Robert Gonzales speaks to three dimensions of our inner life. We may use this framework as orientation our work with awareness (mindfulness, attention, consciousness), in the work of transforming moral judgments into facts, authentic feelings, values and requests. When we learn to embrace our suffering more fully and deeply, we can start living from a more powerful base, more connected to our heart and the hearts of others.
Summary
Robert shares a conceptual model with three layers of inner life experience- essential self, vulnerable fear/wounding and protective structures of frozen fear.
This model can be useful as a base for an intellectual or analytical understanding of our inner world, but it may serve us even more if we connect each of the layers with as a felt-sense alive experience in our body.
The ability to connect to his own essence has helped Robert in his own process of healing, transformation and unfolding.
He names three dimensions of inner life: essence, vulnerability, frozen fear/jackal.
He then talks about the consciousness of essence/essential self.
This consciousness is unconditional; it exists outside of time and space. Essence also includes the qualities of love, compassion and the clarity of a wisdom. There is a knowingness in who we are. There is a purity in the unconditioned quality of this awareness, in its openness and emptiness, as I see it.
The qualities of this consciousness can be accessed and experienced in the here and now through: childhood memories, through connecting with children close to us or also in general, perhaps through animals or through nature.
We may experience a block, some resistance when we try to access this consciousness. This is okay and we welcome this too.
Guided Meditation on Inner Purity of Being
Robert invites you to connect to an alive experience of this innermost layer your consciousness.
Possible dyad question: “How does essence/unconditioned awareness live inside of you?”