Consciousness Doesn't Choose from the media Offer God Everything
A woman asks about God forgetting its nature to localise itself in all apparent people. Rupert says it’s not entirely true that infinite consciousness forgets itself; it is always awake to itself – like the sun always shining, even at night. In God’s view, there is only itself. Choices are made in the mind. Consciousness doesn't choose.
- Duration: 8 minutes and 39 seconds
- Recorded on: Feb 28, 2024
- Event: Webinar – Wednesday, 28 February
Meditation or prayer could be described as returning our attention from the content of experience to the fact of simply being. Being is what we essentially are; it does not need to be maintained. For one accustomed to losing themself in experience, some effort will initially be required. But each time we make this gentle effort to return to being, the pull of experience diminishes. At first, we do this in formal meditation or prayer periods. In time, resting in being pervades our entire day. The distinction between meditation or prayer and everyday life diminishes. Our being goes from seeming a place in ourself we visit from time to time to our feeling that being is where we live. It’s our home. We simply live in being, feeling that we never really go anywhere or do anything. Remain in being, and let the conversation come to you.
A woman asks about God forgetting its nature to localise itself in all apparent people. Rupert says it’s not entirely true that infinite consciousness forgets itself; it is always awake to itself – like the sun always shining, even at night. In God’s view, there is only itself. Choices are made in the mind. Consciousness doesn't choose.
A man asks why Rupert recommends not watching too many of his YouTube videos. Rupert replies that such a comment was likely tailored to the specific person he was speaking to. The purpose of his videos is to guide you to your being, not to encourage binge-watching.
A man asks if through compassion a body-mind can positively affect another body-mind. Rupert replies: Yes. Imagine you're at a café, sitting there unfocused, quietly observing, sipping coffee, at peace. If a stranger across from you notices, they’ll be struck by your calm. This might awaken something in them, influenced by your relaxed attention. Or, if you smile at them, they’ll sense the place of peace from which you smiled.
A woman, having discovered a passion for songwriting, asks how to share her creative work and remain uncrushed. Is it all about the ego? Rupert replies that it is not all about the ego. Our being is shared, and the impulse to share stems from a deep intuition of our shared being. View any feedback in terms of how it might be useful to you, but don’t take it personally. And don’t inhibit your desire to share your music by dismissing it as merely coming from the ego.
A woman asks about infinite consciousness having no direct knowledge of the world. Rupert explains that infinite consciousness doesn’t directly know the world; it does so through the finite mind. Just as in a dream, where knowledge of the dreamworld comes through the dream character, consciousness experiences the world via our finite minds.
A man asks if the only problematic thoughts are those deriving from separation, and that it’s not necessary to distance oneself from all thought, to which Rupert agrees. The man also asks how to cultivate compassion for those who persist in thinking from the separate-self perspective. Rupert explains that to foster compassion, we must recognise that, fundamentally, we all share the same pure, beautiful, innocent, ageless being. This understanding should guide our feelings towards others, regardless of their thoughts or actions.
A man is curious about Rupert’s use of the word ‘sacred’. Rupert replies that the word evolved in response to those who believe that the world, people, animals and objects are profane, made out of dead, inert stuff called matter. ‘Sacred’ was coined as the antidote to the profane, a compassionate concession to the belief that things can be profane.
A man asks about the meaning of the phrase ‘die before you die’. Rupert replies that this is not necessarily an event; there can be many mini-deaths before we die. Rather, the phrase refers to dying as an apparently separate self. Being ceases to be entangled in the content of experience and stands revealed as infinite being. Ego doesn’t really die because it was never alive.
A man, having read ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’, by Brother Lawrence, asks how to apply the teaching of surrender to his own mistakes. Rupert replies that Brother Lawrence doesn’t mind whether he is happy or suffers; he accepts whatever God gives him. Offer God everything.
A woman enquires about Rupert’s saying, ‘go to the one that feels’. Rupert advises: take a feeling like ‘I am sad’. What experiences sadness? ‘I am’ remains constant; sadness is temporary, colouring the ‘I’. ‘I am’ is clear, transparent, empty, silent, often overlooked. Just magnify the ‘I am’.
A man asks whether it’s wrong to offend someone with his song he has written. Rupert responds that when you express yourself, listeners will interpret your music and lyrics through their own conditioned filters. As a result, not everyone will perceive the song in the same way. However, if feedback reveals that certain lyrics could offend a person or group, this insight should be used to refine your lyric writing for future works. Be courageous as an artist.
A man finds that his OCD condition pulls him back to the separate self, leading to fear and shame about his body. Rupert advises that whenever he feels that anxiety starts to rise, that is the time to go back to being. Another approach would be to embrace the feeling, like a mother taking a troubled child into her arms.
Meditation or prayer could be described as returning our attention from the content of experience to the fact of simply being. Being is what we essentially are; it does not need to be maintained. For one accustomed to losing themself in experience, some effort will initially be required. But each time we make this gentle effort to return to being, the pull of experience diminishes. At first, we do this in formal meditation or prayer periods. In time, resting in being pervades our entire day. The distinction between meditation or prayer and everyday life diminishes. Our being goes from seeming a place in ourself we visit from time to time to our feeling that being is where we live. It’s our home. We simply live in being, feeling that we never really go anywhere or do anything. Remain in being, and let the conversation come to you.
A woman asks about God forgetting its nature to localise itself in all apparent people. Rupert says it’s not entirely true that infinite consciousness forgets itself; it is always awake to itself – like the sun always shining, even at night. In God’s view, there is only itself. Choices are made in the mind. Consciousness doesn't choose.
A man asks why Rupert recommends not watching too many of his YouTube videos. Rupert replies that such a comment was likely tailored to the specific person he was speaking to. The purpose of his videos is to guide you to your being, not to encourage binge-watching.
A man asks if through compassion a body-mind can positively affect another body-mind. Rupert replies: Yes. Imagine you're at a café, sitting there unfocused, quietly observing, sipping coffee, at peace. If a stranger across from you notices, they’ll be struck by your calm. This might awaken something in them, influenced by your relaxed attention. Or, if you smile at them, they’ll sense the place of peace from which you smiled.
A woman, having discovered a passion for songwriting, asks how to share her creative work and remain uncrushed. Is it all about the ego? Rupert replies that it is not all about the ego. Our being is shared, and the impulse to share stems from a deep intuition of our shared being. View any feedback in terms of how it might be useful to you, but don’t take it personally. And don’t inhibit your desire to share your music by dismissing it as merely coming from the ego.
A woman asks about infinite consciousness having no direct knowledge of the world. Rupert explains that infinite consciousness doesn’t directly know the world; it does so through the finite mind. Just as in a dream, where knowledge of the dreamworld comes through the dream character, consciousness experiences the world via our finite minds.
A man asks if the only problematic thoughts are those deriving from separation, and that it’s not necessary to distance oneself from all thought, to which Rupert agrees. The man also asks how to cultivate compassion for those who persist in thinking from the separate-self perspective. Rupert explains that to foster compassion, we must recognise that, fundamentally, we all share the same pure, beautiful, innocent, ageless being. This understanding should guide our feelings towards others, regardless of their thoughts or actions.
A man is curious about Rupert’s use of the word ‘sacred’. Rupert replies that the word evolved in response to those who believe that the world, people, animals and objects are profane, made out of dead, inert stuff called matter. ‘Sacred’ was coined as the antidote to the profane, a compassionate concession to the belief that things can be profane.
A man asks about the meaning of the phrase ‘die before you die’. Rupert replies that this is not necessarily an event; there can be many mini-deaths before we die. Rather, the phrase refers to dying as an apparently separate self. Being ceases to be entangled in the content of experience and stands revealed as infinite being. Ego doesn’t really die because it was never alive.
A man, having read ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’, by Brother Lawrence, asks how to apply the teaching of surrender to his own mistakes. Rupert replies that Brother Lawrence doesn’t mind whether he is happy or suffers; he accepts whatever God gives him. Offer God everything.
A woman enquires about Rupert’s saying, ‘go to the one that feels’. Rupert advises: take a feeling like ‘I am sad’. What experiences sadness? ‘I am’ remains constant; sadness is temporary, colouring the ‘I’. ‘I am’ is clear, transparent, empty, silent, often overlooked. Just magnify the ‘I am’.
A man asks whether it’s wrong to offend someone with his song he has written. Rupert responds that when you express yourself, listeners will interpret your music and lyrics through their own conditioned filters. As a result, not everyone will perceive the song in the same way. However, if feedback reveals that certain lyrics could offend a person or group, this insight should be used to refine your lyric writing for future works. Be courageous as an artist.
A man finds that his OCD condition pulls him back to the separate self, leading to fear and shame about his body. Rupert advises that whenever he feels that anxiety starts to rise, that is the time to go back to being. Another approach would be to embrace the feeling, like a mother taking a troubled child into her arms.