An Advaita Vedanta philosophy site, focusing on Realization, enlightenment, nisarga yoga, non-duality (nonduality), your original nature, dwelling as your natural state, and the teachings of Maharaj.
Announcing the closing of the Non-Duality Bookstore as the focus in the future will be on providing books electronically. See at the end of this post an offer to receive at lower-than-eBook prices the last of the paper books remaining in stock at 50% off with free shipping in the U.S. and half-price shipping internationally.
Also, see details below for starting your own “Advaita Study Home Group”
F.: In the following e-mail received yesterday, one site visitor followed through, purchased a CD with quiet music cycling at a slow, alpha rate, and shared this description of the ambient sound and peace connection that is quite different from the claims made about a loud noise and clarity connection:
I really don't know how to explain the "experience" of these alpha sounds. I've just been sitting with it all. Even my dog looks at peace when its played. Its really something to see how peaceful she seems when I play the theta track especially. For me though, I've been working with the Alpha track, and the only idea that kept coming up was that the world is something that never did, has, or ever will come at me but instead, its coming from me. Everything is coming from me. I can definitely put a logical finger on it, but it has a deeper meaning to it beyond logic. Thanks again for the info. Gerard
F.: Dogs, other animals, plants, and humans all thrive when the brain oscillates at a natural, low-decibel, slow cycle rate. Regards, f.
Now, to continue the reply to these comments:
FROM A SITE VISITOR:
*** please listen to this tape that includes all of the noise of Ketwadi Street
***there is no separate self to be in the presence of noise and chaos
*** I listen to heavy metal and there is far more clarity
***realized people I know prefer skyscrapers to trees W.D.
Next, as for this talk about there is no separate self in the presence of noise, what has happened to the Am-ness? Has the pointer been changed from I AM THAT; I AM to I AM THAT; I AM NOT?
There has been no such change of the summative message of Advaita, but what is revealed is this: persons can hear a few pointers, can assume the role of “The Deep, Philosophical One,” can assume they are Fully Realized, and can then end up being farther out of touch with reality than before they ever heard the word “Advaita.”
As for listening to certain music for a while in order to cultivate a religious or spiritual persona and then seeing that such behavior was steeped in image and phoniness, that shows “progress” along the “path”; however, to substitute loud and noisy music and then claim clarity to be the result is as equally out of touch.
As for, “Are there common traits among the realized?” everything is "in common," period. The traits associated with the Am-ness as it happens post-Realization are identical across the board and are the exact opposite of the traits of the non-Realized that appeared in the 28 April 2009 post.
Furthermore, there are certain genetically-transferred archetypes that are common to all of humanity and could show irritated, stressed, and anxious persons exactly what it is that is missing in their lives and what it is in their modern cultures that differs from what typified the type of environment that facilitated peace and happiness among human-like forms for millions of years.
The following is also shared in the book FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS. Over a period of thirty-three years, nearly 5000 persons were polled during discussions concerning the movement away from the madding crowd.
(NOTE: Most of those polled did not have the option of arranging a literal retreat from society. Some other “method” was required for finding freedom and peace, and that is another part of what these teachings provide.)
Prior to the polling, the participants were told that humans have stored in a subconscious location the vision of a quiet place, a place that they would consider to have all of the attributes of "the perfect hideaway" or "the ideal area for 'escape'."
It was explained that they were not to try to describe a geographical place that they have actually visited but were to try to tap into the recesses of their consciousness and describe that place within which can only be visualized and that has always been there but has seldom been accessed.
Next, they were asked to list the words that best described the place and its surroundings. In 95% of all responses, six common traits were always mentioned:
1. remote; 2. quiet 3. a place of solitude because no other humans are anywhere near (meaning one can be alone there without feeling lonely); 4. water; 5. the gentle sounds of water (waterfall, brook, stream) and, some mentioned, the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through trees; and 6. wildlife, such as birds.
What do all of those elements have in common? All of the elements are natural. What is the opposite of those natural traits? Over-populated areas; noisy areas; dry areas; areas with harsh sounds; and areas with no natural wildlife.
The Cherokee grandmother (mentioned in previous posts on this site) used a term employed by the indigenous peoples to describe that “non-place place”: she called it “The Medicine Place” or “The Healing Place,” reached by conducting a “Spirit Journey” (hence, the title of the CD linked on this site).
The Nisargan—functioning spontaneously in an all-natural fashion—moves automatically to the quiet. Consider the counterparts in nature: when in the presence of noise, the deer moves to the quiet. Make noise in the water where a fish is swimming and it was dart away from the noise. Birds fly away when humans walk through the woods making noise.
In fact, in all of nature, there is only one form that has been so warped and so distorted and so far removed from what is natural that it will seek out noise: that is the human, specifically, those humans that have been so distorted and so far removed from what is natural that they are now being driven by a "mind" and by their false personas that makes them think they prefer noise over peace and quiet.
And no matter how often efforts are made to redirect their faulty thinking, it still guides them most often into a "fantasy land mode" that is void of facts and logic and reason. Is it not time to give up on the "mind" that generates such thinking, considering its flawed history and all of the relative problems that result from such thinking?
Here the invitation is to question and to consider and then eventually to unlearn what has been learned and then find within what You know; however, that "first line of attack" against nonsense does not work for many. The more-applicable message for them would be to parallel Maharaj’s approach when he met his teacher.
He was so ready for freedom and peace that he unquestioningly accepted all that his teacher taught. That is going to be the only chance for some seekers who must be free of the “mind” (which is the seat of so many distortions that persons who are attached to the content of that “mind” will never see clearly if that content is not discarded).
If I am your teacher via these postings or sessions or retreats, and if questioning and challenging have not resulted in Realization, then you might consider another tact. Stop debating, stop talking, and stop “acting” Realized.
Instead, start taking the pointers I offer into quiet consideration with complete openness and willingness. Stop questioning the present teacher for awhile and start questioning all of your past teachers: parents; priests or preachers or gurus or imams; politicians; school teachers; relatives; spouses; friends; and everyone else whose messages contributed to the miasma that is now your “mind” (and thus got you into the mess that you are in right now if not Realized Fully).
And know, based not only on the Advaita teachings but also on proof provided via scientific research, that peace and quiet are natural and that excessive noise and disharmony are not; know that as long as a self or selves remain, there will be no seeking of the quiet because the voices of the false selves that emanate from the “mind” are deafening.
Understand why the ego thinks it must speak and must generate sounds and noise. Understand that an illusory “mind” is a prerequisite for the continued belief in ego-states and in the notion that excessive noise can drown out the sounds of an endlessly noisy “mind.”
If it is freedom and peace you seek, then this site is for you. If you do not want freedom and peace—if you are being driven to think and talk and behave in a way that is contrary to the natural way that persons lived for millions of years before language development set the stage for warped programming and bizarre conditioning to become the abnormal "norm"—then there are millions of other sites and billions of non-Realized persons who will reinforce most willingly your unnatural acculturation and who will listen to and accept wholeheartedly both nonsense and foolishness. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
I really don't know how to explain the "experience" of these alpha sounds. I've just been sitting with it all. Even my dog looks at peace when its played. Its really something to see how peaceful she seems when I play the theta track especially. For me though, I've been working with the Alpha track, and the only idea that kept coming up was that the world is something that never did, has, or ever will come at me but instead, its coming from me. Everything is coming from me. I can definitely put a logical finger on it, but it has a deeper meaning to it beyond logic. Thanks again for the info. Gerard
F.: Dogs, other animals, plants, and humans all thrive when the brain oscillates at a natural, low-decibel, slow cycle rate. Regards, f.
Now, to continue the reply to these comments:
FROM A SITE VISITOR:
*** please listen to this tape that includes all of the noise of Ketwadi Street
***there is no separate self to be in the presence of noise and chaos
*** I listen to heavy metal and there is far more clarity
***realized people I know prefer skyscrapers to trees W.D.
Next, as for this talk about there is no separate self in the presence of noise, what has happened to the Am-ness? Has the pointer been changed from I AM THAT; I AM to I AM THAT; I AM NOT?
There has been no such change of the summative message of Advaita, but what is revealed is this: persons can hear a few pointers, can assume the role of “The Deep, Philosophical One,” can assume they are Fully Realized, and can then end up being farther out of touch with reality than before they ever heard the word “Advaita.”
As for listening to certain music for a while in order to cultivate a religious or spiritual persona and then seeing that such behavior was steeped in image and phoniness, that shows “progress” along the “path”; however, to substitute loud and noisy music and then claim clarity to be the result is as equally out of touch.
As for, “Are there common traits among the realized?” everything is "in common," period. The traits associated with the Am-ness as it happens post-Realization are identical across the board and are the exact opposite of the traits of the non-Realized that appeared in the 28 April 2009 post.
Furthermore, there are certain genetically-transferred archetypes that are common to all of humanity and could show irritated, stressed, and anxious persons exactly what it is that is missing in their lives and what it is in their modern cultures that differs from what typified the type of environment that facilitated peace and happiness among human-like forms for millions of years.
The following is also shared in the book FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS. Over a period of thirty-three years, nearly 5000 persons were polled during discussions concerning the movement away from the madding crowd.
(NOTE: Most of those polled did not have the option of arranging a literal retreat from society. Some other “method” was required for finding freedom and peace, and that is another part of what these teachings provide.)
Prior to the polling, the participants were told that humans have stored in a subconscious location the vision of a quiet place, a place that they would consider to have all of the attributes of "the perfect hideaway" or "the ideal area for 'escape'."
It was explained that they were not to try to describe a geographical place that they have actually visited but were to try to tap into the recesses of their consciousness and describe that place within which can only be visualized and that has always been there but has seldom been accessed.
Next, they were asked to list the words that best described the place and its surroundings. In 95% of all responses, six common traits were always mentioned:
1. remote; 2. quiet 3. a place of solitude because no other humans are anywhere near (meaning one can be alone there without feeling lonely); 4. water; 5. the gentle sounds of water (waterfall, brook, stream) and, some mentioned, the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through trees; and 6. wildlife, such as birds.
What do all of those elements have in common? All of the elements are natural. What is the opposite of those natural traits? Over-populated areas; noisy areas; dry areas; areas with harsh sounds; and areas with no natural wildlife.
The Cherokee grandmother (mentioned in previous posts on this site) used a term employed by the indigenous peoples to describe that “non-place place”: she called it “The Medicine Place” or “The Healing Place,” reached by conducting a “Spirit Journey” (hence, the title of the CD linked on this site).
The Nisargan—functioning spontaneously in an all-natural fashion—moves automatically to the quiet. Consider the counterparts in nature: when in the presence of noise, the deer moves to the quiet. Make noise in the water where a fish is swimming and it was dart away from the noise. Birds fly away when humans walk through the woods making noise.
In fact, in all of nature, there is only one form that has been so warped and so distorted and so far removed from what is natural that it will seek out noise: that is the human, specifically, those humans that have been so distorted and so far removed from what is natural that they are now being driven by a "mind" and by their false personas that makes them think they prefer noise over peace and quiet.
And no matter how often efforts are made to redirect their faulty thinking, it still guides them most often into a "fantasy land mode" that is void of facts and logic and reason. Is it not time to give up on the "mind" that generates such thinking, considering its flawed history and all of the relative problems that result from such thinking?
Here the invitation is to question and to consider and then eventually to unlearn what has been learned and then find within what You know; however, that "first line of attack" against nonsense does not work for many. The more-applicable message for them would be to parallel Maharaj’s approach when he met his teacher.
He was so ready for freedom and peace that he unquestioningly accepted all that his teacher taught. That is going to be the only chance for some seekers who must be free of the “mind” (which is the seat of so many distortions that persons who are attached to the content of that “mind” will never see clearly if that content is not discarded).
If I am your teacher via these postings or sessions or retreats, and if questioning and challenging have not resulted in Realization, then you might consider another tact. Stop debating, stop talking, and stop “acting” Realized.
Instead, start taking the pointers I offer into quiet consideration with complete openness and willingness. Stop questioning the present teacher for awhile and start questioning all of your past teachers: parents; priests or preachers or gurus or imams; politicians; school teachers; relatives; spouses; friends; and everyone else whose messages contributed to the miasma that is now your “mind” (and thus got you into the mess that you are in right now if not Realized Fully).
And know, based not only on the Advaita teachings but also on proof provided via scientific research, that peace and quiet are natural and that excessive noise and disharmony are not; know that as long as a self or selves remain, there will be no seeking of the quiet because the voices of the false selves that emanate from the “mind” are deafening.
Understand why the ego thinks it must speak and must generate sounds and noise. Understand that an illusory “mind” is a prerequisite for the continued belief in ego-states and in the notion that excessive noise can drown out the sounds of an endlessly noisy “mind.”
If it is freedom and peace you seek, then this site is for you. If you do not want freedom and peace—if you are being driven to think and talk and behave in a way that is contrary to the natural way that persons lived for millions of years before language development set the stage for warped programming and bizarre conditioning to become the abnormal "norm"—then there are millions of other sites and billions of non-Realized persons who will reinforce most willingly your unnatural acculturation and who will listen to and accept wholeheartedly both nonsense and foolishness. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
BELOW:
1. REALIZATION AIDS
2. ADVAITA BOOK SETS-50% off
3. MATERIALS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA
4. DONATIONS
1. REALIZATION AIDS
The Advanced Seekers’ Book Set
The following three books make up
“The Advanced Seekers’ Book Set”
and should be read in the order below.
BOOK ONE
(click)
BOOK TWO
(click)
BOOK THREE
(click)
2. ADVAITA BOOK SETS-50% off
THE FOLLOWING NON-DUALITY BOOKS ARE IN THE STORE IN LIMITED SUPPLY AND WILL BE OFFERED AT 50% OFF WHEN BOUGHT AS A PACKAGE:
While quantities last, the following package deal is being offered: Receive all nine (9) of the paperback books listed below for $88 total with free shipping in the U.S. and ½ price shipping internationally.
NOTE: Only one full set remaining. The offer will become an eight-book set after the next order.
NON-DUALITY BOOK SET:
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Consciousness/Awareness
From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
It's All Bullshit (and Why Knowing it Sets You Free)
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide I
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide II
There's No Such Thing as ''Peace of Mind''
Spiritual Sobriety (Recovering What Religions Lost)
The Essence of the Teachings
To order, click
Non-Duality Book Set
then add the package to the shopping cart and follow the checkout procedure to the secure pay site.
3. MATERIALS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA
THE “ADVAITA IN-HOME STUDY GROUP” PACKAGE
Host an Advaita Study Group in your home with the following materials for you and three other seekers:
4 copies-From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
4 copies-Consciousness / Awareness
4 copies-From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Take turns reading passages and then discussing the pointers.
All 12 books for $120.00 ($30 each for the four participants) + free S&H in the U.S.
To order this set, you must use
the Contact link to make arrangements for payment and to provide shipping information.
FOUR PAY OPTIONS:
VISA, MC, MONEY ORDER, CASHIER’S CHECK
(ONLY ONE SET OF THESE TWELVE BOOKS IS LEFT IN THE STORE)
Most titles are also available as eBooks
Visit
The Official Website of Floyd Henderson
4. DONATIONS
1. REALIZATION AIDS
2. ADVAITA BOOK SETS-50% off
3. MATERIALS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA
4. DONATIONS
1. REALIZATION AIDS
The Advanced Seekers’ Book Set
The following three books make up
“The Advanced Seekers’ Book Set”
and should be read in the order below.
BOOK ONE
(click)
BOOK TWO
(click)
BOOK THREE
(click)
2. ADVAITA BOOK SETS-50% off
THE FOLLOWING NON-DUALITY BOOKS ARE IN THE STORE IN LIMITED SUPPLY AND WILL BE OFFERED AT 50% OFF WHEN BOUGHT AS A PACKAGE:
While quantities last, the following package deal is being offered: Receive all nine (9) of the paperback books listed below for $88 total with free shipping in the U.S. and ½ price shipping internationally.
NOTE: Only one full set remaining. The offer will become an eight-book set after the next order.
NON-DUALITY BOOK SET:
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Consciousness/Awareness
From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
It's All Bullshit (and Why Knowing it Sets You Free)
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide I
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide II
There's No Such Thing as ''Peace of Mind''
Spiritual Sobriety (Recovering What Religions Lost)
The Essence of the Teachings
To order, click
Non-Duality Book Set
then add the package to the shopping cart and follow the checkout procedure to the secure pay site.
3. MATERIALS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA
THE “ADVAITA IN-HOME STUDY GROUP” PACKAGE
Host an Advaita Study Group in your home with the following materials for you and three other seekers:
4 copies-From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
4 copies-Consciousness / Awareness
4 copies-From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Take turns reading passages and then discussing the pointers.
All 12 books for $120.00 ($30 each for the four participants) + free S&H in the U.S.
To order this set, you must use
the Contact link to make arrangements for payment and to provide shipping information.
FOUR PAY OPTIONS:
VISA, MC, MONEY ORDER, CASHIER’S CHECK
(ONLY ONE SET OF THESE TWELVE BOOKS IS LEFT IN THE STORE)
Most titles are also available as eBooks
Visit
The Official Website of Floyd Henderson
4. DONATIONS
FROM SIM IN KENTUCKY, U.S.A.: How about a donate button? I give monthly to a blog about locations and reviews of a particular type of restaurant we like. I’d sure donate to this blog.
FROM “ANONYMOUS”: Almost every visitor brought Maharaj food or flowers. I’d like to treat you to a meal if you tell me how to do so with my credit card!
FROM LOUISE, SOUTH AFRICA: [Consider the case of an acquaintance who] added a donate button to his site. Regular blog readers were happy to support the site in this way.
F.: Okay—so it’s done, but it should be noted that these postings and responses to all questions submitted to the site are offered without charge. The 1,300 Advaitin essays available on the site, compiled over a four-year period, are also all available to everyone without any fee or charge. Know too that via this site, all serious contacts are answered one-on-one and/or on the site, also without charge.
FROM “ANONYMOUS”: Almost every visitor brought Maharaj food or flowers. I’d like to treat you to a meal if you tell me how to do so with my credit card!
FROM LOUISE, SOUTH AFRICA: [Consider the case of an acquaintance who] added a donate button to his site. Regular blog readers were happy to support the site in this way.
F.: Okay—so it’s done, but it should be noted that these postings and responses to all questions submitted to the site are offered without charge. The 1,300 Advaitin essays available on the site, compiled over a four-year period, are also all available to everyone without any fee or charge. Know too that via this site, all serious contacts are answered one-on-one and/or on the site, also without charge.
Finally, please know that there should never be an assumption that there is any obligation on your part to donate; additionally, donors will not receive anything that is not also available to non-donors. That said, any donation will be appreciated. Thank you.
