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]
FROM A SITE VISITOR: Contemplation of witness stage vs. dissociation has been arising since your blog of 11 August, partly because dissociation was a favorite defense utilized and partly because folk could confuse it with detached witnessing.
As witness it is known that the play "seen" is just that. Any displays of anger or power play/control get no emotional reaction. Histrionics get no reaction, yet there is no separation between "me" and those participating in the scene. Love abounds in unicity.
In dissociation, "I" am "checking out" from the scene entirely and sense no commonality or unity with the participants and isolation/disconnection abounds. Yes? g.
F.: Yes, indeed, exactly. Yet few persons that are dissociated will ever realize—or admit if they do—that they are dissociating. Furthermore, Full Realization does not come with an understanding of consciousness and/or THAT. Many seekers stop once identified with the consciousness; some move farther along the "path" and finally identify with THAT. All level-appropriate. So it is.
Some few, however, will move into permanent fixation and abidance not as the consciousness and not as THAT but as the Nothingness; then, what can follow is not only the overlaying of THAT on the relative but also an overlaying of Nothingness on the relative so that AS IF living can happen without interruption and without identity for the remainder of the manifestation.
At that point, Maharaj's pointer about wisdom allowing You to know that You Are nothing becomes understood.
When "the ultimate sickness" ends, identification with the Nothingness also fades and there is then no identity at all: no beingness, no non-beingness, no something, just nothing without any identification, even with the Nothingness. Paradoxically, with the emptiness of the void comes the fullness of bliss, at least while manifested.
Then it can be understood that everything since the Nothingness has been distorted into much ado about what has been thought to be something when it has really all been much ado about nothing. The understanding offered is that it is all about nothing. Ah...Peace...Love...Light. Key distinction, yes? Peace, Love, Light f.
Regarding that ultimate sickness and "The Ultimate Medicine," this FROM ANOTHER VISITOR TO THE YOUTUBE SITE: Eckhart Tolle says that completely accepting what is present, now, makes the mind go quiet because the mind no longer has a need to dwell on the past or project into the future. Is this the best method for quieting the mind?
F.: If you picked up a hot pan and it was burning you, would you accept that? Would your mind then have no thoughts about that happening which would soon be "in the past"? Surely it would, so understand that pain is of the body while misery and suffering are of the mind. The mind is part of the ultimate sickness, and the treatment indicated is The Ultimate Medicine. Acceptance is not the ultimate medicine. Find what is.
TO CONTINUE: Yesterday, the pointer was offered that persons will have engaged in either (1) totally distorted witnessing and/or (2) subject-object witnessing, and/or (3) totally blocked witnessing, all of which results in misperception.
For those farther along the “path,” it is explained that there are only two levels of witnessing: either Subject-Object (i.e., “object” or “objective”) witnessing or Pure Witnessing. When the consciousness is blocked via concepts and ideas and beliefs, then there is actually no witnessing at all.
In that latter instance, there is only “perceiving” / misperceiving. The “mind” takes what it thinks it is witnessing and then distorts it…taking it to be something that it is not. Anything supposedly perceived is perceived via one or more of the five senses, so all perceiving can only happen in a phenomenal manner.
It was shared recently that Maharaj said, “Out of my existence as the Noumenon has come this state of the phenomenal. The homogenous understands the play of the attributes, the projection of the mind, but the play, the projection of the mind, cannot understand the homogeneous."
At that “mind”-projection level, all is misperceived, and all that is misperceived is not witnessed at all because that which is not real cannot be seen. Recall, too, that Maharaj said, “Whatever spiritual things you aspire to know are all happening in this objective world, in the illusion. All this is happening in the objective world. All is dishonesty. There is no truth in this fraud.”
That applies as well not only to “spiritual things” but to all things thought to be happening in the objective “world.” Understand that and it becomes clear why it is said here that there can be no truth at all to such statements as “I love you” or “I love it all” or “I forever practice acceptance so I love what is.” What is realized, when the Oneness is understood, is that Love IS, period.
All other talk about love having a subject-object nature is nothing more than level one (subject-object) mind-speak, and that is duality at work. (Does that mean you will never again say "I love you" to anyone throughout the remainder of the relative? Of course not. It means that when you do, You will have already overlaid Reality onto the comment and will know exactly what You mean. It will not be an S-O statement at all.)
The True Self—the Pure Witnessing—sees the unicity, knows the falsity of any notions about there being "a multiplicity," and understands ONE…therefore understands LOVE…and therefore understands ONE LOVE.
Tomorrow, REAL LOVE vs. “love” vs. “conditional love.” Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
As witness it is known that the play "seen" is just that. Any displays of anger or power play/control get no emotional reaction. Histrionics get no reaction, yet there is no separation between "me" and those participating in the scene. Love abounds in unicity.
In dissociation, "I" am "checking out" from the scene entirely and sense no commonality or unity with the participants and isolation/disconnection abounds. Yes? g.
F.: Yes, indeed, exactly. Yet few persons that are dissociated will ever realize—or admit if they do—that they are dissociating. Furthermore, Full Realization does not come with an understanding of consciousness and/or THAT. Many seekers stop once identified with the consciousness; some move farther along the "path" and finally identify with THAT. All level-appropriate. So it is.
Some few, however, will move into permanent fixation and abidance not as the consciousness and not as THAT but as the Nothingness; then, what can follow is not only the overlaying of THAT on the relative but also an overlaying of Nothingness on the relative so that AS IF living can happen without interruption and without identity for the remainder of the manifestation.
At that point, Maharaj's pointer about wisdom allowing You to know that You Are nothing becomes understood.
When "the ultimate sickness" ends, identification with the Nothingness also fades and there is then no identity at all: no beingness, no non-beingness, no something, just nothing without any identification, even with the Nothingness. Paradoxically, with the emptiness of the void comes the fullness of bliss, at least while manifested.
Then it can be understood that everything since the Nothingness has been distorted into much ado about what has been thought to be something when it has really all been much ado about nothing. The understanding offered is that it is all about nothing. Ah...Peace...Love...Light. Key distinction, yes? Peace, Love, Light f.
Regarding that ultimate sickness and "The Ultimate Medicine," this FROM ANOTHER VISITOR TO THE YOUTUBE SITE: Eckhart Tolle says that completely accepting what is present, now, makes the mind go quiet because the mind no longer has a need to dwell on the past or project into the future. Is this the best method for quieting the mind?
F.: If you picked up a hot pan and it was burning you, would you accept that? Would your mind then have no thoughts about that happening which would soon be "in the past"? Surely it would, so understand that pain is of the body while misery and suffering are of the mind. The mind is part of the ultimate sickness, and the treatment indicated is The Ultimate Medicine. Acceptance is not the ultimate medicine. Find what is.
TO CONTINUE: Yesterday, the pointer was offered that persons will have engaged in either (1) totally distorted witnessing and/or (2) subject-object witnessing, and/or (3) totally blocked witnessing, all of which results in misperception.
For those farther along the “path,” it is explained that there are only two levels of witnessing: either Subject-Object (i.e., “object” or “objective”) witnessing or Pure Witnessing. When the consciousness is blocked via concepts and ideas and beliefs, then there is actually no witnessing at all.
In that latter instance, there is only “perceiving” / misperceiving. The “mind” takes what it thinks it is witnessing and then distorts it…taking it to be something that it is not. Anything supposedly perceived is perceived via one or more of the five senses, so all perceiving can only happen in a phenomenal manner.
It was shared recently that Maharaj said, “Out of my existence as the Noumenon has come this state of the phenomenal. The homogenous understands the play of the attributes, the projection of the mind, but the play, the projection of the mind, cannot understand the homogeneous."
At that “mind”-projection level, all is misperceived, and all that is misperceived is not witnessed at all because that which is not real cannot be seen. Recall, too, that Maharaj said, “Whatever spiritual things you aspire to know are all happening in this objective world, in the illusion. All this is happening in the objective world. All is dishonesty. There is no truth in this fraud.”
That applies as well not only to “spiritual things” but to all things thought to be happening in the objective “world.” Understand that and it becomes clear why it is said here that there can be no truth at all to such statements as “I love you” or “I love it all” or “I forever practice acceptance so I love what is.” What is realized, when the Oneness is understood, is that Love IS, period.
All other talk about love having a subject-object nature is nothing more than level one (subject-object) mind-speak, and that is duality at work. (Does that mean you will never again say "I love you" to anyone throughout the remainder of the relative? Of course not. It means that when you do, You will have already overlaid Reality onto the comment and will know exactly what You mean. It will not be an S-O statement at all.)
The True Self—the Pure Witnessing—sees the unicity, knows the falsity of any notions about there being "a multiplicity," and understands ONE…therefore understands LOVE…and therefore understands ONE LOVE.
Tomorrow, REAL LOVE vs. “love” vs. “conditional love.” 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
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:
