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.: First, would that this post not need to be written. For days and weeks and months, questions and comments—all of a similar nature—have been arriving and sending the consciousness here into pulsations and shudderings that would be ignored, responding instead to queries about the nisarga yoga and/or direct path method alone.
Next, if you feel any offense at all while reading these postings, please ask “WHO is offended?” That is, what ego-state is offended as a result of an attachment to “WHOM”—to whom that you consider your favorite author(s) or speaker(s)?
Questions are arriving from seekers who are pursuing the Authentic Self with the same compulsive intensity and near-fanatical obsession that marked “the journey that was taken by floyd.” Captain Ahab’s quest for the white whale is nothing compared to the quest that many engage in as they seek the white light that will cast away the darkness.
Some are understandably seeking the Truth with desperation because they see their quest for Truth as a “life-and-death mission,” at least relatively speaking. For some, that is the case, relatively speaking.
In attendance at a recent retreat was one who has likely burned more energy and time and money on the quest than many, but the search has ended now. The understanding has come that “You Are That Which You have always sought” and “You Are ‘where’ You always wanted to be”; therefore, "Seek no more. Allow the ego-state of 'The Seeker' ('The Super Seeker') to end." That pointer is offered, too, to those addicted to the search.
Now, the pulsations and shudderings of this speck can be ignored no more, so some considerations will be offered that might free certain seekers from being misguided any longer. Understand first that Maharaj was not “famous” at the time he offered the teachings. The most famous persons then were often distorting the teachings, which is still the case today.
Earlier this year, questions were arriving from seekers asking for some means of reconciling what they had read by one teacher or another with pointers from Maharaj and pointers being posted here.
There can be no reconciliation, so a quote from Maharaj was offered in April to make clear that the pointers they had been reading would continue to reinforce their “minds” rather than allow them to be free of the corrupting influence of the “mind”:
Many worshiped Krishnamurti and his talks even though much of what he shared was “mind stuff.” When asked about him, Maharaj replied, “Krishnamurti is a great thinker.” Most nodded in agreement and took the comment to be a compliment. The few who understood that the content of the mind is useless and that it must be cast aside entirely understood the veiled implication.
In Latin, “erratum” and “mendum menda” are terms that refer to "errors or blemishes or mistakes." The title “Maharaj Mendum Menda” does not refer to errors or mistakes made by Maharaj but to the blemishes that now mar and distort his teachings.
Of all of the distortions of Maharaj’s teachings, those that (a) deal with the “mind” and those that (b) exalt concepts that Maharaj discounted are now leading more and more seekers down a dead-end “path” that can never lead to Full Realization.
Last week a visitor to one of the sites with links to the Advaita videos which can also be accessed at the end of this post submitted certain questions via the Youtube comments feature.
One of his questions should remind seekers that even the most famous can take a small part of what Maharaj said, can distort it, and can—as happened with that seeker—point persons to a “path” to non-Realization rather than to Realization.
There is a reason that every pointer offered on this site since the first posting to the present one ends with an invitation to “Please enter the silence of contemplation.” If you are willing to question all of your beliefs and to question everything you read (including what you read here), then you will have a far greater chance of finding Truth than if you accept without questioning not only the words on this site but also the words of so-called “religious persons,” the words of so-called “spiritual people,” and even the words of the most famous speakers and authors who take only bits and pieces of what Maharaj taught and present those as “the Truth.”
To that end, review what Maharaj had to say about the “mind.” Speaking to seekers at the “wet charcoal stage,” he offered level-appropriate pointers about the subject, but his end teaching about the “mind” included the following:
“There is no such thing as a mind” and “I have no mind….”
So much, then, for talk about “changing your life by changing your thoughts”; about using thought-up “intentions” to empower yourself; about a mind that is timeless; about “fulfilling the dreams” in your mind; and about “altering bad thinking patterns.”
The later approach by Maharaj was to offer pointers in a far more terse and direct manner than is acceptable to some of those who take themselves to be "religious" or "spiritual" and who only know that speck via the earlier approach used in the book I AM THAT.
His later teachings came down to a hang Krishna, hang Christ, hang Buddha, hang Muhammad approach that invited seekers to abandon reading the words of the most famous, to take only the pointers offered by their current teacher, and to find out thereafter “what You know.” The offer stands. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
Next, if you feel any offense at all while reading these postings, please ask “WHO is offended?” That is, what ego-state is offended as a result of an attachment to “WHOM”—to whom that you consider your favorite author(s) or speaker(s)?
Questions are arriving from seekers who are pursuing the Authentic Self with the same compulsive intensity and near-fanatical obsession that marked “the journey that was taken by floyd.” Captain Ahab’s quest for the white whale is nothing compared to the quest that many engage in as they seek the white light that will cast away the darkness.
Some are understandably seeking the Truth with desperation because they see their quest for Truth as a “life-and-death mission,” at least relatively speaking. For some, that is the case, relatively speaking.
In attendance at a recent retreat was one who has likely burned more energy and time and money on the quest than many, but the search has ended now. The understanding has come that “You Are That Which You have always sought” and “You Are ‘where’ You always wanted to be”; therefore, "Seek no more. Allow the ego-state of 'The Seeker' ('The Super Seeker') to end." That pointer is offered, too, to those addicted to the search.
Now, the pulsations and shudderings of this speck can be ignored no more, so some considerations will be offered that might free certain seekers from being misguided any longer. Understand first that Maharaj was not “famous” at the time he offered the teachings. The most famous persons then were often distorting the teachings, which is still the case today.
Earlier this year, questions were arriving from seekers asking for some means of reconciling what they had read by one teacher or another with pointers from Maharaj and pointers being posted here.
There can be no reconciliation, so a quote from Maharaj was offered in April to make clear that the pointers they had been reading would continue to reinforce their “minds” rather than allow them to be free of the corrupting influence of the “mind”:
Many worshiped Krishnamurti and his talks even though much of what he shared was “mind stuff.” When asked about him, Maharaj replied, “Krishnamurti is a great thinker.” Most nodded in agreement and took the comment to be a compliment. The few who understood that the content of the mind is useless and that it must be cast aside entirely understood the veiled implication.
In Latin, “erratum” and “mendum menda” are terms that refer to "errors or blemishes or mistakes." The title “Maharaj Mendum Menda” does not refer to errors or mistakes made by Maharaj but to the blemishes that now mar and distort his teachings.
Of all of the distortions of Maharaj’s teachings, those that (a) deal with the “mind” and those that (b) exalt concepts that Maharaj discounted are now leading more and more seekers down a dead-end “path” that can never lead to Full Realization.
Last week a visitor to one of the sites with links to the Advaita videos which can also be accessed at the end of this post submitted certain questions via the Youtube comments feature.
One of his questions should remind seekers that even the most famous can take a small part of what Maharaj said, can distort it, and can—as happened with that seeker—point persons to a “path” to non-Realization rather than to Realization.
There is a reason that every pointer offered on this site since the first posting to the present one ends with an invitation to “Please enter the silence of contemplation.” If you are willing to question all of your beliefs and to question everything you read (including what you read here), then you will have a far greater chance of finding Truth than if you accept without questioning not only the words on this site but also the words of so-called “religious persons,” the words of so-called “spiritual people,” and even the words of the most famous speakers and authors who take only bits and pieces of what Maharaj taught and present those as “the Truth.”
To that end, review what Maharaj had to say about the “mind.” Speaking to seekers at the “wet charcoal stage,” he offered level-appropriate pointers about the subject, but his end teaching about the “mind” included the following:
“There is no such thing as a mind” and “I have no mind….”
So much, then, for talk about “changing your life by changing your thoughts”; about using thought-up “intentions” to empower yourself; about a mind that is timeless; about “fulfilling the dreams” in your mind; and about “altering bad thinking patterns.”
The later approach by Maharaj was to offer pointers in a far more terse and direct manner than is acceptable to some of those who take themselves to be "religious" or "spiritual" and who only know that speck via the earlier approach used in the book I AM THAT.
His later teachings came down to a hang Krishna, hang Christ, hang Buddha, hang Muhammad approach that invited seekers to abandon reading the words of the most famous, to take only the pointers offered by their current teacher, and to find out thereafter “what You know.” The offer stands. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
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
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.
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.
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:
