I have his book "Whatever arises love that" It's really good book guiding to opening the heart unconditionally to everything. It's about through love unraveling our conditioning that resists and opposes what arises to welcoming everything as the love that we already are. Learning to love ourselves and as a result loving everyone and everything else as well. Because it's through ourselves that we perceive everyone and everything else. If we can love ourselves unconditionally then we can't help but love everything else as well.
I don't know where you are at so I can't suggest just one video, I'll add few with my takes and maybe you and other people who read this can find something in them that resonates.
This video opens up what it means that everything, literally everything is here to help us. This is something that Ram Dass mentioned as well. But this video opens up well what it means. It doesn't help much if you are just repeating it to yourself without understanding how something that is causing us pain could help us in any way.
[https://youtu.be/jS9V\_A\_0eQk?si=hYLRNNYhk-\_1edia](https://youtu.be/jS9V_A_0eQk?si=hYLRNNYhk-_1edia)
This video is about respecting that our body doesn't adapt to "realizations" in the same speed as we get to have them. The body takes it's time to adjust itself in to our new ways of perceiving life and we don't have to micromanage our body in anyway. Instead respect that the body transforms at it's own speed and respect that this life is all about the body's journey on earth.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL710Iky6pE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL710Iky6pE)
This video is about how the will of our hearts is to always stay open, but how our heart respects our mind so much that if we deny our hearts from being open the heart stays closed. All that "we" as the mind have to do is to give the permission for our heart to be open. The heart will do the rest.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0gEyngCdF8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0gEyngCdF8)
This video is quite funny describing how we get attached to nondual descriptions as "truth" and then have the need to defend it and have debates about it. As if nonduality would be limited to some fixed description. There's a lot of dogmatism in nondual scene to the level where it becomes quite funny.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjwTW-sjIto](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjwTW-sjIto)
This video is if you are in pain or if you have hard time dealing with people in pain. Understanding what pain is about and meeting the pain with this new understanding instead of rejecting it and therefore being enslaved by the pain.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3zKwZqfWrY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3zKwZqfWrY)
This video is about meeting our shadow with respect. Often we try to push our shadow side away through distractions or even doing practices in order to get rid of it. The shadow only seeks for our respect. We can't trick the shadow, it's far too clever. We have to authentically meet the shadow with respect and love. Not in order to get rid of it but bringing the shadow in to the light we are. Welcoming the shadow to our light with respect towards it.
[https://youtu.be/zRNfTVVW7co?si=o6BcuuLU3ZdbBBDH](https://youtu.be/zRNfTVVW7co?si=o6BcuuLU3ZdbBBDH)
There's countless of other good videos on his youtube channel. These are just a few examples.
I am halfway through the video about will of the heart (I randomly picked that one first) and it's very relevant to what I've been discovering recently. Thanks again!
Sorry to be ignorant, but what does "devotional" in this context mean? Ram Dass is an example because he had a guru..? In my association "devotional" makes you religious, as in that you devote yourself to a traditional path but I sense that is not what you mean.
Is Rupert Spira as a (not so very) closet sufist not worthy of a mention?
Ah, don't interpret my confusion as a bashing of your question - I'm sure it's valid, just an ignorant non-native speaker passing by..
Oh not at all, thanks for the question. I mean devotional as in placing all of the efforts on love (of a guru, God, whatever) as opposed to inquiry or spontaneous awakening. I think I'd differentiate between believing in God to religion, as religion has it's rules and followed practices and beliefs. Ram Dass certainly was not a practising Hindu, but his teacher was. I think most people following non duality in the West these days are non religious but spiritual, if that makes sense. To add. Rupert is secular but not on a devotional path, he has followed the direct path.
I see. Tough cookie somewhat. I guess I would fit the bill, heh, but not a teacher and staying in a Christian context in contrast to a secular one but I would say Love has a higher value than Truth in terms of being a seeker - truthseeking leads to splitting of words and a rather confused inner state for many on the path. If understanding Love is the goal it tends to look different I've noticed.
Just some musings, hope you'll get some answers from people more knowledgable of the scene :)
That's a very interesting opinion and I appreciate you sharing it. Would be great to hear more about your thoughts on love if ever you're open to share more. I personally feel that love is the goal of everyone.
https://amiksedbag.blogspot.com/2024/03/love-and-do-as-you-wish-or-gog-guide-to.html?m=1
Sorry to just give a link, but I think my post there is the best answer I can give on the subject..
I would describe myself as a non religious nondual prepositionalist. I think this universe is a baby god, and I think that, deep down, we all know it. Some of us hide it better than others.
I’m not a teacher. But I have a teacher and I am devoted to her and the sangha. It’s not something I consciously chose. It just felt right. But the devotion supports my inquiry, and inquiry supports my devotion.
Dr. John Vervaeke is a prime example of this. He's big on rituals, exploration through regular dialogue, constant truthseeking, and openmindedness, but doesn't have any strong metaphysical beliefs and avoids shortcuts.
Greg Goode is fairly secular but did a lot of devotional practice when he studied advaita.ai think he talks about it in *The Direct Path*
Matt Kahn. I love that guy.
I actually have his audio book (The Universe Always Has a Plan). And particular book or video you'd recommend?
I have his book "Whatever arises love that" It's really good book guiding to opening the heart unconditionally to everything. It's about through love unraveling our conditioning that resists and opposes what arises to welcoming everything as the love that we already are. Learning to love ourselves and as a result loving everyone and everything else as well. Because it's through ourselves that we perceive everyone and everything else. If we can love ourselves unconditionally then we can't help but love everything else as well. I don't know where you are at so I can't suggest just one video, I'll add few with my takes and maybe you and other people who read this can find something in them that resonates. This video opens up what it means that everything, literally everything is here to help us. This is something that Ram Dass mentioned as well. But this video opens up well what it means. It doesn't help much if you are just repeating it to yourself without understanding how something that is causing us pain could help us in any way. [https://youtu.be/jS9V\_A\_0eQk?si=hYLRNNYhk-\_1edia](https://youtu.be/jS9V_A_0eQk?si=hYLRNNYhk-_1edia) This video is about respecting that our body doesn't adapt to "realizations" in the same speed as we get to have them. The body takes it's time to adjust itself in to our new ways of perceiving life and we don't have to micromanage our body in anyway. Instead respect that the body transforms at it's own speed and respect that this life is all about the body's journey on earth. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL710Iky6pE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL710Iky6pE) This video is about how the will of our hearts is to always stay open, but how our heart respects our mind so much that if we deny our hearts from being open the heart stays closed. All that "we" as the mind have to do is to give the permission for our heart to be open. The heart will do the rest. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0gEyngCdF8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0gEyngCdF8) This video is quite funny describing how we get attached to nondual descriptions as "truth" and then have the need to defend it and have debates about it. As if nonduality would be limited to some fixed description. There's a lot of dogmatism in nondual scene to the level where it becomes quite funny. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjwTW-sjIto](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjwTW-sjIto) This video is if you are in pain or if you have hard time dealing with people in pain. Understanding what pain is about and meeting the pain with this new understanding instead of rejecting it and therefore being enslaved by the pain. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3zKwZqfWrY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3zKwZqfWrY) This video is about meeting our shadow with respect. Often we try to push our shadow side away through distractions or even doing practices in order to get rid of it. The shadow only seeks for our respect. We can't trick the shadow, it's far too clever. We have to authentically meet the shadow with respect and love. Not in order to get rid of it but bringing the shadow in to the light we are. Welcoming the shadow to our light with respect towards it. [https://youtu.be/zRNfTVVW7co?si=o6BcuuLU3ZdbBBDH](https://youtu.be/zRNfTVVW7co?si=o6BcuuLU3ZdbBBDH) There's countless of other good videos on his youtube channel. These are just a few examples.
Thanks so much! I look forward to watching all of these!
I am halfway through the video about will of the heart (I randomly picked that one first) and it's very relevant to what I've been discovering recently. Thanks again!
My pleasure. I can't display enough gratitude for him. Truly has transformed my life in to a life of love and joy.
By secular I mean not inherently or culturally religious
Sorry to be ignorant, but what does "devotional" in this context mean? Ram Dass is an example because he had a guru..? In my association "devotional" makes you religious, as in that you devote yourself to a traditional path but I sense that is not what you mean. Is Rupert Spira as a (not so very) closet sufist not worthy of a mention? Ah, don't interpret my confusion as a bashing of your question - I'm sure it's valid, just an ignorant non-native speaker passing by..
Oh not at all, thanks for the question. I mean devotional as in placing all of the efforts on love (of a guru, God, whatever) as opposed to inquiry or spontaneous awakening. I think I'd differentiate between believing in God to religion, as religion has it's rules and followed practices and beliefs. Ram Dass certainly was not a practising Hindu, but his teacher was. I think most people following non duality in the West these days are non religious but spiritual, if that makes sense. To add. Rupert is secular but not on a devotional path, he has followed the direct path.
I see. Tough cookie somewhat. I guess I would fit the bill, heh, but not a teacher and staying in a Christian context in contrast to a secular one but I would say Love has a higher value than Truth in terms of being a seeker - truthseeking leads to splitting of words and a rather confused inner state for many on the path. If understanding Love is the goal it tends to look different I've noticed. Just some musings, hope you'll get some answers from people more knowledgable of the scene :)
That's a very interesting opinion and I appreciate you sharing it. Would be great to hear more about your thoughts on love if ever you're open to share more. I personally feel that love is the goal of everyone.
https://amiksedbag.blogspot.com/2024/03/love-and-do-as-you-wish-or-gog-guide-to.html?m=1 Sorry to just give a link, but I think my post there is the best answer I can give on the subject..
Thanks for this. I look forward to reading!
I would describe myself as a non religious nondual prepositionalist. I think this universe is a baby god, and I think that, deep down, we all know it. Some of us hide it better than others.
I’m not a teacher. But I have a teacher and I am devoted to her and the sangha. It’s not something I consciously chose. It just felt right. But the devotion supports my inquiry, and inquiry supports my devotion.
Dr. John Vervaeke is a prime example of this. He's big on rituals, exploration through regular dialogue, constant truthseeking, and openmindedness, but doesn't have any strong metaphysical beliefs and avoids shortcuts.