Thanks for this wonderful interaction ... I jumped on my chair when u mentioned Teal Swan is on next week :)) can't wait (just a tip the best way to be introduced to her practices is to go to her livestream and watch her workshops)
Thank you for this wonderful interview. I highly recommend Judith's "The Realization Process" which can be found on the Sounds True website. Best program I've come across in 20 years.
The main misunderstanding many have of the teaching is because they believe to be a "separate self". The individual does not cease to be, in contrary it becomes more alive once the understanding is there, that all that exists is appearing in the one infinite and limitless awareness and that all appearances and awareness is one. Only the apparent "separate self" will try to get rid of itself, which is of course a vicious circle, since the separate self does not exist :)
Enjoyed this interview and thanks Rick for your ever masterful interview style. Judith is clearly very happy and content and this is highly inspiring. I do however still think that the question of "who am I" is still left begging even after one explores all these techniques of awareness training. It seems to me that both of these - self inquiry AND mindfulness/awareness training are required for the deepest understanding. But perhaps others have a different way of thinking about it.
Kwistenbiebel200 Yes I understand what you mean. I was mainly responding to her response to Rick's question about the identity of the observer or body "occupier". It was difficult to assess whether her non-committal answer was a genuine "I don't know" or whether she didn't think the question was important. I have at times focused on both approaches and they actually do seem to lead to different kinds of results. Awareness practice, at the time of doing it, can be hugely satisfying and one can at the time feel as sense that 'this is it". But it lasts as long as we keep doing it and the "who is concerned about this" "who is doing it" question remains wanting.
Kwistenbiebel200 Many teachers say and I agree that the very idea of an "end game" is misleading. There is no "end" because what we call "life" happens on the "periphery of a circle". You can go around as fast as you want without ever reaching a real end. When you let go of the very "movement" on the other hand, you fall into the center. The "life" still goes in a circle, but, now you have an opportunity to watch it from the center.
Kwistenbiebel200 "You" have never been there! ...Neither have "I". Just as... ..."you"... ...have never been there in the... ...deep dreamless sleep. ...when "you" are still there... ...it is no longer... ...deep dreamless sleep. The moment "I" is not here... ...it is... ...deep dreamless sleep... False "Identities" exist on the surface... ...on the periphery of the circle...
Thanks for sharing this great Video! I was a very harsh speaker and people used to hate me because of my speech. I loved the concept so much that, I started practicing it regularly and i used the "BuDhamma" mobile app to help me on this. Now, I speak gentle and my people are very happy with me. Lot of things I get easily done now!
Just watched the film Lucy today, not really knowing it had themes relating to all this stuff. Considering this is a passion of mine everyday meditating, learning, watching, etc. Was kind of De Ja Vu moment, or maybe that's not the right word. But I had no intention of watching any movie, I just clicked on it spontaneously when I come across a movie website. Was like, maybe intuition? I don't know, lol. Probably just coincidence. Great movie by the way! I highly recommend.
*Roughly a 2.5 on the -4 to +4 scale* _(for explanation and disclaimers please see the end of the comment)_ I took a break from the John Wheeler podcast after #5 (three to go) which are good stuff but have their distinct blind spots. So I decided to listen to this for a break, and it was almost like she replied to the downsides that can occur when following Wheeler's reductionist approach. So I like the this lady's spiritual take, and certainly she has something going. *Yet* the interview should also give reason to pause and wonder: what are we to make of the perceptions of a practitioner who spends years on following Sai Baba and never notices anything fishy until the investigative reporters stick it into your face ? When I visited southern India, Tiruvannamalai and all, I took the opportunity and also visited Whitefield. So this Sai Baba passed me within arm's length, and a few meters past me he did the ash thingy, and it was so obviously sleight of hand, reaching under the letters (he carried them with him before he came close to people who could have given them to him - I wonder why) with the "swirl-hand", before it's fingers started behaving as if glued together (lest the ash tablet would slip out from between them) etc etc. So how reliable can a person be in his or her spiritual perceptions if he/she cannot catch something as obvious as that ? Why are the spiritual folks always so exceptionally gullible ? And doesn't she ever start truly doubting her own reliability when confronted with the contradictions between the real and the imagined Sai Baba ? I thought that cognitive dissonance should do a little more in the way of producing intelligence than mere shoulder shrugging. So at the very least she is a little intellectually lazy here and not all that bent on being responsible about it. But given the states she experiences, I also understand her felt priorities. Yet for a responsible person, the question how she can so confidently influence other people _and_ make a living of that when she made an error of such magnitude before, would _have to_ be a priority. As regards *Rick's arguments in favor of interviewing mostly teachers, they are less than convincing*. If awakening people that do not teach are hard to find, then that would contradict his supposedly endless list of interviewees. There should be enough of them. And if they are not good at finding words and we would be able to watch them find those words, that would be all the more credible and authentic and not as boring as these pre-formulated repetitions of workshop-peddlers. The jadedness of their formulations makes the interviews really hard to pay attention to. If the speech is bumpy and full of errors, that makes it fresh and naturally catches the attention. I for one would be far more interested in _those_. If an interviewee already makes a living off his "awakened" state, it is ipso facto only half as interesting as when the mere fact that he has no economic interest in the interview makes it far more credible and authentic. Then the interviewee might actually say something that is a shock or unpopular or politically incorrect, but true, even though it might be business damaging. But since he has no business in this... Back to Wheeler. _About the rating: anything below and including +1 means by and large a waste of time, and anything below 0 is not only worthless but damaging to the world. For comparison, on that scale, Francis Bennett would be a +3 or more and Harri Aalto would be roughly a tentative +3-3.5. Not coming up with original, independent cosmological insights bans any interviewee from > 3.0 ratings as a matter of principle._ *General Disclaimer:* the rating _pertains to an interview, not to the interviewee_. If the rating is high it means merely and exclusively that I consider the interview to be of high value relative to the stated purpose of the channel, and that it is therefore no waste of time to listen to the interview. It would _not_ imply that whatever the interviewee speaks is the truth (as if I was the arbiter over that) or that you should follow him/her or accept whatever that person offers. _That is particularly in need of emphasis if that would be an expensive enterprise_ !
If you want to interview ordinary awakened people, who are not "professional" teachers, I would highly recommend James. I think you might greatly enjoy talking to him and you might greatly resonate with him: James - yoga and nonduality
Regarding 'if there is nobody, why don't you jump off building to see' as an argument against 'nobody here'. I have heard this quite a few times in Rick's interviews. I have my doubt it is actually proving anything or serves positively in the conversation. Many without understanding of 'no-self', jumped off buildings and (I believe)realized beings is not immune to this behavior either. Therefore, it really could not stand to prove one way or otherwise. as to the argument, 'would you rather be hit by a hammer or it hits others'. I would rather the hammer hits neither me or others. But if it hits me, i feel pain, as it is a input to my body sensory. it hits others, I feel sorrow, as it is a input to my heart center. Rick is actually asking a question if one prefers a sensory to body or to our compassion center. Therefore, its answer could not be viewed as a verification token to no-self. As to 'if we have free will and choice'. Rick seems to endorse the idea of 'free will'. Then we should be able to determine to get enlightened and get it. or choose to get rid of our negativity and it will work. But it never does. :( Actually no free will is our best protection in my view - given all the negative thoughts, momentary hatred we carry yet later regretted and recanted. :) Even if we feel we can freely choose Coffee over Tea, as proof of free will. Yet, where is this preference sourced? Given to us or we actually decide our preference or our interest. What is the definition of time elapsed between we decide and action on it, qualifies as *action by choice*? 1 second, 1 day or weeks, years? :) If we don't have choice then how to regulate our behavior? I don't really know either. If we don't involve environment or ppl we socialize, from individual perspective, it does feel it is happening on its own. The self-guilt can drop. We hurt somebody, we should not feel the need to be guilty in order to not to do it again. Truth is it may happens again or may not. :( It seems to get minimal to do if we once felt guilty or otherwise. Sometime, guilt works for us, sometime it doesn't. That is a definition of not knowing its value. But sure thing is that guilt stresses us negatively.
The cosmos is the dream of the creator (and hence unreal). All happenings happen accordingly. In this there is no free will. But if one is caught up in the clasp of Maya (or illusion) as practically all of us are, along with our ego (I-ness and doer-ship ), the illusion of freewill manifests along with Karma. That is the central theme in the Gita on how to be a Karma Yogi and perform actions without attachement/doer-ship, and deflect all actions and their fruits to Him as He is the doer (of the dream). Yes thoughts are not our creation too!
One can take good care of body without having to think of it as "me". Parents take care of kids, pet owners take care of pets, business owners take care of their business, car owners take care of their car, presidents take care of the country without having to think it as "me". People don't hit their children with hammer just because they know the child is not myself. Just little bit of compassion, wisdom and sanity is enough to avoid such situations. However, if the point you are raising by the "hammer" example is that one is keenly aware of the pain in this body and not in another's - I agree. However, that too - raises a very interesting and possibly, "insightful" point. Where is that "me" - the one who feels the pain of this body - when doctors give general anesthesia and perform open heart surgery on the body? It is not there. What does that tell you? To me, it says that there is no such thing as "permanent" "me" in this body.
Kwistenbiebel200 What happens to the "eternal" (?) consciousness under general anesthesia? ...I think this is a question that true spirituality and true spiritual teachers need to seriously consider, study and answer. Until that is truly understood and answered. "Eternal" consciousness... ...is just another fairy tale like Santa Claus, Tooth ferry and the Virgin Birth... Only after truly understanding what happens under anesthesia, one can truly say whether... ...body is a part of me... or... ...I am a function of the body. Have you read this: www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2683140/Have-scientists-soul-Discovery-consciousness-switch-human-brain-medical-breakthrough.html
Kwistenbiebel200 Of course you and I can believe pretty much anything we want to. Billions of Christians, Muslims, Hindus believe one thing or another. Many children believe in Santa Claus. However, experiment/experience, observation and understanding is differently from belief Religion is largely based on believing. Spirituality is largely based on experiment/experience, observation and understanding. Currently experiment/experience, observation and understanding seems to suggest that consciousness doesn't survive anesthesia or other form of "losing consciousness" - such as excess blood loss, a blow to head, seizure or alcohol overdose. As consciousness doesn't survive anesthesia while body is still alive, its survival after body's death is very doubtful. As for believing, we are still free to believe as it suits us - Santa Claus, Tooth Ferry, Virgin birth, resurrection of dead ...or... ...the white, flying unicorns with fluffy wings :-) Why do we choose to believe what we obviously don't really know? I guess, believing in such things allows us to feel special and it gives us a false sense of knowing.
Velupillai Balendran Nothing happens to consciousness in deep dreamless sleep. It is very much there. It hears alarm clock, it understands that it means it is time to wake up and then wakes up at 3.00 AM to catch a flight. No such thing happens when someone is under general anesthesia.
Kwistenbiebel200 Why do you think "sensory consciousness" is there under general anesthesia? You do know that people get operated under general anesthesia, their body is cut open, they bleed and yet don't notice it.
Not as much of the transparent substance - space - as I had imagined there would be in the interview. Few points: 1. Sai Baba - it really perplexes me to find good intelligent people follow Sai Baba. Watch BBC documentary. Based on the videos I have seen, man appeared to be a fraud. 2. Teachers who say "you" don't exist as a "person" - a soul - a "durational consciousness" - that exists from the birth of the human body till its death - do you disagree? Where does this durational consciousness go under general anesthesia? Human consciousness might be very well created by the body just to take care of the human aspects like movement, location, time, thinking and language. 3. Charging money for teaching - well, that seems to be unavoidable part of the modern American capitalist system. I don't see a big issue with it. Does it corrupt the system - in many cases, yes. However, there is no better alternative easily available. 4. Interviewing ordinary awakened individual who are not teachers - I think that might be worth a try. You might find such people simply by asking them to contact you.
Alicea :I am certain Rick isn't about to go off on a yacht cruise around the world on the pittance that probably comes from his asking for donations. Where do you live by the way and who pays your rent and how do they earn the money to do so? Yes this money thing is a bind but your "true gurus" also have to live in a world where money operates to some extent. That said I too am against any system which denies teachings to someone who cannot pay for them. But Rick explicitly does not do this and I have heard a number of his interviewees stating the same as regards their services.
Alicea Saraswati Haha Alicia I hope the wind was good! No hard feelings.. I don't know much about Parsons and if that is the case about flashy cars I would share your skepticism. Its just that blanket rules as regards spirituality may at times be stunting ("Man wasn't made for the Sabbath, the Sabbath was made for man"- Jesus). The rule I am trying to follow for myself is to try to be as nonjudgmental as possible as regards what others do, even in terms of what is "spiritual" or not. So all good things to you and yes I too think that money - though not the cause of ALL evil - certainly is the cause of much of it. Happy sailing!
I find this one of your best interviews, thanks for posting!!!
Beautiful interview Rick. Thanks a lot for these interviews.
..needed this, so timely.
Thanks for this wonderful interaction ... I jumped on my chair when u mentioned Teal Swan is on next week :)) can't wait (just a tip the best way to be introduced to her practices is to go to her livestream and watch her workshops)
Wow this is the first time I have seen Rick look properly calm and grounded
Thank you for this wonderful interview. I highly recommend Judith's "The Realization Process" which can be found on the Sounds True website. Best program I've come across in 20 years.
question is how does it compare to her certification training..what is she doing there to charge for it more than 700$?
Blu Bain - Good question. When I emailed her, she responded that you'd get a chance to "ask her questions."
I don't have any questions that valuable.
wonderful, profoundly real
The main misunderstanding many have of the teaching is because they believe to be a "separate self". The individual does not cease to be, in contrary it becomes more alive once the understanding is there, that all that exists is appearing in the one infinite and limitless awareness and that all appearances and awareness is one. Only the apparent "separate self" will try to get rid of itself, which is of course a vicious circle, since the separate self does not exist :)
a very nice interview thanks Rick
Enjoyed this interview and thanks Rick for your ever masterful interview style. Judith is clearly very happy and content and this is highly inspiring. I do however still think that the question of "who am I" is still left begging even after one explores all these techniques of awareness training. It seems to me that both of these - self inquiry AND mindfulness/awareness training are required for the deepest understanding. But perhaps others have a different way of thinking about it.
Kwistenbiebel200 Yes I understand what you mean. I was mainly responding to her response to Rick's question about the identity of the observer or body "occupier". It was difficult to assess whether her non-committal answer was a genuine "I don't know" or whether she didn't think the question was important. I have at times focused on both approaches and they actually do seem to lead to different kinds of results. Awareness practice, at the time of doing it, can be hugely satisfying and one can at the time feel as sense that 'this is it". But it lasts as long as we keep doing it and the "who is concerned about this" "who is doing it" question remains wanting.
Kwistenbiebel200
Many teachers say and I agree that the very idea of an "end game" is misleading. There is no "end" because what we call "life" happens on the "periphery of a circle". You can go around as fast as you want without ever reaching a real end.
When you let go of the very "movement" on the other hand, you fall into the center. The "life" still goes in a circle, but, now you have an opportunity to watch it from the center.
Kwistenbiebel200
"You" have never been there!
...Neither have "I".
Just as... ..."you"... ...have never been there in the... ...deep dreamless sleep.
...when "you" are still there... ...it is no longer... ...deep dreamless sleep.
The moment "I" is not here... ...it is... ...deep dreamless sleep...
False "Identities" exist on the surface... ...on the periphery of the circle...
Thanks for sharing this great Video!
I was a very harsh speaker and people used to hate me because of my speech.
I loved the concept so much that, I started practicing it regularly and i used the "BuDhamma" mobile app to help me on this.
Now, I speak gentle and my people are very happy with me.
Lot of things I get easily done now!
Just watched the film Lucy today, not really knowing it had themes relating to all this stuff. Considering this is a passion of mine everyday meditating, learning, watching, etc. Was kind of De Ja Vu moment, or maybe that's not the right word. But I had no intention of watching any movie, I just clicked on it spontaneously when I come across a movie website. Was like, maybe intuition? I don't know, lol. Probably just coincidence. Great movie by the way! I highly recommend.
*Roughly a 2.5 on the -4 to +4 scale* _(for explanation and disclaimers please see the end of the comment)_
I took a break from the John Wheeler podcast after #5 (three to go) which are good stuff but have their distinct blind spots. So I decided to listen to this for a break, and it was almost like she replied to the downsides that can occur when following Wheeler's reductionist approach.
So I like the this lady's spiritual take, and certainly she has something going. *Yet* the interview should also give reason to pause and wonder: what are we to make of the perceptions of a practitioner who spends years on following Sai Baba and never notices anything fishy until the investigative reporters stick it into your face ? When I visited southern India, Tiruvannamalai and all, I took the opportunity and also visited Whitefield. So this Sai Baba passed me within arm's length, and a few meters past me he did the ash thingy, and it was so obviously sleight of hand, reaching under the letters (he carried them with him before he came close to people who could have given them to him - I wonder why) with the "swirl-hand", before it's fingers started behaving as if glued together (lest the ash tablet would slip out from between them) etc etc. So how reliable can a person be in his or her spiritual perceptions if he/she cannot catch something as obvious as that ? Why are the spiritual folks always so exceptionally gullible ? And doesn't she ever start truly doubting her own reliability when confronted with the contradictions between the real and the imagined Sai Baba ? I thought that cognitive dissonance should do a little more in the way of producing intelligence than mere shoulder shrugging.
So at the very least she is a little intellectually lazy here and not all that bent on being responsible about it. But given the states she experiences, I also understand her felt priorities. Yet for a responsible person, the question how she can so confidently influence other people _and_ make a living of that when she made an error of such magnitude before, would _have to_ be a priority.
As regards *Rick's arguments in favor of interviewing mostly teachers, they are less than convincing*. If awakening people that do not teach are hard to find, then that would contradict his supposedly endless list of interviewees. There should be enough of them. And if they are not good at finding words and we would be able to watch them find those words, that would be all the more credible and authentic and not as boring as these pre-formulated repetitions of workshop-peddlers. The jadedness of their formulations makes the interviews really hard to pay attention to. If the speech is bumpy and full of errors, that makes it fresh and naturally catches the attention. I for one would be far more interested in _those_. If an interviewee already makes a living off his "awakened" state, it is ipso facto only half as interesting as when the mere fact that he has no economic interest in the interview makes it far more credible and authentic. Then the interviewee might actually say something that is a shock or unpopular or politically incorrect, but true, even though it might be business damaging. But since he has no business in this...
Back to Wheeler.
_About the rating: anything below and including +1 means by and large a waste of time, and anything below 0 is not only worthless but damaging to the world. For comparison, on that scale, Francis Bennett would be a +3 or more and Harri Aalto would be roughly a tentative +3-3.5. Not coming up with original, independent cosmological insights bans any interviewee from > 3.0 ratings as a matter of principle._
*General Disclaimer:* the rating _pertains to an interview, not to the interviewee_. If the rating is high it means merely and exclusively that I consider the interview to be of high value relative to the stated purpose of the channel, and that it is therefore no waste of time to listen to the interview. It would _not_ imply that whatever the interviewee speaks is the truth (as if I was the arbiter over that) or that you should follow him/her or accept whatever that person offers. _That is particularly in need of emphasis if that would be an expensive enterprise_ !
If you want to interview ordinary awakened people, who are not "professional" teachers, I would highly recommend James. I think you might greatly enjoy talking to him and you might greatly resonate with him:
James - yoga and nonduality
Regarding 'if there is nobody, why don't you jump off building to see' as an argument against 'nobody here'. I have heard this quite a few times in Rick's interviews. I have my doubt it is actually proving anything or serves positively in the conversation. Many without understanding of 'no-self', jumped off buildings and (I believe)realized beings is not immune to this behavior either. Therefore, it really could not stand to prove one way or otherwise.
as to the argument, 'would you rather be hit by a hammer or it hits others'. I would rather the hammer hits neither me or others. But if it hits me, i feel pain, as it is a input to my body sensory. it hits others, I feel sorrow, as it is a input to my heart center. Rick is actually asking a question if one prefers a sensory to body or to our compassion center. Therefore, its answer could not be viewed as a verification token to no-self.
As to 'if we have free will and choice'. Rick seems to endorse the idea of 'free will'. Then we should be able to determine to get enlightened and get it. or choose to get rid of our negativity and it will work. But it never does. :( Actually no free will is our best protection in my view - given all the negative thoughts, momentary hatred we carry yet later regretted and recanted. :)
Even if we feel we can freely choose Coffee over Tea, as proof of free will. Yet, where is this preference sourced? Given to us or we actually decide our preference or our interest. What is the definition of time elapsed between we decide and action on it, qualifies as *action by choice*? 1 second, 1 day or weeks, years? :)
If we don't have choice then how to regulate our behavior? I don't really know either. If we don't involve environment or ppl we socialize, from individual perspective, it does feel it is happening on its own. The self-guilt can drop. We hurt somebody, we should not feel the need to be guilty in order to not to do it again. Truth is it may happens again or may not. :( It seems to get minimal to do if we once felt guilty or otherwise. Sometime, guilt works for us, sometime it doesn't. That is a definition of not knowing its value. But sure thing is that guilt stresses us negatively.
Kwistenbiebel200 yeah. i would agree with you on those statements. :)
The cosmos is the dream of the creator (and hence unreal). All happenings happen accordingly. In this there is no free will. But if one is caught up in the clasp of Maya (or illusion) as practically all of us are, along with our ego (I-ness and doer-ship ), the illusion of freewill manifests along with Karma. That is the central theme in the Gita on how to be a Karma Yogi and perform actions without attachement/doer-ship, and deflect all actions and their fruits to Him as He is the doer (of the dream). Yes thoughts are not our creation too!
One can take good care of body without having to think of it as "me".
Parents take care of kids, pet owners take care of pets, business owners take care of their business, car owners take care of their car, presidents take care of the country without having to think it as "me".
People don't hit their children with hammer just because they know the child is not myself. Just little bit of compassion, wisdom and sanity is enough to avoid such situations.
However, if the point you are raising by the "hammer" example is that one is keenly aware of the pain in this body and not in another's - I agree. However, that too - raises a very interesting and possibly, "insightful" point. Where is that "me" - the one who feels the pain of this body - when doctors give general anesthesia and perform open heart surgery on the body? It is not there. What does that tell you? To me, it says that there is no such thing as "permanent" "me" in this body.
Kwistenbiebel200
What happens to the "eternal" (?) consciousness under general anesthesia?
...I think this is a question that true spirituality and true spiritual teachers need to seriously consider, study and answer.
Until that is truly understood and answered. "Eternal" consciousness... ...is just another fairy tale like Santa Claus, Tooth ferry and the Virgin Birth...
Only after truly understanding what happens under anesthesia, one can truly say whether...
...body is a part of me...
or... ...I am a function of the body.
Have you read this:
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2683140/Have-scientists-soul-Discovery-consciousness-switch-human-brain-medical-breakthrough.html
Kwistenbiebel200
Of course you and I can believe pretty much anything we want to. Billions of Christians, Muslims, Hindus believe one thing or another. Many children believe in Santa Claus.
However, experiment/experience, observation and understanding is differently from belief
Religion is largely based on believing. Spirituality is largely based on experiment/experience, observation and understanding.
Currently experiment/experience, observation and understanding seems to suggest that consciousness doesn't survive anesthesia or other form of "losing consciousness" - such as excess blood loss, a blow to head, seizure or alcohol overdose.
As consciousness doesn't survive anesthesia while body is still alive, its survival after body's death is very doubtful.
As for believing, we are still free to believe as it suits us - Santa Claus, Tooth Ferry, Virgin birth, resurrection of dead ...or... ...the white, flying unicorns with fluffy wings :-)
Why do we choose to believe what we obviously don't really know? I guess, believing in such things allows us to feel special and it gives us a false sense of knowing.
TOA (Transmission of Awakening)
What happens to the "eternal" (?) consciousness in deep sleep?
Velupillai Balendran
Nothing happens to consciousness in deep dreamless sleep. It is very much there. It hears alarm clock, it understands that it means it is time to wake up and then wakes up at 3.00 AM to catch a flight.
No such thing happens when someone is under general anesthesia.
Kwistenbiebel200
Why do you think "sensory consciousness" is there under general anesthesia? You do know that people get operated under general anesthesia, their body is cut open, they bleed and yet don't notice it.
Not as much of the transparent substance - space - as I had imagined there would be in the interview. Few points:
1. Sai Baba - it really perplexes me to find good intelligent people follow Sai Baba. Watch BBC documentary. Based on the videos I have seen, man appeared to be a fraud.
2. Teachers who say "you" don't exist as a "person" - a soul - a "durational consciousness" - that exists from the birth of the human body till its death - do you disagree? Where does this durational consciousness go under general anesthesia? Human consciousness might be very well created by the body just to take care of the human aspects like movement, location, time, thinking and language.
3. Charging money for teaching - well, that seems to be unavoidable part of the modern American capitalist system. I don't see a big issue with it. Does it corrupt the system - in many cases, yes. However, there is no better alternative easily available.
4. Interviewing ordinary awakened individual who are not teachers - I think that might be worth a try. You might find such people simply by asking them to contact you.
Yes, I would love to see someone interviewed on this show that isn't promoting anything. (Note, I haven't watched this interview yet but plan to..)
Michael Ashe Michael are you the British Ashe who wrote a book on spirituality a while back? It was a kind of autobiography.
Nope, not me! My Mom is British though. And I did a series of cartoons on youtube called "what is my true nature?". :)
Alicea :I am certain Rick isn't about to go off on a yacht cruise around the world on the pittance that probably comes from his asking for donations. Where do you live by the way and who pays your rent and how do they earn the money to do so? Yes this money thing is a bind but your "true gurus" also have to live in a world where money operates to some extent. That said I too am against any system which denies teachings to someone who cannot pay for them. But Rick explicitly does not do this and I have heard a number of his interviewees stating the same as regards their services.
Alicea Saraswati Haha Alicia I hope the wind was good! No hard feelings.. I don't know much about Parsons and if that is the case about flashy cars I would share your skepticism. Its just that blanket rules as regards spirituality may at times be stunting ("Man wasn't made for the Sabbath, the Sabbath was made for man"- Jesus). The rule I am trying to follow for myself is to try to be as nonjudgmental as possible as regards what others do, even in terms of what is "spiritual" or not. So all good things to you and yes I too think that money - though not the cause of ALL evil - certainly is the cause of much of it. Happy sailing!
where's the proof that sai baba was a pedo?