When Teachings Seem to Contradict

"How does one deal with times when the non-dual understanding seems discordant with other spiritual approaches? I have origins in Catholicism but have lived close to people with this understanding. I can ride two horses comfortably most of the time, but recently someone I love faced unspeakable cruelty. At that point, being attuned to ‘an infinite being that knows nothing of the material world’ wasn’t where I needed to be – I needed to pray for a miracle. Rupert says: ‘It might surprise you to know that I sometimes pray to God in the way you’ve just suggested. I deeply feel that God doesn’t know me as an individual because there is no individual me apart from God’s being. Yet there are times when I have knowingly come down from that understanding and prayed from the perspective of a person – for something I felt would bring love and understanding into the world. It’s possible to have the highest non-dual understanding and yet, in particular moments, be humble enough to take the position of a finite mind and pray to God as that finite mind. I find both approaches completely compatible.’"

From event 21 - 28 November, 2025 Seven-Day Retreat at The Vedanta, 21–28 November 2025

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