Progressive paths, preparations and nonduality meetings - nonduality speak.

 

Progressive paths, preparations and meetings - nonduality speak

I sometimes get asked-- 'why do you focus on preparatory actions, or topics and practices that aren't directly related to nonduality, awareness approaches, or nondual enquiry etc.?'

The reason that I bang on so much about preparations, inner work, emotional mastery, embodiment, and progressive pathways.. nowawadays, as opposed to in previous years where I seemed to aim only at approaches directly related to Nonduality, is because all these preps and progressive steps are necessary for 99% of spiritual seekers!

It's all well and good to pick up any number of common nondual teaching approaches or talks or pointers or enquiries etc. .. of which there's so many around these days, Youtube, Zoom sessions, one-to-one, meetings, teachers, etc., and then run with these in the hope of getting a glimpse. The issue is that these small glimpses are experiences only. Temporary changes in perception, or belief, or the unlocking of some new understanding. These experiences come and go, and aren't permanent or abiding. The temptation then is to latch on to some belief system that maintains that underlying our current experience (of suffering) there's some absolute, eternal, peaceful state etc.. after all, 'didn't we just experience that?' This then leads to the common flip-flop syndrome where seekers are in and out of 'the experience'.. or even worse, some pick up the teacher role (along with their ego) and then start proclaiming they're done and jump into the 'blind-leading-the-blind' game of nonduality teaching.

 ALL traditional approaches, from traditional Dzogchen, to traditional Advaita Vedanta, or traditional Buddhist schools, or traditional Kashmir Shaivism, or devotional yoga, or contemporary or pragmatic dharma teachers, etc. aways advise of a rather length preparatory or gradual approach that combines a number of different 'modules', usually including some development in ethics, bodywork, philosophical framework (even minimally), ritual, emotional maturity, and other practices or work areas that are normally under the 'progressive paths' framework. These gradual steps ensure that there's no rock left unturned when the penny finally drops, and things are seen just as they are.

So in summary, these prep practices are really important in the long for success in this 'nondual understanding' endeavour. Without them, the road is dangerous, and it becomes just too easy to veer off into distractions, false awakenings, calling off the search too early, burn out, or allowing the ego to take control of the journey.

This needs to be said sometimes, as a reminder (antidote to all the contemporary misinformation out there) that the path is a gradual one, although the paradox is that recognition is instantaneous and only happens now, with things being always as they have been, including the story.

Thanks for reading this and your patience. My blessings to you on the path that is no path, and which is well worth the effort (or non-effort) so to speak.

Dean.

Balancing the teachings and activity with periods of silence.

 

Balancing the teachings and activity with periods of silence

I was recently listening to an old audio tape of Lester Levenson giving a talk to one of his small groups of students around the 1960s in Sedona.

One of the themes that he identified was the idea of the power of silent teachings, or constantly transmitted teachings or 'the teaching' that is given and received in silence or stillness.

This idea was also promoted by a few schools, and Ramana Maharshi was particularly famous for his comments on the highest form of teaching being that given in silence, rather than any verbal pointers. He mentioned some cultural examples, or rather Tamil type myths, involving the legendary Dakshinamurti who gave his teachings under a tree to his 8 or so disciples entirely in silence.

Lester also made a point of the fact that any outer teaching or outer teacher is in fact a projection of the inner teacher and inner teaching, of which, the outer teacher should be aiming to direct and guide the disciple into. This idea is also present in the teachings of A Course in Miracles, where the student is meant to be left in the hands of his "Inner Teacher" by the end of the course, rather than continuing to mill around other "course" teachers and take on some new role or egoic identity.

A final point in the talk was that any teaching that we take on, or intellectually contemplate, as well as action related to that teaching- whether it be ethics, right view, mindfulness, awareness or whatever, should be balanced by periods of silent contemplation. Further, most people have a fair amount of 'ego deconstruction' work to engage in, and this breaking down of egoic identities, roles, norms, beliefs and constructs should be balanced by periods of silence and stillness, listening out Inner Guidance. Issues arise when this isn't done, such as taking the ego itself to be some sort of permanent and immovable structure, or engaging in massive circular efforts by the ego in trying to remove itself.. a cycle many enter into and never actually free themselves from. The other extreme where too much effort is given to silence and stillness without the necessary ego deconstruction can also happen. The issues on that side is that egoic beliefs, and hidden constructs remain in place, and remain operating on a hidden level in the form of spiritual bypassing, shady ethics, and egoic needs playing out in the form of people becoming fully fledged 'teachers' and enjoying that ego role for all its worth. People are shocked when some teachers suddenly and unexpectedly fall from grace or are involved in some scandal.. but this is simply the shadow that was never dealt with or deconstructed making an appearance and coming out from the dark where it always did remain intact.

It's my own personal observation that the 'teachings', or rather the constant silent teachings that are immanent at all times, tend to work in spite of any of our efforts, rather than due to the apparent efforts we seem to be making. Sometimes just sitting and letting go can be one of the best ways to actually receive 'The Teaching'. 

Balancing both ego-deconstruction and silent listening/contemplation can be helpful, if not essential, in making progress on both these fronts. 

Effort vs Surrender

 

I have been reflecting on the dichotomy between Effort and Surrender recently.

Initially, Effort can be quite beneficial, especially when one feels disconnected. It provides the mind with a purpose and aids in developing valuable skills such as concentration, positive habits, and ethical behavior. 

However, as time progresses, Effort may transform into an obstacle or create a metaphorical “wall” that hinders further insights. In such cases, Surrender can prove to be immensely valuable. Surrender allows us to release ingrained patterns, overcome ignorance, and intuitively embrace “grace” or naturalness. It enables us to perceive reality beyond the confines of our ego/mind’s fixed perspective. 

Even on a smaller scale, finding the right balance between Effort and Surrender during contemplation is crucial. This balance ensures that we avoid excessive rigidity while also preventing excessive slack or relaxation.

Why does experiencing awareness, as it is, seem so difficult for a lot of people?

 Why does experiencing awareness, as it is, seem so difficult for a lot of people?

Experiencing awareness, or simply being present in the moment, or simply being, can indeed be challenging for many people due to a variety of reasons:

1. **Constant Mental Activity:** Our minds are naturally active, constantly thinking, analyzing, and processing information. This mental chatter can make it difficult to focus on the present moment without being carried away by thoughts about the past or future.

2. **Cultural and Societal Conditioning:** Many cultures and societies emphasize productivity, achievement, and goal-oriented thinking. This conditioning can make people feel guilty or unproductive when they simply "be" in the moment without a specific purpose.

3. **Stress and Anxiety:** Stress and anxiety can dominate one's thoughts, making it challenging to be present. Worries about the future or regrets about the past can consume a person's mental energy.

4. **Attachment to Technology:** Our modern world is filled with distractions like smartphones, social media, and constant connectivity. These technologies can pull people away from the present moment and into a virtual or digital reality.

5. **Lack of Mindfulness Practice:** Awareness and presence are skills that can be developed through mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, or simply paying deliberate attention to the present. Many people have not been exposed to these practices or have not made them a part of their daily lives.

6. **Cognitive Overload:** In today's information age, people often experience cognitive overload, where they are bombarded with a vast amount of information and stimuli. This can make it difficult to filter out distractions and focus on the here and now.

7. **Emotional Disturbances:** Strong emotions, such as anger, fear, or sadness, can pull people away from the present moment. When emotions become overwhelming, individuals may find it challenging to remain aware and centered.

8. **Ego and Self-Identity:** People often identify strongly with their thoughts, beliefs, and self-image. This attachment to the self can create a barrier to experiencing pure awareness because they are always interpreting the present through the filter of their self-concept.

9. **Lack of Time:** Many people lead busy lives, and the demands of work, family, and other obligations can leave little time for contemplation or self-awareness.

10. **Fear of Facing the Self:** Some individuals may avoid being present because it requires confronting aspects of themselves they'd rather avoid. This can include past traumas, unresolved issues, or uncomfortable emotions.

Despite these challenges, there can be great benefit in stopping for a few moments and simply being aware- not necessarily of any object, but just aware. Cultivating an awareness of being aware itself. It can reduce stress (in the form of constant subject-object tension), improve mental health, enhance relationships, and provide a greater sense of fulfillment. Overcoming the obstacles to experiencing awareness, just as it is, often involves first developing some attentional skills, mindfulness type skills and making a conscious effort to prioritize a sense of 'presence' in daily life.

The Practice of Forgiveness 1

Forgiveness (practice notes - 1)

"I have invented the world I see." (Lesson 32)
"There is another way of looking at the world." (Lesson 33)
"I could see peace instead of this." (Lesson 34)
"Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world." (Lesson 62)

• One of the main pillars of spiritual practice.
• Synonymous with releasing, undoing, non-doing, acceptance, love, openness.
• Negates and undoes the past in the present.
• Gentler approach with same goal as Neti-neti

When to use:

• When striving, self-effort, struggle, stress become obvious.
• Over-effort or over-practice, trying
• Stuckness
• Lack of love & connection
• Attacking others and self

How:

• Sit quietly as per meditation instructions or contemplation as usually done
• "I forgive myself" becomes the verbal object - silent or aloud
• Hold oneself in loving-kindness, embrace, blanket
• Await blessings beyond the self - "The peace that passeth understanding"
• Non-doing
• Just come back to the open aware feeling of forgiveness and expansive self-love
• Release, relax as needed or when tension is noticed
• Short practice reminders can also be used for a whole day of forgiveness

Related:

• ACIM
• Nondoing Wu wei
• Nisargadatta Nisarga Yoga or effortlessness
• Metta and loving kindness practice (as found in Buddhism)
• The "Loving-All" method of ML

Ego preservation strategies (1)

Saw this conversation recently online in a 'nonduality' forum:


Questioner: What do people think about the ego? It's hard to find when it is looked for. Maybe these practices are just engaging the ego itself?


Respondent 1: Well I've never found the ego.. I don't know what people are talking about when they talk about 'ego'.


Respondent 2: Who's asking??


----------------


Are these sorts of question / answer sessions really helpful?


No. Neither for the questioner who is none the wiser, nor for the respondent.


What are these sorts of responses, actually?


Ego preservation strategies.


Ego preservation strategy 1) Blatant denial of the ego by the ego-- "It doesn't exist!", "What? There's no such thing as an ego.. find me one!", "I can't find any ego here!"


Ego preservation strategy 2) Over-exertion or over-effort in trying to extinguish the ego by the ego-- "Kill the ego!", "I need to fight the ego, suppress it, and conquer it!", "I need to detach from the ego!"




Stay calm. Keep practicing.

Self-inquiry and Maturity

SELF-ENQUIRY AND MATURITY

The devotee: “It is for that, is it not, that Bhagavan says that the best thing to do is to follow the path of Self-enquiry of ‘Who am I’?”

Bhagavan: “Yes; but in the Vasishtam it is mentioned that Vasishta told Rama that the path of Self-enquiry should not be shown to anyone who is not sufficiently qualified. 

In some other books it has been stated that spiritual practices should be done for several births, or for at least twelve years under a Guru. 

As people would be scared away if I said that spiritual practices had to be done for several births, I tell them, ‘You have liberation already within you; you have merely to rid yourselves of exterior things that have come upon you’.

Spiritual practices are for that alone. Even so, the Ancients have not said all this for nothing. If a person is told that he is the Godhead, Brahman itself, and that he is already liberated, he may not do any spiritual practices, thinking that he already has that which is required and does not want anything more. That is why these Vedantic matters should not be told to spiritually undeveloped people (anadhikaris); there is no other reason.” And Bhagavan smiled.

- Letters no 158

(Ramana Maharshi)

Is effort required for self-inquiry and Self-Realization?

From Michael James' blog "Happiness of Being", on the topic of whether effort is required for self-inquiry and self-attentiveness.


Is effort required, as do assert some traditional paths of awakening (e.g. early Buddhism, traditional Advaita Vedanta etc.), or is no effort required for what is already present, as do assert neo-Advaita teachers and some modern proponents of 'nonduality'?




1. We are always self-aware, but we must make effort to be attentively self-aware

We are always self-aware, because self-awareness is our very nature (what we actually are), so we do not need to make any effort to be self-aware. However, though we are always self-aware, we are generally not attentively self-aware, because most of our attention is taken up with being aware of other things, since we find it more interesting and appealing to be aware of other things than to be attentively aware of ourself alone.

This self-negligence or lack of self-attentiveness is what is called pramāda, and it is the root of all our problems, because it is the very nature of the ego and the means by which the ego seems to rise, stand and flourish. Therefore all our efforts should be directed towards being self-attentive and thereby overcoming our pramāda.


~ Michael James

To practice or not to practice - nonduality notes - 1

I was reading a post on a Tony Parsons group, whereby someone questioned why TP seemed to be promoting  'his' message, and that it almost seemed evangelical. There was a response given by one of the members, detailing how 'this message' wasn't anyone's in particular, and that it differed from other nondual teachings. 

The difference given was that most nondual paths involve 'doing and performing action in order to become more aware, more nondual, whole etc.', while with TP's message, the idea is that things are already as they are, and that you are just THIS. That's it. Nothing to do, and nobody to do it. Nothing can be attained that trumps this already existing perfection that is nondual unity. No practices are necessary, or effective.



My response to the above is both agreement, and disagreement, and a note that this (above) view of nondual paths that use practices, is almost always misconstrued by the neo-Advaita type do-nothing-nowhere-to-go crowd.



Let's set the record straight- practices in regards to nonduality and nondual teachings do not aim at attaining anything new. Nothing new CAN be attained apart from what already is. They are not aimed at developing the individual (as opposed to self-development trainings), although some training in basic attention or concentration may often be involved. This is because even to read this sentence, some training is needed by the apparent individual, and an amount of attentiveness and focus is required to contemplate. The same can be said for attending a Tony Parsons meeting, reading a book on nonduality, or sitting in a satsang with a nonduality teacher that advises individuals present to do nothing and cease seeking.



What nondual practices aim at doing is this: creating space for the apparent invidivual to awaken from the dream that he/she finds themselves in, and seeing that all of it was nothing more than a dream, an illusion, and case of mistaken identity. Nothing changes, and nothing new is attained. An error in perception, and belief (thought), is seen through. That's it. The rope laying on the ground that was mistaken for a snake, is seen as just being a rope. The snake never existed except as a thought/belief, and thus the idea/belief/perception that there was a snake, is dropped. Things are allowed to be as they always have been and always will be. The story that there was a practice to complete becomes just another part of the dream story that has ceased to take place along with the individual.



There is a big fat proviso however, in assuming that one need do nothing-- and it is this-- does the individual see the snake or the rope right now on the ground?? This cannot be reasoned away or thought about or intellectualised away. If someone sees a snake, and is in a state of fear, then yes, there's apparently some work that needs to take place!! Advising such a person that there's nothing to do sounds idiotic, even though it may ultimately be true. It shows clearly that such an adviser is working in a state of level confusion, and speaking a language that the receiver cannot understand.


Hence practice!


Not doing anything in such a situation, or trying to intellectualise things in a nondual way is a huge ego trap that leads nowhere.. as many a burned-out nonduality student/teacher/former seeker can show. Being thus disillusioned with the teachings, who knows when such an individual will then approach the teachings again, or have another opportunity to awaken. Hence the admonition in traditional nondual paths to find a valid teacher, path, etc.



So yes, practice is important. It matters. Not for gaining anything, but for undoing the illusion of separation and individuality that seems to have taken place.

 

Is "do nothing" really true for you now?

“The more you try to fix it, the more you reinforce the belief that it’s broken.”

Jeff Foster.

Speaking in absolute terms, this may be true.

But is it true for you now? We don't accept things on heresay.

Perhaps there's plenty to do while we're still here identified as seperate individuals. The ego loves to distort these teachings into forms of self-comfort, in the form of "ultimately it's all ok, nothing to do", and thus it continues on its merry way.

The goal can seem far away, but ultimately exists right now. Yet, until we actually investigate things, as they really are (most importantly what we believe ourselves to be), then there is yet apparent work to be done, beliefs to be "fixed", and time set aside to listen to the Truth in silence.


We work together and become as One.

Food and physical diet

A few thoughts on food and diet

I'd like to address a few points on food, physical diet and its relationship to spiritual practice and life in general.

Some esoteric systems delineate "food" into three categories, being physical foodstuffs (ie. plants, meat etc.), air or breath, and impressions or vibrations. For the purposes of this article, we will consider just physical food for now.

For most people in Western society, and now increasingly in the East, it seems that diet, foodstuffs, and "how to eat" has become a big deal. This is even more so for those trying to engage in a spiritual practice, or generally increase their health in order to perform whatever aims they've decided for in life.

In regards to one's aims in life, this will depend almost fully on one's prior conditioning, current situation, and automatic factors being played out in one's life. By very small chance though, it may be that an individual catches a glimpse of something "else" in life, or the idea that perhaps not everything is truly as it appears, and thus the inclination to awaken from deep hypnosis arises. This can also be caused by suffering, and a general feeling of dissatisfaction with life, but not always. Some individuals just feel that "something isn't right here", and that there may be another way to exist besides following the automatic processes one finds oneself involved in from sunrise to sunset each day.

However, returning to diet. Compounding the confusion around diet, besides centuries of writings about what is "good", and what is "bad" in terms of health in mind and body, is also the fact that our modern day foodstuffs are being altered drastically, in comparison to just a century ago.

In terms of physical health, there's no hiding the fact that the less processed, more natural, and closer to nature the foodstuff is (ie. actual plants, vegetables, fruits, and non-modified animal products), then the better assimilated it will be for our physical bodies and state of health. Continuing from this idea then, it may seem logical that diets such as the paleo diet, SCD, 'caveman diet', and other such diets which our ancestors in physical form ate prior to a few thousand years ago, would best match the body's biological needs. I say logic, since the human body has been around for more than a few thousand years, likely through evolution of around 100,000 years. In contrast, the agricultural revolution took place only a few thousand years ago via the Middle East through Asia, whereby grains, farming and mass production of specific foods for the masses began to be utilized.

It is thus that my own experiences regarding diet have weighed heavily in favour of the paleo/caveman diet in terms of physical (body and mental) health and even in terms of performing psycho-spiritual activities. I also noticed some interesting occurrences such as the natural extinction of certain cravings for sugar, caffeine, energy-boosters, and processed foods, which had been a large part of my eating before, and which diminished without any effort on my part while on such a diet or way of eating.

This is in contrast to so much writing in the spiritual area however, that recommends vegetarianism, veganism, grains, fruits, dairy products and other such "sattvic" or calming type foods. The aim here being that the primary activity for a spiritual seeker being contemplation, meditation and calm, tranquil living giving rise to insight (and eventual freedom) can be aided by dietary considerations such as these. There is also the issue of ethics that rates high on most spiritual seekers' lists. Further, this line of thinking originated in India under certain religious/cultural conditions. It most definitely suits a very specific type of individual in terms of time and place.

I set aside ethics and morality for the moment, since an artificially imposed ethical system is yet another trap for the spiritual seeker, attempting to add more strength to an identity already overloaded with features. Further, most imposed ethical systems in human society have dismally failed over the centuries, resulting in little more than a set of "good"/"bad" actions that people miserably attempt to adhere to, or possibly on a few days throughout the year. This is in contrast to a naturally arising and authentic sense of ethics that may come about through no effort on the individual's part, once alignment has been attained with basic Nature.

Provided that an individual then, is on a natural evolutionary-fit diet, it would seem that the considerations of diet are then put on a secondary level of importance.

In summary, I'd like to propose that diet, which is important for maintaining the food-body, should be taken care of as an initial step on any spiritual path. Without the physical body/mind functioning at workable levels, little progress can be made in the higher arenas of psycho-spiritual development. Experiences and results may easily be distorted coming from a malfunctioning machine. However, once this has been attended to, diet should be a secondary consideration at best, and the primary focus of one's intention to awaken, and for self-inquiry should then take a front-seat necessary for the importance and urgency of the work. Externals such as diet, environmental considerations, clothes, physical aids (e.g. amulets, objects etc.), all should be relegated to the "minimal consideration" table. The practices of intention, concentration, insight, and self-inquiry vastly eclipse any benefits or results coming from secondary external objects or considerations. In other words, don't become a vegetarian in order to become spiritual- start with your intention, begin the practice, and see what happens.