The 'I' Does Not Evolve or Change
- Duration: Video: 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 38 seconds / Audio: 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 38 seconds
- Recorded on: Mar 27, 2023
- Event: Seven Day Retreat at Garrison Institute – 26th March to 2nd April
A man asks whether knowing one self, abiding as one’s self or allowing is the best daily practice. Rupert suggests that the investigation into one’s self naturally leads to self-abidance. He uses the analogy of the rope and snake to clarify. We don't cease paying attention to the snake to see the rope. It’s the opposite. The first step we take is to being.
A man asks if self-abidance will quiet the mind. Rupert suggests that it will quiet that part of the mind that is in service of the separate self or of ego, but it won't quiet the entirety of the mind.
A woman asks if the 'I' is impermanent, then how do we deal with changes and constant evolution. Rupert responds that the 'I' is not ever-changing. It never changes. Feelings, thoughts and experiences change, but you never change. He leads her in self-enquiry to discover her essential being.
A man asks why he had to endure so much suffering in order to come to know the nature of his being. Rupert suggests that an inevitable part of growing up is that our being becomes mixed with the content of experience and becomes wedded to it. We seem to be limited by it. We suffer because it is painful to extract our being from this amalgam of experience. We have to lose all the ways we define ourself.
A man asks about the confidence that one gets from achievements and accolades. Rupert suggests that confidence which is derived from our achievements is a brittle confidence. There is a different kind of confidence that is derived from our being. It is natural and doesn’t need to be maintained. The outward type of confidence needs to be constantly reinforced.
A man says when he occasionally drops into the awareness of being his mind tells him that qualities like peace and joy are dualistic. Rupert responds that these qualities are of being, which is inherently peaceful – quiet joy, love and the absence of lack all are aspects and expressions of being.
A woman comments on the phrase ‘the absence of separation is love’ and how it makes her feels. Rupert suggests this is the echo of love in the body. When the sense of separation dissolves, it can have an effect on the mind as an explosion of creativity, and in the body as a warm feeling in the heart. We only refer to it as love because we are so accustomed to our suffering.
A man asks if John Smith realises who he is, then can he go back to being King Lear as a kinder person. Rupert jokes about having ChatGPT rewriting 'King Lear' as a romantic comedy. He says our life and actions are eventually informed by and an expression of this understanding, thus making us kinder.
At this stage, a man wonders if he should just sit with, rather than ask, the questions. Rupert suggests that questions are fine. There's no hierarchy. We're all different. Some people have questions, some people don't. There's no reason to ask more or less questions.
A woman asks why she can't just enjoy what she loves without seeking outward assurance. Rupert suggests that if we find the source of confidence within, then our abilities grow. No need to make it a battle, just explore the nature of your being. The need to be recognised will leave you. Rupert uses the analogy of the space in a room to clarify. Your being is always there.
A woman asks about creating from agitation of the human experience. Rupert suggests that all artists create from a sense of agitation. For example, creations like Beethoven’s symphonies don't come from the mind, but from some place much deeper. All creativity involves movement or form, but the place from which it comes is not itself agitated, even if the expression is.
A man comments on Jackson Pollock's response to people’s impression that his work as ‘angry’. Rupert responded that he doesn't have the empathy with his work that allows him to see deeply into his work.
A man shares, regarding a previous question, that the plays of Shakespeare have been rewritten to be ‘family-friendly’.
A man, who wants to make great art, asks about how to follow that highest creative impulse and avoid the trappings. Rupert suggests that the process can be challenging because artists are required to go beyond limitations, which is terrifying for the separate self. It is a kind of death. Rupert shares that he didn't’ want to make great art, but he knew that beauty was real, like we know that love and truth are real.
A man referenced Donald Hoffman who said that artificial intelligence will be better than any painter or poet. He asks, ‘What will be left for us?’ Rupert suggests that AI will never be able to do ‘awareness’. A computer will never be aware, it will never have the experience of being. Only awareness is aware. However sophisticated AI gets, these are the experiences it will not be able to have. AI may do everything better, but it cannot be happy or love.
A man references a YouTube video about Beethoven’s process and how, ultimately, every note was from God.
A man references AI that supports the blind.
A woman asks about love, beauty, truth and inspiration, as AI has the potential to take away the agitation that we've become addicted to. Rupert suggests that it is the community that is overflowing with creativity.
A man asks, ‘In what sense does AI lack being?’ Rupert suggests that it lacks consciousness. Ruperts adds that it is true that nothing lacks being, or else it wouldn't exist. The question is based on the assumption that we, as humans, have consciousness. No human, dog, cat or computer is aware. Only awareness is aware. But that doesn't mean that everything that appears within awareness is itself aware.
A man asks whether knowing one self, abiding as one’s self or allowing is the best daily practice. Rupert suggests that the investigation into one’s self naturally leads to self-abidance. He uses the analogy of the rope and snake to clarify. We don't cease paying attention to the snake to see the rope. It’s the opposite. The first step we take is to being.
A man asks if self-abidance will quiet the mind. Rupert suggests that it will quiet that part of the mind that is in service of the separate self or of ego, but it won't quiet the entirety of the mind.
A woman asks if the 'I' is impermanent, then how do we deal with changes and constant evolution. Rupert responds that the 'I' is not ever-changing. It never changes. Feelings, thoughts and experiences change, but you never change. He leads her in self-enquiry to discover her essential being.
A man asks why he had to endure so much suffering in order to come to know the nature of his being. Rupert suggests that an inevitable part of growing up is that our being becomes mixed with the content of experience and becomes wedded to it. We seem to be limited by it. We suffer because it is painful to extract our being from this amalgam of experience. We have to lose all the ways we define ourself.
A man asks about the confidence that one gets from achievements and accolades. Rupert suggests that confidence which is derived from our achievements is a brittle confidence. There is a different kind of confidence that is derived from our being. It is natural and doesn’t need to be maintained. The outward type of confidence needs to be constantly reinforced.
A man says when he occasionally drops into the awareness of being his mind tells him that qualities like peace and joy are dualistic. Rupert responds that these qualities are of being, which is inherently peaceful – quiet joy, love and the absence of lack all are aspects and expressions of being.
A woman comments on the phrase ‘the absence of separation is love’ and how it makes her feels. Rupert suggests this is the echo of love in the body. When the sense of separation dissolves, it can have an effect on the mind as an explosion of creativity, and in the body as a warm feeling in the heart. We only refer to it as love because we are so accustomed to our suffering.
A man asks if John Smith realises who he is, then can he go back to being King Lear as a kinder person. Rupert jokes about having ChatGPT rewriting 'King Lear' as a romantic comedy. He says our life and actions are eventually informed by and an expression of this understanding, thus making us kinder.
At this stage, a man wonders if he should just sit with, rather than ask, the questions. Rupert suggests that questions are fine. There's no hierarchy. We're all different. Some people have questions, some people don't. There's no reason to ask more or less questions.
A woman asks why she can't just enjoy what she loves without seeking outward assurance. Rupert suggests that if we find the source of confidence within, then our abilities grow. No need to make it a battle, just explore the nature of your being. The need to be recognised will leave you. Rupert uses the analogy of the space in a room to clarify. Your being is always there.
A woman asks about creating from agitation of the human experience. Rupert suggests that all artists create from a sense of agitation. For example, creations like Beethoven’s symphonies don't come from the mind, but from some place much deeper. All creativity involves movement or form, but the place from which it comes is not itself agitated, even if the expression is.
A man comments on Jackson Pollock's response to people’s impression that his work as ‘angry’. Rupert responded that he doesn't have the empathy with his work that allows him to see deeply into his work.
A man shares, regarding a previous question, that the plays of Shakespeare have been rewritten to be ‘family-friendly’.
A man, who wants to make great art, asks about how to follow that highest creative impulse and avoid the trappings. Rupert suggests that the process can be challenging because artists are required to go beyond limitations, which is terrifying for the separate self. It is a kind of death. Rupert shares that he didn't’ want to make great art, but he knew that beauty was real, like we know that love and truth are real.
A man referenced Donald Hoffman who said that artificial intelligence will be better than any painter or poet. He asks, ‘What will be left for us?’ Rupert suggests that AI will never be able to do ‘awareness’. A computer will never be aware, it will never have the experience of being. Only awareness is aware. However sophisticated AI gets, these are the experiences it will not be able to have. AI may do everything better, but it cannot be happy or love.
A man references a YouTube video about Beethoven’s process and how, ultimately, every note was from God.
A man references AI that supports the blind.
A woman asks about love, beauty, truth and inspiration, as AI has the potential to take away the agitation that we've become addicted to. Rupert suggests that it is the community that is overflowing with creativity.
A man asks, ‘In what sense does AI lack being?’ Rupert suggests that it lacks consciousness. Ruperts adds that it is true that nothing lacks being, or else it wouldn't exist. The question is based on the assumption that we, as humans, have consciousness. No human, dog, cat or computer is aware. Only awareness is aware. But that doesn't mean that everything that appears within awareness is itself aware.