The Ego has Usurped the Position of the Absolute

A man says that he is not confident that he knows that ‘I am’. He asks for help. Rupert suggests that we can't be sure about anything that we know about the world because we receive it through sense perception which may be deceiving us. But the ‘I’ that is being deceived is undoubtedly present, otherwise we wouldn't be there to have an experience, true or otherwise.

A question is asked about awareness and what the body is. Rupert responds that in live retreats we investigate the body, but this weekend we are focussing on happiness. He suggests listening to yoga meditations for more understanding and leads her in self-enquiry to investigate the experience of the body.

A man shares that he lost his sense of ‘I’, with nothing to anchor. He asks, ‘What “I” disappeared?’ Rupert suggests that the separate self or ego didn't really disappear because there is no such entity. When the ‘I’ disappears, it is an illusion that disappears. King Lear doesn't know John Smith. John Smith knows John Smith. What he lost was the illusion of being separate.

A woman, who describes the friendship she found at retreat, says that she prefers peace in motion and asks whether this is a distraction. Rupert says no, and refers to the Gospel of St. Thomas, 'I am a movement and a rest' and makes the point that there's no distinction between the image and the screen.

A man asks about the use of the word ‘God’. Rupert suggests that if that particular word bothers you, then replace it with another word that works for you – awareness, being, self, love, spirit. No word is accurate, but choose your preferred word.

A woman, who lost her mother and now feels she has lost the happiness she once knew, asks about how happiness and peace are connected. Rupert responds that peace and happiness are the same thing. Peace is happiness at rest; happiness is peace in motion.

A man asks about how to be aware of being aware during experience. Rupert suggests that awareness, by definition, welcomes all experience. We don't have to practise it. If we are experiencing it, then awareness has already accepted it. First, recognise ourself as the unlimited being behind all experience – one with but free of it. Second, feel that the being we essentially are, pervades everything and everyone.

A woman asks about the place of desire in the external world, like a deep need for connection with people which she currently doesn't have. Rupert responds that the reason we have a deep need for connection is due to the knowledge deep within us that we are one. Oneness is the natural state; separation violates that natural state, so the apparent separate self longs to connect.

A man asks about how to get into a state of simply being, of happiness. Rupert suggests that he is seeking a peaceful state of mind, but states come and go. If we want happiness, it is the ever-present background of experience. Rupert uses the analogy of the screen and movie to explain the relaxing of the focus of attention.

A woman says that she seems to spend a lot of time involved ‘the clouds’ and not so much as ‘the sky’. Rupert suggests she see these clouds float through her, letting them float by in you, the sky of awareness. Turn towards the clouds, welcome and love them.

A man asks about the significance of the latest images from the Webb telescope. Rupert suggests that these images are like other significant events in human history, like when man first stepped on the moon. The images are very moving and are very powerful. The man then wonders if these images shows us ‘the past’. Rupert suggests that there is no time in consciousness, which is ever-present.

A woman says she is aware of being aware but has so much sadness she doesn't know how to step out of it. Rupert responds that the cure for the sadness is to go inwards and realise the peaceful nature of our being. Don't look at the sadness; look at the being. He leads her in self-enquiry to discover the nature of her being.

A man asks about how to go about the practice of using one’s imagination to fulfil desires. Rupert suggests that even if we get what we want through imagination, the lack that created the desire would still not be satisfied. This is not about letting go of expectation and seeking. It’s about exploring the self when you say, ‘I’. Who is this ‘I’?

A man asks for Rupert’s opinion on affirmations and whether they play a role in conditioning the mind. Rupert suggests that imagination doesn't create reality. Our minds have an effect on the appearance of reality, but they do not create reality. Reality precedes our minds; it was here before reality was present.

A woman, who describes the direct experience of 'I am' which is within and without, says after meditation she gets so quiet she can't function. Rupert suggests she allow herself some time between the meditation and getting back out into the world. Even when your mind is busy, the fact of being aware is still present but turned towards the world.

A man asks about the back-and-forth movement between the separate self and the awareness of being. Rupert suggests that the recognition of our being doesn't put an end to our habits overnight. As the separate self begins to feel the imminence of its demise, it fights back with a vengeance.

A man asks about moral relativity, especially around those who question morality which causes him to feel separate. Rupert responds that there are many people who believe there is no absolute truth, it's all relative. The ego has usurped the position of the absolute. It's a degradation of the truth. There is something that is true, that is not relative to the finite mind – being is infinite and therefore shared.

A molecular biologist asks about the metaphor, 'this is God's dream' and matter is what consciousness looks like when filtered through the finite mind. He asks about the body and the whirlpool metaphor. Rupert responds using the analogy of Mary and Jane. In the dream, Jane sees only matter; when Mary wakes up, she realises that it was all made of her own mind.

A man asks about how to not get caught in thinking and attachment. Rupert suggests that numerous times a day ask, ‘What is it that is aware of my experience?’. Allow the mind to go back towards that which is aware. This question will come spontaneously more and more often, until we find ourself just naturally knowing ourself as that.

A psychologist asks about happiness in relation to people he works with who are depressed and anxious. Rupert suggests that 'happiness' might not be the best word in those circumstances, but there is a 'peace' in the background of depression.

A man says that he is not confident that he knows that ‘I am’. He asks for help. Rupert suggests that we can't be sure about anything that we know about the world because we receive it through sense perception which may be deceiving us. But the ‘I’ that is being deceived is undoubtedly present, otherwise we wouldn't be there to have an experience, true or otherwise.

A question is asked about awareness and what the body is. Rupert responds that in live retreats we investigate the body, but this weekend we are focussing on happiness. He suggests listening to yoga meditations for more understanding and leads her in self-enquiry to investigate the experience of the body.

A man shares that he lost his sense of ‘I’, with nothing to anchor. He asks, ‘What “I” disappeared?’ Rupert suggests that the separate self or ego didn't really disappear because there is no such entity. When the ‘I’ disappears, it is an illusion that disappears. King Lear doesn't know John Smith. John Smith knows John Smith. What he lost was the illusion of being separate.

A woman, who describes the friendship she found at retreat, says that she prefers peace in motion and asks whether this is a distraction. Rupert says no, and refers to the Gospel of St. Thomas, 'I am a movement and a rest' and makes the point that there's no distinction between the image and the screen.

A man asks about the use of the word ‘God’. Rupert suggests that if that particular word bothers you, then replace it with another word that works for you – awareness, being, self, love, spirit. No word is accurate, but choose your preferred word.

A woman, who lost her mother and now feels she has lost the happiness she once knew, asks about how happiness and peace are connected. Rupert responds that peace and happiness are the same thing. Peace is happiness at rest; happiness is peace in motion.

A man asks about how to be aware of being aware during experience. Rupert suggests that awareness, by definition, welcomes all experience. We don't have to practise it. If we are experiencing it, then awareness has already accepted it. First, recognise ourself as the unlimited being behind all experience – one with but free of it. Second, feel that the being we essentially are, pervades everything and everyone.

A woman asks about the place of desire in the external world, like a deep need for connection with people which she currently doesn't have. Rupert responds that the reason we have a deep need for connection is due to the knowledge deep within us that we are one. Oneness is the natural state; separation violates that natural state, so the apparent separate self longs to connect.

A man asks about how to get into a state of simply being, of happiness. Rupert suggests that he is seeking a peaceful state of mind, but states come and go. If we want happiness, it is the ever-present background of experience. Rupert uses the analogy of the screen and movie to explain the relaxing of the focus of attention.

A woman says that she seems to spend a lot of time involved ‘the clouds’ and not so much as ‘the sky’. Rupert suggests she see these clouds float through her, letting them float by in you, the sky of awareness. Turn towards the clouds, welcome and love them.

A man asks about the significance of the latest images from the Webb telescope. Rupert suggests that these images are like other significant events in human history, like when man first stepped on the moon. The images are very moving and are very powerful. The man then wonders if these images shows us ‘the past’. Rupert suggests that there is no time in consciousness, which is ever-present.

A woman says she is aware of being aware but has so much sadness she doesn't know how to step out of it. Rupert responds that the cure for the sadness is to go inwards and realise the peaceful nature of our being. Don't look at the sadness; look at the being. He leads her in self-enquiry to discover the nature of her being.

A man asks about how to go about the practice of using one’s imagination to fulfil desires. Rupert suggests that even if we get what we want through imagination, the lack that created the desire would still not be satisfied. This is not about letting go of expectation and seeking. It’s about exploring the self when you say, ‘I’. Who is this ‘I’?

A man asks for Rupert’s opinion on affirmations and whether they play a role in conditioning the mind. Rupert suggests that imagination doesn't create reality. Our minds have an effect on the appearance of reality, but they do not create reality. Reality precedes our minds; it was here before reality was present.

A woman, who describes the direct experience of 'I am' which is within and without, says after meditation she gets so quiet she can't function. Rupert suggests she allow herself some time between the meditation and getting back out into the world. Even when your mind is busy, the fact of being aware is still present but turned towards the world.

A man asks about the back-and-forth movement between the separate self and the awareness of being. Rupert suggests that the recognition of our being doesn't put an end to our habits overnight. As the separate self begins to feel the imminence of its demise, it fights back with a vengeance.

A man asks about moral relativity, especially around those who question morality which causes him to feel separate. Rupert responds that there are many people who believe there is no absolute truth, it's all relative. The ego has usurped the position of the absolute. It's a degradation of the truth. There is something that is true, that is not relative to the finite mind – being is infinite and therefore shared.

A molecular biologist asks about the metaphor, 'this is God's dream' and matter is what consciousness looks like when filtered through the finite mind. He asks about the body and the whirlpool metaphor. Rupert responds using the analogy of Mary and Jane. In the dream, Jane sees only matter; when Mary wakes up, she realises that it was all made of her own mind.

A man asks about how to not get caught in thinking and attachment. Rupert suggests that numerous times a day ask, ‘What is it that is aware of my experience?’. Allow the mind to go back towards that which is aware. This question will come spontaneously more and more often, until we find ourself just naturally knowing ourself as that.

A psychologist asks about happiness in relation to people he works with who are depressed and anxious. Rupert suggests that 'happiness' might not be the best word in those circumstances, but there is a 'peace' in the background of depression.