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.: Converting to a percentage Maharaj’s estimate of the number of persons on the planet who will ever be Realized at any given moment, the approximation would be about 1.5%. Why so few?
Because of programming, conditioning, acculturation, domestication and the widespread dissemination and acceptance of nonsense as fact. Because most cultures reinforce maintaining image over being authentic. Yet there are more and more who are seeking in spite of all of that. So what is the other key factor?
The failure of so many seekers to find that which they seek is less their fault and rests more with (A) the ineptitude of teachers (that is, blocked specks of consciousness) who are talking and writing or with (B) the proliferation of circuit speakers and authors (that is, blocked specks of consciousness) who pander to an audience’s ego-states rather than point out the far less popular message that their ego and egotism and arrogance and "minds" and personas are at the root of their “personal” problems.
Understand, too, that the pointers in this series do not involve “personal” criticism, no persons existing to be criticized. What is being noted are the words that are being spoken which evidence that various specks of consciousness who are offering their message rather than the message of Maharaj are blocked and/or corrupted.
In cultures of accumulation, presenters who would have an audience attach to their latest message du jour will suggest that the audience needs more, not less, and with that approach the original Advaitin teachings have been distorted 180 degrees.
Rather than offer an audience the less popular pointers that deal with the Noumenal, the pointers offered deal with the phenomenal subject matter that the masses prefer.
If You would Realize fully, it must be seen that nonsense is not coming forth only from those among the non-Realized masses who have never undertaken even the first step on the “path.”
Pointers that have nothing to do with the process that Maharaj taught are being shared in a commercially-attractive but distorted fashion that provides only a fraction of what is required for completion of all of the steps on the “path” to Full Realization and that encourage the accumulation of more knowledge and theories and concepts rather than the abandonment of all beliefs and concepts.
[PLEASE NOTE: The messengers (blocked specks) who are exposing the masses to additional levels of conceptual nonsense—rather than pointing the way back to Reality—are not in the midst of “evolving” or "finding the voice of absolutely pure consciousness." Maharaj in I AM THAT talked of “god.” Later, his talks evolved and he pointed out that it is persons with desires who “created god(s).” The messengers/blocked specks whose words are being discussed here are adding more and more concepts, not removing them and offering more pointers to truth the longer they share.
Also, another issue has been raised: did Maharaj receive payments for his time spent sharing? Of course. Every visitor brought a gift, sometimes a gift of flowers, often a gift of food. Did Jesus share the teachings without compensation, as one visitor suggested recently? Of course not. He did not have steady employment. He was financed by five wealthy women and housed and fed by those he taught. Fellow Middle Easterners who saw the way he lived would have definitely concluded that he was "living better than anyone else they knew." This discussion, though, is not about providing free service on a daily basis vs. being able to pay the bills. This is about “the faulty message.”]
During “floyd’s quest,” the works of almost every famous writer in the so-called “self-help” or “self-improvement” or “enlightenment” genre was read. (You might do that as well. So it is, but so it need not be. That will not assist you in finding that which You seek.) Each book read seemed at first to provide “the final answer”—the missing piece—but within a short span each proved not to be that at all.
When it was learned that so many of the “renowned gurus” and popular speakers had studied the words of Maharaj (or at least heard them or read them) then those authors were read no more and the common source called “Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj” that so many of them occasionally referenced during their early writings or talks was sought.
Once Realization happened, it became very clear that Maharaj would have called those specks on their nonsense if they had verbalized their distortions while in the loft. For months now, inquiries about some of that nonsense have been arriving in what one visitor called his “electronic loft,” so those queries are being addressed.
Realize that what you seek is so simple: there is a “path” by which you came to believe that You are the body. The “path” back to freedom and peace and happiness and abidance as Your original state does not require understanding even one more single concept that is presented in the books and speeches of “the famous.” Question each of those concepts one by one, see the fallacies behind each, and know that their concepts have nothing to do with showing you the "path" to Realization. ("Attract anything you want to you in a month?" Really? And who exactly is wanting? And what is the toll of desiring, according to Maharaj? And what is the magic of "30 days?" Nonsense from another who quoted Maharaj extensively early on.)
Realize, for example, that the understanding will never come if you have been lead to believe that you can “change your life by changing your thoughts.” There is no such thing as "peace of mind." The “mind” is the source of your lack of peace, and the ultimate sickness cannot be healed by the repository of the sickness.
The teachings of Maharaj are not about finding a secret or more "tools" that can be used to provide peace for fifteen minutes or for a day. Maharaj said, “I am stabilized. There is no going into samadhi, or coming down from samadhi. That is over.” This is about finding out what the ultimate sickness is and then using The Ultimate Medicine to be "healed" permanently.
This is not about changing the mind. As noted yesterday, Maharaj said, “There is no such thing as a mind” and “I have no mind….”
The consideration for today, therefore, is this: “Are the persons I’m using as guides during my quest for Truth adding content to the 'mind' or offering pointers intended to free me of the 'mind' and its effects once and for all?” Please enter into the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
Because of programming, conditioning, acculturation, domestication and the widespread dissemination and acceptance of nonsense as fact. Because most cultures reinforce maintaining image over being authentic. Yet there are more and more who are seeking in spite of all of that. So what is the other key factor?
The failure of so many seekers to find that which they seek is less their fault and rests more with (A) the ineptitude of teachers (that is, blocked specks of consciousness) who are talking and writing or with (B) the proliferation of circuit speakers and authors (that is, blocked specks of consciousness) who pander to an audience’s ego-states rather than point out the far less popular message that their ego and egotism and arrogance and "minds" and personas are at the root of their “personal” problems.
Understand, too, that the pointers in this series do not involve “personal” criticism, no persons existing to be criticized. What is being noted are the words that are being spoken which evidence that various specks of consciousness who are offering their message rather than the message of Maharaj are blocked and/or corrupted.
In cultures of accumulation, presenters who would have an audience attach to their latest message du jour will suggest that the audience needs more, not less, and with that approach the original Advaitin teachings have been distorted 180 degrees.
Rather than offer an audience the less popular pointers that deal with the Noumenal, the pointers offered deal with the phenomenal subject matter that the masses prefer.
If You would Realize fully, it must be seen that nonsense is not coming forth only from those among the non-Realized masses who have never undertaken even the first step on the “path.”
Pointers that have nothing to do with the process that Maharaj taught are being shared in a commercially-attractive but distorted fashion that provides only a fraction of what is required for completion of all of the steps on the “path” to Full Realization and that encourage the accumulation of more knowledge and theories and concepts rather than the abandonment of all beliefs and concepts.
[PLEASE NOTE: The messengers (blocked specks) who are exposing the masses to additional levels of conceptual nonsense—rather than pointing the way back to Reality—are not in the midst of “evolving” or "finding the voice of absolutely pure consciousness." Maharaj in I AM THAT talked of “god.” Later, his talks evolved and he pointed out that it is persons with desires who “created god(s).” The messengers/blocked specks whose words are being discussed here are adding more and more concepts, not removing them and offering more pointers to truth the longer they share.
Also, another issue has been raised: did Maharaj receive payments for his time spent sharing? Of course. Every visitor brought a gift, sometimes a gift of flowers, often a gift of food. Did Jesus share the teachings without compensation, as one visitor suggested recently? Of course not. He did not have steady employment. He was financed by five wealthy women and housed and fed by those he taught. Fellow Middle Easterners who saw the way he lived would have definitely concluded that he was "living better than anyone else they knew." This discussion, though, is not about providing free service on a daily basis vs. being able to pay the bills. This is about “the faulty message.”]
During “floyd’s quest,” the works of almost every famous writer in the so-called “self-help” or “self-improvement” or “enlightenment” genre was read. (You might do that as well. So it is, but so it need not be. That will not assist you in finding that which You seek.) Each book read seemed at first to provide “the final answer”—the missing piece—but within a short span each proved not to be that at all.
When it was learned that so many of the “renowned gurus” and popular speakers had studied the words of Maharaj (or at least heard them or read them) then those authors were read no more and the common source called “Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj” that so many of them occasionally referenced during their early writings or talks was sought.
Once Realization happened, it became very clear that Maharaj would have called those specks on their nonsense if they had verbalized their distortions while in the loft. For months now, inquiries about some of that nonsense have been arriving in what one visitor called his “electronic loft,” so those queries are being addressed.
Realize that what you seek is so simple: there is a “path” by which you came to believe that You are the body. The “path” back to freedom and peace and happiness and abidance as Your original state does not require understanding even one more single concept that is presented in the books and speeches of “the famous.” Question each of those concepts one by one, see the fallacies behind each, and know that their concepts have nothing to do with showing you the "path" to Realization. ("Attract anything you want to you in a month?" Really? And who exactly is wanting? And what is the toll of desiring, according to Maharaj? And what is the magic of "30 days?" Nonsense from another who quoted Maharaj extensively early on.)
Realize, for example, that the understanding will never come if you have been lead to believe that you can “change your life by changing your thoughts.” There is no such thing as "peace of mind." The “mind” is the source of your lack of peace, and the ultimate sickness cannot be healed by the repository of the sickness.
The teachings of Maharaj are not about finding a secret or more "tools" that can be used to provide peace for fifteen minutes or for a day. Maharaj said, “I am stabilized. There is no going into samadhi, or coming down from samadhi. That is over.” This is about finding out what the ultimate sickness is and then using The Ultimate Medicine to be "healed" permanently.
This is not about changing the mind. As noted yesterday, Maharaj said, “There is no such thing as a mind” and “I have no mind….”
The consideration for today, therefore, is this: “Are the persons I’m using as guides during my quest for Truth adding content to the 'mind' or offering pointers intended to free me of the 'mind' and its effects once and for all?” Please enter into 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
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:
