Is There a Difference Between Consciousness and Awareness? from the media Being Is Prior to Everything
A woman says she understands inseparability but asks if there is a subtle difference between consciousness and awareness. Rupert responds that they are the same.
- Duration: 7 minutes and 0 seconds
- Recorded on: Jul 2, 2023
- Event: The Essence of Meditation – Online Weekend Retreat at Home
A man says during contemplation he had a sudden recognition of his being, but his mind and heart are still very active. THere is a fight between what he knows and how he’s reacting. He asks what to do in the midst of strong emotions. Rupert responds that rather than expressing the feeling, enquire into the one who is having the feeling in the midst of the emotion.
A woman says she understands inseparability but asks if there is a subtle difference between consciousness and awareness. Rupert responds that they are the same.
A man asks about the relationship between memory, meditation and changes in one's life. Rupert says we can be aware of being whilst studying for exams. The 'I am' is always shining in the background of experience. The recognition of our true nature has an effect on the mind. Therefore, our self, thoughts, feelings and actions proceed from that.
A woman describes a vision she had during meditation, and asks for help interpreting it. Rupert references how the meditation on 'I am' cleans out the obstacles or tendencies of the mind. Here, we wash the mind clean from the inside with the pure knowledge of 'I am.'
A man comments on the idea that consciousness has no agenda and doesn't evolve, and asks if the activity of consciousness evolves. Rupert asks prior to the arising of mind, what purpose would there be anywhere for anything. Absolutely the activity of consciousness is evolving. It cannot not evolve. Awareness never evolves; mind always evolves.
A woman references a comment Rupert made about every appearance being a manifestation of infinite awareness. Rupert says that all thought and activity comes from infinite awareness. There is no individual personal entity to be responsible for their thoughts and activities. Everything is the impersonal activity of the one.
A man asks about being as it is prior to any description. Rupert agrees that being is prior to anything and everything.
A man describes his struggle with daydreaming and asks about the book 'I Am That' and self-enquiry. Rupert suggests he not ask 'Who am I?' over and over again because it becomes mechanical. There are other questions such as 'What is aware?', 'What is consistently present?' and 'Who was I before I was born?' The answer is non-verbal. Nor is saying 'I am not my thoughts' enough.
A man, who has been meditating for nearly fifty years, says there has been a recent shift, and everything has become still and clear, even in the midst of being upset. He asks how he can be sure that this is what is intended. Rupert says that his impulse to cry comes from this shift to being. The feeling of relief is his body thanking him. Peace is its own evidence.
A question is asked about sensation in meditation which becomes a fear of the sensations, boundaries and the body completely dissolving. Rupert responds that we feel the body in a way that correlates with our belief about the body. When meditating, we leave our beliefs behind so the body is experienced without those beliefs, as raw sensations, as if feeling it for the first time.
A woman asks about the experience of no demarcation between the body and the world during meditation, but there still seems to be separation the rest of the time. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to discover the reality of the experience of boundaries of the body, in an attempt to find actual limits.
A woman asks if a person defocuses as a person, should it feel like happiness and joy. Rupert responds that it is more accurate to say that it is experienced as the absence of agitation, which is generally referred to as peace, and the absence of lack, which we refer to as happiness.
A man asks about closing the gap between the depths of consciousness and the surface of experience. Rupert suggests that initially we turn our back on the content of experience. Having discriminated between what is essential and what is superfluous, it is then necessary to turn back to experience and befriend the mind and the body, aligning it with the understanding. We have to invite the mind back to the party.
A woman asks about what to do when the old life has fallen away. Rupert asks if there are any physical activities that she enjoys doing. Try to do something in alignment with what she loves to do.
A man, who has experienced oneness and wants to help a family member, asks about how to share the experience. Rupert asks if the family member has asked for advice. If not, don't offer it. This does not mean that you cannot live your understanding with your family member without speaking of it. Just by our presence, we’re sharing our understanding.
A man describes his frustration with sharing his understanding with friends and family. Rupert reiterates that we should be careful not to teach our friends or family members; just share our love and understanding.
A man, who says he likes the idea of non-meditation, asks about self-abidance and effort. Rupert responds with an analogy: for King Lear to abide as John Smith, he is required to trace his way back through his thoughts, feelings, sensations and so on; so it's something he has to do. But for John Smith, there is nothing he needs to do. He needs to practise being John Smith.
A man references Wordsworth's line 'half-perceive, half-create' and asks about what he is perceiving and what he is creating. Rupert responds that we know it's reality, but we create the appearance. There's no pre-existing tree; we simply call what appears a 'tree'.
A man says during contemplation he had a sudden recognition of his being, but his mind and heart are still very active. THere is a fight between what he knows and how he’s reacting. He asks what to do in the midst of strong emotions. Rupert responds that rather than expressing the feeling, enquire into the one who is having the feeling in the midst of the emotion.
A woman says she understands inseparability but asks if there is a subtle difference between consciousness and awareness. Rupert responds that they are the same.
A man asks about the relationship between memory, meditation and changes in one's life. Rupert says we can be aware of being whilst studying for exams. The 'I am' is always shining in the background of experience. The recognition of our true nature has an effect on the mind. Therefore, our self, thoughts, feelings and actions proceed from that.
A woman describes a vision she had during meditation, and asks for help interpreting it. Rupert references how the meditation on 'I am' cleans out the obstacles or tendencies of the mind. Here, we wash the mind clean from the inside with the pure knowledge of 'I am.'
A man comments on the idea that consciousness has no agenda and doesn't evolve, and asks if the activity of consciousness evolves. Rupert asks prior to the arising of mind, what purpose would there be anywhere for anything. Absolutely the activity of consciousness is evolving. It cannot not evolve. Awareness never evolves; mind always evolves.
A woman references a comment Rupert made about every appearance being a manifestation of infinite awareness. Rupert says that all thought and activity comes from infinite awareness. There is no individual personal entity to be responsible for their thoughts and activities. Everything is the impersonal activity of the one.
A man asks about being as it is prior to any description. Rupert agrees that being is prior to anything and everything.
A man describes his struggle with daydreaming and asks about the book 'I Am That' and self-enquiry. Rupert suggests he not ask 'Who am I?' over and over again because it becomes mechanical. There are other questions such as 'What is aware?', 'What is consistently present?' and 'Who was I before I was born?' The answer is non-verbal. Nor is saying 'I am not my thoughts' enough.
A man, who has been meditating for nearly fifty years, says there has been a recent shift, and everything has become still and clear, even in the midst of being upset. He asks how he can be sure that this is what is intended. Rupert says that his impulse to cry comes from this shift to being. The feeling of relief is his body thanking him. Peace is its own evidence.
A question is asked about sensation in meditation which becomes a fear of the sensations, boundaries and the body completely dissolving. Rupert responds that we feel the body in a way that correlates with our belief about the body. When meditating, we leave our beliefs behind so the body is experienced without those beliefs, as raw sensations, as if feeling it for the first time.
A woman asks about the experience of no demarcation between the body and the world during meditation, but there still seems to be separation the rest of the time. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to discover the reality of the experience of boundaries of the body, in an attempt to find actual limits.
A woman asks if a person defocuses as a person, should it feel like happiness and joy. Rupert responds that it is more accurate to say that it is experienced as the absence of agitation, which is generally referred to as peace, and the absence of lack, which we refer to as happiness.
A man asks about closing the gap between the depths of consciousness and the surface of experience. Rupert suggests that initially we turn our back on the content of experience. Having discriminated between what is essential and what is superfluous, it is then necessary to turn back to experience and befriend the mind and the body, aligning it with the understanding. We have to invite the mind back to the party.
A woman asks about what to do when the old life has fallen away. Rupert asks if there are any physical activities that she enjoys doing. Try to do something in alignment with what she loves to do.
A man, who has experienced oneness and wants to help a family member, asks about how to share the experience. Rupert asks if the family member has asked for advice. If not, don't offer it. This does not mean that you cannot live your understanding with your family member without speaking of it. Just by our presence, we’re sharing our understanding.
A man describes his frustration with sharing his understanding with friends and family. Rupert reiterates that we should be careful not to teach our friends or family members; just share our love and understanding.
A man, who says he likes the idea of non-meditation, asks about self-abidance and effort. Rupert responds with an analogy: for King Lear to abide as John Smith, he is required to trace his way back through his thoughts, feelings, sensations and so on; so it's something he has to do. But for John Smith, there is nothing he needs to do. He needs to practise being John Smith.
A man references Wordsworth's line 'half-perceive, half-create' and asks about what he is perceiving and what he is creating. Rupert responds that we know it's reality, but we create the appearance. There's no pre-existing tree; we simply call what appears a 'tree'.