Openness as Self
31.03.25

While no word can encapsulate the essence of one's true self, I find "openness" a helpful term, given that, for many, openness or "being open" often maps to an experience, and is rarely misunderstood.

In openness - one's natural state - there is no forcing or trying. Ease is the experience, and the now is both empty and full.

There is nothing that separates "me" from "that"; the "that" being anything; sensations, objects, emotions, actions, ideas etc.

This is not to say that visually or audibly there are not different colours, sounds, people walking about. But, in openness, there is no thought-based distinguishing and labelling. All seemingly separate aspects exist together - life flowing and harmonising with itself.

Openness may appear to some as being easy going, but not unengaged. It is alive, present and aware. Anything can and does happen in a state of openness. And, nothing is happening.

In openness, there are no wants nor fears. But, if wants and fears are present, openness is open about their presence. It does not hide them, resisting their existence, nor does it defend them. Openness is not closed about some things and open about others. What is present, is present. Openness sees it, and, is with it.

Those who are open about "their" wants and fears tend to "progress" relatively quickly, while those who are closed, building around themselves many "spiritual" beliefs, remain in the realm of "knowing about" oneness, love, light etc, instead of knowing it, experientially.

Openness is open to what "another" is saying or doing - not closed off, taking a position, liking or disliking, agreeing or disagreeing with. Openness is aware - listening. Words may arise and are imbued with lightness and sincerity. The state is free of passion and care, yet full of love.

Openness is attracted to itself, as closedness is attracted to itself; the more open one becomes, the less one is attracted to closedness, and, the less closedness will find "you" attractive.

Openness is edgeless, flexible, unattached, stable, authentic, light, openhearted; it shares, offers, gives...

Closedness is limited, rigid, attached, unstable, insincere, serious, closed-hearted; it keeps, owns, defends...

We know ourselves as openness by experiencing both, although openness is more of a scale than a black/white distinction.