Self-inquiry

Подписаться 16 тыс.

Просмотров 14 тыс.

50% 1

Gary Weber and Rich Doyle in a dialogue on self-inquiry...how to do it and what it is, what the "I" is and how it can be understood and seen as a maladaptive evolutionary concept which can be reduced in importance or largely displaced.
Use of subject/object approach to identify what "we're" not. Identifying what changes and what doesn't and finding that "watching" is the ultimate state and beyond the watcher.
Useful links for more information:
Gary Weber
Website: www.happiness-b...
Blog: happinessbeyond...
RU-vid Channel: / gudakesha7
MP3 Downloads: happiness-beyon...
Soundcloud Channel: / gary_weber
Facebook: / gary.weber.528
See happiness-beyon... for more links to interviews and articles and information.
Books
1) Happiness Beyond Thought: A Practical Guide to Awakening
Free Scribd.com version: www.scribd.com/...
Paperback version available on www.amazon.com
2) Dancing Beyond Thought: Bhagavad Gita Verses and Dialogues on Awakening
Free version: happiness-beyon...
Amazon: www.amazon.com (Paperback & Kindle versions)
Video: • Dancing Beyond Thought...
3) Into the Stillness: Dialogues on Awakening Beyond Thought (with Rich Doyle)
New Harbinger Publications: www.newharbing...
Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandno...
Amazon: www.amazon.com (Paperback & Kindle versions)
4) Evolving Beyond Thought: Updating Your Brain's Software
Panel Discussions
Science and Nonduality Conference 2013:
"Filling in the Details": • Filling In the Details...
"What is Enlightenment?": bcove.me/q81mq5iv
Interviews
BATGAP: batgap.com/gary...
Bloggingheads TV: bloggingheads.t...
Secular Buddhist: secularbuddhism...
VoiceAmerica Business: www.voiceameric...
Rich Doyle
Website: mobiused.wordp...
Email: mobius@psu.edu

Опубликовано:

1 окт 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 51

@thespacefrogdigbaby2508 7 лет назад

We are nothing more than spectators watching our own movie, hence we ARE the screen in which phenomenon Arises and dissipates....

@MrReinhardj 9 лет назад

It is not, 'I am the car' but the emotional attachment, the possessive clinging to any such object, isn't it?

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Hi +reinhard j, yes, it is letting go of the emotional attachment to the car, not letting go of the car itself. The car may stay, or go, but once the attachment one has to the car is surrendered, it no longer is something that can cause you suffering. Of course, this extends to everything that you have around you, whether it is relationships, stories, the ego/I, memories, fears, etc. It is helpful if one goes through all of the elements actively, and individually, in a "check list" like in Nirvana Shatakam which Rich and i chant in "Shut up and chant" (and in "Happiness Beyond Thought" - link below and under "Show More" above) and "feels" deeply if you are attached to them. Feel what it feels like to have them in consciousness and then when they are gone, back and forth...that is how much suffering you will feel when they go, which they will at some point in your life, either now, or when you are "dying". you may as well let go of them now. stillness

@MrReinhardj 9 лет назад

Gary Weber Thanks, i see it exactly like that. Instead of merely memorizing spiritual concepts we should be actively surrender all attachments which often are only partly known consciously.

@nondualcafe 9 лет назад

Useful vid, and good discussion on self-inquiry (and nonduality). Cheers.

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Hi Dean P. Great that you found it useful. Thanks for the feedback. stillneses

@ImLehwz Год назад

Hey Gary. Any advice how to deal with dissociation?

@JackHarrison-x5c 8 месяцев назад

yeah - simply investigate the 'validity' of the alleged 'one' who's 'disassociated'. Enquire; ''Who feels 'disassociated?''. Or ''who cares?'' etc. Don't be scared, just keep doing it until all fear and sense of 'disassociation' stops. And it will, if you continue this practice, fearlessly..

@ethanjohnson4130 4 года назад

While you recommend using only one question for inquiry, is it okay to work with the questions "Who hears" and "Who feels/knows this" at the same time? While they're semantically different questions, I find that using the questions in tandem redirects attention away from objects (thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions) back to the "subject" behind all experiences. Your thoughts?

@GaryWeber 4 года назад

Hi Ethan Johnson. They are semantically different, but there are two considerations. 1. Is "Who?" the best way to focus your self-inquiry? Although Ramana Maharshi's first book was titled "Who am I?", IME, it is more open to more distraction than "Where?", "What?" or "When?". Try both "Where am I?" and "Who am I?" and see if there is a difference. 2. Are two questions really better than one for focusing on the egos/Is/Ethans (of which there are hundreds) and deconstructing them? Using more questions is a favorite tactic of the egos/Is/Ethans to distract or weaken self-inquiry to avoid or delay their elimination...they recognize immediately it is a threat. The blogpost "Self-inquiry vs the egos/Is - How it works - the neuroscience @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/self-inquiry-vs-egosis-how-it-works.html shows how it is an ongoing battle of assembling constituencies "pro" and "anti". This applies for not just self-inquiry but for virtually all of our decisions. Try it and see if one isn't more powerful than two. Trust this is useful. stillness

@ethanjohnson4130 4 года назад

@@GaryWeber Thank you for your comment. I found that using "what hears" instead of "who hears" is more productive. My only other concern would be about thoughts during Self Inquiry. Ramana said that "When other thoughts arise, one should not pursue them, but should inquire: ‘To whom do they arise?’" Could the question "To whom does this experience arise/occur" be used (in response to any thought, feeling, sensation, or perception) as a self inquiry question? For whatever reason, the question seems to resonate with me. However, I'm worried that it's not as precise as other questions like "What hears" or "Where am I". Do you approve of "To whom does this experience arise/occur" as a useful question to work with? There are not many teachers who are familiar with this technique, so I am deeply grateful for your response.

@SamPhappalapa 9 лет назад

I can often feel "just watching" until other people appear. At that point I feel somehow solidified (reified?) into a being that they're expecting to exist.

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

HI Sam. That is a great practice. It is also fascinating to see if the same Sam is reified as different relationships manifest throughout the day, or are they different Sams? stillness

@SamPhappalapa 9 лет назад

Gary Weber much gratitude to you for all the work you do

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Sam Phappalapa Great that you find it useful. stillness

@thespacefrogdigbaby2508 7 лет назад

Gary I would be eternally grateful if i could P.M you will a couple of questions regarding my spiritual journey. How can i do this? Namaste 🙏

@GaryWeber 7 лет назад

Hi Spirit Horse. If you look under "About" on my website @ happiness-beyond-thought.com, you'll see my email. i work with many folk 1/1 by email and skype. stillness

@MultiNewman86 8 лет назад

i often doubt if im doing self enquiry correctly. Sometimes after i question 'who hears' or whatever there is a space in thought, but its hard to know if this is because im doing it 'right' or if its because i didnt really even properly enquire. To try to make sure i am enquiring properly, sometimes ill ask other questions i know the answer too ie 'where is my foot?' (attention instantly goes to foot). 'Where is my hair?' (attention goes to hair) 'Where am i?' (...). Am i supposed to ask the enquiry questions in the same manner as those other questions? Does this seem like an adequate check to make sure im doing it somewhat properly? Thanks so much!

@GaryWeber 8 лет назад

Hi Bob. Yes, you're doing self-inquiry correctly. The "space in thought" is what we are aiming for, and it is the answer, i.e. there is no "I/ego" that hears, etc. If you use "Where am I?" or any of the other questions, the same thing happens. The brain is frantically running around trying to find an answer but it can't right away, but it eventually fills something in to make the space go away. That space gets longer and longer the more times you ask the question. Every one of those spaces is useful for the brain as data that it can use to reprogram itself. The brain doesn't want to be stressed, in chaos and confusion, depressed, anxious, etc. and now it has seen that there is an alternative. your clever asking about "where is my foot?", etc. shows the difference...the brain has a ready answer because your foot and hair are "real", unlike your ego/I, which doesn't exist as a permanent entity, only as an ad hoc occurrence. If you do some inquiry like "When am I?", you will see that there are many Bobs, all different, and they change every time you do something different, or meet another folk or arrangement of folk. you're doing it right, just keep doing it, over and over and over again. The brain is using every example, no matter how small. stillness gary

@noahhubscher2926 4 года назад

Wow thank you! I've never understand the questioning of "Where am I?" because I could never answer it, therefore it only confuses me. I Did not realize that the establishment of this "space in thought" is the goal. Interesting..

@christinaguimond1706 3 года назад

Hi Gary, Ramana advises one to maintain self-enquiry even while performing mental activities. Before the “page-turned” for you, where you maintaining enquiry while doing demanding mental activities? This is something which I am currently struggling. If I am studying, memorizing new material, etc., it seems impossible to keep the mind still or do active inquiry. From my perspective, it seems that the mind needs to actively engage with new material for it to be integrated into existing knowledge or understanding related to the topic. I don’t have any problem with enquiry during conversations, even though I realize that is a highly complex task as far as the brain is concerned. Would really appreciate your thoughts on this?

@GaryWeber 3 года назад

Hi Chris. Do self-inquiry for 35 to 50 minutes per day and to put it into your day 5 or 6 times for 2 minutes. The best questions are "Where am I?, What is this?, Who hears?, When am I?". Twice/day is best if you can get it in. Three/day is not as good. Perseverance and focus are the keys to success. Not everyone has that focus and perseverance. Ramana said it requires dedication like having your head held underwater. Trust this is useful. stillness

@christinaguimond1706 3 года назад

@@GaryWeber Thanks for your reply. I am doing fairly steady formal self-enquiry / surrender for 2 hours per day, plus 30 seconds to 2 minutes or so every five to ten minutes most of the day. This seems to happen spontaneously. At times getting into a flow state that makes this process more continuous and effortless. I thought that it was necessary for a seeker to keep effort until there is nonstop enquiry or surrender 24/7? It feels like each day I come at this with all the resources I have, and this work is the number one priority in my life. But it is far from being as steady as " poured oil". Total daily thought count is a small fraction of what it once was. Trouble-maker thoughts that have any kind of emotional charge are fairly rare. Periods of effortless, absolute stillness daily. Still, the sense of doer-ship is there otherwise, and I feel an urgency to keep this process going until the illusion of doer-ship is completely dismantled once and for all. Also daily reading of The Ribhu Gita and chanting Nirvana Shatakam and finding it helpful. I "feel" the affirmation in particular, and it is very sweet. Heartfelt thanks for all the invaluable material and contribution you've made.

@GaryWeber 3 года назад

Yes, Chris, as you point out "Still, the sense of doer-ship is there otherwise, and I feel an urgency to keep this process going until the illusion of doer-ship is completely dismantled once and for all." What feels the "urgency"? Where is the "dismantler"? "I/my" was used 7 times. Find the "doer-ship... stillness

@christophervandermeer182 9 лет назад

Nice video, a combination of these videos and a copy of Happiness Beyond Thought on the bedside table, provides ample places to "check in" to reinforce the self-inquiry. Plus guided meditations, I'm pretty much set. Thanks to both you and Rich for providing all these sources. Sending my appreciation from Australia & all the best for the new year.

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Hi Chris. Great that you're finding the work useful. There are also more resources under "Show More" under the video including blog, website, interviews, book downloads, etc., JIC you haven't seen them. Best to Australia and for the next Dance around the sun. stillness

@jmd01 9 лет назад

Good job guys, thanks for the ongoing series. Scratching away at this persistent sense of self. I sort of get it, and yet... So, just keep turning back. Who doesn't quite get it? Who wants to get it anyway? Anyway, a big thanks to you both. :-)

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Hi John. Great that you are finding the work useful. Just keep turning back...as Ramana Maharshi said, "The successful few owe their success to their perseverance." This work isn't "rocket science", but it does require determination, curiosity and courage and feeling one's way carefully and opening to whatever arises next. stillness

@templeofned 8 лет назад

What's confusing me is that, from what I understand, Advaita Vedanta is saying that there is an eternal Self that is the "I" and through a process of inquiry (neti) the individuated "I" that is attached to the body, emotions, intellect, bliss, etc. is deconstructed to reveal the eternal Self;. tat tvam asi. Yet you guys are saying there is no Self, no "Watcher", there is only the activity of watching. While the true Self is not with attributes in the intellectual sense, that would not mean that it does not exist. Perhaps you could clarify that for me. I have otherwise really enjoyed your videos, especially the chanting.

@GaryWeber 8 лет назад

Hi +Ned Lawrence. Excellent question. What we are saying is that there is no discrete Self that it is logically possible to cognize or perceive. As you mentioned, by using self-inquiry along with letting-go of your attachments (see blogpost "Letting go of your attachments to awaken" @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2014/06/letting-go-of-your-attachments-to.html) , the individuated "I" is deconstructed and there is only Self. The distinction is that if the Self is everywhere and everything, as it is, it can't be "seen" as there's no place to stand, and no one to stand there, from which to see it. That is why there can only be "being", "awakening", "presencing", "watching", etc. if the Self "Is". Trust this is useful. Thanks for the feedback. Yes, chanting is one of my favorite activities and its capacity for spiritual awakening is amazing. Strongly recommend, if you're drawn to it, to try it for yourself. The video "Using simple chants for nondual awakening" @ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-liQdZ4dvv-8.html is a great place to start. i also have a sound cloud channel, shown under "Show more" above and there are several other chanting videos, our favorite being "Shut Up and Chant", which is a great text for almost endless discovery. stillness

@templeofned 8 лет назад

+Gary Weber Thank you for the response.

@GaryWeber 8 лет назад

Hi +Ned Lawrence. Great that you found it useful and asked the question. It is a big misconception and misunderstanding for many folk, including many teachers. stillness

@michaelashe5265 8 лет назад

Great stuff gentlemen.

@GaryWeber 8 лет назад

Hi +Michael Ashe. Great that you found it useful. Tks for the interest and support. stillness

@ethanjohnson4130 3 года назад

1. Should one only inquire when self referential thoughts arise? Or should the mind grasp onto the question like a Koan in Rinzai Zen? 2. In self inquiry, what exactly is the target? Is it to find the spacious awareness/subject in which all things arise, or is it to have the mind ceaselessly look for the ego and realize its non existence? 3. My desire for "awakening" (for lack of a better term) was once incredibly strong, and while it persists, it's not as strong as it once was. Did this ever happen to you in your search? Does having faith help? What should one do about having conflicting desires?

@GaryWeber 3 года назад

Hi Ethan. This isn't like a "Koan" in Rinzai Zen, it is, as you say "to have the mind ceaselessly look for the ego and realize its non existence". On losing desire for "awakening", the blogpost "Self-inquiry vs the egos/Is - How it works - the neuroscience @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2018/05/self-inquiry-vs-egosis-how-it-works.html shows how all of our decisions are made, "off-line", by "constituencies" voting "yes" or "no". Resistance indicates more "no" votes. Doing self-inquiry, as you described above, is covered in the blogpost "What is the 'Direct Path' to nondual awakening? What is self-inquiry?" @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-is-direct-path-to-nondual.html. stillness

@Yosya8059 6 лет назад

I’m not really sure that we cannot find ourselves in our bodies. Yes, we cannot inquire our hand, but we cannot consciously inquire it. You talked about unconscious mind of ours. Our brain actually inquires our hand every moment. We can cut off our hand and yes probably be find, but maybe not. We give our blood away to the certain level and I doubt we can survive to inquire where we are any longer. I like the idea of inquires, but I feel there’s something dialectical in the way we can do these inquires. So, is it about ‘where am I as a conscious watcher - an illusion that I feel and think about myself’? Nevertheless, great video! I’ll try the technique.

@GaryWeber 6 лет назад

Hi Anastasia Kuc. Yes, it is about asking frequently, "Where am I?". It is helpful to even put a reminder on a phone app, about 5 or 7 times during the day, to stop for 1 or 2 minutes, wherever you are and ask the question. On the finding "ourselves in our bodies" and what "our brain does", it can be helpful to look @ the neuroscience for some useful understandings. The blogpost "Right-sizing the 'I', understanding confirmation bias...new studies" @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2017/05/right-sizing-your-i-understanding.html shows the difference between our conscious brain, which we call the "rider" and the parts of the brain which we can't be conscious of, which we call the "elephant". The "elephant" has processing power roughly 500,000 times greater than the "rider", and virtually everything, including all of our choices, operations of the functions of body, where our thoughts come from, etc. is done in the elephant, totally without our involvement, "all by itself". The "rider" is just a press secretary, critic, blamer, shamer, complainer, etc. which spends all day talking to itself, about itself with lots of "blah, blah". Strongly encourage you to work with the self-inquiry question. There is more guidance in the blogpost "What is the 'Direct Path' to nondual awakening? What is self-inquiry?" @ happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-is-direct-path-to-nondual.html. Also, if you look under "Show More" in any of my youTube videos, you'll see links to all of my work, all free in some format. Trust this is useful. stillness gary

@DLBurggraf 9 лет назад

Consciousness becomes what it has as its object both gross and subtle (seemingly) . Consciousness cannot be known - yet every thing appears in it! In pure Awareness there is no diversity whatsoever.

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Well said, DL Burggraf...stillness

@oneness1_ 6 лет назад

eating. drinking, playing, talking, sleeping, watching, etc

@GaryWeber 6 лет назад

Hi Manatee 7. Yes, as often as possible and whatever you're doing, it makes a difference. BTW, if you look under "Show More" above, you'll see links to all of my work, all free in some format. stillness

@oneness1_ 6 лет назад

Gary Weber thank u!

@harrybellingham98 4 года назад

who sees the hand? I see my hand. The hand does not see itself. The hand is not self-aware, but I am. My body is not self aware, but I am.

@GaryWeber 4 года назад

Hi OBSN. Great. Try saying "There is no seer, no seeing, nothing seen" and see what happens. It works with any activity. stillness

@vincesina9786 9 лет назад

What is awareness aware-ing to? Existence 'is' but to what is it 'is'-ing for? Why existence? Why not nothing at all?

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Hi Vincent. Great questions many philosophers and scientists also ask. Arguably, it really isn't necessary for living forms to have "self-awareness" or awareness that "they are"...many life forms don't have it and they do just fine. As far as having awareness of their surrounding environment, that is a different thing and virtually all forms that we would consider as "living" have that, and have some ability to adapt to their environment, including plants, or they would soon disappear. As to why "existence" and "not nothing at all", that is a different question. We know that there is a universal field permeating everything, and for whatever reason different forms have manifested in that field. One "reason" that is put forth, is that the field and this universe must evolve or it will go away, i.e. universes are in competition and not all survive which appears to be true as shown in the work of some leading cosmologists, like Lee Smolin. A good friend, Stephon Alexander, who is @ Dartmouth, and who is discussed in some of my blogposts, is a close associate of Smolin. For universes to be successful there must be some evolutionary mechanism for them to adaptively improve. A possibility is that these forms have manifested in this universe, including us, so that this one can evolve and survive. As to why there is a universal field in the first place, no one knows, and it is unlikely we will ever really know. Trust that is useful, or at least interesting. stillness gary

@vincesina9786 9 лет назад

Gary Weber Thank you very much for your reply. The reason why I asked what awareness was aware-ing to is because I noticed when I bring my attention to the attention itself, I seem to feel a loving welcoming sort of presence. Like a knowing simplicity or something. . Hard to put into words really.

@GaryWeber 9 лет назад

Vincent Awaree Yes, very good, i have characterized it as feeling like one is being "held" in the hand of some great power when on surrenders even a little with consciousness. As i surrendered more, i felt like i was being held more. When i fully surrendered, i found i was fully "held" in this loving welcome sort of presence you describe. It is why i use "She" to describe the Universal Field. Let go into it...trust it...there is no malevolence there...