Is the Body the Separate Self? from the media The Underlying Reality of God

A woman asks, ‘Can I have experience of beauty in the absence of an object?’ Rupert suggests that is always the case. Beauty is the collapse of the subject–object relationship.

A woman talks about her writing process and asks Rupert to speak to his experience. Rupert suggests that some writings come fast and finished, but when they don’t, it’s about a process of removal. She then asks if he thinks those poems that take a lot of work are of less value. Rupert says, ‘No’.

A man references the idea that being has no experience. Rupert says that what he meant by that was that being has no objective experience of itself. An object is only such from the perspective of a subject. That is why the eyes cannot see themselves. In order to know something, we must stand apart from it. Being cannot stand apart from itself, but it knows itself by being itself. It is an utterly unique experience.

A man references a teacher workshop given by Eckhart Tolle and asks Rupert what his course would be like. Rupert suggests that it would be exactly like the retreats, saying, ‘This is the course’. If we come back, the course will have been refined, and that will be the new course. It’s a new course every time.

Regarding who is qualified to share this understanding, Rupert suggests that we are not qualified by what we know; we are qualified by the depth of our love of the truth. Some will do it formally; some will do it other ways. We all have a sacred duty to go out in the world and to share this love and understanding. We have been given this beautiful gift.

A woman references the qualities of being – the intimate and impersonal, specifically. Rupert asks her what her primary experience of herself is; that is, the experience of being, which is our innermost experience. Even thoughts and feelings are at a distance compared to our being. This is intimacy. They then explore the experience of being as impersonal qualities.

A man asks about how John Smith can awaken to himself as John Smith, if being can’t know being. Rupert says that John Smith knows himself again. Infinite consciousness is self-aware, but it doesn't know itself as anything in subject–object relationship. The sun illuminates itself; it doesn't turn around to illuminate itself.

A man asks about oneness and a sense of loneliness. Rupert suggests that the ego has appropriated the understanding and is using it to further its own sense of separation. It is not the ego that is alone; it is the one, infinite being. That aloneness, as the one, is experienced in a finite mind as love. There is one being – I and the other are that.

A man describes witnessing his conditioning. Rupert suggests that to know our self, we don't need to know or rearrange the content of our experience. All we have to do is go to being. Conditioning arises because we know we are the open, empty space of awareness; there is no need to suppress it. Let it bubble up. In time, much of it will evaporate.

A woman asks if our history happened. Rupert suggests that ultimately, nothing happens, which is the view from the top of the mountain. If we come down a bit, we could say that it happened, but it didn't happen in the time and space that seems to be real to us.

A woman references feelings of unworthiness and wonders what to do. Rupert suggests that this pervasive feeling that something is missing is the very core of the separate self. It is good that she is feeling it. Just completely surrender it to the ocean of being and let this feeling of unworthiness soak in being. Immerse. It is the ocean of being. Rupert then amends his suggestion and suggests that she turn toward the experience and embrace it. Be the feeling.

A man relays his struggles to get past the separate self. Rupert suggests that the separate self feeds on the attention we give it. If we stop making the separate self our project, we don't feed it. Why would we give our love, attention and energy to that which isn't there? The peace you seek is the nature of your being.

A man asks, ‘How do I stay in being?’ Rupert suggests that his question suggests that he is an entity that visits being and then leaves it. We can't stay in being; we are being. There is no question of staying there. It would be like the space of the room asking how it could stay in the space of the universe.

A man makes a brief statement about an experience he had at retreat, 'If you resist it, do it anyway. Thankfulness will be behind it.' Rupert's response is silence.

A woman shares how she handles her experience of depression: first recognising being lost and then asking for help. Rupert affirms that it is a beautiful practice. What she is doing when she asks for help is placing herself in the right relationship to the one, that which truly is. At that moment, being comes in to affect the situation and her mind interprets it in a way that is consistent with her particular conditioning, calling it an angel or God. The important element of this ritual is opening herself.

A man asks about pure potential and love. Rupert suggests God’s thoughts are not literally God’s thoughts. What we are looking at, that seems to be a universe, is really the inside of God’s mind. The idea of God is conceived in relation to the separate self that we seem to be. When we speak of God here, it is something different: the underlying reality.

A woman shares that her therapist is retiring and is feeling love, grief and gratitude. Rupert suggests that if you love someone very deeply, it is never possible to fully express our gratitude to them. That is something we have to suffer. Rupert also suggests that this parting is your therapist’s last great gift to you.

A woman, who is a creative, relays her desire to be released as she struggles. Rupert suggests that none of us know where we are going in life; we trust in God.

A man asks about the separate self and having boundaries in the face of abuse. Rupert suggests that drawing boundaries is legitimate to do; it is not an action of the separate self. However, when there is emotional abuse, one can still understand that there is no self in us that can be abused. However, we can still demand that the relationship ceases.

A woman asks, ‘Can I have experience of beauty in the absence of an object?’ Rupert suggests that is always the case. Beauty is the collapse of the subject–object relationship.

A woman talks about her writing process and asks Rupert to speak to his experience. Rupert suggests that some writings come fast and finished, but when they don’t, it’s about a process of removal. She then asks if he thinks those poems that take a lot of work are of less value. Rupert says, ‘No’.

A man references the idea that being has no experience. Rupert says that what he meant by that was that being has no objective experience of itself. An object is only such from the perspective of a subject. That is why the eyes cannot see themselves. In order to know something, we must stand apart from it. Being cannot stand apart from itself, but it knows itself by being itself. It is an utterly unique experience.

A man references a teacher workshop given by Eckhart Tolle and asks Rupert what his course would be like. Rupert suggests that it would be exactly like the retreats, saying, ‘This is the course’. If we come back, the course will have been refined, and that will be the new course. It’s a new course every time.

Regarding who is qualified to share this understanding, Rupert suggests that we are not qualified by what we know; we are qualified by the depth of our love of the truth. Some will do it formally; some will do it other ways. We all have a sacred duty to go out in the world and to share this love and understanding. We have been given this beautiful gift.

A woman references the qualities of being – the intimate and impersonal, specifically. Rupert asks her what her primary experience of herself is; that is, the experience of being, which is our innermost experience. Even thoughts and feelings are at a distance compared to our being. This is intimacy. They then explore the experience of being as impersonal qualities.

A man asks about how John Smith can awaken to himself as John Smith, if being can’t know being. Rupert says that John Smith knows himself again. Infinite consciousness is self-aware, but it doesn't know itself as anything in subject–object relationship. The sun illuminates itself; it doesn't turn around to illuminate itself.

A man asks about oneness and a sense of loneliness. Rupert suggests that the ego has appropriated the understanding and is using it to further its own sense of separation. It is not the ego that is alone; it is the one, infinite being. That aloneness, as the one, is experienced in a finite mind as love. There is one being – I and the other are that.

A man describes witnessing his conditioning. Rupert suggests that to know our self, we don't need to know or rearrange the content of our experience. All we have to do is go to being. Conditioning arises because we know we are the open, empty space of awareness; there is no need to suppress it. Let it bubble up. In time, much of it will evaporate.

A woman asks if our history happened. Rupert suggests that ultimately, nothing happens, which is the view from the top of the mountain. If we come down a bit, we could say that it happened, but it didn't happen in the time and space that seems to be real to us.

A woman references feelings of unworthiness and wonders what to do. Rupert suggests that this pervasive feeling that something is missing is the very core of the separate self. It is good that she is feeling it. Just completely surrender it to the ocean of being and let this feeling of unworthiness soak in being. Immerse. It is the ocean of being. Rupert then amends his suggestion and suggests that she turn toward the experience and embrace it. Be the feeling.

A man relays his struggles to get past the separate self. Rupert suggests that the separate self feeds on the attention we give it. If we stop making the separate self our project, we don't feed it. Why would we give our love, attention and energy to that which isn't there? The peace you seek is the nature of your being.

A man asks, ‘How do I stay in being?’ Rupert suggests that his question suggests that he is an entity that visits being and then leaves it. We can't stay in being; we are being. There is no question of staying there. It would be like the space of the room asking how it could stay in the space of the universe.

A man makes a brief statement about an experience he had at retreat, 'If you resist it, do it anyway. Thankfulness will be behind it.' Rupert's response is silence.

A woman shares how she handles her experience of depression: first recognising being lost and then asking for help. Rupert affirms that it is a beautiful practice. What she is doing when she asks for help is placing herself in the right relationship to the one, that which truly is. At that moment, being comes in to affect the situation and her mind interprets it in a way that is consistent with her particular conditioning, calling it an angel or God. The important element of this ritual is opening herself.

A man asks about pure potential and love. Rupert suggests God’s thoughts are not literally God’s thoughts. What we are looking at, that seems to be a universe, is really the inside of God’s mind. The idea of God is conceived in relation to the separate self that we seem to be. When we speak of God here, it is something different: the underlying reality.

A woman shares that her therapist is retiring and is feeling love, grief and gratitude. Rupert suggests that if you love someone very deeply, it is never possible to fully express our gratitude to them. That is something we have to suffer. Rupert also suggests that this parting is your therapist’s last great gift to you.

A woman, who is a creative, relays her desire to be released as she struggles. Rupert suggests that none of us know where we are going in life; we trust in God.

A man asks about the separate self and having boundaries in the face of abuse. Rupert suggests that drawing boundaries is legitimate to do; it is not an action of the separate self. However, when there is emotional abuse, one can still understand that there is no self in us that can be abused. However, we can still demand that the relationship ceases.