THE PURE WITNESSING – LOVE CONNECTION

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)

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

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.

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:

CHILD IGNORANCE

An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation / Realization, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your original nature, natural abidance, the nothingness, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.

[At the end of this posting there are five videos that discuss thirty-three Advaitin topics]

F.: During the process by which the consciousness manifests and becomes corrupted or blocked, a series of specific steps happen, steps which leave persons identified with the physical body (and the “mind” and personas). The steps are exactly the same in every case. The end result is that persons become identified most with the body, and that is almost as far from being in touch with Reality as a person can be, short of being catatonic.

Realized Advaitin teachers have long agreed that (a) “the path” from body identification to Full Realization is made up of the same steps by which the consciousness initially moved from manifestation to body identification and that (b) the steps must be completed in the exact, reverse order if the shift from body identification to Full Realization is to happen.

No teachers, though, identified in their exact order the specific steps (1-7 in number) by which the pure consciousness manifested but soon became blocked and contaminated and unable to see truth. Nor did any catalogue the exact reverse order of which the various specks of consciousness spoke; thus, seekers seldom find the exact "path," step-by-step, that must be followed in order for the return to happen.

During satsang and retreats, questions raised by visitors consistently reveal that the words used to point to one of the seven steps in particular is always confusing, specifically, “The Child Ignorance Stage." That is a result sometimes of ego and egotism, but more often the sense of confusion is genuinely sincere.

That confusion results because the “going back” steps closely mirror the “coming in” steps except in the case of the "Child Ignorance" step. To clarify, therefore, please consider:

When the child is a few months old, it has neither the ability to judge nor the ability to criticize anything or anyone. It has been taught no lies that will become part of the content of a fiction-based “mind,” so it can neither form nor express opinions nor thoughts nor beliefs. Other than basic bodily functions, it is capable of nothing more than witnessing. It is a "looker," not a "do-er."

To say that it is “ignorant” at that point would not be an accurate assessment, so that leads to confusion. Only when it is later taught ignorance will it be ignorant. What it is at that point is a plant food body that is capable of circulating air and that provides a temporary space in which the unsullied consciousness can manifest and “look.” That’s it.

Will it know what it is seeing? No. Eventually, the programming and conditioning will strip the child of seeing anything as it truly is because lies and nonsense will be presented as truth. The child will not be able to differentiate true from false, and as it moves from what is called “childhood” into what is called “adulthood,” it will join the ranks of all adults who always misperceive everything that they think they see, if not Realized.

The pointer is that it is only after following the steps that free the consciousness of the effects of programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication during the “going-out” process that this step is reached after finally being free (once again) of all of the content of the “mind” and of all belief in personas.

When this step is reached during the “going back journey,” therefore, it could more accurately be pointed to with the phrase, “the person no longer in ignorance stage.” Prior to reaching this step during the "going back" process, 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.

At this point, the earnest seeker that has completed the first steps on the "journey" will reach a point of again being “childlike” to the degree that mere witnessing happens...without thoughts, appraisals, judgments, the drawing of conclusions, the sharing of opinions and concepts, and without spewing nonsensical, ego-and-egotism-based beliefs.

From that platform, how can arguments happen? The child has no language and cannot talk. If all concepts and beliefs have been discarded, allowing the seeker to move truly into this “person that is no longer in ignorance stage,” then there are no tools by which arguments can be built.

Having re-entered this stage, the seeker is in that place where there was no language and where there was silence (except when hunger or discomfort manifested). Since the adult can address those conditions of hunger and discomfort, the silence can return.

A sign of movement along the “path” is a shift from the Anglo's ego-inspired worship of “freedom of speech”; then, “freedom from speech” and the "freedom of silence" can manifest. “Witnessing” means “witnessing”—not "reacting to," not "controlling," not "manipulating," not "using," not "debating," not "arguing," not "pontificating," not "moving into and out of histrionic states," not "displaying extreme 'intensity'," and not "doing."

Since witnessing happens in the absence of any witnesser, then there can come once again another taste of what was the bliss of merely being. Farther along the “path,” stabilization in the beingness only can happen, but returning to the point where there was impartial witnessing that triggered no reactions allows for the first sampling again of that which Was and Is and Shall Be (and which can be right now again and for the remainder of the manifestation). 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

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.

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:

I AM THAT; I AM = I AM THAT ETERNAL FORM OF POTENTIAL ENERGY; I AM TEMPORARILY THIS FORM OF ENERGY

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]

[Please note: Since an Advaitin retreat/satsang will be offered in-house Tuesday through Thursday, the daily entries may be posted at somewhat later times]

F.: Early Advaitin pointers included the following: “When you speak of Me, speak of me as I AM.” That pointer is still offered here: when you speak of Me, speak of Me only as the Amness…the temporarily manifested consciousness. Furthermore, when You would point to the temporarily-manifested Self, speak of You as the "I AM."

During the retreat two weeks ago and during the one that is currently happening, visitors have been invited to refrain from ever again using the word “I” to refer to anything other than the manifest consciousness. Never again, then, could such statements as these even arise:

“I am angry.” “I am happy.” “I am a teacher.” “I am a seeker.” “I am a great, religious person.” “I am very spiritual.” If it is understood that energy is energy and that energy can assume various forms—one of which has the property of conscious-of-ness—then that simple understanding should put to an end all nonsensical comments.

It will be understood that consciousness can witness—can observe—but cannot “do” anything. Relinquishing any notions about doer-ship could then be easily discarded; additionally, any belief that (A) energy can be a do-er of something and that (B) conscious-energy can do anything other than witness would both be seen as erroneous.

Then, so much of the relative nonsense engaged in by the non-Realized would end automatically and spontaneously. The following would be perfectly understood:

Would it make any sense to lean across a kitchen counter and place your mouth next to an electrical outlet and ask the energy that is manifested a few millimeters from your mouth if it is angry or happy or seeking something or fearing something or desiring something?

Would it make any sense at all to judge the energy there and label it “bad” or “good?” How relative (and therefore insane) it would be to believe dualistically that the energy which runs a blender is “good” energy when it is employed to whip up a tasty malt but that it is "bad" energy if a person inserts a metal object into the outlet and is electrocuted.

Energy is energy, and the fact that a body-cum-consciousness can manifest temporarily—and that the body can function as a vehicle for moving the consciousness about—does not make the conscious-energy the vehicle.

The visitor here now that is hearing a discussion of the seven steps from body identification to Full Realization flew into town on an airplane and then drove to the house in a rental car. Those attending a retreat here the week before all arrived by automobile.

In all of those cases, the airplane and the cars are just vehicles via which the visitors moved about, but it does not mean that “they” are airplanes or cars. You are not the body via which You—a speck of energy—moves about.

To understand that the body is a plant food body—a gathering together temporarily of earth elements—and that air is circulating through it and that consciousness is temporarily manifested therein should make clear several pointers about that three-part “package”:

There is no “one”—just elements, air, and energy.

Neither elements nor air nor consciousness can be offended, proud, arrogant, or deceived.

Once a “mind” forms—storing and retrieving information and impressions and concepts and beliefs and lies—then personas will be assumed and personas will imagine offenses, reasons to be proud, reasons to justify arrogance…all happening in (false)-self-delusion and in (false)-self-deception.

Earth elements do not care; air does not care; and consciousness does not care. The latter cannot care—only personas can “care.” The consciousness can merely witness, and it either witnesses in a blocked fashion, in a subject-object fashion, or in a true fashion as the True Self.

That’s it. Do You see how very simple this is? Do You see that the fabrication of a fiction-filled "mind" and the assumption of personas are the only sources of complications? Do You see that complications generate misery and suffering?

This is simple. Leave it that way. If it is not that way, then question every belief and concept, cast them all aside, be done with living under the influence of the mind-mirage, and be done with assuming personas and being blindly driven by their agendas. Then complexities will end and simplicity can come and can continue for the remainder of the manifestation. 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

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.

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:

“SEEKERS” AND “KNOWERS” AND “PERFORMERS” AND OTHER ROADBLOCKS ON “THE PATH”

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]

[Please note: Since an Advaitin retreat/satsang will be offered in-house Tuesday through Thursday, the daily entries may be posted at somewhat later times]

F.: A man who came here for a retreat several years left completely disappointed. He had spent five decades traveling the globe, meeting with gurus all across India and on every continent, attending seminars offered by the “big names” in the “self-improvement” industry. Then he was here, bowing at the end of each session to what he mistakenly thought he was in the presence of.

Whatever his perceptions about what was speaking, it was something other than a mere speck of consciousness. His accumulation of knowledge was major in scope...his understanding minor. When he was asked if it might be possible that he was addicted to seeking, that WHO called “The Seeker” (a.k.a., “The Super Seeker”) was much offended.

His earlier displays of "humility" and "gratitude" were repeated no more. An imaginary ego-state’s anger had stolen his ability to continue to act his part in the “Teacher-Humble Seeker” play. If “The Seeker” finds that which is being sought, then “The Seeker” automatically comes to an end, and who attached to that role as a supreme identity desires annihilation? To find would be to end.

A woman recently recounted the activities involved with her multi-decade obsession with searching…with seeking...with knowing...with showing. Likely, there are few who have collected the quantities of knowledge she has gathered. “The Analyst” was upgraded to “The Super Analyst,” and “The Knower was elevated to the status of “The Super Knower.”

She has uncovered bits and pieces along the way, but she has never found that which she thought she was seeking because she does not know precisely what it is that she has been seeking all along, revealed when she asked, “What do you say that people are seeking?”

I say that there are no people seeking anything. All personas generate a basic desire and a basic fear, and both determine what is being sought. Most are not seeking the understanding. Most are not seeking the means by which de-accumulation can happen. In her case, two personas have controlled every thought and word and action.

“The Super Knower” wants to reveal the knowledge accumulated, and “The Super Performer” desires an audience to that end. Well of course there has been no willingness to be free of personality. To cast aside all beliefs and concepts and the overvaluation of the knowledge that has been accumulated would be thought to be “a death knell” for “The Super Knower,” and indeed it would be.

To stop seeking an audience, nay, to stop taking audiences hostage (be the audience a one-person-at-a-time-audience or a multi-person audience) would be considered “a death knell” for “The Super Performer” who will ratchet up the levels of animation to whatever degree is required to capture and hold attention.

Here, not only are periodic invitations to de-accumulate extended; here, there is often an invitation to welcome "The Final De-Accumulation"…"The Final Dissolution."

“The Spiritual Giant” and/or “The Religious One” are two of the final ego-states to be abandoned, a requirement for moving beyond the third of seven steps to Realization. As firmly as those two cling to their false self-ness, though, is the fight that the ego-states of “The Seeker” and “The Knower” and “The Performer” most willingly fight in order to sustain the illusion that they are authentic.

The obstacles to movement along “the path”—the obstacles that become roadblocks on “the journey”—are the arguments that are raised by assumed but false identities in a fight-to-the-death defense of the beliefs that help sustain those false identities and the delusions they foster.

Those personas and their associated beliefs subconsciously drive persons’ thoughts and words and deeds, and when challenged, the defenses offered are pulled from that vast storehouse of lies called “the mind.” Any devaluation of “The Seeker” and “The Knower” and/or “The Performer” is taken by ego-defense mechanisms as a declaration of war, and alerts not unlike those employed by the U.S. Armed Forces become activated.

DEFCON (that is, a “defense readiness condition”) is a means by which progressive postures for defense are measured. The lowest level, DEFCON 5, is a level that those trapped in their ego-states will experience rarely.

If a teacher or guide begins to point out the bogus nature that is driving behavior, the defenses will immediately begin to rise, and little time is required for a shift to DEFCON 1—the level where ego-states perceive an imminent, all-out attack that the ego thinks is tantamount to nuclear war.

Ever-increasing levels of defense manifest as egotism and justification and denial and sublimation and rationalization are called forth to take part in defending self/selves against imaginary but seemingly real attack. In every case, the teacher is discussing the “not-You’s,” but the ego-states will most certainly think that the attacks are personal and about “them.”

As one cannot be “a little pregnant,” one cannot be “somewhat Realized” or “a little free” or “somewhat at peace” or “in the process of getting free of ego.” The cleansing is full-blown or not at all. That final moment of peripetia must happen.

The gunpowder must explode and blow away every idea, belief, thought, concept, and all else contained in “the mind,” or there will be no steadiness, no stability, and no consistent freedom and peace and bliss.

There will be no relaxing and taking it easy. There will be BS defending BS and nonsense defending the nonsensical; and when that happens, then alternating periods of being "a little happy" or “being very happy” or “being depressed” or “being totally depressed” will preempt the beingness only.

Thereafter, misery and suffering will follow, though that will seldom register either, dissociation nowadays typically being as much a part of the “personal, human condition” as all else discussed above. 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

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.

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: