Biblical Metaphor and Truth from the media Two Types of Silence
A participant asks about the meaning behind Jesus casting demons into swine in the Gospels. Rupert explains this as a teaching metaphor appropriate to its audience, comparing it to Meister Eckhart’s description of establishing oneself in nothing to enter the naked being of God.
- Duration: 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 57 seconds
- Recorded on: Nov 17, 2024
- Event: Seven-Day Retreat at The Vedanta – 15 to 22 November 2024
An attendee asks about being in the ‘here and now’ when internal dialogue dies down. Rupert explains there are two types of silence – the silence of the mind (absence of thoughts) and the deeper silence of the heart that lies behind both thoughts and their absence, describing this as the ‘passing away’ and the ‘passing away of the passing away’.
A participant from India shares that whilst he recognises he is not his thoughts, he experiences uncomfortable bodily feelings in public situations. Rupert points out that just as we are not our thoughts, we are not our feelings or sensations either, suggesting to keep going back beyond each layer until reaching what cannot be removed.
The questioner describes her experience of losing her husband to motor neuron disease and the ongoing suffering of her family. Rupert suggests that something has become ‘frozen’ in her heart, encouraging her to feel her husband’s being as her own being, explaining that love is the experience of shared being that transcends physical presence.
An attendee describes experiencing pure witnessing without ownership. Rupert explains that witnessing implies an object being witnessed, suggesting she move beyond being a witness to being aware of being aware, as this is the true recognition of our nature.
The questioner worries that returning to true being feels like an escape from the world. Rupert acknowledges this as a temporary and necessary ‘spiritual bypass’ to recognise our true nature, explaining that we then re-engage with experience but from our true nature rather than a separate self.
A participant asks about the meaning behind Jesus casting demons into swine in the Gospels. Rupert explains this as a teaching metaphor appropriate to its audience, comparing it to Meister Eckhart’s description of establishing oneself in nothing to enter the naked being of God.
An attendee asks about being in the ‘here and now’ when internal dialogue dies down. Rupert explains there are two types of silence – the silence of the mind (absence of thoughts) and the deeper silence of the heart that lies behind both thoughts and their absence, describing this as the ‘passing away’ and the ‘passing away of the passing away’.
A participant from India shares that whilst he recognises he is not his thoughts, he experiences uncomfortable bodily feelings in public situations. Rupert points out that just as we are not our thoughts, we are not our feelings or sensations either, suggesting to keep going back beyond each layer until reaching what cannot be removed.
The questioner describes her experience of losing her husband to motor neuron disease and the ongoing suffering of her family. Rupert suggests that something has become ‘frozen’ in her heart, encouraging her to feel her husband’s being as her own being, explaining that love is the experience of shared being that transcends physical presence.
An attendee describes experiencing pure witnessing without ownership. Rupert explains that witnessing implies an object being witnessed, suggesting she move beyond being a witness to being aware of being aware, as this is the true recognition of our nature.
The questioner worries that returning to true being feels like an escape from the world. Rupert acknowledges this as a temporary and necessary ‘spiritual bypass’ to recognise our true nature, explaining that we then re-engage with experience but from our true nature rather than a separate self.
A participant asks about the meaning behind Jesus casting demons into swine in the Gospels. Rupert explains this as a teaching metaphor appropriate to its audience, comparing it to Meister Eckhart’s description of establishing oneself in nothing to enter the naked being of God.