Happiness Is the Shining of Being

A man who has recently experienced a ‘dark night of the soul’ asks about bringing the light of being into the darker recesses of the psyche. Rupert replies that once one is committed and has a deep love for truth, one increasingly sees those difficult events as tests of understanding, equanimity and love – revealing the extent to which our peace is unperturbable. This understanding should be tested in the fire of life.

A woman expresses her gratitude for the retreat and enquires how to handle troubling situations where she feels helpless. Rupert replies that he shares her sadness about the world’s condition. He explains that the root cause is our culture’s forgetfulness that peace is our true nature and that we share this being with everyone and everything. The greatest help we can offer is to recognise our true nature and live this understanding to the best of our ability.

A man asks how the non-dual understanding relates to animal rights. Rupert expresses his opinion that it is up to everyone to apply this understanding as they see fit. He says he does not want to prescribe anything to anyone.

A discussion about whether being has a way of guiding us toward its preferences, if it has any. Rupert provides examples – when choosing tea or coffee, both choices are neutral and do not express the nature of our being; but in choosing between a vindictive or loving way of behaving, we might pause to let understanding inform our choice and recognise that the loving choice better expresses our being.

A discussion on stage fright morphs into a woman asking who it is that is praying when we are in prayer. Rupert explains that there are different stages of prayer. Using an analogy of space in a room, he says that initially, the space in the room – representing the separate self – prays and surrenders to infinite space. The highest form of prayer is recognising that the space in the room is already the vast, infinite space of the universe, simply abiding as that.

A woman describes her recent meditation experience, during which she felt the unperturbable nature of being. She asks for guidance on whether she is on the right track. Rupert explains the traditional approach of separating being from experience but notes that this is not an appropriate life attitude. It is natural to care for our body, our mind and the world. We should aim for our lives to align with the nature of our being. All content of experience is an expression of our being and should be treated as such.

A woman, new to the teachings, asks about happiness and suffering. Rupert uses the analogy of sky and clouds to explain that if we imagine the blue sky covered by grey clouds, a patch of blue might seem like just another cloud. However, this patch is actually the blue sky shining through the grey clouds. Similarly, happiness is like the blue sky, and suffering is the grey cloud cover. Happiness is not a feeling; it is the shining of our being.

A man enquires if there is anything to be done to the mind to make it more available for this understanding. Rupert says he doesn’t recommend trying to control the mind – just like children, the mind does not like to be told not to do something. In this approach, we may encourage the mind to grow in understanding, and that has a natural effect on the mind; it gradually conforms to the understanding.

A man shares that his daughter feels he is not present with her and asks for guidance on how to navigate this situation. Rupert responds that the issue is not a lack of love but a misunderstanding. He advises that a discussion between the man and his daughter is needed, and he suggests that this satsang may not be the appropriate place for such a conversation. Nevertheless, Rupert recommends focusing on understanding one another rather than trying to get a point of view across during their discussion.

A man shares his gratitude and asks about gratitude in the context of intense emotions like rage over the suffering of children in the world. Rupert replies that the outrage we feel about the suffering of others arises from our sense of shared being; it is a sacred outrage. It arises out of love and is impersonal. He recommends the man feel grateful for everything in his life that helps him recognise and celebrate the nature of his being, even if the circumstances may be painful.

A man who has recently experienced a ‘dark night of the soul’ asks about bringing the light of being into the darker recesses of the psyche. Rupert replies that once one is committed and has a deep love for truth, one increasingly sees those difficult events as tests of understanding, equanimity and love – revealing the extent to which our peace is unperturbable. This understanding should be tested in the fire of life.

A woman expresses her gratitude for the retreat and enquires how to handle troubling situations where she feels helpless. Rupert replies that he shares her sadness about the world’s condition. He explains that the root cause is our culture’s forgetfulness that peace is our true nature and that we share this being with everyone and everything. The greatest help we can offer is to recognise our true nature and live this understanding to the best of our ability.

A man asks how the non-dual understanding relates to animal rights. Rupert expresses his opinion that it is up to everyone to apply this understanding as they see fit. He says he does not want to prescribe anything to anyone.

A discussion about whether being has a way of guiding us toward its preferences, if it has any. Rupert provides examples – when choosing tea or coffee, both choices are neutral and do not express the nature of our being; but in choosing between a vindictive or loving way of behaving, we might pause to let understanding inform our choice and recognise that the loving choice better expresses our being.

A discussion on stage fright morphs into a woman asking who it is that is praying when we are in prayer. Rupert explains that there are different stages of prayer. Using an analogy of space in a room, he says that initially, the space in the room – representing the separate self – prays and surrenders to infinite space. The highest form of prayer is recognising that the space in the room is already the vast, infinite space of the universe, simply abiding as that.

A woman describes her recent meditation experience, during which she felt the unperturbable nature of being. She asks for guidance on whether she is on the right track. Rupert explains the traditional approach of separating being from experience but notes that this is not an appropriate life attitude. It is natural to care for our body, our mind and the world. We should aim for our lives to align with the nature of our being. All content of experience is an expression of our being and should be treated as such.

A woman, new to the teachings, asks about happiness and suffering. Rupert uses the analogy of sky and clouds to explain that if we imagine the blue sky covered by grey clouds, a patch of blue might seem like just another cloud. However, this patch is actually the blue sky shining through the grey clouds. Similarly, happiness is like the blue sky, and suffering is the grey cloud cover. Happiness is not a feeling; it is the shining of our being.

A man enquires if there is anything to be done to the mind to make it more available for this understanding. Rupert says he doesn’t recommend trying to control the mind – just like children, the mind does not like to be told not to do something. In this approach, we may encourage the mind to grow in understanding, and that has a natural effect on the mind; it gradually conforms to the understanding.

A man shares that his daughter feels he is not present with her and asks for guidance on how to navigate this situation. Rupert responds that the issue is not a lack of love but a misunderstanding. He advises that a discussion between the man and his daughter is needed, and he suggests that this satsang may not be the appropriate place for such a conversation. Nevertheless, Rupert recommends focusing on understanding one another rather than trying to get a point of view across during their discussion.

A man shares his gratitude and asks about gratitude in the context of intense emotions like rage over the suffering of children in the world. Rupert replies that the outrage we feel about the suffering of others arises from our sense of shared being; it is a sacred outrage. It arises out of love and is impersonal. He recommends the man feel grateful for everything in his life that helps him recognise and celebrate the nature of his being, even if the circumstances may be painful.