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Something is transcending your body, your notions, and your sense of individuality right at this moment. Again, the transcending is fully occurring. You are already over and beyond all of the above. Simply see this for yourself, instead of attempting to "go beyond" your body and mind through some sort of tactic or process.
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Presence is fully present. Take your cue from the word itself and recognize what is thoroughly and unvaryingly existing.
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This understanding can't be "developed" or "surrendered to." Don't get caught up in these stereotypical aspects of spirituality. Indeed, nonduality is beyond all spirituality because it is speaking about and pointing to not only to your natural state, but to existence itself.
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Yes, awareness is subtle. But once it is recognized, you'll wonder how you ever could have missed it. Look right now at this knowingness quality within yourself. That is awareness!
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There is nothing to extricate and nothing towards which to move. You are what you are at this very second, and you never shift from that. You only appear to be your body, emotions, and personality because you are temporarily identifying with them throughout the day and evening. But in fact, you are the existence that is knowing that all of those things are briefly appearing.
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You aren't your body, your experiences, or even your consciousness. So what is left? What is remaining? You are the pause that you are feeling at this present moment. Remain with the pause just long enough to recognize that its stillness and vastness never dissolve. That's all that is needed!
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A "full stop" is a natural pause that lends itself to a complete seeing of what has always been in perfect abundance. Even the word abundance isn't quite right because there is no where where awareness is not. "All is Brahman," as the Upanishads so beautifully declare. Indeed, if nondual scriptures had to be condensed to one sentence, that would be it. Just substitute (or not) Brahman for Awareness, and the same meaning would hold.
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Suffering is created from self-identification. And self-identification primarily occurs with the body, thoughts/emotions, states of consciousness (I am awake, I am sleepy, I am focused, etc), and--ironically--states of happiness. Regarding the latter, we surmise or are taught that happiness is the greatest thing that we can experience in our day-or-day life. Typically, happiness arises when we get something that we want or meet a beautiful person or have some "spiritual" experience. Then, of course, we not only want to have this moment again, we want to have it permanently! Then we go through decades (or a life-time) of attempting to reach that constant state of happiness. And it's never attained, of course, because happiness is an experience. It comes, and it goes. It is not your natural state, which is unvarying peace and spaciousness. It's important to be clear on the mechanics of suffering; otherwise, it can continue (though less noticeably) even after the recognition of your natural state.
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News & Info
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And click HERE to purchase Fully Present at Barnes & Noble.
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And go HERE for the press release for Fully Present.
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For Tami Brady's review of Fully Present in TCM Reviews, go HERE.
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"Fully Present is an elegant addition to the growing literature on nonduality as it is being uncovered, lived and understood in the modern West."
--Philip Goldberg, author of the best-selling American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation--How Indian Spirituality Changed the West. Philip's Web site can be found at www.philipgoldberg.com.
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"Rodney Stevens opens his daily life and thoughts to us in these immensely natural and pleasant ramblings of one who is fully engaged in life, love, nonduality, and cinnamon muffins."
--Catherine Ann Jones, award-winning screenwriter, spiritual workshop leader, and author of The Way of the Story: The Craft and Soul of Writing. Her Web site is www.wayofstory.com
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Rodney is also the author of A Vastness All Around: Awakening to Your Natural State, a powerful and elegant collection of essays, discussions, interviews, and powerful pointers. It can be ordered directly from the publisher at Lulu Press.
Feel free to read 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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"I like your approach in A Vastness All Around. The stories, thoughts and vignettes of your life seem wonderful ways to make people stop and pay attention to where they actually are right now, rather than in some imagined past or future. They show that you don't have to be some specially qualified person, preferably with a title and a name in Sanskrit, to pursue the spiritual quest. Your message comes across particularly well in such pieces as 'Sheerness of Being.'"
--Valerie J. Roebuck, Ph.D., Honorary Research Fellow, University of Manchester (England)
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I am now doing phone consultations via Skype! Each conversation will take about an hour, and a $25 donation will be greatly appreciated.
I am also scheduling teaching events at this time. If you would like to arrange something in your area, you may email me at: writerguy (at) fastmail (dot) fm
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This blog is generally updated every Sunday afternoon, Eastern Standard Time.
