How far is the moon?

The question is a bit rhetorical but mainly literal: How far away is the moon? In the realm of metrics and measuring sticks the moon is 238,900 miles from the earth.

But I'd like to pose the question slightly differently. How far away is the moon from you? The conventional answer is "Well, I'm on planet Earth, so the moon is about 240 thousand miles from me." But is it really?

Do you experience the moon 240 thousand miles away? Or do you experience the moon directly within your awareness. And if the latter, then how far away is awareness from you?

It's a nonsensical question, right? Awareness is zero distance from you. In fact, awareness is you.

This is such a radically counterintuitive proposition: that all sense of objectivity is merely a perception of awareness. We're so conditioned to believe that time & space exist prior to a world of bodies with bits of consciousness.

But it's the other way around. Awareness is all there is. Time, space, bodies, brains, earth, moon ... all of it is "made out of" awareness itself. Slightly paraphrasing A Course in Miracles, "there is no world apart from what you project".

We don't experience objective reality, despite the seeming certainty of subjective senses. Rather, we observe images on a screen of awareness, mistaking the appearances for authentic existence. This realization is the key to liberation from all suffering.

Join me in Thursday's class where we'll explore the nature of awareness, and practices we can develop to experience more peace. I look forward to seeing you then.