Feeling the Expansion and Contraction of Consciousness

A man from Denmark says he understands that awareness is that within which everything is known, and within which everything arises, but he does not experience that everything is made of awareness. Rupert explains that, as a wave is to the water, likewise ourself emerges from, and as, awareness.

A woman from Poland says she understands that everything is made of awareness, and can feel expansion into empty space, but finds it difficult to expand into the world. Rupert leads her in self-enquiry to the felt experience of being made of the same stuff out of which the world is made.

A man from Sacramento finds expansion into space difficult with his eyes open. Rupert offers the analogy of the dreamer and the dream and applies it to the 'lucid waking' state.

A woman from Illinois says that during the meditation she felt herself as the presence of awareness, but then her head and chest opened up in an intense, vibrating decompression. She asks if this is part of the process. Rupert confirms that such an opening is normal in that her body has long been in a compressed state, and that the intensity will die down in time.

A man who suffers from fibromyalgia, which he feels is caused by deep, unhealed emotions from childhood trauma that have come to light with the use of psychedelics, asks if the recognition of his true nature will help. Rupert responds that the recognition will not necessarily get rid of the pain, but will begin to loosen the knot of tension and change his overall felt experience of the body.

A woman asks if everyone who has lived still lives inside her being, and if this also applies to animals and plants. Rupert agrees that everything that dies is, and remains as, awareness.

A man from Italy doesn't feel the expansion, or the peace and happiness of his true nature. Rupert asks him what the experience of being aware is to him, and guides him in self-enquiry to investigate this more deeply.

A woman says that she believes neither the consciousness-only nor the matter model, and asks why we can't use both. Rupert suggests that nobody has ever actually found matter, and that, just as like in the dream world, only consciousness is verifiable.

A man asks what the expression 'disinterested, affectionate contemplation' means, as he has trouble applying it. Rupert elaborates on the term and gives examples.

A woman says that she is terrified of not existing and that this fear is growing. She mentions the analogy of John Smith and King Lear. Rupert says John Smith does not fear King Lear's death, because this is only a character he is playing. And King Lear does not die; he simply recognises his true nature as John Smith.

A man from London describes experiencing moments of opening, followed by contraction and resistance. He asks how, if the separate self is an illusion, it can create resistance. Rupert explains that although the separate self is illusory, and its reality is the presence of awareness, the activity of resistance is a well-formed habit.

A man from Denmark says he understands that awareness is that within which everything is known, and within which everything arises, but he does not experience that everything is made of awareness. Rupert explains that, as a wave is to the water, likewise ourself emerges from, and as, awareness.

A woman from Poland says she understands that everything is made of awareness, and can feel expansion into empty space, but finds it difficult to expand into the world. Rupert leads her in self-enquiry to the felt experience of being made of the same stuff out of which the world is made.

A man from Sacramento finds expansion into space difficult with his eyes open. Rupert offers the analogy of the dreamer and the dream and applies it to the 'lucid waking' state.

A woman from Illinois says that during the meditation she felt herself as the presence of awareness, but then her head and chest opened up in an intense, vibrating decompression. She asks if this is part of the process. Rupert confirms that such an opening is normal in that her body has long been in a compressed state, and that the intensity will die down in time.

A man who suffers from fibromyalgia, which he feels is caused by deep, unhealed emotions from childhood trauma that have come to light with the use of psychedelics, asks if the recognition of his true nature will help. Rupert responds that the recognition will not necessarily get rid of the pain, but will begin to loosen the knot of tension and change his overall felt experience of the body.

A woman asks if everyone who has lived still lives inside her being, and if this also applies to animals and plants. Rupert agrees that everything that dies is, and remains as, awareness.

A man from Italy doesn't feel the expansion, or the peace and happiness of his true nature. Rupert asks him what the experience of being aware is to him, and guides him in self-enquiry to investigate this more deeply.

A woman says that she believes neither the consciousness-only nor the matter model, and asks why we can't use both. Rupert suggests that nobody has ever actually found matter, and that, just as like in the dream world, only consciousness is verifiable.

A man asks what the expression 'disinterested, affectionate contemplation' means, as he has trouble applying it. Rupert elaborates on the term and gives examples.

A woman says that she is terrified of not existing and that this fear is growing. She mentions the analogy of John Smith and King Lear. Rupert says John Smith does not fear King Lear's death, because this is only a character he is playing. And King Lear does not die; he simply recognises his true nature as John Smith.

A man from London describes experiencing moments of opening, followed by contraction and resistance. He asks how, if the separate self is an illusion, it can create resistance. Rupert explains that although the separate self is illusory, and its reality is the presence of awareness, the activity of resistance is a well-formed habit.