Reincarnation in Non-Duality from the media Falling in Love with Being
A woman shares her belief in reincarnation and simultaneous incarnations of the same soul. She wonders how this fits with the non-dual understanding. Rupert responds by likening the finite mind to a cloud in the sky, illustrating how the mind forms, dissipates, and reforms, while awareness remains unchanged and ever-present.
- Duration: 6 minutes and 14 seconds
- Recorded on: Jul 28, 2024
- Event: The Understanding – Online Weekend Retreat at Home, 26–28 July
A man expresses his confusion about never being able to know the infinite directly yet simultaneously being the infinite. Rupert replies that it’s not possible to know the infinite through thinking and perceiving. Awareness of being is an unmediated experience; being knows itself just by being itself.
A man describes experiencing job burnout and realising his personality is built from past traumatic stories. Feeling lost, he seeks guidance on how to live from this new awareness. Rupert advises that he no longer let the old narrative fuel his thoughts and feelings, which in turn affects his activities and relationships. He encourages the man to go towards what he truly loves, suggesting that this will naturally reveal the direction to take.
A woman asks Rupert to clarify why the infinite mind cannot know the finite mind. Rupert explains that to know something finite, one must stand apart from it and know it in subject-object relationship. He uses the example of seeing a screen from a distance – the infinite mind cannot perceive finite objects because it cannot stand apart from them. He adds that one should not try to bring God within the compass of the finite mind but rather surrender the finite mind to God’s infinite being through exploration and understanding.
A woman reports her fatigue of going back and forth in her spiritual practice. She seeks a shortcut to close the gap between temporary and constant abidance. Rupert explains two aspects of this approach: abidance and investigation. He emphasises the importance of both, explaining that abidance allows one to taste the innate qualities of peace and joy, while investigation helps clear the mind’s objections, paving the way for a deeper rest in being. He suggests falling in love with being, which leads to a natural inclination to stay with one’s true nature rather than seeking happiness externally.
A man asks whether the Big Bang is real and seeks clarity on the difference between relative and absolute reality. He mentions how stepping in front of a bus in a dream feels real and questions how this perception relates to our waking state. Rupert responds with an analogy: in a dream, a collision feels like solid objects interacting, but upon waking, one realises there were no solid objects, only mind. Rupert suggests that in the waking state, what appears as solid matter might also be perceived as mind activity from point of view of consciousness.
A woman shares her experience of starting a community initiative, driven partly by a sense of lack. Despite its initial success and beauty, the community imploded over internal conflict. Did her sense of lack contribute to this downfall? And how can she move forward with trust in the beauty and love expressed through such initiatives? Rupert suggests considering the previous venture as a dress rehearsal and a steep learning curve. He encourages her to start a new venture, using what she has learned to avoid previous mistakes and to better align with true purpose.
A woman seeks advice on guiding mothers of autistic children to inner peace quickly without extensive practice. Rupert advises her to trust in her ability to create guided meditations, reassuring her that with her long experience of exploration, she can simply and directly guide others back to their own being.
A psychotherapist, who describes incorporating the non-dual understanding into her therapy practice, notes a profound shift in some clients but resistance in others. Rupert elaborates on the role of the therapist, emphasising the artistry required to guide clients to their inherent peace and to navigate resistance with sensitivity and skill, adapting language and approach to meet each individual where they are.
A man asks if one can merge with another person in awareness and perceive their flow of energy and thoughts. Rupert clarifies that while one cannot literally enter another’s mind, through love, we can feel and become the being of the other from the inside.
A man, retired from a helping profession, expresses his ongoing, egoless desire to help others. He references solitary realisers who, by sitting quietly in being, influence and help the whole. Rupert assures him that being transcends time and space, explaining that being knows nothing of distance and that, through the resonance of being, one’s presence profoundly influences others irrespective of physical proximity.
A woman shares her belief in reincarnation and simultaneous incarnations of the same soul. She wonders how this fits with the non-dual understanding. Rupert responds by likening the finite mind to a cloud in the sky, illustrating how the mind forms, dissipates, and reforms, while awareness remains unchanged and ever-present.
A conversation ensues about different kinds of minds that may possess faculties beyond human comprehension – for example, angels. Rupert proposes that if consciousness is infinite, there could be limitless types of minds, each with unique faculties. He explains that while human minds perceive reality through thinking and perceiving, other minds might experience reality differently, consistent with their own faculties.
A man expresses his confusion about never being able to know the infinite directly yet simultaneously being the infinite. Rupert replies that it’s not possible to know the infinite through thinking and perceiving. Awareness of being is an unmediated experience; being knows itself just by being itself.
A man describes experiencing job burnout and realising his personality is built from past traumatic stories. Feeling lost, he seeks guidance on how to live from this new awareness. Rupert advises that he no longer let the old narrative fuel his thoughts and feelings, which in turn affects his activities and relationships. He encourages the man to go towards what he truly loves, suggesting that this will naturally reveal the direction to take.
A woman asks Rupert to clarify why the infinite mind cannot know the finite mind. Rupert explains that to know something finite, one must stand apart from it and know it in subject-object relationship. He uses the example of seeing a screen from a distance – the infinite mind cannot perceive finite objects because it cannot stand apart from them. He adds that one should not try to bring God within the compass of the finite mind but rather surrender the finite mind to God’s infinite being through exploration and understanding.
A woman reports her fatigue of going back and forth in her spiritual practice. She seeks a shortcut to close the gap between temporary and constant abidance. Rupert explains two aspects of this approach: abidance and investigation. He emphasises the importance of both, explaining that abidance allows one to taste the innate qualities of peace and joy, while investigation helps clear the mind’s objections, paving the way for a deeper rest in being. He suggests falling in love with being, which leads to a natural inclination to stay with one’s true nature rather than seeking happiness externally.
A man asks whether the Big Bang is real and seeks clarity on the difference between relative and absolute reality. He mentions how stepping in front of a bus in a dream feels real and questions how this perception relates to our waking state. Rupert responds with an analogy: in a dream, a collision feels like solid objects interacting, but upon waking, one realises there were no solid objects, only mind. Rupert suggests that in the waking state, what appears as solid matter might also be perceived as mind activity from point of view of consciousness.
A woman shares her experience of starting a community initiative, driven partly by a sense of lack. Despite its initial success and beauty, the community imploded over internal conflict. Did her sense of lack contribute to this downfall? And how can she move forward with trust in the beauty and love expressed through such initiatives? Rupert suggests considering the previous venture as a dress rehearsal and a steep learning curve. He encourages her to start a new venture, using what she has learned to avoid previous mistakes and to better align with true purpose.
A woman seeks advice on guiding mothers of autistic children to inner peace quickly without extensive practice. Rupert advises her to trust in her ability to create guided meditations, reassuring her that with her long experience of exploration, she can simply and directly guide others back to their own being.
A psychotherapist, who describes incorporating the non-dual understanding into her therapy practice, notes a profound shift in some clients but resistance in others. Rupert elaborates on the role of the therapist, emphasising the artistry required to guide clients to their inherent peace and to navigate resistance with sensitivity and skill, adapting language and approach to meet each individual where they are.
A man asks if one can merge with another person in awareness and perceive their flow of energy and thoughts. Rupert clarifies that while one cannot literally enter another’s mind, through love, we can feel and become the being of the other from the inside.
A man, retired from a helping profession, expresses his ongoing, egoless desire to help others. He references solitary realisers who, by sitting quietly in being, influence and help the whole. Rupert assures him that being transcends time and space, explaining that being knows nothing of distance and that, through the resonance of being, one’s presence profoundly influences others irrespective of physical proximity.
A woman shares her belief in reincarnation and simultaneous incarnations of the same soul. She wonders how this fits with the non-dual understanding. Rupert responds by likening the finite mind to a cloud in the sky, illustrating how the mind forms, dissipates, and reforms, while awareness remains unchanged and ever-present.
A conversation ensues about different kinds of minds that may possess faculties beyond human comprehension – for example, angels. Rupert proposes that if consciousness is infinite, there could be limitless types of minds, each with unique faculties. He explains that while human minds perceive reality through thinking and perceiving, other minds might experience reality differently, consistent with their own faculties.