Neti-neti: we are more than that!

From http://www.rainbowbody.net/HeartMind/netineti.htm

Neti -- neti is a well known Sanskrit expression that is found in the Upanishads, but also is widely misunderstood (both in the West as well as in classic Indian dualistic philosophic traditions as well). This misunderstanding comes from a false assumption and dualistic context in which the saying is interpreted -- a presumption of an alienated context (an illusory assumption where God, Spirit, or Brahman is absent, separate in our daily life, or "elsewhere"). This coloring occurs within the context of a predilection toward a pre-existing false assumption of spiritual alienation (and may I add corruption) where a state of sin/separation from spirit is taken as the underlying "reality". However in REALITY, this false coloring of spiritual alienation can be likened to grasping in the wind. It is an error of the programmed dualistic mind. Within this mind-made conditioned schism that separates Spirit from man and from the earth, belies all the brutalities that man lays upon his fellow creatures and that of future generations. Thus neti, neti (neither this nor that) will be used to disclose the lie and reveal the truth.

Here we will posit the opposite jumping off place of interpretation than dualism; rather that Reality which true and spirited vision and clarity expresses. That Spirit is the everpresent (nirprapancaya) Eternal Reality Never-ending Beginningless Reality which is Eternally Present as sacred presence. So knowing and affirming the true context of "reality" from the very first, as a non-dual assumption then the term neti-neti can be applied simultaneously as a negation to subject/object duality and as an affirmation of the unitive state. Here we will show how and why.

Although Eternal spirit appears to be absent from "normal" dualistic materialistic everyday life, never-the-less we will view this "normalcy" as an error of the conditioned "norma" mind -- as a result of negative programming where the gross physicality of sense "objects" as well as similar I/it dualistic obsessions occludes universal sacred presence out of context of the whole. Thus this materialistic/dualistic normalcy will be considered as an ignorant (avidya) and fragmented self limiting skew -- a prejudicial and superficial bias of what really is, and, as such, as an illusory and an aberrant, corrupt, and perverted way of seeing and being -- a hallucination.

The Sanskrit expression, neti neti, as expressed by the realized sages more than "not this, not that", which is the common translation; but rather it means that we belong to a boundless all inclusive realm of Great Integrity - the WE realm of All Our Relations being therefore more than just a fragmentation and corruption of the whole, but rather the phrase neti, neti also implicitly shouts forth "tat tvam asi" -- That eternal spirit thou art.