"Continous, unbroken peace of mind, regardless of circumstance. This is available, this is out true nature" Fantastic coherent expression! Thank you for this interview!
one of the best interviews!. Roger is very clear and really good at sharing his understanding. second interview please to hear more about the details of the teachings.
good job Rick finding Roger for he has i believe a more well rounded Understanding of the nature of duality than most of the non-dualists that you interview.
Realizing that there are limits, I like it that this guy isn't afraid to use his intellectual understanding. Each spiritual statement has its opposite. But really, what's going on is that each statement was meant for a particular context, a stage within a spiritual path. In the end, all thoughts must be given up. The thinking *process* itself is given up. But this doesn't mean that along way, that thinking can't be a useful tool. There is also a "revelation of mechanism", a seeing of what actually is going on, mechanically, and in detail. Statements can be made on bits and pieces of this. I also like it that he provides a whole map, or at least attempts a map of the terrain. I often get the sense in these batgap interviews, that people are realizing different things. But in having map, one can begin to place these realizations within a larger context.
Whoa! Talk about coincidences, it's like you summed up and helped me understand experienced I've had this past year. Especially the part about prescription vs. description. Thanks Roger for sharing the teaching! Second interview please!
this is my third listening to this interview and it is as refreshing as the first. I have saved it in my favorites. So many of the teachings point to a no self,no person,no I,no doer,nothing which although may be true can be very confusing and ultimately frustrating because 'this self" is trying hard to grasp that concept and live it. many folks who claim to have been awakened and quote these phrases about no self etc. are questionable as well, have they really come to that realization or just quoting what they have heard,have they actually really experienced it and again the experience is transitory or temporary. what I love about this interview is that Roger went to great lengths to explain how these teachings apply to everyday life or are actually life itself. He was extremely fluent and life long questionably concepts that "haunted" me for years up to present came to light so to speak. One can also determine he is speaking purely from his own experiences. Most of my questions were realised, and his explanation of what happiness is to the human being is certainly the truth.i am looking forward to a second interview of Roger by Rick. I must mention here that Rick is doing a wonderful deed for us folks out here and I really enjoy this program.As he says he is following his passion and I deeply resonate with this, source is passion,life is passion.thanks rick thanks roger.
I love that Roger teaches living an awakened life: Whereas advaita is focused on awakening, seeing non-thinking as a good thing: we are that space underlying objective thinking, and resting in being-ness; thought is more of an obstacle. In living the awakened life, thinking is a good thing, as recognized in all aspects of practical human existance. He emphasizes the "right kind of thinking"; that which is practical and necessary of course but more so in conscious cognition that seeming set backs where we seem to regress into suffering (which is evidently inevitable) is seen as a way to process that conditioning that is deep in the body, and which must be deposed; superseded by awakened concepts. SImilar to what Eckhart Tolle calls processing the "pain body", yet in a way that we intellectually accept this suffering and remind ourselves that we are not that do-er which reaps suffering any more. The suffering thus dissolves with every momentary, daily, cognition as we become more integrated in the concepts resulting in more of an enlightened life.
There was much to appreciate in this interview. I was disappointed though by several points of slipping into spiritual elitism. I was surprised to see this attitude affirmed by Rick, so maybe that was more an interview tactic than actual agreement. I would be interested if Roger is interviewed again if he would expand on his views about free choice, which he touched on briefly, but it would be interesting to hear more of his point of view on this.
Guess what? He doesn't think anything! haha. Anyway, who cares? I listen to these interviews on the odd chance that someone will say something that will strike home in some way. It happens from time to time.
You're right, jesuisravi. A thinker is no where to be found. The significant point in this one was, "As soon as that shift happens where thoughts get witnessed for the first time as being something that arise and not something that I am creating, then we are talking about a game changer." It seemed to go unnoticed by the interviewer.
1.16.45 Robert: If I paint a visual image… 1.17.17 Rick: just to throw in… 1.17.35 Robert: hmm… 1.17.40 Robert continues… 1.20.43 - Having given Robert 3 entire minutes Rick can no longer contain himself and butts in to show how smart he is… 1.22.00 Robert continues… 1.22.42 Rick butts in 1.22.55 Robert continues… 1.25.02 Rick: What’s the cart and what’s the horse here?.... (a relevant question this time) 1.25.30 Robert continues…
Coming from the perspective of someone who has basically binged watched/listened to almost all of Batgaps interviews in the last year. Roger is the authentic deal and I enjoyed the listen. maybe I'll do it twice. However, I suggest Roger give a listen to # 233 and tell us if he's still cooking, so to speak. An issue that Rick keeps bumping up against is the variety of assertions spoken by the awakened/awakening teachers and Roger makes quite a few. Just how is this certain knowledge transmitted? Some teachers come back and renounce what they clearly saw as truth in the past. i.e. Jeff Foster and Mandi Solk. I'd be real interested to hear the rather youngish Roger Castillo in another 5-10 years.
53.10 : great point...The on -off , 1/0 analogy of life & death. In a ironic way, it summons up the concept of pure "spiritual materialism". For example, my father ( & many,many with him) is convinced when his body dies, There will be No-thing...Talking about paradoxes hey...
It was said in the interview that “Whatever happens" and "all actions in the moment" is determined by one’s genes and ones conditioning.” I would say that this is not strictly the case. For living systems and this includes human beings, action is distinguished in the environment in which it takes place and not in the genes or conditioning which may give rise to it. Furthermore only those actions that the environment permits will take place. Living systems and environment evolve together congruently. In this way the environment or context of living systems determines not only what takes place, but what genes will be expressed and what elements of conditioning may be distinguished by an observer. It is interesting that many non dual conversations take place as if the physical environment of an awakening being is immaterial or is of no consequence to its expression. Just a comment.
Gandhi, Buddha and Christ are good examples of how Maslow's hierarchy of needs is quite academic and not poignant to Seld-realization. And many other non famous sadhus in India or homeless people in the west defy that limited chart of maslow's.
Maslov's stair/pyramid/whatever, is quite..Complete. Seen from a non -spiritual view that is . His highest "level" is "christ-like"behavior...Right? ( i must admit i haven't read Maslov's work for...25 + years, so i could be way off )
Point is he says you need food and shelter BEFORE perusing self- actualization. So many of our self realized beings that inspire us were homeless and hungry when they attained the highest level of Maslows chart.
Rafael Stoneman Yes i agree with that. though the "Asian team" was living in a culture where it was "normal"to choose poverty & homelessness as the path to enlightenment. And to be honest, i don't know many people that get "financially comfortable & finding a nice "hobby" ( Golf, painting, or whatever) that suddenly turn to the" spiritual ". (beside some "power yoga"to keep lean, or " tarot reading"to pass the time ;-) On the other side , having done volunteer work, with homeless people...I must say the "spiritual aspect" is mostly the last thing on their "minds" So yes, Maslov's pyramid is more a construction how the "ego "tries to find fulfillment. ( Suffering, certainly not being part of it ) though i would also add, Maslov's model is not entirely "obsolete". Being a psychological model, rather then a spiritual one.
=== Nonduality === When the universe disappears… it will be all nonduality only… When the body dies… it will be all nonduality only… When the body loses consciousness… it is all nonduality only… When the body/brain sleeps and the dreams cease… it is all nonduality only… The nonduality is not running away… ...Nonduality is not escaping… Nonduality is not going away… ...meanwhile, as the body is awake, the mind is active, the thoughts are arising… ...I am in NO rush to experience nonduality… I am happy to play… ...I am happy to experience pleasure and pain.. I am happy to experience Life… one Experience at a Time… I am happy to Live Life… one Experience at a Time… I am happy to Love Life… one Experience at a Time… As I take a Step… I don’t check if it is nondual or not… ...the fact that I am alive to “take a step” is a moment of gratitude ... the fact that “I can take a step” is a moment of gratitude… The fact that I experience life is enough… If I can feel feel grateful for life (one experience at a time).… ...that is a moment of realization ...If I can enjoy Life (one experience at a time)... that… is a great celebration… ...If I can LOVE Life (one experience at a time)... that… is the Completion… ...I don’t bother to check if it is nondual or not. The LIfe is to Experience… The Life is to Play… The Life is to Relate… The Life is to Love… The Life is to Feel Grateful and to Pray… I guess… it is nonduality only… once this body is Dead!~ The LIberation, the freedom is… …(not even) the Last Thing on my mind… ...I am here to Play!~ I didn’t enter the Movie Theater… ...to watch the blank screen and to hear the Silence… ...I am not a Ramana in His Cave… ...not a Buddha in the Forest!~
Is Roger saying that the changeless changes from unaware source at rest to aware source manifesting? I wasn't quite getting that. Isn't change an artefact of perspective which can only come from limitation? Can potential exist in any sense without a recognising factor?Would like to see a second interview some time.
Hey Rick I wanted to email you to suggest an interview with someone I feel like is a very great yet little known Canadian Spiritual Teacher. He hosts most many dyad based Enlightenment Intensives in Ontario Canada and has been doing them for several years. I myself, have had the good fortune to have attended one and had a True Experience of "who am I" which has truly revolutionized my life and eased my suffering dramatically. He is a very down to earth and genuine human being and I really know more people would benefit from retreats and dogma free teachings. Please do let me know if you'd be open to this, his name is Russell Scott.
good points. perhaps Marlow was referring to America and the West in general and not the Asian/ Indian cultures. But then look at Walt Whitman as an American example of self actualization while being poor and not in comfort. Or Jack keroac or how about Victor Frank in a Nazi concentration camp.
Intellectual Knowledge =============== We can insist on making our own path up and down the mountain and/or we can take the trail already made and the footmarks already left by those who have walked before. We can insist on having each and every experience ourselves and first-hand and/or we can learn from the experience, mistakes, failures, successes and knowledge of others of the past and present. Much of what we learn from school and what we learn from reading books, watching videos or through talking is a part of learning from others experience and knowledge. Even when we carry a chemical experiment and see the reactions and results first-hand, it is usually guided by a process that is well documented and is based on the findings of the many experiments carried before. Traditional Advaita like many ancient systems is a system that contains the experience, knowledge, insights and observations of many who have passed before us. I am not alleging that it is the best, the simplest or the easiest. I am not even recommending that this is what you or others should study or follow. I am making a suggestion that both approaches - ‘learning from the experience only’ and ‘learning from others’ can be useful.
“The end of meditator” What is the meaning of ‘the meditator disappears’? “Meditator disappearing”, “Practitioner disappearing”, “brusher disappearing”, “walker disappearing”, “shaver disappearing”, “player disappearing”, “prayer-er disappearing”, “singer disappearing”, “talker disappearing”... ...is a largely a “figure of speech”... And, I think it confuses and it has confused many in the spiritual circles…
IMO… When understood correctly, it might mean the following: 1. One become so TOTAL, so ONE with the act that there is no separation anymore. There is no one left out of the act to know that one is doing it. It is complete FOCUS, Full Attention on the Present Act. When the Attention is TOTAL… there is no Separation.
Or, it might mean something rather simple and ordinary… 2. Being so absorbed in an interesting book that there is no awareness of a separate time, space, person or a separate reader. Being completely lost in a movie or being completely taken over by the drama, feeling or emotion. I.e. Losing (separate) Awareness. I.e. “No breather”, “No Meditator”, “No walker” “No talker”, “No smoker”, “No Alcohol drinker”, “No Driver” might simply mean that the act has become Unconscious know. It doesn’t involve the Conscious Mind, the Conscious Attention, the Conscious Decision Maker anymore. When one is learning to ride bicycle, in the beginning one uses one’s Conscious Mind, the Conscious Attention, the Conscious Decision Maker but once one has learned it well enough, it becomes part of the Muscle Memory, the Unconscious mind, the subconscious mind and one can do it without using the conscious mind, without consciously thinking, without using the Conscious Decision Maker.
Or… 3. It might simply mean the end of a delusion, end of a confusion and beginning of new understanding, a new realization. You realize that what you thought yourself to be… is not real. The “person” that you thought yourself to be… was your own creation… ...just as the character who was being chased and was afraid in your dream… was your own creation. To see… you as the person… that you yourself create in your own thoughts is nothing but, an ignorance, a confusion. When that confusion ends, when you longer believe that person to be real, when you no longer identify with that person, when you see that person as… a figment of your own imagination… the (idea of that) person has no power anymore, it no longer grips you. It is simply the end of a confusion. It is the beginning of a new realization. ...nothing else needs to happen.
The (real) (only real) (only) you still walks… Still talks… still watches movie… still meditates… still practices… still “prepares” for the example...still “prepares” food… ...but, the “story making” is seen through… ...being ‘seen thru’... the ‘story making’ looses its grip… ...just like a nightmare loses its freight, a dream loses its ecstasy and thrill after you see it as a dream… You might walk everyday consciously, purposely, intently, taking each breathe consciously, touching each leaf consciously, holding mountains your loving gaze… ...without having to make a (false) “story”... …”I am this good person taking this conscious walk while the lazy “others” are chatting about it...
(The Real) You might still do everything. Everything. Consciously. Purposefully. Knowingly. Intently. Yet… without the (false) intermediate of the ego… the (false) intermediate of the person. You walk… yet, the “silly” stories and thoughts like… “I am a walker”, “I am a talker”, “I am a smoker”, “I am a early riser”... are seen thru… ... as is the story of… “I am this person born on this day, I am this tall, I have this much money… And, therefore, you might say… “There is no (separate) walker”... ...all it means that the story of “I am a walker” is seen as a simple thought construct and is no longer necessary… ...seeing it as unnecessary and often counter-productive… You no longer make that ‘story” anymore… I walk… I talk… I meditate… The second level “story” of… “I am a meditator”... is no longer necessary… that is the meaning of “there is no more meditator”... (and, the above is my opinion, of course)
Nice, Roger pops up on iTunes the same day you release the interview. Just for starters, Roger makes a claim every human will only experience duality/non duality in a certain way i.e. the way he experiences it. That is at 8:00min. That is conjecture on his part, isn't it? Really, better to not even go there.
Mental habit of the "doer-ship" ======================= I can say based on my experience, that the habits, both mental and physical, take time to form and take time to undo. Examine your own life closely and you might see something similar there too. Approximately how many videos you have watched on this subject? Approximately how many books you have read? It is question that you can ask yourself. I am not alleging that you didn't get it the first time nor am I alleging that mental habit of 'doer-ship', 'ownership', 'free will' didn't instantly and permanently vanish on the first insight :-) The 'belief in free will', 'separate existence', 'doer-ship', 'ownership', 'choice'... can be even more difficult than many other 'habits' for a 'social' human being like you and me... because, the society is largely based on this idea and it works to 'reinforce' this idea everyday in many different way*. Because of continual "reinforcement"... getting rid of this "habit"... might be more like brushing, flossing and taking bath. Everyday the body, the teeth (and the mind) becomes 'dirty'... simply because of the contact with the 'external' things... and, everyday, you "clean up"... preferably... twice a day... :-) ========================== *Just hear the news: "Donald Trump" did this. "Hillary Clinton" did that. "Democrats" did that. "Republicans" did that. "Your" pension is in danger. "Your" way of life is in danger. "Your" freedom to own guns is in danger. "You" are being attacked. "They" want to take away "your" guns. "You" are in debt. "You" are screwed. "Your" bank balance is low. "You" screwed up... Vote for "me"... else, "you" are really screwed up!
=== Blame === When I don’t brush my teeth, when I don’t floss my teeth... ...I don’t blame existence for the bad smelling mouth, for bleeding gums or for toothache. When I don’t sleep on time… ...I don’t blame existence for feeling tired, sleepy, lacking energy or slow functioning brain. When I don’t excercise… ...I don’t blame existence for weak arms. When I don’t take bath… ...I don’t blame existence for bad smelling armpits. When I don’t meditate, contemplate and remember the teachings in the morning and in the afternoon and in the night… ...I don’t blame existence for bad day. When I don’t thank Existence for the Air that I breathe and the Lungs with which I breathe… ...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad. When I don’t thank Existence for the Sunshine, the Rain, The Earth, The Sky, The water, This Body… ...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad. When I don’t thank the Existence for Bringing you in my life in this moment and for giving me the time and capacity to write few words and to understand the words that you write… ...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad. To me… ...these are like the laws of gravity… And… ...I don’t blame the Gravity… for pulling me down… It is… ...for me… to remember it. When I am not thankful for the Air that I Breathe and the lungs with which I breathe… when I am not thankful for the water, food, the earth, sunshine, the sun, the light, the flowers… ...I don’t deserve to be happy… ...to me… ...it is as simple as that…
When I don't see the God (Existence) (The Ultimate Reality)... in you... ...in me... ...in the PLAY... ...when I don't see the PLAY in what happens between you and me... when I don't see you as my partner in the PLAY... there is no reason for me to be happy... ...it is for me to remember it... The law works the way it does... ...the gravity works the way it does...
The Laws Exist. I didn’t make them. I don’t make them. It is My Responsibility to Know and Remember them. Gratitude is a Law. Love is a Law. ‘Not my will be thy will be done’ is a Law. I am rewarded when I follow the law. I am punished when I break the law… knowingly or unknowingly. I get punished by myself. I get punished by myself… because THAT is not separate from Me. When I don’t LOVE you… it is a punishment to myself. When I am not grateful for (your) (The) Existence… it is a punishment to myself.
Do you know? ========== For those of us who dare to use courage, humility, honesty and openness for those who are able to handle “not knowing”, for those who are open to be “not very spiritual”... ...before you wonder about life and death, before you wonder about God and Creation, before you wonder about ‘Who Am I?’... ...before you wonder about ‘what happens after death?’... Ask… Inquire… Investigate… ….Where am I when the body loses consciousness?.... ...What happens to me when the the head is knocked and the body is left unconscious?... ...What happens to ‘I’, consciousness under General Anesthesia?...
I think the closest he got to this was the discussion of death. He didn't exactly use the word "nothing". But he did acknowledge "not even the awareness of awareness" (which is good). Then he did say something about "that which does not come and go". This is the typical Non-Dual answer for the "ultimate reality". But this seems to be the mind making this statement, afterwards, when there is some level of awareness, just like the traditional argument on how did one knows one slept well, in deep dreamless sleep, when one has awaken, and there is some level of awareness. "Something" knew. (This, of course, would not be convincing to the modern mind, realizing that the body's cells are still alive, and that sleep is a necessary physiological healing process, with a lot of unconscious processes, and cannot be used as a statement about "ultimate reality".) He seems to take the "I sense" to be some kind of ultimate reality, to my disappointment. Even though other teachers emphasize it as an beginning form of inquiry (e.g. Mooji, Ramana), they also realize that it is phenomenal, and that there is something beyond, prior to it, precisely because it can be known, and is phenomenal. Nissargatta calls this prior state the Absolute. I take the "I sense", "consciousness", "awareness", sense of "existence" to be on the edge of form and formlessness, the edge of the known and unknown. People oftentimes describe this edge as the place as the sense of Being, Presence, Light, Love, God, and in the realm of phenomenal realm, not a bad place to be. But a little observation and simple logic shows there has to be something beyond, prior to this, which we might as well call the abyss, the Unknown, Nirguna Brahman, or quite simply "that which is absolutely without any qualities". His map comes pretty close to this. I resonate with a lot of what he said, at a practical level. But there were some statements that did not quite fit for me.
It is one thing to use spirituality, nonduality as technique to comfort the mind and bring peace, solace and happiness. It is another to make statement about the "truth" and the "ultimate reality". For anyone in spirituality who claims to know the ultimate reality, the ultimate truth - the fact of General Anesthesia and the fact of the body losing consciousness in many other ways such as with the lack of Oxygen or the loss of blood state right in the face. I think it is extremely dishonest, deceiving and timid of such folks to claim to know the "ultimate reality" or to know "what happens after death" without understanding and explaining "what happens to the eternal I", "what happens to the eternal consciousness" under General Anesthesia and other such events in which body loses consciousness.
I would agree. I tried that for myself, i.e., to see what happens to my awareness under anesthesia during a colonoscopy. I loss awareness of the environment. But I was still aware of myself throughout the procedure. But this doesn't prove anything, because the anesthesia may not have gone deep enough. Maybe I should go for an induced coma. But none of this is any claim to "ultimacy" or an "eternal I", whatever this means. I've also had the experience of waking up from sleep, and the world rushes back into existence. There is a sense of some fundamentality in the sense of I or Being, and I can certainly understand why many people would make the claims that they do in the spiritual texts. The more intellectually critical part of me wonders whether this doesn't speak more structure and nature of subjective experiencing than about reality itself, a somewhat Neo-Kantian re-interpretation of Non-Dual claim. Despite the claims to ultimate reality by these spiritual texts, I am amazed at how powerless the subjective method when compared to the objective methods of science in its ability to discover and understand new things about the physical world, ranging from the understanding of the atom, to chemistry, to the role of DNA, quantum mechanics, the discovery of other planets, star systems, galaxies, the birth of physical universe through the big bang. The mastery is at level that one can build technologies off of these understandings. You would've thought that discovering "absolute reality" would've given one a leg up in "relative reality". But no. (One does gain an insight into subjective experiencing and the nature of suffering. So I can give some credit in a circumscribed domain.) The Non-Dual teachings see focussing on the objective world as "avidya" (ignorance), getting lost in the phenomenal world, moving in a direction that takes one away from oneself. They teach going inward, towards subjectivity, discovering the nature of the sense of "I", and eventually even beyond this, is the path to the truth, and to liberation. The stuff I raised in the previous paragraph would be considered "doubt", a hindrance to liberation. But somehow I find this attitude unsatisfactory. It's like taking half a loaf. I think things are beginning to change, e.g. in conferences like the Science and Non-Duality conference. We see these ancient teachings do have some value. But we might not necessarily be able to take them at face value. So people try to reconcile these two great paths from the west and the east, see how they can inform each other, and possibly come up with a new synthesis.
For me, Going "under" anesthesia , gave me a tremendous "shock" . It was the first time i" lost" awareness totally after becoming "aware of awareness." ( sorry for the cliche , but i need words to describe the describable ) For the first time i had the sensation,as if a piece in "the flow" was cut out...I realized that a part of "my" non dual awareness, was " Based on faith" . It turned out a good "teaching"..One some needs a "kick of "fierce grace under the...If one gets to sure(?)" (at least , that is "my"interpretation")
Ernest Szeto: Thank you very much for your greatly thoughtful response. I have read many articles of general anesthesia and I have talked to people who have gone under general anesthesia for surgery. However, personally, I have never gone under general anesthesia. If I ever go under general anesthesia, I think I would prefer to get unconscious i.e. to lose all awareness of the self, surroundings and senses than to remain conscious. I have 'slept' fully conscious few nights. It is a very strange experience. The sleep seems still complete. The body still seems relaxed. But, it is as if I was in meditation all night. It is strange and interesting. However, I have no wish to sleep like this every night. I prefer slightly unconscious sleep. Why I don't like being 'fully awake' yet 'asleep' all night? Perhaps, I am still mentally not conformable with it. It is still too new and quite strange. I have also been in a state (after certain meditation, usually) in which I can no longer sleep. In this state, I can relax, I can be thoughtless, I can mediate but, I can't turn the 'awake consciousness', 'alertness', 'full consciousness' off. Again, I don't prefer this state. I usually stop doing that kind of meditation, when it happens. Even now, I largely sleep 'conscious' most of the nights except when I sleep after drinking alcohol, after having sex or when I am very tired. About 90% or more of the nights I sleep 'conscious'. As far as I know, anytime during my sleep, one can ask me any question in a normal conversation sound and I would be able to answer. Deep sleep, the peace of deep sleep, the reality of deep sleep, 'what happens in deep sleep' is no longer a mystery to me. What happens when the 'body loses consciousness' is a mystery to me.
And what disappointed the most is the realization that these people, like Roger, even after their awakening trying to earn lot of $$$ using their knowledge or understanding. But what the difference between him and those who haven't got the realization then?! Why is he craving for money now?! when he knows WHO or What he really is?! He is absolutely the same as other 95% who are not awakened! No difference! All and everyone just want to get money! Awakened or not... :)
Money buys freedom and escape from stress. If a 'guru' decided to work in MacDonalds then taught at night, free from stress and happy, I'd truly believe in enlightenment.
The Ultimate Answer - the Ultimate Spirituality - the Ultimate "Liberation" ========================================================== 1. Love Suffering. - Be OK with suffering. Accept suffering. Be fine with suffering. 2. Love "Not knowing". - Be OK with "not knowing". Accept "not knowing". Be fine with "not knowing". And, be done. Trying to "remove suffering", "end suffering", "escape suffering" is a wrong spiritual approach in my view. Trying "to know" too is a misleading approach. It keeps one going in endless loops, endless circles forever. Accept suffering, accept not knowing and be done.
ONLY Reason you are likely "interested" in the things like "realization", "enlightenment", "liberation", "freedom", "moksha" - because, you "imagine" it to be different from your Present State, different from your Present Experience. Why do you "imagine" so?
Exactly what is “wrong” with your Present Experience? Exactly what is “wrong” with your Present State? What happens when you Complete Accept this Present State? What happens when you don’t worry about any other state?
What if (your) Life is ONLY Now… what kind of “enlightenment” do you want then? If the Life is ONLY Now… "when" do you want that “enlightenment”? … If Life is (not) Now… …”when” it is?
I dont understand if all this is predestined than what's the point ??.... My understanding is that consciousness or Source is expanding, evolving & learning through us & our experiences. Therefore there is free will and we certainly do control our circumstances to a large degree. We can see how that's so. With law of attraction, manifestation & cause and effect. To attribute all that happens and all potentials to a predestined story can in no way be observed so why would we consider that to be what's happening and ignore or dismiss the observable and felt examples of us having control of our lives, mostly ????
Thanks for the question Kelly, it is one that many people who hear the concepts may have.. Let's start with the first part - "I don't understand!! if it's all predetermined then what's the point?" (then we can look at the rest of your question if needed after this gets clarified). Well, there is an answer I can give outlining what the point even if life is predetermined, however before doing that, I think it is far more valuable to explore from where your question/statement is actually stemming from. I suspect that the question/statement stems from an unquestioned pre-supposition which exists prior to the question. A pre-supposition that is not seen as being there and so when the suggestion that life is predetermined is made it clashes with this invisible presupposition and creates a mental disorientation, then the statement arises which says "I don't understand!! if it's all predetermined so what's the point". Let's take an example to illustrate what I've written above .....in this example let's assume that there is an unquestioned pre-supposition in place that says 'the only point of writing a letter is to communicate what you think about a topic to another person in another location' you tell a friend you want to communicate a message to another person elsewhere. The next day your friend tells you that the person with whom you wish to communicate your idea to via letter can read your mind, and that they already know that you want to communicate a message to them and have received your message telepathically. You are given proof of this and are satisfied that this is indeed the case. If you're friend then asks "when are you going to write the letter to so and so?', you may proclaim "I don't understand, they already know what I wanted to say, what's the point?" If the presupposition is unquestioned then it explains why the proclamation is made. If the presupposition is correct then I agree with the proclamation. However, if the pre supposition is incorrect the proclamation may be based on an inaccurate assumption. Let's go back to your actual question. Can you figure out what the pre-supposition may be that, when you heard the concept "that it's all predetermined", created a mental disorientation that inspired the statement in your question "I don't get it, if it's all predetermined then what's the point?" I'll answer further if needed once this part is clear, thanks Kelly.
This sounds like a good point: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html lets see how the "hard core" believer in Mahesh Yogi and TM and the TM taught stuff, Sr. Rick Ji handles it. Will he try to twist it to fit his existing "belief system"? Or... Will he prove me (us) wrong and just admit once that... perhaps, maybe, just maybe, 'he is wrong' and 'he has been wrong' and maybe, 'he doesn't really know'. 'he has been just speculating and believing his speculations to to be true'. Lets find out.
@Kristina: NO FREE WILL !!! Roger beats about the Bush subtely ;-)..Re_ITERATiNG Nooo FREE WILL !!! We are BIOLOGICAL ROBOTS !!! 100 tRILLION cELLED-EACH CELL-100 TRILLION ATOMS ! and if any BLIGHTER thinks he is in control...What a laugh???
'Intellectual understanding' = what you have. 'Intellectual understanding' = what you who don't teach and don't charge money have. 'Intellectual understanding' = what you who aren't yet famous have. ...same goes for the 'mental gymnastics' too... Same thing when I do... it is real shift in perspective, a deep realization with experiential verification. Why? ...because, I have TH-cam videos and I am willing to make money off of it :-) Deep Realization = what I have. Deep Realization = what "my guru" has. Deep Realization = what those who are already making money have. I have no interest in dividing people folks. I have no interest in creating castes, classes and categories... But, lets be clear folks... lets distinguish between "those who really know' and "those who only have intellectual understanding. "Those who really know" are the people who are making money by selling their knowledge or at least trying to. "Those who only have intellectual understanding" are people like you who aren't making money of it and aren't famous. Are we clear? :-)
I don't know if Rick reads all of these, off topic here goes Just wrote to Tom Campbell, who has said it's not allowed. Rick with maybe John H were wondering if some one would ever show paranormal powers, siddhis. Have you seen Dynamo magic, it's unreal or too real. I would love to hear Rick's take on this th-cam.com/video/lLPsBhO0ws0/w-d-xo.html This what I wrote to Tom: Dear Tom you and Rick Archer are both far wiser than me in many ways. Have you seen Dynamo breaking the laws of physics in massive ways? I heard you say God/? would not allow public demonstration of paranormal powers. Hundred million some views easy. Many think/write make videos saying a Gin or demon is helping him. Please, your insight with what's going on? I am baffled how one person could learn/demonstrate some many massive paranormal powers, on their own. I know with cgi and paid people, we can be fooled, but some of it really seems way beyond that. Hundreds of them would have to be some of the best actors in the world. Their reactions seem very sincere and the CGI cost would be astronomical. Making it financially not feasible, for one channel. Your understanding, explanation would help me and others be more mentally clear. Thanks
Or maybe elephant is just not the right metaphor. Maybe water is more analogous with the idea of God than an elephant. And whoever has the experience of being immersed in water has the same experience. You either have it or you don't. There is no trunk and tail to it.
What about this: "I don't really know." "I can't really know." and, "You don't really know." "You can't really know." Why? ...because, My (your) capacity to know is very, very, very, very limited compared to how How VAST this really is. ...because it is much vaster than what I (you) can grasp. Be born, play, grow up, have sex, love, have many, many experience, drink beer, watch sports, discuss sports, discuss politics, sports, women, spirituality... celebrities, pop stars, "other people"... ..."God" and die... ...that is about it... Even more briefly... Be Born... have sex... die... Even more briefly... Experience...
What do you really want? Uninterrupted peace - OK answer in my my opinion. Real question and answer in my opinion: What do you want? Peace When do you want it? Now Answer: Investigate what separates you from Peace Right Now. Investigate what you "care for", "value" more than Peace Right Now. Investigate what you consider to be of the "higher priority" than the Peace Right Now. Investigate what you are serving in place of the Peace Right Now. Knowing... the answer... Can you drop that which separates you from Peace Right Now... and SEE what is left?
The spiritual teachings, nondual teaching can serve as “technique” to end suffering, to bring peace, happiness, love, joy and gratitude. And, in that regard, many spiritual teachings including Advaita and “Neo Advaita” can do excellent job. The Most Potent Technique of course… ...IS… LOVE the Present Experience. Ego. Suffering. Ignorance. Fear. Greed. Anger. Lust. is All Fine. Your Responsibility is to Just LOVE. LOVE The Present Experience. LOVE The Present Experience… no matter what that Present Experience is. And, you are done. Rest is largely just useless drama or entertainment :-)
Important thing to know and remember about a “technique” is to know and remember that a good “technique” is that which works, that which is effective, that which accomplishes it goal and that which you can truly adopt. The “technique” is about “what works” and not really about “what is the truth”. A good Table Tennis “technique” is that which helps you play well, defend well, attack well, enjoy the game and to win a point. A good Table Tennis “technique” doesn’t need to be about… …”the truth” of the table tennis. In the same way, a good “spiritual” “technique” is ABOUT how to live life with peace, joy, gratitude, love and happiness. It doesn’t need to be about… …”the ultimate truth” of Life and Existence and Creation.
The problem comes when a “technique” is taken as the statement of the “ultimate truth”. The problem comes when a table tennis technique of “how to spin a shot” or “how to return a spinning serve” is taken as a statement explaining “the origin of the table tennis” and “why the game of the table tennis was created”. The problem comes when a technique meant to “end suffering” and experience peace” Right Now… is taken as “the Ultimate Reality of all Existence”, “the SOURCE behind it all”, “who created the universe” and “why the universe came into existence”.
Neo Advaita, Advaita, Buddhism, “Surrender, Forgive, Love”, “No free will”, “all is predetermined”, “God’s will alone is”, “what happens happens for good”, “thoughts just appear”, “Living in Now”, “there is no real I”, “the person is false”, “Love God”, “You are here to serve”, “Serve God”, “Serve Universe”, “serve Love”... ...are all excellent techniques to end suffering Right Now and to achieve Peace Right Now… However, they are all inadequate and inappropriate as a statement explaining or describing “what God is”, “what source is”, “why the universe came into existence”, “who created the universe”, “what the ultimate reality or SOURCE is”... And, in my opinion… that is where most of the “spiritual confusion” lies.
Drinking water alone is… NOT ENOUGH… to understand the chemical composition or the origin of water. Suffering from schizophrenia is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or the cure of the schizophrenia. First hand, direct experience of Cancer is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or the cure of Cancer. First hand, direct experience of Consciousness is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or origin of the Consciousness. Being Alive is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or origin of Life.
Sri Rick Ji, Are you addicted to this statement: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html ? How many times you have to repeat this thing over and over? Exactly how do you know "who really knows" and "who only has Intellectual understanding"? Do you have a some real scientific basis to judge it? Is it just based on how "famous" one is? Is it based on how much money one has? Is it based on how many followers one has? Why not give it "rest", Sri Rick Ji? Or, explain... "exactly how do you know?" ("who really knows" and "who only has Intellectual understanding")?
The irony is that it is Rick's ''knowledge'' which is only intellectual despite him continually criticizing others of this. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Actually, I've been meditating (effectively) a couple of hours a day for 48 years. My knowledge is primarily experiential, supplemented by intellectual understanding.
Dear Rick Ji: I assume you are knowledgeable of ancient Indian paths of Yoga, Bhakti and Jnana*. As I understand… The Yoga is the *path of experience* that ultimately culminates into experiencing complete unity, complete union with the Ultimate Reality or God. The Bhakti is the path of Complete Surrender, Unconditional Love and Selfless Service. It is the path of of Loving the Lord and of serving her creation. This too culminates into experiencing complete unity, complete union with the Ultimate Reality or God. The Jnana is an intellectual path. This is the path of study, contemplation, investigation and inquiry. This begins by examining if there is a separation in the first place. It begins by examining if the entity that is supposed to merge with the Ultimate Reality really has an independent, separate existence. It begins by examining if the entity that is supposed to merge with the Ultimate Reality… truly exists… in the first place! ======= *I know that Gita added ‘Yoga’ at the end of Bhakti and Jnana and then created another yoga named ‘Karma Yoga’. The Yoga I mention here includes the path described in detail Patanjali it includes practices like Prāṇāyāma, Āsana, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna with the goal being Samādhi. I include Tantra, Mantra as part of the Yoga too though, that was not covered by Patanjali.
Depending on the natural aptitude, attitude and maturity and fitness of the aspirant, Bhakti, Yoga or Jnana is deemed more suitable and is thus recommended. All three are supposed to culminates into same knowledge but through three different paths. There has been many discussion about which path is better though, a better question might be which one is more suitable to an individual given his/her maturity, fitness and ability. That said, many have thought (primarily those in Jnana Yoga, primarily those, intellectually focussed,) the Jnana to be the superior path. However, it was not uncommon to hear those on the path of yoga to consider the ‘experience’ to be the supreme and to say the ‘knowledge alone’ lacks substance. It wasn’t uncommon for those on the Bhakti Path to consider the devotion, love and service to be the best and to consider ‘knowledge’ to be the dry, ‘loveless’. Those on the Bhakti Path, the path of Surrender, Love and Service can also call the path of knowledge ‘ultimately useless’ path as it tries to do nothing to serve, help the needy, to remove suffering of others and to ‘fix’ the ‘problems’ of the world. Those on the Jnana Yoga, on the other hand might see other paths simply slowing and delaying the Ultimate (knowledge) for no reason whatsoever.
As I understand… The Christianity is primarily the path of Bhakti (Completely Surrender, Devotion, Unconditional Love to the Lord and the Service to all her Creations). The Buddhism is primarily the path of Yoga (Meditation, Dhyana, Samadhi). Advaita is primarily the path of Jnana (Knowledge, Inquiry, Investigation, Understanding).
Experiential Verification? - Like seeing the sun go around the earth with your own eyes? Like someone suffering from schizophrenia - "seeing" things and "hearing" voices? or - like a real scientist with consistent procedure and consistent repeatable objective results? What about some honesty :-)?
th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html "Good thoughts" come from the "God" and the "bad thoughts" come from something else - is that how it is Sri Rick Ji?
While I have really enjoyed this interview I was quite disappointed to find out how much Roger charges people for his 3-6 days retreats ( 500-700 euros!) aw, no, thank you! I don't think it's very genuine to make business on this kind of thing! What if I can't afford it? then oh sorry, you can't deserve the self realization?! What a shame on such money makers " awakened souls " :)
"You need to take care of the basic stuff before can seek realization" - really? - approximately, how many of your viewers and listeners really have their basic need of health, sleep, food, shelter, medicine, money, education, rest, security, social acceptance, friendship really well taken care of :-)? Aren't most people suffering simply because their basic needs of good health, food, clothing, shelter, medicine, sleep, rest, security is not well taken care of and because they don't feel secured in this regard. What percentage of the top 0.1% truly worry about spirituality and nonduality? th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html Dear Sri Rick Ji: So what is your belief, knowledge or "theory" in this regard? Do you believe that the "good" things are created by the "God" but the "bad" things are created by something else? Do you believe that the Light is created by the "God" but the Darkness is created by something else? Do you believe that the Birth is created by the "God" but the Death is created by something else? Do you believe that the Birth is created by the "God" but the Death is created by something else? Do you believe that schizophrenia and many other mental illnesses are created by something else? Do you believe that the children born without limbs are created by something else? Do you believe that the cats eating their own cubs are created by something else? Do you believe that the blood sucking mosquitoes are created by something else? Do you believe that the dogs chasing and killing squirrels for no reason whatsoever are created by something else? Do you believe that the cancer, plague, paralysis is created by something else? Do you believe that the Gandhi is created by the "God" but Donald Trump is created by something else? Who or what other than figment of your own imagination and your own belief system this "God" of yours is?
Comments are disabled for every video. He seems very secure in his enlightenment. I love your work but this guy is such a scammer. He can't even defend his experience. Please. Next week he will be selling gem stones from India.
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Roger is very clear in his articulation and very sincere! One of my favorite interviews!
"Continous, unbroken peace of mind, regardless of circumstance. This is available, this is out true nature" Fantastic coherent expression! Thank you for this interview!
One of the best BATGAP interviews
Thanks Roger, thanks Rick. ...Feels good to hear this conversation!
one of the best interviews!. Roger is very clear and really good at sharing his understanding. second interview please to hear more about the details of the teachings.
thank you Rick, great interview
good job Rick finding Roger for he has i believe a more well rounded Understanding of the nature of duality than most of the non-dualists that you interview.
Wow I Love his explanation of paradox from the ultimate view🙏💛✨🌟💫⭐️
Realizing that there are limits, I like it that this guy isn't afraid to use his intellectual understanding. Each spiritual statement has its opposite. But really, what's going on is that each statement was meant for a particular context, a stage within a spiritual path. In the end, all thoughts must be given up. The thinking *process* itself is given up. But this doesn't mean that along way, that thinking can't be a useful tool.
There is also a "revelation of mechanism", a seeing of what actually is going on, mechanically, and in detail. Statements can be made on bits and pieces of this. I also like it that he provides a whole map, or at least attempts a map of the terrain. I often get the sense in these batgap interviews, that people are realizing different things. But in having map, one can begin to place these realizations within a larger context.
the best interview! thnx Rick and thnx to Roger
Whoa! Talk about coincidences, it's like you summed up and helped me understand experienced I've had this past year. Especially the part about prescription vs. description. Thanks Roger for sharing the teaching! Second interview please!
Amazing interview. Thank You Rick for inviting Roger. Maybe there could be a second part in the future...?
this is my third listening to this interview and it is as refreshing as the first. I have saved it in my favorites. So many of the teachings point to a no self,no person,no I,no doer,nothing which although may be true can be very confusing and ultimately frustrating because 'this self" is trying hard to grasp that concept and live it. many folks who claim to have been awakened and quote these phrases about no self etc. are questionable as well, have they really come to that realization or just quoting what they have heard,have they actually really experienced it and again the experience is transitory or temporary. what I love about this interview is that Roger went to great lengths to explain how these teachings apply to everyday life or are actually life itself. He was extremely fluent and life long questionably concepts that "haunted" me for years up to present came to light so to speak. One can also determine he is speaking purely from his own experiences. Most of my questions were realised, and his explanation of what happiness is to the human being is certainly the truth.i am looking forward to a second interview of Roger by Rick. I must mention here that Rick is doing a wonderful deed for us folks out here and I really enjoy this program.As he says he is following his passion and I deeply resonate with this, source is passion,life is passion.thanks rick thanks roger.
I love that Roger teaches living an awakened life: Whereas advaita is focused on awakening, seeing non-thinking as a good thing: we are that space underlying objective thinking, and resting in being-ness; thought is more of an obstacle. In living the awakened life, thinking is a good thing, as recognized in all aspects of practical human existance. He emphasizes the "right kind of thinking"; that which is practical and necessary of course but more so in conscious cognition that seeming set backs where we seem to regress into suffering (which is evidently inevitable) is seen as a way to process that conditioning that is deep in the body, and which must be deposed; superseded by awakened concepts. SImilar to what Eckhart Tolle calls processing the "pain body", yet in a way that we intellectually accept this suffering and remind ourselves that we are not that do-er which reaps suffering any more. The suffering thus dissolves with every momentary, daily, cognition as we become more integrated in the concepts resulting in more of an enlightened life.
There was much to appreciate in this interview. I was disappointed though by several points of slipping into spiritual elitism. I was surprised to see this attitude affirmed by Rick, so maybe that was more an interview tactic than actual agreement. I would be interested if Roger is interviewed again if he would expand on his views about free choice, which he touched on briefly, but it would be interesting to hear more of his point of view on this.
Guess what? He doesn't think anything! haha. Anyway, who cares? I listen to these interviews on the odd chance that someone will say something that will strike home in some way. It happens from time to time.
You're right, jesuisravi. A thinker is no where to be found. The significant point in this one was, "As soon as that shift happens where thoughts get witnessed for the first time as being something that arise and not something that I am creating, then we are talking about a game changer." It seemed to go unnoticed by the interviewer.
Hi. You can hear more about his views in other videos of his own.
Superb interview
1.16.45 Robert: If I paint a visual image…
1.17.17 Rick: just to throw in…
1.17.35 Robert: hmm…
1.17.40 Robert continues…
1.20.43 - Having given Robert 3 entire minutes Rick can no longer contain himself and butts in to show how smart he is…
1.22.00 Robert continues…
1.22.42 Rick butts in
1.22.55 Robert continues…
1.25.02 Rick: What’s the cart and what’s the horse here?.... (a relevant question this time)
1.25.30 Robert continues…
Coming from the perspective of someone who has basically binged watched/listened to almost all of Batgaps interviews in the last year. Roger is the authentic deal and I enjoyed the listen. maybe I'll do it twice. However, I suggest Roger give a listen to # 233 and tell us if he's still cooking, so to speak.
An issue that Rick keeps bumping up against is the variety of assertions spoken by the awakened/awakening teachers and Roger makes quite a few. Just how is this certain knowledge transmitted? Some teachers come back and renounce what they clearly saw as truth in the past. i.e. Jeff Foster and Mandi Solk. I'd be real interested to hear the rather youngish Roger Castillo in another 5-10 years.
Really excellent!
Roger seems to be serious but all in all its just too verbose!
53.10 : great point...The on -off , 1/0 analogy of life & death. In a ironic way, it summons up the concept of pure "spiritual materialism". For example, my father ( & many,many with him) is convinced when his body dies, There will be No-thing...Talking about paradoxes hey...
It was said in the interview that “Whatever happens" and "all actions in the moment" is determined by one’s genes and ones conditioning.”
I would say that this is not strictly the case.
For living systems and this includes human beings, action is distinguished in the environment in which it takes place and not in the genes or conditioning which may give rise to it.
Furthermore only those actions that the environment permits will take place. Living systems and environment evolve together congruently.
In this way the environment or context of living systems determines not only what takes place, but what genes will be expressed and what elements of conditioning may be distinguished by an observer.
It is interesting that many non dual conversations take place as if the physical environment of an awakening being is immaterial or is of no consequence to its expression.
Just a comment.
Great guest. Rick looks tired.(Must have been a while since he had a "late Saturdaynight ? " ;-)
No. he is a party animal on Fridays.
Clearly billions of us will never even be aware of these concepts much less grasp them. What is the reason for that? Why will some and not others?
Gandhi, Buddha and Christ are good examples of how Maslow's hierarchy of needs is quite academic and not poignant to Seld-realization. And many other non famous sadhus in India or homeless people in the west defy that limited chart of maslow's.
Maslov's stair/pyramid/whatever, is quite..Complete. Seen from a non -spiritual view that is . His highest "level" is "christ-like"behavior...Right? ( i must admit i haven't read Maslov's work for...25 + years, so i could be way off )
Point is he says you need food and shelter BEFORE perusing self- actualization. So many of our self realized beings that inspire us were homeless and hungry when they attained the highest level of Maslows chart.
Rafael Stoneman Yes i agree with that. though the "Asian team" was living in a culture where it was "normal"to choose poverty & homelessness as the path to enlightenment.
And to be honest, i don't know many people that get "financially comfortable & finding a nice "hobby" ( Golf, painting, or whatever) that suddenly turn to the" spiritual ". (beside some "power yoga"to keep lean, or " tarot reading"to pass the time ;-)
On the other side , having done volunteer work, with homeless people...I must say the "spiritual aspect" is mostly the last thing on their "minds"
So yes, Maslov's pyramid is more a construction how the "ego "tries to find fulfillment. ( Suffering, certainly not being part of it )
though i would also add, Maslov's model is not entirely "obsolete". Being a psychological model, rather then a spiritual one.
=== Nonduality ===
When the universe disappears… it will be all nonduality only…
When the body dies… it will be all nonduality only…
When the body loses consciousness… it is all nonduality only…
When the body/brain sleeps and the dreams cease… it is all nonduality only…
The nonduality is not running away…
...Nonduality is not escaping…
Nonduality is not going away…
...meanwhile, as the body is awake, the mind is active, the thoughts are arising… ...I am in NO rush to experience nonduality…
I am happy to play…
...I am happy to experience pleasure and pain..
I am happy to experience Life… one Experience at a Time…
I am happy to Live Life… one Experience at a Time…
I am happy to Love Life… one Experience at a Time…
As I take a Step… I don’t check if it is nondual or not… ...the fact that I am alive to “take a step” is a moment of gratitude ... the fact that “I can take a step” is a moment of gratitude…
The fact that I experience life is enough…
If I can feel feel grateful for life (one experience at a time).… ...that is a moment of realization
...If I can enjoy Life (one experience at a time)... that… is a great celebration…
...If I can LOVE Life (one experience at a time)... that… is the Completion…
...I don’t bother to check if it is nondual or not.
The LIfe is to Experience…
The Life is to Play…
The Life is to Relate…
The Life is to Love…
The Life is to Feel Grateful and to Pray…
I guess… it is nonduality only… once this body is Dead!~
The LIberation, the freedom is… …(not even) the Last Thing on my mind…
...I am here to Play!~
I didn’t enter the Movie Theater…
...to watch the blank screen and to hear the Silence…
...I am not a Ramana in His Cave…
...not a Buddha in the Forest!~
Is Roger saying that the changeless changes from unaware source at rest to aware source manifesting? I wasn't quite getting that. Isn't change an artefact of perspective which can only come from limitation? Can potential exist in any sense without a recognising factor?Would like to see a second interview some time.
Hey Rick I wanted to email you to suggest an interview with someone I feel like is a very great yet little known Canadian Spiritual Teacher. He hosts most many dyad based Enlightenment Intensives in Ontario Canada and has been doing them for several years. I myself, have had the good fortune to have attended one and had a True Experience of "who am I" which has truly revolutionized my life and eased my suffering dramatically. He is a very down to earth and genuine human being and I really know more people would benefit from retreats and dogma free teachings.
Please do let me know if you'd be open to this, his name is Russell Scott.
good points. perhaps Marlow was referring to America and the West in general and not the Asian/ Indian cultures. But then look at Walt Whitman as an American example of self actualization while being poor and not in comfort. Or Jack keroac or how about Victor Frank in a Nazi concentration camp.
you are a very nice one (why the infinite manifests in such and such a way is
probably an unanswerable question for a human being)
Intellectual Knowledge
===============
We can insist on making our own path up and down the mountain and/or we can take the trail already made and the footmarks already left by those who have walked before.
We can insist on having each and every experience ourselves and first-hand and/or we can learn from the experience, mistakes, failures, successes and knowledge of others of the past and present.
Much of what we learn from school and what we learn from reading books, watching videos or through talking is a part of learning from others experience and knowledge.
Even when we carry a chemical experiment and see the reactions and results first-hand, it is usually guided by a process that is well documented and is based on the findings of the many experiments carried before.
Traditional Advaita like many ancient systems is a system that contains the experience, knowledge, insights and observations of many who have passed before us. I am not alleging that it is the best, the simplest or the easiest. I am not even recommending that this is what you or others should study or follow. I am making a suggestion that both approaches - ‘learning from the experience only’ and ‘learning from others’ can be useful.
“The end of meditator”
What is the meaning of ‘the meditator disappears’?
“Meditator disappearing”, “Practitioner disappearing”, “brusher disappearing”, “walker disappearing”, “shaver disappearing”, “player disappearing”, “prayer-er disappearing”, “singer disappearing”, “talker disappearing”...
...is a largely a “figure of speech”...
And, I think it confuses and it has confused many in the spiritual circles…
IMO…
When understood correctly, it might mean the following:
1. One become so TOTAL, so ONE with the act that there is no separation anymore. There is no one left out of the act to know that one is doing it. It is complete FOCUS, Full Attention on the Present Act.
When the Attention is TOTAL… there is no Separation.
Or, it might mean something rather simple and ordinary…
2. Being so absorbed in an interesting book that there is no awareness of a separate time, space, person or a separate reader. Being completely lost in a movie or being completely taken over by the drama, feeling or emotion.
I.e. Losing (separate) Awareness.
I.e. “No breather”, “No Meditator”, “No walker” “No talker”, “No smoker”, “No Alcohol drinker”, “No Driver” might simply mean that the act has become Unconscious know. It doesn’t involve the Conscious Mind, the Conscious Attention, the Conscious Decision Maker anymore.
When one is learning to ride bicycle, in the beginning one uses one’s Conscious Mind, the Conscious Attention, the Conscious Decision Maker but once one has learned it well enough, it becomes part of the Muscle Memory, the Unconscious mind, the subconscious mind and one can do it without using the conscious mind, without consciously thinking, without using the Conscious Decision Maker.
Or…
3. It might simply mean the end of a delusion, end of a confusion and beginning of new understanding, a new realization.
You realize that what you thought yourself to be… is not real. The “person” that you thought yourself to be… was your own creation… ...just as the character who was being chased and was afraid in your dream… was your own creation.
To see… you as the person… that you yourself create in your own thoughts is nothing but, an ignorance, a confusion. When that confusion ends, when you longer believe that person to be real, when you no longer identify with that person, when you see that person as… a figment of your own imagination… the (idea of that) person has no power anymore, it no longer grips you.
It is simply the end of a confusion.
It is the beginning of a new realization.
...nothing else needs to happen.
The (real) (only real) (only) you still walks…
Still talks… still watches movie… still meditates… still practices… still “prepares” for the example...still “prepares” food…
...but, the “story making” is seen through…
...being ‘seen thru’... the ‘story making’ looses its grip… ...just like a nightmare loses its freight, a dream loses its ecstasy and thrill after you see it as a dream…
You might walk everyday consciously, purposely, intently, taking each breathe consciously, touching each leaf consciously, holding mountains your loving gaze… ...without having to make a (false) “story”... …”I am this good person taking this conscious walk while the lazy “others” are chatting about it...
(The Real) You might still do everything. Everything. Consciously. Purposefully. Knowingly. Intently.
Yet… without the (false) intermediate of the ego… the (false) intermediate of the person.
You walk… yet, the “silly” stories and thoughts like… “I am a walker”, “I am a talker”, “I am a smoker”, “I am a early riser”... are seen thru…
... as is the story of… “I am this person born on this day, I am this tall, I have this much money…
And, therefore, you might say…
“There is no (separate) walker”...
...all it means that the story of “I am a walker” is seen as a simple thought construct and is no longer necessary…
...seeing it as unnecessary and often counter-productive…
You no longer make that ‘story” anymore…
I walk…
I talk…
I meditate…
The second level “story” of… “I am a meditator”... is no longer necessary… that is the meaning of “there is no more meditator”...
(and, the above is my opinion, of course)
th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
Beautiful description of (his) (his Guru's) teaching.
5:00 ok here we go so this guy says there is cause and effect great now im confused
Nice, Roger pops up on iTunes the same day you release the interview. Just for starters, Roger makes a claim every human will only experience duality/non duality in a certain way i.e. the way he experiences it. That is at 8:00min. That is conjecture on his part, isn't it? Really, better to not even go there.
Mental habit of the "doer-ship"
=======================
I can say based on my experience, that the habits, both mental and physical, take time to form and take time to undo.
Examine your own life closely and you might see something similar there too.
Approximately how many videos you have watched on this subject?
Approximately how many books you have read?
It is question that you can ask yourself. I am not alleging that you didn't get it the first time nor am I alleging that mental habit of 'doer-ship', 'ownership', 'free will' didn't instantly and permanently vanish on the first insight :-)
The 'belief in free will', 'separate existence', 'doer-ship', 'ownership', 'choice'... can be even more difficult than many other 'habits' for a 'social' human being like you and me... because, the society is largely based on this idea and it works to 'reinforce' this idea everyday in many different way*.
Because of continual "reinforcement"... getting rid of this "habit"... might be more like brushing, flossing and taking bath. Everyday the body, the teeth (and the mind) becomes 'dirty'... simply because of the contact with the 'external' things... and, everyday, you "clean up"... preferably... twice a day... :-)
==========================
*Just hear the news:
"Donald Trump" did this.
"Hillary Clinton" did that.
"Democrats" did that.
"Republicans" did that.
"Your" pension is in danger.
"Your" way of life is in danger.
"Your" freedom to own guns is in danger.
"You" are being attacked.
"They" want to take away "your" guns.
"You" are in debt.
"You" are screwed.
"Your" bank balance is low.
"You" screwed up...
Vote for "me"... else, "you" are really screwed up!
=== Blame ===
When I don’t brush my teeth, when I don’t floss my teeth...
...I don’t blame existence for the bad smelling mouth, for bleeding gums or for toothache.
When I don’t sleep on time…
...I don’t blame existence for feeling tired, sleepy, lacking energy or slow functioning brain.
When I don’t excercise…
...I don’t blame existence for weak arms.
When I don’t take bath…
...I don’t blame existence for bad smelling armpits.
When I don’t meditate, contemplate and remember the teachings in the morning and in the afternoon and in the night…
...I don’t blame existence for bad day.
When I don’t thank Existence for the Air that I breathe and the Lungs with which I breathe…
...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad.
When I don’t thank Existence for the Sunshine, the Rain, The Earth, The Sky, The water, This Body…
...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad.
When I don’t thank the Existence for Bringing you in my life in this moment and for giving me the time and capacity to write few words and to understand the words that you write…
...I don’t blame the Existence of Feeling Bad.
To me… ...these are like the laws of gravity…
And… ...I don’t blame the Gravity… for pulling me down…
It is… ...for me… to remember it.
When I am not thankful for the Air that I Breathe and the lungs with which I breathe… when I am not thankful for the water, food, the earth, sunshine, the sun, the light, the flowers… ...I don’t deserve to be happy…
...to me… ...it is as simple as that…
When I don't see the God (Existence) (The Ultimate Reality)... in you... ...in me... ...in the PLAY...
...when I don't see the PLAY in what happens between you and me... when I don't see you as my partner in the PLAY... there is no reason for me to be happy...
...it is for me to remember it...
The law works the way it does...
...the gravity works the way it does...
The Laws Exist.
I didn’t make them.
I don’t make them.
It is My Responsibility to Know and Remember them.
Gratitude is a Law.
Love is a Law.
‘Not my will be thy will be done’ is a Law.
I am rewarded when I follow the law. I am punished when I break the law… knowingly or unknowingly. I get punished by myself. I get punished by myself… because THAT is not separate from Me.
When I don’t LOVE you… it is a punishment to myself.
When I am not grateful for (your) (The) Existence… it is a punishment to myself.
Another very good point: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html . Will Sri Rick Ji finally 'get it'?
Do you know?
==========
For those of us who dare to use courage, humility, honesty and openness for those who are able to handle “not knowing”, for those who are open to be “not very spiritual”...
...before you wonder about life and death, before you wonder about God and Creation, before you wonder about ‘Who Am I?’... ...before you wonder about ‘what happens after death?’...
Ask…
Inquire…
Investigate…
….Where am I when the body loses consciousness?....
...What happens to me when the the head is knocked and the body is left unconscious?...
...What happens to ‘I’, consciousness under General Anesthesia?...
I think the closest he got to this was the discussion of death. He didn't exactly use the word "nothing". But he did acknowledge "not even the awareness of awareness" (which is good). Then he did say something about "that which does not come and go". This is the typical Non-Dual answer for the "ultimate reality". But this seems to be the mind making this statement, afterwards, when there is some level of awareness, just like the traditional argument on how did one knows one slept well, in deep dreamless sleep, when one has awaken, and there is some level of awareness. "Something" knew. (This, of course, would not be convincing to the modern mind, realizing that the body's cells are still alive, and that sleep is a necessary physiological healing process, with a lot of unconscious processes, and cannot be used as a statement about "ultimate reality".)
He seems to take the "I sense" to be some kind of ultimate reality, to my disappointment. Even though other teachers emphasize it as an beginning form of inquiry (e.g. Mooji, Ramana), they also realize that it is phenomenal, and that there is something beyond, prior to it, precisely because it can be known, and is phenomenal. Nissargatta calls this prior state the Absolute. I take the "I sense", "consciousness", "awareness", sense of "existence" to be on the edge of form and formlessness, the edge of the known and unknown. People oftentimes describe this edge as the place as the sense of Being, Presence, Light, Love, God, and in the realm of phenomenal realm, not a bad place to be. But a little observation and simple logic shows there has to be something beyond, prior to this, which we might as well call the abyss, the Unknown, Nirguna Brahman, or quite simply "that which is absolutely without any qualities". His map comes pretty close to this. I resonate with a lot of what he said, at a practical level. But there were some statements that did not quite fit for me.
It is one thing to use spirituality, nonduality as technique to comfort the mind and bring peace, solace and happiness. It is another to make statement about the "truth" and the "ultimate reality".
For anyone in spirituality who claims to know the ultimate reality, the ultimate truth - the fact of General Anesthesia and the fact of the body losing consciousness in many other ways such as with the lack of Oxygen or the loss of blood state right in the face. I think it is extremely dishonest, deceiving and timid of such folks to claim to know the "ultimate reality" or to know "what happens after death" without understanding and explaining "what happens to the eternal I", "what happens to the eternal consciousness" under General Anesthesia and other such events in which body loses consciousness.
I would agree. I tried that for myself, i.e., to see what happens to my awareness under anesthesia during a colonoscopy. I loss awareness of the environment. But I was still aware of myself throughout the procedure. But this doesn't prove anything, because the anesthesia may not have gone deep enough. Maybe I should go for an induced coma. But none of this is any claim to "ultimacy" or an "eternal I", whatever this means.
I've also had the experience of waking up from sleep, and the world rushes back into existence. There is a sense of some fundamentality in the sense of I or Being, and I can certainly understand why many people would make the claims that they do in the spiritual texts.
The more intellectually critical part of me wonders whether this doesn't speak more structure and nature of subjective experiencing than about reality itself, a somewhat Neo-Kantian re-interpretation of Non-Dual claim. Despite the claims to ultimate reality by these spiritual texts, I am amazed at how powerless the subjective method when compared to the objective methods of science in its ability to discover and understand new things about the physical world, ranging from the understanding of the atom, to chemistry, to the role of DNA, quantum mechanics, the discovery of other planets, star systems, galaxies, the birth of physical universe through the big bang. The mastery is at level that one can build technologies off of these understandings. You would've thought that discovering "absolute reality" would've given one a leg up in "relative reality". But no. (One does gain an insight into subjective experiencing and the nature of suffering. So I can give some credit in a circumscribed domain.)
The Non-Dual teachings see focussing on the objective world as "avidya" (ignorance), getting lost in the phenomenal world, moving in a direction that takes one away from oneself. They teach going inward, towards subjectivity, discovering the nature of the sense of "I", and eventually even beyond this, is the path to the truth, and to liberation. The stuff I raised in the previous paragraph would be considered "doubt", a hindrance to liberation. But somehow I find this attitude unsatisfactory. It's like taking half a loaf. I think things are beginning to change, e.g. in conferences like the Science and Non-Duality conference. We see these ancient teachings do have some value. But we might not necessarily be able to take them at face value. So people try to reconcile these two great paths from the west and the east, see how they can inform each other, and possibly come up with a new synthesis.
For me, Going "under" anesthesia , gave me a tremendous "shock" . It was the first time i" lost" awareness totally after becoming "aware of awareness." ( sorry for the cliche , but i need words to describe the describable ) For the first time i had the sensation,as if a piece in "the flow" was cut out...I realized that a part of "my" non dual awareness, was " Based on faith" . It turned out a good "teaching"..One some needs a "kick of "fierce grace under the...If one gets to sure(?)" (at least , that is "my"interpretation")
Ernest Szeto: Thank you very much for your greatly thoughtful response.
I have read many articles of general anesthesia and I have talked to people who have gone under general anesthesia for surgery. However, personally, I have never gone under general anesthesia.
If I ever go under general anesthesia, I think I would prefer to get unconscious i.e. to lose all awareness of the self, surroundings and senses than to remain conscious. I have 'slept' fully conscious few nights. It is a very strange experience. The sleep seems still complete. The body still seems relaxed. But, it is as if I was in meditation all night. It is strange and interesting. However, I have no wish to sleep like this every night. I prefer slightly unconscious sleep. Why I don't like being 'fully awake' yet 'asleep' all night? Perhaps, I am still mentally not conformable with it. It is still too new and quite strange.
I have also been in a state (after certain meditation, usually) in which I can no longer sleep. In this state, I can relax, I can be thoughtless, I can mediate but, I can't turn the 'awake consciousness', 'alertness', 'full consciousness' off. Again, I don't prefer this state. I usually stop doing that kind of meditation, when it happens.
Even now, I largely sleep 'conscious' most of the nights except when I sleep after drinking alcohol, after having sex or when I am very tired. About 90% or more of the nights I sleep 'conscious'. As far as I know, anytime during my sleep, one can ask me any question in a normal conversation sound and I would be able to answer.
Deep sleep, the peace of deep sleep, the reality of deep sleep, 'what happens in deep sleep' is no longer a mystery to me. What happens when the 'body loses consciousness' is a mystery to me.
And what disappointed the most is the realization that these people, like Roger, even after their awakening trying to earn lot of $$$ using their knowledge or understanding. But what the difference between him and those who haven't got the realization then?! Why is he craving for money now?! when he knows WHO or What he really is?! He is absolutely the same as other 95% who are not awakened! No difference! All and everyone just want to get money! Awakened or not... :)
I have been wondering about this as well. Sadly, seems that the "human nature" doesn't suddenly stop liking cash :-)
Money buys freedom and escape from stress. If a 'guru' decided to work in MacDonalds then taught at night, free from stress and happy, I'd truly believe in enlightenment.
The Ultimate Answer - the Ultimate Spirituality - the Ultimate "Liberation"
==========================================================
1. Love Suffering. - Be OK with suffering. Accept suffering. Be fine with suffering.
2. Love "Not knowing". - Be OK with "not knowing". Accept "not knowing". Be fine with "not knowing".
And, be done.
Trying to "remove suffering", "end suffering", "escape suffering" is a wrong spiritual approach in my view. Trying "to know" too is a misleading approach. It keeps one going in endless loops, endless circles forever.
Accept suffering, accept not knowing and be done.
Brilliant interview amid the dross.
ONLY Reason you are likely "interested" in the things like "realization", "enlightenment", "liberation", "freedom", "moksha" - because, you "imagine" it to be different from your Present State, different from your Present Experience.
Why do you "imagine" so?
If you ADMIT... Now is the Moment... why do you "bother" about the STATE which is Not Here and Now?
If Now is the Moment... why "worry" about what is NOT Here and Now… but, might be "then" and “there”?
Exactly what is “wrong” with your Present Experience? Exactly what is “wrong” with your Present State?
What happens when you Complete Accept this Present State?
What happens when you don’t worry about any other state?
What if (your) Life is ONLY Now… what kind of “enlightenment” do you want then?
If the Life is ONLY Now… "when" do you want that “enlightenment”?
…
If Life is (not) Now… …”when” it is?
I dont understand if all this is predestined than what's the point ??.... My understanding is that consciousness or Source is expanding, evolving & learning through us & our experiences. Therefore there is free will and we certainly do control our circumstances to a large degree. We can see how that's so. With law of attraction, manifestation & cause and effect. To attribute all that happens and all potentials to a predestined story can in no way be observed so why would we consider that to be what's happening and ignore or dismiss the observable and felt examples of us having control of our lives, mostly ????
It is very possible to change & reduce our suffering without going so far as to say we aren't the doer.
Thanks for the question Kelly, it is one that many people who hear the concepts may have..
Let's start with the first part - "I don't understand!! if it's all predetermined then what's the point?" (then we can look at the rest of your question if needed after this gets clarified).
Well, there is an answer I can give outlining what the point even if life is predetermined, however before doing that, I think it is far more valuable to explore from where your question/statement is actually stemming from.
I suspect that the question/statement stems from an unquestioned pre-supposition which exists prior to the question. A pre-supposition that is not seen as being there and so when the suggestion that life is predetermined is made it clashes with this invisible presupposition and creates a mental disorientation, then the statement arises which says "I don't understand!! if it's all predetermined so what's the point".
Let's take an example to illustrate what I've written above .....in this example let's assume that there is an unquestioned pre-supposition in place that says 'the only point of writing a letter is to communicate what you think about a topic to another person in another location'
you tell a friend you want to communicate a message to another person elsewhere. The next day your friend tells you that the person with whom you wish to communicate your idea to via letter can read your mind, and that they already know that you want to communicate a message to them and have received your message telepathically. You are given proof of this and are satisfied that this is indeed the case.
If you're friend then asks "when are you going to write the letter to so and so?', you may proclaim "I don't understand, they already know what I wanted to say, what's the point?"
If the presupposition is unquestioned then it explains why the proclamation is made.
If the presupposition is correct then I agree with the proclamation.
However, if the pre supposition is incorrect the proclamation may be based on an inaccurate assumption.
Let's go back to your actual question. Can you figure out what the pre-supposition may be that, when you heard the concept "that it's all predetermined", created a mental disorientation that inspired the statement in your question "I don't get it, if it's all predetermined then what's the point?"
I'll answer further if needed once this part is clear, thanks Kelly.
This sounds like a good point: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
lets see how the "hard core" believer in Mahesh Yogi and TM and the TM taught stuff, Sr. Rick Ji handles it. Will he try to twist it to fit his existing "belief system"?
Or... Will he prove me (us) wrong and just admit once that... perhaps, maybe, just maybe, 'he is wrong' and 'he has been wrong' and maybe, 'he doesn't really know'. 'he has been just speculating and believing his speculations to to be true'.
Lets find out.
@Kristina: NO FREE WILL !!!
Roger beats about the Bush subtely ;-)..Re_ITERATiNG Nooo FREE WILL !!!
We are BIOLOGICAL ROBOTS !!!
100 tRILLION cELLED-EACH CELL-100 TRILLION ATOMS !
and if any BLIGHTER thinks he is in control...What a laugh???
Roger caved in: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
Another excellent point: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html . Will Sri Rick Ji "ever" get it?
But "on" and "off"... are a codependent arisings.
'Intellectual understanding' = what you have. 'Intellectual understanding' = what you who don't teach and don't charge money have. 'Intellectual understanding' = what you who aren't yet famous have. ...same goes for the 'mental gymnastics' too...
Same thing when I do... it is real shift in perspective, a deep realization with experiential verification. Why? ...because, I have TH-cam videos and I am willing to make money off of it :-)
Deep Realization = what I have. Deep Realization = what "my guru" has. Deep Realization = what those who are already making money have.
I have no interest in dividing people folks. I have no interest in creating castes, classes and categories... But, lets be clear folks... lets distinguish between "those who really know' and "those who only have intellectual understanding. "Those who really know" are the people who are making money by selling their knowledge or at least trying to. "Those who only have intellectual understanding" are people like you who aren't making money of it and aren't famous. Are we clear?
:-)
I don't know if Rick reads all of these, off topic here goes Just wrote to Tom Campbell, who has said it's not allowed. Rick with maybe John H were wondering if some one would ever show paranormal powers, siddhis. Have you seen Dynamo magic, it's unreal or too real. I would love to hear Rick's take on this th-cam.com/video/lLPsBhO0ws0/w-d-xo.html This what I wrote to Tom:
Dear Tom you and Rick Archer are both far wiser than me in many ways. Have you seen Dynamo breaking the laws of physics in massive ways? I heard you say God/? would not allow public demonstration of paranormal powers. Hundred million some views easy. Many think/write make videos saying a Gin or demon is helping him. Please, your insight with what's going on?
I am baffled how one person could learn/demonstrate some many massive paranormal powers, on their own. I know with cgi and paid people, we can be fooled, but some of it really seems way beyond that. Hundreds of them would have to be some of the best actors in the world. Their reactions seem very sincere and the CGI cost would be astronomical. Making it financially not feasible, for one channel. Your understanding, explanation would help me and others be more mentally clear. Thanks
Another excellent point : th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
Very good explanation: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
maybe elephant isnt one thing
Or maybe elephant is just not the right metaphor. Maybe water is more analogous with the idea of God than an elephant. And whoever has the experience of being immersed in water has the same experience. You either have it or you don't. There is no trunk and tail to it.
Ciprian Jurma
well said
What about this:
"I don't really know."
"I can't really know."
and,
"You don't really know."
"You can't really know."
Why?
...because, My (your) capacity to know is very, very, very, very limited compared to how How VAST this really is.
...because it is much vaster than what I (you) can grasp.
Be born, play, grow up, have sex, love, have many, many experience, drink beer, watch sports, discuss sports, discuss politics, sports, women, spirituality... celebrities, pop stars, "other people"... ..."God" and die... ...that is about it...
Even more briefly... Be Born... have sex... die...
Even more briefly... Experience...
+TOA (Transmission of Awakening) Then what are you doing wasting your time commenting ad infinitum on spiritual topics? Go drink a beer and have sex.
I do that my friend. Spiritual talk too is another hobby that I immensely enjoy.
What do you really want?
Uninterrupted peace - OK answer in my my opinion.
Real question and answer in my opinion:
What do you want?
Peace
When do you want it?
Now
Answer:
Investigate what separates you from Peace Right Now.
Investigate what you "care for", "value" more than Peace Right Now.
Investigate what you consider to be of the "higher priority" than the Peace Right Now.
Investigate what you are serving in place of the Peace Right Now.
Knowing... the answer... Can you drop that which separates you from Peace Right Now... and SEE what is left?
The spiritual teachings, nondual teaching can serve as “technique” to end suffering, to bring peace, happiness, love, joy and gratitude. And, in that regard, many spiritual teachings including Advaita and “Neo Advaita” can do excellent job.
The Most Potent Technique of course… ...IS… LOVE the Present Experience.
Ego. Suffering. Ignorance. Fear. Greed. Anger. Lust. is All Fine. Your Responsibility is to Just LOVE.
LOVE The Present Experience.
LOVE The Present Experience… no matter what that Present Experience is.
And, you are done.
Rest is largely just useless drama or entertainment :-)
Important thing to know and remember about a “technique” is to know and remember that a good “technique” is that which works, that which is effective, that which accomplishes it goal and that which you can truly adopt.
The “technique” is about “what works” and not really about “what is the truth”.
A good Table Tennis “technique” is that which helps you play well, defend well, attack well, enjoy the game and to win a point. A good Table Tennis “technique” doesn’t need to be about… …”the truth” of the table tennis.
In the same way, a good “spiritual” “technique” is ABOUT how to live life with peace, joy, gratitude, love and happiness. It doesn’t need to be about… …”the ultimate truth” of Life and Existence and Creation.
The problem comes when a “technique” is taken as the statement of the “ultimate truth”.
The problem comes when a table tennis technique of “how to spin a shot” or “how to return a spinning serve” is taken as a statement explaining “the origin of the table tennis” and “why the game of the table tennis was created”.
The problem comes when a technique meant to “end suffering” and experience peace” Right Now… is taken as “the Ultimate Reality of all Existence”, “the SOURCE behind it all”, “who created the universe” and “why the universe came into existence”.
Neo Advaita, Advaita, Buddhism, “Surrender, Forgive, Love”, “No free will”, “all is predetermined”, “God’s will alone is”, “what happens happens for good”, “thoughts just appear”, “Living in Now”, “there is no real I”, “the person is false”, “Love God”, “You are here to serve”, “Serve God”, “Serve Universe”, “serve Love”...
...are all excellent techniques to end suffering Right Now and to achieve Peace Right Now…
However, they are all inadequate and inappropriate as a statement explaining or describing “what God is”, “what source is”, “why the universe came into existence”, “who created the universe”, “what the ultimate reality or SOURCE is”...
And, in my opinion… that is where most of the “spiritual confusion” lies.
Drinking water alone is… NOT ENOUGH… to understand the chemical composition or the origin of water.
Suffering from schizophrenia is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or the cure of the schizophrenia.
First hand, direct experience of Cancer is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or the cure of Cancer.
First hand, direct experience of Consciousness is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or origin of the Consciousness.
Being Alive is… Not Enough... to understand the cause or origin of Life.
Sri Rick Ji, Are you addicted to this statement: th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html ? How many times you have to repeat this thing over and over?
Exactly how do you know "who really knows" and "who only has Intellectual understanding"? Do you have a some real scientific basis to judge it? Is it just based on how "famous" one is? Is it based on how much money one has? Is it based on how many followers one has?
Why not give it "rest", Sri Rick Ji? Or, explain... "exactly how do you know?" ("who really knows" and "who only has Intellectual understanding")?
The irony is that it is Rick's ''knowledge'' which is only intellectual despite him continually criticizing others of this. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Actually, I've been meditating (effectively) a couple of hours a day for 48 years. My knowledge is primarily experiential, supplemented by intellectual understanding.
Dear Rick Ji:
I assume you are knowledgeable of ancient Indian paths of Yoga, Bhakti and Jnana*.
As I understand…
The Yoga is the *path of experience* that ultimately culminates into experiencing complete unity, complete union with the Ultimate Reality or God.
The Bhakti is the path of Complete Surrender, Unconditional Love and Selfless Service. It is the path of of Loving the Lord and of serving her creation. This too culminates into experiencing complete unity, complete union with the Ultimate Reality or God.
The Jnana is an intellectual path. This is the path of study, contemplation, investigation and inquiry. This begins by examining if there is a separation in the first place. It begins by examining if the entity that is supposed to merge with the Ultimate Reality really has an independent, separate existence. It begins by examining if the entity that is supposed to merge with the Ultimate Reality… truly exists… in the first place!
=======
*I know that Gita added ‘Yoga’ at the end of Bhakti and Jnana and then created another yoga named ‘Karma Yoga’.
The Yoga I mention here includes the path described in detail Patanjali it includes practices like Prāṇāyāma, Āsana, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna with the goal being Samādhi. I include Tantra, Mantra as part of the Yoga too though, that was not covered by Patanjali.
Depending on the natural aptitude, attitude and maturity and fitness of the aspirant, Bhakti, Yoga or Jnana is deemed more suitable and is thus recommended.
All three are supposed to culminates into same knowledge but through three different paths.
There has been many discussion about which path is better though, a better question might be which one is more suitable to an individual given his/her maturity, fitness and ability. That said, many have thought (primarily those in Jnana Yoga, primarily those, intellectually focussed,) the Jnana to be the superior path.
However, it was not uncommon to hear those on the path of yoga to consider the ‘experience’ to be the supreme and to say the ‘knowledge alone’ lacks substance.
It wasn’t uncommon for those on the Bhakti Path to consider the devotion, love and service to be the best and to consider ‘knowledge’ to be the dry, ‘loveless’. Those on the Bhakti Path, the path of Surrender, Love and Service can also call the path of knowledge ‘ultimately useless’ path as it tries to do nothing to serve, help the needy, to remove suffering of others and to ‘fix’ the ‘problems’ of the world.
Those on the Jnana Yoga, on the other hand might see other paths simply slowing and delaying the Ultimate (knowledge) for no reason whatsoever.
As I understand…
The Christianity is primarily the path of Bhakti (Completely Surrender, Devotion, Unconditional Love to the Lord and the Service to all her Creations).
The Buddhism is primarily the path of Yoga (Meditation, Dhyana, Samadhi).
Advaita is primarily the path of Jnana (Knowledge, Inquiry, Investigation, Understanding).
Experiential Verification? - Like seeing the sun go around the earth with your own eyes? Like someone suffering from schizophrenia - "seeing" things and "hearing" voices? or - like a real scientist with consistent procedure and consistent repeatable objective results?
What about some honesty :-)?
th-cam.com/video/9nIqbbL2JKM/w-d-xo.html
"Good thoughts" come from the "God" and the "bad thoughts" come from something else - is that how it is Sri Rick Ji?
While I have really enjoyed this interview I was quite disappointed to find out how much Roger charges people for his 3-6 days retreats ( 500-700 euros!) aw, no, thank you! I don't think it's very genuine to make business on this kind of thing! What if I can't afford it? then oh sorry, you can't deserve the self realization?! What a shame on such money makers " awakened souls " :)
"You need to take care of the basic stuff before can seek realization" - really? - approximately, how many of your viewers and listeners really have their basic need of health, sleep, food, shelter, medicine, money, education, rest, security, social acceptance, friendship really well taken care of :-)?
Aren't most people suffering simply because their basic needs of good health, food, clothing, shelter, medicine, sleep, rest, security is not well taken care of and because they don't feel secured in this regard.
What percentage of the top 0.1% truly worry about spirituality and nonduality?
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Dear Sri Rick Ji:
So what is your belief, knowledge or "theory" in this regard?
Do you believe that the "good" things are created by the "God" but the "bad" things are created by something else?
Do you believe that the Light is created by the "God" but the Darkness is created by something else?
Do you believe that the Birth is created by the "God" but the Death is created by something else?
Do you believe that the Birth is created by the "God" but the Death is created by something else?
Do you believe that schizophrenia and many other mental illnesses are created by something else?
Do you believe that the children born without limbs are created by something else?
Do you believe that the cats eating their own cubs are created by something else?
Do you believe that the blood sucking mosquitoes are created by something else?
Do you believe that the dogs chasing and killing squirrels for no reason whatsoever are created by something else?
Do you believe that the cancer, plague, paralysis is created by something else?
Do you believe that the Gandhi is created by the "God" but Donald Trump is created by something else?
Who or what other than figment of your own imagination and your own belief system this "God" of yours is?
Comments are disabled for every video. He seems very secure in his enlightenment. I love your work but this guy is such a scammer. He can't even defend his experience. Please. Next week he will be selling gem stones from India.