Sunday, March 13, 2011

Pointers

You are pure Being itself. Nothing in the universe can excel you.


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This understanding happens during a pause in your thinking. So any attempts to "reach" Reality through memorization or theorizing or recitation will simply not succeed. For those actions are just further forms of conceptualization.


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Our so-called minds are discontinuous, but awareness is not. Look for that which never changes.


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It's utterly foolish to try to "negate" the ego. For the negating itself is a mental process. So nothing can come of it, except frustration. You are the spaciousness in which those thoughts and processes are occuring. Stay with what you are. Stay with the vastness that Does Not Move.


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Truly, the simplicity of this is (quite literally) beyond belief.


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You are not an object. Anything that comes up, changes, and/or disappears can't possibly be you. Sort through the potency and pointing within those words and discover their truth for yourself. For that's where the answer lies: Your own innate peace and limitlessness.


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Lasting happiness can only be found with that which is lasting. And that is presence, which is even
greater than happiness, given that happiness is a condition that is variable.


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Emotion has very little to do with this understanding. That's why any strivings to attain it through love, compassion, and doing good works is a recipe for failure. The previously mentioned qualities come about naturally and spontaneously once you are clear about your fundamental nature. So allow your focus to be on self-knowledge itself, rather on the means--however exemplary--to garner it.


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In nonduality, we are not talking about a future or distant-state. We are speaking about what you are at this very moment, as you are reading these words. You are the presence that is aware that these words are before you. Though your brain is processing them, it all comes back to presence as being the ultimate and unblinking witness. Thus, rather than attempting to be mindful of your thoughts and feelings, simply see that witnessing--in its ultimate form--is already taking place.

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News & Info

"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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"I found A Vastness All Around to be a nice presentation of the essence of awakening from within a modern nondual perspective. I found it particularly accessible due both to your refreshingly relaxed perspective, and the format of the great variety of types of presentations; short essays, dialogues, poems, interviews, even book reviews. A very nice multi-pronged approach, easy to dip into without having to necessarily wade through a more involved and convoluted presentation. I wish you good fortune in its popularization. It ought to be of benefit to many people."

--Peter Brown
http://www.theopendoorway.org

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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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If you would like to meet Rodney, have him to discuss nonduality, sign books, or read, you can email him at: writerguy@fastmail.fm. Such events are self-organized, so funding is key, with groups and universities that can cover travel expenses getting priority. And much appreciation!

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

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3 comments:

Admin said...

Rodney,

Sorry to post off-topic... do you know what happened to John Wheeler's site: www.naturalstate.us?

Thank you.

Simon

Rodney Stevens said...

Hi Simon,

Thanks for your question and concern. John is fine, and his deeply-missed site should be up and running again sometime soon. :)

Rodney

Admin said...

Great, thanks....