Be Supremely Lazy
- Duration: Video: 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 4 seconds / Audio: 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 4 seconds
- Recorded on: Feb 19, 2024
- Event: Seven-Day Retreat at The Vedanta – 16 to 23 February 2024
A woman likens her thought process to that of sports commentators and asks about the possibility of being and thinking simultaneously. Rupert clarifies, comparing her question to a movie character searching for the screen, noting the character is inherently on the screen even if unaware. He then leads her in self-enquiry. You are not always thinking, but you are always being. There are no problems for being.
A man shares his struggle with intrusive thoughts, recalling a quote from Ramana Maharshi that whatever is meant to happen will happen, which he incorporated into his meditation practice. Rupert explains that this reflects a practice of surrender. The same force that created the universe, our bodies, our breathing, and our blood flow, also governs our thoughts. He advises relinquishing the responsibility for our thoughts to this creative force, suggesting we should not take personal responsibility for our thinking but instead, leave it to the one that creates it all.
A man, experiencing a deconstruction of his personal reality due to his experiences of being and surrender, wonders about the potential dangers of allowing this process to unfold. Rupert responds, affirming that this understanding indeed impacts our lives, leading to a gradual realignment of all life aspects. Any aspect not aligned with this understanding gets revealed and gradually dissolved.
A man asks about the nature of love and about being’s apparent indifference to suffering. Rupert clarifies that it’s not accurate to say being is indifferent to suffering; rather, being does not experience suffering. When being seemingly divides itself into subject and object, it appears to become a separate self, at which point it cannot be indifferent to suffering. A finite mind with a non-dual understanding responds to suffering with love and compassion.
A man questions if a universe devoid of love could exist. Rupert assures him that a universe without love is impossible. Everything is a manifestation of being, and being’s experience of itself is the sole true experience; the finite mind cannot accurately perceive being. Being’s knowledge of itself is unified, complete and undivided, lacking any notion of otherness. Love is the term the mind assigns to the absence of otherness. Essentially, love is just another name for being.
A woman asks about awareness being self-aware in a dualistic world. Referencing the King Lear/John Smith analogy, Rupert affirms that although King Lear practices self-enquiry, it is John Smith who experiences being John Smith. This recognition does not occur in King Lear’s mind. It is not the personal self that experiences being awareness; rather, it is awareness’s experience of itself. There's no personal awareness experience.
A young man shares his experience of healing physical pain through meditating on love and asks about the nature of pain and healing. Rupert explains that some chronic pain is caused by a contraction that correlates with the felt sense of separation. This type of pain may subside through such meditation and healing the pain with love. However, not all illnesses signify a sense of separation.
A man shares his experience of a white light descending upon his body, followed by his mind telling him that this is not being, as being has no colour. Rupert responds that this kind of experience is generated by the mind. He advises not to reject it, not to pay attention to it, and not to be seduced by it.
A woman, deeply affected by strong emotions arising from conflict and war in the world, questions whether the world truly exists externally. Rupert suggests that the world indeed exists outside your finite mind but within infinite consciousness.
A woman, troubled by feelings of separateness so intense that she cries out to God for peace, seeks advice. Rupert responds, recognising her as a devotee of God. He advises her to either completely surrender the sense of separateness or, if that fails, to pursue the path of being and discover that place within herself free from sorrow and separation.
A young man, having studied with other teachers, enquires about practising meditation. Rupert replies that if he meditates in search of an experience not currently present, whatever he finds will eventually disappear. Whatever you find will disappear. Don’t meditate; just be supremely lazy.
A woman requests clarification on Rupert’s interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer. Rupert addresses her questions and then proceeds to recite his rendition of the prayer.
A woman likens her thought process to that of sports commentators and asks about the possibility of being and thinking simultaneously. Rupert clarifies, comparing her question to a movie character searching for the screen, noting the character is inherently on the screen even if unaware. He then leads her in self-enquiry. You are not always thinking, but you are always being. There are no problems for being.
A man shares his struggle with intrusive thoughts, recalling a quote from Ramana Maharshi that whatever is meant to happen will happen, which he incorporated into his meditation practice. Rupert explains that this reflects a practice of surrender. The same force that created the universe, our bodies, our breathing, and our blood flow, also governs our thoughts. He advises relinquishing the responsibility for our thoughts to this creative force, suggesting we should not take personal responsibility for our thinking but instead, leave it to the one that creates it all.
A man, experiencing a deconstruction of his personal reality due to his experiences of being and surrender, wonders about the potential dangers of allowing this process to unfold. Rupert responds, affirming that this understanding indeed impacts our lives, leading to a gradual realignment of all life aspects. Any aspect not aligned with this understanding gets revealed and gradually dissolved.
A man asks about the nature of love and about being’s apparent indifference to suffering. Rupert clarifies that it’s not accurate to say being is indifferent to suffering; rather, being does not experience suffering. When being seemingly divides itself into subject and object, it appears to become a separate self, at which point it cannot be indifferent to suffering. A finite mind with a non-dual understanding responds to suffering with love and compassion.
A man questions if a universe devoid of love could exist. Rupert assures him that a universe without love is impossible. Everything is a manifestation of being, and being’s experience of itself is the sole true experience; the finite mind cannot accurately perceive being. Being’s knowledge of itself is unified, complete and undivided, lacking any notion of otherness. Love is the term the mind assigns to the absence of otherness. Essentially, love is just another name for being.
A woman asks about awareness being self-aware in a dualistic world. Referencing the King Lear/John Smith analogy, Rupert affirms that although King Lear practices self-enquiry, it is John Smith who experiences being John Smith. This recognition does not occur in King Lear’s mind. It is not the personal self that experiences being awareness; rather, it is awareness’s experience of itself. There's no personal awareness experience.
A young man shares his experience of healing physical pain through meditating on love and asks about the nature of pain and healing. Rupert explains that some chronic pain is caused by a contraction that correlates with the felt sense of separation. This type of pain may subside through such meditation and healing the pain with love. However, not all illnesses signify a sense of separation.
A man shares his experience of a white light descending upon his body, followed by his mind telling him that this is not being, as being has no colour. Rupert responds that this kind of experience is generated by the mind. He advises not to reject it, not to pay attention to it, and not to be seduced by it.
A woman, deeply affected by strong emotions arising from conflict and war in the world, questions whether the world truly exists externally. Rupert suggests that the world indeed exists outside your finite mind but within infinite consciousness.
A woman, troubled by feelings of separateness so intense that she cries out to God for peace, seeks advice. Rupert responds, recognising her as a devotee of God. He advises her to either completely surrender the sense of separateness or, if that fails, to pursue the path of being and discover that place within herself free from sorrow and separation.
A young man, having studied with other teachers, enquires about practising meditation. Rupert replies that if he meditates in search of an experience not currently present, whatever he finds will eventually disappear. Whatever you find will disappear. Don’t meditate; just be supremely lazy.
A woman requests clarification on Rupert’s interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer. Rupert addresses her questions and then proceeds to recite his rendition of the prayer.