Peace in the Background of Experience
- Duration: Video: 2 hours, 0 minutes, and 6 seconds / Audio: 2 hours, 0 minutes, and 6 seconds
- Recorded on: Nov 10, 2020
- Event: Five Day 'Retreat at Home' – November
A man from Massachusetts feels he is 'doing' the practice of remembering 'I am' as awareness, and asks if this is sustainable. Rupert explains that it is right to remind oneself, but suggests to recognise just once and then to keep returning until the understanding is established.
A woman says that when she is meditating with Rupert, she feels a peaceful energy. She likes this state and asks how to keep it. Ruperts explains that it is not a state, that awareness is where all states come and go, peaceful or agitated; it doesn't change.
A woman says she wishes she could encounter another human being during yoga meditation. Rupert relates that this experiment was part of live retreats, before COVID.
A man from North Carolina says that when he wakes up in the morning he feels formless, and then takes on a 'me'. He asks if 'I am' is a portal to this formlessness. Rupert speaks about how being gets up, gets dressed and takes on the form of a human being, and that we need not let being get overshadowed by experience.
A man describes how he zones out in meditation, and he wonders if he needs physical preparation on the path to awakening, such as Patanjali describes. Rupert explains that no physical preparation is necessary in the Direct Path.
After a yoga meditation, a woman from California says she cannot bring her attention back to awareness when focusing on sensations in the body, and asks how to develop the habit of attention to awareness. Rupert says to give attention, pause, and ask where it is coming from.
A woman says that in her first retreat thought could no longer hide, but emotions still pull her down. Rupert recommends two approaches. The first is to ask on whose behalf the emotion arises. The second is to go ahead and feel the raw emotion as if for the first time.
A woman says she experiences the waking and dreaming states like a lucid dream, and understands the meaning of 'I am the light of the world' and 'in the world but not of it'. Rupert suggests that the light is consciousness and that the world is in us.
A woman from Paris who is a masseuse says that she feels a connection with 'more than me' that is embodied, and asks if being 'in the flow' means being in your true nature. Rupert describes this as knowing that you and the other are the same, that there is no ego and the filter is transparent. This cannot be sought but is a by-product of the recognition of our true nature.
A man who is going through a break-up says that he vacillates between suppressing and acting out his anger, and that revenge has a bitter taste. Rupert asks if it is loving to express the anger and if there is a sense of relief.
A woman who is feeling very emotional asks how to come to an unshakeable place. Rupert says the old ways are beginning to fall away but the new habits are not yet in place, so he says to take very small steps.
A woman who feels disturbed after yoga meditations describes identifying with the image of a boat in in rough seas. Rupert explains that we cannot be the boat and sea because they manifest in infinite awareness, which is what we are.
A woman who is struggling with the emotional pain of others asks what to do with this, and who is feeling this pain. Rupert explains that with the recognition of our self we may feel the suffering of others as our own.
A man ask what to do with Kundalini and sexual energy and why it is not spoken of more in spiritual dialogues. Rupert elaborates on spiritual practices such as Tantra that are appropriated by the ego and its sense of lack.
A man asks, if ceramic art is play, whether spiritual practice is as well. Rupert talks about his apprenticeship in ceramics and the refinement he developed there that informed his spiritual practice.
A man says that even though she has an understanding and a feeling of love and openness, she still lives in the story of herself, and asks how to get out of the habit of seeing this understanding as part of the story. Rupert explains that the understanding is a window, not an experience.
A man asks Rupert to define his use of the terms feelings, emotions and sensation.
A man from Massachusetts feels he is 'doing' the practice of remembering 'I am' as awareness, and asks if this is sustainable. Rupert explains that it is right to remind oneself, but suggests to recognise just once and then to keep returning until the understanding is established.
A woman says that when she is meditating with Rupert, she feels a peaceful energy. She likes this state and asks how to keep it. Ruperts explains that it is not a state, that awareness is where all states come and go, peaceful or agitated; it doesn't change.
A woman says she wishes she could encounter another human being during yoga meditation. Rupert relates that this experiment was part of live retreats, before COVID.
A man from North Carolina says that when he wakes up in the morning he feels formless, and then takes on a 'me'. He asks if 'I am' is a portal to this formlessness. Rupert speaks about how being gets up, gets dressed and takes on the form of a human being, and that we need not let being get overshadowed by experience.
A man describes how he zones out in meditation, and he wonders if he needs physical preparation on the path to awakening, such as Patanjali describes. Rupert explains that no physical preparation is necessary in the Direct Path.
After a yoga meditation, a woman from California says she cannot bring her attention back to awareness when focusing on sensations in the body, and asks how to develop the habit of attention to awareness. Rupert says to give attention, pause, and ask where it is coming from.
A woman says that in her first retreat thought could no longer hide, but emotions still pull her down. Rupert recommends two approaches. The first is to ask on whose behalf the emotion arises. The second is to go ahead and feel the raw emotion as if for the first time.
A woman says she experiences the waking and dreaming states like a lucid dream, and understands the meaning of 'I am the light of the world' and 'in the world but not of it'. Rupert suggests that the light is consciousness and that the world is in us.
A woman from Paris who is a masseuse says that she feels a connection with 'more than me' that is embodied, and asks if being 'in the flow' means being in your true nature. Rupert describes this as knowing that you and the other are the same, that there is no ego and the filter is transparent. This cannot be sought but is a by-product of the recognition of our true nature.
A man who is going through a break-up says that he vacillates between suppressing and acting out his anger, and that revenge has a bitter taste. Rupert asks if it is loving to express the anger and if there is a sense of relief.
A woman who is feeling very emotional asks how to come to an unshakeable place. Rupert says the old ways are beginning to fall away but the new habits are not yet in place, so he says to take very small steps.
A woman who feels disturbed after yoga meditations describes identifying with the image of a boat in in rough seas. Rupert explains that we cannot be the boat and sea because they manifest in infinite awareness, which is what we are.
A woman who is struggling with the emotional pain of others asks what to do with this, and who is feeling this pain. Rupert explains that with the recognition of our self we may feel the suffering of others as our own.
A man ask what to do with Kundalini and sexual energy and why it is not spoken of more in spiritual dialogues. Rupert elaborates on spiritual practices such as Tantra that are appropriated by the ego and its sense of lack.
A man asks, if ceramic art is play, whether spiritual practice is as well. Rupert talks about his apprenticeship in ceramics and the refinement he developed there that informed his spiritual practice.
A man says that even though she has an understanding and a feeling of love and openness, she still lives in the story of herself, and asks how to get out of the habit of seeing this understanding as part of the story. Rupert explains that the understanding is a window, not an experience.
A man asks Rupert to define his use of the terms feelings, emotions and sensation.