The Ever-Present Background of All Experience
- Duration: Video: 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 22 seconds / Audio: 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 22 seconds
- Recorded on: Nov 7, 2020
- Event: Five Day 'Retreat at Home' – November
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A woman says that because she has a strong mind, she is fine when working with Rupert, but must resort to practising mantra to still her mind on her own. Rupert says he has never recommended trying to quiet the mind. He talks about mantra meditation in contrast to the Direct Path.
A man wants to know if he is creating his future reality. Rupert talks about ways that New Age ideas get mixed up with non-duality, but that there is some truth to the idea of fulfilment on behalf of love, truth and beauty.
A woman from Greece says she feels she is not of this world, and asks how to deal with feeling disconnected from life. Rupert speaks of shifting from the inward-facing to the outward-facing path of experiencing peace in the world.
A woman who shares this teaching with others says she still gets caught up in the personal and becomes depressed, so she wonders if she is in a position to share. Rupert describes how attention goes to personal drama, and how a shift of attention towards others, in the form of sharing, is the relief for that.
A woman from Virginia says she usually feels connected, but because of the election is aware that half the country is not happy. She wants to know how to extend that happiness where communication has failed. Rupert speaks of the ways to communicate that have to do with our skills and interests, such as art or small business.
A man asks how clocks fit into the idea of time. Does not their movement indicate the passage of time? Rupert explains that it is the mind that creates time.
A woman asks how to share the teaching with people who get scared and revolt against it. Rupert speaks of the concessions made by all spiritual teachers, with the analogy of the willingness of John Smith's friend to speak to King Lear.
A woman asks who is choosing the direction of attention. Rupert uses the analogy of a torch to explain how attention goes towards an object.
A man who says he vacillates between realisation and separation has a desire to pursue a new career. He asks if it is advisable to place spiritual practice above all else. Rupert speaks of balance and the confusion between the needs of the body, such as a home and food, and egoic pursuits.
A woman from California asks how to deal with the fear of self breaking down. Rupert explains that the peeling away of layers can be experienced in different ways, and suggests taking refuge in the background that holds it all together.
A man from Germany refers to a statement by Ramana Maharshi that the world is an illusion. He asks how it is possible to see that in everyday life. Rupert clarifies that this doesn't mean that the world is unreal, but that it is not as it appears.
A woman from Spain says she helps people to see the patterns of the ego, but with COVID, she experiences only sadness. She asks how to share her being with the world during the pandemic. Rupert tells a story about the effort to publish and distribute the Chan in early Zen, during a time of famine and a pandemic.
A man from Ukraine says he has had many glimpses of his true nature but he also loses the experience many times. Rupert tells him that he loses it because he thinks it is a state that starts and stops, and encourages him not to be seduced by an expansive feeling.
A woman says that because she has a strong mind, she is fine when working with Rupert, but must resort to practising mantra to still her mind on her own. Rupert says he has never recommended trying to quiet the mind. He talks about mantra meditation in contrast to the Direct Path.
A man wants to know if he is creating his future reality. Rupert talks about ways that New Age ideas get mixed up with non-duality, but that there is some truth to the idea of fulfilment on behalf of love, truth and beauty.
A woman from Greece says she feels she is not of this world, and asks how to deal with feeling disconnected from life. Rupert speaks of shifting from the inward-facing to the outward-facing path of experiencing peace in the world.
A woman who shares this teaching with others says she still gets caught up in the personal and becomes depressed, so she wonders if she is in a position to share. Rupert describes how attention goes to personal drama, and how a shift of attention towards others, in the form of sharing, is the relief for that.
A woman from Virginia says she usually feels connected, but because of the election is aware that half the country is not happy. She wants to know how to extend that happiness where communication has failed. Rupert speaks of the ways to communicate that have to do with our skills and interests, such as art or small business.
A man asks how clocks fit into the idea of time. Does not their movement indicate the passage of time? Rupert explains that it is the mind that creates time.
A woman asks how to share the teaching with people who get scared and revolt against it. Rupert speaks of the concessions made by all spiritual teachers, with the analogy of the willingness of John Smith's friend to speak to King Lear.
A woman asks who is choosing the direction of attention. Rupert uses the analogy of a torch to explain how attention goes towards an object.
A man who says he vacillates between realisation and separation has a desire to pursue a new career. He asks if it is advisable to place spiritual practice above all else. Rupert speaks of balance and the confusion between the needs of the body, such as a home and food, and egoic pursuits.
A woman from California asks how to deal with the fear of self breaking down. Rupert explains that the peeling away of layers can be experienced in different ways, and suggests taking refuge in the background that holds it all together.
A man from Germany refers to a statement by Ramana Maharshi that the world is an illusion. He asks how it is possible to see that in everyday life. Rupert clarifies that this doesn't mean that the world is unreal, but that it is not as it appears.
A woman from Spain says she helps people to see the patterns of the ego, but with COVID, she experiences only sadness. She asks how to share her being with the world during the pandemic. Rupert tells a story about the effort to publish and distribute the Chan in early Zen, during a time of famine and a pandemic.
A man from Ukraine says he has had many glimpses of his true nature but he also loses the experience many times. Rupert tells him that he loses it because he thinks it is a state that starts and stops, and encourages him not to be seduced by an expansive feeling.