The Place of Peace in Each of Us

There is a place of peace in each of us that is untouched by the content of experience. It lies just behind the mind. To recognise this place, let go of attention to the content of experience and sink into the depths of being. We cannot really find, only be, this place of peace knowingly, by letting go of everything not essential – thoughts, feelings, and so on. Even having understood that peace and happiness can never be found in objective experience, a subtle impulsive feeling remains, drawing us from, or pulling us towards, something or someone. Let this residual impulse of seeking be exposed and dissolved in this contemplation. We are already that for which we long. Trace any longing inwards towards its source. If we look for the dissatisfied ‘I’, we never find it. We find the true ‘I’ of being and abide as that. Gradually its nature of peace and joy impresses itself upon us.

A man asks about a line in the book, ‘I Am’, about space and time. Rupert suggests that space borrows its vastness from the dimensionless presence of consciousness. The apparent permanence is also borrowed from the dimensionless nature of consciousness. Likewise, time seems to be continuous, but it’s really the ever presence of consciousness. Space and time are the presence of consciousness.

A man asks for validation for his understanding regarding identification with awareness or ego and wonders how this applies to death. Rupert responds that in the experience of death, the awareness of the body and the world disappears, but awareness and the activity of mind do not, similar to dreams, which is like a rehearsal of death. The best practice for death is the best practice for life, taking your stand as awareness.

A man says that as his understanding deepens, he observes more resistance in him. Rupert suggests that as the understanding deepens there are fewer possible avenues of escape for the separate self, and the more acutely the separate self feels the imminence of its demise. It is being exposed and is more aware of that.

A man says he notices an attempt to shut down or overcome the separate self. Rupert suggests that we would have to make an effort to do something if what we essentially are was not already fully present. This is a way of recognition, recognising what is already the case.

A man describes his practice of purifying 'doing' and asks for direction, specifically with how to spend his day. Rupert suggests that purifying his activities is a matter of checking in whose service these activities are being engaged. Is it coming from a sense of lack, the ego? If not, when coming from peace, love or joy, it requires only a quick check. Pause and check the impulse and from where it arises.

A man asks how to best make daily choices and achieve his goals. Rupert suggests that he not lower his expectations but always aim high, but don't worry about achieving the goals. Keep your goals high, and be content with not achieving them all.

A man who has been practising self-enquiry shares that he cannot find the ‘I’ that is suffering and resisting. Rupert asks who is looking for the resisting or suffering ‘I’? The one who looks remains. Having traced your way back to the space of awareness through self-enquiry, now we abide there.

A man asks about a quote from the bible, ‘If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins’. Rupert suggests that as long as you do not recognise that ‘I am he’, that what I essentially am is infinite being, the only being there is, then ‘you will die in your sins’, you will continue to feel that you are a temporary finite self, and that temporary finite self with continue to suffer. Rupert suggests acting from a sense of fulfilment, not of lack.

A woman, who is an artist, thanks Rupert for all the support he gave during the death of her sister.

A woman asks Rupert about gender identification. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to investigate her sense of identity and gender.

A man who was raised in Advaita Vedanta, asks about what comes after the recognition. Rupert suggests there are three steps: first, I am awareness. The second is the recognition of the nature of awareness. The third step is the realignment of all aspects of one's life with this new recognition, the realignment of our thoughts and feelings and subsequently our activities and relationships.

A man says he doesn't know how to answer the question, ‘Who are you?’. He also feels like he is lucid waking and like he’s always acting. Rupert suggests, in relation to the first point, just be practical, just say your name. Likewise, in activities, this understanding should make our life easier because it is not complicated by the separate self.

A man asks if this journey is like an unravelling, in that his shell is slowly breaking open, but he also feels like there's too much enthusiasm. He asks how to distil this for everyday life and practical matters, and how to discern the best action. Rupert suggests checking that his activities are arising from the qualities inherent in the nature of his being such as peace, love and beauty. Make your life an expression of these qualities.

A man asks about how to handle his chronic back pain. Rupert suggests that he should do whatever he can to attend to the pain, but when he has done that, then sit down to meditation and hold a particular intention to attend to your self. Make a distinction between these two activities. The recognition of our true nature puts an end to suffering but not necessarily pain.

A woman, who mentions belonging to family and groups, asks if the need to belong is shed like an old skin. Rupert responds it tends to gradually dissolve in proportion to the extent that one is established in one's being, whereby one belongs only to God. But one may also become closer to family as the tension that was there has dissipated, such that you're more independent but, at the same time, closer. This may all go unnoticed.

A man asks if the colouring of existence – appearances – exist for themselves. Rupert suggests that the world that appears to us is in direct proportion to the medium through which it is perceived. What is the medium through which we perceive reality? Thinking, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. That doesn't mean that all the things that we see hear, touch, taste and smell only exist in each of our individual minds, it means that each of our individual minds confer or project their own limitations on reality, and make that reality appear in accordance with their own limitations and conditioning.

A man asks if peace, love and happiness, as experiences, are only for us. Rupert suggests that the appearances of peace, love and happiness are gaps in the grey clouds of the blue sky. We only experience them when there is a gap in the cloud covering of our suffering, but it is always there. Peace, happiness and love are the qualities of the natural state.

There is a place of peace in each of us that is untouched by the content of experience. It lies just behind the mind. To recognise this place, let go of attention to the content of experience and sink into the depths of being. We cannot really find, only be, this place of peace knowingly, by letting go of everything not essential – thoughts, feelings, and so on. Even having understood that peace and happiness can never be found in objective experience, a subtle impulsive feeling remains, drawing us from, or pulling us towards, something or someone. Let this residual impulse of seeking be exposed and dissolved in this contemplation. We are already that for which we long. Trace any longing inwards towards its source. If we look for the dissatisfied ‘I’, we never find it. We find the true ‘I’ of being and abide as that. Gradually its nature of peace and joy impresses itself upon us.

A man asks about a line in the book, ‘I Am’, about space and time. Rupert suggests that space borrows its vastness from the dimensionless presence of consciousness. The apparent permanence is also borrowed from the dimensionless nature of consciousness. Likewise, time seems to be continuous, but it’s really the ever presence of consciousness. Space and time are the presence of consciousness.

A man asks for validation for his understanding regarding identification with awareness or ego and wonders how this applies to death. Rupert responds that in the experience of death, the awareness of the body and the world disappears, but awareness and the activity of mind do not, similar to dreams, which is like a rehearsal of death. The best practice for death is the best practice for life, taking your stand as awareness.

A man says that as his understanding deepens, he observes more resistance in him. Rupert suggests that as the understanding deepens there are fewer possible avenues of escape for the separate self, and the more acutely the separate self feels the imminence of its demise. It is being exposed and is more aware of that.

A man says he notices an attempt to shut down or overcome the separate self. Rupert suggests that we would have to make an effort to do something if what we essentially are was not already fully present. This is a way of recognition, recognising what is already the case.

A man describes his practice of purifying 'doing' and asks for direction, specifically with how to spend his day. Rupert suggests that purifying his activities is a matter of checking in whose service these activities are being engaged. Is it coming from a sense of lack, the ego? If not, when coming from peace, love or joy, it requires only a quick check. Pause and check the impulse and from where it arises.

A man asks how to best make daily choices and achieve his goals. Rupert suggests that he not lower his expectations but always aim high, but don't worry about achieving the goals. Keep your goals high, and be content with not achieving them all.

A man who has been practising self-enquiry shares that he cannot find the ‘I’ that is suffering and resisting. Rupert asks who is looking for the resisting or suffering ‘I’? The one who looks remains. Having traced your way back to the space of awareness through self-enquiry, now we abide there.

A man asks about a quote from the bible, ‘If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins’. Rupert suggests that as long as you do not recognise that ‘I am he’, that what I essentially am is infinite being, the only being there is, then ‘you will die in your sins’, you will continue to feel that you are a temporary finite self, and that temporary finite self with continue to suffer. Rupert suggests acting from a sense of fulfilment, not of lack.

A woman, who is an artist, thanks Rupert for all the support he gave during the death of her sister.

A woman asks Rupert about gender identification. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to investigate her sense of identity and gender.

A man who was raised in Advaita Vedanta, asks about what comes after the recognition. Rupert suggests there are three steps: first, I am awareness. The second is the recognition of the nature of awareness. The third step is the realignment of all aspects of one's life with this new recognition, the realignment of our thoughts and feelings and subsequently our activities and relationships.

A man says he doesn't know how to answer the question, ‘Who are you?’. He also feels like he is lucid waking and like he’s always acting. Rupert suggests, in relation to the first point, just be practical, just say your name. Likewise, in activities, this understanding should make our life easier because it is not complicated by the separate self.

A man asks if this journey is like an unravelling, in that his shell is slowly breaking open, but he also feels like there's too much enthusiasm. He asks how to distil this for everyday life and practical matters, and how to discern the best action. Rupert suggests checking that his activities are arising from the qualities inherent in the nature of his being such as peace, love and beauty. Make your life an expression of these qualities.

A man asks about how to handle his chronic back pain. Rupert suggests that he should do whatever he can to attend to the pain, but when he has done that, then sit down to meditation and hold a particular intention to attend to your self. Make a distinction between these two activities. The recognition of our true nature puts an end to suffering but not necessarily pain.

A woman, who mentions belonging to family and groups, asks if the need to belong is shed like an old skin. Rupert responds it tends to gradually dissolve in proportion to the extent that one is established in one's being, whereby one belongs only to God. But one may also become closer to family as the tension that was there has dissipated, such that you're more independent but, at the same time, closer. This may all go unnoticed.

A man asks if the colouring of existence – appearances – exist for themselves. Rupert suggests that the world that appears to us is in direct proportion to the medium through which it is perceived. What is the medium through which we perceive reality? Thinking, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. That doesn't mean that all the things that we see hear, touch, taste and smell only exist in each of our individual minds, it means that each of our individual minds confer or project their own limitations on reality, and make that reality appear in accordance with their own limitations and conditioning.

A man asks if peace, love and happiness, as experiences, are only for us. Rupert suggests that the appearances of peace, love and happiness are gaps in the grey clouds of the blue sky. We only experience them when there is a gap in the cloud covering of our suffering, but it is always there. Peace, happiness and love are the qualities of the natural state.