New to the channel? Click here -> jasongregory.org/about/. To get exclusive content and livestream replays, become a member on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jasongregory. You can also support me on Paypal: www.paypal.me/JasonGregoryAuthor. Merchandise available at: teespring.com/stores/jason-gregory. Please hit the thumbs up, subscribe, and comment. Your support is deeply appreciated. Only love for all. Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
@@pinkifloyd7867 and yet you had to write this message and assert your competitive nature which means you were thinking. Maybe stop the new age nonsense and spiritual virtue signalling because you make yourself look silly.
Enquiry is just questions. "Yoga Vasistha" has the answers. An essay inspired by Yoga Vasistha : eternal-entropy.blogspot.com/2024/04/oneness-in-spirit-one-in-god.html
It's all about $$$. Conning people to buy back their birth right. Ramana and Nisargadatta never took payment. These conmen have the briefest glimpse and then turn it into a business. Bad karma.
@@pw4444 you are welcome 🙏 How are you now? Feeling better? I am from India and pray for world peace and well being of everyone ( all living creatures on the Earth and other worlds). Please take care. Regards.
Thats why Sri ramana said there is no jnani without bhakti. If you seek the true self through inquiry w/o sincere devotion you will be stuck. Thats what these western teachers completely ignore.
I search neo advaita teachers and I was surprise to see listed are some of my favourite teachers like eckhart tolle, Rupert Spira, ramana maharsi, etc. Apart from ramana maharsi I don't believe the other teachers have a guru-disciple program. In other words their teachings are not mean to be complete in itself. They are just authors and speakers. They don't call themselves guru. So I really don't understand why jason is so worked up.
@@alvinyong9370his video is very important. There are some very real and potentially detrimental risks with misunderstanding Advaita. In the context of Neo-A, without the preparation and proper understanding, the seeker can fall into a trap, where they essentially create a “witness” state within the ego/mind while thinking they are touching the reality of Atman. It can lead to psychological dissociation, repression/suppression, absolution from values and responsibility, etc. It can really lead people astray, all while thinking they are awakened.
@@nicommmmm Thank you for your response. You are right. After doing more research into neo Advaita I realise there is a danger for those who are not ready. And Especially true if neo advaita is the sole practice of the seeker. I've never done self enquiry myself. But I know I'm not the body or my thoughts or feelings. That knowledge alone helps me tremendously in overcoming my ego.
@@alvinyong9370 Totally agree, it is very helpful to have that knowledge. In Advaita terms, discerning between mithya ("unreal", dependent) and satya (real, independent existence). This is a critical part of Self-Knowledge. While at the same time, recognizing that this "relative" existence is also happening. A trap I see in many Neo-A groups is the misapplication of "Who is it that is experiencing this?" as a way of bypassing the mithya-reality.
I am a trained Inuit shaman, ya we dont express much in the world. These mind exercises of self inquiry are only the preparation for the experience of Atma or Soul. The preparation is to reveal that the minds need to understand before the experience is not only not necessary, its what's blocking you from that experience. The experience and its familiarity with repeating it, are the real seeking, for within that experience is any point of attention revealed wHoly, the inhabiting of that point of attention. This is Atma, Bliss, Soul, the zero point of Consciousness. Tradition is mountain you leap from and land on with the discovery of your potential in a point of attention. Tradition is not that experience. And a tradition can be as simple as a child's point of attention when wondering, its complexity and understanding aren't what accesses the experience, its orientation of not knowing and anticipation of knowing are its requisites. This is a simple version, but its application is even simpler because you have it as a memory already, and triggering that memory you will recognize that experiences familiarity. So a teaching isn't ever required, just a guide who can trigger this memories familiarity. I know folks love their mental exercise, but LOOK at a baby who finds Bliss in it's simple wonderment, Look at it Bliss, and you will recognize that's what you seek, the Bliss of a wonder fulfilled. By the way, the science of Bliss is known, maybe this understanding will help you realize, you dont need to understand Bliss, to KNOW Bliss and its repetition
Os Pensamentos são todo o Mundo Físico, Astral e Mental. Os Pensamentos são como cordas que nos amarram a Manifestação e são por si próprios a própria manifestação. A prática da Atenção é você mudar sua atenção de um objeto para "outro". Você vai controlando tudo por meio da atenção, no momento que "vocês cortas algumas cabeças de Ravana", conforme você tira sua atenção das diversas coisas que ela está desviada, você vai perceber algo que sempre esteve lá, você vai perceber uma "luz/sabedoria/Bem Aventurança". E isso é chamado de Samadhi Conforme você corta mais cabeças do Demônio mas essa Luz se torna visível. Quando a Mente vai sendo cortada as cabeças do Demônio, então essa Luz que é Deus também é chamada de Budhi e Sattva.
This is excellent, I never liked Neo-Advita as I just saw a bunch of non duel parrots, but I couldn't put it into words, it was mostly just instinct. This really clarifies things for me.
You do not stay in the inquiry as the inquiry finally leads you beyond the mind. Ramana many times said that he was very lucky that he was never entangled in any study of any books. As he said, the books can only give you the indication to find the self.
Not luck but by the grace of Arunachal ( the mountain in Tiruvannamalai) . He praises the mountain in his works which were sung by his disciples to beg for alms. He gives all the credit to the mountain. At one place he mentions that Lord Arunachal by your grace and compassion you stilled my mind and made me realise my true self. Not only him but Vallalar or Swami Ramalingam and Jnana Samabandhar called Arunachal The mountain of light and Mountain of fire or jnana respectively. So , you can affirm that bhagwan Ramana Maharshi's guru was the mountain Arunachal. God bless
@@saharshsingh5864 lucky are his words. Strange affirmation somebody would speak for him and correct him. Arunachala was Shiva himself said Ramana in very occasions . All men who reach the self is due to Shiva.
"All men who reach the self is due to Shiva" or Arunachala? Are you sure about that? In my humble opinion it was just because of the Self. Names, concepts and forms like Shiva, Arunachal, a lingam will al dissapear when one realises his true nature. All this concepts are only there to point towards something which cannot be described. Although Ramana felt a very intense pull towards Arunachala i can't believe that he would give all the credit for his Self realisation to this mountain, simply because that creates a duality instead of union. He also taught the principle of "Ajata" or non-creation. So it would be pretty funny when he would have said something like, that in ultimate truth there is no world at all except Arunachala or Shiva :-) . In Self realisation you become everything and yet no-thing. We tend to take everything literally instead of discerning what is being pointed at. Taking things literally in combination with philosophy or religion never became fruitfull with Christianity as a great example, many wars are fought by devotees who took things literally without contemplation. It's the same principle as that Ramana kept explaining that he isn't that body/mind but still many devotees where devestated when his body died. Saharshsing stated "Lord Arunachal by your grace and compassion you stilled my mind and made me realise my true self" I strongly believe that this is not the case, or maybe just a part of the story. His pull towards Arunachala has to be seen in a greater context like many lifetimes, reincarnations and a riping of consciousness before. His pull towards Arunachala since he heard about it triggered something, but that might have been a trigger it isn't the mountain but instead a ripening that took way longer then that. (before the pull towards Arunachala he had a intense fear of death, This also triggered something and might have put things in motion, like the pull towards Arunachala). But at the same time all the credits can be given to Arunachala as Ramana also taught that all is pre-destined, so his longing and pull towards Arunachala were also destined but again in my humble opinion The Self is the only ONE that can be be given credits as it's our true being/Brahman who writes the script. Arunachala might have been the last "thing" that triggered the last and final chapter to come forward. Ramana suggested to discard our books and not to cling to it, but Ramana already realized the Self which is different then someone like a seeker. From my own experience there had been a sudden awakening into my true nature without a longing for it, I needed books in the beginning like the Bhagavad Gita or many other books to sort of explain what happened, i also shopped everywhere else like the course in miracles for example. I shopped around and the ego happily accepted anything that wasn't a threat while at the same time the ego itself became a threat and became destructive (more then it did before) Then the first stage of discarding books arrived and i had to put my trust in the actual experience instead of what the mind had made of it. I have never heard of Advaita Vedanta before until this awakening experience, so i was kinda forced to stick to it as i knew this whas the path destined to follow, then later on i needed more serious books like the Ashtavakra Gita or Avadhuta Gita but they never thaught me some-ting new, instead they affirmed what has been seen in that ultimate experience. Books aren't there to teach us anything anymore but are there to reassure that what has been seen is correct (it goes the other way round)
@@innocenzz The self is not reached because of the self like a hand can not take it self. In this case all creatures would be enlightened right now. The self is reached by destroying the mind with the mind revealing its false nature and when revealed it submerge in the self. But you can not make that happen. The Buddha said, you can not free yourself, you must be freed. Nisargadatta said help has to come, in this form or that form but help has to come. Christ said knock and there will be opened. Ramana said it will happen when you have the merit. I believe this is always shiva , for all creatures that the calm mind is possible. Shiva not as a believe as you understand it or as a Hindu god. The Hindus just gave the child a name. Shiva , this energy, when it fills the heart the mind is calm. But it is up to shiva.
Ramanna didint know that those books, those gurus/rishies who wrote those books, created thousands of realized ppl, while Ramanna could create none, those books give you the truth "atman and braham are one, all is divine" not Ramanna... there is a reason why India can create 100 times better spirituality and realized ppl- these books/traditions...
As an Indian I do not have any person in my circle who are interested in these kind of talks. Hope I could find someone or even better a Group of like minded people to discuss and study🙏🙏🙏.
Hey! I'm Indian. Yes, we all should meet dude. But I've found simialr ppl - Indians in Chennai, Banglore, kerela, thiruvannamalai, Delhi, Bir, Dharamshala, Mumbai.. You will find your tribe when you put the intention and trust me, Indian people know wayyy more than anyone else.
Don't worry, when you yearn, like minded people will come in your life. Basically rather than discussing, Sadhna Bhakti is vital. Anubhav is very Personal. One may bcom Pandit by reading all these literature but not Saadhak.
I’ve been fortunate to have been able to study with swami’s in the Ramakrishna Order for many years. Their knowledge of Vedantic texts is very deep but they never forget the value of Bhakti. They helped me learn how to get outside of my own head and appreciate the way of the heart. While Ramana Maharshi is almost always remembered as a teacher of Atma Vichara he also recommended Bhakti and the practice of surrender. I recommend his Upadesa Saram to learn about his complete path. 🙏
Ramakrishna himself was a great devotee of Maa Kali. So, this separation between Bhakti and Gyan marg is really phony. Premanand ji Maharaj explains it very nicely though his discourse is in Hindi and may not reach the target audience of Vedantists.
After Shree Ramakrishna show me one Swami from the Ramakrishna order who attained self realisation. Sure they have good knowledge of Vedanta but that's all scholarly knowledge not experiential knowledge.
I disagree that you need a detailed understanding of all the Vedanta texts to be able to practice self enquiry. Ramana himself said, “You may go on reading as many texts as you want on Vedanta and they will tell you only one thing realise the self”. Nisargadatta also said, “The ultimate point of view is that there is nothing to understand. So when we try to understand we are only indulging in acrobatics of the mind. Whatever you have understood you are not. Why are you getting lost in concepts? You are not what you know you are the knower”. If you have read all the Vedanta texts and it is beneficial to you in practicing self enquiry then that’s ok but I don’t think it’s a necessary prerequisite.
No one asked if you agree or disagree. Why do you overestimate your opinion so much? It must make you so mad to be wrong. Here are some facts from me a Tamil person who grew up with the tradition. Ramana learned the brahmavidya from his brahmin uncles at a young age. Ramana read the scriptures to his sangha every night and recommended them to read them as well. Ramana also read the newspaper every morning. So nothing that was said in this video is wrong, unless you are trying to protect your view of our tradition and or a fake neo teacher. There is only the tradition, the same that Ramana learned and taught. Also just because you use a Nisargadatta quote to back up your false claim doesn't make it correct. You should probably put the work in to understand what we understand on your own instead of reading quotes. Try reading the works of Shankara. In conclusion you do need to understand the Vedanta, unless you think you are better than millions before you or maybe you have a high opinion of yourself. Either way it is strange that westerners can't learn the teachings and always want to take shortcuts. Maybe you need to understand at a beginner level that it is not a competition and the whole guru thing isn't related to your celebrity culture in the west.
Hi Andy. I agree with you that reading all the vedanta text is not the necessary prerequisite to practise self enquiry. However if we go straight into self enquiry we lack the "foundation" such as the basics beliefs of Hinduism and the four yoga namely karma, bhakti, jnana, and raja yoga mentioned in the Gita. Why are those important? Because as human, we are not able to practise self enquiry perfectly 100% of the time. When we lose our focus there's nothing to fall back on. If we start with a broad understanding of the sanatana dharma we can always fall back on our practice of meditation or on our mindset of love and compassion cultivated throughout our spiritual journey, etc. To me self enquiry is like a PhD course. The icing on the cake. But you have to bake the cake first. That's just my thoughts 🙂
@@spiritworld6655 that’s a very angry response to me simply stating my opinion. Who cares if I’m right or wrong and what does it matter? Let’s be clear if somebody posts a video on RUclips then it is open to people who may have a different opinion. Go practice self enquiry a little more it might help with your anger issue.
@@andybrown3016 your opinion doesn't matter and you are condescending in your comment, which is passive aggressive so maybe you are the one who needs self inquiry. It is ironic that you say I'm angry when you are clearly aggressive in your comments and also disrespectful to the traditions. New age people like yourself are too idealistic and just want to change things to suit your inherent weakness. Spiritual is also tough and not about the sensitivity of Westerners. Maybe try growing up first before commenting in a cowardly way.
For many years I worked at a spiritual bookstore that hosted speakers on an at least weekly basis. I saw dozens of Western Advaita teachers. After a long time, what I finally concluded was that Western Advaita does not understand causation and how cause and effect operates in a spiritual context. // Thanks for posting this. Very thoughtful and clear.
@@inthesky7836 maybe both the cause & effect are at a fundamental level, within,..& they play out in our external world as well...that is why it is probably said that whatever we experience is nothing but our karma...result of our actions in the form of even emotions, thoughts & actions
People should visit the Shankaracharya mathas in India, like Sringeri mainly. The Shankaracharya’s Dashanaami Sampradaya with an unbroken Guru-Shishya parampara from the time of Adi Shankaracharya (the original propagation Advaita VEDANTA!). Learning and reading the Vedanta and being there in the proximity of a true Guru, one will realise the true value of what Advaita Vedanta has to offer. Not everyone who has a beard and calls themselves a Guru can be a Guru until they know the Shrotriyam and Brahmanishtam.
The problem with the shankara mutts is their rigid brahminical system which doesn't encourage non brahmins to 'learn'. Without the Neo advaitins efforts, you all wouldn't be talking about vedanta now. They brought these out from the clutches of Brahmins
@@Raguram... Sorry but I have to strongly disagree with what you are saying and if you had actually been to the shankara mutts like the ones I mention above, you will be able to ask the people themselves, the ones who learn there. Like a pilot has to train himself into learning how to be fit for the job both physically, mentally and emotionally, so is the process of learning vedas. Every food you eat, every activity you do, alters your state of consciousness, your brain chemistry (for source of this, if you feel our texts exaggerate, refer to western medicine research papers). The practice you follow, affects the ability of you to excel at that task. Like a sprinter cannot expect to live on his whims of eating chips and dips, you are expected to follow certain procedures. Your statements here mentions a very caste-based approach which is contrary to what Sanatana Dharma says. Brahmins are expected to follow the rigid system (and mind you, they follow it, so ANYONE can be initiated into the Brahminical system, as long as they stick to the process) to truly understand the texts in its entirety which is why the rules exist. You may term it however you want according to your political alignment, but if you have never tried it, I am not sure what your are espousing is even true. I can say this because I follow this as a non-brahmin.
@@Raguram... Regarding the point on "Without the Neo advaitins efforts, you all wouldn't be talking about vedanta now. They brought these out from the clutches of Brahmins" shows very Periyar-isque mindset and agenda. Dont spoil the name of Shankara mutts because of some wayward Brahmins. There are many Brahmins who lost their lives to invaders to secure you and those who were not Brahmins. As far as your argument on Neo-advaitins saving the Vedanta, is far from accurate. Advaita Vedanta is a concept and ideology based on unifying principle which was already secured and kept in all the shakti peethas, chatur-amnaya peethas and the other mathas. So Neo-advaitins took it international but didnt fully espouse the vedanta part which makes incomplete knowledge, which is dangerous my friend.
I’ve heard a lot of warnings about Neovedanta but no one ever dares to actually say which teachers/sanghas they’re talking about. If this is so dangerous, then fine. Have the courage to point the finger and give names please.
I had met Swami sarvapriyananda in india when my school ramakrishna mission vidyapith deoghar was celebrating its centenary year he was invited as chief guest there and his lecture was "6 pillars of mind"...
And what am I leads to a thing. This statement is done due to the misunderstanding of what Ramana means with who am I. The question should not be answered and does not have an answer. The question is made to see what it leads too in the self.
All is ONE - there is not two! But to experience this what do you do? For years I’ve given this lots of thought I’ve listened to speakers, to what they’ve taught. Then something hit me, right in the face, It’s all to do with what we call space! The universe is infinite - goes on forever you see. Hubble and James Watt give us pictures for free. Those photos are magic and pull at the heart Gazing at them is where you should start. There’s planets and stars and galaxies and such But that’s only 5 percent - which isn’t that much. The rest we ignore, which is our big mistake, Because we’re missing 95% of the cake! We all want harmony, oneness and love - The secret’s around us, down here not above! Yes the truth is staring us right in the face To experience ONENESS include the space! So make this your mission - your daily goal And with a permanent smile you’ll truly feel WHOLE! It’s all in the oneness (love’s the same thing) Get it in your heart and it will sing! The truth is staring you right in the face To experience ONENESS include the space!
I have to disagree with you , I know nothing of Advanta , Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita , etc . One Sunday afternoon I spontaneously came to realize that the Me /"I" the Ego was just a thought process and instantly the "Me" was see through ! That was 2 years ago now .There's No me ! I still have no interest in the above studies. Life continues and it is abundantly clear that life go on without a me or an I controlling it. I never learned to mediate and no nothing but this insight has removed all fear of death , and life is just fine as it is nobody here to complain ! Peace and goodwill to all.
I had the same in 2018, happened spontaneously and while the bliss and the selfless state lasted nearly 3 years the mind gradually reconfigured the identity again, because latent tendencies were still present. Even though a shift happened it is still possible to get caught by the mind again, there is still a final step that needs to be for ultimate realisation, so now I am looking at the Niddhidhyana books, but all this is also arising spontaneously, meditation and self enquiry is important though to identify the deep rooted sankaras that could reboot the I program.
@@chrisc9725 you have fallen into a trap as the Ego has represented it self as the one that has to get to a "final stage! "There's no you " so who's doing the medications,who has to get to the finnish line? "Your already where you are and there's no you to Go any further! Stick to what was experienced " There's no you"everything is just happening without a me or a you to do anything about it. This apparent happening is occurring without any entities controlling it . this includes a Me or a You. The ego arises here all the time and it does get a long way before it is again realized that this is just another thought process in action."There's no Me"❤️ This manifestation is just a temporary appearance of the one source of everything. Everything is equally this source.
I further wish to advise that I am not in any way claiming to know or be someone with any particular insights on the teachings of Advaita all that is known and stated here is what has happened This insight was very clear and welcome!
@@MachholzMachholz how was thought, sensation and emotion was experienced before and after that realization, I don't mean the presence of an "I", but the presence of non-referential though, sensation and emotion???
@@conexionneuronal8820 everything is exactly the same as before with one main character change! It is clearly "Known" that the character is just a thought process."There's No Me" and emotions and all that stuff is just part of the process , it continues.to be experienced and it is quickly dismissed." I'm not the body nor anything to do with it's functional aspects .I can't be defined and any attempt to label me is corruption of the source!
It’s funny that I had a similar revelation over a year ago. This self inquiry keeps one on a loop. Ramana Maharshi woke up from the fear of dying and going through that “death”. He didn’t get self realized by self inquiry. The spiritual ego is a real thing. We may think we are spiritual, but we are in another matrix of the mind.
9:00-9:15 "It might be good for that moment in the Satsang, but you can't take it out into your life..." I've met many people who have learned how to calm their minds in a sterile environment, but don't have a clue how to live calmly and blissfully in the "outside world"
What teachers or saints would you recommend then, and who would you recommend to avoid? I never see this answered by people who make this point, and it would be hugely beneficial
Namaste...as a student/follower of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, I can suggest going to the source: Shri Adi Shankaracharya Bhagavadpada. Even if his teachings can be deep and quite difficult to understand, try with something simple in your daily life like Sadhana Panchakam. Apply it as best of your capabilities and personal reality, remembering that all of those texts were written within a social and cultural context specific to Dharmic cultures like India. Then move on to Atma Bodha, which has beautiful guidance for spiritual seekers. Also, Ramana Maharshi's teachings as a source of Advaita Vedanta for people like us who are living in the 21st century. Begin by reading his fundamental teachings in Be As You Are written by a Western follower (David Godman) in a language that is more suitable for Western minds. What to avoid? That is a tricky question. But, I won't sugarcoat it. Some names that come to my mind are Mooji, GangaJi, Papaji, Nisargadatta. They are not true Advaita Vedanta teachers. True Advaita Vedanta teachers are very, very, very, rare in this day and age. I've traveled to India for the past 33 years and yet haven't met any true Advaita Vedanta teachers in mainstream ashrams. Not one. And the only ones I have met by coincidence they don't teach to the general public.
I left Christianity, in part, because they tell their followers what to read and what not to read. Hinduism or sanatan dharma is not a faith based belief. You can Watch everything and learn something. From everyone.
All spiritual teachers are in error. The ones who help the most appear like mists ( you don't really know who they are) If a man of truth has written a document that becomes popular, it means that scholars/gurus and the like have misconstrued what they said i.e. they are mocking the originator because they are jealous that they do not truly posses what is written and want others to think that they do. Anything that leads us to become selfish, puffed up, vain and causes us to exclude the "non-awakened" and common person is wicked i.e it is not loving our neighbor as ourself.
Ramana Maharshi was a very special case possibly due to his past lives and good karma. The rest of us have to do the work, prepare our nervous system for samadhi. There are no shortcuts for that, intellectual self-realization is completely different in comparison to a real Self-realization where you actually exist in a state of Oneness.
I think there can be a significant difference in following the "who am I?" vs "what is I?" My take is, If "What is I?" Is somewhat uncomfortable, you're on the right path. It should create a sense of discomfort for the ego. It's wonderful to have someone like Jason Gregory helping out with his vast knowledge of nondual schools. I too hope to get more immersed into spirituality. I did start but it's important to go all the way. Thank you Jason for sharing your knowledge.
In Buddhist practice this is referred to as having established a clinging to the method. Instead of letting the method act as a catalyst for true insight the mind lack confidence and starts to cling to the method and thus closes the door to what the method was intended to do. The practitioner must be instructed in how to let go of clinging at every moment of the practice. Just like all phenomena also our methods of inquiry must be embraced by letting go as its true nature is empty of any true existence. This becomes especially important to understand and practice wile in any of the four stages of Samadhi. Only if our Samadhi practice is combined with the insight of emptiness does it have the capacity to give rise to the kind of insight and wisdom that liberates us from samsara. According to Buddhist beliefs there’s a lot of beings being trapped in different samadhi-type concentrations for eons without being any closer to being liberated from samsara. This is due to a fundamental lack of understanding of emptiness and thus having established an fundamental clinging to the method of samadhi as the imagined highest state, or goal. Unfortunately, this state is still within samsara and subject to the causes and conditions of karma and will thus eventually wane off and the practitioner will fall right down to any of the lower realms again. It is for this reason it is of outmost importance to only follow a genuine guru that we know encompass the full scope of the teachings, if liberation from the ocean of suffering is our objective and what we strive for. For a Buddhist to accomplish the state of no-self is only the first step. Full accomplishment of no-self is called Arhat(hood) and is indeed a very high form of realisation. It is said to ensure no more return to samsara but it is not anywhere near full enlightenment or Buddhahood. What must be accomplished alongside the no-self is also the realisation of the empty nature of all phenomena in order to give rise to the full Primordial Wisdom. This is taught in its entirety within the Mahayana schools of teachings. And within the special methods of Varjayana teachings as well. Varjayana is unique in that it is designed to utilise the special capacities in certain students that have the capacity to meditate on the “result” rather than other methods of purifications and accumulations. But only when the practitioner have the capacity to practice on the “enlightened result” in combination with an innate understanding of emptiness will any result arise. In fact, enlightenment or the Buddha Nature is never separated from emptiness, not even for a single moment is it not embraced by emptiness. For us to start to get a grasp on what the Buddha meant with the term “emptiness” we need to study his teachings on Prajnaparamita. In that perspective there’s neither a self, nor a non-self. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Any form of affirmation or rejection is missing the point. True nature of reality cannot be described or be held within any type of conceptual formulation. It is for this reason the Buddha never confirmed the existence of either athman nor Brahman either. The words “Buddha Nature” is only understood properly if the full scope of Prajnaparamita is completely understood. ONLY THEN IS NON-DUALITY an applicable term used as a relevant term within a Buddhist context. A practice of inquiry into the nature of self is a very good start but must be understood to be followed by many other steps and stages if full enlightenment is sought for within a Buddhist context.
Thank you for your video. Question: Given there is the idea of some possible human experience you can learn about in books or be taught about it from another person, how could one ever be sure they are subjectively having the experience described in the words in the books, or the personal teaching, especially when the experience is a purely subjective mental state? For example, let's use the more mundane so-called mental state of "contentment." We can see the state described in all sorts of literature, including medical psychology. And there could be books and personal seminars on how to get more feelings of contentment in one's life. But how could any person know if how they have changed when they self observed, was this thing called "contentment " as would be felt by others? With the notion of contentment, at least one could talk to many people at length and start to get a sense of what others were experiencing when saying what they felt. The reason I bring up contentment as an example of a subjective mental state and show its difficultly to nail down in an objective sense, is to then ask how much more difficult it would be for a person to "know" if they are even getting close to an impossible to define "transcendent" mental state? Therefore, all tradition, text, teaching lineage, etc, that's geared to create subjective mental state outcomes, have no means of objective verification. What can be attained and then determined is, if the adherents to certain traditions, texts, teaching lineages, etc, overwhelming report having a better life experience after receiving the correct instructions. For example, people in distress with PSTD and depression report overwhelmingly a better sense of life after having single doses of psilocybin. Obviously there must be a physiological brain effect from the drug causing the subjective reporting of relief. That's what the West has something to offer. The physiological brain effects of the masters claiming "realization" need to be scientifically documented so as to enable more objective sensory feedback to people seeking the same outcome. Imagine in the future a meditating "helmet" a person wears to give them feedback helping guide them to a mental state close to the masters.
Best way to identify a false guru is if they charge money. God (Brahman, The Absolute) would never put a broker between itself and the seeker. If one cannot find a true guru like Ramana or Nisargadatta or Neem Karoli Baba which is extremely difficult in the west then it's best to follow the fearless path of self discovery the Buddha took himself or just surrender completely and the satguru will appear in any form if your open and humble.
Thanks for putting my worries that I was unintentionally practicing neo-advaita to rest. And thank you for always pointing us in the right direction. 🙏
I figured it was self-evident that self-enquiry only goes so far… if life is an experience not a thought, then enlightenment must be a state of experience. The lotus doesn’t think about blooming, it just blooms.
@whatever-cn1xx come on… you know! I Brahman, you Brahman, he she me Brahman. Brahman, Brahman-ing, BrahmanRama, Brahman-ology… the study of Brahman! It’s first grade SpongeBob!!
the only porpese of all nondual teaching is convince you to go inside ...when mind go inside the self is revealded in his pure nature...it dosnt matter if the ego do the inquiry or the self it go to the same no place no time no form awarness
Would you have a suggestion what scripture of the Brahmavidya to read first? Which book, which edition, which (Enghlish) translation, etc. Thanks so much.
it seems you dont understand Ramana's teaching. Bhagavan never said to ask " who am i ? ", he said to "investigate" who am i . self investigation is keeping attention on " i am" , not the words " i am " , but what the words represent ... the fundamental pure awareness that shines from the heart as " i am " . you should refer to Michael James youtube channel "Sri Ramana Teachings" for a clearer understanding . Michael will be happy to help you with your understanding of the teaching .
Thank you 🙏 I feel that we are our own best gurus! Papaji 🙏Osho🙏 Mooji🙏 Yogananda 🙏 Ramamaharshi 🙏 John Butler I feel are truly enlightened beings on this planet helping humanity awaken from the dream ! Eckhart Toll is good also for guidance on Just being in the present moment. 🙏 I'm learning a lot from your channel about Indian mysticism ! 💕🌹🕊
Yup. They are very good teachers. Every teacher specialised in something. I learned a lot from them as well as other advaita teachers. Btw I also listen to Christian sermons, Catholic mystic, kabbalah teachers, mahayana and theraveda monks and nuns, read sufi rumi poetry, etc. They have ALL helped me become a better person
I have read a lot about non-dual Advaita Vedanta and practice meditation daily. Now all the books sound to me in this one non-thought that directly expresses the essence: the Absolute lies beyond knowledge and ignorance, there where not knowing corresponds to knowing the essential, the Parabrahman.
We could also read the Upanishads every day for life but without a practice we're just reading a book. "When the Great Reality is not known the study of the scriptures is fruitless; when it is known, the study of scriptures is also fruitless" Whatever gets you there, that\'s the best path for you. Sometimes it's back to front.
There’s gotta be an online way to learn those texts? Does anyone know any online sources or channels to go beyond the who am I without too much unnecessary info?
I agree 100%, Advaita Vedanta and yoga have gone down the same ridiculous path. Advaita Vedanta has been down graded to “non dual teachings” void of any reference to the original texts, Vedanta is gone with Neo Advaitins
I agree with the commenter that in the west it is so commercial and Gurus running around calling themselves Gurus / charging so much money for teachings or calling themselves Gods ( sometimes its the hysterical/fanatical devotees who call them all these holy than holier names with no critical inquiry just follow like sheep). Charge in Dharma teachings were always offered free or otherwise a practice of Dhana aka donation giving was accepted( the donations are basically required as per teachings with multi facets of upgrades lol )it’s just so ugly. I learn mostly from books and you tube Chanel like Jason Gregory offers . Thank You
THANK YOU, well condensed !!! We're in a "spiritual supermarket" … DISCERNMENT IS KEY :-) As Shankaracharya said (Yeshua and many others, too :-) … "It's ALL WITHIN", where Atman = Brahman, and WITHIN ALL :-) Blessings, love & light
Well put. The question is just a device to be posited as the purpose or aim for sitting in Dhyana but for which no answer is to be expected or even thought about. Drig Drishya Vivek is a short and helpful text.
Well said - this neo-advaita becomes very masturbatory. I interned at an addiction recovery clinic that taught this new age nondualism… the relapse rates were high because people were doing the lip service, but not the self-reflection, contemplation, meditation, and real world action as a sadhana. In essence, we need to break out of the confines of any kind of system, deprogramming ourselves, and experiencing Life as atma-brahma on our own accord~
What the great understanding, I always upset to see How wrong knowlege about Advaita is spreading in the World, I so glad to hear such clear mind. Hare OM!
I am a female, and I had a spontaneous awakening! I did go mad. I have pulled myself together. I feel as though I am on tight rope, and I could get lost in a world I haven't been prepared for. I am looking for help and guidance but worried about meeting someone with dark intentions. 3 years ago, I walked into a group it took me a few weeks to it was a toxic cult. Please, please, who can I go to.
Just see that Their is no real evidence of the concept of Others! No one to find or look for. You already are everything pretending to be nothing, just learn to enjoy it all, every part.
Even a charlatan can be a guru to those who have true mumukshutva...the guru is anything that puts you on the path. Know that all is one...be not a seeker...you are what you seek...just be.
both studying old Indian scriptures and having neodvaitan nondual teachers are just super, can't see any contradiction. i can't see so much difference either, it is not some sort of mystical game, where is there to go? And if you get stuck, who is there to blame?...good evening!
Consider reading the authentic teachings of Sri Bhagavan directly, for example, his wonderful book called "Who Am I?" and study with a true devotee of Sri Bhagavan to learn about Atma Vichara. Sri Bhagavan's teachings on Atma Vichara are utterly different than how it's presented here. He taught a very clear sahana and there's little relationship between Neo Advaita and the authentic teachings of Bhagavan. Self-investigation is not a mental practice to wallow in the Ego, but the direct path to the Self. Michael James, a foremost translator of Sri Bhagavan's Tamil and Sanskrit writings, may be of use. Sri Bhagavan wrote very few texts, which, if properly understood and studied and practiced, can lead us to an authentic practice of his teachings and to the dissolving of the Ego, thus allowing us to be the happiness and love which is our true nature, Atma Swarupa. (The books which record his teachings to devotees, like Talks, have far less value.) "Ulladu Narpadu" and "Guru Vacaca Kovai" as examples, as is "Who Am I?". Om Namo Bagavate Sri Ramanaya.
Thank you for sharing this perspective of Neo-Advaita. I’ve been questioning myself as to which path to take to go deeper into to that which I am as, as you state, I’ve started getting the impression of going round in circles; chasing my own tail in analysis. Reaching that state of empty spaciousness does however seem necessary, at least to me, in order that more light may enter. And in that I welcome it as an opportunity and not a problem. In gratitude; it is done.
i would strongly suggest people to read jiddu krishnmurthi . ones u read him and understand him ,u will get to know why he rejected all techniques and books
I agree with what you say. I'm not a follower of Eastern traditions. I am a disciple of Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov and I follow a tradition of spiritual meditation based on Christian esotericism. For some time I was interested in the teachings of a Neo-Advaita guru here in the south of Portugal who is very well known throughout the world and I came to practice some of the methods he taught for searching for who I am and also inner silence. I felt that I was becoming very indifferent to the world, empty and cold. Contrary to what my Master Omraam taught me. I stopped following Neo-Advaita and meditating to follow the principles of Christ: "No one goes to the Father except through me." In other words, to be like Christ: meditating on emptiness is not enough. You have to be compassionate, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, doing good. As you say, the work of meditation must be accompanied by the Holy Scriptures or a Guru who leads us to God through spiritual study.
Truth cannot be claimed by any kind of private club, whether it's called “Advaita”, “Neo-Advaita” or any other label. It is not the possession of any particular guru, doctrine or tradition. Each person will cherish the books or traditions that most resonate with their own understanding. They will value the masters and authors who have most helped them to clarify their own experience. Everyone does their own underlining in the books they read. Our own direct encounter with reality will always be the ultimate judge of truth. Trust your own perception of reality. Remain open to the mystery and the unknown.🌼
Much needed. I started by listening to Eckhart tolle and got into the teap of Spiritual Self help for over 15 yrs... Wish I was receptive to this message back then... Thank you
I love eckhart tolle. He's very good. His book, the power of now, got me out of feeling suicidal. And it started me on the path of hinduism and Buddhism.
@@alvinyong9370 Great to hear it... Just that I was too unconscious that I made Enlightenment into a superhuman goal (inspite of Eckhart calling it out) and ended up stagnating my progress for a long time. In context of this video, if one goes by only one aspect of spiritual practice and ignores or worse demonises the practical aspects like I did, it can be hard.
Understood what is neo advaita but still didn't get what more is needed to attain brahma Vidya. Would appreciate if you could make a sequel or point me to a video of yours that discusses what else will take me beyond the neo advaita trend. Thanks Jason.
Thank you I started with Neo Advaita and was stuck for like 6 years. I have it up and started visiting the Vedanta Society of NY. Started learning real Advaita Vedanta and I have been having major breakthroughs. Neo Advaita imo should just be the most basic intro for westerners and if you want to take this serious go to the real thing.
I agree, and I would also suggest that 99% of all religious or spiritual practice is this way. Society in general is stuck in the preliminary stage life it self, while consciously believing this warmup is the only goal. This is why human progress is stunted. We are scared to expand beyond the known. Loss of culture, loss of language, loss of rights of passage. Reduced to children in adult bodies.
Great topic. I suspect that many neo-Advaita followers only have an intellectual understanding and that their subconscious still operates like a separate ego. The intellect is like the tip of the iceberg and the subconscious the iceberg below the surface. And then what ancient teachings I believe do is to also address the subconscious and not only a surface intellectual understanding.
I strongly suspect followers of neo advaita are also students of advaita vedanta. Do you know of any neo advaita student who says my teacher told me to only follow neo advaita? So I don't really see any problem with neo advaita
@@alvinyong9370 Followers of for example Tony Parsons I see as a kind of extreme form of neo-Advaita, but okay they may not even see Parsons as a spiritual teacher and not call themselves followers of neo-Advaita.
@@Anders01 wow. Tony parson is the only one person I know who REALLY understood the Heart Sutra (the highest teaching in Buddhism) and the Tao in tao de ching.
@@alvinyong9370 Only intellectually in that case, because it says in the Tao Te Ching: "Can you make your body as supple as a newborn child?" Tony Parsons doesn't seem to have reached that level of subconscious transformation.
I can relate to this from another perspective: I have been in psychotherapy for over a decade (on/off) and also outside therapy analysed myself up to the point of nearly going crazy. Never aware of the "one" that is analysing or thinking these thoughts. Just decomposing the ego and trying to find my self in its pieces. That is a trap and I am glad that period is over.
As a man thinks so he becomes. We should also remember that the universe “out there” is only ourselves. If you look at for instance yoga. 25 years ago it was very much about asanas. But now because Yoga itself is happy to take root through any of it’s limbs. Many of those who did the practice then grew into deeper understandings of the relationship of mind body and spirit. It is built into even the most cursory practice because it also works on the truth of the nervous system and unconscious. When someone of your great mental stature has accumulated knowledge that is so refined one also has to live in the reality of the truth. See the universe as you want to see it and remember to count yourself as one who deserves the grace of enlightenment. There comes a responsibility to love the world, love all you see. Maybe they are not under fake gurus, but each of these relationships will be the collection of ignorance to be dispelled when they stand before the true guru within. You cannot attain the truth without light acceptance and happiness. Who are we to be more serious than God?
There is a practise I do and it is this. Just ask the question once only, who or what is seeing, hearing, touching and thinking? Then just listen and wait for the answer. If a thought, emotion, feeling or sensation arises, just discard it and continue to listen and wait. You can do this when sitting, walking, shopping or doing mundane things such as the housework. Sometimes a shift in persepctive occurs and sometimes not.
Inquiry consists in retaining the mind in the Self. Meditation consists in thinking that one’s self is Brahman, existence - consciousness - bliss. -Sri Ramana Maharshi
My experience with meditation is thinking is not involved and I have no idea of any outcome because any such are just conceptions. "Another of the group asked: How are lust, anger, acquisitiveness, confusion, pride and jealousy overcome? Ramana Maharshi: By dhyana. Questioner: What is dhyana? Ramana Maharshi: Dhyana is holding on to a single thought and putting off all other thoughts. (Dhyana is the last limb of Patanjali's 8 limb system.) Questioner: What is to be meditated upon? Ramana Maharshi: Anything that you prefer. Questioner: Siva, Vishnu, and Gayatri are said to be equally efficacious. Which should I meditate upon? Ramana Maharshi: Any one you like best. They are all equal in their effect. But you should stick to one. Questioner: How to meditate? Ramana Maharshi: Concentrate on that one whom you like best. If a single thought prevails, all other thoughts are put off and finally eradicated. So long as diversity prevails there are bad thoughts. When the object of love prevails only good thoughts hold the field. Therefore hold on to one thought only. Dhyana is the chief practice.
It's not always bliss that is the end goal of any practise. A baby is ignorant and doesn't have the full potential to experience thoughts with a diverse spectrum. It's life is devoid of guilts and regrets. But a fully grown human has gone one ride, goes through all thoughts. He wants to escape them and feel at peace. That's the reason they choose drugs to get bliss. The other ones use spiritual practices to choose bliss. The nature of bliss is, it's not everlasting. For nothing is everlasting here. To stay in that bliss is a concious choice. The will to stay in it. Just like the will to stay in misery or wide variety of emotions. But the trick is to understand it's nature and how much of these emotions your body can withstand. Staying blissed out keeps one non functioning. The ones who shared knowledge will have to come out of it and talk to people from their plane of existence. To let them understand human experience. Spiritual quest never needs bliss or a belief in a divine or universe of any sort. It is happening out of a questioning tendency to a reality in one exists. Searching truth starts from the Dissatisfaction of the tradition and already figured out answers. Only they are capable of figuring out the truth of why does one have to exist or how does one's body is formed or why does it is experiencing the way it's experiencing life. It requires the will to just witness without any will to perform or withhold from performing. That's the only way one can figure out how life/reality is unfolding. That's doing nothing. That's enquiring without biases. Real enquiry doesn't need strong logical efficacy. All this I'm telling if spirituality is considered the quest in figuring out reality unfolding around them. If bliss or finding my real self or whether I'm brahman and eternal, will all lead one into ego trips. Keeps one constantly in ignorance.
A well-known neo-advaita teacher starts some of his workshops by saying, "You don't exist, I don't exist". I am sorely tempted to attend one and pick up his donation box and say "This box does not exist" and then walk out with it
New to the channel? Click here -> jasongregory.org/about/. To get exclusive content and livestream replays, become a member on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jasongregory. You can also support me on Paypal: www.paypal.me/JasonGregoryAuthor. Merchandise available at: teespring.com/stores/jason-gregory. Please hit the thumbs up, subscribe, and comment. Your support is deeply appreciated. Only love for all. Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
Just be and stop thinking, its so simple 😅
You wrong 😂😂
@@pinkifloyd7867 and yet you had to write this message and assert your competitive nature which means you were thinking. Maybe stop the new age nonsense and spiritual virtue signalling because you make yourself look silly.
@docwhammo its freely available in the neo circles.
Enquiry is just questions. "Yoga Vasistha" has the answers.
An essay inspired by Yoga Vasistha : eternal-entropy.blogspot.com/2024/04/oneness-in-spirit-one-in-god.html
Spirituality has been heavily commercialized for public consumptions in the West...
yes, so man believe that they can buy their way into spiritual enlightenment
Feeding the capitalist their own pudding 😅
And money, pursuit of profit, contaminates everything as usual and is most unsuitable for spirituality.
Anything goes to west gets corrupted.
It's all about $$$. Conning people to buy back their birth right. Ramana and Nisargadatta never took payment. These conmen have the briefest glimpse and then turn it into a business. Bad karma.
Lying in hospital bed after a 4 hour operation, feeling blessed to to able to listen to you Jason ,bless you brother.💜🧡🙏
I know that feeling... Jason's words will speed up your recovery☯️🙏🏻☯️
Get well soon !
I pray God for your speedy recovery sir/ madam.
@@Mnlakshmi Thank you ,💜🧡🙏
@@pw4444 you are welcome 🙏
How are you now? Feeling better?
I am from India and pray for world peace and well being of everyone ( all living creatures on the Earth and other worlds).
Please take care.
Regards.
Thats why Sri ramana said there is no jnani without bhakti. If you seek the true self through inquiry w/o sincere devotion you will be stuck. Thats what these western teachers completely ignore.
Which Western teachers, specifically?
I search neo advaita teachers and I was surprise to see listed are some of my favourite teachers like eckhart tolle, Rupert Spira, ramana maharsi, etc. Apart from ramana maharsi I don't believe the other teachers have a guru-disciple program. In other words their teachings are not mean to be complete in itself. They are just authors and speakers. They don't call themselves guru. So I really don't understand why jason is so worked up.
@@alvinyong9370his video is very important. There are some very real and potentially detrimental risks with misunderstanding Advaita. In the context of Neo-A, without the preparation and proper understanding, the seeker can fall into a trap, where they essentially create a “witness” state within the ego/mind while thinking they are touching the reality of Atman. It can lead to psychological dissociation, repression/suppression, absolution from values and responsibility, etc.
It can really lead people astray, all while thinking they are awakened.
@@nicommmmm Thank you for your response. You are right. After doing more research into neo Advaita I realise there is a danger for those who are not ready. And Especially true if neo advaita is the sole practice of the seeker. I've never done self enquiry myself. But I know I'm not the body or my thoughts or feelings. That knowledge alone helps me tremendously in overcoming my ego.
@@alvinyong9370 Totally agree, it is very helpful to have that knowledge. In Advaita terms, discerning between mithya ("unreal", dependent) and satya (real, independent existence). This is a critical part of Self-Knowledge. While at the same time, recognizing that this "relative" existence is also happening. A trap I see in many Neo-A groups is the misapplication of "Who is it that is experiencing this?" as a way of bypassing the mithya-reality.
The greatest flaw with Neo Advaita is that they downplay the role of all Sadhana.
I am a trained Inuit shaman, ya we dont express much in the world. These mind exercises of self inquiry are only the preparation for the experience of Atma or Soul. The preparation is to reveal that the minds need to understand before the experience is not only not necessary, its what's blocking you from that experience. The experience and its familiarity with repeating it, are the real seeking, for within that experience is any point of attention revealed wHoly, the inhabiting of that point of attention. This is Atma, Bliss, Soul, the zero point of Consciousness. Tradition is mountain you leap from and land on with the discovery of your potential in a point of attention. Tradition is not that experience. And a tradition can be as simple as a child's point of attention when wondering, its complexity and understanding aren't what accesses the experience, its orientation of not knowing and anticipation of knowing are its requisites. This is a simple version, but its application is even simpler because you have it as a memory already, and triggering that memory you will recognize that experiences familiarity. So a teaching isn't ever required, just a guide who can trigger this memories familiarity. I know folks love their mental exercise, but LOOK at a baby who finds Bliss in it's simple wonderment, Look at it Bliss, and you will recognize that's what you seek, the Bliss of a wonder fulfilled.
By the way, the science of Bliss is known, maybe this understanding will help you realize, you dont need to understand Bliss, to KNOW Bliss and its repetition
Os Pensamentos são todo o Mundo Físico, Astral e Mental.
Os Pensamentos são como cordas que nos amarram a Manifestação e são por si próprios a própria manifestação.
A prática da Atenção é você mudar sua atenção de um objeto para "outro".
Você vai controlando tudo por meio da atenção, no momento que "vocês cortas algumas cabeças de Ravana", conforme você tira sua atenção das diversas coisas que ela está desviada, você vai perceber algo que sempre esteve lá, você vai perceber uma "luz/sabedoria/Bem Aventurança".
E isso é chamado de Samadhi
Conforme você corta mais cabeças do Demônio mas essa Luz se torna visível.
Quando a Mente vai sendo cortada as cabeças do Demônio, então essa Luz que é Deus também é chamada de Budhi e Sattva.
This is excellent, I never liked Neo-Advita as I just saw a bunch of non duel parrots, but I couldn't put it into words, it was mostly just instinct. This really clarifies things for me.
If one doesn't clarify it, another might be a closer fit, since everyone's expression is different.
You do not stay in the inquiry as the inquiry finally leads you beyond the mind.
Ramana many times said that he was very lucky that he was never entangled in any study of any books. As he said, the books can only give you the indication to find the self.
Not luck but by the grace of Arunachal ( the mountain in Tiruvannamalai) . He praises the mountain in his works which were sung by his disciples to beg for alms. He gives all the credit to the mountain. At one place he mentions that Lord Arunachal by your grace and compassion you stilled my mind and made me realise my true self. Not only him but Vallalar or Swami Ramalingam and Jnana Samabandhar called Arunachal The mountain of light and Mountain of fire or jnana respectively. So , you can affirm that bhagwan Ramana Maharshi's guru was the mountain Arunachal. God bless
@@saharshsingh5864 lucky are his words. Strange affirmation somebody would speak for him and correct him.
Arunachala was Shiva himself said Ramana in very occasions . All men who reach the self is due to Shiva.
"All men who reach the self is due to Shiva" or Arunachala? Are you sure about that? In my humble opinion it was just because of the Self.
Names, concepts and forms like Shiva, Arunachal, a lingam will al dissapear when one realises his true nature. All this concepts are only there to point towards something which cannot be described. Although Ramana felt a very intense pull towards Arunachala i can't believe that he would give all the credit for his Self realisation to this mountain, simply because that creates a duality instead of union.
He also taught the principle of "Ajata" or non-creation. So it would be pretty funny when he would have said something like, that in ultimate truth there is no world at all except Arunachala or Shiva :-) . In Self realisation you become everything and yet no-thing. We tend to take everything literally instead of discerning what is being pointed at.
Taking things literally in combination with philosophy or religion never became fruitfull with Christianity as a great example, many wars are fought by devotees who took things literally without contemplation. It's the same principle as that Ramana kept explaining that he isn't that body/mind but still many devotees where devestated when his body died.
Saharshsing stated "Lord Arunachal by your grace and compassion you stilled my mind and made me realise my true self" I strongly believe that this is not the case, or maybe just a part of the story. His pull towards Arunachala has to be seen in a greater context like many lifetimes, reincarnations and a riping of consciousness before. His pull towards Arunachala since he heard about it triggered something, but that might have been a trigger it isn't the mountain but instead a ripening that took way longer then that. (before the pull towards Arunachala he had a intense fear of death, This also triggered something and might have put things in motion, like the pull towards Arunachala).
But at the same time all the credits can be given to Arunachala as Ramana also taught that all is pre-destined, so his longing and pull towards Arunachala were also destined but again in my humble opinion The Self is the only ONE that can be be given credits as it's our true being/Brahman who writes the script. Arunachala might have been the last "thing" that triggered the last and final chapter to come forward.
Ramana suggested to discard our books and not to cling to it, but Ramana already realized the Self which is different then someone like a seeker.
From my own experience there had been a sudden awakening into my true nature without a longing for it, I needed books in the beginning like the Bhagavad Gita or many other books to sort of explain what happened, i also shopped everywhere else like the course in miracles for example. I shopped around and the ego happily accepted anything that wasn't a threat while at the same time the ego itself became a threat and became destructive (more then it did before) Then the first stage of discarding books arrived and i had to put my trust in the actual experience instead of what the mind had made of it. I have never heard of Advaita Vedanta before until this awakening experience, so i was kinda forced to stick to it as i knew this whas the path destined to follow, then later on i needed more serious books like the Ashtavakra Gita or Avadhuta Gita but they never thaught me some-ting new, instead they affirmed what has been seen in that ultimate experience. Books aren't there to teach us anything anymore but are there to reassure that what has been seen is correct (it goes the other way round)
@@innocenzz The self is not reached because of the self like a hand can not take it self. In this case all creatures would be enlightened right now. The self is reached by destroying the mind with the mind revealing its false nature and when revealed it submerge in the self.
But you can not make that happen. The Buddha said, you can not free yourself, you must be freed. Nisargadatta said help has to come, in this form or that form but help has to come. Christ said knock and there will be opened. Ramana said it will happen when you have the merit. I believe this is always shiva , for all creatures that the calm mind is possible. Shiva not as a believe as you understand it or as a Hindu god. The Hindus just gave the child a name. Shiva , this energy, when it fills the heart the mind is calm. But it is up to shiva.
Ramanna didint know that those books, those gurus/rishies who wrote those books, created thousands of realized ppl, while Ramanna could create none, those books give you the truth "atman and braham are one, all is divine" not Ramanna... there is a reason why India can create 100 times better spirituality and realized ppl- these books/traditions...
As an Indian I do not have any person in my circle who are interested in these kind of talks. Hope I could find someone or even better a Group of like minded people to discuss and study🙏🙏🙏.
Hey! I'm Indian. Yes, we all should meet dude. But I've found simialr ppl - Indians in Chennai, Banglore, kerela, thiruvannamalai, Delhi, Bir, Dharamshala, Mumbai.. You will find your tribe when you put the intention and trust me, Indian people know wayyy more than anyone else.
Don't worry, when you yearn, like minded people will come in your life. Basically rather than discussing, Sadhna Bhakti is vital.
Anubhav is very Personal. One may bcom Pandit by reading all these literature but not Saadhak.
@@chinuchyan4040 So true I want to do Sadhana for my soul's growth.
@@GrowthwinSpace That is so good that you could find people who are interested in such topics.
I’ve been fortunate to have been able to study with swami’s in the Ramakrishna Order for many years. Their knowledge of Vedantic texts is very deep but they never forget the value of Bhakti. They helped me learn how to get outside of my own head and appreciate the way of the heart. While Ramana Maharshi is almost always remembered as a teacher of Atma Vichara he also recommended Bhakti and the practice of surrender. I recommend his Upadesa Saram to learn about his complete path. 🙏
Ramakrishna himself was a great devotee of Maa Kali. So, this separation between Bhakti and Gyan marg is really phony. Premanand ji Maharaj explains it very nicely though his discourse is in Hindi and may not reach the target audience of Vedantists.
After Shree Ramakrishna show me one Swami from the Ramakrishna order who attained self realisation. Sure they have good knowledge of Vedanta but that's all scholarly knowledge not experiential knowledge.
This is why I love the Vedanta Society. They study Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita AND Patanjali Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga 🙏
@VNP16 We don’t emphasize Kriya Yoga, but we do incorporate many tantric influences. :)
@VNP16SRF and YSS focus on Kriya Yoga
Certainly .. glad that vedanta society and its teachers like swami sarvapriyananda exist
But I don't understand what Gurus is the person in this video is referring to..
Yes @@Anu-po5ml
I disagree that you need a detailed understanding of all the Vedanta texts to be able to practice self enquiry. Ramana himself said, “You may go on reading as many texts as you want on Vedanta and they will tell you only one thing realise the self”.
Nisargadatta also said, “The ultimate point of view is that there is nothing to understand. So when we try to understand we are only indulging in acrobatics of the mind. Whatever you have understood you are not. Why are you getting lost in concepts? You are not what you know you are the knower”.
If you have read all the Vedanta texts and it is beneficial to you in practicing self enquiry then that’s ok but I don’t think it’s a necessary prerequisite.
No one asked if you agree or disagree. Why do you overestimate your opinion so much? It must make you so mad to be wrong. Here are some facts from me a Tamil person who grew up with the tradition. Ramana learned the brahmavidya from his brahmin uncles at a young age. Ramana read the scriptures to his sangha every night and recommended them to read them as well. Ramana also read the newspaper every morning. So nothing that was said in this video is wrong, unless you are trying to protect your view of our tradition and or a fake neo teacher. There is only the tradition, the same that Ramana learned and taught. Also just because you use a Nisargadatta quote to back up your false claim doesn't make it correct. You should probably put the work in to understand what we understand on your own instead of reading quotes. Try reading the works of Shankara. In conclusion you do need to understand the Vedanta, unless you think you are better than millions before you or maybe you have a high opinion of yourself. Either way it is strange that westerners can't learn the teachings and always want to take shortcuts. Maybe you need to understand at a beginner level that it is not a competition and the whole guru thing isn't related to your celebrity culture in the west.
Hi Andy. I agree with you that reading all the vedanta text is not the necessary prerequisite to practise self enquiry. However if we go straight into self enquiry we lack the "foundation" such as the basics beliefs of Hinduism and the four yoga namely karma, bhakti, jnana, and raja yoga mentioned in the Gita. Why are those important? Because as human, we are not able to practise self enquiry perfectly 100% of the time. When we lose our focus there's nothing to fall back on. If we start with a broad understanding of the sanatana dharma we can always fall back on our practice of meditation or on our mindset of love and compassion cultivated throughout our spiritual journey, etc. To me self enquiry is like a PhD course. The icing on the cake. But you have to bake the cake first. That's just my thoughts 🙂
@@spiritworld6655 that’s a very angry response to me simply stating my opinion. Who cares if I’m right or wrong and what does it matter?
Let’s be clear if somebody posts a video on RUclips then it is open to people who may have a different opinion. Go practice self enquiry a little more it might help with your anger issue.
@@alvinyong9370 yes I don’t disagree that having a solid understanding of the Vedanta texts would be beneficial
@@andybrown3016 your opinion doesn't matter and you are condescending in your comment, which is passive aggressive so maybe you are the one who needs self inquiry. It is ironic that you say I'm angry when you are clearly aggressive in your comments and also disrespectful to the traditions. New age people like yourself are too idealistic and just want to change things to suit your inherent weakness. Spiritual is also tough and not about the sensitivity of Westerners. Maybe try growing up first before commenting in a cowardly way.
For many years I worked at a spiritual bookstore that hosted speakers on an at least weekly basis. I saw dozens of Western Advaita teachers. After a long time, what I finally concluded was that Western Advaita does not understand causation and how cause and effect operates in a spiritual context. // Thanks for posting this. Very thoughtful and clear.
Do they ignore cause and effect or offer a counter that isnt inline with this spiritual law?
@@inthesky7836 They say it only appears that there is cause and effect.
@@inthesky7836 maybe both the cause & effect are at a fundamental level, within,..& they play out in our external world as well...that is why it is probably said that whatever we experience is nothing but our karma...result of our actions in the form of even emotions, thoughts & actions
People should visit the Shankaracharya mathas in India, like Sringeri mainly. The Shankaracharya’s Dashanaami Sampradaya with an unbroken Guru-Shishya parampara from the time of Adi Shankaracharya (the original propagation Advaita VEDANTA!). Learning and reading the Vedanta and being there in the proximity of a true Guru, one will realise the true value of what Advaita Vedanta has to offer. Not everyone who has a beard and calls themselves a Guru can be a Guru until they know the Shrotriyam and Brahmanishtam.
The problem with the shankara mutts is their rigid brahminical system which doesn't encourage non brahmins to 'learn'. Without the Neo advaitins efforts, you all wouldn't be talking about vedanta now. They brought these out from the clutches of Brahmins
@@Raguram... Sorry but I have to strongly disagree with what you are saying and if you had actually been to the shankara mutts like the ones I mention above, you will be able to ask the people themselves, the ones who learn there. Like a pilot has to train himself into learning how to be fit for the job both physically, mentally and emotionally, so is the process of learning vedas. Every food you eat, every activity you do, alters your state of consciousness, your brain chemistry (for source of this, if you feel our texts exaggerate, refer to western medicine research papers). The practice you follow, affects the ability of you to excel at that task. Like a sprinter cannot expect to live on his whims of eating chips and dips, you are expected to follow certain procedures. Your statements here mentions a very caste-based approach which is contrary to what Sanatana Dharma says. Brahmins are expected to follow the rigid system (and mind you, they follow it, so ANYONE can be initiated into the Brahminical system, as long as they stick to the process) to truly understand the texts in its entirety which is why the rules exist. You may term it however you want according to your political alignment, but if you have never tried it, I am not sure what your are espousing is even true. I can say this because I follow this as a non-brahmin.
@@Raguram... Regarding the point on "Without the Neo advaitins efforts, you all wouldn't be talking about vedanta now. They brought these out from the clutches of Brahmins" shows very Periyar-isque mindset and agenda. Dont spoil the name of Shankara mutts because of some wayward Brahmins. There are many Brahmins who lost their lives to invaders to secure you and those who were not Brahmins. As far as your argument on Neo-advaitins saving the Vedanta, is far from accurate. Advaita Vedanta is a concept and ideology based on unifying principle which was already secured and kept in all the shakti peethas, chatur-amnaya peethas and the other mathas. So Neo-advaitins took it international but didnt fully espouse the vedanta part which makes incomplete knowledge, which is dangerous my friend.
With respect, I think we look and talk about what is right, not what is wrong.
I’ve heard a lot of warnings about Neovedanta but no one ever dares to actually say which teachers/sanghas they’re talking about.
If this is so dangerous, then fine. Have the courage to point the finger and give names please.
I listen to swami sarvapriyananda every day. (On youtube, NY Vedanta Society)
He’s one of the best along with Swami Tadatmananda ji
Me too
Swami Sarvapryananda and Rupert Spira are the best teachers I’ve found.
I had met Swami sarvapriyananda in india when my school ramakrishna mission vidyapith deoghar was celebrating its centenary year he was invited as chief guest there and his lecture was "6 pillars of mind"...
Unfortunately he brings Christianity and sermons on the mound regularly in his talks.
And what am I leads to a thing.
This statement is done due to the misunderstanding of what Ramana means with who am I.
The question should not be answered and does not have an answer.
The question is made to see what it leads too in the self.
Yep! The answer is not that important really
only the mind seek answer
A brilliant breakdown of neo-advaita and its problem! Thank you Jason!
i love to hear your voice getting loud at 11:42 - it has to be said in this manner - thank you ! 🙏
I love you so much man! Thank you for always making videos on outstanding topics!
All is ONE - there is not two!
But to experience this what do you do?
For years I’ve given this lots of thought
I’ve listened to speakers, to what they’ve taught.
Then something hit me, right in the face,
It’s all to do with what we call space!
The universe is infinite - goes on forever you see.
Hubble and James Watt give us pictures for free.
Those photos are magic and pull at the heart
Gazing at them is where you should start.
There’s planets and stars and galaxies and such
But that’s only 5 percent - which isn’t that much.
The rest we ignore, which is our big mistake,
Because we’re missing 95% of the cake!
We all want harmony, oneness and love -
The secret’s around us, down here not above!
Yes the truth is staring us right in the face
To experience ONENESS include the space!
So make this your mission - your daily goal
And with a permanent smile you’ll truly feel WHOLE!
It’s all in the oneness (love’s the same thing)
Get it in your heart and it will sing!
The truth is staring you right in the face
To experience ONENESS include the space!
I have to disagree with you , I know nothing of Advanta , Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita , etc . One Sunday afternoon I spontaneously came to realize that the Me /"I" the Ego was just a thought process and instantly the "Me" was see through ! That was 2 years ago now .There's No me ! I still have no interest in the above studies. Life continues and it is abundantly clear that life go on without a me or an I controlling it. I never learned to mediate and no nothing but this insight has removed all fear of death , and life is just fine as it is nobody here to complain ! Peace and goodwill to all.
I had the same in 2018, happened spontaneously and while the bliss and the selfless state lasted nearly 3 years the mind gradually reconfigured the identity again, because latent tendencies were still present.
Even though a shift happened it is still possible to get caught by the mind again, there is still a final step that needs to be for ultimate realisation, so now I am looking at the Niddhidhyana books, but all this is also arising spontaneously, meditation and self enquiry is important though to identify the deep rooted sankaras that could reboot the I program.
@@chrisc9725 you have fallen into a trap as the Ego has represented it self as the one that has to get to a "final stage! "There's no you " so who's doing the medications,who has to get to the finnish line? "Your already where you are and there's no you to Go any further! Stick to what was experienced " There's no you"everything is just happening without a me or a you to do anything about it.
This apparent happening is occurring without any entities controlling it . this includes a Me or a You. The ego arises here all the time and it does get a long way before it is again realized that this is just another thought process in action."There's no Me"❤️ This manifestation is just a temporary appearance of the one source of everything. Everything is equally this source.
I further wish to advise that I am not in any way claiming to know or be someone with any particular insights on the teachings of Advaita all that is known and stated here is what has happened This insight was very clear and welcome!
@@MachholzMachholz how was thought, sensation and emotion was experienced before and after that realization, I don't mean the presence of an "I", but the presence of non-referential though, sensation and emotion???
@@conexionneuronal8820 everything is exactly the same as before with one main character change! It is clearly "Known" that the character is just a thought process."There's No Me" and emotions and all that stuff is just part of the process , it continues.to be experienced and it is quickly dismissed." I'm not the body nor anything to do with it's functional aspects .I can't be defined and any attempt to label me is corruption of the source!
It’s funny that I had a similar revelation over a year ago. This self inquiry keeps one on a loop. Ramana Maharshi woke up from the fear of dying and going through that “death”. He didn’t get self realized by self inquiry.
The spiritual ego is a real thing. We may think we are spiritual, but we are in another matrix of the mind.
9:00-9:15 "It might be good for that moment in the Satsang, but you can't take it out into your life..."
I've met many people who have learned how to calm their minds in a sterile environment, but don't have a clue how to live calmly and blissfully in the "outside world"
What teachers or saints would you recommend then, and who would you recommend to avoid? I never see this answered by people who make this point, and it would be hugely beneficial
Namaste...as a student/follower of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, I can suggest going to the source: Shri Adi Shankaracharya Bhagavadpada. Even if his teachings can be deep and quite difficult to understand, try with something simple in your daily life like Sadhana Panchakam. Apply it as best of your capabilities and personal reality, remembering that all of those texts were written within a social and cultural context specific to Dharmic cultures like India. Then move on to Atma Bodha, which has beautiful guidance for spiritual seekers. Also, Ramana Maharshi's teachings as a source of Advaita Vedanta for people like us who are living in the 21st century. Begin by reading his fundamental teachings in Be As You Are written by a Western follower (David Godman) in a language that is more suitable for Western minds.
What to avoid? That is a tricky question. But, I won't sugarcoat it. Some names that come to my mind are Mooji, GangaJi, Papaji, Nisargadatta. They are not true Advaita Vedanta teachers. True Advaita Vedanta teachers are very, very, very, rare in this day and age. I've traveled to India for the past 33 years and yet haven't met any true Advaita Vedanta teachers in mainstream ashrams. Not one. And the only ones I have met by coincidence they don't teach to the general public.
I left Christianity, in part, because they tell their followers what to read and what not to read. Hinduism or sanatan dharma is not a faith based belief. You can Watch everything and learn something. From everyone.
@@alvinyong9370 thank you for your reply Alvin. Love to you on your path 🙏
All spiritual teachers are in error. The ones who help the most appear like mists ( you don't really know who they are) If a man of truth has written a document that becomes popular, it means that scholars/gurus and the like have misconstrued what they said i.e. they are mocking the originator because they are jealous that they do not truly posses what is written and want others to think that they do.
Anything that leads us to become selfish, puffed up, vain and causes us to exclude the "non-awakened" and common person is wicked i.e it is not loving our neighbor as ourself.
Jason never disappoint 🙏
Thank you for pushing for real Advaita Vedanta. May God bless you
Ramana Maharshi was a very special case possibly due to his past lives and good karma. The rest of us have to do the work, prepare our nervous system for samadhi. There are no shortcuts for that, intellectual self-realization is completely different in comparison to a real Self-realization where you actually exist in a state of Oneness.
An old man in a diaper
Nothing more
People projected him as godly
He wasn’t
@@Daneiladams555 How ignorant.
@@BlondeManNoName go ahead and believe what your told, hes enlightened cause people said so
@@Daneiladams555His life was an open book and is well documented, if that's not enlightenment then it doesn't exist
@@rihhard1072 because you listen to other people
There is no way to prove his enlightenment
I think there can be a significant difference in following the "who am I?" vs "what is I?"
My take is,
If "What is I?" Is somewhat uncomfortable, you're on the right path. It should create a sense of discomfort for the ego.
It's wonderful to have someone like Jason Gregory helping out with his vast knowledge of nondual schools. I too hope to get more immersed into spirituality. I did start but it's important to go all the way.
Thank you Jason for sharing your knowledge.
In Buddhist practice this is referred to as having established a clinging to the method. Instead of letting the method act as a catalyst for true insight the mind lack confidence and starts to cling to the method and thus closes the door to what the method was intended to do. The practitioner must be instructed in how to let go of clinging at every moment of the practice. Just like all phenomena also our methods of inquiry must be embraced by letting go as its true nature is empty of any true existence. This becomes especially important to understand and practice wile in any of the four stages of Samadhi. Only if our Samadhi practice is combined with the insight of emptiness does it have the capacity to give rise to the kind of insight and wisdom that liberates us from samsara. According to Buddhist beliefs there’s a lot of beings being trapped in different samadhi-type concentrations for eons without being any closer to being liberated from samsara. This is due to a fundamental lack of understanding of emptiness and thus having established an fundamental clinging to the method of samadhi as the imagined highest state, or goal. Unfortunately, this state is still within samsara and subject to the causes and conditions of karma and will thus eventually wane off and the practitioner will fall right down to any of the lower realms again. It is for this reason it is of outmost importance to only follow a genuine guru that we know encompass the full scope of the teachings, if liberation from the ocean of suffering is our objective and what we strive for.
For a Buddhist to accomplish the state of no-self is only the first step. Full accomplishment of no-self is called Arhat(hood) and is indeed a very high form of realisation. It is said to ensure no more return to samsara but it is not anywhere near full enlightenment or Buddhahood. What must be accomplished alongside the no-self is also the realisation of the empty nature of all phenomena in order to give rise to the full Primordial Wisdom. This is taught in its entirety within the Mahayana schools of teachings. And within the special methods of Varjayana teachings as well. Varjayana is unique in that it is designed to utilise the special capacities in certain students that have the capacity to meditate on the “result” rather than other methods of purifications and accumulations. But only when the practitioner have the capacity to practice on the “enlightened result” in combination with an innate understanding of emptiness will any result arise. In fact, enlightenment or the Buddha Nature is never separated from emptiness, not even for a single moment is it not embraced by emptiness. For us to start to get a grasp on what the Buddha meant with the term “emptiness” we need to study his teachings on Prajnaparamita. In that perspective there’s neither a self, nor a non-self. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Any form of affirmation or rejection is missing the point. True nature of reality cannot be described or be held within any type of conceptual formulation. It is for this reason the Buddha never confirmed the existence of either athman nor Brahman either. The words “Buddha Nature” is only understood properly if the full scope of Prajnaparamita is completely understood. ONLY THEN IS NON-DUALITY an applicable term used as a relevant term within a Buddhist context. A practice of inquiry into the nature of self is a very good start but must be understood to be followed by many other steps and stages if full enlightenment is sought for within a Buddhist context.
Buddhu copied and pasted from Shiva 😂 he was a cheap ass copy
These are words of liberation! My heart dances in hearing them, recognizing itself. Thank you ❤
@@shivas9600 Shiva ? 😂 Who killed his son and then stick elephant head over there 😂🤣 and also give his evidence. 😂😂😂 Ramta.
Thank you for your video. Question: Given there is the idea of some possible human experience you can learn about in books or be taught about it from another person, how could one ever be sure they are subjectively having the experience described in the words in the books, or the personal teaching, especially when the experience is a purely subjective mental state? For example, let's use the more mundane so-called mental state of "contentment." We can see the state described in all sorts of literature, including medical psychology. And there could be books and personal seminars on how to get more feelings of contentment in one's life. But how could any person know if how they have changed when they self observed, was this thing called "contentment " as would be felt by others? With the notion of contentment, at least one could talk to many people at length and start to get a sense of what others were experiencing when saying what they felt. The reason I bring up contentment as an example of a subjective mental state and show its difficultly to nail down in an objective sense, is to then ask how much more difficult it would be for a person to "know" if they are even getting close to an impossible to define "transcendent" mental state? Therefore, all tradition, text, teaching lineage, etc, that's geared to create subjective mental state outcomes, have no means of objective verification. What can be attained and then determined is, if the adherents to certain traditions, texts, teaching lineages, etc, overwhelming report having a better life experience after receiving the correct instructions. For example, people in distress with PSTD and depression report overwhelmingly a better sense of life after having single doses of psilocybin. Obviously there must be a physiological brain effect from the drug causing the subjective reporting of relief. That's what the West has something to offer. The physiological brain effects of the masters claiming "realization" need to be scientifically documented so as to enable more objective sensory feedback to people seeking the same outcome. Imagine in the future a meditating "helmet" a person wears to give them feedback helping guide them to a mental state close to the masters.
This is a really worthy satsang and delineation between Neo-advaita and advaita vedanta..gratitude and namaste
This is very true. Are you experiencing these sage-stages you're talking about past the preliminary inquiry?
I was simply reading an antique book printed in the 1920s, and this page just clicked, and then I got it.
Inner Teachings and Yoga.
Such a great description! I am so grateful for you sharing this wisdom and helping to ease the suffering of the world. Deep bow of gratitude to you 🙏
Best way to identify a false guru is if they charge money. God (Brahman, The Absolute) would never put a broker between itself and the seeker. If one cannot find a true guru like Ramana or Nisargadatta or Neem Karoli Baba which is extremely difficult in the west then it's best to follow the fearless path of self discovery the Buddha took himself or just surrender completely and the satguru will appear in any form if your open and humble.
Excellent advise, better to bypass the middle man and go straight to Grace
Thanks for putting my worries that I was unintentionally practicing neo-advaita to rest. And thank you for always pointing us in the right direction. 🙏
I figured it was self-evident that self-enquiry only goes so far… if life is an experience not a thought, then enlightenment must be a state of experience. The lotus doesn’t think about blooming, it just blooms.
@whatever-cn1xx come on… you know! I Brahman, you Brahman, he she me Brahman. Brahman, Brahman-ing, BrahmanRama, Brahman-ology… the study of Brahman! It’s first grade SpongeBob!!
@whatever-cn1xx ruclips.net/video/P1O_cR8WUYA/видео.htmlsi=pheJgOTjHbJywkU5
the only porpese of all nondual teaching is convince you to go inside ...when mind go inside the self is revealded in his pure nature...it dosnt matter if the ego do the inquiry or the self it go to the same no place no time no form awarness
Thank you for a most interesting commentary
Would you have a suggestion what scripture of the Brahmavidya to read first? Which book, which edition, which (Enghlish) translation, etc. Thanks so much.
Thank you, Jason, for clearing the confusion. I totally agree that we must familiarize with *Prasthānathrayi* along with Sādhana.
Great understanding! Beautiful explanation! 🙏🤍🙏
it seems you dont understand Ramana's teaching. Bhagavan never said to ask " who am i ? ", he said to "investigate" who am i . self investigation is keeping attention on " i am" , not the words " i am " , but what the words represent ... the fundamental pure awareness that shines from the heart as " i am " . you should refer to Michael James youtube channel "Sri Ramana Teachings" for a clearer understanding . Michael will be happy to help you with your understanding of the teaching .
Thank you 🙏 I feel that we are our own best gurus! Papaji 🙏Osho🙏 Mooji🙏
Yogananda 🙏 Ramamaharshi 🙏 John Butler I feel are truly enlightened beings on this planet helping humanity awaken from the dream ! Eckhart Toll is good also for guidance on Just being in the present moment. 🙏
I'm learning a lot from your channel about Indian mysticism ! 💕🌹🕊
Yup. They are very good teachers. Every teacher specialised in something. I learned a lot from them as well as other advaita teachers. Btw I also listen to Christian sermons, Catholic mystic, kabbalah teachers, mahayana and theraveda monks and nuns, read sufi rumi poetry, etc. They have ALL helped me become a better person
✨🙏✨
I have read a lot about non-dual Advaita Vedanta and practice meditation daily. Now all the books sound to me in this one non-thought that directly expresses the essence: the Absolute lies beyond knowledge and ignorance, there where not knowing corresponds to knowing the essential, the Parabrahman.
very well spoken. Thank you! Very important information.
We could also read the Upanishads every day for life but without a practice we're just reading a book.
"When the Great Reality is not known the study of the scriptures is fruitless; when it is known, the study of scriptures is also fruitless"
Whatever gets you there, that\'s the best path for you. Sometimes it's back to front.
There’s gotta be an online way to learn those texts? Does anyone know any online sources or channels to go beyond the who am I without too much unnecessary info?
I agree 100%, Advaita Vedanta and yoga have gone down the same ridiculous path. Advaita Vedanta has been down graded to “non dual teachings” void of any reference to the original texts, Vedanta is gone with Neo Advaitins
Remaining silent without thought is the All. (Sri Ramana Maharshi)
Be the unchanging witness of the changing mind, it will be enough for you! (Nisargadatta Maharaj)
@@MaryGwenDungan Yes, move to the Thought Observer.
I agree with the commenter that in the west it is so commercial and Gurus running around calling themselves Gurus / charging so much money for teachings or calling themselves Gods ( sometimes its the hysterical/fanatical devotees who call them all these holy than holier names with no critical inquiry just follow like sheep). Charge in Dharma teachings were always offered free or otherwise a practice of Dhana aka donation giving was accepted( the donations are basically required as per teachings with multi facets of upgrades lol )it’s just so ugly. I learn mostly from books and you tube Chanel like Jason Gregory offers . Thank You
What expect from gods salesman. That's why we don't believe in God. Only humanity.
Great explanation!
THANK YOU, well condensed !!! We're in a "spiritual supermarket" … DISCERNMENT IS KEY :-) As Shankaracharya said (Yeshua and many others, too :-) … "It's ALL WITHIN", where Atman = Brahman, and WITHIN ALL :-) Blessings, love & light
The most important video on RUclips
Well put. The question is just a device to be posited as the purpose or aim for sitting in Dhyana but for which no answer is to be expected or even thought about. Drig Drishya Vivek is a short and helpful text.
Well said - this neo-advaita becomes very masturbatory.
I interned at an addiction recovery clinic that taught this new age nondualism… the relapse rates were high because people were doing the lip service, but not the self-reflection, contemplation, meditation, and real world action as a sadhana.
In essence, we need to break out of the confines of any kind of system, deprogramming ourselves, and experiencing Life as atma-brahma on our own accord~
When there is no self, only bliss remains.
But only bliss is boring and just the beginning of so much more.
What the great understanding, I always upset to see How wrong knowlege about Advaita is spreading in the World, I so glad to hear such clear mind. Hare OM!
You hit the nail on the head Brother...
They make money with ancient teachings,which they contort for material gain! Kali yuga!
I am a female, and I had a spontaneous awakening! I did go mad. I have pulled myself together. I feel as though I am on tight rope, and I could get lost in a world I haven't been prepared for. I am looking for help and guidance but worried about meeting someone with dark intentions. 3 years ago, I walked into a group it took me a few weeks to it was a toxic cult. Please, please, who can I go to.
Just see that Their is no real evidence of the concept of Others! No one to find or look for. You already are everything pretending to be nothing, just learn to enjoy it all, every part.
@larrymans4 thanks 😊
Thank You!
Fascinating…thank you! Once again, leave it to western culture to mess things up. Well done J. 👍🕉
Thanks for the share. I follow Michael James, he's a pure heart and really has worked hard on the transcripts of Ramanaha.
Indeed. He is the preeminent scholar above all others and a gentleman.
Even a charlatan can be a guru to those who have true mumukshutva...the guru is anything that puts you on the path. Know that all is one...be not a seeker...you are what you seek...just be.
The faith of the disciple is fundamental. 👍
both studying old Indian scriptures and having neodvaitan nondual teachers are just super, can't see any contradiction. i can't see so much difference either, it is not some sort of mystical game, where is there to go? And if you get stuck, who is there to blame?...good evening!
Consider reading the authentic teachings of Sri Bhagavan directly, for example, his wonderful book called "Who Am I?" and study with a true devotee of Sri Bhagavan to learn about Atma Vichara. Sri Bhagavan's teachings on Atma Vichara are utterly different than how it's presented here. He taught a very clear sahana and there's little relationship between Neo Advaita and the authentic teachings of Bhagavan. Self-investigation is not a mental practice to wallow in the Ego, but the direct path to the Self. Michael James, a foremost translator of Sri Bhagavan's Tamil and Sanskrit writings, may be of use. Sri Bhagavan wrote very few texts, which, if properly understood and studied and practiced, can lead us to an authentic practice of his teachings and to the dissolving of the Ego, thus allowing us to be the happiness and love which is our true nature, Atma Swarupa. (The books which record his teachings to devotees, like Talks, have far less value.) "Ulladu Narpadu" and "Guru Vacaca Kovai" as examples, as is "Who Am I?". Om Namo Bagavate Sri Ramanaya.
Thank you for sharing this perspective of Neo-Advaita. I’ve been questioning myself as to which path to take to go deeper into to that which I am as, as you state, I’ve started getting the impression of going round in circles; chasing my own tail in analysis.
Reaching that state of empty spaciousness does however seem necessary, at least to me, in order that more light may enter. And in that I welcome it as an opportunity and not a problem.
In gratitude; it is done.
One has to embody the scriptures, not by learning them, but by walking the Path.
Beautiful important share thank you 🙏🏽
i would strongly suggest people to read jiddu krishnmurthi . ones u read him and understand him ,u will get to know why he rejected all techniques and books
*_Thank you for keeping the original tradition safe. ❤_*
Well said. May God bless you.
Beautiful explanation
I agree with what you say.
I'm not a follower of Eastern traditions. I am a disciple of Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov and I follow a tradition of spiritual meditation based on Christian esotericism. For some time I was interested in the teachings of a Neo-Advaita guru here in the south of Portugal who is very well known throughout the world and I came to practice some of the methods he taught for searching for who I am and also inner silence. I felt that I was becoming very indifferent to the world, empty and cold. Contrary to what my Master Omraam taught me. I stopped following Neo-Advaita and meditating to follow the principles of Christ: "No one goes to the Father except through me." In other words, to be like Christ: meditating on emptiness is not enough. You have to be compassionate, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, doing good. As you say, the work of meditation must be accompanied by the Holy Scriptures or a Guru who leads us to God through spiritual study.
Thanks for the name of the Bulgarian teacher. Good you kept within our Christian tradition, though many Christian mystics practiced meditation.
The whole “these people have got it wrong” seems to happen within spiritual traditions and movements.
Truth cannot be claimed by any kind of private club, whether it's called “Advaita”, “Neo-Advaita” or any other label. It is not the possession of any particular guru, doctrine or tradition. Each person will cherish the books or traditions that most resonate with their own understanding. They will value the masters and authors who have most helped them to clarify their own experience. Everyone does their own underlining in the books they read. Our own direct encounter with reality will always be the ultimate judge of truth. Trust your own perception of reality. Remain open to the mystery and the unknown.🌼
Such a cool perspective 🤙🫡
Much needed. I started by listening to Eckhart tolle and got into the teap of Spiritual Self help for over 15 yrs... Wish I was receptive to this message back then... Thank you
I love eckhart tolle. He's very good. His book, the power of now, got me out of feeling suicidal. And it started me on the path of hinduism and Buddhism.
@@alvinyong9370 Great to hear it... Just that I was too unconscious that I made Enlightenment into a superhuman goal (inspite of Eckhart calling it out) and ended up stagnating my progress for a long time. In context of this video, if one goes by only one aspect of spiritual practice and ignores or worse demonises the practical aspects like I did, it can be hard.
Thx 4 sharing dear bro! Blessings! 🎉
Understood what is neo advaita but still didn't get what more is needed to attain brahma Vidya. Would appreciate if you could make a sequel or point me to a video of yours that discusses what else will take me beyond the neo advaita trend. Thanks Jason.
Well stated, Jason
Thank you 🙏
Thank you I started with Neo Advaita and was stuck for like 6 years.
I have it up and started visiting the Vedanta Society of NY.
Started learning real Advaita Vedanta and I have been having major breakthroughs.
Neo Advaita imo should just be the most basic intro for westerners and if you want to take this serious go to the real thing.
I agree, and I would also suggest that 99% of all religious or spiritual practice is this way. Society in general is stuck in the preliminary stage life it self, while consciously believing this warmup is the only goal. This is why human progress is stunted. We are scared to expand beyond the known. Loss of culture, loss of language, loss of rights of passage. Reduced to children in adult bodies.
Listening to Nirvana Shatakam, helps you understand the question of ‘who am I’. But one should have a true Guru.
Great topic. I suspect that many neo-Advaita followers only have an intellectual understanding and that their subconscious still operates like a separate ego. The intellect is like the tip of the iceberg and the subconscious the iceberg below the surface. And then what ancient teachings I believe do is to also address the subconscious and not only a surface intellectual understanding.
I strongly suspect followers of neo advaita are also students of advaita vedanta. Do you know of any neo advaita student who says my teacher told me to only follow neo advaita? So I don't really see any problem with neo advaita
@@alvinyong9370 Followers of for example Tony Parsons I see as a kind of extreme form of neo-Advaita, but okay they may not even see Parsons as a spiritual teacher and not call themselves followers of neo-Advaita.
@@Anders01 I haven't heard of him. I'll check him out. Right now I'm studying the bhagavad Gita daily. It is a fascinating book.
@@Anders01 wow. Tony parson is the only one person I know who REALLY understood the Heart Sutra (the highest teaching in Buddhism) and the Tao in tao de ching.
@@alvinyong9370 Only intellectually in that case, because it says in the Tao Te Ching: "Can you make your body as supple as a newborn child?" Tony Parsons doesn't seem to have reached that level of subconscious transformation.
Thank you so much. So true for me.
I can relate to this from another perspective: I have been in psychotherapy for over a decade (on/off) and also outside therapy analysed myself up to the point of nearly going crazy. Never aware of the "one" that is analysing or thinking these thoughts. Just decomposing the ego and trying to find my self in its pieces. That is a trap and I am glad that period is over.
Anxiety of the resurfacing ego can be quelled by perfect surrender to your Ishta Devata. 🙏
very true, Brahman is not individual, soul is illusion. Complete silence is samarpan- complete devotion.
As a man thinks so he becomes. We should also remember that the universe “out there” is only ourselves. If you look at for instance yoga. 25 years ago it was very much about asanas. But now because Yoga itself is happy to take root through any of it’s limbs. Many of those who did the practice then grew into deeper understandings of the relationship of mind body and spirit. It is built into even the most cursory practice because it also works on the truth of the nervous system and unconscious. When someone of your great mental stature has accumulated knowledge that is so refined one also has to live in the reality of the truth. See the universe as you want to see it and remember to count yourself as one who deserves the grace of enlightenment. There comes a responsibility to love the world, love all you see. Maybe they are not under fake gurus, but each of these relationships will be the collection of ignorance to be dispelled when they stand before the true guru within. You cannot attain the truth without light acceptance and happiness. Who are we to be more serious than God?
There is a practise I do and it is this. Just ask the question once only, who or what is seeing, hearing, touching and thinking? Then just listen and wait for the answer. If a thought, emotion, feeling or sensation arises, just discard it and continue to listen and wait. You can do this when sitting, walking, shopping or doing mundane things such as the housework. Sometimes a shift in persepctive occurs and sometimes not.
Inquiry consists in retaining the mind in the Self. Meditation consists in thinking that one’s self is Brahman, existence - consciousness - bliss.
-Sri Ramana Maharshi
My experience with meditation is thinking is not involved and I have no idea of any outcome because any such are just conceptions.
"Another of the group asked: How are lust, anger, acquisitiveness, confusion, pride and jealousy overcome?
Ramana Maharshi: By dhyana.
Questioner: What is dhyana?
Ramana Maharshi: Dhyana is holding on to a single thought and putting off all other thoughts.
(Dhyana is the last limb of Patanjali's 8 limb system.)
Questioner: What is to be meditated upon?
Ramana Maharshi: Anything that you prefer.
Questioner: Siva, Vishnu, and Gayatri are said to be equally efficacious. Which should I meditate upon?
Ramana Maharshi: Any one you like best. They are all equal in their effect. But you should stick to one.
Questioner: How to meditate?
Ramana Maharshi: Concentrate on that one whom you like best. If a single thought prevails, all other thoughts are put off and finally eradicated. So long as diversity prevails there are bad thoughts. When the object of love prevails only good thoughts hold the field. Therefore hold on to one thought only. Dhyana is the chief practice.
It's not always bliss that is the end goal of any practise. A baby is ignorant and doesn't have the full potential to experience thoughts with a diverse spectrum. It's life is devoid of guilts and regrets. But a fully grown human has gone one ride, goes through all thoughts. He wants to escape them and feel at peace. That's the reason they choose drugs to get bliss. The other ones use spiritual practices to choose bliss.
The nature of bliss is, it's not everlasting. For nothing is everlasting here. To stay in that bliss is a concious choice. The will to stay in it. Just like the will to stay in misery or wide variety of emotions. But the trick is to understand it's nature and how much of these emotions your body can withstand. Staying blissed out keeps one non functioning. The ones who shared knowledge will have to come out of it and talk to people from their plane of existence. To let them understand human experience.
Spiritual quest never needs bliss or a belief in a divine or universe of any sort. It is happening out of a questioning tendency to a reality in one exists. Searching truth starts from the Dissatisfaction of the tradition and already figured out answers. Only they are capable of figuring out the truth of why does one have to exist or how does one's body is formed or why does it is experiencing the way it's experiencing life.
It requires the will to just witness without any will to perform or withhold from performing. That's the only way one can figure out how life/reality is unfolding. That's doing nothing. That's enquiring without biases. Real enquiry doesn't need strong logical efficacy.
All this I'm telling if spirituality is considered the quest in figuring out reality unfolding around them.
If bliss or finding my real self or whether I'm brahman and eternal, will all lead one into ego trips. Keeps one constantly in ignorance.
Exactly what Maharishikaa Preeti criticizes about neo-advaita
Good insight ❤
Thank you so much Jason 💓 💗 💛
A well-known neo-advaita teacher starts some of his workshops by saying, "You don't exist, I don't exist".
I am sorely tempted to attend one and pick up his donation box and say "This box does not exist" and then walk out with it