The Snake and Rope Analogy from the media The Dream Is in You

A man asks about infinite being. Rupert explains that when he talks about being, he will often do so from different levels. When he says that being is all-pervading, this is a concession to the separate self. When he says that infinite being has no dimensions, however, he is making no concessions.

A woman asks if it is appropriate to not pay attention to the body when the separate self hijacks your feelings. Rupert suggests taking a more Tantric approach by feeling and taking a loving attitude to all the sensations.

A woman asks how to not lose the open awareness when going about one's daily affairs. Rupert suggests that even now, whilst she is speaking, to notice that the openness is there. He guides her in self-enquiry to experience the open space of awareness that is here regardless of what else is going on.

A man shares that he reacts to others with great sensitivity after meditation. Rupert suggests that he create a lifestyle that allows him to honour his sensitivity. If he is unable to, then it is his practice to work with this sensitivity.

A man asks what to do about fear of losing himself in meditation. Rupert encourages him to just go back to being. He suggests the man practice this by looking forward to going to sleep each night, which is virtually the same thing.

A question is asked about how to know the will of God. Rupert responds that the will of God is reflected in the desires that arise out of a sense of fulfilment within yourself. If you're filled with peace, any desire that arises is the will of God.

A woman asks about the difference between the finite mind and the ego. Rupert suggests that the separate self, or ego, is the belief that what I am is limited to the finite mind.

A woman asks if being a software engineer perpetuates the separate self. Rupert suggests that there's no reason that sort of work would be in conflict with this understanding. In fact, it could be a unique contribution to this understanding, so pursue it wholeheartedly.

A woman shares her sense that something is missing, even while resting in her true nature. She wonders if it makes sense to use different words for different states of realisation. Rupert suggests that it is valid to use different words, but we should do the best we can to clearly define the meaning of the words we use.

A man asks about the comment 'consciousness doesn't know anything about the world', which often results in the world seeming to vanish. But there seems a conflict between living life completely and going within and moving away from the world. Rupert compares this to deep sleep and the waking state. In deep sleep, consciousnness is abiding as itself. Then, in the waking state, the world reappears and there is engagement. There's room for both.

A question is asked about a comment that awareness is completely free. Can we use this awareness to make changes in the world? Rupert encourages the questioner to consider the qualities of awareness – peace, joy, abundance and love – and to live with these qualities only for a week and see what kinds of changes happen.

A man asks about being between the states being aware and being lost in experience. Rupert suggests that being doesn’t go back and forth between two states. Being is always being, just as John Smith is always John Smith, even when he plays King Lear. Sometimes we lose ourself in experience, sometimes we come back to our being. Still, we are always only infinite being.

A woman asks how to abide in being when the mind comes rushing back in and she becomes irritable and fights with her family. Rupert suggests, 'Whenever your daughter reminds you that you're being cranky, pause and go back to your being.'

A man asks about synchronicities. Rupert suggests that if the ultimate reality of the universe is consciousness, rather than matter, then what the universe is on the outside, reality, and what we are on the inside, are the same thing. The mind is a localised aspect of infinite consciousness, so there is correspondence between them. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised to see synchronicity.

A man says that as he enters his seventies, he finds a somewhat objective silent dynamism that is still perceived as an oscillation between someone and no one. Rupert reiterates some of the words the man used, such as, 'I have not reached total immersion...' He asks, this 'I' on the path, can you find it? What is it?

A woman asks if the third eye opens. Rupert suggests that it’s quite unusual for the third eye to open and see other beings, and that has nothing to do with recognising our true nature. Enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of being.

A woman says she struggles with the ideas of consciousness and that which is prior to consciousness. Rupert elaborates that deep sleep, for instance, is not the absence of awareness but the awareness of absence. Thinking and perceiving ceases, so it seems like consciousness disappears.

A woman asks about how to move from mere liberation to realisation. Rupert suggests that liberation is to be set free from the tyranny of the separate self. To do this, we recognise our being, and there we see that it shares none of the limitations of our separate self. Recognition, liberation, enlightenment are all just different terms for the same thing. We are not in the dream; the dream is in us.

A woman asks about the concept of time, as it still seems real given the circumstances in her life. How does that keep you locked in a separate self? Rupert suggests that all the mind's experience seems to take place in time and space. Thinking and perceiving superimpose their own limitations on our experience. The appearance of time won't disappear, but understand that the time and space in which everything seems to exist are the limitations of our mind imposed on our reality, just as orange-tinted glasses will have us seeing everything with an orange tint.

A man shares that when in awareness, he is neither happy nor not happy. He asks, 'Am I missing something?' Rupert explains that he usually refers to happiness as quiet joy so as to convey that it is not bubbly and energetic; rather, it is a sense of fulfilment or the absence of lack.

A man asks, ‘Why does consciousness need to create the world and go through all this suffering?’ Rupert suggests that it doesn't have to; it is just it’s nature to do so.

A woman says she usually feels peaceful, and understands what Jesus meant by having one leg in eternity and one leg in the world. But she doesn't like the idea of sitting around, so she is considering using this teaching to help neuro-diverse people. But, the neuro-diverse population, which includes her own son, struggles with concepts. Rupert suggests guiding all people to their being. As for helping her son, she as his mother can know what works best for him.

A man asks about how to integrate his duties with his path. Rupert suggests that he consider it his duty to bring his understanding out into the world through all his duties in whatever way he is suited to do so. 'It is your sacred duty to do so.'

A man asks about infinite being. Rupert explains that when he talks about being, he will often do so from different levels. When he says that being is all-pervading, this is a concession to the separate self. When he says that infinite being has no dimensions, however, he is making no concessions.

A woman asks if it is appropriate to not pay attention to the body when the separate self hijacks your feelings. Rupert suggests taking a more Tantric approach by feeling and taking a loving attitude to all the sensations.

A woman asks how to not lose the open awareness when going about one's daily affairs. Rupert suggests that even now, whilst she is speaking, to notice that the openness is there. He guides her in self-enquiry to experience the open space of awareness that is here regardless of what else is going on.

A man shares that he reacts to others with great sensitivity after meditation. Rupert suggests that he create a lifestyle that allows him to honour his sensitivity. If he is unable to, then it is his practice to work with this sensitivity.

A man asks what to do about fear of losing himself in meditation. Rupert encourages him to just go back to being. He suggests the man practice this by looking forward to going to sleep each night, which is virtually the same thing.

A question is asked about how to know the will of God. Rupert responds that the will of God is reflected in the desires that arise out of a sense of fulfilment within yourself. If you're filled with peace, any desire that arises is the will of God.

A woman asks about the difference between the finite mind and the ego. Rupert suggests that the separate self, or ego, is the belief that what I am is limited to the finite mind.

A woman asks if being a software engineer perpetuates the separate self. Rupert suggests that there's no reason that sort of work would be in conflict with this understanding. In fact, it could be a unique contribution to this understanding, so pursue it wholeheartedly.

A woman shares her sense that something is missing, even while resting in her true nature. She wonders if it makes sense to use different words for different states of realisation. Rupert suggests that it is valid to use different words, but we should do the best we can to clearly define the meaning of the words we use.

A man asks about the comment 'consciousness doesn't know anything about the world', which often results in the world seeming to vanish. But there seems a conflict between living life completely and going within and moving away from the world. Rupert compares this to deep sleep and the waking state. In deep sleep, consciousnness is abiding as itself. Then, in the waking state, the world reappears and there is engagement. There's room for both.

A question is asked about a comment that awareness is completely free. Can we use this awareness to make changes in the world? Rupert encourages the questioner to consider the qualities of awareness – peace, joy, abundance and love – and to live with these qualities only for a week and see what kinds of changes happen.

A man asks about being between the states being aware and being lost in experience. Rupert suggests that being doesn’t go back and forth between two states. Being is always being, just as John Smith is always John Smith, even when he plays King Lear. Sometimes we lose ourself in experience, sometimes we come back to our being. Still, we are always only infinite being.

A woman asks how to abide in being when the mind comes rushing back in and she becomes irritable and fights with her family. Rupert suggests, 'Whenever your daughter reminds you that you're being cranky, pause and go back to your being.'

A man asks about synchronicities. Rupert suggests that if the ultimate reality of the universe is consciousness, rather than matter, then what the universe is on the outside, reality, and what we are on the inside, are the same thing. The mind is a localised aspect of infinite consciousness, so there is correspondence between them. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised to see synchronicity.

A man says that as he enters his seventies, he finds a somewhat objective silent dynamism that is still perceived as an oscillation between someone and no one. Rupert reiterates some of the words the man used, such as, 'I have not reached total immersion...' He asks, this 'I' on the path, can you find it? What is it?

A woman asks if the third eye opens. Rupert suggests that it’s quite unusual for the third eye to open and see other beings, and that has nothing to do with recognising our true nature. Enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of being.

A woman says she struggles with the ideas of consciousness and that which is prior to consciousness. Rupert elaborates that deep sleep, for instance, is not the absence of awareness but the awareness of absence. Thinking and perceiving ceases, so it seems like consciousness disappears.

A woman asks about how to move from mere liberation to realisation. Rupert suggests that liberation is to be set free from the tyranny of the separate self. To do this, we recognise our being, and there we see that it shares none of the limitations of our separate self. Recognition, liberation, enlightenment are all just different terms for the same thing. We are not in the dream; the dream is in us.

A woman asks about the concept of time, as it still seems real given the circumstances in her life. How does that keep you locked in a separate self? Rupert suggests that all the mind's experience seems to take place in time and space. Thinking and perceiving superimpose their own limitations on our experience. The appearance of time won't disappear, but understand that the time and space in which everything seems to exist are the limitations of our mind imposed on our reality, just as orange-tinted glasses will have us seeing everything with an orange tint.

A man shares that when in awareness, he is neither happy nor not happy. He asks, 'Am I missing something?' Rupert explains that he usually refers to happiness as quiet joy so as to convey that it is not bubbly and energetic; rather, it is a sense of fulfilment or the absence of lack.

A man asks, ‘Why does consciousness need to create the world and go through all this suffering?’ Rupert suggests that it doesn't have to; it is just it’s nature to do so.

A woman says she usually feels peaceful, and understands what Jesus meant by having one leg in eternity and one leg in the world. But she doesn't like the idea of sitting around, so she is considering using this teaching to help neuro-diverse people. But, the neuro-diverse population, which includes her own son, struggles with concepts. Rupert suggests guiding all people to their being. As for helping her son, she as his mother can know what works best for him.

A man asks about how to integrate his duties with his path. Rupert suggests that he consider it his duty to bring his understanding out into the world through all his duties in whatever way he is suited to do so. 'It is your sacred duty to do so.'