The Recognition of the Unity of Being

Contemplate the full spectrum of your experience with disinterested affection. Disinterested because that which knows our experience does not stand to gain or lose anything from it. Affectionate because that which is aware of our experience is utterly, intimately one with it. It is an impartial but embracing, contemplation of our experience. That which knows our experience cannot be hurt, harmed, or changed by it, so it has no need to defend itself from the content of experience. Consider the possibility the world is the activity of the very same awareness that we know ourself to be, that this apparent separation and otherness is an illusion, caused by the localised perspective through which we view it. Behind this appearance, there is a single reality, whose nature is our nature. Don't let appearances obscure the unity of being that we share. This recognition of the unity of being is the experience of love or beauty.

A woman who has recently taken up tennis asks how to get out of the constant mental chatter she experiences while playing. Rupert suggests that every time she makes a mistake, try smiling, which makes a negative mental state nearly impossible.

A man, who attended the weekend retreat on difficult emotions, speaks of the similarity between what he learned from his Buddhist training in regards to dealing with suffering, and how that made him feel physically empowered, or energetic. Rupert speaks of the way in which the suffering dissolves in the presence of awareness, and that the energy, the power he felt, is truly his natural state.

A man asks about Ramana Maharshi's words in regard to deep sleep because they don't align with his own understanding. Rupert responds that Ramana Maharshi's teachings can be filled with contradictory statements, depending upon the question and the situation.

A woman describes an experience of big ego during meditation, involving anger and other negative emotions. Rupert asks her to describe that which was aware of this experience, and guides her in self-enquiry to investigate that which knows the negative feelings.

A man describes what he sees as a world that is akin to Gone With the Wind, and asks who is responsible for all this drama? Is it Maya? Rupert explains that without Maya, there would be no world, and makes the distinction between Maya and ignorance.

A woman describes a shift in attitude toward practice and has lost the emotional attachment she once felt for the teachings. She asks, 'What is next?' Rupert suggests that what is next is dropping the question 'What is next?'

A question is asked about how to detach from the need to relieve suffering. Rupert responds that in order to relieve suffering in others, we must be free of it ourself. A question is asked about how to detach from the need to relieve suffering. Rupert responds that in order to relieve suffering in others, we must be free of it ourself.

A man describes being gripped by the fear of a separate, controlling entity that most people call 'God'. He asks he how can be sure that no such entity exists. Rupert directs him to recognise and know the certainty of his own being, the certainty that he exists, the 'I am'.

A man asks, if the separate self does not exist, who, or what, is it that fears death? How is it possible that something that doesn't exist feel fear? Rupert uses the metaphor of John Smith and King Lear to explain that there is a reality to King Lear, and his apparent suffering though he is an illusory aspect of John Smith.

A young man asks about the state, or condition, of Ramana Maharshi's body, which does not look fit in pictures. Rupert explains that most of the pictures were taken when he was elderly, but also, a realisation of one's true nature does not mean that one escapes the body's decline.

A woman found it difficult to relate to a meditation on a recent YouTube video because she felt it was more for the mind. She asks for a more heart-centered meditation, so that she can connect more with her feelings than her thoughts. Rupert leads her in a heart-centered way of self-enquiry.

Contemplate the full spectrum of your experience with disinterested affection. Disinterested because that which knows our experience does not stand to gain or lose anything from it. Affectionate because that which is aware of our experience is utterly, intimately one with it. It is an impartial but embracing, contemplation of our experience. That which knows our experience cannot be hurt, harmed, or changed by it, so it has no need to defend itself from the content of experience. Consider the possibility the world is the activity of the very same awareness that we know ourself to be, that this apparent separation and otherness is an illusion, caused by the localised perspective through which we view it. Behind this appearance, there is a single reality, whose nature is our nature. Don't let appearances obscure the unity of being that we share. This recognition of the unity of being is the experience of love or beauty.

A woman who has recently taken up tennis asks how to get out of the constant mental chatter she experiences while playing. Rupert suggests that every time she makes a mistake, try smiling, which makes a negative mental state nearly impossible.

A man, who attended the weekend retreat on difficult emotions, speaks of the similarity between what he learned from his Buddhist training in regards to dealing with suffering, and how that made him feel physically empowered, or energetic. Rupert speaks of the way in which the suffering dissolves in the presence of awareness, and that the energy, the power he felt, is truly his natural state.

A man asks about Ramana Maharshi's words in regard to deep sleep because they don't align with his own understanding. Rupert responds that Ramana Maharshi's teachings can be filled with contradictory statements, depending upon the question and the situation.

A woman describes an experience of big ego during meditation, involving anger and other negative emotions. Rupert asks her to describe that which was aware of this experience, and guides her in self-enquiry to investigate that which knows the negative feelings.

A man describes what he sees as a world that is akin to Gone With the Wind, and asks who is responsible for all this drama? Is it Maya? Rupert explains that without Maya, there would be no world, and makes the distinction between Maya and ignorance.

A woman describes a shift in attitude toward practice and has lost the emotional attachment she once felt for the teachings. She asks, 'What is next?' Rupert suggests that what is next is dropping the question 'What is next?'

A question is asked about how to detach from the need to relieve suffering. Rupert responds that in order to relieve suffering in others, we must be free of it ourself. A question is asked about how to detach from the need to relieve suffering. Rupert responds that in order to relieve suffering in others, we must be free of it ourself.

A man describes being gripped by the fear of a separate, controlling entity that most people call 'God'. He asks he how can be sure that no such entity exists. Rupert directs him to recognise and know the certainty of his own being, the certainty that he exists, the 'I am'.

A man asks, if the separate self does not exist, who, or what, is it that fears death? How is it possible that something that doesn't exist feel fear? Rupert uses the metaphor of John Smith and King Lear to explain that there is a reality to King Lear, and his apparent suffering though he is an illusory aspect of John Smith.

A young man asks about the state, or condition, of Ramana Maharshi's body, which does not look fit in pictures. Rupert explains that most of the pictures were taken when he was elderly, but also, a realisation of one's true nature does not mean that one escapes the body's decline.

A woman found it difficult to relate to a meditation on a recent YouTube video because she felt it was more for the mind. She asks for a more heart-centered meditation, so that she can connect more with her feelings than her thoughts. Rupert leads her in a heart-centered way of self-enquiry.