Friday, October 7, 2011

Pointers

There is something that is already present. What is that something?


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Begin with what you are before any particular thoughts, feelings, or sensations appear. That immediacy is what is being passed over.


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In nonduality, you aren't mastering a technique. You are directly understanding who and what you are. With practices, you can never go beyond the methods themselves; for a practice necessitates someone who imagines that he or she isn't awareness already.


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There is nothing to still. For you are Stillness itself.


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Nonduality is a completely different direction of seeing. But what you are looking for is directly in front of you! Indeed, what could be more immediate than your everyday and (seemingly) ordinary awareness? All that is needed is for you to recognize that this cognitizing spaciousness is laden with limitlessness and clarity.


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Your imagined self is just a reoccurring practicality. It can help you with functioning in life, but not with self-knowing.


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Only your direct experience of your natural state can clarify all of your questions. And that understanding can easily be had with just a bit of calm reflection and accurate seeing. Some periods of the day will, no doubt, be more conducive than others for self-inquiry. So avail yourself of those times, if you are drawn to do so, and discern what it is that, heretofore, has gone unseen.


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What is it, right now, that is completely untouched by your body, mind, and situation?


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Thoughts and emotions are appearances in consciousness; and consciousness (sentience, state of alertness, etc) is an appearance in awareness. Return to presence. See what it is that is always in evidence. And with that seeing, your attention will continue to be on various things during the day; but you will discover that you never really move from this abiding peace and pristine spaciousness.

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News & Info

NEW: Rodney on YouTube talking about "The Fundamental Thing."

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I am now scheduling teaching events. If you would like to arrange something in your area, you may email me at: writerguy@fastmail.fm

I am also doing one-to-one phone consultations for anyone who is vitally interested in self-knowledge. Each conversation will take an hour or so, and donations of around $25 will be greatly appreciated.

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Non-duality America published an excerpt from A Vastness All Around.

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Tami Brady reviewed Vastness on her TCM Reviews page.

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"A Vastness All Around is, hands down, one of the best books out there on nonduality. Thank you for all of your writing." --Alex Taylor

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Here's a review of the Kindle Edition of Vastness on Amazon.

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Nonduality Magazine has published a discussion with Rodney about his work and book. The extensive and wide-ranging interview was done by John LeKay, the magazine's editor.

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"Loved the book, Rodney. Enjoyed it as much as John Wheeler's first book, Awakening to the Natural State. My favourite quote of yours was "you are no more your personal history than you are your toothbrush." I like the fact that you included little tidbits of your life and surrounds. It felt more like reading a book on travel or history than some of the other textbook style books on nonduality. I think for anyone serious about a direct approach, your book and John Wheeler's are the two to have." -- Ian

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A Vastness All Around: Awakening to Your Natural State is Rodney's first collection of essays, discussions, interviews, and powerful pointers. It can be ordered directly from the publisher at Lulu Press.

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Vastness is now available for the Amazon Kindle! Order Here.

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And for the book's Press Release, click Here.

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This blog is generally updated every Sunday afternoon, Eastern Standard Time.

4 comments:

Kevin said...

Very clear and succinct comments as usual Rodney. With the help of you and other teachers' pointers, I have an easy time recognizing this awareness - and enjoying the peacefulness that it resonates. However, it seems that making the understanding that I am this "presense of awareness" and not my body and mind is the tough part.

Thanks again for this blog,

Kevin

Rodney Stevens said...

Thank you, Kevin.

It's all easy, actually. It only appears to be "tough" by virtue of awareness's clarity and immediacy. Have a close look at That which could never ever be any closer. The answer is right there within you as you are reading these words. If there were a smidgen of difficulty to this understanding, I would be the first to admit it. But there isn't. There simply isn't.

Rodney

Kevin said...

Thanks for the response Rodney.

Can you explain why very few people are able to grasp this understanding and realize their true nature? Is it because it is "too easy/obvious"?

Rodney Stevens said...

Yes, that's largely it: The obviousness of awareness causes it to be overlooked. You could say it's subtle too, but that's only from the seeker's viewpoint. Presence, once recognized, is the most obvious thing in the world.