Non-Duality and the Nature of Experience with Rupert Spira and Paul J. Mills

(Visit: www.uctv.tv) Rupert Spira, author of “The Transparency of Things,” speaks here with Paul J. Mills of UC San Diego about the concept of non-duality, or advaita. They explore the idea that there is no separation between the self and the universe -- and how understanding this basic truth will lead to greater wellbeing. Series: "The UC Wellbeing Channel " [1/2017] [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 31551]

[@xblackjezusx]

I've watched all Rupert's KZbin videos - read all his books. The questions from the doctor/interviewer are the most practical and effective questions I've seen asked to Rupert. The interviewer did an incredible job at making this accessible to westerners with no advaitan background. And as always, Rupert delivers clear crisp pointers. 5 stars

[@charlesrcoon]

You are correct...I have also spent a lot of time with Rupert's videos and books, and this interview demonstrates a clarity about non-duality that is seemingly unmatched...Thanks, Old...

[@FakeFlowers]

This is tge first I've seen him and I've shared this video with many of my firends. It was like a well wrapped package of explanation.

[@srusli]

okieeeeeeee, but can someone help answer this, IF the king leyer realized he is John smith, and now go back to play his character the King leyer WITH a psycho daughter, what should John smith do this psycho daughter???? Rupert somehow didn't answer that ........ ah ha!!! answer that Rupert , and his fans ( YOU ALL ) :D

[@srusli]

@@Greg Stone your asnwer is still a textbook or quotes from those gurus, 'no need to change anything', means what? Keep playing the role of King Lear with gusto? with his emotions? with the same emotions? with the same decision? thinking? story lines? or what? what's the difference?

[@srusli]

@@bronsonstone725 the acceptance also means you know the character you played is not real as the other characters that directly involved to you that caused the so called suffering, right? it is much easier to watch other characters in the movies, but what if one of the character in the movie is Your character too? who involved in not so pleasant experiences? which is caused by other close relatives for example. So what do you meant accept? what If the other character will caused your death if 'no need to changed anything''? any example of a sage handle that situation?

[@bradstephan7886]

And, bravo to this MD who has the curiosity and open-mindedness to investigate this sixth domain of well-being, the recognition of our true nature.

[@srambrero]

6th and only :)

[@barryhdg15]

P m? I'll go0

[@merrickb9559]

Ph.D

[@ravigadagkar1812]

The essence of the Bhagavad Gita is a great stress buster and makes a person very calm thoughtful and one would like to let go of things gracefully.

[@rakunishz]

Paul radiates such gentle and peaceful energy, its beautiful.

[@ravir3693]

Great video, I love how Rupert explains and talks about non-duality, very much crystal clear.

[@GregoryWonderwheel]

Rupert Spira gives the Advaita definiiton, which is close to but not the same as the Zen Buddhist approach. In Zen, the Zen Master Huineng (d. 712 C.E.) spoke of this in the Platform Sutra. He said 'no-thought" is the foundation of the Zen lineage and described "no" as "not having the characteristic of duality." What people do not understand about "non-dual" realization is that it means seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking are not changed as functions of awareness, it is just the way that thinking thinks about them that changes. The one most difficult to understand is "non-dual thinking" because it is still thinking, just not dualistic thinking, that is, it is a different way of thinking about thinking, but it is still thinking, but because it is not dualistic thinking Zen calls is no-thinking.

[@pamelawoodey204]

Rupert Spira meditations are amazing and easy to fallow. Thanks Rupert for guiding me back home! 🙏🏼

[@steve7015]

It's like re-prioritizing from our thoughts, feelings, idea, beliefs, memories being the most important (or only thing), to having them be a far second behind the recognition of our essential being.

[@mansorpooyan2058]

‘Follow your heart’ means that in every given moment do what you feel like doing, and at the same time the ‘Self’ remembers that there is no separation between the ‘doing’ and the ‘do-er’. Thus the body-mind system constantly creates stories as if one is following one’s heart. But actually, there exists no separation from the dream. So when there is love there is no separation. To put it bluntly, give up trusting the intellect altogether visa vis what you have been taught. It's your nature that simply feels likewise the sense of being alive. By Self-remembering, you acknowledge that Love is your nature and therefore there is no need searching for it in time - it is right here now. Non-duality means; coming home to unity with the Beloved.

[@killercd7682]

Nice

[@GauravGupta-yt6gr]

very nicely articulated. thank you !

[@lanettee4398]

Brings more clarity to the meaning of Home is where the Heart is.

[@atmannityananda-academia]

There is no fast track to Self-realization. Without constant practice, purification and dissolution of the egoic tendencies, the recognition of the silent awarenesses by itself will not help us a lot to live and express fully the peace, light, love and bliss we are as awarenesses

[@Logan-jh5xn]

How can we practice this?

[@DiogenesNephew]

@@Logan-jh5xn A zen master would tell you to enter awareness from anywhere you'd like. Any sound, any sensation, any thought, etc. The first thing to understand is that there is a difference and separation between your conscious awareness and whatever occurs in that field of awareness. For example, the order of things for most people is: I have a thought and then I act or feel a certain way based on that thought. The reality for an "enlightened" person or mindful person is more like: A thought comes into awareness, I notice this thought as a mental object, then I may choose a set of actions or not based on that thought, but at no point do I feel like I am identified with the thought. It is merely a form in the mind, and the exact same process is true for every single aspect of your experience. All the sights and sounds, body feelings, emotional feelings, etc. are experienced as mental forms WITHIN the space of your conscious awareness. The point is that you are that pure awareness and your experience of life is almost entirely up to the interpretation you choose. Most people don't realize their shitty experience came down to a mindless choice based on a mindless judgment. Sorry for the book, but that's my attempt at helping.

[@mariokoppers]

Most excellent discussion. Wonderful is the symbology of the two glasses of water on a very solid seeming, very visible, round glass table behind the two speakers: duality of the two glasses being supported by a single solid support via a transparent glass top - non-duality. Between the two watery glasses is Rupert 's book that elucidates the whole matter so wonderfully. Neither of the two gentlemen seemed to have much thirst though.

[@123prestolee]

I closed my eyes towards the end of this, and genuinely felt as if I was falling backwards - waves of the mind washing forward.

[@carinnemd182]

I thank you Dr. Mills for posting this video. I too am a family physician, practicing in the East near Boston. Rupert is the teacher I find to be most useful in this amazing discovery of our own true nature. The pointing is simply beautiful and utterly transforming!

[@cherylandy4775]

I, too, was a family physician who left medicine to re-Member what Is and once able to be, sense and engage that which Is All that Is...Presence "Physician Heal Thyself"

[@rogermoore6102]

Excellent ,simple and candid discourse on an inner journey that has no steps or distance other than the ones we create within ourselves . Thank you.

[@neiljumpinjackflash7551]

Clear , effortless and simple. Well done Rupert Spira also thank you Paul Mills for listening with open mindedness.

[@JSambrook]

I appreciated the very accessible nature of this discussion.

[@marymalarky]

Great to have this discussion in this context! Kudos to Paul J. Mills for initiating it, and of course to Rupert Spira.

[@jamesthomas1244]

Beautiful.

[@alicetryggvason8621]

Namaste dear Rupert Spira , you truly are a Blessing to the world , Thank you soo much for your under found talks , I am soo happy lurning from you, Thank you always. Love from Denmark Thank you.

[@TheGrandSolarMinimum]

Hard to explain this state of consciousness and how hard it is to be in a world that doesn’t understand it.

[@axelample4126]

Duality appears when thought appears

[@ip3043]

Only when you identify with thought otherwise thoughts just appear like everything else is appearing and why shouldn't it?

[@axelample4126]

Inez Patino yes as long as you are aware of your thoughts in a non judgmental way ( no me).

[@ip3043]

Or if you see into the insubstantiality of them, then they become light and have a transparent quality

[@axelample4126]

Inez Patino So light that they disappear letting place to another thought.

[@radudancoroian5169]

That s deep

[@jmac4952]

Explaining and understanding is the foundational building block of the dualistic reality

[@jmac4952]

Underlying all of the multiplicity of objects, selves, thoughts, things, knowledge is EMPTINESS in which all of that arises.

[@lepleinsoleil]

so profound ! as well remarkable way of expressing, the tone and phase of the conversation.

[@cathyglascock1370]

Rupert has a beautiful voice quality

[@jms4406]

Simply accept what is, and you will find that you reconnect with the people around you. This ruminating is an indication that we are unsettled.

[@magma9138]

Outstanding. Thank you both.

[@srobinson1411]

Makes sense to me. There is no journey. What is is here, we can’t journey to here.

[@axelample4126]

the concept of non duality is different from the practice of non duality which means as told by Rupert no more words no question no explanation just awareness.

[@sallysmith428]

I was listening to Ekhart and he mentioned this! I like it!

[@Nonduality]

More than anything, in my view, nonduality is a culture without a center and fundamentally based on personal creation but also extracting teachings from great teachers and traditions. You get a good taste of nonduality culture by scrolling through the comments. You'll see some comments are creation-based and the ones that refer to other teachers are extraction-based. Rupert himself offers creation-based information. Those of us who quote him are using extraction-based information. Nonduality culture depends on both, but all it needs is creation-based teaching.

[@billyoumans1784]

I also had a question about the idea that “beauty” is a springboard to non-dual awareness - if that is what he meant. We feel, he says, “one” with something our minds find beautiful. But beauty is one half of a duality, the other side of which is ugliness. Since both are appearances in consciousness, both are the same, as far as non- dual awareness is concerned. They appear in consciousness, but consciousness has no judgement as to whether one is better than the other. In fact, some Buddhists advise contemplation of something the mind experiences as “ugly“ in order to practice realization of the complete impartiality of the witness consciousness. But I guess you could do the same with beauty, or with anything at all! Great talk. Thank you!

[@Козак-т6с]

Yeah, I don’t think this guy understands non-duality. He found something in his dual experience that he thinks matches what non-duality is, but it’s misleading.

[@pdvidz2266]

I feel as though my consciousness is everywhere or awareness is everywhere. Hopefully I'm on the right track.

[@heathermcvey9660]

That's the one!

[@Meme-eb2te]

Can feel it through the phone. People like you change reality. Can you feel?

[@nundjamilou2567]

I have that seem feelings, like it’s everywhere at the same moment

[@Meme-eb2te]

This is fun. I like people like you. I can feel the energy

[@innerlight617]

24.38 "lost sight or lost touch with our essential being..." in my totally humble opinion there is nothing lost here, is just a sight or a touch which is not yet present...vibrations not yet visible in to what we call manifested world.

[@sethlebeau8447]

That was great, to the point, examples that are easy to reflect on.

[@SolaceEasy]

Act in accordance with your new awareness. Less than a minute spent on the most important topic.

[@cristiansalazar5398]

paul mills is abrumed... his respiration... the unlimited presence of rupert is so "transparent" that the void produced unestabilize the mind driver persons arround. great master rupert. a lovely god expression

[@functionoflightone]

This was amazing. And amazingly helpful. Thank you!

[@TheSolsonia2003]

SUPERB Sir aspira as always 🙏🌈🏡🎄💚

[@mirrorimage5423]

Duality and non-duality are experiences and points of view. A mind that is free from craving and grasping towards contact is free from craving and grasping towards points of view. Such a mind looks at the arising of phenomena and accepts it as it is. So if what arises is an experience of non-duality, there is non-duality. If what arises is an experience on duality there is duality. It is allowed to arise and pass away. Because no state of conciousness is in any way permanent or abiding.

[@FootyFrenzyHD]

That seems more logical than what Rupert spira is saying. He seems so fixated on proving that his perspective on non duality is correct and the only possible explanation.

[@DiogenesNephew]

I 100% agree, and I am flabbergasted by the people falling for the ego trap found in non-dualism based teachings. It's yet another mind form. All there IS is awareness, and it's the only thing we can even be sure of.

[@nambikithari916]

Beautiful explanation of nonduality

[@jmac4952]

Spira, "What we essentially are is this open, empty, colorless, transparent, unlimited self aware being." That's pretty close to my experience. I would just say that in my experience I would not say, "What we are" as I do not perceive more than one. I would say, "What I experience myself to be is..." most of what he said but I would not include self aware. I experience myself to be so empty that I do not even possess self awareness. I can get a sense of what I am but I do not have any sort of clear self awareness. One of my attributes is that I seem to be so empty that I have no attributes aside from emptiness, stillness, apparently no beginning or end in times. I seem to ave always been exactly the same as best I can tell. I do not change AT ALL but change arises within me. Again just reporting the experience.

[@markrosinski4814]

Tell me please about your body, do you need it, can you live with out it, are you looking after it, when the body has tooth pain do you feel it, do you ignore your body completely, your body is going to work and you are staying at home? I'm wandering how it is, thanks

[@josepype8682]

Very insightful and clear. thanks

[@donovansnyder2898]

Consider the Buddhist concept of emptiness, including a "self" that is empty of inherent self existence. So continued reference to I, me and mine is still caught in the concept of "I".

[@shakiachanel_theband]

I have a question. What is the reason for the mixture of our inherent awareness and thoughts, feelings etc?

[@bilimoriafirdaus]

Super as always! Thanks!

[@gireeshneroth7127]

Consciousness is all there is and living a mind wake whence it engages with itself as subject and objects.

[@contemplatingwithamaster]

Excellent 😊.

[@truthbearer3891]

after all that , he says, a new sense of self , oh dear round and round we go

[@VenusLover17]

Bravo!!

[@ibrahim9611]

Remarkable method, great.

[@JonasAnandaKristiansson]

Maestro of Existence

[@Phoenix-tv4gb]

essential truth of non duality is that all is One ... enjoy your self discovery on your infinite journey with the great IAM ...

[@tomasvenditti5223]

What would be the need for reality to realizes what allready is not separated?

[@renesonse5794]

Reality doesn't realize it, the apparent separate self/ego does. Indirect knowledge is not direct Knowledge or knowing about something is not Knowing it.

[@geffreybolster3780]

In that the term,- 'Non-Duality' is an incorrect descriptor, the attempt to explain it will be discredited within the listener. It just won t reconcile within the listeners subconscious. They then will 'parrot' it out to themselves/others as a practice. In that it doesn t reconcile, it won t be a workable practice within any situation. The person will then become more frustrated and further entrenched within their fear, pain and suffering. They will sub consciously/consciously avoid situations where they would have to put it into practice. They re then reduced to spiritual groups of isolated discussion.

[@Meditation409]

A great interview. ❤️

[@shanindtheeed]

Very interesesting,,,

[@markbrad123]

Certainly when in pain an open attention beats owning pain which only exacerbates suffering.

[@goddessworshipper]

LOVE!!! IT IS ALL SO FUNNY 😂♥️😍🤣 ALL THIS. Much love to you/me.

[@ginabonina6427]

I am never A-lone because I know I'm All-One.

[@limasah1]

Why did we become so full of ideas, feelings, etc etc that we lost sight of who we are?

[@billhawthorne2840]

He good. I've watched this before. Takes some concentration.

[@ilhandurmus]

Consciousness and the subconscious might need to exist within our bodies, perhaps in space or another dimension, but connected to our physical form. And after death, it remains there and continues in that dimension. And in some way, it can sometimes send messages to this world.

[@IAM0973D3]

Non-duality: this seems that this theory is a materialistic point of observation of reality from the body witch is the Ego as consciousness is the outside of material reality and the whole of humans are connected through consciousness. Dreams are a distorted view of consciousness and is shared like telepathy, foresight, psychic abilities an other phenomena. Non-duality is a view through the perceptions of experience? Just a thought as I listen to this video.. This is still the Way sensing our reality; great video..

[@pareenvatani9460]

Rupert is the one who has finally filled the gap between east and west

[@rebekahjames5155]

Why do I feel like I’ve heard his voice before?? I’ve never heard of or seen this man before, but his voice is so familiar??

[@michaelw.2909]

Why is this so RARE? This is our true Nature... and we have billions born and live a quick life with usually horrible outcomes, from war to poverty to disease, .... yet only a hand full get to know their oneness with this moment. ... Why?

[@AjitPatel53]

Rupert, and numerous expounders of Non Duality, appear to have a good understanding, knowledge, of the subject. But how many among them who teach, preach non duality live it, practice it? Do they experience fears, desires, wants, etc? And if they practice non dualism, meaning oneness of everything, everyone in existence, how do they deal with, or explain such fears, desires, etc. Especially if severything, everybody, is one?

[@Kianquenseda]

I've had lucid flying dreams. How can we dream what we want to dream ?

[@davids3785]

Massive ears

[@johnathanwoods1223]

Interesting stuff.

[@Robinson8491]

Read the Upanishads and learn what Rupert Spira knows from first source

[@sumanjoshi7902]

Eventually you have to do purification of mind before or after realization of our real nature.

[@janko6637]

There is no left without right No immaterial without material Everything has an opposite and you cant separate one with collapsing the other You can go even further and divide the world into its appropriate division like love good sympathy pleasure death-hate evil indifference pain life The material realm is where limits lies the immaterial realm is dormant to infinity And I wonder when you die do you move over to the other immaterial side and is it an oscillation as in the material world you can die any time and likewise can be put back in the material world just as unexpectedly. This is all just a vehicle to Valhalla If humans remain agreeable enough we will become powerful enough to escape contradicting every axis and binary and creating paradise Have causality and free will Pleasure without sin Meaning without suffering Producing the contradiction to create heaven

[@FootyFrenzyHD]

Technology is the only way to achieve immortality.

[@ktailor1980]

According to Padma Purana that was compiled 5,000 years ago, Advaita Vedanta was prophesied to be promoted by Adi Shankacharya as a philosophy that would be simply cloaked in Buddhism. The similarities are astounding. Furthermore, the prophecy also reveals that advaita vedanta leads one to an incomplete conclusion of the vedantas...therefore it isn't actually recommended.

[@xBlackShadowsZz]

I went to a spiral rabbit hole the last two days but this saved my ass

[@k1n0k09]

I struggle understanding the difference between non duality and monality

[@buddha-chris1815]

Great but, we’re not just the ever present who is aware, we are everything including the ego, body, thoughts, feelings etc. Complete unity. The path between being and non being. As long as there is only reality from either perspective there is division. Being and non being. Self and non self are also one

[@DenverDeathrock]

Why not just call this "Idealism" or from a Buddhist point of view "Emptiness"? Why call it the negation of something rather than the positive term for it?

[@waiataaroha]

Rupert is very elegant, eloquent and clear

[@davecub]

Isn’t ‘falling in love’ ego driven?

[@renesonse5794]

Rupert did not say falling in love with anything which is what you are thinking. Love is one's own true nature so what he is saying is abiding in that.

[@FootyFrenzyHD]

It sure is. But Rupert is so caught up in his non dual Solipsistic delusions that he lacks the self awareness to realize.

[@justabitofjunkie2595]

But why "love and beauty" and not "hate and disgust"? There's a crack here...

[@bareedkhas4240]

Just a bit of Junkie not sure, but maybe hate and disgust has thought as its base .. a conditioning. who you are -aware presence - is not a thought .. not a thinker.

[@geffreybolster3780]

Good for you!!!! Right you are! We are 'good duality',- Hate/love, bad, good, wrong/right, slow/fast,. We re both! , and all. We re a balance of both.

[@mingoia2132]

Any thoughts on using antidepressants and non duality

[@kashourikatsu2543]

He sounds like a character from destiny

[@amo_editzz1572]

Advaita vedanta Hinduism 🕉🙏 which is approx 1 millennium bc old ......

[@mattz8234]

Love and beauty have their opposites so they are part of duality.

[@andrewjohn4876]

Starting to get it now... there’s nothing apparently talking to nobody... and there’s nobody apparently commenting on the nothing that no body was apparently talking about...

[@gordondyer1]

Well being, practically speaking, in the world can be measured be longevity, would it not? It is clear people in areas of the world with depressed economies or worse, lack the bare essentials and live harder lives. You do not need a college degree to understand that well-being and economic disparity go hand in hand. If we are talking about people with a choice in life the conversation shifts.

[@N8teyrve]

Why are love and beauty an instance of the end of separation and yet hatred or ugliness not?

[@FreeJulianAssange23]

love is hate. Ugliness is beauty. There is no seperation beyond lying to oneself and resistance. We are all ugly but ugly is beautiful. We can only hate what we love.

[@zvone9035]

21:45 fukin gold

[@Emmanuel-ch9ob]

Inspired!!!

[@amarmajun]

Sun is the evidence of our true identity Where all the water, earth and air came out Even further space represents the origin as I am writing this comment I am moved to another xyz location in space Then what was the origin that question came to king Janaka and asked Yagnavalkya the great saint. He replied your “mind” Then it sounds like circular references

[@sathoshinakamoto3427]

Anyone else understand this please?

[@wolflarsen3447]

Saint Rupert

[@MindfulFitness]

Anyone who likes this should read the untethered soul by Michael Singer.

[@geffreybolster3780]

Seems a better way to say it is,- Non-Duelity (competitive). The practice being: Non-competitiveness. Duality is the vibration of function , is,- vibration, color and sound, is,- All life! The universal life source field of repulsion/attraction consciousness energy is,- The source field, God ,. The center source being the center of each piece of part of thing of being,. 'I am God. So are you! All that I do, I agree, it agrees and so do you! You want to blame something/one? Blame all! To blame all is to accept all. The question then becomes the answer. The concern is absorbed and oneness , , is!

[@Moleculaura]

Dr.Mills looks like he has really soft hair.

[@michaelnielsen3462]

Right on!

[@maitri74]

Essence of Mandukya upanishad and Adi Sankara's grand Preceptor's (Gauda Pada) Bhashya of the. upanishad, it was espoused by a great risni Ashhtravakra and his conversation with the king of Eminence, Janata. Truth exists in waking,, dreans, Deep Sleep and in fourth state (other). While the Truth is always TRUE in all states, this state subject - object relation of duality dissolves..

[@Drrizzt2k12]

Mindblowing, litteraly :-)

[@galacticambitions1277]

Can't the images of New York in the dream be physical imprints in brain matter? In which case it's still matter that's being experienced.