Retreat – a Gathering of Friends

A woman with a large family is worried about how to explain where she's been and what she's been doing during retreat. Rupert suggests she describe it as conversations with friends and forget everything that Rupert has said. Spreading her peace is enough.

A woman speaks of the sorrow she feels at the loss of her companion during COVID-19. Rupert suggests there is no need to let go of the sorrow and to simply feel it.

A man asks about the difference between awareness and non-discriminating mindfulness. Rupert speaks of his own understanding of mindfulness and suggests that non-discriminating mindfulness is a way of being aware of being aware, not just experiences.

A man says he has trouble experiencing awareness beyond, or prior to, the senses. Rupert guides him in self-enquiry to help him discover the awareness that is prior to the senses.

A woman says that she sees it's all just this, and that there is nothing else, which causes her to panic. Rupert responds that she is losing her sense of self, which sometimes feels like a kind of death.

A man describes his relationship to stray cats as analogous to his understanding of the Tantric approach to dealing with difficult emotions. Rupert continues with the analogy and says the subdued, traumatised cats eventually come closer and enjoy the milk, and the peace.

A man comments on Rupert’s podcast with Piers Thurston about business and leadership. Rupert replies that one of the qualities of a leader is seeing and drawing out the latent potential in others, and he talks about the gratifying experience of working with groups outside of the non-dual community, such as business communities and elite soccer players.

A man speaks of his enjoyment of the friendship aspect of in-person retreats that isn't as apparent in online gatherings. Rupert also speaks of his love for the sense of friendship and community in retreat.

A question is asked about devotion and aspects of heart-centred Sufism, wonders what role it plays in this teaching. Rupert speaks of the difference between devotion to an other, and devotion to the truth, the latter of which is essential to this teaching.

A question is asked about awareness and deep sleep. Rupert suggests that something is woken up by an alarm clock. Awareness is that which experiences, but is outside of time and space, and waking and sleeping.

A man describes a recurring dream of being alone that brings up heart-breaking feelings of abandonment, which has transformed into laughter during retreat. Rupert responds that as a separate self we are lonely, but as our true identity we are all one.

A man asks if people who are localised, who become unlocalised, then regroup in a similar localisation, such as reincarnation. Rupert explains that only infinite consciousness localises, and there may be some continuity of localisations.

A man asks about the difference between practical thoughts that help us to make good decisions and other seemingly more profound thoughts. Rupert explains that thoughts are not the enemy in this teaching. Only those that arise from a sense of separation are problematic.

A man, who feels he is at a fork in the road regarding his contemplation practice and yoga meditations, asks how to proceed. Rupert explains that the yoga meditations have to do with bodily sensations and perception, rather than thought.

A man, who describes the loss of doubt after a non-dual experience, says he still feels there is something that comes with the 'I am' thought. Rupert responds that the 'I am' thought refers to our essential nature, and any qualification seems to create a separate self, and that consciousness is the only idea of which there can be no doubt.

A woman describes being furious with the phrase ‘everything is infused with God’. Rupert replies that the words trigger a fracture in the mind whereby all the mental structures collapses.

A woman with a large family is worried about how to explain where she's been and what she's been doing during retreat. Rupert suggests she describe it as conversations with friends and forget everything that Rupert has said. Spreading her peace is enough.

A woman speaks of the sorrow she feels at the loss of her companion during COVID-19. Rupert suggests there is no need to let go of the sorrow and to simply feel it.

A man asks about the difference between awareness and non-discriminating mindfulness. Rupert speaks of his own understanding of mindfulness and suggests that non-discriminating mindfulness is a way of being aware of being aware, not just experiences.

A man says he has trouble experiencing awareness beyond, or prior to, the senses. Rupert guides him in self-enquiry to help him discover the awareness that is prior to the senses.

A woman says that she sees it's all just this, and that there is nothing else, which causes her to panic. Rupert responds that she is losing her sense of self, which sometimes feels like a kind of death.

A man describes his relationship to stray cats as analogous to his understanding of the Tantric approach to dealing with difficult emotions. Rupert continues with the analogy and says the subdued, traumatised cats eventually come closer and enjoy the milk, and the peace.

A man comments on Rupert’s podcast with Piers Thurston about business and leadership. Rupert replies that one of the qualities of a leader is seeing and drawing out the latent potential in others, and he talks about the gratifying experience of working with groups outside of the non-dual community, such as business communities and elite soccer players.

A man speaks of his enjoyment of the friendship aspect of in-person retreats that isn't as apparent in online gatherings. Rupert also speaks of his love for the sense of friendship and community in retreat.

A question is asked about devotion and aspects of heart-centred Sufism, wonders what role it plays in this teaching. Rupert speaks of the difference between devotion to an other, and devotion to the truth, the latter of which is essential to this teaching.

A question is asked about awareness and deep sleep. Rupert suggests that something is woken up by an alarm clock. Awareness is that which experiences, but is outside of time and space, and waking and sleeping.

A man describes a recurring dream of being alone that brings up heart-breaking feelings of abandonment, which has transformed into laughter during retreat. Rupert responds that as a separate self we are lonely, but as our true identity we are all one.

A man asks if people who are localised, who become unlocalised, then regroup in a similar localisation, such as reincarnation. Rupert explains that only infinite consciousness localises, and there may be some continuity of localisations.

A man asks about the difference between practical thoughts that help us to make good decisions and other seemingly more profound thoughts. Rupert explains that thoughts are not the enemy in this teaching. Only those that arise from a sense of separation are problematic.

A man, who feels he is at a fork in the road regarding his contemplation practice and yoga meditations, asks how to proceed. Rupert explains that the yoga meditations have to do with bodily sensations and perception, rather than thought.

A man, who describes the loss of doubt after a non-dual experience, says he still feels there is something that comes with the 'I am' thought. Rupert responds that the 'I am' thought refers to our essential nature, and any qualification seems to create a separate self, and that consciousness is the only idea of which there can be no doubt.

A woman describes being furious with the phrase ‘everything is infused with God’. Rupert replies that the words trigger a fracture in the mind whereby all the mental structures collapses.