An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your Original Nature, abiding naturally, the Oneness, the Nothingness, and the teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
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PLEASE NOTE: Some outside the Continental U.S. who have our older "G-mail" address have reported that the newer e-mail address associated with the "contact and question link" is blocking e-mails. If you have experienced a problem contacting us, you may use the following address to send your questions or comments:
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[To new visitors: As with Maharaj, the intent here is not to try to turn seekers into "Super Religious Persons" or "Spiritual Giants." Ultimately, it can be seen that those, too, are just roles. Here, there are two invitations: (1) to use religion or spirituality as nothing more than a plane that can carry You to the Your Destination and (2) an invitation to then exit that plane and abide for the remainder of the manifestation in a Nisarga (natural) fashion, marked by freedom and peace and by enjoying the relative existence fully, relishing all of its available pleasures and bliss rather than merely sitting on the plane for the remainder of the manifestation.]
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For more information, clickFROM A VISITOR: How about explaining what is meant by "borderline"? THANX
F.: Maharaj used the term in this manner:
"At present, ‘I am’ is in the beingness state. But when I do not have the knowingness of the ‘I am’ illusion, then the 'Poornabrahman' or 'Parabrahman' state prevails. In the absence of the touch of 'I amness', I am the total, complete, 'Poornabrahman' state, the permanent state. "
[Parabrahman = "beyond Brahman"; with some, "The Supreme Reality" or "The Ultimate Reality." Here, "Reality" or, for some, "the relative when Reality is overlaid upon it or when the relative and Reality have 'merged,' though not two."]
"The borderline of beingness and non-beingness is intellect-boggling, because the intellect subsides at that precise location. This borderline is the 'maha-yoga'." [That is, "The great yoga"].
[So crossing the borderline post-manifestation involves first shifting into a non-beingness state (beyond the intellect and then moving even beyond that). Note that crossing the borderline even as the manifestation continues does not involve "non-beingness," of course, but does involve "not-being" ... that is, "not being this" and "not being that" ... not believing that any word can be used after "I AM" as a true label or identity or title or role. More on that below.]
"You must be at that borderline, that 'maha-yoga' state’. You descend into the 'godown' of that state which has the title 'birth'."
[Maharaj is playing with language here. A "godown" is an Oriental warehouse, the same as a retail store or shop. The word suggests that when one accepts that he has entered "the world" via "birth," she or he is buying something (that is, "buying into something," namely, the tales of the relative existence including the belief in false concepts such as "birth.") So his advice that "You must be at that borderline" means that the manifestation now should happen in the same fashion as it existed in Your Original State just prior to "going down," or prior to what is called here "the first leg - the 'coming in' leg - of a three-leg 'journey'." Thus, his advice is that You must abide now as Your Original, Noumenal Nature, just as Your Nature was prior to being cycled into the phenomenal manifestation and soon thereafter being taken to the warehouse or marketplace and "sold a bill of goods" - meaning, loaded up with nonsensical ideas and beliefs and concepts and dogma, etc.]
Here, "the borderline" is also used to point to that "place" on "the path" where the seeker is almost - but not totally - free of all identification; free of all role-assumption; free of believing that any state-of-being or ego-state is real; and free of believing that you are being "this" or being "that" or being anything.
Here, to "cross over," to cross the borderline while still manifest, is not only to abide in a "not-being-this-or-that" manner but is also to abide in a no-identity fashion ... in a "not being anything" fashion while also abiding in a "beyond non-beingness" fashion as well (as a result of abiding as Your Original Nature as if there is an "absence of the touch of 'I amness'.")
As that which is "total, complete", abidance happens as if in that "permanent state" - that is, as One's Original Nature - which is a non-dual, no-concept, no-identity, no-beingness, no-non-beingness, no-idea, no-belief state.
[Recall that Krishna made clear that That Which He Is is beyond both beingness and non-beingness.]
For the seeker that might not be able to grasp that teaching at this point, suffice it to say that if he / she reaches the borderline between false identifications and crosses over that borderline into the freedom of no identification, that would be enough; that would allow the remainder of the relative existence to unfold in a free and independent - and therefore - happy and stable and blissful manner.
For the seekers that have read all four of the books in "The Advanced Seekers' Series" and grasped the content, then crossing the borderline can be seen as moving beyond beingness and non-beingness "on one side of the border," reaching the realm of "the nothingness" just across the next border, and then moving even beyond the nothingness ... beyond "being nothing" ... and going "all of the way back" to the original void in which an atom manifested and began the process that resulted in what is called "this universe."
[To clarify "the void," that refers to the void that existed "here" before something (an atom) from somewhere - from an adjacent universe - left the "confines" of that universe and initiated a process in what had been a void but that became "this universe."
Because neither energy nor matter can be created or destroyed, then ultimately, "nothing" cannot exist, but voids around the many "somethings" that have existed were, and are, possible. If that is not understood, again, it does not matter. To know during the relative existence what you are not will suffice.
For those that do grasp that point, then You know that cycling has been happening infinitely as energy-matter existed and generated a universe, after which an atom "escaped" into the vacuum of an adjacent void, generated another universe, etc. Along the way, things that came together eventually came apart, as will the composite unity that some think You are and as will the composite unity that some think I am.]
"At present, ‘I am’ is in the beingness state. But when I do not have the knowingness of the ‘I am’ illusion, then the 'Poornabrahman' or 'Parabrahman' state prevails. In the absence of the touch of 'I amness', I am the total, complete, 'Poornabrahman' state, the permanent state. "
[Parabrahman = "beyond Brahman"; with some, "The Supreme Reality" or "The Ultimate Reality." Here, "Reality" or, for some, "the relative when Reality is overlaid upon it or when the relative and Reality have 'merged,' though not two."]
"The borderline of beingness and non-beingness is intellect-boggling, because the intellect subsides at that precise location. This borderline is the 'maha-yoga'." [That is, "The great yoga"].
[So crossing the borderline post-manifestation involves first shifting into a non-beingness state (beyond the intellect and then moving even beyond that). Note that crossing the borderline even as the manifestation continues does not involve "non-beingness," of course, but does involve "not-being" ... that is, "not being this" and "not being that" ... not believing that any word can be used after "I AM" as a true label or identity or title or role. More on that below.]
"You must be at that borderline, that 'maha-yoga' state’. You descend into the 'godown' of that state which has the title 'birth'."
[Maharaj is playing with language here. A "godown" is an Oriental warehouse, the same as a retail store or shop. The word suggests that when one accepts that he has entered "the world" via "birth," she or he is buying something (that is, "buying into something," namely, the tales of the relative existence including the belief in false concepts such as "birth.") So his advice that "You must be at that borderline" means that the manifestation now should happen in the same fashion as it existed in Your Original State just prior to "going down," or prior to what is called here "the first leg - the 'coming in' leg - of a three-leg 'journey'." Thus, his advice is that You must abide now as Your Original, Noumenal Nature, just as Your Nature was prior to being cycled into the phenomenal manifestation and soon thereafter being taken to the warehouse or marketplace and "sold a bill of goods" - meaning, loaded up with nonsensical ideas and beliefs and concepts and dogma, etc.]
Here, "the borderline" is also used to point to that "place" on "the path" where the seeker is almost - but not totally - free of all identification; free of all role-assumption; free of believing that any state-of-being or ego-state is real; and free of believing that you are being "this" or being "that" or being anything.
Here, to "cross over," to cross the borderline while still manifest, is not only to abide in a "not-being-this-or-that" manner but is also to abide in a no-identity fashion ... in a "not being anything" fashion while also abiding in a "beyond non-beingness" fashion as well (as a result of abiding as Your Original Nature as if there is an "absence of the touch of 'I amness'.")
As that which is "total, complete", abidance happens as if in that "permanent state" - that is, as One's Original Nature - which is a non-dual, no-concept, no-identity, no-beingness, no-non-beingness, no-idea, no-belief state.
[Recall that Krishna made clear that That Which He Is is beyond both beingness and non-beingness.]
For the seeker that might not be able to grasp that teaching at this point, suffice it to say that if he / she reaches the borderline between false identifications and crosses over that borderline into the freedom of no identification, that would be enough; that would allow the remainder of the relative existence to unfold in a free and independent - and therefore - happy and stable and blissful manner.
For the seekers that have read all four of the books in "The Advanced Seekers' Series" and grasped the content, then crossing the borderline can be seen as moving beyond beingness and non-beingness "on one side of the border," reaching the realm of "the nothingness" just across the next border, and then moving even beyond the nothingness ... beyond "being nothing" ... and going "all of the way back" to the original void in which an atom manifested and began the process that resulted in what is called "this universe."
[To clarify "the void," that refers to the void that existed "here" before something (an atom) from somewhere - from an adjacent universe - left the "confines" of that universe and initiated a process in what had been a void but that became "this universe."
Because neither energy nor matter can be created or destroyed, then ultimately, "nothing" cannot exist, but voids around the many "somethings" that have existed were, and are, possible. If that is not understood, again, it does not matter. To know during the relative existence what you are not will suffice.
For those that do grasp that point, then You know that cycling has been happening infinitely as energy-matter existed and generated a universe, after which an atom "escaped" into the vacuum of an adjacent void, generated another universe, etc. Along the way, things that came together eventually came apart, as will the composite unity that some think You are and as will the composite unity that some think I am.]
Please enter the silence of contemplation.
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The Relative Results of Returning to "The Child Ignorance Stage" or "The Child No-Knowing State"
The Relative Results of Returning to "The Child Ignorance Stage" or "The Child No-Knowing State"
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(QUOTATIONS AND POINTERS dealing with NON-DUALITY, ADVAITA, NISARGA YOGA and more)
(QUOTATIONS AND POINTERS dealing with NON-DUALITY, ADVAITA, NISARGA YOGA and more)
(Note: Contrary to what you might read, every quote in this book is identified by its author or speaker)The work contains quotations and pointers not only from scores of non-duality books and talks but also offers non-duality pointers that have appeared in works of non-fiction, fiction, classic literature, and movies.
The book include the following:
The offering of non-duality quotations and pointers by category and subject matter but from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj exclusively.
Quotations and pointers from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj that discuss nisarga yoga and nisarga living.
Quotations that other seekers / readers have indicated that they found to be significant.
A section with an arrangement of non-duality quotations and pointers by category and subject matter. The rationale: when offering non-duality quotations, some collections provide key pointers that are offered in no particular order, but here the approach is to group pointers according to subject matter so that a seeker dealing with "body identification issues" can find quotations addressing body identity while a seeker dealing with "being free of the influence of the mind" can find quotations and pointers that offer information on that topic. Other subjects in this part of the book include personality, the child ignorance or no-knowing stage, the two types of witnessing, the Absolute, the Void or the Nothingness, and many more.
Miscellaneous non-duality quotations and pointers which are relevant to Advaitins and that have been offered by philosophers and sages and seers of truth from various periods, including Plato, St. Francis of Assisi, Desiderius Erasmus, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, Richard E. Lingenfelter; Robert Burton, Daniel H. Boorstin, Gary Zukav, E. Bayda, Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Brad Thor, Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr.; Nelson Mandela, Immanuel Kant, Bruce Lipton, Clive Cussler, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, Lewis Thomas, Max Planck, Heinrich Hertz; the bands "Pink Floyd" and "The Beatles"; and others.
Non-duality pointers that have appeared in the non-fiction writings of Ralph Klein and in the works of such scientists as Barbara McClintock, Erwin Schrodinger, Fritjof Capra, Niels Bohr, David Bohm, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Also, there are selections from the works of Marvin Kaye, S.H. Sharp, Paul Krassner, Ken Kesey, Russell Brand, G.I. Gurdjieff; and a variety of examples of the non-duality messages that are contained in the body of Native American wisdom as well as non-duality pointers that can be found in the book "ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS" (a.k.a., "the A.A. Big Book").
An offering of non-duality messages that have appeared in the fictional works of Jack Kerouac, Michael Connelly, Mary Shelley, Victor Hugo, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Abraham "Bram" Stoker and others as well as quotations with the non-duality message as offered in film with a list of over thirty movies that are based in non-duality, including The Matrix (Part One), The 13th Floor, Inception, The Truman Show, Dark City, Existenz, Avatar, and many more.
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( QUOTATIONS AND POINTERS dealing with NON-DUALITY, ADVAITA, NISARGA YOGA and more)
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FREEDOM FROM BELIEFS
(Believers, Non-Believers, and "No-Belief-ers")
For those seeking the full explanation of the topics addressed on this site: there are non-duality books offered below as well as retreats and Skype or telephone sessions available at Floyd Henderson's Website
The full explanations are also available in the books in the author's collection that explain in detail all of the non-duality, nisarga teachings offered here:
1. Most non-duality books below are available through Amazon.com.
2. Read Kindle books on your own device by downloading a free app.
The full explanations are also available in the books in the author's collection that explain in detail all of the non-duality, nisarga teachings offered here:
1. Most non-duality books below are available through Amazon.com.
2. Read Kindle books on your own device by downloading a free app.
The available books are arranged on the carousels below. Use the arrows to move each book to the forefront; then, you may click on any book that you might be interested in to find more information or to purchase.
THE ADVANCED SEEKERS' SERIES
From the I to the Absolute
Consciousness / Awareness
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
The Final Understanding
The Advanced Seekers' Series in paperback
The Two Meditation Guides
From the I to the Absolute
Consciousness / Awareness
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
The Final Understanding
The Advanced Seekers' Series in paperback
The Two Meditation Guides
The BLISSFUL ABIDANCE SERIES, PART ONE
What BLISS Is and What BLISS Is Not
Why You Must Be Empty If You Would Be Full
When Reality Is Overlaid Upon the Relative
Freedom from Shifting Between States of Happiness and Unhappiness
Liberation
The Blissful Abidance Series (6 books) in paperback
What BLISS Is and What BLISS Is Not
Why You Must Be Empty If You Would Be Full
When Reality Is Overlaid Upon the Relative
Freedom from Shifting Between States of Happiness and Unhappiness
Liberation
The Blissful Abidance Series (6 books) in paperback
The ADVAITINS Collection
with THE SRI NISARGADATTA MAHARAJ SERIES, including:
(1) Why NISARGA YOGA in addition to the ADVAITA TEACHING?
(2) Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and His Evolution
(3) A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
(4) Going Crazy / Going Sane
(5) The Final Fifteen Topics Discussed by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
and
(6) The Non-Duality Pointers Offered by YESHU'A ("Jesus the Christ")
(7) William Shakespeare the Advaitin
with THE SRI NISARGADATTA MAHARAJ SERIES, including:
(1) Why NISARGA YOGA in addition to the ADVAITA TEACHING?
(2) Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and His Evolution
(3) A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
(4) Going Crazy / Going Sane
(5) The Final Fifteen Topics Discussed by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
and
(6) The Non-Duality Pointers Offered by YESHU'A ("Jesus the Christ")
(7) William Shakespeare the Advaitin
(8) The "Final" Talks of Floyd Henderson
(9) QUOTATIONS AND POINTERS dealing with NON-DUALITY, ADVAITA, NISARGA YOGA and more)
The BLISSFUL ABIDANCE SERIES, PART TWO
Overcoming the Fear of Being Totally Independent
I AM THAT (vs. "This Is Who I Think I Am")
The Essence of the Teachings
The Relative Results of Returning to "The Child Ignorance Stage" or "The Child No-Knowing State"
There Is Nothing That Is Personal (Including You and Including God)
Lessons in Non-Duality from Travels in South Africa
The Path to Freedom vs. the Path to Misery
Overcoming the Fear of Being Totally Independent
I AM THAT (vs. "This Is Who I Think I Am")
The Essence of the Teachings
The Relative Results of Returning to "The Child Ignorance Stage" or "The Child No-Knowing State"
There Is Nothing That Is Personal (Including You and Including God)
Lessons in Non-Duality from Travels in South Africa
The Path to Freedom vs. the Path to Misery
The FREEDOM FROM THE MIND Series
Instability / Insanity: What the Advaita Teachings Can (and Cannot) Address
PROGRAMMING, CONDITIONING, DOMESTICATION, AND ACCULTURATION
Your Original Nature
The Ultimate Sickness, The Ultimate Medicine
Going Crazy / Going Sane
There's No Such Thing As "Peace of Mind" (There Is Only Peace If You're Out of Your Mind)
Freedom from Beliefs (Believers, Non-Believers, and "No-Belief-ers")
Dancing Lightly
Instability / Insanity: What the Advaita Teachings Can (and Cannot) Address
PROGRAMMING, CONDITIONING, DOMESTICATION, AND ACCULTURATION
Your Original Nature
The Ultimate Sickness, The Ultimate Medicine
Going Crazy / Going Sane
There's No Such Thing As "Peace of Mind" (There Is Only Peace If You're Out of Your Mind)
Freedom from Beliefs (Believers, Non-Believers, and "No-Belief-ers")
Dancing Lightly
RECOVERY LITERATURE, the RELATIONSHIP books
A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Realization [Kindle]
A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Realization [Paperback]
A Guide for Working the Twelve Steps (In the Manner Used by the Founders)
The Twelve Steps and Advaita / Non-Duality: A 21-Day Plan for a Psychic Change
Finding Real Love in An Unreal World
Casting Light on the Dark Side of Relationships
A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Realization [Kindle]
A Twelve-Step Journey to SELF-Realization [Paperback]
A Guide for Working the Twelve Steps (In the Manner Used by the Founders)
The Twelve Steps and Advaita / Non-Duality: A 21-Day Plan for a Psychic Change
Finding Real Love in An Unreal World
Casting Light on the Dark Side of Relationships
The NO DEATH books, NON-DUALITY IN FICTION, FINANCIAL SANITY
The Myth of Death
What Happens When I Die?
The Twice-Stolen Necklace Murders (Non-Duality) [Kindle]
The Board of Directors of Wars (Non-Duality) [Kindle]
The Board of Directors of Wars (Non-Duality) [Paperback]
Living Within Your Means
How Your Personality Type Shapes Your Spending Habits
The Myth of Death
What Happens When I Die?
The Twice-Stolen Necklace Murders (Non-Duality) [Kindle]
The Board of Directors of Wars (Non-Duality) [Kindle]
The Board of Directors of Wars (Non-Duality) [Paperback]
Living Within Your Means
How Your Personality Type Shapes Your Spending Habits
NON-DUALITY BOOKS, EACH CONTAINING A SERIES OF ESSAYS DISCUSSING ONE OF THE SEVEN STEPS ON THE PATH TO REALIZATION
FOR THOSE WHO PREFER PAPERBACK, THE FOLLOWING PAPERBACK BOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW
(Click the pictures for information on the paperback versions)
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(FOUR BOOKS IN ONE)
(SIX BOOKS IN ONE)
FOR THOSE SEEKING FURTHER EXPLANATION
An online Advaita Internet Course is offered here. The price of the course includes the four Advaita eBooks used as the texts; questions sent after completion of the assigned readings; replies to your answers; and follow-up as required.
You will be guided through all seven of the steps, in order, that lead from identification with the false "I" to the Absolute (and beyond). For more specific information and details about the course, you may click on the link to the right. To get started now now, click the pay button below and receive the $365 course for a discounted price of $325.00.
Purchase at Discount the Advaita Internet Course with Floyd
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Or, if you prefer, begin by arranging a one-hour Advaita session via Skype with Floyd:
Next, you can now receive for $40 a downloadable computer file version of the same 7-hour satsang that seekers receive when they visit for the Advaita Retreat with Floyd. You will be guided through the seven steps from identification with the false "I" to the Absolute (and beyond).
You will be guided through all seven of the steps, in order, that lead from identification with the false "I" to the Absolute (and beyond). For more specific information and details about the course, you may click on the link to the right. To get started now now, click the pay button below and receive the $365 course for a discounted price of $325.00.
Purchase at Discount the Advaita Internet Course with Floyd
by
Clicking the Buy Now Button below:
Or, if you prefer, begin by arranging a one-hour Advaita session via Skype with Floyd:
Next, you can now receive for $40 a downloadable computer file version of the same 7-hour satsang that seekers receive when they visit for the Advaita Retreat with Floyd. You will be guided through the seven steps from identification with the false "I" to the Absolute (and beyond).
For more information or to order, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
SIX WAYS THAT SEEKERS HAVE REALIZED:
1. BY WATCHING the 4-Disk, Seven-Hour Video (DVD) Set of an advaita retreat, or the downloadable file version. To find out more or to purchase the DVD or downloadable computer file version of the retreat, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
International buyers: note the separate option for those outside the continental U.S.
2. BY READING the explanations offered in the collection of non-duality books that are available on this site.
3. BY ENROLLING in the Online Advaita Classes
For information, visit Information on the Advaita Classes on the Internet
To enroll visit Enroll in the Advaita Internet Course
4. BY ATTENDING an Advaitin retreat for satsang with floyd and being guided through all seven steps. For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
5. BY ARRANGING satsang by telephone in the U.S. or by Skype internationally. Use the Contact link for information or use the link below to pay for your first Advaita session.
You may click the BUY NOW button below to begin arrangements for your first Advaita session with Floyd via Skype and he will contact you to schedule:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
SIX WAYS THAT SEEKERS HAVE REALIZED:
1. BY WATCHING the 4-Disk, Seven-Hour Video (DVD) Set of an advaita retreat, or the downloadable file version. To find out more or to purchase the DVD or downloadable computer file version of the retreat, click:
DVD or Downloadable computer file versions of the Four-Day Advaita Retreat
International buyers: note the separate option for those outside the continental U.S.
2. BY READING the explanations offered in the collection of non-duality books that are available on this site.
3. BY ENROLLING in the Online Advaita Classes
For information, visit Information on the Advaita Classes on the Internet
To enroll visit Enroll in the Advaita Internet Course
4. BY ATTENDING an Advaitin retreat for satsang with floyd and being guided through all seven steps. For details of the retreats offered, please visit the retreat information site.
5. BY ARRANGING satsang by telephone in the U.S. or by Skype internationally. Use the Contact link for information or use the link below to pay for your first Advaita session.
You may click the BUY NOW button below to begin arrangements for your first Advaita session with Floyd via Skype and he will contact you to schedule:
