@@freetibet1000 - and that means non-clinging to non-clinging, too. The ideal method is no method at all. But one must embrace method (form) to practice no-method (formlessness). So there are simply no words--right? Wrong, a method of non-method requires practice, and so there are need of words. But....
I've come to the conclusion that the biggest mistake I made during my spiritual journey has been to listen to others. Not only did this trigger comparisons whereby I was never good enough, but I finally realised everyone's quest and experience is their own. Much of what a spiritual teacher teaches is influenced by their own experience, whereas we are all called and given experiences uniquely our own. I now realise I probably wasted decades thinking this is not it, or that can't be right, just because it didn't line up with what a teacher had taught. It wasn't until I let all of that go, that there was a spiritual stirring inside.... something that was uniquely true to me that had been crowded out or buried under the layers of words, dogma and ideology that was actually foreign to me. Yes, listen to teachers, but not at the expense of sacrificing what is intuitive, pure and simple that has its source within, not from the world. I have come to understand that the only journey involved is the journey clearing the mental clutter and of turning inward.
Thank you for putting into words what I've been sensing for a long time - me, my own path, my own teachings and realisations that are only valid and relevant to myself, that there is no one fits all concept or teaching - 🤯🤯 the mind is blown (took me quite a while to realise this my power for myself) ❤❤
The first lesson is often the most ignored there are Sheep they shag there are Wolves they devour the Sheep Then there Shepard's, who used to be Wolves But learned the objective truth , which makes them Shepard's The only Public Shepard in the last 500 years was Gurdjeff, the rest of the humans just mis interpret it all , mostly because they are Sheep and wolves trying to work out what the Shepard's are saying to each other
Spiritual pride is the last trick of the ego and I'm not even convinced it can be eliminated. I think everyone has to move at their own pace and without comparing yourself to anyone else. It's why I try not to follow any one "spiritual teacher" for too long. Everyone says the truth is within yourself and I think that's the least dangerous path to follow. I believe there is no hierarchy of souls. There is no superior or inferior, only differences with different strengths and weaknesses, and all are essential. Thanks for reminding me.
Some spiritual pride is needed to stand up against manipulative people. Pride is good, the problem is arrogance. Too many conflate pride with arrogance.
True enlightenment is not for the person it's From the person!!❤ We already know what it means to be a person with all the good- bad and ugly- how about trying on your True Self on a moment to moment basis!! ❤ Wow Jeff maybe in five years you will be singing Another tune! The Truth is still the Truth- it doesn't change when the person's perspective keeps changing! Truth is you are only playing a part in your dream with your dream character- wake up to True reality!❤
Christ is King. There is a hierarchy. There is definitely inferior and superior otherwise why would Christ recommend not blaspheming because you should fear God throwing you into hell? Satan wants you to believe you're equal. Next thing you'll want to do is say Satan isn't real. Careful.
Not my experience with non-duality at all. In fact, if anything it made me understand my humanity better. It made me a better person, a more in touch, aware person. Sounds like you went through a huge push to remove that humanity. Because all that you are as a human with all the ups and downs is perfect. Thich Nhat Hanh said everything that happens is an event. Don't label anything or any emotion as good or bad, just sit with it, have the feeling don't fight it. I would hate to end up like what you described, or like some of the people in the comments. But I can understand why it can happen. Sorry you had an experience on this path we all walk that wasn't what you thought it was going to be. Stay in the moment my friend, that's where everything is.
"Don't label anything or any emotion as good or bad, just sit with it, have the feeling don't fight it" - and so why did you comment? why did you not just sit with it and allow this video and ideas to be? why interact with it? why attempt to persuade?
@@SchoolOf5 Because it's their experience and they're those who can manage to balance singularity and duality and accept it for what it is, I'm figuring it out rn and my friend who started before me gave up on it and it's her choice but it is also my choice to continue and navigate through life with spirituality and humanity, it just is and mind & body just is however I do struggle with emotions rn but I know I will find my way
@@danrt52i was going to say , yea non duality to me has never been about pure awareness. it’s simply that there is nothing behind appearance. and where this is experienced the most for lack of a better way to say it, is in the recognition that there is no separate thinker of thought, and therefore no separate entity to get anything. That the getting never happens. That when you really look at your experience, there’s just no separation. The appearance of separateness but not truly. So I know they’re a lot of people in the non-dual scene that are all about awareness, but that was not what it was about for me. It certainly was not about or is not about finding another identity as anything even awareness.. It’s more about, the illusory nature of identity. So the emptiness and the fullness are not two and that in my book is non-duality but of course these are all just words trying to describe what is. And no words will ever capture what truly is.
Love this!!! If people are not aware and haven't done their emotional work on childhood wounds, emotional repression, etc. non-duality can be used to further emotional repression and other emotional issues that need to be addressed.
Your beliefs about nonduality is not non-duality but thoughts believed to be about nonduality. Nice religion you have made out of it with beliefs. You still just have only beliefs and you will never find anything but more of the same nonsense that thinking is. You cannot think and believe, and practice your way into nonduality. There is nothing you can do to get “there” as it doesn’t exist. It’s not even that word and all the thoughts about it. You are what’s being imagined. Jeff hates the truth, but that is also imagined as there never will be a Jeff or a truth to grasp and understand. 😂 Beliefs are always chasing after thoughts and they never actually get anywhere.
It depends on what experience you are pointing at. I think he is pointing on the experience of some so called non-dual teachers and so on and in that sense he is quitting the TOPIC of non duality. The experience of getting stuck in the experience of explaining reality to yourself and others, over and over again, to get comfortable with it. The only real way is through the heart and that is the next step. The path and the learning never ends.
You can’t quit or not quit “non-duality” life just is. The so called person has a lot of chatter and that can apparently take away the beauty and simpleness of what simply is. No concepts, only life.
Genuine reflections and confessions that a lot of people on a "spiritual path" need to hear. The problem is not with non-duality or any other spiritual concept, but the human ego attaching itself to a concept, and perpetuating and reinforcing its identity through that, as an easy way of escaping the personal issues that are still waiting for the person to face and overcome in order to become more truly loving and caring. Then what we get is increased egocentrism, using a spiritual identity as a mask.
Great comment, thanks. New-age posturing - mental and physical - can be vain and pretentious. It's better just to be loving and kind in thoughts and acts. Best wishes!
Great jobJeff, I rode the non-dual train and was able to spiritually bypass all feelings, emotions, and traumas. But eventually found my non-dual perspective to be dual in nature, and in fact I was avoiding and shunning all of the natural human qualities and vulnerabilities everyone has. Non-duality at its core is summed up in the heart Sutra, which at its essence points to the need to not restrict or avoid anything. When you can love both sides of the equation, shit, and Shinola, then life becomes a great dance. No striving just loving.
Thanks Jeff. I came to hear you and Matt Licata several years ago in London. As you started to speak a police siren went by and the look of annoyance that crossed your face told me you weren't really walking your talk. I know your path hasn't been easy but the depth of authenticity shining through this video is lovely to see. And you are so right, these paradoxes are the only real truths. Thankyou for sharing❤
Being authentic is probably the best way to be for ourselves and others.. no games, just being honest, with integrity is the easiest way of being. Thank you for this candid conversation
I was so disconnected to my body after my spiritual awakening and was so focused on Unity Consciousness. I felt like I had to kill my ego and felt a lot of shame and guilt because that wasn't happening. One day last year I just said I was done with this and that I am a human and I want to be here on this planet with all its intense feelings and experiences. All of the mundane human things are starting to bring me joy again. I am perfectly imperfect and the whole spiritual community is a huge turn off to me now thankfully. I still see God in each and every one of us and I'm thankful for my journey up to this point.
My sponsor from my 12 Steps fellowship started a few years ago going to retreats with Francis Lucille, she changed slowly in ways that made me feel uncomfortable, at times shaming me when I was grieving or upset with a personal issue. I had to distance myself from her, she is still very involved with his teaching going to his retreats several times a year. I love the way you engage with spiritual teaching, I am also doing Internal Family systems therapy which really embraces all our parts with love and compassion, no bad parts, the way to heal and embrace our shadows, not with shame. Thank you Jeff for speaking out. ❤
Sometimes feeling shame is called for. Just look at society. If one is causing harm, they should feel shame. Too many do not today. It's all about doing no harm as you do unto others as you'd have done to yourself.
Ditto regarding my journey, including 12 step recovery, the power of IFS work, and the crucial importance of not bypassing (which I tried to do for years). Spiritual growth for me is a necessary melding of the Infinite intangible AND the intimately messy personal content. Encountered Jeff's stuff 15 yrs ago, moved on, and had no intent of ever circling back to him again as I lumped him in the Awareness Bypass category. What a delight to witness the change. I work with a no bypass teacher now who mentioned Jeff a few times and I now find Jeff to be the teacher who speaks most directly to parts and to loving the beautiful mess. Such genuine heartfelt compassion!❤️
Extreme non dual teachers like Tony Parsons have a communication that there is nobody here or no individual and he believes that with conviction. Others come across with a similar message that is more gentle like Rupert, Francis and Mooji to name a few. Yet I believe they contradict that stance by saying things like "anger" just arises for nobody or for an individual...it just "happens". But as you may know from step 4 in the 12th step program of recovery (which i believe is a more accurate description of whats going on here with anger or resentment)....it points to that anger arises because of the belief that there is a SELF/ME/INDIVIDUAL/HUMAN/PERSON who either isn't getting their own way or something is happening to that SELF, ME, HUMAN, or PERSON that they don't like and therefore they get angry. So I believe that you cant have anger without the belief of being a person....it dont "just happen". I came to the conclusion just like Jeff has here that behind all the scenes, talks and satsungs...a lot of these non dual teachers actually are not free 100% of the time of the belief that they are an limited individual or person and i believe they forget at times and fall back into personhood. Even I can sit down for a whole hour or two at a meeting looking like the most spiritual guy on the planet. But I'm a different story when I have to go out there in difficult conditions to live the other 23 hours of the day. You have every right to get uncomfortable if your sponsor has drifted from the 12 step program because eventually they might try and convince you or themselves that they are not a person and so therefore there is no need a 12 step program or their fellowship anymore and then might end up relapsing. You do realise that even long term people in sobriety can get side tracked and go insane again? Personally, I like to take bits of non duality, Religion, Mindfulness and other resources just like taking "supplements" to add to my 12 step program....but NEVER to replace it. Hope this helps.
Totally agree... I was also sucked in the non-dual world... But came to realise... That the emotional hurt and trauma's from childhood were betrayed... The inner child and all the uncomfortable emotional memories need to be embraced... In the non-dual way it is actually re-traumatizing the inner child... The trauma started in the formative years by being ignored, not seen... Etc... And then in adult life... The uncomfortable inner child comes up... And then it is said... You don't exist... I'm gonna ignore you... In this way you can never become "enlightened"... Because it will never be a whole embodiment of our total being... There will always be fragmented pieces of yourself that are suppressed... Awareness IS all-inclusive...
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After 17 years of meditations I quit even prolong sitting meditations. I realized I am an human now and I must go through this because I chose it that way. 😊 It doesn't mean my deep values changed but my attitude to the material life has to change. If I miss this point of my life so then I have to repeat this lesson over and over 🤦♀️ There is no other better way to bring "the light" to this world than to be a human with all humaness.❤
I have been on this so-called "non-dual path" for two years now and I felt more and more cold and as if I just couldn't manage it. Your words reach so deeply into me and give me a feeling of warmth and connection and a liberating feeling. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for that.
Thanks for sharing this Jeff. It is such a pity that non-duality has become a dogma. True non-duality has to, 'by definition', embrace everything as part of the one awareness. Wave and ocean awareness🙂 In the deepest states, there is incredible reverence for everything...palpable. Embodied. There are too many people getting stuck in semi-aware states, which involve denial and avoidance of that next deepening, which is centered in the heart's awakening💝 I have decided to keep the term non-dual in my teachings...staying with the original meaning. Our humanness is our doorway. Blessings, Helen xx
You are correct. Many people who get into non duality get stuck by identifying with awareness and using it as a new identity to suppress and bypass their human “stuff”. There’s a tendency for the mind to reify (make things solid, grasp onto phenomenons as if they have an essence), whether that’s reifying “awareness” or “human” it’s actually just 2 sides of the same view in extremity/duality. By clinging onto “awareness” you are identifying with Being and Eternity. By clinging onto “no self” or “emptiness” you are craving for Non-Being and you skew your view to Nihilism, likewise, clinging onto “the human” is just another version of the same process of reification. You are neither awareness nor human, nor anything in between. The Middle Way transcends but integrates all of these views, is beyond but includes both existence and non existence, as you see clearly how all phenomenons from the most divine to the most mundane are co dependently arisen, thus empty of essence. This does not mean things don’t exist, but they don’t exist INDEPENDENTLY, and INHERENTLY. Im not trying to establish another view here on the intellectual level. This is merely a reminder to let go of grasping at the most subtle level experientially and sensorially.
That is exactly, more than exactly what I needed to hear this morning as I woke up berating myself for the vulnerability that I showed others yesterday. Thank you so very much for bringing me back to my glorious self/Self❤️
Excellent pointers, Jeff, Thanks so much!! I agree that we should not make the goal of spiritual practice to be non dual awakening, enlightenment, the end of suffering, transcendent realization or any other kind of conceptualized perfectionism. Our goal should simply be to become more present(not perfectly present) for our lives, in the midst of suffering, not hiding from suffering, and to become a more loving person(not perfectly loving) and a more joyful person(not perfectly joyful). Otherwise, our lives will be mostly dissappointment and dissatisfaction. Nondual fixation is not much different from denial, avoidance and repression. Cheers!
Beautiful satsang, Jeff! Gentle, non-judgemental, & true. It reminds me of that line: "What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us..." We don't have anything to prove...we have to do our best, be present, & spread as much love as possible.
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Very humble and honest! I do feel the same. Thank you!
Thank you SO much for this. I agree 100%. I have studied spiritual paths for literally 50 years and have pretty much seen it all. I came across non-duality about 3 years ago and have listened to talks by many of the current popular teachers. One thing that seems to be missing was the heart, the warmth, the gentleness, the humanity. The argument that "there's just nothing here" just doesn't land right with me. So, thank you. God bless.
Exactly my point, and my point is that the non dual teaching is very important but the way it's being taught is very illusive. Duality is just another complicated word to mean Creation. Each time creation takes place it produces duality and the Creator is the Creator because of it's ability to create, It is called SOURCE, THE ALL, THE ABSOLUTE, BRAHMAN, AMEN, and all these names it's been given by different wisdom traditions because it's the ground of all existence. To insult duality is to insult the infinite intelligence which is practically the ground of all existence. The ability to identify yourself as both is what makes you complete. Enjoying your unique representation of the Ineffable and also resting as one with the Ineffable is what produces genuine peace. Realizing that reality isn't what it seems to be and that there are levels or dimensions of reality is more profound compared to outrightly castigating duality. As spiritual entities we also have the ability to explore these dimensions in very beneficial ways for this can also be distractive if pursued with wrong intent. Above all enlightenment isn't a thing, event or experience to be pursued. It is basically the shedding off of ignorance and realizing your true nature as a spirit having a human experience. Enlightenment is simply acceptance of your divinity, simply saying "Yes." In conclusion, the understanding of the two greater truths; Duality & Non Duality" is very important to live a wholesome life. Any attempt to disregard one can be very detrimental and puts you in harms way. When you are constantly searching for what you can't find abuse is inevitable and that is how religion has been able to manipulate the people to the point of destroying it's followers. #religionVsspirituality #religion_vs_spirituality
Nice one, Jeff. I had kind of a similar experience being on the ayahuasca hippie trail for a few years, trying to heal myself from all kinds early trauma. Did a total of about 50 ceremonies in Peru, Colombia, Canada, and the US. Being maybe a bit dense, it took me that long to realize I had gotten whatever there was to “get” from that path before I just left it. Last dieta was in Peru in 2014. Not at all what it’s cracked up to be. Not a miracle cure for anything. Despite all the claims to the contrary, it will not give you “enlightenment” whatever tf that is. Now I tell people, “if you wanna have the experience, go and do it, no problem. Just don’t be stupid and take the usual precautions. But do not expect anything else to come of it beyond just another experience. It will not fix you. You have to do that yourself or maybe by the grace of god, or the universe, or whatever. But ayahuasca ain’t it.” Cheers
I have a similar experience with 'plant medicines'. They're like a trampoline, you jump and you come down. And sometimes you fall off and hurt yourself. And in the end, not much spiritual progress has been made.
@@vladn6031 Yeah, that’s about right. Though, I gotta say, I did get some external validation as to my spiritual progress. People told me I was much easier to be around after all the plant medicine. Maybe it helped me be a bit less of an asshole, I dunno. Or maybe just the time away from my usual life is what made the difference.
Ramesh Balsekar has great teachings on this. "Who Cares?!" He describes that the 'sage' is perfectly comfortable with themselves and others with all the imperfections, as they no longer see themselves or others as the doer of what happens.
Thanks, Jeff. There's nothing like parenthood to drop you into your humanity! We are both and must live as both Awareness and human. Adyashanti and Bonnie Greenwell have both said that awakening allows soul to live more fully through a very HUMAN life. We are embodied and must respect that. I love that you named the piece about making Awareness a new identity. Such a risk on the non-dual path. Sometimes I feel like so many non-dual teachers need to just spend a week with a toddler to understand and thus ACCEPT their own humanness! To respect a child's humanness is part of how we LOVE them, so we must also accept that in ourselves.
This is an amazing video. I totally agree. I think we are all students at different levels. If you are like Eckhart Tolle or Nisargadatta Maharaj or Ramana Maharshi, you are likely ready for complete transcendence of this world. Most of us are not ready for that. Most of us are still in grade school. Our experiences in this world are likely important for our development. Skipping the human experience would be like someone skipping from sixth grade directly to a Ph.D. program. And because we are all clearly at different levels, we cannot all be one single entity. There is some purpose behind the duality of this world, and us appearing as separate individuals with different skills/personalities/levels, even though at our core like you said we are all part of the same ocean. I agree that everything is sacred, including our humanity. This is not an accident that we are here appearing as humans with our flaws and hurts and pain. There is some reason for this, even if we will never understand it. That being said, many of the teachings of the nondual masters have helped me a lot. I don't take this life as seriously anymore, because it is not the ultimate reality. This life is a simulation/training ground. And my nasty selfish critical controlling ego mind which had me on the brink of suicide is not me. I know that now because of Eckhart Tolle and his teachings about the ego/pain body. So it doesn't affect me as much anymore. I used to take my negative thoughts/mind and life very seriously, which was not good. I owe nondual teachers for proving to me that I am ultimately not my mind/body/life situation/conditioned past.
Sounds to me like you need to follow through on those negative thoughts and correct the mistakes they are reminding you of, rather than seeking to spiritually advance beyond your responsibilities.
@@DerHammerSpricht Correct. They remind me of my erroneous perception of self and my false identification with it. My poor self image was a case of mistaken identity. I am not that.
Such a good message! As a mostly blind person I could never find the money or courage to see/find a teacher. But there are 2 or 3 I have followed over the years, your one. The nihilism rocked my world as I start over again. Blessings!
Beautiful bealtiful. Thank you for vulnerability ❤ This is very synchronistic, because very recently I gave up the spiritual seeker that I was, I gave up all the concepts I learned from other beings that I thought were better and more perfect, more spiritual than me. And I simply decided to follow my intuition, my own inner wisdom and embrace all my humanity, all aspects. And paradoxically, I was embraced by a sense of unity, great joy and miracle. Then I realized that being human and all the aspects that are part of my humanity are a miracle in itself. When we deny, we suppress a part of ourselves, we are denying and avoiding the whole. The One. It's really when we go towards our greatest pains, wounds and fears, that we go towards ourselves, in essence. These pains, wounds and fears, and all aspects of our humanity, are the portal. I am so happy that we are collective awaking for this ❤
Beautifully put Jeff. Love your work and your message. I came across your books about a year back (You Were Never Broken and The Joy of True Meditation) after being on the 'spiritual' path for more than a decade (whatever that means lol) and it really offered some much needed and fresh perspectives on looking at the experience of life. It was also around this time when I came across the work of Byron Katie, which I found to be very helpful and is very compatible with your teaching, in that it emphasizes on embracing life fully and going head first into all the things we want to avoid. It's become clearer and clearer to me that all teachings and concepts are just stories, no matter how profound or wise they seem to be. They can be useful tools on this journey of understanding yourself and life but one shouldn't get attached to them. Eventually, all the conepts and stories become unimportant and fall away and you are just left with life itself, its perfection, its beauty, its wisdom, its creativity. Thanks again Jeff!
100% true. Even the most elevated spiritual states mean very little if you do not know how to embrace your humanity and hold space for yourself and others when you are dealing with pain and suffering. A lot of what happens in Non-Dual communities is they become places to hide. Unless we have the courage to embrace our humanness alongside our infinite being-ness, we will never know how to be truly authentic. Thank you for voicing this so clearly Jeff. Much appreciated. 💜
Brother, thanks for sharing your experience. I AM PURE AWARENESS is pure identification, as is I am human or I am anything...the "I AM" sense is what is dropped with a true non-dual insight and shift. Identity in all forms is just a mind game, is just a thought. Has anyone here had that profound moment of non-dual insight that shifts your entire perspective and dispels the illusion of identity? It's beyond any teaching or perception really...beyond words - it's a merging with what's here and now without the mind's filters and no more escaping.. It's about embracing everything without getting tangled up in our thoughts. It's about truly feeling it all without running away. It's not about escaping reality but fully immersing ourselves in it. Once the true shift occurs, there is no longer a solid mechanism or anchoring point to continue avoiding and with this comes an immense trust in the ever-unfolding beautiful mystery.
Yeah this guy doesn't get it. There's non-duality of the individual sense gates. Like for vision. Instead of being a thing of subject and objevt, seer and seen. It becomes simply a visual field floating somewhere in space. A field of sensations. This has nothing to do with "perfection" or suppressing suffering. It's clear this guy just got super hard into philosophy. Meaning just _thinking_ about it. I'm sure he did real practice sometimes too. But just obscuring experience here and there. Most people need to put in the work to have a real breakthrough that will stay with them. In pragmatic dharma the initial shift is a peak experience. Like a psychedelic experience or a born again Christian. But first awakening comes from hard work and finishing that path. Stream entry or kensho, from Theravada and zen, respectively
@@randybackgammon890 You know, "awakened" is not the finish line. Words are tricky, even a word like "Path" suggests I am here and I need to "get there". And that is the trap. "Awakening", too, has many dimensions... We just keep - ach, the words are just not accurate, I was going to write "keep going" but again, this suggests precisely the opposite of being present, "here and now". I think in any field, the more you learn, the more you realize there is more to discover. Isn't that the fun in life?
That was quality Jeff, just what I needed right now, thank you. I had this experience last week where I just disappeared again. It went on for 5 days and YES I was pure awareness and then it went away. I got so pissed that I became "me" again but that me is still it. Its ok to be a mess after being pure awareness. It's the same thing either way, it's hard to process but hearing from your perspective helps so thank you.
Beautiful shares Jeff. I’ve recently come to these same realizations in my life and it’s brought me to a much deeper connection with myself. I feel a sense of love and patience with myself I had never before experienced. Allowing myself to be whatever I am in each moment, allowing whatever is there to just be as it is without being attached to some rule that things need to be some other way. I enjoyed your video and appreciate you sharing so deeply.
What a relief to hear, so bravely given, this truth. Grateful for this. I have a few of your books, but this next level teaching is so progressive spiritual warrior!
Absolutely with you 100% on this. Spiritual teachers have a vested interest in not revealing their dark side. Doubts, hangups and negative thoughts don’t sell. They are fooling themselves too. Thank you for making this video and sharing.
beautiful said JEFF. We are all THIS. I am thankful to ALL my teachers and all my therapists to finally let go - and some of this true seeds are resting in me and you. 🙏
That is a very important video, thank you very much. Our spirituality should be firmly rooted in our humanity and imperfections, but should not be imprisoned by it.
Yes, "non-duality" is about being free of beliefs. Allowing whatever is here. I had a lifetime of intense trauma and still dealing with it, realizing that the promise of ultimate freedom is a scam pretty much. Recently there was the drama between 2 prominent spiritual teachers (I'm sure you're familiar with them) and that was what woke me up in the end and allowed me to show love for the parts that had been desperately trying to get rid of.. I do have a lot more respect for Adyashanti as of late, as he was always upfront about his imperfections and how it's not about just being the infinite, but also about being separate and finite as we live somewhere in between IMO.
When mind becomes quiet ,some actions remain the same ,some will change .What one looses is the reference point.That constant inner critic disappears.No matter what you do, when the inner critic goes ,all of the problems stop and one is always in peace.Life flows uninterrupted.It then doesn’t matter what you do or not do.The real teaching flows naturally from the state of peace one is in.No need to teach others.It just creates more noise.They are tought by your presence.
Beautiful message Jeff. Thank you 🙏 I suddenly can see how truly unique I am and that in allowing myself to be "less than" (feeling shame guilt etc) I am stopping my unique wave of God-force from truly expressing itself and truly Being.
I absolutely agree. The danger is that it perpetuates the notion of separation. I believe the key is to gather information, learn from great teachers, read the books, attend the workshops. While working on your own healing, so you can gain a deeper sense of personal clarity. And go within. Each of us have the answer within us. We heal, so we can "hear/feel/make sense" of the messages we receive from deep within us. And the key is to live this truth, and holding space for others to have their own experience.
Nice Message. About 30 years ago i had a strong awakening of the Kundalini and i became a "spiritual seeker". Finally, since a few years. i came to the same conclusion like you.
Thank you Jeff, loved your take on the ocean and the waves being one. There is no need to be negative about separateness, it’s one thing that always put me off about modern nonduality. Hope you keep looking for clarity and truth.
Wow! Beautiful. It came straight to my heart💗I am incredibly grateful for sharing your experiences. You put it very clearly. I am also grateful for your honesty! I recognize myself in what you describe and that I also experienced Non-Duality as a new dogma, it stuck me. Your message also made it clear that I was not living that but was constantly pursuing concepts. It was more of an addiction that continued endlessly from the feeling 'I'm not good enough yet'. What a relief! I experience now that I find myself together with you as a unique wave in the sea of life. I have been following you since the book The Deepest Acceptance. To me your teachings are unchanged but every time I hear you they deepen. It's wonderful that you are there to remind us again and again of the embrace of everything!
When we truly understand "non-duality" and all it encompasses, there is no need to quit it (or join a path of renunciation in order to "move beyond" the dual worlds) or to turn it and "dual experiences" into a binary. It all works together. Balance.
I've watched your videos for a long time and watched many others teachers and gurus and pastor's etc but many were false but your the real deal!! Ive seen you evolve in every video you make and despite your Illness and pain, you've grown Spiritually. I used to be hard on myself because i have flaw's and fell back into old habits but deep down its all okay!! Im realizing that its okay to be human and to make mistakes. I don't want to be perfect by social standards. It totally sucks that i found God and then fell back into addiction. Its a blow to my ego but yet its all good. Life...... what an experience. Life is The Greatest High!!
Thank you for sharing this Jeff. Let’s hope this message reaches anyone unwittingly clinging to the non-duality rock such that they can effortlessly continue to flow downstream 🙏🏻
This resonated with me so much thank you, as I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about duality/ non duality . However, something seemed missing in my spirit, glad I came across your video.
Yessss!!! So glad to see you now. I remember being gifted one of your books when I was in deep depression and throwing it in the bin. I had gone 'non-dual' before, and I admit at the time it did bring me new perspectives and changed my outlook, but when I had to face utter despair and suffering, non-duality was synonym with cold heartlessness. There is a verse in the Upanishads that actually explains it perfectly, something like 'If you are stuck in the material you will be in darkness, but if you are stuck in the spiritual you will be in worse darkness still'. Welcome to the club ❤
Jeff Foster strikes me as a true Neo-Advaita entrepreneur and, given the comments and his 52.6 k subscribers, he’s having some success. What the talk seems to boil down is that Jeff is happy to acknowledge he was something of a fatuous ass as a ‘Guru’ for years, making a good living on the lecture circuit and hobnobbing with the ‘best and the brightest’ in Neo-Advaita culture. At some point he realized he had a highly reified understanding of enlightenment, mesmerized as he was by a certain ‘absolute’ identity, and with that realization a kind of liberation ensued, which he is now spinning into a second career as a ‘broken’ or ‘simply human’ guru. He actually admits that not all the gurus or nondual life coaches he came into contact with were highly flawed human beings incessantly and hypocritically recycling their ‘non-self’ ideology and posing as nondual deities. It seems he at least met a few who were easy going, even humble, open about the joys and vexations of operating in ‘human form’ in the manifest, and able to see that what is called ‘nondual’ is at best a kind of ‘dialectical’ understanding of life. Good for you, Jeff. As the comment section would suggest, a lot of people resonate with Jeff’s ‘confession’ of humanness. That’s sweet. And of course, I’m not ‘judging’ Jeff, at least in the sense he appears to be using the word (largely emptied of meaning). He seems like a fun guy, and I’d love to have a cup of coffee with him and listen to him ramble on about himself for a couple of hours. I might even have a few questions for him.
Thank you so much for this. It sounds so sweet, vunerable and true. I am so glad to hear that the teachers are also just human beings. And I mean with just, that we are all imperfect beautiful humans doing our best. And itis miracle that we are all unique. How beautiful can you get it? I am so proud to walk on this earth as a human being alllearning that it is a honour to be a human with all the uncomfortable and great stuff we encounter. God bless us all.
Thank you! I'm very touching by this video. I'm from China. Couple months ago, something happened to me and I lost a lot of money because a company claimed that new era comes people like us who had awakened gotta build up a new world and awake people. Then something happened to me and I felt struggling. Then I healed myself and reviewed all that happened, and then realized that I think myself too highly. I think that I am too unique and can live outside the human rules. I was very arrogant at that time. Then I started to realize that I am only a human. Although I start to know something but all of these just help me to live better, not imagine something that beyond human. Like what Jeff said in this video, the real miracle is to walk on the earth. Thanks for sharing all of this Jeff❤
Thank you for speaking of this. I love how you talk about "Surrendering to the present moment as it is." Yes, "This is how we find true non-duality." It's the ocean embracing all of its waves." "When we forget our own deep humanity, we forget the humanity of the one who is in front of us." "I've found spirituality not separate from the world...but divinity deeply infuses the Earth.." . "The real miracle is not to walk on water... the real miracle is to walk on the Earth." I have also found that our deep sense of what is spiritual is profoundly connected with our humanity. It is not about being perfect. We all struggle. It takes courage to turn towards our wounds & this is how we heal. When we face our own suffering, whatever this may be in large & small ways, we can grow & free ourselves in real & humble ways over time. If we evolve from & through our humanity, this experience can be the foundation of our journey.' .
For two years, I was blissful and never depressed. Although I didn’t think I was better than anyone, I walked in the world of men but was not of it. One day, I realized I was here to have a human experience not a Godlike one. So I gave up my daily practice. I’ve been a human being ever since.
Wow. I really needed to hear this today. That really scratched an itch of mine, ".. and that becomes the goal, to never suffer.. we become cold and robotic..." So true. I believe we came to this earth to have a human experience after all. It's maybe about integrating spirituality into one's life so that it becomes deeper and richer.
Wow, very powerful and eye-opening discussion here. I've been thinking alot about the word "vulnerability" lately and realizing that it's not a flaw but rather something necessary for spiritual growth.
Well said!! I've never heard of you before but it's great to hear someone with your spiritual beliefs realize that you were missing the mark. I have been very fortunate to be able to experience magical happenings on my own journey that leave me no doubt of the "Oneness" of the Universe. But after traveling around the sun 72 years I am still finding myself to be nothing out of the ordinary. Opening the Heart and truly feeling the life energy of the natural world, and then allowing that feeling to influence my day to day work and interactions with others is my main focus and I laugh and grieve and make music, prepare meals, carve personal objects and practice non judgement and my life is filled to overflowing. Blessing to All!! Thank you Jeff for your sharing - I look forward to learning more from you. Namaste, Magnus
100% agree with this. My conclusion to my years of seeking is that kindness and non judgement are the most important daily practice.I would love to go to a convention where these principles are the ones discussed.We are all humans 'being'...both aspects of us need to be loved.' Its all sacred' without this embracing of our humanity we spiritually bypass our potential to heal our very real wounds. Thank you for your clarity. ❤
Well done, Jeff. You are absolutely spot on, and I think it's amazing that you didn't go down the rabbit hole and got lost there in the shadow :) Some spiritual teachers reinforce their egoes and become maniacs. Trauma is real, and it's important to address it, it doesn't always work to ignore pain and anxiety. It is possible to calm the nervous system, and we all have different techniques, a mixture of knowledge and somatic release, but becoming hooked on spiritual teachers is not the best way, IMHO (you can also break the bank). Good luck to all!
I've never watched any of your videos before but I thought this was wonderful. It seems the problems, as with most problems I've observed begin when an identity is assigned to whatever it is we are and then we "become" that identity or it "becomes" us. As much as in the video you state that you've stopped being a non duality teacher, maybe it's just a shift away from what the identity of non duality has unfortunately "become" I'll look through more of your videos and hopefully can find things that help me with whatever it is I'm going through, there's definitely some shift happening. Thank you 🙏🏻
I'm being made to walk the earth ar the moment. Experiencing all emotions, sometimes excruciatingly in my body. And kind of loving it. 😊 You can't "spiritualize away" your physical connection to the planet. I'm learning this and beginning to accept the whole of myself in its entirety. 💙
The real miracle is not to walk on water (to transcend it all). The real miracle is to walk on the earth. So much yes! In my process, somehow last year I completely could not even touch into suffering. I couldn't remember suffering and I was aware of it and I actually was not comfortable with it. I am a therapist and I need to remember what it's like to suffer! And then BAM, I've had a very traumatic experience this year and my cPTSD has completely flared up and I could not remember anything about being the ocean. I could only be the wave and the very very triggered kind of wave... and now I remember suffering and I am coming into a much more embodied Awareness and I am relieved of that. It was a trip to not be able to remember suffering or why anyone would suffer about anything. Whew! So grateful for you, Jeff. Thank goodness for vulnerability and authenticity. I so value what you are sharing. Just listening I can feel my nervous system calm down. Thank you.
my story is similar to yours, the more i'm open to my hurt, suffering and human flawed nature, the best it's becoming, wanting to change, wanting to work, wanting to improve, to have normal sexual life, without soo much repression, to have dreams, desires, to be ok with my mistakes and to learn and evolve from them, to pray to God as usual religion teaches, talk with God, be he's child, not the Ultimate Brahamn ( all is just a dream concept, it's actually madness), feeling my body, eating right food, thinking, well i really wanna do workout and grow muscles cause it's looks good and attractive , being aware of pride, arrogance, cause that's how we work with it and don't let it grow. Non Dual practices took me into dissociation, superiority, higher ego, lost of desires, personal will, dreams, positive "expectations ", wishes, fun, also makes us go away from real problems of real life, and make os run from them, instead in trying to do our best to help society, industry, politic, to help to repair this earth, not to say it's all a dream and don't care about people cause they are not real and don't exist and noone suffers, yeah we have work to do for us and others, and we will find difficults, hard times, bad people, good people, laughs, parties, hard work to get money to survive, to accept the presence of limitations, anxiety, or use anxiety to do things, to move on, to change, to improve, now i know my anxiety and fear is telling me to get rid of material life problems and life situations and to find a new one, and in non duality they would said this is wrong, you should accept and be in peace no matter what's going on your life, money, work, body, they tell it's ego desire to live these, or to move on these, and it's not.
Thanks for this video, Jeff. I appreciate your honesty and clarity..... When my spiritual journey became my human journey, the perfect life I hoped to live became the messy aliveness through which I opened to genuine connection, felt compassion and embodied wisdom.
The real miracle is not to walk on water but to walk on this earth❤
walking on water is a fake miracle?
One of the great poems of the Zen tradition ends with this description of the awakened state: “To be without anxiety about imperfection.”
That is profound
Yes, awareness resides in everything. Even within non-awareness there’s awareness. Letting go of all clinging is our only method.
@@freetibet1000 huh?
@@freetibet1000 - and that means non-clinging to non-clinging, too. The ideal method is no method at all. But one must embrace method (form) to practice no-method (formlessness). So there are simply no words--right? Wrong, a method of non-method requires practice, and so there are need of words. But....
What poem, if I may ask. There are multiple translations of many things, so it's not surprising I'm not familiar with this one
I've come to the conclusion that the biggest mistake I made during my spiritual journey has been to listen to others. Not only did this trigger comparisons whereby I was never good enough, but I finally realised everyone's quest and experience is their own. Much of what a spiritual teacher teaches is influenced by their own experience, whereas we are all called and given experiences uniquely our own. I now realise I probably wasted decades thinking this is not it, or that can't be right, just because it didn't line up with what a teacher had taught. It wasn't until I let all of that go, that there was a spiritual stirring inside.... something that was uniquely true to me that had been crowded out or buried under the layers of words, dogma and ideology that was actually foreign to me. Yes, listen to teachers, but not at the expense of sacrificing what is intuitive, pure and simple that has its
source within, not from the world. I have come to understand that the only journey involved is the journey clearing the mental clutter and of turning inward.
Thank you for putting into words what I've been sensing for a long time - me, my own path, my own teachings and realisations that are only valid and relevant to myself, that there is no one fits all concept or teaching - 🤯🤯 the mind is blown (took me quite a while to realise this my power for myself) ❤❤
👍
The first lesson is often the most ignored
there are Sheep they shag
there are Wolves they devour the Sheep
Then there Shepard's, who used to be Wolves But learned the objective truth , which makes them Shepard's
The only Public Shepard in the last 500 years was Gurdjeff, the rest of the humans just mis interpret it all , mostly because they are Sheep and wolves trying to work out what the Shepard's are saying to each other
Spiritual pride is the last trick of the ego and I'm not even convinced it can be eliminated. I think everyone has to move at their own pace and without comparing yourself to anyone else. It's why I try not to follow any one "spiritual teacher" for too long. Everyone says the truth is within yourself and I think that's the least dangerous path to follow. I believe there is no hierarchy of souls. There is no superior or inferior, only differences with different strengths and weaknesses, and all are essential. Thanks for reminding me.
Labels cause a lot of separation.
Some spiritual pride is needed to stand up against manipulative people. Pride is good, the problem is arrogance. Too many conflate pride with arrogance.
True enlightenment is not for the person it's From the person!!❤ We already know what it means to be a person with all the good- bad and ugly- how about trying on your True Self on a moment to moment basis!! ❤ Wow Jeff maybe in five years you will be singing Another tune! The Truth is still the Truth- it doesn't change when the person's perspective keeps changing! Truth is you are only playing a part in your dream with your dream character- wake up to True reality!❤
Christ is King.
There is a hierarchy.
There is definitely inferior and superior otherwise why would Christ recommend not blaspheming because you should fear God throwing you into hell?
Satan wants you to believe you're equal.
Next thing you'll want to do is say Satan isn't real.
Careful.
@@tehbignic Praying for you.
Hearing this is saving me probably years of futility. Spirituality has to be simple, messy and loving. You expressed this so well.
Not my experience with non-duality at all. In fact, if anything it made me understand my humanity better. It made me a better person, a more in touch, aware person. Sounds like you went through a huge push to remove that humanity. Because all that you are as a human with all the ups and downs is perfect. Thich Nhat Hanh said everything that happens is an event. Don't label anything or any emotion as good or bad, just sit with it, have the feeling don't fight it.
I would hate to end up like what you described, or like some of the people in the comments. But I can understand why it can happen. Sorry you had an experience on this path we all walk that wasn't what you thought it was going to be. Stay in the moment my friend, that's where everything is.
Thank you master.
"Don't label anything or any emotion as good or bad, just sit with it, have the feeling don't fight it" - and so why did you comment? why did you not just sit with it and allow this video and ideas to be? why interact with it? why attempt to persuade?
@@SchoolOf5 Because it's their experience and they're those who can manage to balance singularity and duality and accept it for what it is, I'm figuring it out rn and my friend who started before me gave up on it and it's her choice but it is also my choice to continue and navigate through life with spirituality and humanity, it just is and mind & body just is however I do struggle with emotions rn but I know I will find my way
@@SchoolOf5 Because I think sharing information in this field is important. Why would you think I was trying to persuade?
@@danrt52i was going to say , yea non duality to me has never been about pure awareness. it’s simply that there is nothing behind appearance. and where this is experienced the most for lack of a better way to say it, is in the recognition that there is no separate thinker of thought, and therefore no separate entity to get anything. That the getting never happens. That when you really look at your experience, there’s just no separation. The appearance of separateness but not truly. So I know they’re a lot of people in the non-dual scene that are all about awareness, but that was not what it was about for me. It certainly was not about or is not about finding another identity as anything even awareness.. It’s more about, the illusory nature of identity. So the emptiness and the fullness are not two and that in my book is non-duality but of course these are all just words trying to describe what is. And no words will ever capture what truly is.
Love this!!! If people are not aware and haven't done their emotional work on childhood wounds, emotional repression, etc. non-duality can be used to further emotional repression and other emotional issues that need to be addressed.
Yes!! I have that experience. Shifting now❤
Me toooo.. is never late
@@angelebeauvera sameee
Your beliefs about nonduality is not non-duality but thoughts believed to be about nonduality. Nice religion you have made out of it with beliefs. You still just have only beliefs and you will never find anything but more of the same nonsense that thinking is.
You cannot think and believe, and practice your way into nonduality. There is nothing you can do to get “there” as it doesn’t exist. It’s not even that word and all the thoughts about it.
You are what’s being imagined. Jeff hates the truth, but that is also imagined as there never will be a Jeff or a truth to grasp and understand. 😂
Beliefs are always chasing after thoughts and they never actually get anywhere.
@@i-witnesstransparencynews7857 LOL, How does one become a Master Schmuck? I want to know.
Did you really quit non-duality as the title says? It appears that you understand non-duality better after realizing your also a human being.
It depends on what experience you are pointing at. I think he is pointing on the experience of some so called non-dual teachers and so on and in that sense he is quitting the TOPIC of non duality. The experience of getting stuck in the experience of explaining reality to yourself and others, over and over again, to get comfortable with it. The only real way is through the heart and that is the next step. The path and the learning never ends.
Just dropping it as another concept ❤️
You can’t quit or not quit “non-duality” life just is. The so called person has a lot of chatter and that can apparently take away the beauty and simpleness of what simply is. No concepts, only life.
Even Ramana Maharshi said, "Be as you are." Very important message. Thank you.
Which refers to the "YOU ARE THAT", by Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Not "you" as personality.
That is the sweetest and most authentic teaching I have heard in a long time. Thank you, love your humanness❤️
Genuine reflections and confessions that a lot of people on a "spiritual path" need to hear. The problem is not with non-duality or any other spiritual concept, but the human ego attaching itself to a concept, and perpetuating and reinforcing its identity through that, as an easy way of escaping the personal issues that are still waiting for the person to face and overcome in order to become more truly loving and caring. Then what we get is increased egocentrism, using a spiritual identity as a mask.
Well said!!
Great comment, thanks. New-age posturing - mental and physical - can be vain and pretentious. It's better just to be loving and kind in thoughts and acts. Best wishes!
Great jobJeff, I rode the non-dual train and was able to spiritually bypass all feelings, emotions, and traumas. But eventually found my non-dual perspective to be dual in nature, and in fact I was avoiding and shunning all of the natural human qualities and vulnerabilities everyone has. Non-duality at its core is summed up in the heart Sutra, which at its essence points to the need to not restrict or avoid anything. When you can love both sides of the equation, shit, and Shinola, then life becomes a great dance. No striving just loving.
I'm crying right now because I was so confuse and guilty and asking "God" to help me, and I found this video...what a relief.Thanks you
Thanks Jeff. I came to hear you and Matt Licata several years ago in London. As you started to speak a police siren went by and the look of annoyance that crossed your face told me you weren't really walking your talk. I know your path hasn't been easy but the depth of authenticity shining through this video is lovely to see. And you are so right, these paradoxes are the only real truths. Thankyou for sharing❤
Being authentic is probably the best way to be for ourselves and others.. no games, just being honest, with integrity is the easiest way of being.
Thank you for this candid conversation
You summed up my comment. (I tend to be wordy) 😂 I completely agree.
I was so disconnected to my body after my spiritual awakening and was so focused on Unity Consciousness. I felt like I had to kill my ego and felt a lot of shame and guilt because that wasn't happening. One day last year I just said I was done with this and that I am a human and I want to be here on this planet with all its intense feelings and experiences. All of the mundane human things are starting to bring me joy again. I am perfectly imperfect and the whole spiritual community is a huge turn off to me now thankfully. I still see God in each and every one of us and I'm thankful for my journey up to this point.
hahaha! ... that was awesome! 👍
My sponsor from my 12 Steps fellowship started a few years ago going to retreats with Francis Lucille, she changed slowly in ways that made me feel uncomfortable, at times shaming me when I was grieving or upset with a personal issue. I had to distance myself from her, she is still very involved with his teaching going to his retreats several times a year. I love the way you engage with spiritual teaching, I am also doing Internal Family systems therapy which really embraces all our parts with love and compassion, no bad parts, the way to heal and embrace our shadows, not with shame. Thank you Jeff for speaking out. ❤
Doesn't sound like Frances to me. Frances is very down to earth IMHO.
Sometimes feeling shame is called for. Just look at society. If one is causing harm, they should feel shame. Too many do not today. It's all about doing no harm as you do unto others as you'd have done to yourself.
Ditto regarding my journey, including 12 step recovery, the power of IFS work, and the crucial importance of not bypassing (which I tried to do for years).
Spiritual growth for me is a necessary melding of the Infinite intangible AND the intimately messy personal content.
Encountered Jeff's stuff 15 yrs ago, moved on, and had no intent of ever circling back to him again as I lumped him in the Awareness Bypass category.
What a delight to witness the change. I work with a no bypass teacher now who mentioned Jeff a few times and I now find Jeff to be the teacher who speaks most directly to parts and to loving the beautiful mess. Such genuine heartfelt compassion!❤️
Everyone is on a journey. It’s ok that this happened to her. It’s just the ego.
Extreme non dual teachers like Tony Parsons have a communication that there is nobody here or no individual and he believes that with conviction. Others come across with a similar message that is more gentle like Rupert, Francis and Mooji to name a few. Yet I believe they contradict that stance by saying things like "anger" just arises for nobody or for an individual...it just "happens".
But as you may know from step 4 in the 12th step program of recovery (which i believe is a more accurate description of whats going on here with anger or resentment)....it points to that anger arises because of the belief that there is a SELF/ME/INDIVIDUAL/HUMAN/PERSON who either isn't getting their own way or something is happening to that SELF, ME, HUMAN, or PERSON that they don't like and therefore they get angry. So I believe that you cant have anger without the belief of being a person....it dont "just happen". I came to the conclusion just like Jeff has here that behind all the scenes, talks and satsungs...a lot of these non dual teachers actually are not free 100% of the time of the belief that they are an limited individual or person and i believe they forget at times and fall back into personhood.
Even I can sit down for a whole hour or two at a meeting looking like the most spiritual guy on the planet. But I'm a different story when I have to go out there in difficult conditions to live the other 23 hours of the day.
You have every right to get uncomfortable if your sponsor has drifted from the 12 step program because eventually they might try and convince you or themselves that they are not a person and so therefore there is no need a 12 step program or their fellowship anymore and then might end up relapsing. You do realise that even long term people in sobriety can get side tracked and go insane again? Personally, I like to take bits of non duality, Religion, Mindfulness and other resources just like taking "supplements" to add to my 12 step program....but NEVER to replace it. Hope this helps.
Totally agree... I was also sucked in the non-dual world... But came to realise... That the emotional hurt and trauma's from childhood were betrayed... The inner child and all the uncomfortable emotional memories need to be embraced... In the non-dual way it is actually re-traumatizing the inner child... The trauma started in the formative years by being ignored, not seen... Etc... And then in adult life... The uncomfortable inner child comes up... And then it is said... You don't exist... I'm gonna ignore you... In this way you can never become "enlightened"... Because it will never be a whole embodiment of our total being... There will always be fragmented pieces of yourself that are suppressed... Awareness IS all-inclusive...
After 17 years of meditations I quit even prolong sitting meditations. I realized I am an human now and I must go through this because I chose it that way. 😊
It doesn't mean my deep values changed but my attitude to the material life has to change. If I miss this point of my life so then I have to repeat this lesson over and over 🤦♀️
There is no other better way to bring "the light" to this world than to be a human with all humaness.❤
I have been on this so-called "non-dual path" for two years now and I felt more and more cold and as if I just couldn't manage it. Your words reach so deeply into me and give me a feeling of warmth and connection and a liberating feeling. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for that.
Thanks for sharing this Jeff. It is such a pity that non-duality has become a dogma. True non-duality has to, 'by definition', embrace everything as part of the one awareness. Wave and ocean awareness🙂 In the deepest states, there is incredible reverence for everything...palpable. Embodied. There are too many people getting stuck in semi-aware states, which involve denial and avoidance of that next deepening, which is centered in the heart's awakening💝 I have decided to keep the term non-dual in my teachings...staying with the original meaning. Our humanness is our doorway. Blessings, Helen xx
You are correct. Many people who get into non duality get stuck by identifying with awareness and using it as a new identity to suppress and bypass their human “stuff”.
There’s a tendency for the mind to reify (make things solid, grasp onto phenomenons as if they have an essence), whether that’s reifying “awareness” or “human” it’s actually just 2 sides of the same view in extremity/duality.
By clinging onto “awareness” you are identifying with Being and Eternity. By clinging onto “no self” or “emptiness” you are craving for Non-Being and you skew your view to Nihilism, likewise, clinging onto “the human” is just another version of the same process of reification.
You are neither awareness nor human, nor anything in between.
The Middle Way transcends but integrates all of these views, is beyond but includes both existence and non existence, as you see clearly how all phenomenons from the most divine to the most mundane are co dependently arisen, thus empty of essence.
This does not mean things don’t exist, but they don’t exist INDEPENDENTLY, and INHERENTLY.
Im not trying to establish another view here on the intellectual level. This is merely a reminder to let go of grasping at the most subtle level experientially and sensorially.
I couldn’t agree more.
That is exactly, more than exactly what I needed to hear this morning as I woke up berating myself for the vulnerability that I showed others yesterday. Thank you so very much for bringing me back to my glorious self/Self❤️
Oneness is one-sided. That's why I love the expression "not one, not two." Thank you, Jeff, it's great to hear someone speak the truth for a change.
Thanks for sharing your 2 cent 😅
but three, is the magic number
@@tommurrell125 so is 125 tommurrell ✨️
@@larsstougaard7097 lol, nice.
@@larsstougaard7097 I’m afraid I don’t understand.
Excellent pointers, Jeff, Thanks so much!! I agree that we should not make the goal of spiritual practice to be non dual awakening, enlightenment, the end of suffering, transcendent realization or any other kind of conceptualized perfectionism. Our goal should simply be to become more present(not perfectly present) for our lives, in the midst of suffering, not hiding from suffering, and to become a more loving person(not perfectly loving) and a more joyful person(not perfectly joyful). Otherwise, our lives will be mostly dissappointment and dissatisfaction. Nondual fixation is not much different from denial, avoidance and repression. Cheers!
Wonderful post Jeff. There's a new book in this.
Nondual fixation? that is an oxymoron.
Beautiful satsang, Jeff! Gentle, non-judgemental, & true. It reminds me of that line: "What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us..." We don't have anything to prove...we have to do our best, be present, & spread as much love as possible.
Very humble and honest! I do feel the same. Thank you!
Thank you SO much for this. I agree 100%. I have studied spiritual paths for literally 50 years and have pretty much seen it all. I came across non-duality about 3 years ago and have listened to talks by many of the current popular teachers. One thing that seems to be missing was the heart, the warmth, the gentleness, the humanity. The argument that "there's just nothing here" just doesn't land right with me. So, thank you. God bless.
There is just nothing here for the ego...!
Yes! Read A.H. Almaas, his latest books. The perspective of totality.
@@ultrafeel-tv Exactly!
I meant to say, NON duality.
Non-duality is only possible when accepting duality first ❤
Exactly my point, and my point is that the non dual teaching is very important but the way it's being taught is very illusive.
Duality is just another complicated word to mean Creation. Each time creation takes place it produces duality and the Creator is the Creator because of it's ability to create, It is called SOURCE, THE ALL, THE ABSOLUTE, BRAHMAN, AMEN, and all these names it's been given by different wisdom traditions because it's the ground of all existence.
To insult duality is to insult the infinite intelligence which is practically the ground of all existence.
The ability to identify yourself as both is what makes you complete. Enjoying your unique representation of the Ineffable and also resting as one with the Ineffable is what produces genuine peace.
Realizing that reality isn't what it seems to be and that there are levels or dimensions of reality is more profound compared to outrightly castigating duality. As spiritual entities we also have the ability to explore these dimensions in very beneficial ways for this can also be distractive if pursued with wrong intent.
Above all enlightenment isn't a thing, event or experience to be pursued. It is basically the shedding off of ignorance and realizing your true nature as a spirit having a human experience. Enlightenment is simply acceptance of your divinity, simply saying "Yes."
In conclusion, the understanding of the two greater truths; Duality & Non Duality" is very important to live a wholesome life. Any attempt to disregard one can be very detrimental and puts you in harms way. When you are constantly searching for what you can't find abuse is inevitable and that is how religion has been able to manipulate the people to the point of destroying it's followers.
#religionVsspirituality
#religion_vs_spirituality
Nice one, Jeff. I had kind of a similar experience being on the ayahuasca hippie trail for a few years, trying to heal myself from all kinds early trauma. Did a total of about 50 ceremonies in Peru, Colombia, Canada, and the US. Being maybe a bit dense, it took me that long to realize I had gotten whatever there was to “get” from that path before I just left it. Last dieta was in Peru in 2014. Not at all what it’s cracked up to be. Not a miracle cure for anything. Despite all the claims to the contrary, it will not give you “enlightenment” whatever tf that is.
Now I tell people, “if you wanna have the experience, go and do it, no problem. Just don’t be stupid and take the usual precautions. But do not expect anything else to come of it beyond just another experience. It will not fix you. You have to do that yourself or maybe by the grace of god, or the universe, or whatever. But ayahuasca ain’t it.”
Cheers
I have a similar experience with 'plant medicines'. They're like a trampoline, you jump and you come down. And sometimes you fall off and hurt yourself. And in the end, not much spiritual progress has been made.
@@vladn6031
Yeah, that’s about right. Though, I gotta say, I did get some external validation as to my spiritual progress. People told me I was much easier to be around after all the plant medicine. Maybe it helped me be a bit less of an asshole, I dunno. Or maybe just the time away from my usual life is what made the difference.
Spot on! "The cure for your pain is in your pain" - Jalaluddin Rumi. You are a beautiful human Sir!
Boring. Get out my head with this nonsense. Go be misogynistic somewhere else.
awesome.... just cures everywhere then, yet the world's never been sicker haha
@@projectbirdfeederman5491 that should be your clue that it's a horsheshit perspective. Poor Man's Opiate, this stuff.
Ramesh Balsekar has great teachings on this. "Who Cares?!"
He describes that the 'sage' is perfectly comfortable with themselves and others with all the imperfections, as they no longer see themselves or others as the doer of what happens.
Good paradox territory.. I loved hearing once “you know you have stumbled on a great truth when it’s opposite is also true”
Thanks, Jeff. There's nothing like parenthood to drop you into your humanity! We are both and must live as both Awareness and human. Adyashanti and Bonnie Greenwell have both said that awakening allows soul to live more fully through a very HUMAN life. We are embodied and must respect that. I love that you named the piece about making Awareness a new identity. Such a risk on the non-dual path. Sometimes I feel like so many non-dual teachers need to just spend a week with a toddler to understand and thus ACCEPT their own humanness! To respect a child's humanness is part of how we LOVE them, so we must also accept that in ourselves.
This is an amazing video. I totally agree. I think we are all students at different levels. If you are like Eckhart Tolle or Nisargadatta Maharaj or Ramana Maharshi, you are likely ready for complete transcendence of this world. Most of us are not ready for that. Most of us are still in grade school. Our experiences in this world are likely important for our development. Skipping the human experience would be like someone skipping from sixth grade directly to a Ph.D. program. And because we are all clearly at different levels, we cannot all be one single entity. There is some purpose behind the duality of this world, and us appearing as separate individuals with different skills/personalities/levels, even though at our core like you said we are all part of the same ocean. I agree that everything is sacred, including our humanity. This is not an accident that we are here appearing as humans with our flaws and hurts and pain. There is some reason for this, even if we will never understand it. That being said, many of the teachings of the nondual masters have helped me a lot. I don't take this life as seriously anymore, because it is not the ultimate reality. This life is a simulation/training ground. And my nasty selfish critical controlling ego mind which had me on the brink of suicide is not me. I know that now because of Eckhart Tolle and his teachings about the ego/pain body. So it doesn't affect me as much anymore. I used to take my negative thoughts/mind and life very seriously, which was not good. I owe nondual teachers for proving to me that I am ultimately not my mind/body/life situation/conditioned past.
Sounds to me like you need to follow through on those negative thoughts and correct the mistakes they are reminding you of, rather than seeking to spiritually advance beyond your responsibilities.
@@DerHammerSpricht Correct. They remind me of my erroneous perception of self and my false identification with it. My poor self image was a case of mistaken identity. I am not that.
‼️Tolle isn't even the same league as Nisargadatta or Ramana! 🫢
Thank you Jeff for bringing us back to perfection AS IT IS in this moment.
Thanks, Jeff. Such an important message to hear. I appreciate you.
Brilliant that you are making more videos like this, thanks so much Jeff 🙏♥️🙏
Such a good message! As a mostly blind person I could never find the money or courage to see/find a teacher. But there are 2 or 3 I have followed over the years, your one. The nihilism rocked my world as I start over again. Blessings!
Beautiful bealtiful. Thank you for vulnerability ❤
This is very synchronistic, because very recently I gave up the spiritual seeker that I was, I gave up all the concepts I learned from other beings that I thought were better and more perfect, more spiritual than me. And I simply decided to follow my intuition, my own inner wisdom and embrace all my humanity, all aspects. And paradoxically, I was embraced by a sense of unity, great joy and miracle. Then I realized that being human and all the aspects that are part of my humanity are a miracle in itself. When we deny, we suppress a part of ourselves, we are denying and avoiding the whole. The One. It's really when we go towards our greatest pains, wounds and fears, that we go towards ourselves, in essence. These pains, wounds and fears, and all aspects of our humanity, are the portal.
I am so happy that we are collective awaking for this ❤
Beautifully put Jeff. Love your work and your message. I came across your books about a year back (You Were Never Broken and The Joy of True Meditation) after being on the 'spiritual' path for more than a decade (whatever that means lol) and it really offered some much needed and fresh perspectives on looking at the experience of life. It was also around this time when I came across the work of Byron Katie, which I found to be very helpful and is very compatible with your teaching, in that it emphasizes on embracing life fully and going head first into all the things we want to avoid. It's become clearer and clearer to me that all teachings and concepts are just stories, no matter how profound or wise they seem to be. They can be useful tools on this journey of understanding yourself and life but one shouldn't get attached to them. Eventually, all the conepts and stories become unimportant and fall away and you are just left with life itself, its perfection, its beauty, its wisdom, its creativity. Thanks again Jeff!
100% true. Even the most elevated spiritual states mean very little if you do not know how to embrace your humanity and hold space for yourself and others when you are dealing with pain and suffering. A lot of what happens in Non-Dual communities is they become places to hide. Unless we have the courage to embrace our humanness alongside our infinite being-ness, we will never know how to be truly authentic. Thank you for voicing this so clearly Jeff. Much appreciated. 💜
Brother, thanks for sharing your experience. I AM PURE AWARENESS is pure identification, as is I am human or I am anything...the "I AM" sense is what is dropped with a true non-dual insight and shift. Identity in all forms is just a mind game, is just a thought. Has anyone here had that profound moment of non-dual insight that shifts your entire perspective and dispels the illusion of identity? It's beyond any teaching or perception really...beyond words - it's a merging with what's here and now without the mind's filters and no more escaping.. It's about embracing everything without getting tangled up in our thoughts. It's about truly feeling it all without running away. It's not about escaping reality but fully immersing ourselves in it. Once the true shift occurs, there is no longer a solid mechanism or anchoring point to continue avoiding and with this comes an immense trust in the ever-unfolding beautiful mystery.
Yeah this guy doesn't get it. There's non-duality of the individual sense gates. Like for vision. Instead of being a thing of subject and objevt, seer and seen. It becomes simply a visual field floating somewhere in space. A field of sensations. This has nothing to do with "perfection" or suppressing suffering.
It's clear this guy just got super hard into philosophy. Meaning just _thinking_ about it.
I'm sure he did real practice sometimes too. But just obscuring experience here and there. Most people need to put in the work to have a real breakthrough that will stay with them.
In pragmatic dharma the initial shift is a peak experience. Like a psychedelic experience or a born again Christian.
But first awakening comes from hard work and finishing that path. Stream entry or kensho, from Theravada and zen, respectively
So do you regard yourself as awakened
@@randybackgammon890 You know, "awakened" is not the finish line. Words are tricky, even a word like "Path" suggests I am here and I need to "get there". And that is the trap. "Awakening", too, has many dimensions... We just keep - ach, the words are just not accurate, I was going to write "keep going" but again, this suggests precisely the opposite of being present, "here and now".
I think in any field, the more you learn, the more you realize there is more to discover. Isn't that the fun in life?
@@randybackgammon890 there is only that
That was quality Jeff, just what I needed right now, thank you. I had this experience last week where I just disappeared again. It went on for 5 days and YES I was pure awareness and then it went away. I got so pissed that I became "me" again but that me is still it. Its ok to be a mess after being pure awareness. It's the same thing either way, it's hard to process but hearing from your perspective helps so thank you.
If they're not acting like what they're selling us, then shame on them, I am judging them. Thanks dude, good video.
Beautiful shares Jeff. I’ve recently come to these same realizations in my life and it’s brought me to a much deeper connection with myself. I feel a sense of love and patience with myself I had never before experienced. Allowing myself to be whatever I am in each moment, allowing whatever is there to just be as it is without being attached to some rule that things need to be some other way. I enjoyed your video and appreciate you sharing so deeply.
What a relief to hear, so bravely given, this truth. Grateful for this. I have a few of your books, but this next level teaching is so progressive spiritual warrior!
Absolutely with you 100% on this. Spiritual teachers have a vested interest in not revealing their dark side. Doubts, hangups and negative thoughts don’t sell. They are fooling themselves too. Thank you for making this video and sharing.
I have to sit with this freedom for a while. 🙃Thank you Jeff ♥️🙏🏻
beautiful said JEFF. We are all THIS. I am thankful to ALL my teachers and all my therapists to finally let go - and some of this true seeds are resting in me and you. 🙏
Thank you Jeff. I haven’t watched the video yet, but the title alone says it all. Refreshing. 🙏
Watched it and wish I could give it more thumbs up. Wonderful.
Perhaps the most important teaching I've heard in a long time. Thank you.
Really wonderful Jeff. Thank you.
I’ve never heard you until this video came up and I so appreciate you observations and your groundedness.
Be here now in whatever expression presents itself, big love Jeff, this was beautiful
Thank you so much, Jeff. I feel such a huge relief.
This video was helpful in every way... Thank you Jeff!
That is a very important video, thank you very much. Our spirituality should be firmly rooted in our humanity and imperfections, but should not be imprisoned by it.
Thank you for sharing. It resonates so much. Have been feeling it but couldn't express or understand it so clearly. Deep gratitude
Right on Jeff! I loved you before and I love you even more now. 😊❤🙏
Thank you so much Jeff - this is beautiful ❤
Yes, "non-duality" is about being free of beliefs. Allowing whatever is here. I had a lifetime of intense trauma and still dealing with it, realizing that the promise of ultimate freedom is a scam pretty much. Recently there was the drama between 2 prominent spiritual teachers (I'm sure you're familiar with them) and that was what woke me up in the end and allowed me to show love for the parts that had been desperately trying to get rid of..
I do have a lot more respect for Adyashanti as of late, as he was always upfront about his imperfections and how it's not about just being the infinite, but also about being separate and finite as we live somewhere in between IMO.
love the honesty! such a relief!
When mind becomes quiet ,some actions remain the same ,some will change .What one looses is the reference point.That constant inner critic disappears.No matter what you do, when the inner critic goes ,all of the problems stop and one is always in peace.Life flows uninterrupted.It then doesn’t matter what you do or not do.The real teaching flows naturally from the state of peace one is in.No need to teach others.It just creates more noise.They are tought by your presence.
What a great video! Thank you so much Jeff.
Beautiful message Jeff. Thank you 🙏
I suddenly can see how truly unique I am and that in allowing myself to be "less than" (feeling shame guilt etc) I am stopping my unique wave of God-force from truly expressing itself and truly Being.
Thank you so much, Jeff. This has been mega helpful ♥️
I absolutely agree. The danger is that it perpetuates the notion of separation. I believe the key is to gather information, learn from great teachers, read the books, attend the workshops. While working on your own healing, so you can gain a deeper sense of personal clarity. And go within. Each of us have the answer within us. We heal, so we can "hear/feel/make sense" of the messages we receive from deep within us. And the key is to live this truth, and holding space for others to have their own experience.
Thank you. So honest and real. If in non-duality we lose our uniqueness, we also lose the magic. Both, together, make our life meaningful.
More and more people have the courage to speak about that. Thank you!
- You got my abo. Let's walk together on that path over this beautiful earth.
Nice Message. About 30 years ago i had a strong awakening of the Kundalini and i became a "spiritual seeker". Finally, since a few years. i came to the same conclusion like you.
I loved this video. Thank you Jeff!
Thank you Jeff, loved your take on the ocean and the waves being one. There is no need to be negative about separateness, it’s one thing that always put me off about modern nonduality. Hope you keep looking for clarity and truth.
Wow! Beautiful. It came straight to my heart💗I am incredibly grateful for sharing your experiences. You put it very clearly. I am also grateful for your honesty! I recognize myself in what you describe and that I also experienced Non-Duality as a new dogma, it stuck me. Your message also made it clear that I was not living that but was constantly pursuing concepts. It was more of an addiction that continued endlessly from the feeling 'I'm not good enough yet'. What a relief! I experience now that I find myself together with you as a unique wave in the sea of life.
I have been following you since the book The Deepest Acceptance. To me your teachings are unchanged but every time I hear you they deepen. It's wonderful that you are there to remind us again and again of the embrace of everything!
When we truly understand "non-duality" and all it encompasses, there is no need to quit it (or join a path of renunciation in order to "move beyond" the dual worlds) or to turn it and "dual experiences" into a binary. It all works together. Balance.
I've watched your videos for a long time and watched many others teachers and gurus and pastor's etc but many were false but your the real deal!! Ive seen you evolve in every video you make and despite your Illness and pain, you've grown Spiritually. I used to be hard on myself because i have flaw's and fell back into old habits but deep down its all okay!! Im realizing that its okay to be human and to make mistakes. I don't want to be perfect by social standards. It totally sucks that i found God and then fell back into addiction. Its a blow to my ego but yet its all good. Life...... what an experience. Life is The Greatest High!!
I appreciate that just you gave beautiful language to this topic. It's a perfect expression of our true humanity.
Please keep sharing these shorter videos, Jeff. And always speak your truth 🙏🏻
Thank you for sharing this Jeff. Let’s hope this message reaches anyone unwittingly clinging to the non-duality rock such that they can effortlessly continue to flow downstream 🙏🏻
Clinging to non-duality? That is an oxymoron.
@@SKLightenUpNow sure is. It’s only the psyche that can grab on but if it holds any conceptual idea , that’s the brakes on right there.
My favourite go to quotes are “this too shall pass” and “attachment is the root of all suffering “
This is a great reminder. Thanks so much.
This resonated with me so much thank you, as I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about duality/ non duality . However, something seemed missing in my spirit, glad I came across your video.
Waking up to your delusions your ego is so important. You became the witness and saw it. We must become the witness time and again. 🙏❤️
Yessss!!! So glad to see you now. I remember being gifted one of your books when I was in deep depression and throwing it in the bin. I had gone 'non-dual' before, and I admit at the time it did bring me new perspectives and changed my outlook, but when I had to face utter despair and suffering, non-duality was synonym with cold heartlessness. There is a verse in the Upanishads that actually explains it perfectly, something like 'If you are stuck in the material you will be in darkness, but if you are stuck in the spiritual you will be in worse darkness still'.
Welcome to the club ❤
'They enter into blinding darkness who worship avidya; into still greater darkness, as it were, do they enter who delight in Vidya"' Upanishads
Jeff Foster strikes me as a true Neo-Advaita entrepreneur and, given the comments and his 52.6 k subscribers, he’s having some success.
What the talk seems to boil down is that Jeff is happy to acknowledge he was something of a fatuous ass as a ‘Guru’ for years, making a good living on the lecture circuit and hobnobbing with the ‘best and the brightest’ in Neo-Advaita culture. At some point he realized he had a highly reified understanding of enlightenment, mesmerized as he was by a certain ‘absolute’ identity, and with that realization a kind of liberation ensued, which he is now spinning into a second career as a ‘broken’ or ‘simply human’ guru. He actually admits that not all the gurus or nondual life coaches he came into contact with were highly flawed human beings incessantly and hypocritically recycling their ‘non-self’ ideology and posing as nondual deities. It seems he at least met a few who were easy going, even humble, open about the joys and vexations of operating in ‘human form’ in the manifest, and able to see that what is called ‘nondual’ is at best a kind of ‘dialectical’ understanding of life. Good for you, Jeff.
As the comment section would suggest, a lot of people resonate with Jeff’s ‘confession’ of humanness. That’s sweet. And of course, I’m not ‘judging’ Jeff, at least in the sense he appears to be using the word (largely emptied of meaning). He seems like a fun guy, and I’d love to have a cup of coffee with him and listen to him ramble on about himself for a couple of hours. I might even have a few questions for him.
Yes totally! I agree!
Thank you so much for this. It sounds so sweet, vunerable and true. I am so glad to hear that the teachers are also just human beings. And I mean with just, that we are all imperfect beautiful humans doing our best. And itis miracle that we are all unique. How beautiful can you get it? I am so proud to walk on this earth as a human being alllearning that it is a honour to be a human with all the uncomfortable and great stuff we encounter. God bless us all.
Jeff my boy your back!
Thank you! I'm very touching by this video. I'm from China. Couple months ago, something happened to me and I lost a lot of money because a company claimed that new era comes people like us who had awakened gotta build up a new world and awake people. Then something happened to me and I felt struggling. Then I healed myself and reviewed all that happened, and then realized that I think myself too highly. I think that I am too unique and can live outside the human rules. I was very arrogant at that time. Then I started to realize that I am only a human. Although I start to know something but all of these just help me to live better, not imagine something that beyond human. Like what Jeff said in this video, the real miracle is to walk on the earth. Thanks for sharing all of this Jeff❤
Thank you for speaking of this. I love how you talk about "Surrendering to the present moment as it is." Yes, "This is how we find true non-duality." It's the ocean embracing all of its waves."
"When we forget our own deep humanity, we forget the humanity of the one who is in front of us." "I've found spirituality not separate from the world...but divinity deeply infuses the Earth.." .
"The real miracle is not to walk on water... the real miracle is to walk on the Earth."
I have also found that our deep sense of what is spiritual is profoundly connected with our humanity. It is not about being perfect. We all struggle. It takes courage to turn towards our wounds & this is how we heal. When we face our own suffering, whatever this may be in large & small ways, we can grow & free ourselves in real & humble ways over time. If we evolve from & through our humanity, this experience can be the foundation of our journey.' .
For two years, I was blissful and never depressed. Although I didn’t think I was better than anyone, I walked in the world of men but was not of it. One day, I realized I was here to have a human experience not a Godlike one. So I gave up my daily practice. I’ve been a human being ever since.
Wow. I really needed to hear this today. That really scratched an itch of mine, ".. and that becomes the goal, to never suffer.. we become cold and robotic..." So true. I believe we came to this earth to have a human experience after all. It's maybe about integrating spirituality into one's life so that it becomes deeper and richer.
Wow, very powerful and eye-opening discussion here.
I've been thinking alot about the word "vulnerability" lately and realizing that it's not a flaw but rather something necessary for spiritual growth.
Well said!! I've never heard of you before but it's great to hear someone with your spiritual beliefs realize that you were missing the mark. I have been very fortunate to be able to experience magical happenings on my own journey that leave me no doubt of the "Oneness" of the Universe. But after traveling around the sun 72 years I am still finding myself to be nothing out of the ordinary. Opening the Heart and truly feeling the life energy of the natural world, and then allowing that feeling to influence my day to day work and interactions with others is my main focus and I laugh and grieve and make music, prepare meals, carve personal objects and practice non judgement and my life is filled to overflowing. Blessing to All!! Thank you Jeff for your sharing - I look forward to learning more from you. Namaste, Magnus
100% agree with this. My conclusion to my years of seeking is that kindness and non judgement are the most important daily practice.I would love to go to a convention where these principles are the ones discussed.We are all humans 'being'...both aspects of us need to be loved.' Its all sacred' without this embracing of our humanity we spiritually bypass our potential to heal our very real wounds. Thank you for your clarity. ❤
Well done, Jeff. You are absolutely spot on, and I think it's amazing that you didn't go down the rabbit hole and got lost there in the shadow :) Some spiritual teachers reinforce their egoes and become maniacs. Trauma is real, and it's important to address it, it doesn't always work to ignore pain and anxiety. It is possible to calm the nervous system, and we all have different techniques, a mixture of knowledge and somatic release, but becoming hooked on spiritual teachers is not the best way, IMHO (you can also break the bank). Good luck to all!
No matter what you say,You remain a teacher Jeff, even in declining it..! You just admit the beauty in all of of our experience,
❤
I've never watched any of your videos before but I thought this was wonderful. It seems the problems, as with most problems I've observed begin when an identity is assigned to whatever it is we are and then we "become" that identity or it "becomes" us. As much as in the video you state that you've stopped being a non duality teacher, maybe it's just a shift away from what the identity of non duality has unfortunately "become"
I'll look through more of your videos and hopefully can find things that help me with whatever it is I'm going through, there's definitely some shift happening. Thank you 🙏🏻
I'm being made to walk the earth ar the moment. Experiencing all emotions, sometimes excruciatingly in my body. And kind of loving it. 😊
You can't "spiritualize away" your physical connection to the planet.
I'm learning this and beginning to accept the whole of myself in its entirety. 💙
Thank you for your beautiful words.❤
The real miracle is not to walk on water (to transcend it all). The real miracle is to walk on the earth. So much yes! In my process, somehow last year I completely could not even touch into suffering. I couldn't remember suffering and I was aware of it and I actually was not comfortable with it. I am a therapist and I need to remember what it's like to suffer! And then BAM, I've had a very traumatic experience this year and my cPTSD has completely flared up and I could not remember anything about being the ocean. I could only be the wave and the very very triggered kind of wave... and now I remember suffering and I am coming into a much more embodied Awareness and I am relieved of that. It was a trip to not be able to remember suffering or why anyone would suffer about anything. Whew! So grateful for you, Jeff. Thank goodness for vulnerability and authenticity. I so value what you are sharing. Just listening I can feel my nervous system calm down. Thank you.
my story is similar to yours, the more i'm open to my hurt, suffering and human flawed nature, the best it's becoming, wanting to change, wanting to work, wanting to improve, to have normal sexual life, without soo much repression, to have dreams, desires, to be ok with my mistakes and to learn and evolve from them, to pray to God as usual religion teaches, talk with God, be he's child, not the Ultimate Brahamn ( all is just a dream concept, it's actually madness), feeling my body, eating right food, thinking, well i really wanna do workout and grow muscles cause it's looks good and attractive , being aware of pride, arrogance, cause that's how we work with it and don't let it grow. Non Dual practices took me into dissociation, superiority, higher ego, lost of desires, personal will, dreams, positive "expectations ", wishes, fun, also makes us go away from real problems of real life, and make os run from them, instead in trying to do our best to help society, industry, politic, to help to repair this earth, not to say it's all a dream and don't care about people cause they are not real and don't exist and noone suffers, yeah we have work to do for us and others, and we will find difficults, hard times, bad people, good people, laughs, parties, hard work to get money to survive, to accept the presence of limitations, anxiety, or use anxiety to do things, to move on, to change, to improve, now i know my anxiety and fear is telling me to get rid of material life problems and life situations and to find a new one, and in non duality they would said this is wrong, you should accept and be in peace no matter what's going on your life, money, work, body, they tell it's ego desire to live these, or to move on these, and it's not.
Thanks for this video, Jeff. I appreciate your honesty and clarity..... When my spiritual journey became my human journey, the perfect life I hoped to live became the messy aliveness through which I opened to genuine connection, felt compassion and embodied wisdom.