INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2015
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IMPORTANT NEWS: Dr. Shankar will soon be presenting the equation: Advaita = Non-duality = Absolute understanding
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NEW CD:
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NEW ARTICLES:
Essence and Happiness Man or woman wants to be happy always, but he or she is unable to be happy always. Why is this? Neither did primitive man know what happiness was. Obviously he became happy as life evolved, and primitive man was instinctively happy, and later intuitively happy, but he never knew that he was happy….. read further
Essence and Certainty Every man or woman is certain of what he or she will do. Similarly, every man or woman is certain what he or she will say about an issue, or certainly what his or her thoughts will be over an issue. Every man or woman is also certain that he or she will be doing something different in the future, but uncertain of what it could be in the present. Despite the certainty man or woman has, he or she nevertheless is uncertain in life. Why is that?……read further
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LETTERS TO AAU
Rebecca, USA Dear Dr. Shankar, I have just finished reading 'What Am I?' for the third time and I never get tired of expressing how much I appreciate you for the gift you have given to humanity in the form of your wondrous books, CDs and DVDs and articles. It has been 4 and 1/2 years since I found your website and my life has slowly and steadily changed in the best ways possible, which my family, friends and associates really appreciate. May your beauty continue to shine and reflect wisdom and love back to us for many years to come. Love, appreciation and admiration.
Zeid, Canada …Question for Dr. Shankar...I was wondering if you could clarify a few things for me...first of all, when I say for me I mean for my mind, for as I understand, I am not my mind, but the substratum upon which all this illusory sense of self appears, as that correct? Dr.Shankar: Yes, you are correct that the reflected mind is the substratum upon which the illusory self is reflected to appear real. The substratum (mind), however, is not the essence of life. Zeid: …If so, it suffices to not think about it, but to rather to feel it, even then, that incorporates the mind, and also, observation also uses the mind. Dr.Shankar: Correct. It is not enough not think about it but to rather feel it, because to feel is a thought too. Thoughts would be needed to observe ‘this’ or ‘that’ in the mind. Pure observing or witnessing does require the mind, but not thoughts. Zeid: …So, perhaps the only way is to be in a calm mental state, and effortlessly witness the flow of everything naturally Dr.Shankar: Man has evolved to observe, identify, and interpret events. Similarly, man evolves to effortlessly witness and understand that life is continuously moving spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably as a singular movement, and thoughts are illusory on the substratum mind. Zeid:.....my point i guess is that effort is not required, and rather counter productive to realisation of the true self, however, without effort, the mind will go back to controlling everything...it's a catch 22 if you will.... Dr.Shankar: Yes you are correct again. To control is the normal function of the mind (substratum). It is wise to understand that the mind (substratum) is a delay in life, to mean life is ahead of the mind, so it is impossible for the mind to control life. so the catch 22 situation is not applicable to life. Zeid:…my second point, if you will, is that if we are living in an illusory realm, sort of like a hologram, and I have heard of the holographic universe idea, also now there's the revolutionary idea that we could be nothing but a hologram projected from a massive black-hole in the middle of the universe... Dr.Shankar: If the massive black hole were in the middle of the universe, what could be surrounding the massive black hole? The massive black hole is a thought in the mind, albeit illusory. Are you clear what illusory means? Zeid: …either way, these are nice thoughts to ponder, and they change nothing of the "reality" we are living everyday, except to either activate the mind in imagination, or it serves to shed the ego (the false sense of self)...which is where I am directed towards, and I know you mention that nothing is done by "my part", but rather, things are done upon me, so then me typing this message is not "my doing" and my thoughts neither are "mine"...so who am i?... Dr.Shankar: Read the book titled ‘What am I?’ to clearly understand who am I? Zeid: …and is it through silence the only way to perceive myself, or is it that i can do nothing as it is already predetermined what I am to perceive or not, and no effort on my part will get me to any realisation as a result! Dr.Shankar: Silence means absence of noise. The mind is not manifested by life to know or recognise what silence is. The mind is manifested by life to know and recognise sound as words, music and sounds in nature. Therefore the mind cannot perceive silence. Life evolves continuously spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably. The question of predetermination does not apply to life. Life evolves the way it is meant to evolve. Zeid: …My last point, or question, and I apologize for this long-winded message, is that letting go of the ego is a delicate matter, for you can fool yourself into believing you're doing this or that, but it's all more "mind-stuff" or imagination...one must be humble enough to realize that one knows not, and not assume anything. Thank you for your reply! Dr.Shankar: There is no need to apologise, because usually I do not receive deep questions such as what you have asked. It is therefore an honor to receive the questions. Thank you. To be humble too requires the mind and the ego. The wise realise that their mind knows what it is meant to know and assumes what it is meant to assume. The wise understand that it is not up to the mind not to assume anything. The wise however understand that the known or assumptions are illusory and not real. The wise realize that absolute truth can neither be known nor experienced; only relative truth is known and experienced.
Margareta, USA The chapter ‘Labels’ in KG 2 is a treasure. To read ‘labels’ are precise helps to understand the mind better. Thank you. Now I read very slowly, each word in the book gets pealed to become simpler. Thank you to Dr. Shankar.
Gerard Benerink, Netherlands Mathematics Advaita = Non-duality = Absolute understanding
Linda V, Canada Dear Dr Shankar A recent event has brought me to ponder that which we call death, I have heard and understood that it has been said one does not leave the body before their time or that we are given so many breaths for a lifetime and when that is finished. Time is up, This to me implies a plan and yet when you say life is spontaneous uncontrollable and unpredictable it does not fit with my understanding, would you shed light on this for me? Thank you Dr Shankar. Sincerely. Linda Verigin Dear Linda, Breath spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably comes in and goes out since birth. When breath spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably comes in and does not spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably go out, it is death. There is no plan involved, because breath is spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable. Regards Shankar
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COMMENTS:
Comment: CD ‘Distance’
Elisabeth, Netherlands What is man, and why he fights? Why is there such a great distance between us? Where there is no distance, man's mind has created a distance as an illusion. Man is a sophistication of all the forms which has preceded him. For a man who has perceived there is no distance between him and the starting point, he does not move from there. Dr. Shankar explains the simple things of life with deep clarity, why the mind is constantly trying to get attention from others and why a mind says 'no' to another. Our associations with the other, with nature and with a sage, is beautifully conveyed in this very beautiful satsang. In life there is no distance. Thank you.
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NEW DISCUSSIONS: Linkedin “Towards enlightenment”
Linkedin ”Mindfulness group”
Linkedin “Think-tank group”: "When what you see is not in your control, how can you control what cannot be seen??"
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For understanding to happen it is very important to read and listen over and over again the books, CD’s, DvD’s available on this website
Re-think your thinking! See article “rethink”
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