All there is, is awareness.
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We give undue emphasis to the mind. Therefore, self-knowing appears to be some arcane and far-away thing. But the immediacy of your true self is without parallel. And you don't have to do a single thing, except take note of what has always been boundlessly present.
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The true nature of the mind can never be understood by the mind. So how do you think it is going to help you with recognizing your natural state?
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There is no separation between you and what you are seeking. Feel the significance of these words. Allow whatever pause that occurs to occur. Remain with it. Feel its depth, peace, and actuality. This is you—your verifiable and ever-shining state. Go back to the original sentence, if necessary, in a natural and inquisitive way: There is no separation between you and what you are seeking.
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In his commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, Shankara spoke about how yogis and meditators were "fighting with their own shadows" when they attempted to control or suppress their thoughts. So it was an issue even in the 8th century A.D.! But remember, the timeless Mandukya was written centuries before even Shankara lived! What happened, it appears, is that some discerning soul discovered the truth about him or herself millennia ago, and then passed it down orally to others. Somehow and at sometime, the sage's words and pointers became this profound and anonymous document.
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What is it that is always present and that never changes in the least?
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Meditating (for self-knowledge) is essentially imitating the sages. You are going through all of the motions, but you are coming up with zero understanding. And you will continue in that manner until your final days, unless you somehow see through the ruse of your spiritual mimicry. A hand gesture or the half-closed eye-gaze was probably naturally occurring in Buddha or Gaudapada. And they sat cross-legged because that is how they sat in India at that time. How is your attempting to sit comfortably in that manner going to help you with a clear and profound understanding of yourself? Do you really think that one thing has to do with the other!?
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In reality, awareness is not even the ground or the substratum of existence, because there is nothing but awareness!
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There is no relationship between awareness and your thoughts and feelings. None whatsoever. They actually do not arise from nor disappear into awareness. They are merely appearances in it. They have no weight or substance. They are fleeting practicalities to help us to function smoothly in our lived lives.
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There is only perception, no perceiver. See how this is going on throughout the day. There is constant perceiving—visually, aurally, physically, etc. Occasionally, a thought or an emotion will appear, and we automatically think that is "me" thinking or feeling. But thoughts and feelings are just evanescent flashings in this vast knowingness.
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(from a phone consultation)
Why are you so fascinated with practices? Why can't you simply live a full and congenial life from your eternal source of presence? No practice is going to take you to that fullness. Indeed, the practice is going to do the direct opposite. It focuses your life on actions and ideas, rather than on your natural and unmoving state. But no, you opt for the ever-exhausting mirage of "Enlightenment." But let me be clear: I am not saying that self-realization is not a fact. Because it most certainly is. What I'm saying is that you cannot come to self-knowledge through methods and techniqures. And anyone who says as much needs to have their medication adjusted.
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News & Info
State of Wonder: Awakening to Presence can be purchased from Amazon by clicking on the above link.
And for the Amazon Kindle version, click HERE!
To buy the book directly from the publisher, go to Lulu Press
"I'm in the middle of reading State of Wonder, and I am being paused in the most wonderful ways! Thank you for the clear and beautiful writing, Rodney." — Amy Warren
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Feel free to check out Jimmy Dabrowski's beautiful and downloadable MixTape. Jimmy's a great guy, and I am honored to be one of the nondual authors in his collection.
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Fiona Robertson interviews Rodney on Nic Higham's NONDUALITY NETWORK!
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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.
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Check out Rodney on YouTube talking about "The Fundamental Thing."
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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.
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This blog is generally updated every other Sunday afternoon, Eastern time.
