Tell me who you are
Self-inquiry dyads are one of the most expedient ways to bring about kencho
or awakening to your true nature. Especially when done in a retreat
which creates conditions of no escape for the egoic mind.
Doing Self-inquiry dyads via Zoom works really well.
I'm going to run through the process and address some of the unique considerations
of doing diads via Zoom, so that you have the optimal experience.
First make sure that your camera is set up so that you can look directly
into your partner's eyes. When you're in the dyad, it's best that you're
paying attention to your partner looking at their image, not staring at the camera
Please make sure that you are unmuted when you start the dyads,
and that your camera is turned on.
The meeting automatically begins in speaker view and because of this
you can see your own video when you're speaking, but you don't want
to see yourself when you're speaking, you want to see your partner.
so hover over your video and click the ellipses button in your video
to display the menu, then choose 'hide self view'
you will no longer see the video of yourself even though others
in the meeting can see the video of you.
If you have technical problems or problems with the technique,
there's a button to contact the facilitator.
Click here to ask the host for help.
Outside of the actual dyad process please do not chat with your partner.
If you chat or engage in conversation you are activating the conditioned mind
and you will lose progress.
Once you have entered a breakout room, decide who will give the imperative first
So what would you like to do first, would you like to report or be the witness?
If you ask me I rather would like to be the witness.
The one who gives the imperative will be the witness and the
other partner will do the inquiry.
You'll be the witness? Okay.
You'll give me the imperative.
Before giving the imperative, feel your intention to want to know
who this being is in front of you.
When you say "Tell me who you are," make it sincere.
You really want to know who this being is.
Tell me who you are. The witness looks directly into the eyes
of the inquirer, and says: "Tell me who you are."
The witness does not nod, make facial responses
or make any sound while witnessing.
Do not change the imperative. The imperative is 'Tell me who you are'
It is not 'who are you?' and it is not can you tell me who you are?
If you ask who are you, or can you tell me who you are these are questions
the imperative tell me who you are is not a question but a command
it is an imperative to authentically communicate as your true self.
Understand that this is not a question, therefore we're not looking for an answer
on the level of the conditioned mind. 'Tell me who you are' is a command,
Tell me, convey to me who you are.
Tell me who you are.
The person inquiring intends to directly experience their true nature.
Directly means not via the mind.
When you receive the imperative, get a sense of 'I amness'
of present awareness or 'beingness'. That which has always been present,
even when you were a little kid. Intend to directly experience who you are.
Another way of saying this, is 'be still and know'. Be still
and get a sense of that primordial consciousness that is ever present.
Depending on the number of participants, sometimes there will be three people
in the breakout rooms. So instead of a dyad it will be a triad.
In this case two people will be witnesses while one person does the inquiry.
Instead of saying tell me who you are, the imperative will be 'Tell us who you are."
When you receive the imperative, you can take a moment.
If you want to close your eyes and go inward that's fine.
There's no right or wrong way to do it.
Once you have inquired directly, then observe anything that comes up
within the self structure, as a result of that inquiry.
Just remain open to anything that wants to come up to the surface
and share it as fully as you can with your partner
Whatever comes up as a result of the inquiry.
There's a sense of grace that's hanging out with tension
It may be words or sounds, emotions, laughs, cries, memories, feelings...
So the first thing that's noticed, that's arising
it's like a cloud of what the mind would call intense sensations
it's important to be free and not censor or suppress
any thoughts, beliefs, emotions or phenomena.
So when I received that, I felt a movement of energy, strong sensations
in the forehead, in the third eye area.
It felt like I was becoming more awake, more present in the room.
Who am I in this experience?
I don't know, just the words are coming I don't know.
Just being here, just noticing.
Your inquiry will generally be around 5 to 6 minutes
Sometimes it's less, sometimes longer. Don't worry about the length of time,
but at the same time try not to take up all the time.
40 minutes is too long and don't try to get off the hook too quickly.
one or two minutes is too short.
It's important that the witness remains totally neutral.
No facial expressions, no positive or negative feedback.
This lack of feedback allows the person doing the inquiry to be totally free.
There is a sense that they're being heard. They're being listened to,
but not judged in any way. There is neither encouragement nor is there
a reaction or contraction to anything being said.
The witness should try their best to understand their partner.
if what is being said is not clear the one thing the witness can says is
"Can you clarify that please?'
_ Can you clarify that please?"
Be especially conscious of words like I, me, my, mine, or myself.
Don't use these words unconsciously. Find out who do these words point to.
We often use these words to reinforce identification with the false self.
With the character.
The facilitators will enter your room with their camera off.
Simply respond to their prompts maintaining eye contact with your partner.
What's happening in the mind right now? It's the mind trying to do something?
There's so many emotions, like...
The ego mind is wanting to be inserted, like I'm here, like I'm here.
Look at me really active.
Like really, wanting to take the front seat.
So there's a struggle
When you feel that your share is complete then you can say thank you
and give a little namaste with your hands.
Thank you.
If at any point during the inquiry you feel that you are stuck you can ask
yourself what is the most real thing that is observable in this moment
how is this exercise making me feel. Is there something being held back
that wants to be expressed? most importantly have fun with it.
Be childlike, spontaneous and free with your sharing. As you are more and more
able to convey who you are, you may let go of the burden of trying to do it right
The burden of knowing, just letting the mind be a don't know mind
or a beginner's mind.