It allows THIS to see through the illusion of personhood. Enlightenment is the realization that the one seeking enlightenment does not exist.
There is a huge difference between THIS and ideas ABOUT this. ATA shifts attention away from ideas ABOUT this to THIS. As attention shifts to THIS, self-referential ideas are ignored. Those ideas cease to be reinforced, and the thought-structure supporting the idea of selfhood collapses.
ATA is similar to mindfulness but without mindfulness of thoughts. A more precise description would be "ATA minus thoughts." IMO this is more effective than mindfulness because it is "cleaner." Thoughts are sticky, and people who practice mindfulness often get lost in thoughts rather than being mindful of them.
ATA-minus-thoughts is what little children do. They look, listen, smell, taste, touch, and attend "what is" with little or no thought. They don't do mindfulness! Mindfulness is often accompanied by the idea "I'm practicing mindfulness," or "I should be more mindful," and these thoughts are believed.
By contrast, as soon as someone thinks, "I'm practicing ATA," or "I should practice ATA," these thoughts are seen and attention is shifted to what can be seen or heard. This reverses the process that creates and reinforces a sense of selfhood. The living truth is THIS; the illusion is separation.
Little children are one-with THIS; they are not psychologically separated from it. They live in the present moment, and are unconcerned about the past or future. They are innocent of the known. The pathless path of non-duality leads back to unity of mind, body, and universe (a child-like state of mind) while retaining the full intellectual capacity and functionality of an adult.
There is a huge difference between THIS and ideas ABOUT this. ATA shifts attention away from ideas ABOUT this to THIS. As attention shifts to THIS, self-referential ideas are ignored. Those ideas cease to be reinforced, and the thought-structure supporting the idea of selfhood collapses.
ATA is similar to mindfulness but without mindfulness of thoughts. A more precise description would be "ATA minus thoughts." IMO this is more effective than mindfulness because it is "cleaner." Thoughts are sticky, and people who practice mindfulness often get lost in thoughts rather than being mindful of them.
ATA-minus-thoughts is what little children do. They look, listen, smell, taste, touch, and attend "what is" with little or no thought. They don't do mindfulness! Mindfulness is often accompanied by the idea "I'm practicing mindfulness," or "I should be more mindful," and these thoughts are believed.
By contrast, as soon as someone thinks, "I'm practicing ATA," or "I should practice ATA," these thoughts are seen and attention is shifted to what can be seen or heard. This reverses the process that creates and reinforces a sense of selfhood. The living truth is THIS; the illusion is separation.
Little children are one-with THIS; they are not psychologically separated from it. They live in the present moment, and are unconcerned about the past or future. They are innocent of the known. The pathless path of non-duality leads back to unity of mind, body, and universe (a child-like state of mind) while retaining the full intellectual capacity and functionality of an adult.
