Free Will (Episode 3 of What is Non-duality?) Richard Sylvester

Free will is one of the most contentious issues raised by non-duality, probably starting as many arguments as the statement "There is no person". There are three ways to dispel the myth of free will. One is through the direct seeing that takes place in non-dual awakening (the "mystical apprehension"), the second is philosophically and the third is through the discoveries of neuroscience. In this episode Richard focuses on the first. In a future episode he will consider all three.
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Richard has been giving talks on non-duality since 2005 and has written four books about it, including the much-loved little classic ‘I Hope You Die Soon’. His fifth book, ‘Confessions of a Seeker’ is about his many years as a spiritual seeker but it also includes chapters on free will, consciousness and religion. It is sometimes extremely funny (one reader laughed so much she had to stop reading it in public places) and sometimes profoundly serious.
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[@MaxMetrault1]

Absolutely clear and free of dogma. Well done, by nobody!

[@lilafilm108]

Very well articulated and delivered in a humble, respectful and friendly way. The message is the same that emerges from some other speakers and here it is delivered in a way that makes the listening such a great pleasure. Thank you Richard!

[@trasktrinder6515]

Brilliant, just bloody brilliant.

[@hadanihadani4044]

Brilliant !!❤

[@onlyonerombo]

Brilliant !!🙏

[@NoMortgageNomad]

Simply wonderful !!

[@yogawithangie2292]

Thank you! 🌞❤

[@timdavis2220]

Shoulda, coulda, woulda, lead to mustabation....lovely talk on Free Will and Choice. Much appreciated.

[@tomcollingridge5953]

One can definitely mustabate too much.

[@RobbeyT1]

So this is important in a way, because it releases all the gut feelings over a belief in a concept many have been taught as Karma. Many people have been taught to believe that they have been born to repay Karma from a previous life, and also anything they do here in this life will be judged later in some sort of "Heavenly court" after "death"

[@mattb8629]

Thank you for concisely explaining these concepts. I have a way of complicating it in the mundane world but your explanations here are beautiful

[@davidmchugh-hypnotherapist7213]

When you realise that the self is a constructed abstract, it provides the opportunity to accept or reject an ethical thought. In much the same way as a hunger thought does not mean that i must eat or must abandon my weight management program. My hunger thought arises without my decision for it to manifest, but appears to be a choice based on whether i act upon the feeling of hunger and eat or ignore the thought of hunger and not eat. Because non-duality requires us to be honest about reality and the non existence of self, it requires an act of will-power to create and maintain our ethical universe (the moralverse). Well done Richard, i am always impressed by your clarity and insight in such a complex subject.

[@barryevans6757]

This is so enjoyable, thanks so much Richard.....................

[@adamblue2587]

Thank you Richard

[@davidtrindle6473]

Absence of Free will is easy to see if you sit down in a quiet spot, perhaps close your eyes, and attend to the Thoughts that arise. When I do this, it’s clearly apparent that the source of the thought is Impossible to find,unknowable. Being unknowable, How can thought be under the control of some theoretical “independent self”?

[@sureshnanda6263]

so so fascinating , crystal clear ....

[@PeterMastropasqua-rk7tp]

Thank You Sir 😁🙏

[@alexanderedwards1269]

can you touch on how this realisation may give light to pleasure, addiction etc? some people may get the concept of this and fall deeper into such behaviours knowing that in the end there is no choice/responsibility

[@nezen777]

Beautiful!

[@renethomas5757]

I left a comment without choosing to do so

[@richardsylvester]

👍🙂

[@MarvinMonroe]

I like this argument for Determinism. If I make a statement about the future, do you agree with me that it's either true or false? We don't know which, but the answer is definitely either "true" or "false" I'll say "by the year 2150, humans will have colonies on Mars" Is either "true" or "false" an acceptable reply to that statement? If you answer "yes, it is". Then you have just said that you think the future is determined It's a decent way to get a person to realize they believe the future is determined.

[@robertjsmith]

Relative truths are the concepts we use to get a handle on the world,humans going to mars are relative truths. Ultimate truth,on the other hand is direct perception.And what is directly perceived (as opposed to conceived)is that no separate,individualised things exist

[@lustgarten]

It's interesting to me when people talk about non duality they struggle with what to call that which is not and yet have to give it a name which in this case is the character. Is that any different really then the person.?

[@Adam-ow9xk]

No mistakes

[@josephinerogers5687]

What happens when you make a seeming bad choice. Do we have no free will over apparent right or wrong. Eg do I have a choice whether to steel from a shop or hurt an animal. It seems like there is choice. But then surely people could go around doing what they like with no responsibility?? Any help with this. Thank you xxx

[@robertjsmith]

think of something you want,try not to want it

[@brianmcdaniel7211]

From "my" limited understanding, Rupert Spira says that there is freedom and choice, there is just no individual chooser. The entire world is God manifest. However, the true self (God) can do whatever it would like to and that is why humans feel that they have freedom, because freedom is part of the essence of God, which is what everything really it.

[@robertjsmith]

words and concepts don't point to inherently real things

[@dustinnorcross1604]

Free will is an idea. Will is a choice. Every choice acted on will cost life energy. What is worthy of our life energy? Thats our choice.

[@charlesbishop4000]

👍

[@alexanderedwards1269]

you mentioned that there is no self, therefore the characteristics of the self such as time, religion, morality etc also don't exist.... the JWST is now releasing these marvellous images of the universe as I am sure you have seen...do they...exist? or are they also a human story within an illusion? Even though these images are being captured by something that is not limited to human characteristics....not sure what I'm trying to get at exactly

[@carsendubose866]

I am troubled because it truly is a challenge. Morals are such a beautiful thing, and why can't everyone be happy, healthy and safe. Things can work out, you just have to find your way. I have found that dream journaling is the best escape and the closest thing we have to non-duality. I will always do what I believe to be right and contemplate my view of reality. This may sound like a broken record, but deja vu does happen when you are dreaming? Does doing good not matter at all? I want to be good and do the best I can, the inner glow made a difference in me, and now all I can think is that making a difference is the only thing that matters. I am trying the best I can, and I want to help because I was given an opportunity to change and I took it. Non-duality is so confusing man. I truly do believe it. I know it is present tense. Morals are very important to me. I will do my best.

[@faithifaithi3980]

👏🤩🙏🏻❤

[@robot7759]

Allegedly people don't understand anarchy. Anarchy is an societal organisation form based on pure personal responsibility, "ni dieu, ni maitre" (metre 😉). Treat everyone else as you'd wish to be treated yourself, and take full responsibility for your own actions. Morality isn't what stops people from being naughty, it's the fear of punishment, judgement and of being outcast, possibly for life.

[@newandoldtech5634]

Search free will thelema

[@lindltailor]

If freewill didn't exist then neither did guilt. Your "feelings" are still gonna happen either way

[@markusbieler5384]

If this communication sinks in, your feelings of guilt won't happen anymore or at least in a way less intense and way less frequently, because you understand that nothing could have ever been different or in no situation you could have acted differently than you did, because you as the character/personality cannot make any choices.

[@rahmasamir909]

@@markusbieler5384 exactly great freedome

[@saintlucidVR]

free will and choice doesn't exist, cause i dont exist🤯

[@robertjsmith]

if you are aware of this sentence,then you are all of existence

[@gwgwgwgw1854]

I think free will does exist!

[@robertjsmith]

it does as a concept

[@martint.623]

Thank you very much Richard. What I find interesting is that Buddha seemingly must have been wrong on some accounts if this communication is entirely true. No free will, no choice, no karma, no rebirth in that sense etc.........just consciousness eternally being there and nothing else.... The only example I really don't like is the always-repeated example (of listeners) of going out and killing a bunch of people: I find that example way too extreme for it to have any meaning in the "if-there-is-truly-no-person-and-hence-no-moral" debate. Most people not only do not have the character of a murderer, but also no inclination towards using so much violence as to kill someone etc.----more appropriate examples worth discussing would be things that the vast majority of people have an inclination to do but abstain from it simply due to morals etc. like: having affairs, trying to evade taxes, smaller things like lying in regards to money things etc. ---Even if 99% of people believed in non-duality or thought it is true, I'd still bet the murder rate would not skyrocket overnight....however if most people did believe in non duality I bet rates of having affairs etc. would indeed skyrocket....because not the love for the partner keeps you from having an affair (because most are well aware of the fact that you can really love a person but have the urge to have sex with another person) but the morals of it (being viewed as immoral, dishonest etc.).

[@robertjsmith]

There is no doer of a deed,or one who reaps the deeds result. Phenomena alone flow on,no other view than this is right. The Kamma(i,e, action)of its fruit is void,no fruit exists yet in the Kamma. And still the fruit is born from it,Wholly depending on the Kamma. For here there is no Brahma God,Creator of the rounds of births. Phenomena alone flow on Cause and component their condition Quoted by Buddhaghosa

[@alexanderedwards1269]

can you touch on how this realisation may give light to pleasure, addiction etc? some people may get the concept of this and fall deeper into such behaviours knowing that in the end there is no choice/responsibility

[@VioletChartreuse]

or maybe the 'reason' for the addiction is seen and falls away.