Investigate the Self Rather Than the Experience
- Duration: Video: 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 3 seconds / Audio: 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 3 seconds
- Recorded on: Aug 21, 2021
- Event: The Effortless Path to Happiness – Five Day Retreat at Home
A man asks about the relationship between the mind, feelings and the body. Rupert suggests we listen to what the body needs, but remain mindful of needs that arise on behalf of the ego.
A woman with a painful foot expresses frustration because she feels she has to answer 'yes' to the question of whether her happiness is invested in the content of experience. Rupert responds that the question does not refer to the safety or well-being of the body and that it is appropriate to resist pain.
A man asks for clarification about decision-making and choice. Rupert elaborates on the mechanism of decision-making as it relates to ego in service of separation, or awareness in service of the truth.
A woman asks about choice and whether we choose to pay attention to awareness over objects. Rupert responds that the question assumes there is a 'we' to choose anything and uses the analogy of King Lear to elaborate.
A man comments on Rupert's statement, 'Objects do not exist', and asks how to end the search. Rupert suggests that the way to end the search is to search for the one who seeks in whatever form seeking arises.
A woman asks about the difference between saying yes to all experience, which seems full, and investigating the nature of the self, which seems empty and depressing. Rupert suggests that initially the investigation of self does involve some disconnection, but then we turn back to the content of experience from that inclusive perspective.
A man asks about the inward and outward path. Rupert elaborates on the distinctions between the two paths using the analogy of John Smith and King Lear
A woman asks for help to experientially understand that awareness is present in deep sleep and death. Rupert suggests that we set an alarm for the middle of the night and when we wake up ask, ‘What is aware of the sound of the alarm’?
A woman describes her experience of being unconscious due to a medical condition and asks about what happens to 'I am' in this situation. Rupert responds that 'I' is the universal experience of knowing that ‘I am’ prior to any qualifications.
"A woman says that, contrary to the suggestion that we all love to sleep she does not enjoy it because of the experience of not being aware. Rupert suggests that being in deep sleep is like being without desire and seeking, which is happiness. "
A woman whose husband is bipolar says she tries to bring his attention back to her, unsuccessfully. She asks about how to help him. Rupert suggests that when we ask someone to come back from an unstable state we often do so from fear and overlook that disease and its manifestation is impersonal.
A man asks if staying grounded in routine is the best way to deal with the impact of bipolar disorder. Rupert suggests utilising whatever external help is necessary, like exercise and diet routines, rather than engaging in self-enquiry.
A man from the Netherlands asks about why human beings go through the experience of separation. Rupert elaborates on the contraction of awareness, and suggests we consider the appearance of the one and because the one cannot appear as one, it must disguise itself to appear as the many, which is not a mistake but the mechanism of creation.
A question is asked about whether animals are aware of being aware and consequently happy at all times. Rupert responds that animals also experience resistance, but more often on behalf of the safety of the body.
A man asks about the relationship between the mind, feelings and the body. Rupert suggests we listen to what the body needs, but remain mindful of needs that arise on behalf of the ego.
A woman with a painful foot expresses frustration because she feels she has to answer 'yes' to the question of whether her happiness is invested in the content of experience. Rupert responds that the question does not refer to the safety or well-being of the body and that it is appropriate to resist pain.
A man asks for clarification about decision-making and choice. Rupert elaborates on the mechanism of decision-making as it relates to ego in service of separation, or awareness in service of the truth.
A woman asks about choice and whether we choose to pay attention to awareness over objects. Rupert responds that the question assumes there is a 'we' to choose anything and uses the analogy of King Lear to elaborate.
A man comments on Rupert's statement, 'Objects do not exist', and asks how to end the search. Rupert suggests that the way to end the search is to search for the one who seeks in whatever form seeking arises.
A woman asks about the difference between saying yes to all experience, which seems full, and investigating the nature of the self, which seems empty and depressing. Rupert suggests that initially the investigation of self does involve some disconnection, but then we turn back to the content of experience from that inclusive perspective.
A man asks about the inward and outward path. Rupert elaborates on the distinctions between the two paths using the analogy of John Smith and King Lear
A woman asks for help to experientially understand that awareness is present in deep sleep and death. Rupert suggests that we set an alarm for the middle of the night and when we wake up ask, ‘What is aware of the sound of the alarm’?
A woman describes her experience of being unconscious due to a medical condition and asks about what happens to 'I am' in this situation. Rupert responds that 'I' is the universal experience of knowing that ‘I am’ prior to any qualifications.
"A woman says that, contrary to the suggestion that we all love to sleep she does not enjoy it because of the experience of not being aware. Rupert suggests that being in deep sleep is like being without desire and seeking, which is happiness. "
A woman whose husband is bipolar says she tries to bring his attention back to her, unsuccessfully. She asks about how to help him. Rupert suggests that when we ask someone to come back from an unstable state we often do so from fear and overlook that disease and its manifestation is impersonal.
A man asks if staying grounded in routine is the best way to deal with the impact of bipolar disorder. Rupert suggests utilising whatever external help is necessary, like exercise and diet routines, rather than engaging in self-enquiry.
A man from the Netherlands asks about why human beings go through the experience of separation. Rupert elaborates on the contraction of awareness, and suggests we consider the appearance of the one and because the one cannot appear as one, it must disguise itself to appear as the many, which is not a mistake but the mechanism of creation.
A question is asked about whether animals are aware of being aware and consequently happy at all times. Rupert responds that animals also experience resistance, but more often on behalf of the safety of the body.