Even Depression Is Pervaded by the Light of Pure Knowing
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2018
- A conversation about depression never obscuring the light of Awareness
From the weekend in Amsterdam, September 2016. For access to the full length recording see link: non-duality.rupertspira.com/li...
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#rupertspira #nonduality #happiness #natureofreality #consciousness #awareness #meditation #guidedmeditation
I suffered from high anxiety and depression an year ago - now I am so glad that it happened to me, I came to know who truly I am. Thanks Rupert 🌈✨😘 People who are going through this, just don’t give up, it will be a beautiful journey of self-discovery.
Thank you. That is very encouraging to hear. Very happy for you.
Lovely
me too it was a gift in disguise
It is the best video I have seen so far. The teacher is not only being idealistic but also practical. And loving and compassionate.
This gent switches on the light within me, thank you Rupert 💖
Simply Love the phrase" The Light of Pure Knowing" i imagine everything and everyone as radiating pure light as the sun's luminous rays shining and vibrating beautiful living light all around 🙏🙏🙏
As much as I love the non dual teachings, I think it's important not to neglect the human aspects of depression - lack of emotionally supportive relationships, disappointments, trauma. I think both are necessary but often not mentioned in spiritual teachings. We cannot spiritually bypass our human needs without consequence (and I'm not implying that Rupert isn't aware of this)
Vicki Lynn you look at it all wrong inside determines outside not the reverse,don't look for someone to fullfill you because nobody can,not for ever at least maybe for a time,a better way is to be aware of who is aware of your curent expirience however good or bad is.Human condition is part of the problem not the solution
Whenever you suffer mentally, you are identifying with a separate self, like in the dreams you have when you are asleep. When you wake up out of that night dream you realize your perspective was wrong, you weren't just the protagonist, you were the whole dream, ALL of it. When you wake up, not out of but into the dream that we call real life you again realize your perspective was wrong. Without an imaginary separate self, mental suffering is simply impossible. Verify this by going over your nightmares.
Yes Vicky I totally agree. Or, in the words of Rupert (the other way around and paraphrased). If the knowing is pervaded into a depression, it (the depression) still is there although you are not it (otherwise it couldn't pervade it)! Denying that is actually spiritual bypassing. Like saying there is a screen and NO movie (although you see one or even presume you are the moviecharacter). What would there be to see? There are both and it is one (not two to be more precise). That is the whole point. And not: there is no-thing therefor I am nothing). Because, undeniebly we are here now. If you come with the argument; the I is illusory (which, in our world is true) so therefore nothing is, that is just childish (or: spiritual bypassing). Or, in Ruperts words, is a halfway stage.
About a depression: yes, context and, in time, the feedbackloops created and feeding in you as a living system create and sustain a depression. And still, you are not that but the knowing of it. That is very helpfull when you have a battle with depression in your stream of consciousness. As opposed to: I AM depressed.
So both are not true: I AM depressed as well as: I is illusory, therefor I cannot be depressed.
@@GeertMeertens It is very difficlut to say this without seeming insesitive or redundant.
BUT THIS IS ENTIRELY TRUE.
Rupert is the one who made me see this clearly. Mooji helped me discovered that I’m pure awareness. When emotions “flared up” while we’re stabilizing as awareness, they need attention for sure. Blessings
I am amazed by the pragmatism and common sense of Rupert’s teachings. I used to be depressed some years ago and now I realize that in a way I was blessed by that, because it was the time in which I discovered Rupert in CZcams
Please.put your books on Audible as audio books, narrated by you. I want to listen to your books
Davie The Space There are two large sets of meditation CDs + scripts in book form out there. They're called "The light of pure knowing" and "Transparent Body, Luminous World". Both sets together form a body of 54 meditations and roughly 50 hours (no typo, they're MP3 CDs) of audio. I can recommend both sets but I would definitely start with "The light of pure knowing".
Depression Beard they’re not available on audible. You see, I use audible to listen to all kinds of books talks and medications. Mainly Eckhart Tolle retreats and would love some of Ruperts content on there. Hopefully he sees this
Davie The Space I see. That would indeed be nice. I also used to devour all of Tolle's stuff on Audible. Maybe writing an email to the contacts on Rupert's website or to his publisher Sahaja Publications will help. I don't believe chances are very high he actually goes through his CZcams comments in his spare time and sees this.
Depression Beard apparently he doesn’t read emails due to how many he gets. That’s what his website says and it says the best way to ask him a question is in person which I will try and do as we both live in England but I think he travels a lot. Anyway until I meet him, I will keep posting the comment on his CZcams. Also I would like his talks on Audible as well as his books
Mind of Love thanks, I will check it out
This is the single most priceless advice Rupert. You have changed my life in ways that I could have never imagined. Thank you sir. God bless you.
Vishal Kulkarni im happy for you :)
Absolutely loved this video. Thank you so much for this valuable information. Lots of love from an Australian 🇦🇺❤
Wonderful advice. It’s so very hard and frustrating losing yourself to the feeling and trying to just observe it as awareness.
Feelings, whether negative or positive, are not awareness, so there is no need to imagine that observing them has anything to do with awareness. Feelings change, while awareness does not. But paying attention to feelings, without encouraging them, is a basic way to free yourself from their grip. Once you feel free from their grip, then move on to being aware of awareness itself as a second step. Don't confuse yourself or fight yourself, just be open, allowing, effortless, and natural.
@@david203 amazing 😍
I find water can be very therapeutic at these times, go for a swim if possible and drinking water, esp cold helps. Other times, I imagine myself holding and shining a beam of light on the depression. Most times it dissipates even if it’s for couple minutes until
It disappears completely.
BRAVO, This is a Jewel. BLESSINGS
This advice is from personal expirience,whenever i felt down i would focus on who feels the depresion,waiting for the down episode to pass so you can begin selfawernes and self inquiery is not a good advice,use pain don't rush it away
Ursache Vasile I can confirm this. Only the day I sat down and let me feel my pure exhaustion, I seem to have shook something off that lingered on and off for 25 years. Then I cleaned out the identification that brought me to the impossible task.
The only thing that is appearing to stop you from enlightenment/self-realization/eternal life/knowing yourself to be unconditional love is identification with thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions and experiences instead of being aware of being aware and knowing yourself to be that unconditional love pure consciousness in which all thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions and experiences appear but are not inherently one with you; they are an expression of unconditional love; you are that infinite that is expressing itself as suffering/pleasure but inherently you are neither; you are that nothing/unconditional love/pure consciousness in which they are appear and by which they are perceived;
Suffering/pleasure comes and goes; there is an awareness that is aware of them coming and going; that you are; remember and know what you are; never identify with anything that is appearing within you; since it appears within you; it can't be you; you are that in which it appears. When you abide as that in which it appears instead of identifying; nothing has a grip on you; if anything comes; it quickly goes; like clouds passing; only if you identify as a cloud then it will appear as if the cloud is here for longer than it is originally supposed to; if you simply rest as the awareness and do not identify; it will quickly dissolve; be unconditional love by being aware of being aware; this is the highest; this is what you are seeking in absolutely everything else; you are seeking yourself; you are seeking unconditional love; but you are looking outside of yourself; instead of being aware that you already are timeless, unchanging, eternal, unconditional love, peace, joy, compassion, wisdom, contentment and fulfillment; your true self is what all beings seek. Love love
A book that really helped me was You Can Feel Good Again by Richard Carlson. Small book, easy to read and whole new approach to handling depression. It is only £6 to buy. It sits by my bed and I dip into it when I feel down. He is also on CZcams but unfortunately he died very young in air crash so he will not be putting out anything more.
The light never suffers and I am is the light.
Love his take on depression.
Thank you 🙏💜
try telling this to someone feeling depressed lol... while its a perfect explanation, i dont think anyone ever said... "i was sooo down and suicidal, but then i've heard nondual explanation to what it is, and i was cured..."
What hes saying is to turn your attention twards your own sentience... The essence of all mysticism..
Turn your attention twards the intuitive knowing twards the knowing that awareness is happening.
what ab when u have an imbalance in your brain?
I was...
I had the knowing. I am that, and I’m not my depression. I entered a depressive state for several months. I held onto the thin, but strong, thread of that Knowing. It worked for me. Since then it’s harder for me to enter into full depression.
@Alondra Acosta-Mora Of course not. That is why seeing a psychiatrist, getting a diagnosis, and following his or her advice is so important. This approach is fully compatible with the direct path of nonduality.
so true, 3 years inside my room is enough.
Rupert you need to stop, you're dominating my entire saved, favourites spirituality playlist. Haha
Ahh... this is what I've been looking for, an integration of experiencing depression while pursuing spirituality/life purpose. Yes finding a therapist that is compatible can take some time and a discouraging process when you already lack motivation to try, but recently I have found one and it has helped. I think this is also often referred to as 'shadow work'. If you find a good therapist they may be able to accelerate your healing journey whatever it was that led you to depression... For me it was the first time experiencing unconditional love, feeling totally understood, without doing or proving something on my end and that gave me the missing piece in the puzzle/treadmill I was trying to solve but getting stuck on. It can certainly come from within and meditation/floating and artistic pursuits has also given me some of this, but maybe you need a transition before you can start to 'give it to yourself'.
Is your therapist available online perhaps? And would mind sharing (with their permission of coarse) In my town I have had no success finding an aware spiritually awake therapist. Thank you so much!
That's exactly what I'm looking for... a therapist with a background understanding of spirituality
My mother is 77 and has claimed depression as her identity her whole life! Society and pharm has a lot to do with that! Begin every day loving yourself!!! Positive affirmations are powerful! Look up the rice test! Our bodies are mostly water as well! I know for a fact we can destroy ourselves....I think we can heal ourselves also! 💝
Summer FUN! Would you mind sending me an email. Thank you! Holger @ HabitatForThoughts.com
Society is in our heads, in our conditioned minds. You are always free, but you don't see it, feel it, know it.
Holger yeAh...turning off all media is a great start! Politics etc.
Summer FUN! send me an email... I have a mother too... Holger @ HabitatForThoughts.com
Turning off all media is one extreme... Being interested in your Self, seeing why we do things... examining our routines and believes... is not rocket-science. Rupert is great! So simple.
Fresh lid Rupert
Depression can be quite powerful, due to our habit of it and belief in it, and due to its roots in dysfunctions of the nervous system. Sometimes the advice to be interested in the awareness that pervades our knowing of the depression is just not enough to help. In such cases, forms of meditation that eliminate these dysfunctions can help, coping strategies can help, antidepressant medications can help, and talk therapy can help. Finding help can improve the quality of life and even, given enough time, cure or manage the depression. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis from a good psychiatrist.
I feel for this young man as I have gone through something similar and now I see clearly it as vasanas (tendencies, habits, conditionings) that must bubble up to dissolve so the "depression" (name and form) does not stick like before.
Caroline, We all suffer from limitations and dysfunctions of the nervous system from growing up in a stressed family and world. Eliminate the dysfunctions and a normally-functioning nervous system will support peace, happiness, and not depression. Meanwhile, when needed, also use coping strategies such as medicines and talk therapy.
Whoever is this person who asked the question, I'd like to connect with you.I felt like I am going through the same thing and when Rupert asked you where you live and advised to see likeminded people I felt that somehow I'd like to connect (I live in Switzerland), but have no idea how. I just felt a call to write this comment.
Non duality is the worst place you can go to if you want to heal depression.
All I got from this is grab a beer:)))
grab two beers - one for your friend and one for yourself. maybe even an imaginary friend will do :D
Youre depressed because you dont do and live how you want, and when you at the same time dont like what you do (job, relationship, your looks, and so on)... so live up to your dreams and you will be happy/not depressed... option two, dont try anymore to change or to get somewarre accept fully your shitty life and it will become lovely :) I cant manage to do any of this so I just continue this fight...until I win,or give up (in a positive way). Peace
You are depressed because you don't know your true nature. You limit your identity to be a "thing" a fleshly body, a certain personality/assumption/expectation. Who is fighting? Who is the "I" that can't manage? Rupert: say the word I and follow where it leads you... (maybe not his exact words).
Reasons for depression are usually illusions and a waste of time to pursue. Clinical depression should be diagnosed and treated by an evidence-based psychiatrist. There is no incompatibility with nondual teachings.
go deep into it feel it all and merge with the NOW
This is interesting and insightful, but I am surprised to hear Spira bring up the option of therapy, particularly in lieu of a "friend." The tone of such a relationship would exceed the professional boundaries of a therapist. And therapists, in my experience, tend simply to replace the stories we tell ourselves with other stories, which would seem to be unhelpful for someone interested in a non-dual approach to consciousness. I'd like to hear him speak on this subject in more detail.
Seeing a psychiatrist is not a failure, or becoming open to yet more stories that delay recognizing truth. Instead, it is a way to get a reliable, evidence-based diagnosis, so you can see that what you feel trapped by is a known condition, with a name, and with coping strategies that work.
It is a good first step toward freedom from depression for those who have some form of depression but don't know clearly what it is.
Once you have your diagnosis, it gives you options for treatment and coping strategies that you did not know you had.
There is no need to abandon the direct path of nonduality, or any other path to self-realization just because you decide to make use of talk therapy or medicines like antidepressants and anxiolytics.
This approach worked for me and can work for anyone.
There are two principles, which can be helpful: Interrupt the patterns of your behaviour and look, which differences make a difference especially for you!
How can you become aware of awareness? I have tried but I just can't seem to do it.
Real therapy 😊
Reverend Eslam haha love me some Jesse lee Peterson 😆
I find myself always waiting for the thing to end. I've had some beautiful openings and deeply spiritual experiences, and been truly and fully happy, yet the only true longing I have in my heart is simply for everything to stop. I know I'm not going to top myself, so basically, I'm just muddling along - out of necessity. There is no desire to do or accomplish anything, beyond assuaging fears of lack of stability. I just want to go home, and I have no idea why all this circus is necessary. These sensory experiences that just keep coming, seemingly without end. Seems absolutely pointless.
Once, I had a vision of myself dying, and as my consciousness withdrew from the physical form I'm in now - like an old TV turning off - I simply arrived into a new set of eyes, those of a baby. There was no interlude or anything, and my mind just went: "Holy fuck! It's going to continue! There's no way out!" Sensory experiences without end. What a nightmare.
'so uh what to do then' XD
As someone who understands the concept of the true Self intellectually after listening to and reading the works of people like Rupert Spira and Sri Ramana Maharshi, but who has never experienced the type of "felt "oneness with being" that these teachers refer to, I have an important question.
My question is: given that abiding in awareness as this true Self involves the stripping away of the ego, does this mean that going down this path is likely to lead to a loss of all worldly desires?
I mean, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi left his family to go live on a mountain and abide in awareness for much of his life upon his abiding as the true Self and the loss of his ego. To me, there are dangers going down this path, involving loss of desire to really do anything that I find enjoyment in.
Would I be interested in reading books for pleasure as someone who realizes his true nature? Would I have any interest in playing or watching soccer? I'm doubtful. Of course, many aspects of the ego-centric life are undesirable and unnecessary suffering, but there are still things that I, whatever I may be, enjoy doing.
The point of advaita is to discover the truth and stop living a lie. If you discover the truth you may or may not still enjoy reading books, etc. But would you choose living a lie with hobbies over living the truth without hobbies?
u still need to fill your time somehow, right
Ronan, there is no danger that you will ever lose enjoyment of reading if you realize what the whole mystery is. In fact, once you do get it, everything you read will be thousand times more entertaining and enjoying.. if you love it now, you will always love it, even more. I really cant tell what it is that happens to you that makes you see through 'illusion' but i know that once you hit that realization, you will be able to listen and read and find wisdom and truth even in the most nonsensical dellusioned stories. Highlighting truth as a contrast or highlighting it as truth itself.. you will always be able to see clearly. Noone will ever be able to lead you on, confuse you, use you, manipulate you.. you will recognize it by nature
Ronan, you see just asking yourself would I still enjoy soccer or reading is fear of loss, and identification with those objects. Once you stop questioning that and are truly emerced in the moment off course you will still enjoy soccer but you will be absolutely certain that never watching soccer, or reading a book again would make make you less happy. Rupert still wears a watch or a nice shirt 😂
The good things that you enjoy will not fall away as you approach self-realization. Instead, the things that you are obsessively attached to will fall away, leaving you feeling refreshed and free. The present fear that you will lose something is common on this direct path, since the ego wants to survive and too easily fears any change at all. You can choose to use this fear by paying attention to it and seeing if there is a good reason for it. When you finally see that the pile of rope is not a snake, the fear disappears as though it was never there. Make the mind and ego your friend instead of your enemy by learning more about nonduality from Rupert and by investigating your own experience.
Like minded friends are rarer than a good shrink. It would be nice to find them but no-one is like my mind.
Which is why I live in isolation. Probably a terrible thing but I simply don't like people.
Orson Rider is it possible to live I. Isolating? Who doesn't like other people?
The particular flavor of this conciousness doesn't appear to enjoy others company.
Actual sages such as Bodhidarma also tried to be far away from people quite often.
Second video of him about the depression and he’s unable to give a solution to people. We all get the « screen » explanation but depression is a result of unreleased anger. Unless you are enlighten person and able to live the enlighten life, you need to deal with your « movie »created by your mind and as consequence the chemical reaction of your body.
I’ve found therapy and medications most helpful for depression. Self-inquiry and philosophical/spiritual approaches seem to almost worsen depression at times. When the depression is less severe there is more space for clarity and inquiry. See a qualified therapist with whom you resonate and can build trust.
Yes. I had type of depression that responded well to anti depressants when all self help failed. If the chemicals in your brain are out of sync, you will not wish it better. It is an illness like any other.
@@jeansmyth7474 a lot of people say the chemical imbalance theory is actually a myth.
@@equilibrium4193 My GP said I had come through a long period of trauma depleting my supply of serotonin. He gave me antidepressant drugs which suppressed serotonin leaving my brain till my stock was built up to normal range. This was slow process but I began to feel better after two weeks and this continued for further two months when I felt I was back to normal self. I had to keep taking them for few more weeks to consolidate recovery. I felt I would have never recovered by talking therapy or alternative medicine because it was physiological illness.
@@jeansmyth7474 OK I hope you get free of your suffering friend.
@@equilibrium4193 Thank you. I was completely free of depression after about three months on antidepressants and it has not returned after six years. It was the most awful thing I ever went through. A book that really helped me and has become my bible is “You can Feel Good Again” by Richard Carlson. Only about £6. But worth weight in gold
I have a problem with alcohol so the last part I try to ignore
Light of awareness doesnt recognize that phenomena it knows are just images it projects, illusions (like in illustrations..images).
It doesnt recognize that this knowing are their only reality.
How does one stop experiencing depression?
The only reality to depression is my knowing of it. That should sufice for clearing to happen. Sorry my english sounds weird
P.s. for those who object my dismissal of pysical reality: of course it is real, bodies are real, sentient beings are real... they are all absolutely real as physical reality. But it is consciousness that gives it reality. Nothing has any substance appart from consciousness. And what it is aint matter. It is awareness. Awareness gives matter reality. So the attitude is: the only reality to the physical stuff is my knowing of them.
That should make you hate me LoL but it's true
what about when you actually have an imbalance in your brain?
👌🏼🙏🏼
Love Rupert
What is the proof that "I am"? If I say "I am not" how to convince me otherwise?
By saying "I am not" you prove that you are.
How? I think you answer is similar to "I think therefore I am", you can however reply to that "I am not" and "Thoughts are not".
I see that you posted, but probably deleted it 2 days ago. CZcams notifications shows part of your reply, but when I click it, it is not visible here :S I am really interested in the answer so please reconsider.
trickybilly In order to say "I am not" there first has to exist an "I am" that knows and considers the question. To say I was unconscious when I was asleep is itself proof that you were conscious in sleep because without a knower of the apparent unconscious you wouldn't know that deep sleep even took place. That fact that you say "I am not" is proof that "you are" because to say "I am not" there has to be a preexisting "I am" that knows the experience of "I am not."
Sometimes or maybe often depression is a disbalance of brainchemics. Yours thoughts will just go on telling you bad stuff.
I get the impression Rupert has no clue as to what the experience of a true depression is.
Existence is suffering
I dunno about that
Nope... BELIEF in thoughts are the root cause of suffering.... the main villain thought is "I DONT LIKE THIS "
How can you say that, when even one second of true love could erase and outlive a lifetime of suffering! Create yourself to a person you want to be, get moving, results are bound to happen!
To no name. Sent a text to you. Please read it.
Oshos dynamic meditations
If a person is using or relying upon the Nondual understanding to somehow supplement, enhance or aggrandize the apparent separate self- then the root understanding will always be lost. One would be using an ACTION to try and rectify an ACTION. Ultimately both actions will dissolve into the oneness that you truly are, always was and always will be.
Ayahuasca, beer with friend, walks, talks, as well as selfenquire are all means for escaping from the utter blankness of self-awareness. Depression is merely a genuine expression of that vicious circle. Self-forgetfulness would be the natural remedy for it, yet unfortunately, that is unreachable for the phantom of (self)awareness.
Ales Us: When you say Which 'self' are you actually referring to? What is the nature of this 'self'? What exactly do you know about it? Because I would question whether a genuine 'blankness' could possibly be known. A concept of blankness maybe, but not a real blankness.
Mike Foster There is only one self and utter blankness is its nature. All I know is myself and that knowledge is what I am experiencing as what there is. This vicious circle, being itself without substance - utterly blank, is self-evident; as self-awareness or I am-sense.
I can agree that there is only one 'Self' [if that's what we want to call it] but I can't see how its true nature can be known (even by itself!) For example, if indeed, as you suggest, its nature is 'utter blankness' and 'without substance', then how could that be something that can be known? In other words, how can you know an utter blankness (other than perhaps conceptually, like I said earlier)? There's simply nothing about an utter blankness to be known - either by itself, or by anything outside of itself. To quote Alan Watts, "The godhead is never the object of its own knowledge; just as a knife doesn’t cut itself, fire doesn’t burn itself, light doesn’t illumine itself. It’s always an endless mystery to itself." All knowledge is phenomenal and created. The Self is beyond (yes, even beyond 'blankness') - utterly mysterious and completely unknowable - even to itself!
Mike Foster Yes, what there is is unknowable, whether is called the Self, God or nothing. All that one could know (to be aware of) is itself (its conditionings) alone, what is experienced as "me living in the world". This (self)awareness necessarily ultimately produces the mental state of utter blankness, of which genuine expression is the depression.
this is a very interesting thread