Pointers

What is fully present but has no name or form?

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We are pointing to something that you have always been. It isn't anything new! So keep that in mind as you reflect upon these matters. Again, nothing new comes into being here. Rather, something timeless is finally recognized. 

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There is no path to truth; neither will it come to you. And why should it? You are awareness as you read these words. If you see the simple and immediate reality of this, you are free. 

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When Nisargadatta said that "A quiet mind is all you need," he didn't mean to make your mind quiet. He meant that there is a quietness within the mind—between thoughts and feelings, for instance—that is there for the seeing. Just be alert to any silence that is momentarily present. Once it is recognized, you'll understand that it has always been present.  

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The way meditation is done today makes it an entertainment—even with its intrinsic frustration, concentration, and sleepiness. Amazingly, one renowned meditator and physician said if you find meditation difficult, you are probably doing it correctly!  

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Nonduality nudges you into generating insights regarding your nature. It does not bestow character or piety. Both things may happen, of course; but it is not a given. Besides, presence is completely beyond venerableness. You should already have a sense of that fact, even if your understanding isn't yet clear and defined.  

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What is not changing? Sit with that question, seriously ponder it. There is only one thing that is not fluctuating in the least. One Thing! Find that and you will find your natural state. 

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The Buddha said that the highest happiness is peace. That is true. It isn't joy, ecstasy, glee, delight, or even love! It is serenity. But such peace only comes with the perception of who and what you actually are. And you have to see it for yourself. There is nothing conceptual or scriptural about this in the least.

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Creativity is the formation of new, useful, and surprising ideas. Nearly everyone has the capability of being more creative. See that there is an inner drive and propensity to explore what you love, whether it is your job, work, or some leisure pursuit. 

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"Letting go" cannot be practiced. That can only occur from the perspective of Self or presence. Then it is done spontaneously, with neither hesitation or forethought. And afterwards, you don't think what a superb and spiritual person you are, because the notion of personhood doesn't arise.  

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Creativity is such a delicious part of life. It doesn't matter how it is explored or expressed. Nor is it a matter of precociousness or early blooming. Bram Stoker didn't write Dracula until he was 50; Daniel Defoe completed Robinson Crusoe when he was 58; George Sand published Adam Bede at 40 and Middlemarch when she was 55; Ranjit Maharaj didn't begin to teach until 1983, when he was 70 years old, following the death of fellow Vedantin Nisargadatta Maharaj two years earlier; and P.D. James wrote her first mystery novel when she was 42 and is still writing today at 93!

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(From phone consultation) I don't just sit at my desk and write pointers, as if it were some sort of free-associative brainstorming. Nothing would be more boring to me, except maybe going to Hobby Lobby. The pointers tend to be responses to things that I have read, heard, or seen. But those reactions are spontaneous and visceral. Perhaps the words will help someone; maybe they won't. That is not an overriding concern of mine. There is a proclivity here to challenge nondual assumptions and spiritual notions with a quick, "That is just not the case" or even a gracious "You've got to be kidding!" Or sometimes, I say nothing at all. That works fine too. Why? Because 9 times out of 10, these people know that their well-meaning utterances are complete nonsense. They know it in their hearts. And, of course, there are those who aren't sure, but try to cover themselves. They just go on and on and on. Only someone who is self-realized can speak with authority and clarity about these issues. So find such a person with whom you resonate, and it will make nonduality, your seeking, and your insights a whole lot less complicated.

News & Info

The Only True Life: Living from the Natural State can be purchased from Amazon by clicking on the above link.

Or you can buy the book directly from the publisher, Lulu Press

“Reading Rodney Stevens' The Only True Life is like floating with a gentle current on a beautiful summer day—right into the silence of the heart. His dialogues are joyful offerings that cut through the attachments of the mind and point directly to our true nature as aware being. Love clearly flows through every word.”

 — Gail Brenner, Ph,D., Clinical Psychologist, speaker, and author of the forthcoming The Way of Yes: Finding Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life."

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Susan Ferguson is a talented artist, writer, and book reviewer, who lives in the gorgeous, green hills of North Canterbury, New Zealand.

You may read her review of The Only True Life at her beautiful Web site: Metaphysical Musing:

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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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Rodney's earlier book is State of Wonder: Awakening to Presence.

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Click HERE to purchase Rodney's Fully Present: Daily Reflections on Nonduality.

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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 America 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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"In Fully Present, Rodney 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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"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 $45 donation will be greatly appreciated.

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This blog is generally updated every month.