Somebody described Anette as delightful and she certainly is. As well as funny, down to earth, light and someone who walks her talk. Really enjoyed this interview, I love how you have so many creative sides to you Rick and can adapt yourself to different people, result being that they shine. I hope she comes to London soon.
Measuring ones growth in relationship to how much resistance we experience and express is an excellent focus of attention. To focus on ones "level" of Awakening is best recognized as a form of resistance itself.
"Gratitude is the gateway to allow higher consciousness into our lives." There is now a consensus among awakening folks that oneness enters into our lives via the heart as a direct experience more so than via the intellect. This seems to be the uniting power of higher consciousness, because even the humblest among us has a heart and with it the ability to express gratitude and have the experience thereof. The mind is more a tool which processes and relays experience. Rarely have I come across an awakening person who manifests the serenity and beauty of higher consciousness on so many levels and I have to include her physical beauty in this as well. It is as if God has designed her specifically to deliver his message appropriately. Thank you Rick and Anette.
So happy Rick, that you've been able to interview Anette. (I first became acquainted with her about 5 years ago, after being introduced myself to the Oneness Deeksha in 2008.) From my own experience over the last 45 years of extraordinary encounters with awakened folks, mentors, teachers, the quality of the ordinary, and enlivened, light hearted and shining energy is a clear demonstration of an expanded awareness. It is particularly lovely that this interview was just a day before Sri Amma's Birthday, yesterday (in India 8/15) 💗💗💗💗
Very nice interview Rick, this is one of my favorites. She is a delightful, funny, insightful person who rings with truth. I love her explanation of awakening- like a builting with the different levels, personal growth and percieving reality in different ways as growth and realization takes place. She has a way of making one feel right at home.
Anette seems sincere, perhaps a little on the light side. Kalki Bhagavan from Oneness university is not an ashram but run as a cashram! Can we ask where is this mass enlightenment he predicted? Please read Timothy Conway for more information on Kalki and his many dealings.
I enjoyed watching this because everything about Anette is lovely, attractive and enchanting. I believe that she has found the peace that she radiates and I am always happy to see that humans have the potential to discover this level of happiness. But there is a but. I found the spiritual theatre (flowing lace dresses, sparkly bindi and flowers in the hair) both mesmerizing and distracting. I don't know why this should matter to me, but it does. I have the same visceral response to Mooji these days...the spiritual theatre of scripted satsangs and spiritual robes, flowers, blessing and selling beads and adoring devotees. This seems to be the way of the devotional Bhakti path and as even Anette acknowledges, it is not the path for everyone. It feels like a new and better artificial construct of reality into a literal fairy tale in Anette's case. (I don't think her experience is a fairy tale, but that she costumes to look like a fairy tale princess.) I guess that I worry that I would be substituting one artificial construct for another, albeit more lovely and "spiritual," if I went looking for something in the Oneness Movement? Perhaps we are each wired to resonate with one particular path over another? I am happy that Anette has found such a joy-filled path and this gives me hope for more happiness in my own life. I envy those who are so committed to the Bhakti way b/c they seem quite joyous. I don't know if this way is possible unless one has some kind of transformative, heart-opening experience. But thankfully there are other ways, too.
Well this isn't exactly Nissargadatta formless, nameless, reality, beyond all perception, the realm that is "beyond all qualities". Given this, I found her incredibly sweet. She dwells in the realm that is at the edge of form, that of Presence, of Light, and Being. And this realm is best known through the heart, not so much the head. I like her definition of the "levels of awakening", by sensing one's own level of resistance to what is going on. I think it's a definition more relatable in terms of ordinary human life. For the meditation / exercise at the end, I found my heart spontaneously sending her blessings. Her's is a different kind of realization, but I think one that most Bhaktas would understand.
Hmm, I think Nisargadatta would say that "formless, nameless reality beyond all perception and beyond all qualities" IS "Presence, Light and Being" (satchitananda in sanskrit). Nisargadatta only advocates turning off "the head", and also advocated bhakti, doing devotional singing every day.
Rick, you got some ad time, nice, This is the first time I saw an ad on a BATGAP interview. I hope that you can generate some revenue it's certainly well deserved.
OK, I guess I did luck out because I've watch a couple hundred of your interviews on youtube by now. Always interesting and sometimes beneficial. Job well done. Thanks
I loved hearing about the experience in the light and the jokes with the light beings. I had a similar experience a year or two ago. I don't think these comments let us write very much so I won't be able to go into detail, but it I can relate to falling into darkness and then moving into the light. I mentioned it to my teacher at the time and his response was "well it's not the awakening I'm pointing to, but it's nothing to sneeze at" which really offended me! I wanted him to tell me I was awake :p . Haha, it's so funny looking back on it, but he's right. It seems more like a byproduct of awakening than awakening itself. Still very profound and beautiful though!
I was find it funny that Rick was speechless for most of the interview ( Like I was ) . Normally he talks more than his guest. Haha. But at that point, he himself made a mention of that. Great interview. Great experiences. I never believed in Diksha before, because every tom dick and harry, had a kind of a ego that he had recd diksha and so, was more than normal human. We also receive blessings from our Swamiji, but that is something normal and not regarded with any value. But this interview, is making me think into accepting Diksha also, as an event, though 'another' experience. I enjoyed her story and her accent. Very sweet.
As per Hinduism the spiritual experience come through divine GRACE at a time, place and occasion decided by the Divine. Same thing happened to ANNETTE. Prerequisite for this is inner yearning, faith and patience. Annette, listened to you and it is pleasing to see the abiding grace you are blessed with. There are many levels of consciousness which intermingle and thus cannot be quantified. Quantification is a body and mind activity, whereas spiritual experience denotes a state No Mind Awareness. On path of enlightenment or devotional pursuit there are four types of people. A) those who pray in times of trouble. B) those who want material worldly gains. C) those who Intellectually seek to know & experience the Divine. D) those who have Experienced and LEAD A LIFE OF KRISHNA/CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS, thus having gone beyond DUALITY. 👌🏼. 👍🏼. 👼🏽 😇
What is strange with humans is, they all want a cure to seeking or unhappiness, rather than know 'who' or what they are. Let us say, I am cured at the level of my body and at the level of mind. After that what. What is existence all about?. Is it just an event that can sponsor mystical experiences amongst other normal daily experiences of unhappiness? Or are we just supposed to sit back as a witness and enjoy the unfolding of creation, or is there more to that and why?
Beliefs, delusions versus reality and direct experience ============================================= I think problem regarding belief, delusions versus reality and direct experience is much deeper than it appears on the surface. I think most people in the society don’t realize this fundamental issue and don’t pay close attention to it. I think even many well educated people who consider themselves smart and intelligent don’t realize it and don’t pay attention to it. I think even many people who consider themselves spiritual don’t realize it and don’t pay attention to it. I think even many people who consider themselves realized don’t realize it and don’t pay attention to it. What is that problem? The problem is that Many People DO INDEED experience things differently. Their DIRECT Experience itself is INDEED different. If it is HARD to understand it… (Is IT hard to understand it?)... consider the case of people with schizophrenia and many other mental illnesses. Do you think these people experience things differently? Now, consider the fact that more than 78 million Americans take psychiatry related drugs according to the published data. Now, consider the likelihood that even among the people who are more or less “normal” and who aren’t prescribed medicine there is indeed a variation in how they directly experience things. The problem often comes when you challenge someone’s DIRECT experience… simply, because YOU don’t have that experience and because, it is NOT yet fully researched, understood and accepted by the medical/scientific community. Some people claim to have DIRECT experience of angels. I don’t have such experience. What CAN I do? I have to challenge that as a belief or delusion - correct? But, what the person who REALLY does have that DIRECT experience should do - roll over and accept what I say? One day I suddenly woke up and in my direct experience, I could no longer feel/experience/sense my own body. It was as if the body had become SPACE. It was as if I was very HIGH on alcohol or drugs (have you ever been Very HIGH on drugs? If yes… perhaps, you can relate to my experience). That experience of ‘bodiless ness’ has persisted. I literally became SPACE - but, only internally - in the mirror, I still see a human body. Only the inner experience changed. I am still fully functional but, my body experience has dramatically changed. It is as if I am ‘bodiless’ literally. It is as if the real human being, the real person died and a ghost entered the body - in fact, sometimes, I do think that maybe, that’s what happened really. Perhaps, that person really, literally died that day and something else entered. is that possible? How would I even know? Internally almost everything changed that day, as if I became another human being. Why? How? I still don't know. How many people really have had this ‘bodiless ness’ experience. I don’t know. What you think? How can I really explain this to someone who hasn’t had this experience (those who have taken potent drugs and have been really HIGH and OUT can perhaps understand it). What if someone calls this my delusion - should I roll over and just accept? But, what can those who haven’t had this experience do - just accept what I say about it? Does that make sense to you?
What should a blind person do - call our description of light and rainbow and flowers a mere delusion? What should a blind person do - ‘blindly’ trust our description of colors, light, rainbow, mountains and flowers and assume that we are speaking truth? What should a blind person do - go by by the popularity and majority - if many people say it is so then it must be so? In my view, what might make some sense is to consider that to some extent... each of us human beings (and other creatures too) (and, perhaps, also all other things too)... experience quite a different universe and a wide agreement and reconciliation might not always be possible. In my opinion, the best we can do is to focus mainly on MY (our) experience and realize that it is MY own personal experience (and, it might not be necessarily shared by others) and be kind, respectful to others and their experiences, perceptions and explanations to the extent possible and realize that agreement might not always be possible. How can a blind person really, honestly agree with a person with eyes and vision? Now... ask yourself THIS question: Is it possible that in some area, I (you) am still blind... i.e. Is there something that I (you) might just not be able to see? Is it possible that you (I) will remain ‘blind’ i.e. not be able to see… in some area … forever? What can you (I) do about it? Best I think I (you) can do is be kind and respectful, when possible.
TOA, your rambling description of your experience is something you feel the need to share with people you do not know. Why? Your reference to "I, me, mine, your, etc. reveals that your experience has not liberated you and left you confused. Worrying about sharing experiences usually leads nowhere. I suggest you stop meditating and worrying about your condition, give it up for a while.
"TOA, your rambling description of your experience is something you feel the need to share with people you do not know. " My Love. Everyone that I have ever known in my life was unknown to me at some time. I am glad to know you dear Alex! How are you doing buddy?
"Your reference to "I, me, mine, your, etc. reveals that your experience has not liberated you" That is fine, buddy. Who wants to be "liberated"? Not me, buddy. How are you, Alex?
"Worrying about sharing experiences usually leads nowhere." That is OK, buddy. I am not going anywhere... (will take a walk in 15 minutes). Thanks for reading.
Rick, what are your thoughts on the legitimacy or spiritual safety of receiving deeksha/divine energy transfer from the oneness movement? After your interview with Anette, I decided to google "Oneness university review" and found multiple search results that detail very dark/disturbing things about the movement and its founder. Apparently a lot of close followers and some leaders left the movement because they did not feel that the energy that was transmitted via deeksha is from a divine source. A lot of folks left drained and sensed something was wrong after recieving diksha. The exact language I read is " The source of the diksha energy is from aliens in the 4th or 5th dimension, and they are hi-jacking the upper chakras of the recipient. Through this hi-jacking they gain access to take energy from human beings"
After the interview, someone brought my attention to a long critical review on www.enlightened-spirituality.org/deeksha_oneness.html. The author of it is a friend of mine. I also have good friends, especially Eric Isen, whom I've interviewed, who are really into the Oneness group. I didn't read all of the long article, but there's a lot of damning stuff in there. So I don't know what to say. I've never been attracted to it personally, but I know people who have, and they seem to get a lot out of it. I'd approach it with caution, if at all.
Just remember, before she did this interview, she non-ironically looked in the mirror and stuck a fake bindi on her face. #spiritual #thirdeye . I can't get the past ten minutes of my life back, Rick. Thanks! ;-)
Well I guess she never answered whether she experienced a divine awareness throughout all her daily activities, reading a book, sleeping, etc. Perhaps Turiya with waking, dreaming and sleeping sprinkled on top of it. She got off into the 5 rooms, which apparently aren't used too often anymore. So when she talks of the divine experience or happenings in her childhood is this to be taken as ultimate reality or some level that comes and goes. We as people are still in the body with human brains and can experience only what our hormones, beliefs, etc will allow. So these divine experiences are our experiences of what we think is the divine, not necessarily really divine. After all the yogis and Buddhists have been doing this forever, what has it done for India, China, etc. The idea that our purpose here is to experience who we are as the divine may be an ego boosting belief. When maybe we are here just to experience it for its own sake, nothing special.
Yes we are in the body and we are by human brains.We can stay by this fact and live in limit by the mind.When we discover that we are a humanbeing by heart and brain and all kosmos it happen magi.But yes some human decision is to stay in prison oh the mind.Its uo to us to discver that we are more that the mind.Our heart are direct conected by Vortex every moment.You are all that Love,Bliss And Blessing.I We are happy that we have you and all here in this dimension.
50:19 Rick : "Funny this guy calls himself an atheist...........Buddhists sometimes call themselves atheists ..etc. etc" Anette: "We are free to call ourselves whatever we like...as long as we are happy". I have to say a billion trillion "here heres" to Anette's statement. What on earth does it matter what we call ourselves? In fact isn't this one of the root causes of all our problems? If I say "I am a Christian" this usually implies I am also stating "I am not an Buddhist" "I am not an atheist" etc. etc. And therefore you and I (if I am not a Christian)are different cause we have signed on to a belief system founded by someone else. I don't just say this out of some idealistic notion. I say it because I believe the statement "I am a .............. (followed by some or other name) is not just flawed but if actually thought through deeply to its roots is actually at best dishonest and at worst actually an untruth. Superficially of course we are different. But roots we come from the same. Focusing on superficialities is what causes all our problems.
I probably should have said "Funny that he is an atheist". I find it odd that people who have deep spiritual experience can fail to notice that Intelligence is all-pervading.
This kind of "spirituality" always reminds me of the old add for Juicy Fruit Bubble gum ... a packet full of sunshineeeee tralala .... and pink ponies and rainbows and loooove and flower ribbons in the hair .... I bet she attracts a similar audience like good old Mooji - bored women with a father complex and fatherless men raised by a single mum.
Why would I want to do that, she has nothing to offer that I find attractive - no authenticity. just artificial emotionality that is confused with enlightenment.
My impression is that there are different styles and different degrees of enlightenment - but of course that's just an impression... So maybe the ultimate proof of real conscious expansion would be to be able to perform spectacular healing or anything usually deemed impossible?.....
Women from Texas and Orange County, California who are just trying too hard, take note - Her hair isn't pickled, her lips aren't plumped up with collagen, her forehead isn't frozen with botox, her bright red painted fingernails aren't the first thing that walk into a room, and I'm pretty sure she's not wearing yoga pants anywhere and everywhere, 24/7. Best of all, she doesn't talk like a chick-stuck-in-high-school-Trampy-Kardashian. (Insert upward rising inflection here, and at the end of every utterance). A real woman, and true natural beauty, and she'll remain so without any "help" for the rest of her life.
+ana salote Sharp eyes! Okay, I'll concede the Botox, but at least she hasn't gone overboard with the lips puffed up with collagen; or gone under the knife one too many times under an overly enthusiastic, scalpel brandishing plastic surgeon. Have you seen some of those faces on the "Real Housewives of Orange County", my other favourite Spirituality and Religion show? They look uniformly monstrous. Positively terrifying.
I want to know you (real Me)… but, the mind fails. I want to understand you (real Me)... but, the intellect surrenders. I want to describe you (real Me)... but, the words feel like a beggar. You (real Me) are limitless, formless… you are also beyond my grasp. Before you (real Me)... I (mind) stand dumbfounded. I feel so inadequate to describe you, to understand you. Before you, I feel like a fly trying to cross the pacific ocean. I feel like like a fly trying to describe the width of the pacific ocean. In front of you (real Me), I stay surrendered. What can I say? All my words are inadequate. All my my words are ultimately false because, they can’t describe you. But… how can I stay without knowing you. How can I stay without understanding you. You are the the Most Intimate. There is nothing that is Closer to Me. You are me. How can I (mind) rest… without knowing You (Real Me). Yet… how can I know you? I (mind) feel so small, so inadequate in front of you. All I can really do is surrender. But, that is neither here nor there.
wow! why did you have to show off your amazing knowledge (again) at the end when she made a beautiful artistic interpretation of the "purna" mantra. Yes rick it means fullness of all etc.... She was so gracious in complimenting you too. Showed her spiritual maturity. You showed your adolescence. btw---yes u r doing great bringing us all these interviews but tone down the showing off while stepping on your guests comments would ya---we want to hear them not you Rick.
Strange....That's the only thing that comes up, watching this beautiful woman telling...these weird tales. ( nobody but her husband, when she had here baby...in Sweden of all places) . Can't make head nor tales of her stories. i stopped half way...ah well. Not my "cup of tea"
