An Extreme Sense of Separation

A man, referencing historic global events, says that he feels the energy of tyranny is very strong in the world. This inspires him to ask about the ‘inner tyrant’, which he says engenders a lot of self-hate and difficulty abiding in being. He asks how he can deal with the inner tyrant to stabilise his true nature, and how he can help someone he loves, who has been taken over by this inner tyrant. He is reluctant to bring it up with her because it seems to strengthen this tyrant. Rupert responds to the first part of his question by telling him that when self-abidance is not available, there has to be some intermediary means, a way to deflect attention from the habit of judgement to something else. Each time we do this, we weaken the habit. But no negotiation with the tyrant – that is what it wants – the tyrant is an extreme form of the sense of separation. Regarding someone else gripped by this inner tyrant, it depends on your knowing the person well, how open they are, because you have to find the path of least resistance, whether it is affection, reason, distraction, humour, etc. Also, what is most important is that you are in no way affected by or in reaction to their situation; and that you do not try to fix them.

From event 20 April - 20 May, 2024 Seven-Day Meditation Retreat at Mandali – 20 to 27 April 2024

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