Here’s another installment in a series of emails that took place between Michael and one of his senior students beginning in August of 2009. May you find the exchange interesting and enriching.
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June 28, 2010
Student: Is awareness solid? Or is it fluid because of potential? Or is it both? Fluidity is moveable, or, I guess, even movement itself, but awareness is forever stable and grounded. Then again, as I ask this, I find myself just thinking instead of letting this be? I keep finding myself wanting to inspect, and see for myself. Is this another subtle form of avoidance?
Michael: Craving certitude is an avoidance of not knowing. But that aside, we can still talk about some of this stuff in ways that can help keep us on the path. To your question, awareness is neither solid nor not solid. Its aspects beyond both fluid and ground. Awareness is what is prior to all of these descriptors and it notices all of the handles we try to fix to any object in order to stabilize it.
Student: So where do you think the urgency to know where Truth comes from? As I explore all of this, it feels like a leash shortening, or a spiraling circumference narrowing to a pinpoint, but what does it matter? Does grace even care? Wondering, when there are no misconceptions, are there still questions? Does wondering hope for answers, if it comes from spaciousness?
Michael: Wonder is the orientation of a spacious mind. Questions are what give wonder form since any authentic wonder is formless and couldn’t care less if an answer arises. All wonder cares about is the openness that gives it life.