical Prayer
6. Zen - Zazen
7. G. I. Gurdjieff - Self-Remembering
8. Vipassana - Psychological Witnessing
9. Mindfulness - Physical Witnessing
10. Patanjali - Samyama
7/11/2011
Advaitin vs. Neo-Advaitin
Advaitinment is Not Necessarily Enlightenment
Recently, I had the good fortune to observe a Neo-Advaita teacher sitting side by side with a more traditional spiritual teacher. What I noticed immediately was how pushy and condescending the Neo-Advaita teacher seemed to be. I am in no way questioning the Realization of this teacher but...I was mildly annoyed, if not subtly offended by the fact that this teacher not only dominated the discussion but consistently attempted to push a certain position. This is a teacher whom I have seen personally once and whom I happen to like, as well as respect the teaching and presence of but...it was the Neo-Advaita conceptual position that disturbed me. Since, I also have reservations about traditional Advaita Vedanta as well, I will use this post to address my concerns or grievances with both approaches, philosophically, as well as methodologically.
Overall, I like Advaita Vedanta and on the whole I appreciate what Neo-Advaitin teachers are doing but...I see problems with both perspectives that need to be addressed. First, I need to talk about the problem of Advaitinment.
Advaitinment vs. Enlightenment
I have observed a trend in Neo-Advaita circles that possibly is also present in traditional Advaita Vedanta. It is was I am calling Advaitinment. What is this state of Advaitinment? This is the point when a practitioner begins to parrot what the teacher is saying, instead of actually experiencing "I Am That" directly. At this place called Advaitinment one is merely relating to the conceptual perspective of Advaita Vedanta as more of a belief system than as a means to direct spiritual experience. You will see people who may have had some kind of awareness of Self - at some time or the other - agreeing with the teacher, nodding their heads and criticizing other questioners ("because it is so obvious!"). But, generally, it is the case that those who have achieved Advaitinment are hangers-on who really don't understand experientially what the teacher is discussing or describing. Yes, they may have had a moment of Self-Awareness but a glimpse is not Self-Realization, nor is it Enlightenment.
The teachers are as much at fault as are the students because they fail to emphasize one principle or fact: that nothing must be done with thought but that something must be done with awareness. Either they do not understand or recognize this distinction themselves or they fail to mention it. Practice is absolutely necessary to Realize and to Abide in awareness. It must be a practice, in, of, by and for awareness only. In so far as Enlightenment or Self-Realization is an awareness of Reality, no it is not just a concept, it is an awareness. Concepts are not even the point. In fact, most Neo-Advaita teachers overemphasize concepts and under-emphasize awareness. This is precisely why knowledge of the Self is important and why methodology to Realize Self-Awareness is absolutely essential. Any other perspective makes students dependent upon the teacher for energy or for transmission but awareness cannot be transmitted. Only knowledge, methodology or energy can be transmitted. A teacher without knowledge and without method, only possesses energy to transmit but how often is that effective in and of itself?
Problems with Traditional Advaita Vedanta
My main issues with traditional Advaita Vedanta are two: philosophical and methodological. The philosophical perspective of the "unreality of the world" is not only false and contrary to all experience but may also be psychologically unhealthy. It is an absurd, impractical and invalid position that has no utility in either spiritual practice or in daily life. My personal opinion is that such a philosophical position is harmful socially, economically and psychologically. As for methodology, I can see no clearly practical and effective methods for Self-Realization within Advaita Vedanta prior to Ramana Maharshi. Maybe, this is unfair but I find no evidence to support the contrary view. Through, the method of Self-Inquiry, Ramana Maharshi made Advaita Vedanta philosophy pragmatic and useful. The entire approach of traditional Advaita Vedanta was conceptually-based intellectual practice, rather than awareness-based spiritual practice.
Problems with Neo-Advaita
Thankfully, most Neo-Advaitins don't harp too much about the "unreality of the world." It makes sense after all given that so many of them are Westerners. The main problem with Neo-Advaita is its lack of a clear methodology that is consistent and that is effective. One may argue that the same is true of most spiritual paths, ways or traditions and it would not be inaccurate to say so. The approach to Realization cannot merely be a negative one, as it must also be positive. You can say what the Self is not day and night, until you are blue in the face but it is what it is that is the most relevant point. The Self is Awareness, not concepts, forms or energies. There is a definite practice to Realize the Self though and it is distinguished by the criteria of an awareness of awareness. To ask the question over and over again, "who is happy," "who is aware," etc...is to introduce an absurdity ad infinitum.
This whole notion of never-ending, ever-subtler "egoes" that one must watch out for is silliness. There is awareness and awareness is Self. Keep it simple!
What is the Practice?
1. Recognize that awareness is focused.
2. Understand that whenever there is a focus of awareness, there is also a psychological position.
3. Notice that a psychological position is a localization of psychic energy that is unnecessary.
4. Know that there is no psychological position that can define, describe or circumscribe who and what you are.
5. Question all of your own psychological positions.
6. Begin to defocus your awareness with one of the following three approaches: By turning your focus inward coming to an awareness of Awareness; With an expansion of awareness outwardly, everywhere throughout Space; Through entering into the experience of total Oneness between "self" and "other."
7. Continue going backward; retreating from every object of experience; dropping everything; expanding in all directions; filling space; letting go; merging with every object of experience; entering into the space between "self" and "other"; getting behind, before or beneath "subject" and "object."
8. Where there is two-ness, find Oneness. Where there is form, find Space. Where there are objects, find Awareness.
9. Reach the perspective of unfocused objectless awareness.
10. Realize that this is your True Nature or Real Self, while experiencing uncaused happiness that is the intrinsic, innate and inherent Bliss of the Self.
Recently, I had the good fortune to observe a Neo-Advaita teacher sitting side by side with a more traditional spiritual teacher. What I noticed immediately was how pushy and condescending the Neo-Advaita teacher seemed to be. I am in no way questioning the Realization of this teacher but...I was mildly annoyed, if not subtly offended by the fact that this teacher not only dominated the discussion but consistently attempted to push a certain position. This is a teacher whom I have seen personally once and whom I happen to like, as well as respect the teaching and presence of but...it was the Neo-Advaita conceptual position that disturbed me. Since, I also have reservations about traditional Advaita Vedanta as well, I will use this post to address my concerns or grievances with both approaches, philosophically, as well as methodologically.
Overall, I like Advaita Vedanta and on the whole I appreciate what Neo-Advaitin teachers are doing but...I see problems with both perspectives that need to be addressed. First, I need to talk about the problem of Advaitinment.
Advaitinment vs. Enlightenment
I have observed a trend in Neo-Advaita circles that possibly is also present in traditional Advaita Vedanta. It is was I am calling Advaitinment. What is this state of Advaitinment? This is the point when a practitioner begins to parrot what the teacher is saying, instead of actually experiencing "I Am That" directly. At this place called Advaitinment one is merely relating to the conceptual perspective of Advaita Vedanta as more of a belief system than as a means to direct spiritual experience. You will see people who may have had some kind of awareness of Self - at some time or the other - agreeing with the teacher, nodding their heads and criticizing other questioners ("because it is so obvious!"). But, generally, it is the case that those who have achieved Advaitinment are hangers-on who really don't understand experientially what the teacher is discussing or describing. Yes, they may have had a moment of Self-Awareness but a glimpse is not Self-Realization, nor is it Enlightenment.
The teachers are as much at fault as are the students because they fail to emphasize one principle or fact: that nothing must be done with thought but that something must be done with awareness. Either they do not understand or recognize this distinction themselves or they fail to mention it. Practice is absolutely necessary to Realize and to Abide in awareness. It must be a practice, in, of, by and for awareness only. In so far as Enlightenment or Self-Realization is an awareness of Reality, no it is not just a concept, it is an awareness. Concepts are not even the point. In fact, most Neo-Advaita teachers overemphasize concepts and under-emphasize awareness. This is precisely why knowledge of the Self is important and why methodology to Realize Self-Awareness is absolutely essential. Any other perspective makes students dependent upon the teacher for energy or for transmission but awareness cannot be transmitted. Only knowledge, methodology or energy can be transmitted. A teacher without knowledge and without method, only possesses energy to transmit but how often is that effective in and of itself?
Problems with Traditional Advaita Vedanta
My main issues with traditional Advaita Vedanta are two: philosophical and methodological. The philosophical perspective of the "unreality of the world" is not only false and contrary to all experience but may also be psychologically unhealthy. It is an absurd, impractical and invalid position that has no utility in either spiritual practice or in daily life. My personal opinion is that such a philosophical position is harmful socially, economically and psychologically. As for methodology, I can see no clearly practical and effective methods for Self-Realization within Advaita Vedanta prior to Ramana Maharshi. Maybe, this is unfair but I find no evidence to support the contrary view. Through, the method of Self-Inquiry, Ramana Maharshi made Advaita Vedanta philosophy pragmatic and useful. The entire approach of traditional Advaita Vedanta was conceptually-based intellectual practice, rather than awareness-based spiritual practice.
Problems with Neo-Advaita
Thankfully, most Neo-Advaitins don't harp too much about the "unreality of the world." It makes sense after all given that so many of them are Westerners. The main problem with Neo-Advaita is its lack of a clear methodology that is consistent and that is effective. One may argue that the same is true of most spiritual paths, ways or traditions and it would not be inaccurate to say so. The approach to Realization cannot merely be a negative one, as it must also be positive. You can say what the Self is not day and night, until you are blue in the face but it is what it is that is the most relevant point. The Self is Awareness, not concepts, forms or energies. There is a definite practice to Realize the Self though and it is distinguished by the criteria of an awareness of awareness. To ask the question over and over again, "who is happy," "who is aware," etc...is to introduce an absurdity ad infinitum.
This whole notion of never-ending, ever-subtler "egoes" that one must watch out for is silliness. There is awareness and awareness is Self. Keep it simple!
What is the Practice?
1. Recognize that awareness is focused.
2. Understand that whenever there is a focus of awareness, there is also a psychological position.
3. Notice that a psychological position is a localization of psychic energy that is unnecessary.
4. Know that there is no psychological position that can define, describe or circumscribe who and what you are.
5. Question all of your own psychological positions.
6. Begin to defocus your awareness with one of the following three approaches: By turning your focus inward coming to an awareness of Awareness; With an expansion of awareness outwardly, everywhere throughout Space; Through entering into the experience of total Oneness between "self" and "other."
7. Continue going backward; retreating from every object of experience; dropping everything; expanding in all directions; filling space; letting go; merging with every object of experience; entering into the space between "self" and "other"; getting behind, before or beneath "subject" and "object."
8. Where there is two-ness, find Oneness. Where there is form, find Space. Where there are objects, find Awareness.
9. Reach the perspective of unfocused objectless awareness.
10. Realize that this is your True Nature or Real Self, while experiencing uncaused happiness that is the intrinsic, innate and inherent Bliss of the Self.
7/06/2011
Psychological Positions
Psychic Positionality
What is a psychological position? In the journey to Self-Awareness, Self-realization and Enlightenment, a psychological position is the place where we all begin. Generally, it is called the 'ego,' 'personality,' 'false self,' ' the 'I' thought,' 'self-image,' 'self-concept,' or 'self-projection.' Many of these terms may have some truth or relevance but I find most of them to be inaccurate, unpractical and laden with too many connotations. Being much more than merely an "I" thought with a string of corresponding concepts attached, it is also a point of view, a point of reference and a point of focus. A psychological position is a self-referential thought process that is self-descriptive and that is self-definitive. The whole conceptual architecture of "I am this" or "I am that" is merely a complex psychological position that persists through focused awareness.
Psychological positions are plural within the human psyche. They are an outgrowth of the interaction of our physical form with the focus of our awareness and are experienced between the two. When awareness is focused, there is always a psychological position. In our search for or creation of a self-identity we manufacture a sense of self-integrity through maintenance of our psychological positions. We may do this due to our existential fears, our ignorance or our delusion. Our particular psychic positioning may be influenced by a variety of factors such as, sex, race, culture, age, religion, occupation, wealth, status, etc. Our psychic positioning may have a general orientation such as introversion or extroversion and may possess specific focuses such as toward activities, relationships or thinking. Although, our unique psychological positions are internally determined, they are always externally influenced.
The majority of psychological positions are unnecessary constructs requiring focus and energy to maintain that also inhibit the natural circulation of psychic energy. The energetic matrix of psychic positions is composed of the same energy that maintains the physical body. It is in the functionality of the mental, emotional and physical psychic energies - of a gaseous/plasma nature - that the false sense of "self" is experienced. The True Self is Awareness. This is where true identity is to be found. Any psychological position is not-self. It is necessary to become free of our psychological positions through defocusing awareness. Focusing awareness fosters psychic positionality. Without the focusing of awareness, psychological positionality is impossible to sustain. This is the dilemma that we are faced with, to find our Self we must lose our "self."
10 Steps to Psychological Depositioning
How does one deposition psychologically? The first step to psychological depositioning must be away from the physical body. The second step is to defocus awareness by whatever means. The third step is to deconstruct your psychic positions by analyzing the mutability and unreliability of all psychological positions, past or present. The fourth step is to acknowledge or recognize that your physical body is not who you are, given that it changes and You do not. The fifth step is to question every story that you have told yourself or that you have been told about yourself. The sixth step is to reorient your awareness in non-physical and in non-psychological directions. The seventh step is to question every self-referential thought process, as being an accurate description or definition of who you are. The eighth step is to question every aspect of your own psychological self-description. The ninth step is to question every side of your own psychological self-definition. The tenth step is to find the You that is beyond definition, before description and outside of the experience of self-referential thought processes.
What is a psychological position? In the journey to Self-Awareness, Self-realization and Enlightenment, a psychological position is the place where we all begin. Generally, it is called the 'ego,' 'personality,' 'false self,' ' the 'I' thought,' 'self-image,' 'self-concept,' or 'self-projection.' Many of these terms may have some truth or relevance but I find most of them to be inaccurate, unpractical and laden with too many connotations. Being much more than merely an "I" thought with a string of corresponding concepts attached, it is also a point of view, a point of reference and a point of focus. A psychological position is a self-referential thought process that is self-descriptive and that is self-definitive. The whole conceptual architecture of "I am this" or "I am that" is merely a complex psychological position that persists through focused awareness.
Psychological positions are plural within the human psyche. They are an outgrowth of the interaction of our physical form with the focus of our awareness and are experienced between the two. When awareness is focused, there is always a psychological position. In our search for or creation of a self-identity we manufacture a sense of self-integrity through maintenance of our psychological positions. We may do this due to our existential fears, our ignorance or our delusion. Our particular psychic positioning may be influenced by a variety of factors such as, sex, race, culture, age, religion, occupation, wealth, status, etc. Our psychic positioning may have a general orientation such as introversion or extroversion and may possess specific focuses such as toward activities, relationships or thinking. Although, our unique psychological positions are internally determined, they are always externally influenced.
The majority of psychological positions are unnecessary constructs requiring focus and energy to maintain that also inhibit the natural circulation of psychic energy. The energetic matrix of psychic positions is composed of the same energy that maintains the physical body. It is in the functionality of the mental, emotional and physical psychic energies - of a gaseous/plasma nature - that the false sense of "self" is experienced. The True Self is Awareness. This is where true identity is to be found. Any psychological position is not-self. It is necessary to become free of our psychological positions through defocusing awareness. Focusing awareness fosters psychic positionality. Without the focusing of awareness, psychological positionality is impossible to sustain. This is the dilemma that we are faced with, to find our Self we must lose our "self."
10 Steps to Psychological Depositioning
How does one deposition psychologically? The first step to psychological depositioning must be away from the physical body. The second step is to defocus awareness by whatever means. The third step is to deconstruct your psychic positions by analyzing the mutability and unreliability of all psychological positions, past or present. The fourth step is to acknowledge or recognize that your physical body is not who you are, given that it changes and You do not. The fifth step is to question every story that you have told yourself or that you have been told about yourself. The sixth step is to reorient your awareness in non-physical and in non-psychological directions. The seventh step is to question every self-referential thought process, as being an accurate description or definition of who you are. The eighth step is to question every aspect of your own psychological self-description. The ninth step is to question every side of your own psychological self-definition. The tenth step is to find the You that is beyond definition, before description and outside of the experience of self-referential thought processes.
7/04/2011
Happiness is Uncaused
There is No Cause for Happiness
Happiness is without cause. There is nothing in this world that you can do to experience happiness. It is impossible to choose happiness through deciding to be happy or positive no matter what. There is no emotional experience that is comparable to real happiness. You cannot think enough positive thoughts that can equal or compare to true happiness. There is no object in your experience that can give you happiness. No person, place or thing can make you happy. You cannot look to others for happiness or to any accomplishment that is apart from your Self. There is no way, path or practice that will lead you to happiness. The only true happiness is uncaused. The ultimate happiness is eternal, without beginning or end.
You can create all that you want through focusing but you cannot find happiness through any focus. Happiness is experienced in an unfocused awareness. Not a single object in your experience possesses happiness and yet everything is bathed in Bliss. Happiness is objectless and is present everywhere. If you want to find happiness by looking for it, don't look someplace or somewhere, instead look no place and see everywhere. Awareness is pointless, without a point of reference or center. Happiness is never to be found in sensations, feelings or thoughts. Self is not sensation. Awareness is not thought. Oneness is not feeling. Before experience there is Bliss and after experience there is Bliss.
You can change everything in your environment, in your relationships and in your psyche but you will not find happiness through any change. Happiness is only intrinsic to the Changeless. What is constant in your experience? There is an element of constancy in every experience. What is it? Find it! Yes, improvement and betterment are possible through change but lasting happiness is impossible to achieve through any change. Happiness is your nature. Within your inmost, innate, inherent, intrinsic nature is where happiness always is. Bliss is your Being. There is no greater happiness or love than your own Awareness. This principle cannot truly be understood until it is experienced.
To find happiness, one must stop looking for it where it cannot be found. To experience bliss, one must stop looking in ways that focus awareness. Happiness cannot be found but it can be known, seen, recognized, discovered, realized, understood and experienced. How does one experience happiness? There is only One Happiness and there is only one way to experience it: shift from a focused awareness of objects to a defocused awareness that is objectless. Your existence is not object-based, it is Space-based. Your identity does not require objects to orient itself or for self-reference. Your Self does not require points of reference. Not focusing awareness is synonymous with seeing the unlimited, Infinite and Absolute nature of Awareness. Defocusing is Bliss.
How does one defocus awareness? Try it with your eyes. First, focus your eyes on some object, now defocus them or make it fuzzy. Take your camera. Zoom in, then zoom out. With awareness, focusing is like zooming in and defocusing is like zooming out. Put on your glasses for seeing or reading. Now, take them off. Look through the lens of the telescope. Now, see the whole scene. Look at near objects as though they are far and far objects as though they are near. Get in your car and look out through your window. Now, get out of your car and look around. Talk on the phone. Then talk face to face. Go straight from point A to point B. Now, meander. Be a local. Now, become a tourist. Take your usual route. Then try a new path. Look at the top of the hill. Then go and look out from the top of the hill. Walk in a straight line. Now, walk in a circle. Walk forward to a wall, then walk backward to the other wall. Get as close to some object as you can. Now, get further and further away.
Through focusing there is the perception of proximity and through defocusing there is the perception of distance but there is only a change in perspective not in relative position. Usually, we change our experience through changing our relative position, so we exchange one group of objects of focus for another. The most immediate and direct means of orienting our experience towards happiness is through defocusing awareness. We are not changing relative position but we are changing our perspective from one of a focus upon objects to an awareness of awareness. This awareness of awareness is the only "cause" of or for happiness. Exchanging one object of focus for another is not going to bring us any closer to happiness. Awareness is position-less. The Bliss of Enlightenment can only be realized by freedom from all psychological positions through the defocusing of awareness. There is no psychological position that defines or describes who or what you are, as who and what you are is only Awareness.
Happiness is without cause. There is nothing in this world that you can do to experience happiness. It is impossible to choose happiness through deciding to be happy or positive no matter what. There is no emotional experience that is comparable to real happiness. You cannot think enough positive thoughts that can equal or compare to true happiness. There is no object in your experience that can give you happiness. No person, place or thing can make you happy. You cannot look to others for happiness or to any accomplishment that is apart from your Self. There is no way, path or practice that will lead you to happiness. The only true happiness is uncaused. The ultimate happiness is eternal, without beginning or end.
You can create all that you want through focusing but you cannot find happiness through any focus. Happiness is experienced in an unfocused awareness. Not a single object in your experience possesses happiness and yet everything is bathed in Bliss. Happiness is objectless and is present everywhere. If you want to find happiness by looking for it, don't look someplace or somewhere, instead look no place and see everywhere. Awareness is pointless, without a point of reference or center. Happiness is never to be found in sensations, feelings or thoughts. Self is not sensation. Awareness is not thought. Oneness is not feeling. Before experience there is Bliss and after experience there is Bliss.
You can change everything in your environment, in your relationships and in your psyche but you will not find happiness through any change. Happiness is only intrinsic to the Changeless. What is constant in your experience? There is an element of constancy in every experience. What is it? Find it! Yes, improvement and betterment are possible through change but lasting happiness is impossible to achieve through any change. Happiness is your nature. Within your inmost, innate, inherent, intrinsic nature is where happiness always is. Bliss is your Being. There is no greater happiness or love than your own Awareness. This principle cannot truly be understood until it is experienced.
To find happiness, one must stop looking for it where it cannot be found. To experience bliss, one must stop looking in ways that focus awareness. Happiness cannot be found but it can be known, seen, recognized, discovered, realized, understood and experienced. How does one experience happiness? There is only One Happiness and there is only one way to experience it: shift from a focused awareness of objects to a defocused awareness that is objectless. Your existence is not object-based, it is Space-based. Your identity does not require objects to orient itself or for self-reference. Your Self does not require points of reference. Not focusing awareness is synonymous with seeing the unlimited, Infinite and Absolute nature of Awareness. Defocusing is Bliss.
How does one defocus awareness? Try it with your eyes. First, focus your eyes on some object, now defocus them or make it fuzzy. Take your camera. Zoom in, then zoom out. With awareness, focusing is like zooming in and defocusing is like zooming out. Put on your glasses for seeing or reading. Now, take them off. Look through the lens of the telescope. Now, see the whole scene. Look at near objects as though they are far and far objects as though they are near. Get in your car and look out through your window. Now, get out of your car and look around. Talk on the phone. Then talk face to face. Go straight from point A to point B. Now, meander. Be a local. Now, become a tourist. Take your usual route. Then try a new path. Look at the top of the hill. Then go and look out from the top of the hill. Walk in a straight line. Now, walk in a circle. Walk forward to a wall, then walk backward to the other wall. Get as close to some object as you can. Now, get further and further away.
Through focusing there is the perception of proximity and through defocusing there is the perception of distance but there is only a change in perspective not in relative position. Usually, we change our experience through changing our relative position, so we exchange one group of objects of focus for another. The most immediate and direct means of orienting our experience towards happiness is through defocusing awareness. We are not changing relative position but we are changing our perspective from one of a focus upon objects to an awareness of awareness. This awareness of awareness is the only "cause" of or for happiness. Exchanging one object of focus for another is not going to bring us any closer to happiness. Awareness is position-less. The Bliss of Enlightenment can only be realized by freedom from all psychological positions through the defocusing of awareness. There is no psychological position that defines or describes who or what you are, as who and what you are is only Awareness.
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