Lucid Waking

A woman asks Rupert to speak about his relationship with his mother. Rupert shared that his mother introduced him to non-duality, and that when he first met Francis, he asked Rupert how he came by his love of truth. Francis responded, ‘How beautiful, the mother handing her son back to God.

A woman asks Rupert to talk about death. Rupert talks about his relationship with his father and how in the last days of his life, his father said, “All I feel is love.’ And when he died, Rupert felt that his father came closer.

A man, new to non-duality, asks if it has a creation story. Using the analogy of Mary and Jane, Rupert explains that from Jane’s point of view, mind exists on the inside and matter on the outside, but when Mary wakes up, there is no world, nor separate people or objects. That’s the creation story.

A man references the religious concept of heaven and whether we are reunited with those we love. Rupert explains that the religious metaphor of heaven is an appropriation by the mind of the truth of our being, but it is conceived within the limitations of that mind, namely time and space.

A woman asks for clarification around motivation and intention. Rupert responds that things that are motivated out of love – not egoic intention – can only bring benefit to the world, even if in the short term it seems hurtful, which is hurtful to the ego.

A woman asks if the knot in her heart is the result of other people hurting her. Rupert suggests that no one is responsible for our suffering. Nobody compels us to close our heart.

A man asks about how much of all this is unfolding and how much of it is effort. Rupert responds that yes, it is all unfolding, but our effort is a part of that unfolding.

A man, who thought he had a question about traditional Vedanta and what Rupert is offering, says he found resolution in something Rupert said, ‘Consciousness of being is joy’, or Sat Chit Ananda. Rupert responds that yes, awareness of being is happiness itself.

A woman asks if consciousness is transparent, then how do we know how to act and move through the world. Rupert says that the nature of consciousness can be conceptualized as peace and joy and love, and for this reason a moral code should embody this understanding.

A man who has had the experience of lucid dreaming asks if the equivalent when waking is enlightenment. Rupert suggests that the equivalent is lucid waking, which is always available, and that enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of our being.

A man says that he wants those who do loathsome things to suffer. Rupert replies that they behave like that because they are unhappy and ignorant, their actions are the impersonal functioning of the ego. Wish them to become happy and loving.

A man asks Rupert to clarify the term ‘impersonal functioning of the ego’. Rupert suggests that the separate self is the activity of thinking and feeling. There is no personal entity responsible, an entity imagined by thinking and feeling. For this reason, we cannot blame anyone; there is no one to blame.

A woman, who describes the experience of ‘zoning out’ in meditation, asks if this is emptiness. Using the analogy of space, Rupert describes why the term ‘emptiness’ doesn’t describe the experience but instead refers to it in contrast to everything else.

A woman asks about discernment when knowing that we are all one and innocent. Rupert responds that whilst we are all one and innocent, our behaviour is sometimes not. If we feel loving, but impersonal, then our feeling doesn’t obscure our discrimination.

A man who frequently experiences the presence of awareness says there is still an ‘I’ that is seeing it all, and asks if it’s meant to go away. Rupert suggests it’s not meant to go away, all that is necessary is that it becomes transparent to the light of awareness that lies behind it.

A man asks for clarification about whether consciousness expands and contracts. Rupert suggests that John Smith doesn’t really contract when he assumes the character of King Lear, but he does seem to limit himself.

A man asks if the impersonal ego has been conditioned, then what can we do. Rupert suggests that the idea that everything is cast in stone doesn’t resonate, but instead that God is a jazz musician. There are no notes on the page, but room for freedom and creativity.

A woman who has an ongoing contraction in her solar plexus asks for suggestions on how to work with it. Rupert suggests that she cease doing anything to get rid of it or considering it a problem or an obstacle. No subtle agenda to get rid of it.

A man asks whether having no agenda with feelings and sensations applies to visceral fear. Rupert says that if the man’s child came to him afraid it would not be hard to love the child, and suggests that he extend that love to himself.

A woman asks Rupert to speak about his relationship with his mother. Rupert shared that his mother introduced him to non-duality, and that when he first met Francis, he asked Rupert how he came by his love of truth. Francis responded, ‘How beautiful, the mother handing her son back to God.

A woman asks Rupert to talk about death. Rupert talks about his relationship with his father and how in the last days of his life, his father said, “All I feel is love.’ And when he died, Rupert felt that his father came closer.

A man, new to non-duality, asks if it has a creation story. Using the analogy of Mary and Jane, Rupert explains that from Jane’s point of view, mind exists on the inside and matter on the outside, but when Mary wakes up, there is no world, nor separate people or objects. That’s the creation story.

A man references the religious concept of heaven and whether we are reunited with those we love. Rupert explains that the religious metaphor of heaven is an appropriation by the mind of the truth of our being, but it is conceived within the limitations of that mind, namely time and space.

A woman asks for clarification around motivation and intention. Rupert responds that things that are motivated out of love – not egoic intention – can only bring benefit to the world, even if in the short term it seems hurtful, which is hurtful to the ego.

A woman asks if the knot in her heart is the result of other people hurting her. Rupert suggests that no one is responsible for our suffering. Nobody compels us to close our heart.

A man asks about how much of all this is unfolding and how much of it is effort. Rupert responds that yes, it is all unfolding, but our effort is a part of that unfolding.

A man, who thought he had a question about traditional Vedanta and what Rupert is offering, says he found resolution in something Rupert said, ‘Consciousness of being is joy’, or Sat Chit Ananda. Rupert responds that yes, awareness of being is happiness itself.

A woman asks if consciousness is transparent, then how do we know how to act and move through the world. Rupert says that the nature of consciousness can be conceptualized as peace and joy and love, and for this reason a moral code should embody this understanding.

A man who has had the experience of lucid dreaming asks if the equivalent when waking is enlightenment. Rupert suggests that the equivalent is lucid waking, which is always available, and that enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of our being.

A man says that he wants those who do loathsome things to suffer. Rupert replies that they behave like that because they are unhappy and ignorant, their actions are the impersonal functioning of the ego. Wish them to become happy and loving.

A man asks Rupert to clarify the term ‘impersonal functioning of the ego’. Rupert suggests that the separate self is the activity of thinking and feeling. There is no personal entity responsible, an entity imagined by thinking and feeling. For this reason, we cannot blame anyone; there is no one to blame.

A woman, who describes the experience of ‘zoning out’ in meditation, asks if this is emptiness. Using the analogy of space, Rupert describes why the term ‘emptiness’ doesn’t describe the experience but instead refers to it in contrast to everything else.

A woman asks about discernment when knowing that we are all one and innocent. Rupert responds that whilst we are all one and innocent, our behaviour is sometimes not. If we feel loving, but impersonal, then our feeling doesn’t obscure our discrimination.

A man who frequently experiences the presence of awareness says there is still an ‘I’ that is seeing it all, and asks if it’s meant to go away. Rupert suggests it’s not meant to go away, all that is necessary is that it becomes transparent to the light of awareness that lies behind it.

A man asks for clarification about whether consciousness expands and contracts. Rupert suggests that John Smith doesn’t really contract when he assumes the character of King Lear, but he does seem to limit himself.

A man asks if the impersonal ego has been conditioned, then what can we do. Rupert suggests that the idea that everything is cast in stone doesn’t resonate, but instead that God is a jazz musician. There are no notes on the page, but room for freedom and creativity.

A woman who has an ongoing contraction in her solar plexus asks for suggestions on how to work with it. Rupert suggests that she cease doing anything to get rid of it or considering it a problem or an obstacle. No subtle agenda to get rid of it.

A man asks whether having no agenda with feelings and sensations applies to visceral fear. Rupert says that if the man’s child came to him afraid it would not be hard to love the child, and suggests that he extend that love to himself.