Awareness Doesn't Take Anything Personally from the media Silence Is the Only Radical Insight
A man shares that he feels he is taking things more personally the older he gets and asks about depersonalisation in non-duality. Rupert suggests that we do ‘depersonalise’ in the sense that we don’t take our thoughts and feelings personally, but that doesn't mean that we just smile sweetly and say ‘yes’ to everything. There are times when we need to have courage and stand up and say ‘no.’ Awareness doesn’t take anything personally.
- Duration: 14 minutes and 11 seconds
- Recorded on: Sep 20, 2022
- Event: Seven Day Retreat at The Vedanta – 17th to 24th September
A woman asks, ‘Why am I me?’ Rupert suggests that in order for awareness to know something objective, it can only do so from a localised point of view. Using the dream and dreamer analogy, Rupert elaborates.
A woman asks, ‘Am I responsible for my life?’ Rupert suggests that if we credit the separate self with existence then yes, but ultimately, no, as there is only one entity. However, at the relative level, we should do our best to make choices and decisions to the best of our ability and in line with our understanding.
A woman says that it feels as if thoughts are in her head and feelings are in her chest. She asks, 'What are thoughts and why do they feel like they're inside the head?' Rupert responds that the feeling of location in the head is because that is where all our sense organs are located, so whatever is seen feels as if it is perceived from the head. In the metaphor of Mary and Jane, whatever happens in the dream, or seemingly in Jane's head, is not really found in time or space. Thoughts and feelings appear inside and feel private; activity of the world appears outside and is shared and perceived by all of us. There is no 'why' for why this localisation happens; there is no reason why it happens, or it would already be manifest which is difficult for the finite mind to accept or understand.
A man relays his experience, when previously attending a vipassana retreat, of feeling ill and weak. Rupert suggests that his body was having a strong reaction. Instead of the mind rebelling by generating thoughts and feelings, it generated sensations in the body.
A man asks if we are supposed to find beauty in everything, the way we are meant to love everyone and everything. Rupert suggests that we find beauty in everything when we understand that it is our shared being, but just like we don’t like everything we love, we don’t like all objects, while we love their reality.
A woman asks if there is a purpose to empathy, which causes suffering. Rupert suggests that there is no purpose, but the essence of consciousness is sensitivity which is felt in our minds. The sensitivity of our minds is dumbed down to a certain extent so we can function, but they can be so dulled that some are incapable of feeling the experience of others, such as some politicians, whereas some have a more porous mind and can sometimes be overwhelmed by the experience of those around them, in which case you have to be careful around other people. There is no hierarchy in the parameters of empathy, but there are benefits and difficulties in either extreme.
A woman talks about her sense that there is a paradox between not crediting the separate self with existence on the one hand and spiritual bypassing on the other. Rupert says that anyone who communicates about this, they are by definition making a concession to the separate self. The only radical teaching is silence. Rupert says he communicates differently with different people, not mechanically, so there are apparent contradictions.
A woman discusses a childhood experience in which her whole world dissolved and she knew there are no objects, only awareness. She asks if this description is ‘seeing the rope’. Rupert responds that we don't really see through objects, but if we’re feeling the one in our perception of the many, we are seeing the rope.
A man, who trains future psychiatrists on how to behave with suicidal people, asks for Rupert’s perspective on how to approach this better as the stakes are high for the doctors as they make choices about who to commit. Rupert suggests that with this group of people you must use your communication skills to provoke as little resistance as possible. In addition, they will feel if you are resistant to them.
A question is asked about the nature of mind, which seems to consist of thoughts and images. Are thoughts just words, or a combination of words and emotions? Rupert replies that there is much more to a thought than just the word as words have associations, such as the word 'spade', which brings up various associations, or 'clade' which has no meaning whatsoever. It is only a sound. Thought is a word plus its association, which is the understanding you bring to it.
A woman talks about her struggle with the alignment of her understanding with what she does as a soap opera writer. Rupert suggests that painters don’t just paint saints, they paint ‘regular’ people. What they do is take the viewer not to the person they are viewing, but to the place in themselves from which they are viewing the painting. The same is true of writing to an extent. If this isn't permissible in the context of your work, you may want to reconsider your profession.
A man asks about being pulled into difficult emotions and wanting to get rid of suffering. He had the experience of tension in his body dissolving and understood he not interfere with the process, but then it shut down and the tension was back in the body. He wonders if he is too invested in the state of the mind and body. Rupert agrees with the statement of his investment in the state of the mind and body and recommends taking up a musical instrument, particularly a non-electronic instrument such as guitar or piano.
A man shares that he feels he is taking things more personally the older he gets and asks about depersonalisation in non-duality. Rupert suggests that we do ‘depersonalise’ in the sense that we don’t take our thoughts and feelings personally, but that doesn't mean that we just smile sweetly and say ‘yes’ to everything. There are times when we need to have courage and stand up and say ‘no.’ Awareness doesn’t take anything personally.
A woman asks, ‘Why am I me?’ Rupert suggests that in order for awareness to know something objective, it can only do so from a localised point of view. Using the dream and dreamer analogy, Rupert elaborates.
A woman asks, ‘Am I responsible for my life?’ Rupert suggests that if we credit the separate self with existence then yes, but ultimately, no, as there is only one entity. However, at the relative level, we should do our best to make choices and decisions to the best of our ability and in line with our understanding.
A woman says that it feels as if thoughts are in her head and feelings are in her chest. She asks, 'What are thoughts and why do they feel like they're inside the head?' Rupert responds that the feeling of location in the head is because that is where all our sense organs are located, so whatever is seen feels as if it is perceived from the head. In the metaphor of Mary and Jane, whatever happens in the dream, or seemingly in Jane's head, is not really found in time or space. Thoughts and feelings appear inside and feel private; activity of the world appears outside and is shared and perceived by all of us. There is no 'why' for why this localisation happens; there is no reason why it happens, or it would already be manifest which is difficult for the finite mind to accept or understand.
A man relays his experience, when previously attending a vipassana retreat, of feeling ill and weak. Rupert suggests that his body was having a strong reaction. Instead of the mind rebelling by generating thoughts and feelings, it generated sensations in the body.
A man asks if we are supposed to find beauty in everything, the way we are meant to love everyone and everything. Rupert suggests that we find beauty in everything when we understand that it is our shared being, but just like we don’t like everything we love, we don’t like all objects, while we love their reality.
A woman asks if there is a purpose to empathy, which causes suffering. Rupert suggests that there is no purpose, but the essence of consciousness is sensitivity which is felt in our minds. The sensitivity of our minds is dumbed down to a certain extent so we can function, but they can be so dulled that some are incapable of feeling the experience of others, such as some politicians, whereas some have a more porous mind and can sometimes be overwhelmed by the experience of those around them, in which case you have to be careful around other people. There is no hierarchy in the parameters of empathy, but there are benefits and difficulties in either extreme.
A woman talks about her sense that there is a paradox between not crediting the separate self with existence on the one hand and spiritual bypassing on the other. Rupert says that anyone who communicates about this, they are by definition making a concession to the separate self. The only radical teaching is silence. Rupert says he communicates differently with different people, not mechanically, so there are apparent contradictions.
A woman discusses a childhood experience in which her whole world dissolved and she knew there are no objects, only awareness. She asks if this description is ‘seeing the rope’. Rupert responds that we don't really see through objects, but if we’re feeling the one in our perception of the many, we are seeing the rope.
A man, who trains future psychiatrists on how to behave with suicidal people, asks for Rupert’s perspective on how to approach this better as the stakes are high for the doctors as they make choices about who to commit. Rupert suggests that with this group of people you must use your communication skills to provoke as little resistance as possible. In addition, they will feel if you are resistant to them.
A question is asked about the nature of mind, which seems to consist of thoughts and images. Are thoughts just words, or a combination of words and emotions? Rupert replies that there is much more to a thought than just the word as words have associations, such as the word 'spade', which brings up various associations, or 'clade' which has no meaning whatsoever. It is only a sound. Thought is a word plus its association, which is the understanding you bring to it.
A woman talks about her struggle with the alignment of her understanding with what she does as a soap opera writer. Rupert suggests that painters don’t just paint saints, they paint ‘regular’ people. What they do is take the viewer not to the person they are viewing, but to the place in themselves from which they are viewing the painting. The same is true of writing to an extent. If this isn't permissible in the context of your work, you may want to reconsider your profession.
A man asks about being pulled into difficult emotions and wanting to get rid of suffering. He had the experience of tension in his body dissolving and understood he not interfere with the process, but then it shut down and the tension was back in the body. He wonders if he is too invested in the state of the mind and body. Rupert agrees with the statement of his investment in the state of the mind and body and recommends taking up a musical instrument, particularly a non-electronic instrument such as guitar or piano.
A man shares that he feels he is taking things more personally the older he gets and asks about depersonalisation in non-duality. Rupert suggests that we do ‘depersonalise’ in the sense that we don’t take our thoughts and feelings personally, but that doesn't mean that we just smile sweetly and say ‘yes’ to everything. There are times when we need to have courage and stand up and say ‘no.’ Awareness doesn’t take anything personally.