IDENTIFICATION: Something, or No thing? Part Fourteen, The Conclusion

[EXCERPTS from the book FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS, to be released next week. The pointers in this book are only for the most advanced seekers. The reading of this book should follow a reading and an understanding of the pointers in FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE and CONSCIOUSNESS/AWARENESS.]

FROM A SITE VISITOR: No identity at all? Everybody is SOMETHING, and whatever that SOMETHING is, is our identity.

F.: The Direct Path Method of no-concept, non-dual Reality takes no prisoners; gives short shrift to those who want to fight to defend their ego-states; gives nothing to anyone; encourages de-accumulation rather than more accumulating; takes away all of the mirages that persons have attached to; eliminates the “mind”; and brings to an end the belief in all false personas and roles and phony images in order to put an end to disharmony-causing personality once and for all.

If one completes the entire “journey” to Full Realization, then what manifests afterwards, spontaneously and automatically, is the sweetness of the resulting Void…the peace that manifests when beingness happens from The Sweet Void of zero concepts.

Personas experience a constant state of flux, so happiness and unhappiness will constantly “come and go.” Persons are caught up in a play in consciousness, and it has many characters…some of which they play and others which they take to be real. In that fictional play, there is no stability. Ultimately, of course, there is no stability, period. All is in a constant state of fluctuation.

Persons, taking the relative to be real, feel incomplete; they are trapped in the turmoil and flux. As a result of that constant fluctuation, their “relationships” will be marked by fluctuations as well; thus (in their "minds"), their favorite sinner will become an intolerable saint, or their beloved saint will become a much-despised sinner. They will constantly shift into and out of states of emotional intoxication, whether in traffic, at work, at home…wherever…whenever.

Such is the relative existence for those trapped in any identity and experiencing the fluctuations. In their attachment to the play and the drama and the roles, persons will walk the stage of the Drama of the Lie and will be the histrionic mouthpiece of “the something” and the “someones” and the "somebodies." By contrast, what functions here is the consciousness which speaks as the mouthpiece of the Nothingness and the Void.

Whereas the Consciousness/Awareness is the Final Frontier of the understanding, the Nothingness was prior to the Frontier.

Seekers are only able to move to Stage Four and toward Stage Five when they truly grasp the simplicity of natural functioning. [See The Essence of the Teachings for an explanation of “The Five Stages” discussed by the early Advaitin sages, not to be confused with "the Seven Steps to Reality."] The relative is maddening to persons; abiding as the Absolute, madness cannot happen since there is no “mind.”

Similarly, “something” can always be maddening to persons; the Nothingness, on the other hand, can have no effect at all…“good” or “bad.” The Nothingness is the essence of AS IF living after Stage Five de-accumulation. The nothingness, and even the no-nothingness, are at the core of no-concept non-duality.

The ultimate freedom and independence can only happen if abiding as that Void. In that mode, abiding as that state of Nothingness with zero concepts, the relative existence happens naturally as the consciousness remains manifest but does not attach to any identities or ideas or beliefs or dogma or religious teachings or so-called "spirituality" or any other form of "learned ignorance." Functioning in that void, even the noble (and often ego-supporting) identity of THAT is of no concern.

The alternative to the peace of the Nothingness is that state of innumerable concepts in which most will live out the manifestation, trapped in personas, driven by fears and desires, imprisoned by attachments, never able to relax and take it easy, but convinced in that dream (or nightmare) state that they are free and happy. They will be in such denial that they will really believe, and enthusiastically proclaim, that they are not bored and that they are not depressed.

Yet they are not free, so they cannot possibly be happy. They are so bored that they can eventually develop an addiction to chaos in an effort to try to counteract their world-weariness (rather than seeing that "the world" is just another part of their dream—their Drama of the Lie). They are depressed, often on two levels: organic and situational. Why? They want to be “SOMEBODY” and they want to "be someone" significant or important or relevant or successful. Those aims will always be illusory and will generate desires that cannot be met, so frustration is guaranteed.

Happiness begins when the Stage One and Two search for more goes and when being content with less comes at Stage Five. Happiness becomes fixed when nothing is desired. It reaches a new height during AS IF living when the Void is enjoyed. It reaches the ultimate bliss after it is seen that, paradoxically, the Void is the fullness.

The re-purified consciousness will lead to de-accumulating, to understanding the bliss of the nothingness, to touching the validity of the void, and to being free of the insanity and/or personality disorders that will otherwise dominate their relative existence.

To understand the sweetness of the Void does not prevent the happenings that will happen for the remainder of the manifestation. It will merely allow the arrogance that drives the seeking of significance to dissolve, will allow persons to stop thinking that everything matters so much, and will allow the end of making mountains out of proverbial molehills. That can bring to an end their living in the shadows of the valleys generated as a result of over-reacting and misperceiving.

The Full Understanding can end your attachment to illusions such as “this life”; such as, “my significance”; such as, "the great meaning that my life has"; such as “the need to cling to certain 'valuable' concepts, though they haven’t provided the real answers even after thirty years or more”; ad infinitum. See, and then you can stop screaming for help and just…be.

Understand the Void. Rather than “having it all,” go for “The Grand Prize”: Nothing. When aligned with the nothingness, what needs to be said? Nothing. What needs to be heard? Nothing. In terms of noise, what is required? Nothing. What is there to be concerned about? Nothing. What is desired? Nothing. What is needed? Nothing. What can take away your independence? Nothing. What can take away your peace? Nothing. Via this understanding, what can happen in the relative existence that is not natural and peaceful? Nothing. What can move you from your position of neutrality and non-attachment? Nothing.

Will the elements still always return to the pool of universal elements? Yes. Will the air return to the pool of universal air? Yes. Will the energy return to the universal field of energy? Yes, but now, that which was before the elements, before the air, and before the manifestation of energy and matter, will be understood.

That which is beyond beingness and non-beingness will also be understood. That which was prior to either is understood. When that is understood, no desire for an identity manifests, and no fear of having “no identity” can manifest. What manifests is a position of zero concepts.

Zero concepts guarantees zero identities, zero fears, zero desires, zero unhappiness, zero anxiety, zero restlessness, zero conflict, zero attachments, zero imprisonment, zero…period.

Enjoy the Nothingness and even the No-Nothingness. Peace and Light. Please enter the silence of contemplation.

AN OVERVIEW:
NOTE: If you’ve read some of these books but know that a firm foundation and/or a review is indicated, or if you merely want to engage in some non-duality entertainment, go to http://floydhenderson.com/order.htm, provide your information and in the "Special Message" box, indicate which of the three Advaita packages below you want, and then read the books in proper sequence. Your multi-book discounts will be applied. Here is the order in which the books are to be read and how to get the three packages at the reduced rate:

Consider the Meditation CD, the Meditation Guides, Bullshit, and Spiritual Sobriety to be a “Beginner’s Package,” providing a foundation from which persons can begin to consider realities that are beyond the beliefs which they accept unquestioningly as a result of their enculturation. Used as a group, the works encourage inquiry (which is at the core of the Advaita approach) where questioning has not occurred before. [See MAKE YOUR OWN PACKAGE below.]

Consider Peace of Mind, Liberation, What Happens When I Die? and The Essence of the Teachings to be a “Mid-Level Seekers” Package, freeing seekers of the false identification with body and mind and personality and explaining the basic terminology that must be understood before moving to the advanced teachings. [See MAKE YOUR OWN PACKAGE below.]

Consider From the I to the Absolute, Consciousness/Awareness, and From the Absolute to the Nothingness to be an “Advanced Seekers” Package. From the I to the Absolute can serve as a guide for earnest and capable seekers, putting the teachings into an orderly context that reveals the exact steps that must be taken in an exact order to move through all of the degrees of separation from belief in the false “I” to Realization. Consciousness/Awareness offers the next level of understanding, explaining that which is beyond the beingness and how happiness can manifest each day via the understanding. Finally, From the Absolute to the Nothingness will allow earnest and capable seekers to understand the state that is even prior to beingness and non-beingness, even prior to the Absolute. The seeker who understands the content of this book will realize how it is that—from a state of non-existence or nothingness—everything in this universe (and all universes) came to be. [See MAKE YOUR OWN PACKAGE below.]
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THE FOUR METHODS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA VEDANTA, Part Three

FROM A SITE VISITOR: [Please see yesterday’s entry for the visitor's comments.]

F.: Several distinct differences in the Direct Path Method of teaching Advaita as opposed to the other three methods have been shown. During "floyd's" years of seeking, truth was sought by use of the other three methods (along with a host of religions and philosophies and ideologies and yogas and cult-like spiritual programs) but Realization did not happen. Religious and/or spiritual persons reported that “one must retreat into the soul” when the vicissitudes of the relative existence leave one feeling torn apart, but what is a person to do when even the so-called “soul” seems to have been torn asunder as well?

In the last month alone, issues have been raised during satsanga and e-mails have been received about: a pending divorce; about sex problems and in-law problems showing up now as marriage problems; about problems at work; about problems in “self-help” groups; about a spouse who just died; about problems with a child; about what seems to be an inevitable bankruptcy; about a disabled parent; about problems stemming from addiction; about abuse of several kinds; and about suicidal thoughts, to name a few. So what is a person to do when even the so-called “soul” seems to have been torn asunder as well?

Sometimes, reporting to an emergency room or a professional therapist is the immediate step. Beyond that, for those seeking the cheap answers in groups or the magical answers in church, they may be required to continue the search and to transition beyond the traditional religions and spiritual programs and ideologies with all their contradictions. And a few who continue as dedicated seekers might find a teacher who can guide them along the “path” to Full Realization. Realization in the case of this speck of consciousness came (a) after a vision, (b) after receiving Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj’s pointers as offered via the Direct Path Method and as offered in the fashion that he used at the end of his “teaching career,” and (c) after understanding the nisarga yoga approach.

[Note: Realization did not come even after multiple readings of I AM THAT. During the early days of Maharaj’s teaching when those dialogues were recorded, he was moving toward use of the Direct Path Method but it can be seen that he was also blending in some use of the Traditional Method. Later, he began using the Direct Path Method more exclusively, occasionally tossing out pointers that had a straight-forwardness that some might now liken to the “Neo-Advaita” Method. Therefore, it was his later sharings—along with a clarifying vision that came one afternoon—that helped remove the final obstacles to Realization.]

Some of the other differences in the Direct Path Method and the other three methods include these:

Contrary to the Traditional Method, the Direct Path Method advises seekers to receive pointers from a guru/teacher, to take those into consideration, and then to find truth via the inner guru (as opposed to studying any texts considered “holy”).

Contrary to the Neo-Vedanta Method (which offers flowery pointers that have the effect of encouraging followers to adopt more concepts and identities) the Direct Path invites seekers to forfeit concepts and identities. One method blows smoke; the other blows away the smoke.

Contrary to the Neo-Advaita Method that says, “Why don’t you just get it? Understand it’s all illusion. Now you can go,” the Direct Path Method teacher offers other pointers and guides seekers through the steps that most require in order for Realization to happen.

Why? Direct Path teachers agree with the Neo-Advaitins that (a) yes, it’s all illusion and that (b) once Realized, there is no do-er and thus nothing more to do; however, the Direct Path teacher understands the high levels of programming and conditioning and enculturation to which most persons have been subjected. The Direct Path teachers understand how such high levels of distortion remove the ability of persons to see clearly and that merely inviting persons to see clearly does not result in their seeing clearly.

Direct Path teachers are occasionally trespassers—though invited tresspassers—into their protégés’ pain. In such cases, some other teachers using one method might quote scriptures; those using another method might offer lofty or inspirational platitudes; teachers of a third method might suggest minimizing or ignoring the whole business; but the effective Direct Path teacher will understand the psychological structures that result from trauma and warped programming which can cause pain. That teacher can uncover the true source of that pain so that the source can dissolve. Then, the dissolution of the pain can follow.

The adept Direct Path teacher—being both consistent and persistent when persistence is indicated—is able to guide protégés through the deconstruction process that eliminates the “mind” which houses belief in lies and illusions and concepts and personas and that is the seat of mental and emotional pain. Eventually, it is possible that the effects of the psychological structures that result in personality disorders (and which also generate turmoil and pain) can be eliminated via the Direct Path method to Full Realization. For some, of course, professional treatment is required.

Yet unlike the Neo-Advaita teacher’s “just-believe-this-only” approach, the Direct Path teachers know from experience that the obstacles that block the pure consciousness from seeing the levels to which the consciousness has been corrupted must be removed before the pure consciousness can be witnessed (by itSelf) and before Truth can be known.

Finally, the form of Direct Path teaching which was used by Maharaj near the end of that manifestation as well as the form of Direct Path teaching that is used on the site could both be considered “less Advaita Vedanta” and “more Advaita.” Maharaj would eventually advise visitors to forget the concepts they value and quote because they were written in a so-called “holy book” and to find, instead, what they already know within but that is “hidden” from consciousness by the miasma of ideas and beliefs and concepts and other lies that are blocking their realization of truth. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
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THE FOUR METHODS FOR TEACHING ADVAITA VEDANTA, Part One

FROM A SITE VISITOR: I’m lost. I’ve read every book I can get my hands on about Advaita Vedanta. I’ve studied Adi Shankaracharya, Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekanada, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and now you. And it all seems like one contradiction after another. That was the whole problem with everything I tried before Advaita Vedanta--one contradiction after another. Some teachers say I have to love everyone. The next teacher doesn’t even mention love. Some talk poetically. Others talk in what I would call a realistic way and delivery their points in a hard, smack you between-the-eyes style. So what’s the deal? I got involved with AV because I was looking for sanity but I’m going nuts in the process. Greg.

F.: Hello Greg. Your frustration is understood and even well-founded, but there is an explanation. Though postings have been happening on this site for over two years (and though the method used on this site is noted at the top of the page), never have the variances in the teaching methods been addressed. That shall be offered now so you can understand the source of the contradictions you mention. There are four primary methods for teaching Advaita Vedanta (or five if you were to count “Pseudo-Advaita” which has come about because some are using the teachings as a sole means of income or as a means to obtain a variety of “favors” from seekers).

If you look at the top of this page, you’ll see that the approach used here is “the direct path teaching method” (with pointers focused in the nisarga yoga approach). That approach will be explained after all of the other teaching methods are discussed. Then, you’ll understand why some talk poetically and speak mainly about love and why some offer pointers in a different fashion.

First, understand that there will be no attempt here to suggest that one method is “better than” another. It’s up to each seeker to seek until he/she finds that which they are seeking. If Realization does not happen via one method, move on and find a different teacher who uses a different method. Visitors to this site can read below the descriptions of the four methods and draw their own conclusions about the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the various methodologies.

Furthermore, have some persons over the years modified the methods to suit their own personal agendas or desires? Evidence suggests that is the case; however, variances also happen because one teacher might be of one lineage that has historically used one method while the next teacher is of a lineage that follows a different method.

Ego can inspire persons to brag about lineage, so it has only been mentioned once in two years on this site. Some, however, choose a teacher that is of a certain lineage in order to find a teacher who follows the method used by predecessors in that lineage, so for those seekers only it will be mentioned that the lineage followed here is the Navnath sampradAya. If you’ve never heard of that, don’t look it up. It’s meaningless except to those who are seeking one style of teaching over another and are already aware of lineages; otherwise, ignore that.

Now, to the four methods. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel if the wheel has already been invented and perfected, and Dennis Waite has been there and done that in regards to explaining the teaching methods; therefore, his explanations in the book BACK TO THE TRUTH will be drawn upon first. Then, the direct path method and the nisarga approach that are used on this site will be explained later. The methods will be discussed in no particluar sequence in order to avoid the implication that the methods are being ranked.

TEACHING METHOD: Traditional Advaita
Paraphrasing Dennis Waite: This is the method regarded as the one defined by Shankara in his discussion of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Suttras around the 8th century AD. This approach is defined by those scriptures which some claim are the source of truth.

TEACHING METHOD: Neo-Vedanta
Paraphrasing Dennis Waite: The term Neo-Vedanta refers primarily to the method used by Vivekanada and his followers. Some critics consider this method a “watered down” version of Traditional Advaita, a result of the fact that Vivekanada and his followers have tried to make the teachings more suitable to Western tastes where concepts and ego-states have dominated persons for millenia. [NOTE: Neo-Vedanta teachers typically employ seemingly sublime or exalted or emotion-inspiring statements that encourage followers to adopt more concepts and identities instead of encouraging seekers to forfeit all concepts and identities. Some examples include such advise as: dream on an idea and be full of it and you’ll succeed; believe in yourself; make yourself strong; find god and gain power; use thoughts to create a new reality; engage in the noble goal of seeking knowledge; you are responsible for what you are; acquire power; and seek love. Such concepts are in direct opposition to the teachings presented via the Direct Path, nisarga yoga approach. f.h.]

TEACHING METHOD: Neo-Advaita
Paraphrasing Dennis Waite: The teachers who use this method see no need for study, questioning or inquiring into anything. Recognizing only the reality, and knowing that there is no seeker, they conclude that there is nothing to seek and nothing to teach. Often, the result is that even the most diligent seekers who try to attain the understanding with Neo-Advaita teachers can become very confused. Neo-Advaitins suggest that no path is required since there is no “one” to follow the “path.” [NOTE: That same understanding, which is attained by some who follow the “Direct Path Method” to its end, is assumed by Neo-Advaita teachers to be a given from the very beginning. f.h.] Some who adhere to this method reject the name “Neo-Advaita” outright.

Beginning tomorrow, the “Direct Path Method” and the nisarga yoga approach (both used on this site) will be discussed in detail. Based on the descriptions above, however, are you seeing why all of your searching has resulted in what you describe as "one contradiction after another"? There are some very clear differences in message and methodology employed by different teachers. The wise seeker will take those variances into account when selecting a teacher (and a method to follow) if seeking Full Realization and Full Liberation. Thus, the method used on this site is identified at the very top of the web page so that seekers know immediately which method is used on this site. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
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