SATSANG TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

Postings will continue on Friday. You are invited to visit the archives or to read the information below on various non-duality books.

INFORMATION ON THE BOOKS: Occasionally, people ask about the recommended order for reading the books. Some ask for more details before ordering. While the next three days are spent with seekers, postings will be suspended, so the information requested by some will be offered:

THE MEDITATION GUIDES
These books can be read in either order since each stands alone. The entries each day provide an excerpt from a non-duality book, followed by one or more considerations for that day. Some read the books from beginning to finish while others use them on a daily basis. Either way, they offer hundreds of pointers that are all rooted in the Advaita Teachings.

IT ALL BULLSHIT (And Why Knowing It Sets You Free)
This book contains a series of “propositionalities” that would be worthless except to the extent that they prepare all seekers to become willing to question the sacred cows of your culture. Ultimately, this all deals more with the relative than the Absolute, but one cannot abide sanely as the Absolute without first seeing the insanity of the relative. If one can question his/her core beliefs that are generally held sacred by the masses, then discarding all of the other nonsense of the culture might become easier. That alone can begin the "journey" toward total freedom and total peace. Few will ever be able to discard the minor cows, much less these six sacred cows, but this book is an invitation to begin questioning what is usually taken for granted after years of programming and enculturation.

SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY (Recovering What Religions Lost)
This book is for the 6 billion+ persons who have been programmed with the dogma of the planets’ religions, especially the three outgrowths of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is also for those who are playing a spiritual role or who have become spiritually intoxicated (which prevents moving beyond all role-playing and Realizing Fully). It's intent is to allow persons on the "path" to transition beyond the religious and spiritual identities that are assumed at the third step of the "journey." The focus is on those three since their dogma has programmed—and corrupted the consciousness of—most persons on the planet, but the overall message reflects the truth about all religions and all “spiritual” programs or movements as well. The content reveals the 16 tenets common to those religions which evolved from the killing of virgins; exposes the contradictions of those teachings; discusses the glorification of suffering; catalogues and exposes the false promises that are made in order to attract and control the masses; explains the way that their leaders' addiction to power drives them to manipulate their followers; exposes the lies upon which those institutions are based; identifies the results of religious and spiritual intoxication; and uncovers the mental disorders that result from strict adherence to the dogma and ideology. If you have been exposed to any religious or spiritual indoctrination, or if you live in a culture where the leaders have been indoctrinated by religion, this one should be read.

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “PEACE OF MIND” (There Is Only Peace if You’re Out of Your Mind)
This book leads to the next level of freedom, allowing seekers to transition beyond the mind. The content explores the history of the human brain, including the fact that for millions of years, human and human-like beings functioned without any mind. The book uncovers the ways that the brain evolved over the ages and developed an ability to store and retrieve memories. It then shows how the original memories were used constructively but how programming and conditioning changed all that and created a "mind" that most often overrules the brain and generates relative-existence harm and destruction. Similarly, the book shows the way that personality develops during childhood as a means for survival and adaptation but later becomes a liability when those childhood personality traits continue to drive adult thinking and behavior.
Ultimately, the book shows why Advaitin sages for centuries have correctly identitifed the "problems of the planet" as being rooted in body-mind-personality identification and offers suggestions for being free of all of that nonsense via Realization.

LIBERATION

This book helps remove the next barrier to Realization: personality. After being freed from body-mind identification, transitioning into the next step begins the process of being freed from identification with personas and being unconsciously controlled by personality traits. This book studies the nine most basic persona types as identified in the enneagram method and offers the way to be freed of the influences of personality.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE?
This book offers the opportunity to shift to the next level of understanding, the level at which you come to realize that you cannot die since you were not born. Fears generally begin to fall away after reading this work. The Foreword offers this: “If you find the answer to ‘What happens when I die—what happens after the body ends?’ the result will be that the remainder of your relative existence will be marked by an incredible lightness of being. Persons addicted to chaos will hate that possibility. Those seeking to be restored to sanity will seek the answer until it is found.”

THE ESSENCE OF THE TEACHINGS
This book is used by many as a primer and companion piece to FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE. "PART ONE" includes answers to frequently-asked questions and provides an overview of terms used during the teachings. "PART TWO" provides information for those who are “close” but haven’t yet “gotten it.” "PART TWO" moves the seeker to a depth of understanding that sets the stage for the final message in FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE.

FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)

Most of the so-called “Spiritual Masters” addressed in random order all of the steps that must be taken to shift from identifying with the false “I” to abiding as the Absolute. All of the steps (or “stages” to use Maharaj’s term) have been discussed for centuries, but this is the first time that the steps have been offered and explained in simple language in the exact order in which the seven steps must be taken in order to move from “the lie of the I” to Full Realization. Most of the content of this book contains the complete set of transcripts from audio tapings of a series of satsang sessions that guided the participants from step one to Realization. Some have said that by reading the questions from seekers and the immediate responses by floyd (all offered in their original easy, conversational format), they have felt as if they were present in the room, actively engaged in the satsang along with fellow seekers. This one should be read last.

CONSCIOUSNESS/AWARENESS: The Nature of Reality Beyond Self-Realization (Peace Every Day When Abiding as The Absolute)

After following the “path” as outlined in FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality) in order to Realize, the next step is to understand the difference in consciousness and awareness in order to abide as the Absolute for the remainder of the manifestation and then be totally free. "The Final Frontier" of the Advaita Teachings is transitioned when the Nature of Reality is understood and when the Advaita Teachings are "applied" on a daily basis even in the absence of any "Applier." The Nature of Reality cannot be understood until the differences in Consciousness and Awareness are understood. Understanding the Nature of Consciousness allows for abidance in the I AM, but what of THAT Which Is beyond, and that which is beyond the beyond? To be at perfect peace on a daily basis, adibance as the re-purified Consciousness must be transitioned and abidacne as the Absolute Awareness must happen. Only abidance as the Absolute allows for the remainder of the manifestation of Consciousness to happen in Perfect Peace. This book will distinguish between Consciousness and Awareness, will define the exact Nature of Reality, will offer explanations that will allow fixation in the Full Realization to happen, will allow for an understanding of the Functioning of the Totality, and will assist all earnest seekers to find the way to fixate in a state of peace from NOW until the Consciousness Unmanifests.

YES, WE SHIP INTERNATIONALLY. New rates by the USPS went into effect on 14 May 2007. You may visit http://ircalc.usps.gov/ to calculate rates and view options. (Select your country, then in the “weight” box, estimate 1 pound per each book ordered.) Add $5 to cover package preparation, the assistant's trip to and from the PO, and the time for completion of international shipping forms.

YOU MAY VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Click WEBSITE

A SUGGESTION: SEE THE PLAY AS A PLAY IN ORDER TO ENJOY THE PLAY

FROM A SITE VISITOR: Your reply to Jaime about being overwhelmed at work overwhelmed me. All day Sunday, I could not even talk after reading that post. So many things of that list hit me--applied to me. I’m sure she was happy when she was hired for that job but that stopped being the case. The same has happened with my job, marriage, life, everything. I see how unhappy I really am and how far I have to go. I’ve had some bad breaks and felt at times like this whole life is so unfair—now I looking at the way we are set up to be miserable—I know that’s right now—I was set up. I’ll keep reading what you worte though it is bothersome. I do feel like the answer is in there, and I think there are directions I can use to fix myself and get free. Thanx for what you said even though it is disturbing on several levels. Geoff

F.: All cycles into sleep and out of sleep, a metaphor for the way that all cycles into manifestation and out of manifestation. In "the between," there is none of that dualistic concept called “fairness” since the pecking order in the hen yard is no different from the hierarchies in homes, in schools, at work, in communities, in nations, and across the globe as well. Thus, to be free (and thereby happy), see that in regards to the period between the manifesting and the unmanifesting, the early part means nothing, the middle part mean nothing, and the last part means nothing. It’s all much ado about nothing. Release your beliefs and move to a position of non-attachment and non-duality; then, merely witness and enjoy.

If it is “something” you want, you’ll attach to the manifestation and the things that come and go during the early, middle and later parts. If it is freedom and happiness you want, then you will take the steps required to detach from the manifestation and the fluctuations of those three relative parts. You will see that everything to which persons assign such significance is all senseless, pointless, and meaningless…all a play.

Understand that the lila is not the creative play of God or Brahman. See that it is the play of the Absolute only to the degree that it is from that “field” that consciousness manifests. See that, after that manifestation and subsequent warping of the consciousness, the play continues because the warped consciousness cannot see reality but takes the play—and its illusions and phony characters—to be real.

In that deception, the understanding is lost that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Soon, persons take so seriously that which is only so much posturing and strutting about on stage that they begin to react to illusions. They allow mirages to determine what they think, how they feel, and what they do. That is certainly quite insane-like, if not actually insane.

For you to think that you can "fix yourself" is also insane-like. First, there is no “you.” Secondly, it is the warped consciousness that generated those words, thus claiming in effect that the warped consciousness shall purify itself. That would be like believing that a glass of water with contaminants floating about in the liquid could cleanse itself of those impurities.

Instead, someone must pick up the glass and pour its contents through a filtering system to remove the contaminants. The role of a guru or teacher is to facilitate the process of removing the contaminants by the simple means of identifying the lies as lies, by pointing out that the play is nothing more than a play, by inviting seekers to stop believing in the phony drama, and by suggesting that the curtain be lowered on all of the needless histrionics.

If lies are seen to be lies and then discarded, the consciousness which was contaminated with ideas, concepts and lies will dissolve; afterwards, the pure consciousness will move into the foreground. Thereafter, reality will be seen and understood. Then only will the relative existence be seen as a play that can sometimes provide entertainment when a “supposedly comedic” scene is seemingly staged and can provide pathos when a “supposedly tragic” scene is seemingly played out.

Yet it is only in seeing the play as a play that the entertainment aspects can replace the emotionally-intoxicating aspects. After that differentiation between what is false and What Is Real, total independence from the actions on the stage can come, and only when total independence comes can total bliss happen.

Meanwhile, if you are relating to Jaime's experiences and to the content of the response, continue to read the reply and take each pointer into quiet consideration. PLEASE ENTER THE SILENCE OF CONTEMPLATION. (TOMORROW: A break from posting as Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s entertainment will be provided by the staging of a play that could be entitled, “Seekers and Satsang.”)
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POST:
SEEKING “PEACE OF MIND”?

Click THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “PEACE OF MIND” (There Is Only Peace If You’re Out of Your Mind)

WORKING ON BEING FREE OF PERSONALITY?

Click LIBERATION

READY TO TAKE THE SEVEN-STEP “JOURNEY” TO REALITY?

Click FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)

PEACE EVERY DAY…OR NOT, Part Four, The Conclusion

[See the post on 30 August 2007 for the original e-mail being addressed]

F.: Consistent peace has manifested for many, so it can happen for you. But it cannot happen unless a state of non-duality and non-attachment is reached. That requires an understanding that nothing which is thought to be “good” by you (or anyone else) is going to last. What was thought to be a “good” job can soon become the job from hell. What was thought to be a great lover/spouse can soon become the lover/spouse from hell.

Nothing in the relative is going to last, yet persons are set up to be miserable because their cultures program them with the insane belief that temporary things can last forever; thus, they attach to the temporary with an expectation that what they perceive as "good" will last for infinity. They attach to things which they think are so “good” that they hope those things will be permanent, only to soon discover that those things, almost without exception, will eventually be considered flawed.

A bridge considered to be “good” at one point actually had basic “design flaws.” Persons—just like that bridge—have basic “design flaws”; that is, they have been programmed and conditioned and domesticated and acculturated with flawed beliefs, flawed ideas, and flawed concepts which assure that they will fluctuate between being happy and being miserable. That “perfect” job is soon realized to be flawed. The flaws of a mate who appeared to be “perfect” soon become obvious. The relative existence of the non-Realized is marred by one misconception after another, so of course fluctuations and disappointment will follow.

How can anyone who is truly awake possibly think that they will be happy is they attach to something that they are convinced is “good” when the history of this planet is that nothing (whether considered “good” or “bad”) will last? Why over-celebrate one or exceedingly bemoan the other if both are temporary?

Nothing that is thought at one point to be “good” will prove to be consistently “good.” Why? Because “good” is one-half of a dualistic set, and all dualistic sets are lies. That Which You truly Are is all that has no design flaws. That “You” is perfect, stable, unlimited, boundless, and free. It is that “You” which can function from the witness mode, which can merely observe without emotional intoxication, and which can thereby function without attachment or reaction or chaos. From that stance, things thought intolerable can become quite manageable, relatively speaking.

1. But what is your own experience with discovering that something you thought was “good” was really “bad,” or vice versa? Is there something that you think you have “lost” that shall forever deprive you of happiness? In that case, ask: “Were you really happy when you had it/him/her?”

2. What do you think you must have now in order to be happy and at peace? (Over the last eighteen years, all of the following have been mentioned by seekers after they admitted their secret “hopes and desires.”) In order to be happy and truly at peace, do you think you need:

A boyfriend or husband? A girlfriend or wife? A different job? No job? “Love” from someone? More respect from the boss? A child? More children? No children? More respect from peers? Revenge? A different boss? God? Multiple gods and goddesses? Daily praise? A kinder God who will reward “good” people like you? A tougher God that will punish the “bad” people? Intervention by a god in your behalf? A break? A big break? Luck? "Good" karma? The death of a rich relative? The demise of someone you hate?

More people who think and feel and behave as you do? More people who see things your way? A defeat for someone? To be worshipped by someone? A victory for someone? Noise? Activity? More people to join you in honoring your “sacred cows”? Co-workers to change? Relatives to change? The public at large to change? Clients to change? The world to change? Weekly services? Daily meetings? A show of regret from someone who abandoned you?

Spiritual exercises? More spiritual exercises? An increase in the size of certain body parts? A decrease in the size of certain body parts? Fewer people to get in your way or interrupt your plans? Less interference from parents? More assistance from parents? A raise in pay? A helpmate? A caretaker? A provider? Someone to pay for the upscale lifestyle which you think you deserve? An apology you’ve been waiting for? Newer possessions? More possessions? Someone to “love”? Special candles? Special bells? Special attire? Humming? Chanting? Citing holy phrases in unison?

Religion? Incense? A new car? A new house? A winning lottery ticket? A better looking mate? Moses? Jesus? Mohammed? Better meditative skills? A sign from someone that he/she cares? Special music? Holy books? Something that is a larger version of something you already have? A fully-developed religious persona? A fully-developed spiritual persona? Government assistance? Charity? A chance to see some real suffering befall someone who hurt your feelings? Other?

If you were to be granted everything that you desire, how long do you think that would keep you happy and keep you at peace? The answer from the actual experiences of thousands of seekers (and the experiences of millions of others who have been observed) is…not long at all. Why?

1. Because the manifestation of happiness and peace does not require having more. What is required is less, that is, fewer ideas, fewer beliefs, fewer concepts, fewer things deemed “sacred,” and fewer influences that result from programming and conditioning and enculturation; and

(2) Because persons typically want what they do not have, do not want that which they do have, and tire quickly of that which they have had “for too long” (including people, places and things). To wish for one thing is the setup to wish for a thousand things. Why? Because any happiness that comes after having a wish fulfilled is short-lived. Having tired quickly of whatever came from that granted wish, something else is soon wished for to take its place. Wishing generates more wishing, and more wishing generates more disappointment when wishes are not fulfilled. All wishing must be abandoned in order to be free. What people have, they will fear losing; what they do not have, they will desire.

Voilà: there they are again…the roots of dis-ease and unhappiness: programming-based fears and desires. The stability that is sought cannot happen when abiding as "something relative" and cannot happen even when abiding as the manifested consciousness. Only in abidance as the Absolute can stability (and therefore peace) actually happen.

Cast off the bondage of all false selves and experience the perfection That You Are. You are the Absolute, beyond beingness and non-beingness, but that cannot be seen when persons stumble through a dark existence with nothing more than the small lamp of warped consciousness to illuminate the way.

Realization fires up a floodlight that is capable of shining on the entire universe; then, all is seen as it is. Once You see that You Are THAT, then freedom (and thereby happiness) can manifest. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POST:
SEEKING “PEACE OF MIND”?

Click THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “PEACE OF MIND” (There Is Only Peace If You’re Out of Your Mind)

WORKING ON BEING FREE OF PERSONALITY?

Click LIBERATION

READY TO TAKE THE SEVEN-STEP “JOURNEY” TO REALITY?

Click FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)

PEACE EVERY DAY…OR NOT, Part Three

[See the post on 30 August 2007 for the original e-mail being addressed]

F.: If ideas and concepts and beliefs are not forfeited (and if one is not freed of the influence of old wounds and old “memories” and old programming) then changing jobs, houses, cities, circumstances, people, or anything else will have no lasting impact on changing one’s emotional state. If the seemingly endless chain of desires and expectations is not forfeited, one can get everything she/he might wish for or hope for or long for, but consistent happiness and consistent peace will not manifest. Full Realization, on the other hand, will provide a lasting impact, relatively speaking.

But Full Realization cannot happen as long as persons think that the beliefs of their parents, their teachers, their preachers, their priests, their imams, their rabbis, or their politicians are Truth. Any of “their” beliefs which have become “your” beliefs will block you from finding Truth...and peace.

Some seekers have seen the lies that are driving them by writing a thorough list of their beliefs, seeing where those beliefs really came from, and then questioning their validity. (In fact, no one’s beliefs have really come from parents or pastors or priests, etc. The most widely-held and most respected beliefs today are thousands of years old, were dreamed up by controlling men during ancient times, were passed down to the ignorant masses, and have been repeated and accepted as truth for thousands of years by billions and billions of non-Realized persons among the also-ignorant masses.)

The writing exercise can reveal to honest seekers the fact that they have no beliefs that are their own but that they have only adopted the beliefs of others. That prevents them from realizing what they have always known, within, but have forgotten. The exercise can show that there is no basis in fact for the concepts and ideas and beliefs that have been adopted from others.

The process can expose the fact that those beliefs are driving you into an unstable existence that is marked by fluctuations between being OK if alone vs. not being OK at work; between enjoying the pleasure of pleasant situations vs. suffering the misery of unpleasant situations; and between feeling spiritual at times vs. not feeling spiritual at other times.

Consider: some homes have thermostats that has been programmed to cool houses in the summer and to heat them in the winter. A thermostat is programmed to maintain temperatures within a certain, limited range. If it has not been programmed, it will not function. Its program determines what it does or what it does not do.

Similarly, persons do nothing that they have not been programmed or conditioned or enculturated to do. Unfortunately for persons, they do not choose their programming any more than a thermostat chooses its programming. As in the case of the thermostat that limits temperature ranges, the programming of persons limits the way that they function as well.

It may appear that the thermostat is making a decision when it activates or deactivates "automatically," but obviously it is not. It has no power of choice because it is programmed. That same type of programming leaves persons totally helpless even though they believe that their ideas and beliefs and concepts are a source of power and are a benefit. They think they are freely making choices.

How deceived they are. You were programmed in the way that certain key role-players in your early life choose to program you. The people who lived next door to where you grew up as a child would have likely given you a totally different program. Those of one religion will program people in a way that is completely diferent from the programming that people of another religion are given.

Those of one denomination will program people in a way that is completely diferent from the programming that people of another denomination are given. People of one political party will program people in a way that is completely diferent from the programming that people of another party are given.

People with one type of boss will become conditioned in a way that is completely diferent from the conditioning that people with a different type of boss will be given. And all of your conditioning and programming—not you—will determine how you emote in any given circumstance.

The invitation to you is to take all seven steps to Realization and then you will not co-dependently allow strangers or people at work or anywhere else to determine how you feel. You’ll begin to cross the path of fewer and fewer “numbskulls” at work or outside work. Eventually, there will be no “jaime" and no “you” that has any agenda that can be interfered with. You’ll be free of any identity that can imagine it has been hurt or threatened, and then you’ll function as the True Self.

Persons are separated from the awareness of That Which They Truly Are, and only awareness of That can result in peace and happiness during the manifestation. As for you, jaime, your case in not unique, so there’s no need to take any words as criticism; nor is there any need to criticize your “self” (or selves).

Your search has taken you far enough along a “path” that you have discovered the philosophy of Advaita, the understanding of which might eliminate at the root all of the frustration and anger that you think you’re experiencing at certain times. To be free, though, you'll be required to abandon all identification with “Jaime the Experiencer of Frustration and Anger” or “The Jaime Who Is Driven by Unmet Expectations and Unfulfilled Desires.” More on that tomorrow. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (Tomorrow: The Conclusion)
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POST:
SEEKING “PEACE OF MIND”?

Click THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “PEACE OF MIND” (There Is Only Peace If You’re Out of Your Mind)

WORKING ON BEING FREE OF PERSONALITY?

Click LIBERATION

WORKING ON HAVING THE COURAGE TO QUESTION ALL OF THE "SACRED COWS" IN YOUR CULTURE?

Click IT'S ALL BULLSHIT

READY TO TAKE THE SEVEN-STEP “JOURNEY” TO REALITY?

Click FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)