The World of Matter and Things Is an Illusion from the media Be Knowingly the Presence of Awareness

Be knowingly the open, empty, luminous presence of awareness with which all experience is known, within which all experience appears, and out of which all experience is made. We don't become the presence of awareness; we simply notice what we always and already are. We mistook ourselves for a bundle of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Now we realise ‘I Am’ the presence of awareness, not separate from any experience, never resisting, holding onto or seeking any particular experience. Normally, experience seems to veil the fact of being. In meditation, the fact of being shines through experience. Eventually the content of experience loses its ability to veil being and the conflict between awareness and experience ceases. We no longer go back and forth between the two – they are no longer two. Awareness taking the form of experience, or awareness resting in being, is always the same awareness, always only itself whatever is experienced.

A man, who enjoys being alone, asks how to know if his ability to be alone comes from a place of love and connection rather than an egoic creation. Rupert suggests that if we feels at peace for no reason when we are at home alone, then it’s the real peace of our true nature, as opposed to continually distracting ourself to avoid feelings of discomfort.

What stage am I at? A woman recounts confusing experiences and asks where she is at on her spiritual journey. Rupert responds that we may have a glimpse of ourself as awareness which can be so exciting that it causes us to lose interest in the usual activities in daily life. This turning away is a very natural stage. Eventually there is a turning back, living and expressing life as this understanding, as our true identity as awareness. The distinction between meditation and everyday life disappears. Activities in the world are no longer distractions but are engaged in fully and without conflict.

A man, who stopped drinking alcohol three years ago, says he notices more turbulence in his life now. Rupert suggests that in the past, at the first sign of conflict, he would have numbed himself. He is no longer doing that. Now, he is fully feeling and allowing difficult feelings. In some way, it’s more intense, but it’s a huge sign of progress.

A woman says that as the journey goes along things get more difficult, especially when distinguishing between actions that arise on behalf of the ego and those that arise on behalf of awareness. Rupert responds that the ego often comes in after the activity to claim the action, and that can be noticed and questioned. A good way to tell is to see if we feel enhanced or diminished by one's actions, which is egoic. Eventually we cease to question motivation and act spontaneously from the space of awareness.

A woman, who cites a recent school shooting, asks for advice on how to remain empathetic without getting caught up. Rupert says that when there is a very intense experience, it echoes in our body for some time. He suggests that she is feeling the sorrow of others as her own. Be the loving space of awareness and offer this sorrow to that space because in doing so, we don't only process our own sorrow, we process humanity’s sorrow.

A man, who last talked with Rupert when he was preparing to begin a jail sentence and was lost, says that conversation helped him to stay with what was going on. He thanks Rupert for how clearly he articulates the understanding.

Why do anything if awareness doesn't care and is not impacted by what happens. Rupert responds that there are many reasons – to take care of the body, caretaking for children or people in need, and also to express this understanding, to celebrate it in some way, such as calling a friend and sharing a meal.

What should we do or feel when we are misunderstood? Rupert suggests going back to the person who misunderstood us and express ourself clearly and take responsibility for not communicating clearly. Apologise and explain what we meant. It's not egoic because you are seeking harmony rather than conflict.

A woman says she is very far from her true nature. Rupert suggests that when you say, ‘I am very far from being established in my true nature’, what you're really saying is, ‘I am very far from awareness’. In other words, ‘I am an ego, I am something other than the presence of awareness. I am very far from being established in my true nature.’ You are asserting the reality of the separate self, which is blasphemy.

A woman asks about self-enquiry because what she is doing is not working for her. Rupert suggests that if it doesn’t work for her, she might take another route. Perhaps take the thought, ‘I am’ once, and ask yourself, ‘To what experience do the words “I am” refer?’

A man asks a question for a woman who is very ill. She wants to know why death has not happened yet and why she has to suffer so much. Rupert responds that while you're alive there is still an opportunity to return to your true nature which is the real death. She has time to return to her being before she dies because not knowing who we are is the cause of suffering.

A woman talks of feeling tied up in a knot about her desire for a relationship with God and the non-dual understanding, which says there is no separation. Rupert suggests that there's God's being shining directly in each of our hearts as the knowledge ‘I am’ and God's being appearing to us to from our localised point of view as the world. In other words, relationship is how the unity of being appears in duality. Unity of being expresses itself in subject–object relationship.

What is the role of science in a world where matter, or things, is an illusion? Rupert responds that science tells us how the world and nature works and how to get around in it.

How does Rupert navigate his day-to-day life, such as making decisions? Rupert briefly speaks of his morning schedule, the point being is that his day is ordinary like everyone else's; there is nothing special about it. There are some habitual elements and structure, but there is also some fluidity and spontaneity to it.

A woman asks if the construction of time and space changes after we realise our being. Rupert suggests that we still use time to function, but we know that the time that we use is not of the nature of reality but how reality appears to a finite mind.

A man asks about for clarification on a quote from Adyashanti that firstly, there is no birth, old age or death, but secondly, there is also no end to birth, old age and death. Rupert suggests sending the teacher an email to ask him to explain what he meant by the statement as he is reluctant to interpret another teacher's words. However, he offers a tentative explanation of the quote from the general, non-dual point of view.

A man talks about lucid waking and the continuity of consciousness throughout the three states and asks if lucid waking and Turiya the same. Rupert suggests that Turiya is about recognising the three states as impermanent and limited, they appear and disappear. The Vedantic tradition says that there is something constant that lies behind the three states, which makes consciousness a fourth state, but it’s not. It is beyond states. Lucid waking is when, in the presence of the world, we recognise consciousness shining in and as the world.

Be knowingly the open, empty, luminous presence of awareness with which all experience is known, within which all experience appears, and out of which all experience is made. We don't become the presence of awareness; we simply notice what we always and already are. We mistook ourselves for a bundle of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Now we realise ‘I Am’ the presence of awareness, not separate from any experience, never resisting, holding onto or seeking any particular experience. Normally, experience seems to veil the fact of being. In meditation, the fact of being shines through experience. Eventually the content of experience loses its ability to veil being and the conflict between awareness and experience ceases. We no longer go back and forth between the two – they are no longer two. Awareness taking the form of experience, or awareness resting in being, is always the same awareness, always only itself whatever is experienced.

A man, who enjoys being alone, asks how to know if his ability to be alone comes from a place of love and connection rather than an egoic creation. Rupert suggests that if we feels at peace for no reason when we are at home alone, then it’s the real peace of our true nature, as opposed to continually distracting ourself to avoid feelings of discomfort.

What stage am I at? A woman recounts confusing experiences and asks where she is at on her spiritual journey. Rupert responds that we may have a glimpse of ourself as awareness which can be so exciting that it causes us to lose interest in the usual activities in daily life. This turning away is a very natural stage. Eventually there is a turning back, living and expressing life as this understanding, as our true identity as awareness. The distinction between meditation and everyday life disappears. Activities in the world are no longer distractions but are engaged in fully and without conflict.

A man, who stopped drinking alcohol three years ago, says he notices more turbulence in his life now. Rupert suggests that in the past, at the first sign of conflict, he would have numbed himself. He is no longer doing that. Now, he is fully feeling and allowing difficult feelings. In some way, it’s more intense, but it’s a huge sign of progress.

A woman says that as the journey goes along things get more difficult, especially when distinguishing between actions that arise on behalf of the ego and those that arise on behalf of awareness. Rupert responds that the ego often comes in after the activity to claim the action, and that can be noticed and questioned. A good way to tell is to see if we feel enhanced or diminished by one's actions, which is egoic. Eventually we cease to question motivation and act spontaneously from the space of awareness.

A woman, who cites a recent school shooting, asks for advice on how to remain empathetic without getting caught up. Rupert says that when there is a very intense experience, it echoes in our body for some time. He suggests that she is feeling the sorrow of others as her own. Be the loving space of awareness and offer this sorrow to that space because in doing so, we don't only process our own sorrow, we process humanity’s sorrow.

A man, who last talked with Rupert when he was preparing to begin a jail sentence and was lost, says that conversation helped him to stay with what was going on. He thanks Rupert for how clearly he articulates the understanding.

Why do anything if awareness doesn't care and is not impacted by what happens. Rupert responds that there are many reasons – to take care of the body, caretaking for children or people in need, and also to express this understanding, to celebrate it in some way, such as calling a friend and sharing a meal.

What should we do or feel when we are misunderstood? Rupert suggests going back to the person who misunderstood us and express ourself clearly and take responsibility for not communicating clearly. Apologise and explain what we meant. It's not egoic because you are seeking harmony rather than conflict.

A woman says she is very far from her true nature. Rupert suggests that when you say, ‘I am very far from being established in my true nature’, what you're really saying is, ‘I am very far from awareness’. In other words, ‘I am an ego, I am something other than the presence of awareness. I am very far from being established in my true nature.’ You are asserting the reality of the separate self, which is blasphemy.

A woman asks about self-enquiry because what she is doing is not working for her. Rupert suggests that if it doesn’t work for her, she might take another route. Perhaps take the thought, ‘I am’ once, and ask yourself, ‘To what experience do the words “I am” refer?’

A man asks a question for a woman who is very ill. She wants to know why death has not happened yet and why she has to suffer so much. Rupert responds that while you're alive there is still an opportunity to return to your true nature which is the real death. She has time to return to her being before she dies because not knowing who we are is the cause of suffering.

A woman talks of feeling tied up in a knot about her desire for a relationship with God and the non-dual understanding, which says there is no separation. Rupert suggests that there's God's being shining directly in each of our hearts as the knowledge ‘I am’ and God's being appearing to us to from our localised point of view as the world. In other words, relationship is how the unity of being appears in duality. Unity of being expresses itself in subject–object relationship.

What is the role of science in a world where matter, or things, is an illusion? Rupert responds that science tells us how the world and nature works and how to get around in it.

How does Rupert navigate his day-to-day life, such as making decisions? Rupert briefly speaks of his morning schedule, the point being is that his day is ordinary like everyone else's; there is nothing special about it. There are some habitual elements and structure, but there is also some fluidity and spontaneity to it.

A woman asks if the construction of time and space changes after we realise our being. Rupert suggests that we still use time to function, but we know that the time that we use is not of the nature of reality but how reality appears to a finite mind.

A man asks about for clarification on a quote from Adyashanti that firstly, there is no birth, old age or death, but secondly, there is also no end to birth, old age and death. Rupert suggests sending the teacher an email to ask him to explain what he meant by the statement as he is reluctant to interpret another teacher's words. However, he offers a tentative explanation of the quote from the general, non-dual point of view.

A man talks about lucid waking and the continuity of consciousness throughout the three states and asks if lucid waking and Turiya the same. Rupert suggests that Turiya is about recognising the three states as impermanent and limited, they appear and disappear. The Vedantic tradition says that there is something constant that lies behind the three states, which makes consciousness a fourth state, but it’s not. It is beyond states. Lucid waking is when, in the presence of the world, we recognise consciousness shining in and as the world.