An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your original nature, abiding naturally, the Oneness, the Noneness, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Here, there is nothing that is believed, so there is no one here who wants you to believe anything, either. Here, the invitation is to be free of all that you have been programmed, conditioned, acculturated, and domesticated to believe so that you can be free, period.
F.: All “journeys” undertaken by seekers have goals—save one. For some, the goal is “salvation” or “eternal bliss” in some version of heaven or the completion of one level of development on what is believed to be one “journey” of many that must be completed.
All—save one—involve the assumption of new personas, being better, gaining power, enjoying rewards now and forevermore, finding a way to live a religious life or a spiritual life, or living in some supernatural fashion.
And while all such “journeys” can at certain junctures involve the above, one invites seekers to move beyond personality and the assumption of religious roles and spiritual roles. One invites persons to consider: is it possible that no matter how certain you are that you have reached the end of the “path,” is it possible that you have not even reached the midway point?
Is it possible that Maharaj’s pointer may have been accurate when he said, “There are so many who take the dawn for the noon, a momentary experience for full realisation and destroy even the little they gain by excess of pride”?
Are you proud of how spiritual you are? If it is understood that the assumption of any ego-state triggers the use of egotism and other ego-defense mechanisms, then can it not also be understood that the assumption of a spiritual ego-state will always result in spiritual arrogance?
Yes, the “path” from identification with the false “I” to the Absolute has steps involving religion or spirituality or the supernatural; however, those all inspire the assumption of roles;
they all require doingness; and they all have goals which fixate persons in the goal-seeker stage and in a seeker mode that will prevent the reaching of Full Realization and understanding the Noneness as well as the Oneness.
The question offered for consideration, therefore, is this: WHO—what persona, what personality type—thinks that he/she is now "better" for having become religious or spiritual? WHO believes that she/he is "made better"—or even "better than"—because living is happening in a supernatural fashion?
WHO is being led—often subconsciously—to believe that life is made better when one knells, rises, and knells some more? Rings a bell? Puts a bowl on a pillow and strikes it with a special stick? Wears a special robe or cross? Commits suicide while killing members of other religions?
Hums and chants or shouts and screams? Asks favors of some external power? Arbitrarily follows holy diets rather than the food plan indicated for one's body type? Waves arms in the air? Rolls on the floor?
Speaks in unknown tongues? Cries as a result of being emotionally intoxicated? Sings praises. Faints. Gives away possessions or money. Is struck on the forehead and then swoons? Fights with others who have different beliefs?
Allows religious or spiritual leaders to dictate what should or should not be eaten? Allows men to determine how many children you have? Questions nothing and believes all they hear with unwavering "faith"? And works, works, works at living—especially at living in the “right” way or in a “better way”?
Of all the “paths” that have been dreamed up by persons over the ages, it is the Nisarga, Direct Path that has clear-cut steps to be completed in a specific order but has no goals in the end; that eliminates the assumption of personas; that makes no promises about being “better than” someday;
that offers no superpower or super beings to be at your disposal; that does not promise that you will become a Supreme Being; that does not claim you are superior now; and that invites persons to take religious or spiritual or supernatural steps not as an end but as a means to Realize fully and thereafter to abide naturally rather than unnaturally or supernaturally.
Of all of the yogas available for study or guidance, the least popular is likely the Nisarga yoga. That was most certainly true when that speck called “Maharaj” was receiving visitors in the loft, and is true here where visitors are received in what one guest referred to as this “electronic loft.”
Of all the yogas, this is the one that invites seekers to engage in whatever exercises they deem necessary but to eventually move beyond all of the effort and work and toil involved in assuming and maintaining their spiritual roles and to abide in a totally natural fashion.
Consider all the work that goes into warping the consciousness enough for it to believe that such identities as these are real:
“The Religious One”; “The Spiritual One” or “The Spiritual Giant”; “The Good Catholic”; “The Good Baptist”; “The Good Presbyterian”; “The Good Anglican”; The Good Pentecostal”; “The Good Episcopalian”; “The Good Cultist”; “The Good Evangelical”; “The Good Muslim”; “The Good Shiite”; “The Good Sunni”; “The Good Jew”; “The Good Hindu”; “The Good Taoist”; “The Good Advaitin”; “The Good Vedantin”; “The Native American Spiritualist,” ad infinitum.
Consider all of the work and sacrifice and energy and effort that goes into maintaining those images, and consider the levels of nonsense that persons must believe in order to play all of those roles and engage in all of the phoniness that accompanies role-playing.
A woman recently reported, most proudly, that she is a little different from the people in her spiritual, self-help group because she “practices Native American spirituality.” She was invited to explain what her “Native American practices” entailed that was beyond reading a book of quotes from indigenous people, owning two or more R. Carlos Nakai CD’s, and hanging a Dream Catcher from the rearview mirror of her car. There were no other elements to her “practices.”
In the U.S., some children play a game called “Cowboys and Indians,” and even as adults, some continue to play “cowboys” and some continue to play “Indians,” as was the case with the woman mentioned above.
Across the planet, some play Christians and their play turns into work; some play Muslims and their play becomes work; some play Hindus and their play becomes work; some play “The Very Religious Person” and some play “The Spiritual Giant,” and in both of those cases, their play becomes a great deal of work.
But if the Original Understanding is sought, consider: How might that understanding have been known for millions of years before the invention of bells and incense and holy water and drums and special pillows and special sticks and special bowls? How about before anyone dreamed up the religious or spiritual value of genuflecting and thinking magically and engaging in special rituals?
Again, must seekers reach the step where all of that happens? Often, most certainly, yet the question to be considered at this point is, “Will that help or hinder the seeker that would complete the entire 'journey' to Full Realization and end the assumption of any and all roles?”
And You are invited to consider as well, "Is it possible that the remainder of the manifestation could unfold with considerably more freedom if it were to happen spontaneously and naturally rather than in a planned, prescribed, and artificially-supernatural manner?" Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
All—save one—involve the assumption of new personas, being better, gaining power, enjoying rewards now and forevermore, finding a way to live a religious life or a spiritual life, or living in some supernatural fashion.
And while all such “journeys” can at certain junctures involve the above, one invites seekers to move beyond personality and the assumption of religious roles and spiritual roles. One invites persons to consider: is it possible that no matter how certain you are that you have reached the end of the “path,” is it possible that you have not even reached the midway point?
Is it possible that Maharaj’s pointer may have been accurate when he said, “There are so many who take the dawn for the noon, a momentary experience for full realisation and destroy even the little they gain by excess of pride”?
Are you proud of how spiritual you are? If it is understood that the assumption of any ego-state triggers the use of egotism and other ego-defense mechanisms, then can it not also be understood that the assumption of a spiritual ego-state will always result in spiritual arrogance?
Yes, the “path” from identification with the false “I” to the Absolute has steps involving religion or spirituality or the supernatural; however, those all inspire the assumption of roles;
they all require doingness; and they all have goals which fixate persons in the goal-seeker stage and in a seeker mode that will prevent the reaching of Full Realization and understanding the Noneness as well as the Oneness.
The question offered for consideration, therefore, is this: WHO—what persona, what personality type—thinks that he/she is now "better" for having become religious or spiritual? WHO believes that she/he is "made better"—or even "better than"—because living is happening in a supernatural fashion?
WHO is being led—often subconsciously—to believe that life is made better when one knells, rises, and knells some more? Rings a bell? Puts a bowl on a pillow and strikes it with a special stick? Wears a special robe or cross? Commits suicide while killing members of other religions?
Hums and chants or shouts and screams? Asks favors of some external power? Arbitrarily follows holy diets rather than the food plan indicated for one's body type? Waves arms in the air? Rolls on the floor?
Speaks in unknown tongues? Cries as a result of being emotionally intoxicated? Sings praises. Faints. Gives away possessions or money. Is struck on the forehead and then swoons? Fights with others who have different beliefs?
Allows religious or spiritual leaders to dictate what should or should not be eaten? Allows men to determine how many children you have? Questions nothing and believes all they hear with unwavering "faith"? And works, works, works at living—especially at living in the “right” way or in a “better way”?
Of all the “paths” that have been dreamed up by persons over the ages, it is the Nisarga, Direct Path that has clear-cut steps to be completed in a specific order but has no goals in the end; that eliminates the assumption of personas; that makes no promises about being “better than” someday;
that offers no superpower or super beings to be at your disposal; that does not promise that you will become a Supreme Being; that does not claim you are superior now; and that invites persons to take religious or spiritual or supernatural steps not as an end but as a means to Realize fully and thereafter to abide naturally rather than unnaturally or supernaturally.
Of all of the yogas available for study or guidance, the least popular is likely the Nisarga yoga. That was most certainly true when that speck called “Maharaj” was receiving visitors in the loft, and is true here where visitors are received in what one guest referred to as this “electronic loft.”
Of all the yogas, this is the one that invites seekers to engage in whatever exercises they deem necessary but to eventually move beyond all of the effort and work and toil involved in assuming and maintaining their spiritual roles and to abide in a totally natural fashion.
Consider all the work that goes into warping the consciousness enough for it to believe that such identities as these are real:
“The Religious One”; “The Spiritual One” or “The Spiritual Giant”; “The Good Catholic”; “The Good Baptist”; “The Good Presbyterian”; “The Good Anglican”; The Good Pentecostal”; “The Good Episcopalian”; “The Good Cultist”; “The Good Evangelical”; “The Good Muslim”; “The Good Shiite”; “The Good Sunni”; “The Good Jew”; “The Good Hindu”; “The Good Taoist”; “The Good Advaitin”; “The Good Vedantin”; “The Native American Spiritualist,” ad infinitum.
Consider all of the work and sacrifice and energy and effort that goes into maintaining those images, and consider the levels of nonsense that persons must believe in order to play all of those roles and engage in all of the phoniness that accompanies role-playing.
A woman recently reported, most proudly, that she is a little different from the people in her spiritual, self-help group because she “practices Native American spirituality.” She was invited to explain what her “Native American practices” entailed that was beyond reading a book of quotes from indigenous people, owning two or more R. Carlos Nakai CD’s, and hanging a Dream Catcher from the rearview mirror of her car. There were no other elements to her “practices.”
In the U.S., some children play a game called “Cowboys and Indians,” and even as adults, some continue to play “cowboys” and some continue to play “Indians,” as was the case with the woman mentioned above.
Across the planet, some play Christians and their play turns into work; some play Muslims and their play becomes work; some play Hindus and their play becomes work; some play “The Very Religious Person” and some play “The Spiritual Giant,” and in both of those cases, their play becomes a great deal of work.
But if the Original Understanding is sought, consider: How might that understanding have been known for millions of years before the invention of bells and incense and holy water and drums and special pillows and special sticks and special bowls? How about before anyone dreamed up the religious or spiritual value of genuflecting and thinking magically and engaging in special rituals?
Again, must seekers reach the step where all of that happens? Often, most certainly, yet the question to be considered at this point is, “Will that help or hinder the seeker that would complete the entire 'journey' to Full Realization and end the assumption of any and all roles?”
And You are invited to consider as well, "Is it possible that the remainder of the manifestation could unfold with considerably more freedom if it were to happen spontaneously and naturally rather than in a planned, prescribed, and artificially-supernatural manner?" Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
Now you can receive for $40 a downloadable computer file version of the same 7-hour satsang that seekers receive when they visit for the Advaita Retreat with Floyd. You will be guided through the seven steps from identification with the false "I" to the Absolute (and beyond).
For more information or to order, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
SIX WAYS THAT SEEKERS HAVE REALIZED:
1. BY WATCHING the 4-Disk Video (DVD) Set, or the same retreat available as a downloadable file. Either will provide an entire seven-hour retreat / series of satsang sessions showing three seekers being guided through all seven steps by Floyd and can provide viewers with an “experiential,” step-by-step series of satsang meetings that will move the viewers from identification with the I to abidance as the Absolute and then to abidance as That Which Is beyond
Some seekers are already using the computer file version and the DVD sets for meetings in groups in homes, playing the retreat, pausing for discussion, etc.
To find out more or to purchase the DVD set or the downloadable computer file version of the retreat, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
Option “A” is for the downloadable file version, Option “B” is used to order the DVD set for delivery inside the U.S., Option “C” for international orders.
For the download, Paypal will send me a notice that payment has been received and then I will send by e-mail the downloading instruction, password, etc.
[It is recommended that you watch the video with pen and paper in hand. Write whatever you need clarified. You'll see that there are constant reviews and you might find an answer later in the seven-hour presentation. Then, after you watch it all, there will be a common ground for discussion. Purchase of the DVD’s or the file will include the right to clarifications and answers to your specific questions via e-mail.]
2. BY READING these books in this exact order:
IT'S ALL BULLSHIT (And Why Knowing It Sets You Free)
SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY (Recovering What Religions Lost)
[Those two prepare the seeker to question it all]
THE MEDITATION GUIDES
[Provide a broad overview of the understanding]
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE?
[Begins to free the seeker of body identification and the desire for body continuity]
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "PEACE OF MIND" (There Is Only Peace if You're Out of Your Mind)
[Shows the seeker how to be free of the subconscious motivators of the false content of the “mind”]
LIBERATION
[Shows the seeker how to be free of the subconscious motivators of personas]
THE ESSENCE OF THE TEACHINGS
[Provides the final preparation for the seeker to be directed along the “path”]
FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
[Directs the seeker along the “path”]
CONSCIOUSNESS/AWARENESS: The Nature of Reality Beyond Self-Realization (Peace Every Day When Abiding as The Absolute)
[Allows the seeker to understand the functioning of the totality, the manifestation, and what is involved with the un-manifestation]
FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS
[Provides the seeker the wisdom to understand the Noneness as well as the Oneness]
Purchase an e-Book now and begin reading it in minutes (except with e-checks that can take 7-10 days). Trusting our clients as we do, all e-Books are provided to you in printable form.
SAVE IF YOU BUY ALL ELEVEN AT ONCE:
(You may order the books one at a time or you may use the following link to acquire the entire 11-e-Book set on sale for $99 if ordered at one time with the “Buy Now” button below. For this option, there will be no download links provided; once the near-instant notice of payment is received from PayPal, your e-Books will be sent to you as e-mail attachments. All are printable for your convenience.)
For more information or to order, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
SIX WAYS THAT SEEKERS HAVE REALIZED:
1. BY WATCHING the 4-Disk Video (DVD) Set, or the same retreat available as a downloadable file. Either will provide an entire seven-hour retreat / series of satsang sessions showing three seekers being guided through all seven steps by Floyd and can provide viewers with an “experiential,” step-by-step series of satsang meetings that will move the viewers from identification with the I to abidance as the Absolute and then to abidance as That Which Is beyond
Some seekers are already using the computer file version and the DVD sets for meetings in groups in homes, playing the retreat, pausing for discussion, etc.
To find out more or to purchase the DVD set or the downloadable computer file version of the retreat, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
Option “A” is for the downloadable file version, Option “B” is used to order the DVD set for delivery inside the U.S., Option “C” for international orders.
For the download, Paypal will send me a notice that payment has been received and then I will send by e-mail the downloading instruction, password, etc.
[It is recommended that you watch the video with pen and paper in hand. Write whatever you need clarified. You'll see that there are constant reviews and you might find an answer later in the seven-hour presentation. Then, after you watch it all, there will be a common ground for discussion. Purchase of the DVD’s or the file will include the right to clarifications and answers to your specific questions via e-mail.]
2. BY READING these books in this exact order:
IT'S ALL BULLSHIT (And Why Knowing It Sets You Free)
SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY (Recovering What Religions Lost)
[Those two prepare the seeker to question it all]
THE MEDITATION GUIDES
[Provide a broad overview of the understanding]
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE?
[Begins to free the seeker of body identification and the desire for body continuity]
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "PEACE OF MIND" (There Is Only Peace if You're Out of Your Mind)
[Shows the seeker how to be free of the subconscious motivators of the false content of the “mind”]
LIBERATION
[Shows the seeker how to be free of the subconscious motivators of personas]
THE ESSENCE OF THE TEACHINGS
[Provides the final preparation for the seeker to be directed along the “path”]
FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
[Directs the seeker along the “path”]
CONSCIOUSNESS/AWARENESS: The Nature of Reality Beyond Self-Realization (Peace Every Day When Abiding as The Absolute)
[Allows the seeker to understand the functioning of the totality, the manifestation, and what is involved with the un-manifestation]
FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS
[Provides the seeker the wisdom to understand the Noneness as well as the Oneness]
Purchase an e-Book now and begin reading it in minutes (except with e-checks that can take 7-10 days). Trusting our clients as we do, all e-Books are provided to you in printable form.
SAVE IF YOU BUY ALL ELEVEN AT ONCE:
(You may order the books one at a time or you may use the following link to acquire the entire 11-e-Book set on sale for $99 if ordered at one time with the “Buy Now” button below. For this option, there will be no download links provided; once the near-instant notice of payment is received from PayPal, your e-Books will be sent to you as e-mail attachments. All are printable for your convenience.)
You may visit The Official Website of Floyd Henderson for information on each book.
3. BY ENROLLING in the Online Advaita Classes
For information, visit Information on the Advaita Classes on the Internet
To enroll visit Enroll in the Advaita Internet Course
4. BY ATTENDING an Advaitin retreat for satsang with floyd and being guided through all seven steps. For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
5. BY ARRANGING satsang by telephone in the U.S. or by Skype internationally:
Use the Contact link for details or for information on making arrangements for a session
6. BY ARRANGING for floyd to travel to your location and meet with you or your group. Use the contact link above to discuss details.
3. BY ENROLLING in the Online Advaita Classes
For information, visit Information on the Advaita Classes on the Internet
To enroll visit Enroll in the Advaita Internet Course
4. BY ATTENDING an Advaitin retreat for satsang with floyd and being guided through all seven steps. For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
5. BY ARRANGING satsang by telephone in the U.S. or by Skype internationally:
Use the Contact link for details or for information on making arrangements for a session
6. BY ARRANGING for floyd to travel to your location and meet with you or your group. Use the contact link above to discuss details.
