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Question: Can we not interchange the word "fear" and "anxiety", anxiety is a formof fear. I find the word "fear", i.e. (I Am That) an obstacle to "going beyond" being "desire for the false, and fear of the true", what remains? "A sequence of desires and fears and inane blunders," On one page alone and throughout, in the title of several chapters, and implied by Nisarga and Balsekar, that without an intense experience, realization is impossible and what is more intense than the experiencewe call "fear," the reason we run from pain.

Ed:

Please restate what you are saying more concisely.

Forget about what Nisargadatta and Balsekar wrote. They cannot help you to find yourself. They are expressing their understanding. It will not help you understand yourself. Only finding your depest core will solve your confusion and fear. As a matter of fact, the only value Maharaj and Robert provide is a real-life example of someone who has gone beyond. What they say is almost irrelevant and causes promlems for seekers.

Remember, Maharaj said his teacher told him he was not his body, and to only attend to his sense of being. He did little more than that for three years. Then he had the experiences expressed in his little book on this site entitled "Self-Knowledge and Self-Realization."

You can't fingure any of this out with your mind. What you are is entirely beyond the mind. Just look into--feel into--you sense of being. All Advaita teachers advise this route. Only attend to yourself.

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Ed,I'm really sorry to take up so much of your time. Your response was, once again, very helpful and right on the mark. I too am "mind-smart" and I find myself wanting to read and study everything without actually doing the work of self-enquiry!

What caught my attention, and what I wanted to ask you about, was this statement....."Practice diligently, but not too hard. Too hard will cause you to lose the way too." Find the middle way of practice.

How can a person practice "too hard"? From the things I've read, such as Ramana and Nisargadatta, they recommend practicing every spare moment of your life and even while doing your worldly work. What you say makes a lot of sense and the "middle way" definitely seems like the best approach, but I was just wondering what you meant by "too hard" so I could avoid that "trap" also

If you don't have the time to respond, I understand totally. Thank you for your replies Ed.All the best to you,

A,

Long practice is o.k., just avoid intense practice that requires a great use of the will to search for I.

Intense effort is counter productive, you'll wear out and eventually give up. Also, is causes a lot of body-mind stress which absolutley prevents you from finding the target.

Gently bring the attention back to the sense of existence. If it falls away, don't get angry with yourself.

Pratice as long as you can without stress.

Middle way is better expressed as the gentle and persistent way,

Ed

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Hi Ed-

I found your site on Robert a few months ago andreally love it. Hearing recordings of his talks is areal treat. My reason for writing you is, youmentioned that somewhere along the line you talked with UG Krishnamurti on the telephone. I am simply curious about what he was like and what you guys conversed about.

I realize your conversation was relevant to you, but UG has really sparked a sort of fire in me. His words seem to destroy everything!! Iremember feeling a bit strange not wanting to read myNisargadatta books so much anymore after hearing UG talk, but I realized more and more he was just an incredibly straight shooter and telling things as theywere.

Nothing even remotely cherished is safe with him!! But these things that are cherished seem to bethe foundations of our own illusions, so basically, UG can have quite an effect. So anyway, if you can recall and don't mind, I'd love to hear what your experiences with him were. Thanks for the time and the website!

Al

Hi Al,

I talked to him maybe 15 years ago. Don't remember much about what we talked about.

But, he sounded like a chatty old-indian man and nothing to special. No bolts of lightning, etc.

I understand what his awakening was and can see how it happened. His realization was not the same as mine but is 100% complimnentary.

U.G. cannot help you find your way out. He is trying to say the mind is not the way out. Thta was his way of getting out but probably not your way.

Find one approach only and go with it. Do the practices, examine your own sens eof existence.

Read A Light on the Teachings of Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Ramana Maharshi Part I, both by Sadhu Om. Get them from AHAM.con. Tell them I sent you. The books are cheap. These are great people. And, of course, read Robert. Both Sadhu Om and Robert give you a way out--or so it will appear.

Ed