Richard Sylvester | Non-Duality, Emptiness, And The Outpouring of Unconditional Love

Richard Sylvester is an author, humanistic psychologist and non-duality teacher.
For 30 years, Richard was a dedicated seeker, engaging in a wide array of well-known spiritual and psychological practices. In 2002, Richard had an experience of 'no-self' and "That was the end of what I thought had been my life".
We spoke about many interesting topics:
- The Relative and the Absolute
- Cause and Effect
- Suffering
- The Practical use of Psychotherapy
- The Meaning of Unconditional Love
- Free Will
- The Idea of God
- Meaning and Purpose
- Spontaneous 'Outpouring'
Richard writes - "This is a recurring message. It overthrows all authority. It can't be killed off. It requires nothing. It requires no churches, no philosophical tracts, no scriptures, no history. If everything that had ever been said or written about non-duality were to disappear in a moment, it would simply re-emerge. It would re-emerge because nothing has to be learnt, nothing has to be studied, nothing has to be done, no spiritual purification and no pleasing of God has to take place, for the seeing of liberation to occur. It arises spontaneously. One moment there's somebody there, the next moment there isn't. One moment there's somebody crossing a field, the next moment there's just crossing a field."
RICHARD'S LINKS
➣ www.richardsylvester.com/
➣ / @richardsylvester
WEBSITE
➣ www.alexhickman.co.uk
PODCAST
➣ open.spotify.com/show/437Enbj...
CONNECT
➣ Instagram | / alex_hickman
➣ Twitter | / aiexhickman
#nonduality #spirituality #consciousness

[@barneyjmusic]

Very honest and direct conversation. I like how Richard doesn't become a slave to language, which is a real turnoff when it comes to non-duality. And Alex was very open, and just asked very directly, without trying to hide that he was confused or caught up on certain things.

[@jimrich4192]

My self/ego/me suddenly DISSOLVED one day FOR NO REASON OR CAUSE! What was left here was a very different me yet not a me. I sat here wondering who/what was still here. It was wonderful beyond words yet completely ordinary. All my questions, problems, etc Dissapeared along with the now dissolved me. This story is long & complicated but lasted long enough to show me just how fantastic Life is WITHOUT a troubled little me here to complicate things. The me sense or character soon returned, so i am not yet able to make speeches, give lectures, write books or TEACH others about MY REALITY. I can only SHARE my experiences & realizations. Take or leave it...😅

[@eamonnspirit]

The reason we come to believe we are separate is a neuro-linguistic phenomena and the fact that cultural language as thought has the ability to create self-referentials.The study of Relational Frame Theory can explain this. I-here-now, You-there-then, etc. We are conditioned by our language. The shame of it now is that if we don't receive this conditioning, we could end up in an institution. We have to transcend it but include it.

[@alexhickman]

Great post

[@onelove1968]

He sets the context for the 'carrot and stick' scenario within his intro claim 'If you're 'lucky' you might lose something. To lose the sense of self, is to gain a 'lucky benefit' of some particular desirable nature, which is clearly just another expression of duality.

[@vesaversion298]

Imagine Brad Pitt saying: "The first rule of fight club is, there is no self", "the second rule of fight club is, THERE IS NO SELF".

[@sawdust4dinner322]

You need never think about answers to problems in human relations. It is useless to seek solutions among your present thoughts because those thoughts=words caused the problem in the first place. Just look how a few words can instantly change your mood whether heard or thought 🤔

[@enlightencrypto3475]

Enjoyed this, took a lot out of it and absolutley nothing at the same time 😆

[@tomsmith2361]

👍😊

[@albundy9597]

despite enjoying your talks I must say that since your only proof is a subjective experience non duality remains just another concept as far as I'm concerned. Logic and my experience of life has led me to reject it. Of course there are certain aspects that I can accept, the greatest part of 'me' is artificial (but not absent). 'What happens just is', well yes in a way but I see this as causality over which we have little to no control due to our programmed minds causal reaction to events.

[@yoso585]

True, and I think the authentic speakers would agree. In that they only have a suggestion and that what really is can’t be known. From here, all that exists in a way is language. I can’t even form a thought without it.

[@markusbieler5384]

what I wonder is then...does that mean that the Buddha was essentially wrong?

[@georgeb2590]

You can't logically get here. The brain and intellect don't have the bandwidth or ability to experience the All that is Everything. Only by Divine Grace might you be struck Awake, losing everything in the process.

[@albundy9597]

@@georgeb2590 It was Buddha who said, "Don't believe anything you read or hear, even if it is from me, if it doesn't correspond to your own experience." It is true that a few people have had what they describe as a revelatory experience but this isn't the norm, it could just as well be the result of a brain anomaly (I am not saying it is). If one reads about the early transformation of Ramana Maharshi a brain anomaly seems likely, so mentally disturbed that he was incapable of of putting food into his mouth and was fed by devotees. We live in a dual world which we have to accept as a 'reality' in order to survive and procreate, no guru puts his hand to the plough. Both Nisargadatta and Ramana Maharshi were influenced by Hindu philosophy just as the Christian mystic Meister Eckhart in the 14th century was influenced by Christs teaching. Interesting that all three speak of a void beyond 'I am', in fact Meister Eckhart goes so far as to say one must go beyond God to reach the Godhead, a dark, cold, empty desert. A dangerous assertion for a churchman in the 14th century. If there is any higher purpose for our being here in a dual world it is intended for us to navigate the trials and tribulations, along with the triumphs, of duality with all its passion in order for consciousness to celebrate its awareness instead of the barren, infertile detachment so praised by Nisargadatta.

[@barryevans6757]

Yes it is deliciously light and fun with you Richard Sylvester.....................

[@billyjames9861]

What is alive eating flesh with flies? Colossians 3:3 ► For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. So there must be a: Seeing that you were dead [al-Baqarah 2:28] He who is forgetful of the Self, mistaking the physical body for it. Ramana Maharshi ----- Is the world real? So a genius can work out the dead? Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. Albert Einstein. ------ However: (Which see) (Matthew 2:18) "Nothing is as it seems. Nor is it otherwise." Lankavatara Sutra - Mahāyāna Buddhism There is no greater mystery than this; that being the reality we seek to gain reality. Sri Ramana Maharshi Plato’s cave analogy. Inprisoned inside the cave (Us), prisoners see the shadows on the wall and mistakenly view the shadows as reality. Greek word "cosmos" Meaning "In The World" functioning apart from God And according to Christian gnostic understanding (Greek Gnosis or Hindu Jnana) - "Seraphims" Keter - Crown Divine Plan ~ The Angel of Death. (Read John 7:7) Satan is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19) Islam. The Surah takes its title from the sentence, Wa anzalna' l-hadida, of verse 25 The iron Hinduism. (Caught up in Samsara - Maya ~ The Malevolant illusion) ( Sanskrit: “magic”) In which this universe like a snake on a rope imagined appears. The Self looks like the world. But this is just an illusion. The Self is everywhere. One. Still. Free. Perfect. The witness of all things, Awareness Without action, clinging or desire. (1.12) yogananda.com.au/upa/Ashtavakra_gita/Ashtavakra_Gita00quotes.html I very clearly see that which has been born and I also know that I am not that which is born, and that is why I am totally fearless. Nisargadatta Maharaj The knowledge ‘I am’ or beingness is an illusion The beingness is a superimposition - A cloak of illusion Over the absolute. Nisargadatta Maharaj 15. He who sees the universe may try to deny it. What has the desireless to do? He sees not even though he sees. ASTAVAKRA SAMHITA - Chapter XVIII

[@sectoudie1820]

Love you both unconditionally. Alex are you single 😂 hahaha.

[@PierreJennihey-taxi]

Why an uber driver and not a taxi driver ?

[@davidstrevens9170]

If there is no cause for the 'falling away' of self why does it tend to happen to these guys who have traumatised themselves by seeking for the Truth?

[@FirstPersonHood]

Douglas Harding illuminates your question.

[@davidstrevens9170]

@@FirstPersonHood Apparently there is no connection between the self falling away and seeking for the self to fall away. And apparently that's because we cannot condone the self as being valid. So the consequence defines the result as only "randomly occurring". In my opinion this way of deduction is flawed by it's inward disregard for an infinite number of potential alternatives. These guys are [self] defined by their desperate desire for an intelligible solution to the dilemma of their own existence. (Oh and incidentally, if you said that to them they would simply say that they only appear to exist). 🤔

[@davidstrevens9170]

They go from inconsolable sobbing about not knowing to smugly announcing that they don't know. Go figure.

[@yoso585]

You are making an unverifiable assumption concerning who it happens to. Could be billions that don’t take to the KZbin speaking.

[@yoso585]

@@davidstrevens9170 yes, but are they sincere? I think many are.

[@LintRiggs_]

Utter nonsense.

[@wes_1001]

life

[@alexhickman]

Richard would agree with you. It'll never make sense.