08 April 2011

Hi Ed,


my name is Bill and if you are willing to give some advice regarding Advaita it would be much appreciated. Briefly, I have been experiencing the beingness as outlined in Ramana Maharshi's teaching since the beginning of January, including extreme blissful states e.t.c.


Can you advise as to whether there is a transitional stage between the beginning of first realizing and Self realised. I have recently contacted another well known teacher
who has stated that there are no stages and there is no final stage called Self Realised. This seems contrary to Ramana's teaching and to your book autobiography of a Jnani.


Whist his insistence is to be in the now without a second, which would therefore do away with concepts either of past or future. He has also discouraged any notion of the mind dropping ( has Ramana put it the breaking of the knot, Nisargardatta said he witnessed his own death - I, ego ). I sought to clarify this but was brought back to the nowness of the I only. I am a little confused as my experience is taking me in the direction outlined by Ramana etc . Regards Bill


Edji:


The person you talked to probably never had an awakening experience.


There are no stages so to speak. You begin to feel the self and it deepens and deepens and one day you awaken and find out you never existed or ever walked a path.


All concepts and knowledge drop away. At the same time, you recognize that the world you appear to live in continues, but you realize you are in it only when you believe you are in it. It has lost its bite so to speak.


There may be further awakenings later, such as that consciousness itself is not real and you are beyond even consciousness.


Then love awakens in you, if you are unlucky and you can become a teacher.


There is much info and downloads to read on my website: http://itisnotreal.com,


and dialogues with students at http://itisnotreal.blogspot.com




Bill:


My god you have been so helpful, it is the progressive deepening that was at the heart my question. What you have described is as indicated in Ramana Maharshi's teaching and also affirms my beginning experiences, it is difficult putting in words what this means for me ( without a teacher you have to have some guide, Ramana Maharishi's books have been of immense value ). My warmest gratitude. p.s I will visit the sites mentioned.


Regards
Bill Russell

6 comments:

  1. "You begin to feel the self and it deepens and deepens"

    That is what I experience now, for me, it feels like being pulled downwards, gently but unresistable. Difficult to describe it in words.

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  2. Neo-advaita people say that Edji is going emotional now. Because he puts silly cartoons and 'family' pictures on the blog. But! If you listen with your heart you know better. Words are going to strike you or spinning around in your brain. If you'r able to listen with your heart you know Edji IS compassion. Yes I had a beer and I am emotional. So what. No I am not realised. But... there is something that knows that being related with this message brings me deep, deep in to my Self. I speak from my own experience. This is my confession. I know nothing thank God and thanks to the compassion of Edji. In the end what is left is just being. Not being this or that, not being superman or a glamarous lighting advaita teacher, but just being my self. W'll see where it's leeds to. No dreams. No empty conceps.

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  3. Dennis,

    Your post is so moving. You are my brother in Dharma and I love you so much.

    Janet

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  4. "Then love awakens in you, if you are unlucky and you can become a teacher"

    Don't you like being a teacher, Ed?

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