Return from the Adventure of Experience to Yourself

In this meditation, we become aware of our self as the witnessing presence of awareness in the background of experience, one with all experience and yet independent of it. Take a step back from experience and rest in, and as, this presence of awareness. Like coming home after a long day's work, return from the adventure of experience to the sanctuary of our self. This presence never has any agenda, never resists what is or seeks what is not. Thus, its nature is peace. The awareness we are is the same awareness that is the nature of all people and animals, the ultimate reality of all things. Duality of mind and matter is a projection. Underlying the projection is a single, indivisible reality which is the essence of our self. Don't let the appearance of multiplicity and diversity obscure the recognition that what we are is what everyone and everything is. Allow this recognition to inform your thoughts, feelings and relationships.

Rupert suggests we are always only our self in response to a man who asks about his experience of being aware and of being aware of being aware. Using the analogy of John Smith and King Lear, he suggests that though King Lear is a colouring of John Smith, John Smith never stops being himself.

A woman asks about pursuing her art as a career. Rupert responds that the purpose of our art is to express this understanding as a way of seeing.

I don't know what to do next, says a woman with a deeper understanding of her true nature. Rupert suggests that she may have to wait to know what to do next in life, but not to grasp at things because it may take time for her activities to ‘catch up’ with this understanding.

A man says he's tried everything, but is still stuck in depression. Rupert suggests getting involved with people from this community, particularly a therapist because these deep feelings of depression may require more than the non-dual understanding.

Realigning our activities with our true nature is a gradual and never-ending process, suggests Rupert, in which the way we think, perceive, act and relate to others, are progressively permeated from this understanding such that all aspects of our life become an expression of it, and don't worry or judge your sense of perfection.

A woman asks about the essence of Christianity. Rupert recommends a book by Brother Lawrence entitled the Practice of the Presence of God, which he suggests is the essence of Christianity, and truly all traditions.

How am I not my body?' , a woman asks who struggles with this idea, especially around death. Rupert suggests that it is more accurate to say 'I am more than my body'.

Are those who've died still here? And do we have some contact with them? Rupert leads a woman in self-enquiry to discover the being that is shared by all, and is that which never dies.

A man asks about control and shame. Rupert suggests that on a practical level we must control our environment, but we must attend to the separate self, not the desire to control.

When asked about the origin of suffering and describes a feeling of pain in regard to the loss of love with family members. Rupert responds that all emotional pain comes from a sense of separation from God. Human suffering is not caused by others or circumstances; it is the longing to return to oneness, to reunite with God.

A woman asks about awareness, which she understands doesn't have an issue with the content of experience, and all the negative things in the world. Rupert suggests that everything is oneness and awareness doesn’t take action, actions arise in it.

A woman who just left her career, asks for advice. Rupert suggests that our careers unfold along with our understanding and our previous skills will be used in the service of love and understanding, instead of in service of the separate self when you go in the direction of what you love.

Too much thinking is making me weak, says a woman. Rupert suggests that a very active, analytical mind can be difficult, but isn't helped by more thinking. He suggests simply resting as being.

In this meditation, we become aware of our self as the witnessing presence of awareness in the background of experience, one with all experience and yet independent of it. Take a step back from experience and rest in, and as, this presence of awareness. Like coming home after a long day's work, return from the adventure of experience to the sanctuary of our self. This presence never has any agenda, never resists what is or seeks what is not. Thus, its nature is peace. The awareness we are is the same awareness that is the nature of all people and animals, the ultimate reality of all things. Duality of mind and matter is a projection. Underlying the projection is a single, indivisible reality which is the essence of our self. Don't let the appearance of multiplicity and diversity obscure the recognition that what we are is what everyone and everything is. Allow this recognition to inform your thoughts, feelings and relationships.

Rupert suggests we are always only our self in response to a man who asks about his experience of being aware and of being aware of being aware. Using the analogy of John Smith and King Lear, he suggests that though King Lear is a colouring of John Smith, John Smith never stops being himself.

A woman asks about pursuing her art as a career. Rupert responds that the purpose of our art is to express this understanding as a way of seeing.

I don't know what to do next, says a woman with a deeper understanding of her true nature. Rupert suggests that she may have to wait to know what to do next in life, but not to grasp at things because it may take time for her activities to ‘catch up’ with this understanding.

A man says he's tried everything, but is still stuck in depression. Rupert suggests getting involved with people from this community, particularly a therapist because these deep feelings of depression may require more than the non-dual understanding.

Realigning our activities with our true nature is a gradual and never-ending process, suggests Rupert, in which the way we think, perceive, act and relate to others, are progressively permeated from this understanding such that all aspects of our life become an expression of it, and don't worry or judge your sense of perfection.

A woman asks about the essence of Christianity. Rupert recommends a book by Brother Lawrence entitled the Practice of the Presence of God, which he suggests is the essence of Christianity, and truly all traditions.

How am I not my body?' , a woman asks who struggles with this idea, especially around death. Rupert suggests that it is more accurate to say 'I am more than my body'.

Are those who've died still here? And do we have some contact with them? Rupert leads a woman in self-enquiry to discover the being that is shared by all, and is that which never dies.

A man asks about control and shame. Rupert suggests that on a practical level we must control our environment, but we must attend to the separate self, not the desire to control.

When asked about the origin of suffering and describes a feeling of pain in regard to the loss of love with family members. Rupert responds that all emotional pain comes from a sense of separation from God. Human suffering is not caused by others or circumstances; it is the longing to return to oneness, to reunite with God.

A woman asks about awareness, which she understands doesn't have an issue with the content of experience, and all the negative things in the world. Rupert suggests that everything is oneness and awareness doesn’t take action, actions arise in it.

A woman who just left her career, asks for advice. Rupert suggests that our careers unfold along with our understanding and our previous skills will be used in the service of love and understanding, instead of in service of the separate self when you go in the direction of what you love.

Too much thinking is making me weak, says a woman. Rupert suggests that a very active, analytical mind can be difficult, but isn't helped by more thinking. He suggests simply resting as being.