Annihilation
This is a black, empty space encountered at a very subtle level of identity, the sense of identity which stems from the experience of existence. Here we are not dealing with boundaries of any image; we are dealing with the identity itself, the actual feeling of existence. Identity itself, both ego-identity and essential identity (identification with Being) is annihilated here in this space. As this space arises, the individual encounters fears of death, of disappearing, of annihilation, of nonexistence. This space is actually the experience of nonexistence, of complete extinction of self, of cessation. The cessation can be so deep that even awareness and consciousness cease for a time. The person here is not only afraid of the death of the body, but is also afraid that his mind will cease to exist. And this cessation of mind is exactly the experience of this space. This space, although it arouses the greatest terror, is experienced as the greatest peace.
The Void, p. 148 • discuss »
The Void, p. 148 • discuss »
The journey is not toward anything. The journey is toward the obliteration of everything. Only when everything is seen as a veil, everything, absolutely everything, then the Guest has arrived. Obviously this is not an easy journey because of the many distractions. There are millions of them; the mind is ingenious at creating distractions of all kinds. But at some point you will feel the consuming passionate love, and realize that passion is not just love, it's the source of love. Love is nothing but an emanation from it, one of the veils. That passion is itself annihilation, an intensity that burns from within, a dynamic and intensely active void. It is the secret one, and it is the Secret of the universe. Only something this immensely powerful will allow the heart to become completely poor and totally empty. That passion is itself nothing but the Secret touching your heart and incinerating it. This fierce, passionate love is capable of dissolving the deepest attachments and cleansing the heart to utter purity.
Diamond Heart Book V, p. 50 • discuss »
Diamond Heart Book V, p. 50 • discuss »
We are now approaching what the poem means by “annihilate mind in heart.” We need the belief in the existence of differentiated feelings to know and to express ourselves. To annihilate mind in heart does not advocate having feelings instead of thoughts. Annihilating mind in heart means going beyond differentiated feelings, which are inseparable from the sense of entityhood, which is itself a feeling differentiated and patterned by the idea of an independently existing entity. To move to the dimension of the night we need to go beyond the experience of ourselves as an entity, which is a mentally determined perception based on the physical. To go into the night requires that we move beyond our normal conceptualizing mind. And without the concepts of this mind, there will be no differentiated feelings. So to annihilate mind in heart is to go to pure feeling, which is beyond the feelings carved out by the conceptualizing mind.
Diamond Heart Book V, p. 161 • discuss »
Diamond Heart Book V, p. 161 • discuss »
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