Eckhart Tolle's Teachings from the media We Are Always Aware of the Awareness of Being

Be aware of the full spectrum of experience—thoughts, images, feelings—without attempting to change any aspect, in any way. Simply be aware without preference. Now become aware of your breathing. You may not have been aware of your breathing because the more colorful aspects of experience, like thoughts, drew your attention more than the breath, which is subtle. We were already aware of our breath, but we were not aware that we were aware of it. Now be aware of simply being. Notice we are always aware of the awareness of being, yet compared to objective experience, it is so quiet it recedes into the background. Let this awareness of being come into the foreground and thoughts and feelings recede into the background. As awareness relaxes back into the heart of awareness, these qualities gradually dissolve, leaving us in the peace of our true nature.

A question is asked about the relationship between awareness and identity, as it seems like awareness is beyond the experience of the human being. Rupert responds that it is only awareness that is aware of itself, not humans, and is the essential self or identity--the only aspect of ourself that cannot be removed.

Since the pandemic began, a woman who has been leading a healing, relaxing meditation utilising sacred sound, asks if she is missing something from these meditations. Rupert suggests that she add the component of establishing the awareness of being.

A man new to non-dual teachings, who experienced a sense of limitlessnes, asks about the mind and the brain, and how it can experience limitlessness. Rupert uses the analogy of John Smith and King Lear to elaborate on the apparent limitations experienced by the character King Lear.

Does unlimited consciousness forget itself in order to experience in limited ways? Rupert suggests it's possible for awareness to remember itself in the middle of experience, but most often it is lost in the content of experience, because, paraphrasing William Blake, infinite consciousness is in love with the creations of time.

A woman new to the teachings asks if it is necessary to have a motivation to follow this teaching. Rupert suggests that there must be a feeling that something is missing that creates a motivation to seek the source of this longing.

A young man is enjoying the experience of returning to school, but worries about becoming attached to the experience and the people. Rupert suggests he go ahead and say 'yes' and not reject any aspect of the experience, all of it an appearance of God.

A man says he feels there isn't enough time in the day to do all that is needed to be done, and he's struggling to keep up. Rupert suggests that in love, time expands, making room for everything. Follow, and the universe cooperates.

A woman asks what is the meaning of life, which she has always felt was just to experience it to the fullest, but now having achieved a full life, wonders what is next. Rupert responds that what remains is happiness on the inside, and beauty on the outside.

Is efficiency and wanting to be productive egoic? And what about attraction to drama? Rupert responds that efficiency is by no means always an egoic desire, but addiction to drama is usually coming from the ego.

A man asks how to reconcile this understanding with attachment, such as when a child dies. Rupert responds that grieving is not a sign of ignorance, but a natural body/mind process.

Is 'I am' a concession to the separate self as some in non-dual circles say? Rupert responds that it doesn't matter how it is referred to, there is that which is fundamental to all experience, and 'I am' is the name that awareness, or God, gives to itself. The words are not it.

Be aware of the full spectrum of experience—thoughts, images, feelings—without attempting to change any aspect, in any way. Simply be aware without preference. Now become aware of your breathing. You may not have been aware of your breathing because the more colorful aspects of experience, like thoughts, drew your attention more than the breath, which is subtle. We were already aware of our breath, but we were not aware that we were aware of it. Now be aware of simply being. Notice we are always aware of the awareness of being, yet compared to objective experience, it is so quiet it recedes into the background. Let this awareness of being come into the foreground and thoughts and feelings recede into the background. As awareness relaxes back into the heart of awareness, these qualities gradually dissolve, leaving us in the peace of our true nature.

A question is asked about the relationship between awareness and identity, as it seems like awareness is beyond the experience of the human being. Rupert responds that it is only awareness that is aware of itself, not humans, and is the essential self or identity--the only aspect of ourself that cannot be removed.

Since the pandemic began, a woman who has been leading a healing, relaxing meditation utilising sacred sound, asks if she is missing something from these meditations. Rupert suggests that she add the component of establishing the awareness of being.

A man new to non-dual teachings, who experienced a sense of limitlessnes, asks about the mind and the brain, and how it can experience limitlessness. Rupert uses the analogy of John Smith and King Lear to elaborate on the apparent limitations experienced by the character King Lear.

Does unlimited consciousness forget itself in order to experience in limited ways? Rupert suggests it's possible for awareness to remember itself in the middle of experience, but most often it is lost in the content of experience, because, paraphrasing William Blake, infinite consciousness is in love with the creations of time.

A woman new to the teachings asks if it is necessary to have a motivation to follow this teaching. Rupert suggests that there must be a feeling that something is missing that creates a motivation to seek the source of this longing.

A young man is enjoying the experience of returning to school, but worries about becoming attached to the experience and the people. Rupert suggests he go ahead and say 'yes' and not reject any aspect of the experience, all of it an appearance of God.

A man says he feels there isn't enough time in the day to do all that is needed to be done, and he's struggling to keep up. Rupert suggests that in love, time expands, making room for everything. Follow, and the universe cooperates.

A woman asks what is the meaning of life, which she has always felt was just to experience it to the fullest, but now having achieved a full life, wonders what is next. Rupert responds that what remains is happiness on the inside, and beauty on the outside.

Is efficiency and wanting to be productive egoic? And what about attraction to drama? Rupert responds that efficiency is by no means always an egoic desire, but addiction to drama is usually coming from the ego.

A man asks how to reconcile this understanding with attachment, such as when a child dies. Rupert responds that grieving is not a sign of ignorance, but a natural body/mind process.

Is 'I am' a concession to the separate self as some in non-dual circles say? Rupert responds that it doesn't matter how it is referred to, there is that which is fundamental to all experience, and 'I am' is the name that awareness, or God, gives to itself. The words are not it.