An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation / Realization, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your original nature, natural abidance, the nothingness, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
[At the end of this posting there are five videos that discuss thirty-three Advaitin topics]
F.: Michael P., one of the daily visitors to this site, was asked to share his recollections of pointers received during satsangs with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, including any pointers that might be relevant to the other visitors to this site. Thank you, Michael. Here is some of what Michael shared regarding that request:
M.P.: The intensity of seeking caused me to take a leave of absence from law school in 1976, in part to take a training course to become a teacher of meditation. Plans were made, goodbyes were said to family and friends, tickets were bought, yet when i arrived in France, i was told that the rules had changed and i couldn’t participate in the teacher’s course.
Phone calls, pleading, praying, meditating, eating crepes from street vendors, finally got the word that i could participate, but because of a change of schedule, would have to wait for over a month.
Student budget being what it was, decided to travel on the cheap through Europe. By chance, met a fellow who told me of Nisargadatta Maharaj. He wanted to go visit him. One week later, arrived in Bombay/Mumbai.
Having grown up in New York City, i thought i would be prepared me for what i heard was the crowded nature of Bombay and the hustle bustle. Wrong. Squalor, people strewn all over the streets, smell of fires, cooking, and who knows what else overwhelmed the senses. That week was a blur.
We found a hotel close by that we could afford (it was less than $5 a night) and planned to go see Maharaj. My friend knew someone who had been visiting Maharaj, and they made sure it was OK. We knew to bring offerings of fruit and flowers.
When we made our way through this very impoverished neighborhood and stood in front of Maharaj’s place, then climbed up impossibly small steps to this loft, i knew very clearly that this could not be a teacher of any value. Wrong again.
Pictures of Indian teachers and sages all over, thought i recognized one or two, but i was a babe in these spiritual woods at the time. At first, did not even know that Maharaj was Maharaj. He looked so, well, ordinary!
But his eyes gave him away! He stared at us and at one point fixed his eyes on mine. I couldn’t breathe! He began (so i thought) shouting. Actually he was asking my friend where we had come from, where we were staying, very mundane questions.
Then he gave a talk, in his native language. Had no, and i mean NO, idea what he was talking about, even when translated. At one point, he gestured toward us and started talking very animatedly. The translator said Maharaj was saying that he did not want a lot of followers, that those who were attracted by wealthy teachers deserved what they got.
Thought that was a bit harsh, since my teacher at the time was very big on positive talk! Was impressed by the fact that, though my friend had not offered that we were followers of a “big” teacher, somehow Maharaj knew anyway.
He asked us if we had any questions, and i asked what was the quickest way to stabilize the experience of pure consciousness experienced in meditation.
The paradigm i was taught was that if you meditated enough, the fleeting experience of pure consciousness would be stabilized and there all the time. Bliss and all good things would ensue as a result. He asked me who was having the experience of pure consciousness. Told him, quite innocently, i was (had no idea of Self-inquiry, direct path, any of that.)
He told me i had wasted my time coming there, and as long as i thought i would get something out of what i was doing, i would continue to travel far and wide from teacher to teacher and never understand. Again, no idea what he was talking about AND he was yelling at me. Freaked out beyond words.
He asked me why i wanted to waste my time and his. Gulp. Told him i wanted to be enlightened. Wish i could remember more of the torrent of words that he responded with. Knew before it was translated that it wasn’t good. Something about before consciousness, something about no one who would benefit, something about never even being born.
Between not “supposed” to be there in the first place, getting singled out while trying to remain incognito, having my nice little spiritual worldview challenged, seeing a number of nodding heads and smiles as Maharaj was speaking (again, i thought shouting), i wanted to disappear.
Whiz kid was freaked out and stumped. Although i did not understand the words, when Maharaj was speaking, it stopped me cold. Couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, got intensely quiet, as quiet as any time in my formal meditation practice.
While i didn’t understand what was being said even after translation, the sensing was there that something profound had been offered. Just didn’t have the remotest clue of what it meant. (The continuation and conclusion tomorrow)
Please enter into the silence of contemplation.
M.P.: The intensity of seeking caused me to take a leave of absence from law school in 1976, in part to take a training course to become a teacher of meditation. Plans were made, goodbyes were said to family and friends, tickets were bought, yet when i arrived in France, i was told that the rules had changed and i couldn’t participate in the teacher’s course.
Phone calls, pleading, praying, meditating, eating crepes from street vendors, finally got the word that i could participate, but because of a change of schedule, would have to wait for over a month.
Student budget being what it was, decided to travel on the cheap through Europe. By chance, met a fellow who told me of Nisargadatta Maharaj. He wanted to go visit him. One week later, arrived in Bombay/Mumbai.
Having grown up in New York City, i thought i would be prepared me for what i heard was the crowded nature of Bombay and the hustle bustle. Wrong. Squalor, people strewn all over the streets, smell of fires, cooking, and who knows what else overwhelmed the senses. That week was a blur.
We found a hotel close by that we could afford (it was less than $5 a night) and planned to go see Maharaj. My friend knew someone who had been visiting Maharaj, and they made sure it was OK. We knew to bring offerings of fruit and flowers.
When we made our way through this very impoverished neighborhood and stood in front of Maharaj’s place, then climbed up impossibly small steps to this loft, i knew very clearly that this could not be a teacher of any value. Wrong again.
Pictures of Indian teachers and sages all over, thought i recognized one or two, but i was a babe in these spiritual woods at the time. At first, did not even know that Maharaj was Maharaj. He looked so, well, ordinary!
But his eyes gave him away! He stared at us and at one point fixed his eyes on mine. I couldn’t breathe! He began (so i thought) shouting. Actually he was asking my friend where we had come from, where we were staying, very mundane questions.
Then he gave a talk, in his native language. Had no, and i mean NO, idea what he was talking about, even when translated. At one point, he gestured toward us and started talking very animatedly. The translator said Maharaj was saying that he did not want a lot of followers, that those who were attracted by wealthy teachers deserved what they got.
Thought that was a bit harsh, since my teacher at the time was very big on positive talk! Was impressed by the fact that, though my friend had not offered that we were followers of a “big” teacher, somehow Maharaj knew anyway.
He asked us if we had any questions, and i asked what was the quickest way to stabilize the experience of pure consciousness experienced in meditation.
The paradigm i was taught was that if you meditated enough, the fleeting experience of pure consciousness would be stabilized and there all the time. Bliss and all good things would ensue as a result. He asked me who was having the experience of pure consciousness. Told him, quite innocently, i was (had no idea of Self-inquiry, direct path, any of that.)
He told me i had wasted my time coming there, and as long as i thought i would get something out of what i was doing, i would continue to travel far and wide from teacher to teacher and never understand. Again, no idea what he was talking about AND he was yelling at me. Freaked out beyond words.
He asked me why i wanted to waste my time and his. Gulp. Told him i wanted to be enlightened. Wish i could remember more of the torrent of words that he responded with. Knew before it was translated that it wasn’t good. Something about before consciousness, something about no one who would benefit, something about never even being born.
Between not “supposed” to be there in the first place, getting singled out while trying to remain incognito, having my nice little spiritual worldview challenged, seeing a number of nodding heads and smiles as Maharaj was speaking (again, i thought shouting), i wanted to disappear.
Whiz kid was freaked out and stumped. Although i did not understand the words, when Maharaj was speaking, it stopped me cold. Couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, got intensely quiet, as quiet as any time in my formal meditation practice.
While i didn’t understand what was being said even after translation, the sensing was there that something profound had been offered. Just didn’t have the remotest clue of what it meant. (The continuation and conclusion tomorrow)
Please enter into the silence of contemplation.
Schedule a one-hour satsang session with floyd
by telephone and the call (either international or in the U.S.) will be free.
[Details below]
For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
TABLE OF CONTENTS BELOW:
1. SATSANG BY TELEPHONE
2. REALIZATION AIDS
3. ARRANGE FOR FLOYD TO SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP
4. SUBMITTING ADVAITA VEDANTA POETRY FOR PUBLICATIONS
5. DONATIONS
6. YOUTUBE VIDEOS DISCUSSING A VARIETY OF ADVAITA TOPICS
1. SATSANG BY TELEPHONE:
A. FREE CALLS INSIDE THE U.S.
B. FREE INTERNATIONAL CALLS ALSO (via Skype)
If you do not already have a Skype account, you need only search “Skype” and, download the free program and take a few minutes to set up your account; then Floyd will call you and you will pay no telephone charges for your session.
Use the Contact link for details or for information on making arrangements for a session
2. REALIZATION AIDS
The Advanced Seekers’ Three-eBook Set
From the I to the Absolute
Consciousness / Awareness
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
(ORDER NOW ANY OF THE FOURTEEN NON-DUALITY BOOKS WRITTEN BY FLOYD
and
YOU WILL HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR READING IN A FEW MINUTES FROM NOW)
Order the “Advanced Seeker’s Set” or any of the other books by visiting
The Official Website of Floyd Henderson
3. ARRANGE FOR FLOYD TO TRAVEL TO YOUR LOCATION AND SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP
Use the contact link above to arrange a session in your city either in the U.S. or internationally.
4. SUBMITTING ADVAITA VEDANTA POETRY FOR PUBLICATION
Visit
Submitting Advaita Vedanta Poetry for Publication
5. DONATIONS
by telephone and the call (either international or in the U.S.) will be free.
[Details below]
For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
TABLE OF CONTENTS BELOW:
1. SATSANG BY TELEPHONE
2. REALIZATION AIDS
3. ARRANGE FOR FLOYD TO SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP
4. SUBMITTING ADVAITA VEDANTA POETRY FOR PUBLICATIONS
5. DONATIONS
6. YOUTUBE VIDEOS DISCUSSING A VARIETY OF ADVAITA TOPICS
1. SATSANG BY TELEPHONE:
A. FREE CALLS INSIDE THE U.S.
B. FREE INTERNATIONAL CALLS ALSO (via Skype)
If you do not already have a Skype account, you need only search “Skype” and, download the free program and take a few minutes to set up your account; then Floyd will call you and you will pay no telephone charges for your session.
Use the Contact link for details or for information on making arrangements for a session
2. REALIZATION AIDS
The Advanced Seekers’ Three-eBook Set
From the I to the Absolute
Consciousness / Awareness
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
(ORDER NOW ANY OF THE FOURTEEN NON-DUALITY BOOKS WRITTEN BY FLOYD
and
YOU WILL HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR READING IN A FEW MINUTES FROM NOW)
Order the “Advanced Seeker’s Set” or any of the other books by visiting
The Official Website of Floyd Henderson
3. ARRANGE FOR FLOYD TO TRAVEL TO YOUR LOCATION AND SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP
Use the contact link above to arrange a session in your city either in the U.S. or internationally.
4. SUBMITTING ADVAITA VEDANTA POETRY FOR PUBLICATION
Visit
Submitting Advaita Vedanta Poetry for Publication
5. 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 note that the postings and responses are offered without charge, as is access to the library of 1,350+ Advaitin essays archived on the site.
That said, any donation will be appreciated. Thank you.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 note that the postings and responses are offered without charge, as is access to the library of 1,350+ Advaitin essays archived on the site.
6. ADVAITA VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
If you want to share the five Advaita videos on your own site, you are invited to do so without charge. Click on the links above and to the right under “Links and Resources.” You’ll be transferred to the video sites and there you will find the embedding codes that you can copy and paste onto your html pages.
Below are five lists containing thirty-three Advaitin subjects that are discussed on the YouTube videos that follow each of the lists.
(The numeric counter information is provided so that you can move to the exact location in the videos to find any particular discussion that might be of interest)
Advaita Topics 1-9:
1. Defining Advaita Vedanta (Counter 28-55)
2. Methods of Teaching (Counter 55-144)
3. Unicity / Nonduality (Counter 144-239)
4. I AM THAT; I AM (Counter 239-331)
5. Learn vs. Unlearn (Counter 331-413)
6. Unlearn What? (Counter 413-444)
7. Person vs. Realized (444-525)
8. The Triad (Counter 525-745)
9. Before Conception (Counter 745-901)
Click on the arrow below to start Video One and topics 1-9:
Advaita Topics 10-16:
10. No Body Continuity / “ME” (Counter 1-56)
11. Not Born / No Creation / Cannot Die (Counter 56-200)
12. No Peace of “mind” / My “mind” / “Their “mind” (Counter 200-333)
13. Brain vs. “mind” vs. Consciousness (Counter 333-500)
14. Not in the World (Counter 500-603)
15. Inner Guru (Counter 603-715)
16. Personality-Suffering Connection / Upgrading Illusions (Counter 715-840)
Click on the arrow below to start Video Two and topics 10-16:
Advaita Topics 18-24:
18. The Role-Playing + Co-dependency + Suicide Link (Counter 1-205)
19. Upgrading / Downgrading Illusions (Counter 205-300)
20. Emotions vs. Feelings (Counter 300-422)
21. Religion and Spirituality (Counter 422-547)
22. Question All (Counter 547-713)
23. Natural vs. Unnatural vs. Supernatural Living (Counter 713-833)
24. When Trillions Are Wrong (Counter 833-920)
Click on the arrow below to start Video Three and topics 18-24:
Advaita Topics 25-31:
25. Christ the Advaitin (Counter 1-150)
26. Child Ignorance / The Pre-”mind” State (Counter 150-340)
27. Child Ignorance vs. Learned Ignorance (Counter 340-439)
28. Two Levels of Witnessing (Counter 439-554)
29. Desires and Fears (Counter 554-641)
30. Consciousness vs. Awareness (Counter 641-720)
31. Real Love vs. false love (Counter 720-846)
Click on the arrow below to start Video Four and topics 25-31:
Advaita Topics 32-33:
32. Zero Concepts (Counter 1-120)
33. The Nothingness (Counter 120-250)
Click on the arrow below to start Video Five and topics 32-33:
