The Thinning of the Veil

A man describes the process of using uncomfortable feelings to get to the 'I', but he says the practice doesn't seem to work with difficult sensations in the body. Rupert responds that in the Direct Path nothing is required, but it does not put an end to the residue of feelings in the body from childhood, which is where yoga meditations are helpful.

A chiropractor describes unusual, paranormal experiences he had and asks about how this fits in with non-duality. Rupert responds that it has to do with the particular way in which perception is configured by the finite mind.

A man who enjoys improvisational music describes a profound, blissful experience. He asks if there are degrees of beauty and what happens during these experiences. Rupert elaborates that beauty is the revelation of the absolute in objective experience, and that some objects, such as music, have the power to bring about the dissolution of the subject–object relationship.

A man asks about what it is in objects or music that makes it transcendentally and perceivably beautiful. Rupert responds that it is not the object that contains beauty, but that our beliefs obscure the beauty that is always right here, right now, and some objects, like art and music, have the power to cut through that veil.

Can an artist hone his/her ability to remove the veil that obscures the beauty that is inherently here in life? Rupert suggests that yes, and there are some people who are born with the skill because the separating veil is very thin to begin with.

A man asks if there are degrees of love. Rupert suggests that there are degrees of like, but love is always the recognition of our shared being, which is always the same.

A man says he feels as if he is straddling two worlds between the non-dual understanding and the need to survive in the world. Rupert responds that we must act on our impulses to survive and even to respond to injustice but also to become aware of the subtle activity and responses that arise from seeking and resisting.

A long-time student of non-duality speaks of the beauty of the thinning of the veil, but asks why the veil drops again and again, which feels hopeless. Rupert suggests that the fluctuation between bliss and hopelessness does not affect the 'I am', and that as long as attention is given to the two states, this stable being will be missed.

A woman describes the feeling that awareness is separate from her and wonders what she needs to understand. Rupert responds that if the essence of spiritual traditions could be distilled, it would be, 'Happiness is your nature, and you share that nature with everyone else', and that is all that needs to be understood.

A man asks about the teachings of Douglas Harding and its relationship to the teachings. Rupert guides him in self-enquiry so that what Douglas Harding points to in his finger-towards-the-face exercise might be known.

In regard to the recognition of our true nature as the most important knowledge, a man suggests that he knows, for instance, that the chairs in the room are brown. Rupert asks how he knows that the chairs are brown or whether it appears as such due to a limitation of the finite mind.

A woman asks how this grand illusion comes about from nothingness, stillness or limitlessness to limits. Rupert responds using an analogy of an ocean at rest that suddenly shudders within itself, causing ripples to appear.

A woman asks about the intelligence that creates the illusion of the world. Rupert responds that the illusion is not created by intelligence or consciousness but by the refraction of intelligence by the finite mind.

A woman asks about the definition of enlightenment and why glimpses of our true nature don’t seem to last. Rupert elaborates that enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of being, and it doesn't always last because it is obscured by the activity of thinking, feeling and perceiving, which do eventually lose their veiling power.

A woman asks about readiness for the Direct Path and living with the understanding in the world. Rupert suggests that the world is ripe for this understanding, and speaks of a shift of the identity of personal self that occurred in the mid-twentieth century.

A woman of colour describes the difficulty of living in a world that wants to delegitimise her, and how that impacts her study of non-duality. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to rest in her true identity, beyond race and gender.

A man describes the process of using uncomfortable feelings to get to the 'I', but he says the practice doesn't seem to work with difficult sensations in the body. Rupert responds that in the Direct Path nothing is required, but it does not put an end to the residue of feelings in the body from childhood, which is where yoga meditations are helpful.

A chiropractor describes unusual, paranormal experiences he had and asks about how this fits in with non-duality. Rupert responds that it has to do with the particular way in which perception is configured by the finite mind.

A man who enjoys improvisational music describes a profound, blissful experience. He asks if there are degrees of beauty and what happens during these experiences. Rupert elaborates that beauty is the revelation of the absolute in objective experience, and that some objects, such as music, have the power to bring about the dissolution of the subject–object relationship.

A man asks about what it is in objects or music that makes it transcendentally and perceivably beautiful. Rupert responds that it is not the object that contains beauty, but that our beliefs obscure the beauty that is always right here, right now, and some objects, like art and music, have the power to cut through that veil.

Can an artist hone his/her ability to remove the veil that obscures the beauty that is inherently here in life? Rupert suggests that yes, and there are some people who are born with the skill because the separating veil is very thin to begin with.

A man asks if there are degrees of love. Rupert suggests that there are degrees of like, but love is always the recognition of our shared being, which is always the same.

A man says he feels as if he is straddling two worlds between the non-dual understanding and the need to survive in the world. Rupert responds that we must act on our impulses to survive and even to respond to injustice but also to become aware of the subtle activity and responses that arise from seeking and resisting.

A long-time student of non-duality speaks of the beauty of the thinning of the veil, but asks why the veil drops again and again, which feels hopeless. Rupert suggests that the fluctuation between bliss and hopelessness does not affect the 'I am', and that as long as attention is given to the two states, this stable being will be missed.

A woman describes the feeling that awareness is separate from her and wonders what she needs to understand. Rupert responds that if the essence of spiritual traditions could be distilled, it would be, 'Happiness is your nature, and you share that nature with everyone else', and that is all that needs to be understood.

A man asks about the teachings of Douglas Harding and its relationship to the teachings. Rupert guides him in self-enquiry so that what Douglas Harding points to in his finger-towards-the-face exercise might be known.

In regard to the recognition of our true nature as the most important knowledge, a man suggests that he knows, for instance, that the chairs in the room are brown. Rupert asks how he knows that the chairs are brown or whether it appears as such due to a limitation of the finite mind.

A woman asks how this grand illusion comes about from nothingness, stillness or limitlessness to limits. Rupert responds using an analogy of an ocean at rest that suddenly shudders within itself, causing ripples to appear.

A woman asks about the intelligence that creates the illusion of the world. Rupert responds that the illusion is not created by intelligence or consciousness but by the refraction of intelligence by the finite mind.

A woman asks about the definition of enlightenment and why glimpses of our true nature don’t seem to last. Rupert elaborates that enlightenment is simply the recognition of the nature of being, and it doesn't always last because it is obscured by the activity of thinking, feeling and perceiving, which do eventually lose their veiling power.

A woman asks about readiness for the Direct Path and living with the understanding in the world. Rupert suggests that the world is ripe for this understanding, and speaks of a shift of the identity of personal self that occurred in the mid-twentieth century.

A woman of colour describes the difficulty of living in a world that wants to delegitimise her, and how that impacts her study of non-duality. Rupert guides her in self-enquiry to rest in her true identity, beyond race and gender.