Caractcharia and Non-Duality
Within the framework of contemplative and philosophical traditions, the concept of presence occupies a central place.
It is an immediate experience, not mediated by the intellect, in which the individual discovers himself free from mental constructions and identifications.
The Caractcharia approach is part of this perspective. Although this term is little known, it designates a specific interior posture, a commitment to a direct experience of reality, without separation between the observer and the observed.
This exploration connects with non-duality, a fundamental concept in many spiritual traditions, including Advaita Vedānta, Dzogchen and Chan.
The Presence: a return to direct experience
The human mind has a natural tendency to fragment experience into subjects and objects, creating a separation between self and the world.
Tasting presence is precisely suspending this artificial division and opening up to reality as it is, without conceptual filter.
From this perspective, being present means not only being attentive to the present moment, but recognizing that we are that moment itself.
Presence is then a state of total openness, free from any anticipation or recollection.
The Caractcharia invites us to this complete immersion in reality, putting aside any interpretation or judgment.
It offers an inner discipline where the experience is no longer dissociated from the one who experiences it.
Caractcharia: a path of interiority and integration
The term Caractcharia refers to an inner attitude that goes beyond simple attention or vigilance.
It is not just a matter of perceiving the moment, but of anchoring oneself in radical lucidity, a perception where duality is erased.
Practices associated with this approach include:
– Abandoning mental commentary: learning to perceive without superimposing labels or interpretations.
Cultivate a presence without automatic reactivity, an unconditional welcome of what is.
– The integration of silence: recognizing that behind mental activity, there is a background of silence that is always present.
This path joins the essence of non-dual traditions, which insist that the separation between oneself and the world is an illusion produced by the mind.
Non-Duality and Self-Realization
In non-dual traditions, the fundamental idea is that the individual and the universe are one. Consciousness is not locked into an individual body or mind; it is the very fabric of reality.
In Advaita Vedānta, this recognition is described by the statement Tat Tvam Asi (“You are That”), indicating that our true nature is identical with the Absolute.
Similarly, Tibetan Dzogchen teaches that primordial consciousness (Rigpa) is always present, free and spontaneous.
From this perspective, enjoying presence means realizing that we are not a limited self interacting with the world, but rather the very space in which all perception and phenomenon appear.
Towards a living experience of reality
Far from being a simple theory, this approach requires direct experimentation.
It is not enough to understand non-duality intellectually; you have to live it.
Inner stillness: some ideas for this
Practice of silence:
– Observe without seeking to control or analyze.
– Contemplation of the body and sensations: feeling each moment without separation between the experience and the experiencer.
– Awakening to the space of consciousness: asking “Who perceives?” » and realize that what perceives is without limit or center.
In this opening, Caractcharia becomes a way of being in the world, where each moment is an unveiling of presence, free from any mental grasp.
Tasting presence is not an effort or a particular technique: it is a return to what is already there.
The Caractcharia, as an inner attitude, guides us towards this radical simplicity where the division between self and the world disappears.
In this recognition, non-duality ceases to be a concept and becomes a lived experience.
And that is where true freedom lies.
