Catholic school as a kid installed horrendous fears about death. Plus a lifetime of guilt and shame for even being born. I’m terrified of both life and death. Constantly trying to earn “gods” favor but just feeling the thoughts that tell me I’m headed to eternal torture and suffering at the hands of devils and demons. I’m 53 and the older I get the more scared I get. I HATE it. Got sober 10 years ago and went back to Ram Dass who I was reading at 14 years old. That led to Ramana, Nisagardatta and plenty more. It’s been the most confounding, confusing, hell ride ever. Plenty of peak experiences usually coupled with hilarious laughter and or joyful sobbing. I’ve seen clearly there’s only 1 of us here but that realization fell away like all the rest and fear took back over. I’ve meditated everyday for 10 years, still do but nothing like what all you “awakened” beings talk about had taken a permanent position. I still have awful mental and emotional suffering even tho no sufferer can be found etc etc. Sigh.
Sorry to hear your pain...I also have similar anxieties and distress. I have to try and focus on other things, avoid contemplating these topics or watching videos like this that often just make things worse. We need try and minimise suffering for ourselves and others and enjoy life the best we can.
Reminds me story of disciple and Zen master Disciple: "Master what happens after death?" Master: "I don't know" Disciple: "But your a Master" Master: "But I'm not a dead master"
I started researching non duality about 2 years ago. I have recently 9/17/22 loss my 32-year-old son in a motorcycle accident, I almost feel and think I was drawn to this teaching to prepare and help me through this awful trauma to my soul. I had several premonitions of him passing away It would be an awful thought that would flash in my mind, and I would instantly reject and reoccupy my mind with anything to remove that thought or precognition. But I am well aware that i have experienced them before he passed. I'm still very much struggling with the loss of my son but as I watched this video, I came to the conclusion that he is me just in a different form, as if he was here telling me MOM, I'm right here, I am with you as you and will never leave you. Not sure why I'm sharing this maybe perhaps so I will allow myself to reflect upon such deep inner knowing.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ that must so incredibly hard. Sending you love. Yes, we are all one energy creating, but it sure feels like we are separate beings. Emotions and feelings are so intense. This human thing is quite the challenging experience❤
I have a different perspective for people who ask "what will happen to me?" Essentially I consider the possibility that illusory partition can remain or fade slowly before the self stops playing from that perspective... ie life after death still maintaining some maya/illusion/divide or a continuation of that particular form. What makes me suspect this is my own ego dissolution experiences, dreams, and other's account of their near death experiences... not that it ultimately matters since that too would be another illusion, albeit a more faint one. I hope I'm making sense, but if not, my apologies. I feel like the concepts of soul, akashic records, ghosts, heaven, etc. can all point to these continued dualistic experiences before a particular form is done away with or a particular perspective goes away. Of course that could be egoic wishful thinking. 🤷🏾♂️ I don't really care either way, but find the possibility of play fascinating
It didn't end for "me" when I died. And after listening to hundreds of other NDE's, their selves made the transition "there and back". Now I did feel "the peace that passeth all understanding" and I can't say I had a body, but I do remember the whole thing. 🤷
@@NondualityChannelstrange realization n ur so right there's no I... N why we are interlinked is strange coz body goes to earth mind is finished... Latent tendencies continue when another being comes into picture coz the same material is being recycled thts why it's said all cells carry memory n impressions... Thts why they say live a happy life... Coz we r connected so better pass good impressions to next life I mean the person who lives it... Thts the one I they talk about... No individual I. Ur right self continues playing the game... The individual goes...period... Thts why u cannot explain anything... Some ppl getting depressed getting killed cancer... No proper explanation... All a game of permutations of latent tendencies... Self is nothing but a quantum probability of all possibilities wch will continue forever
So, can we say The Self is The Energy? I cannot imagine "the self", but the energy playing all the roles makes total sense. Thanks so much for these videos, I get totally absorbed when watching.
@@NondualityChannel had the strangest revelation Eric.. Blasted all wat I practiced fr 35 long years... It jus happened abruptly... All is a dream and there's only one dreamer which is the only reality... Can't call him anything because whatever we call it is in language which itself is his dream.. Now my thoughts have become disjointed coz the centre is broken... N regarding so called after life... It's his dream.. His choice... So reincarnation hell heaven is what he is dreaming ... I'm a fucking projection.... Nothing else... Can jus bow my hands n request him to dream well about me coz I still have to live well for children till this body drops🙏.... Please share ur feedback...thts why nothing can be explained... Big bang will have permutarions n contradictions same goes fr all allegories metaphors evolution.. U name it... All is his dream his choice... Nothing can be attributed... All stories fears in religions was to awaken ppl to this reality... Bible quran the first line says... God says BE.. N universe springs up... Telling people in first line tht it's his dream his projectuon... Thts why the dreamer God is beyond real n unreal u can't objectify or subjectify it... The only definition is I AM... Thts all...
You reboot and play some more 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 best ever!!!!!’ Omg imDAF!!!! In all reality this is what perspective I have been graced to have realize. I have seen many different forms and characters shown to me from who knows when. It’s all a dream and a game. But your comment was classic. Absolutely loved it 😍 😊❤
Hi Eric! Been watching your videos for a while and I appreciate that you are a true enthusiast, as I see you around other nooks of the net I hang out at sometimes. My name is Eric, too. (Eric means one god forever, eh!?) It seems different enlightened teachers have different perspectives on this topic. GP Walsh says the enlightened person goes to a realm that that doesn't involve death anymore. Eckhart Tolle has talked briefly about a more subtle energy realm that he said we shouldn't worry about now, but seems to be some kind of reality more like heaven. They both seem to imply that although it is paradoxical, we still keep our subjective self with a small s to some degree. Rupert Spira seems more in-line with you, that reality is like the breath... Just God breaths in and out and we are the out breath and then we are called back to oneness and something else comes out. From Jesus, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, it seems that consciousness is using us for a mechanism to grow its appreciation of its own power and eternity. I like this quote from Henri Bergson - 'The universe is a machine for the making of Gods.' Do you think it's possible and that like Tolle said, we get to maintain the illusion of a separate self along with others that have made the total journey? Like once you experience enough suffering, you are able to reborn as a separate self that can withstand the magnitude and intensity of having an eternity-long lucid dream. And for company, other enlightened people join you? Obviously, you would be aware of the illusion, you would know it was all just the self. After all, In the future, if you craved more appreciation, if you couldn't stand the Devine boredom anymore, you could jump back into Maya and have another go-round to develop your appreciation more. Thanks for your videos as always!
That is the dream and hope of the illusory "me". To remain separate as an individual. There is no "me" and no such separation. Enlightenment shatters the illusion of "me" and any such concepts of individuality. So too the concept that there is anywhere to go. What you really are never goes anywhere.
These facts - and I consider them facts, because all sages and enlightened people say essentially the same - are easier to accept if the substance, the self, the awareness, our godly nature can be experienced as a reality. It doesn't help to know these circumstances intellectually. It is needed to feel them essentially. To me it seems that enlightenment cannot happen before life has turned into an almost ongoing and recurring experience of meditation and awareness. Arriving at this point is the job we have. The way there is countinuous and persistent practicing of awareness and meditation. At this point it is probably a little step from the identification with the individual me to the identification with the meditative state, the awareness as being our real nature, our safe haven. It's an easy step from there. And the transition is smooth
Thank you so much! To me dying was simply realizing that the imagined individual me never lived. BTW: I have a nagging question, wondering if it might be worth a video. If I/Self/Awareness “experiences everything as itself”, if it is not definable, if it is reality itself rather than real - why not just do away with it and say: There is only experiencing. In other words: What is the difference (if any) between my realization “I am not a thing.” and “There is nothing to be called ‘I’ (or not I) at all.” I remember certain experiential attributes occasionally being ascribed to “pure” awareness like that “full emptiness” or “potentiality” but it is still a bit of a mystery to me and it seems a frequent subject of heated discussions between nonudalists and advaita-followers. So: Is awareness even a thing? Is there a positive experience of “awareness” rather than just the obvious negative (“There is no me. There is just peace.”)? Does enlightenment allow for a subject?
no, there is no subject anymore, rather what you used to call subject and object has become one and the same. while eric has a wonderful way of simple and short respones to profound questions, i would also like to recommend some of the old masters, like e.g. vairotsana, offered in a beautiful reading by samaneri jayasara: ua-cam.com/video/0r--IzR-I48/v-deo.html
Thanks, quite a freeing perspective. It's perhaps the biggest picture point of view as you demonstrate how we are all one, however, what do you think of the concept of soul and higherself? For instance, in the game analogy, there is still a single person operating those characters in the simulation, like you return your focus back to being a character in this outer reality when you stop playing a videogame. What if there is an outer body to this realm, like the movie Inception, you wake up from dreams within dreams, characters within characters? It sounds like you could be saying this realm is the only one. Because if it is not, then our individual portion of memories and experiences may extend beyond the death of our individual characters.
Ultimately any and all form gives way to that which is formless. All form is temporary and not the ultimate reality. Soul/higher self might be a momentary continuation of the game, but that too shall pass to that which is formless...or transcends form.
My precious 31 year old son passed away tragically. His death cause is undeterred. He did suffer serious head injury. I have felt suspicious if his father having a part in his death. This feels like a night mare to me. I am new to non duality. I want him to come back. I understand we are one. I am grieving this loss and it is the worse thing that happened to me. Any comfort to help me understand would be appreciated. Thank you
Nonduality is not something that is practiced at times like this in order to get comfort. Nonduality is either realized directly and automatically lived...or it is not. If you are new to non-duality, it will be of no comfort...it would only be concepts that you could believe or disbelieve. For example, that you and he were never born...and so he did not go anywhere (so need to come back). While you say you understand we are one, that is a mentally held concept and what you really believe is that we are separate. So don't worry about nonduality for now. Grieve and process what happened. Fully accepting what happened and what is. Perhaps, look at this "me" you feel yourself to be and look at it and question it. See that you are not that. Also, delve into who/what am I really?
When you say the game goes on that’s the question. How does it appear to change go on. Do you go through a tunnel to the next incarnation or a dualistic afterlife
Many people spend years of human birth meditating trying to understand non dual nature of things etc. After death as we believe conciousness continues, it should then know all about oneness and the form n formless as it is now more aware and probably all knowing as reported in NDEs. In other words soul should be in somewhat enlightened state by virtue of its transition. So all the striving is it just for this human birth which is anyway fraction of the time we may spend on the other side.e could as well focus on our regular life pursuits.
Thank you Eric. I've heard some say that before this body was born there is no memory of anything, like a total blackout, a total void. Could this be the case or will there still be experiences and colors?
Imagine you suddenly loose all of your memories and identity, could it be asked what happened to the person you were just a moment before? We're embedded within an illusory perception of lineal (temporal) consciousness, but that's not its nature.
No one knows. But it may be just a repeat of life and yourself or nothingness forever or u float into space and expand and see it all do it all forever. But do u remeber before u were born ? The tunnel of light may be a shutdown in our brains or just a tunnel to nothingness or another body.. Basically it’s whatever u want it to be but u will die so ur gonna find out , or not, either way
But does your "personal" awarenes continue or get extinguished, is the key question. I'm still not clear on that after watching this video... If personality is form, then does that extinguish the self, if your form goes away at death? Can you reboot it if it gets destroyed? It's not clear to me; maybe I'm confusing things.
Does self-realization reveal how the SELF is playing all these characters? This is incomprehensible from the point of view of the character. I was wondering whether the shattering of the illusion of 'me' at a 'local' level reveals this mystery mechanism of one SELF playing multiple characters.
Yes, self-realization reveals there is only the Self. It is not a matter of knowing how (mentally). Do you know how you open your hand? Can you put it into thoughts and words? Of course not, but you do it. Likewise, the Self just plays all the characters in this play.
hey man, this is the first video of yours i’ve watched and I can already tell that you get it. I have a question though. the idea of the Self is the foundation for most eastern methods of spiritual thought, specifically hinduism and buddhism (although buddhism mainly opposes it). strangely though, while most of these traditions hold a perspective of reincarnation very similar to the one you expressed here, they tend to have methods of obtaining less painful rebirths. do you think this perspective is nonsense because everyone shares the same consciousness? because it seems to me that if there is fundamentally no permanent self/form, than that includes individual souls.
You are not this birth...what you really are was never born, so it is rather silly to seek a better birth. That is just still believing in a "me" again. There is no "me". The Self is not a "me" - not personal, not a center, has no circumference, etc. Buddhism only says that there is no permanent "me"...and I agree. Of course, from a priestly point of view talking to the masses it does make sense when talking to people who believe in a "me" and future births to tell them to do good in order to have less painful rebirths. It is expedient when trying to improve the overall behavior of society. Even if the hidden teaching for initiates is that there is no such thing.
@@NondualityChannel i completely agree buddhism fundamentally has it right, although its whole concept of merit in addition to the hindus’ “karma” seems to only exist in order maintain them on a worldly/societal level
@@sheevcreatine5676 Bodhidharma once was asked by Emperor Wu what merit was accrued by all the donations, monks ordained, temples built, etc. (by Wu)...and Bodhidharma said flatly and unflinchingly, "no merit whatsoever". Startled, the Emperor asked, "What is the highest meaning of the sacred truth?" Bodhidharma said, "Vast emptiness, nothing holy."
Great video! I was just wanting to ask what's the difference between an individual's conscious awareness, and awareness or being itself? Is the conscious awareness synonymous with the ego?
Conscious awareness is of the body and is often identified with and so becomes part of ego ("me"). But conscious awareness is extremely limited. Of the thousands of bits of info every moment, conscious awareness can only be aware of a few bits. Under hypnotism, more can be recalled because subconscious awareness is able to get more. So there is more awareness than what is purely conscious. Awareness itself is singular. All awareness...conscious, subconscious, etc. are all just awareness or being itself.
Wonder what your thoughts on this famous Sage quote??? It has been said that the Arhat finds the way to escape rebirth. Now a Bodhisatva is a Arhat plus some and has realized there is no escaping rebirth and has stop trying.
The illusion of "me" shattered...leaving only Consciousness/Self/Brahman/That/etc (pick your equivalent pointer/term). Consciousness is all there is. Everything is Consciousness. As for how does this get realized...a "me" can not cause it. At best, one can create a more conducive environment for the grace of awakening/enlightenment/liberation/self-realization/etc (pick your term). If you are looking for advice on what to do, check out ua-cam.com/video/QBWGxbC7yBk/v-deo.html
@@NondualityChannel Thank you so much Eric I listened to the video a few times. What I heard was, Cease manipulating, stop trying to achieve something. Allow it to be, surrender to what is. Be open to self realization happening on its own. So there is really nothing for the me to do. Many thanks for your lovely videos Eric have a lovely weekend x
👍 When the bodymind dies, nothing happens. Something stops happening, the illusion of little self. This is no experience, but the end of experiencing (like deep sleep). For the Self, there is not even a cessation of happening. It just Is. It is like the end of the mirage in the desert. Before the mirage there is the sand, the heat and the air. After the mirage, same. During the mirage, same. The mirage dissolves when air and heat change the apparent location of their temporal game of illusion. The sand always remains. Ryokan said: My legacy - What will it be? Flowers in spring, The cuckoo in summer, And the crimson maples Of autumn... (from: Dewdrops on a lotus leaf)
Here is one for you... If I play a video game on my PC, consuming 500 watts of electricity, how does that energy change form into something else? It seems to be at the end point.
It changes form...into the work and resulting heat within the computer that creates the video game's graphics and logic. Energy is not created or destroyed...this is a basic scientific fact.
Hi. This video is very interesting I enjoyed seeing this nondual perspective on it. I had a question, about dreams. What do you think (or from a nondual perspective) about dreaming about things that are going to happen in the future, before they already happen. Since u described how our dreams are from our own consciousness how would you describe this? Thanks
It was not scripted, but highly probable...and it is possible to foresee what is probable. Looking at the future is like looking at a cake, until you've tasted it what do you really know? And then, of course, it's too late.
@@puneetgrvr Motivation is something an adult ego/illusory "me" wants. Put it this way, when you were a young child...what was your motivation to live? Children don't have such ideas.
In my last night's dream the dream characters appeared to display self awareness and seemed to have their own lives outside my dreaming mind/self. But this was shattered upon waking up. How do I know it's not the same case in this waking dream state?? How do I know you live your own personal life outside my awareness of you? Do you live your own personal life? You'd probably say yes just like If I were to dream tonight and ask one of the dream characters??
What you are asking and suggesting is solipsism, but I speak about nonduality. The dream characters are self aware...and have their own conscious awareness. Just like you...you are no different. It is rather egoic and self-centered to think the world revolves around your conscious awareness...and outside your conscious awareness they may not exist.
@@NondualityChannel non duality is essentially solipsism. What else could "there are no others" as quoted by Ramana Maharishi possibly mean. So are you saying the dream characters from last night's dream continue living their own personal lives once the dreamer-myself (whatever that refers to) has woken up. I can only go by my direct experience, as far as I'm concerned I'm the only one here just like the dream I had last night. Am I wrong?
Also nisargadatta Maharaj says there is literally no world in deep sleep, it only appears when I wake up. I'm gonna have to take this radical position. I am fed up playing poor little me. What do you reckon?
@@vvv2k12 Solipcism says I only know that I exist and everyone else could be imagined/dreamed by me. Nonduality recognized even "I" don't exist because that "I" too is part of the dream. All the dream characters...even the one you thought you were...ceased to exist when the dream ended.
More than great video,, I appreciate impulse for some laughing but I'd like to edit out the "too much" laughing..it gets a bit in the way of the learning.
I used to be into nondual teachings in the 1980s. I figured that since gurus are enlightened, there is no way they can be wrong about what they say. Eventually I found that they can be wrong about spiritual matters, and I no longer allowed them to limit my mind. The awareness, mind and creative aspects of being are all parts of who we are. The first being to exist used these aspects to make it so many selves exist within itself. Uniqueness does have validity. We are one and many at the same time. It wouldn't be possible to share love and Oneness with each other in a substantial way, if each of us didn't exist in a substantial way. We exist in unique ways that are far beyond what human lives show us.
@@sartemisa1 I am not certain what you are asking. I have had numerous experiences that relate to what I wrote. I don't believe a youtube comment space is the place to say everything.
@@alberthaust4542 to say everything = no. ( why do you take it to extremes? To kill the argument, hmm ). To say something = yes. Some reasoning. Some ideas. But your contribution here is... vast emptiness, nothing... to quote a friend. Why? Why do you behave like this? Why is it difficult to connect a few worded reasonings?
@@sartemisa1 I'll say one thing, I have experienced my Soul in an Oversoul kind of way. I was aware of numerous incarnations at once. It wasn't difficult to be aware in such a way, because my beingness was quite large. I have found that the me that abides in my body, is just one small portion of my total Self. I have been in communication with my total Self for about 17 years. As I said in my first post, uniqueness does in fact exist. We are one and many at the same time. The goal isn't to simply abide as pure awareness. The goal is to be able to use our awareness, mind and creative aspects of being in a wise, loving and harmonious way.
The Self as you wants to play golf and the Self as your wife wants you to do chores. There is only the Self playing all the parts...the only controller or actor.
My curiosity is peaked to be sure but now I can only wonder how you were able to jump out of the rabbit hole and become a wise observer, rather that a player in the game. I enjoy your knowledge and understanding but I want to personally experience what you experience. Thanks for any and all help you can offer.
It's actually quite terrifying... When you consider that the experience that comes after this one could be that of an animal in a factory farm, or of an alien in a death camp in a galaxy far away. Just think about all the horrible things that organisms experience here on Earth. Many animals experience getting eaten alive by other animals. Just think about all the ways humans suffer. "Reincarnation" or "Generic Subjective Continuity" or "Existential Passage" or "Rebirth"... The Buddhists sought to get out of it... I just hope this isn't true, because if it is, the life that comes after this one will not know anything you know, and may be that of a terrified pessimistic creature... Sure it could be an optimistic one too. It's all a gamble.
I feel you. Sometimes i have panic Attacks thinking the same thing. There Is too much sofference in this world. I don't know if there Is a way to avoid rebirth.
I was thinking more on the lines of - we could end up being a little squid in the sea. Or we could be a cricket that is placed in a tank ready to be eaten by the lizard 😂 sorry! Not helpful.
I can "understand" what you say about death, because I've had 6 satori in my life but still no permanent Awakening, but at the same time I've had contacts with the afterlife doing metaphony plus Matt Fraser and many others, NDE scientists etc. gave evidences of an afterlife so I'm confused. I think that the "I" illusion continue even after the body/mind death and it is what we call soul. Maybe. This is just a theory of mine but I really would appreciate your opinion on it. Thank you for everything 🙏🏻
Whether an "I" illusion continues or not really does not matter...it is a false "I" as it is not who/what you really are. Regardless, such an "I" is temporary and will eventually disappear...as all forms come and go...and that "I" is a form. Awakening is a shattering of the "I" illusion...and with it the illusion of going anywhere.
1. There is only the Self. I can't be anything else. 2. Delve into the "me". Inquire. Question. Investigate. See the false as false. Also, see this video - ua-cam.com/video/QBWGxbC7yBk/v-deo.html
What is the point of realizing your true nature if we die and go back into nothingness anyway? For me it's like quitting a game before finishing it. Would it not be more fun to just play it until the end?
Realizing your true nature does not mean quitting a game before finishing it...it means realizing it is just a game and not something serious. And so the game can be more enjoyed. Furthermore, there is no coming from or going back into nothingness.
@@NondualityChannel My 5 year old has been asking me lol. It’s tricky trying to explain it. The video game analogy almost works but the problem is they’re used to respawning as the exact same character not as a new character each time the video game character dies.
Nothing changes, but from bird perspective, generalising. Your memories, sensations, fears, worries, concerns, plans, childhood moments, friendships, loves, hates, pains, disappoints, everyrhing you gained material and non material dissappears. Your configuration stops to exists. So, as just a simple conversation, yes, you achieved me to feel better, but that's all. For sure we can imagine many explanations about energy, universal consciousness, bla bla, living universe, outside of existence or small beings wirhout shape. Brutal fact is, the darkness will eat you, the light will turn off in your head ans that's it. Everyrhing else is philosophing or say it spirituality if you like.
@@NondualityChannel But let me phrase my question this way: You, as Eric, though enlightened, can only still control your own body. You, Eric, cannot control my body, and you can't control any other person's body. So, when this Eric dies, then the self will play into another body and control another body (reincarnation). That is one part of the NDE claims. Do you agree? The other claim is living in some other realm - the astral realm, heaven, paradise; you name it... Any thoughts on that?
My other question is, why can't Eric control my body, or anyone else's body, after enlightenment? If you become the self or one with the universe, then why is it that you can't control other physical bodies and can still only control Eric's body? I hope this helps clarify your question.
@@surena3727 Self is currently playing all bodies. The Self does not move into another body after Eric or you die. Self is controlling both Eric and you (and all other bodies) now already. There is no "becoming the Self"...Self alone existed all along. Eric is imagined in this body. You are imagined in your body.
I’m so confused, btw I appreciate your videos I just cannot get my head around the meanings. If life were a video game and your character dies yet you can reboot again then of course we’d all be very relaxed in life, but when our form dies we are no more, there is only one life…. So how can we relate it to a rebooting of a character again?
Incorrect. We are not our forms, but the entirety of life (and not one life among many). The form dies but life continues on. It does not depend on a cell or body. If you want it to relate it to a rebooting of a character again...how about reincarnation. Reincarnation is the idea of endless reboots.
@@NondualityChannel thank you for your reply. Reincarnation in the sense that other characters are made but what we are will never live on again, we only experience life once?
I think this question cannot be answered. Saying that we are not the body and in fact we are energy doesn’t change the question. We are still feeling as localized (sensing the world locally) beings and not unversal beings.
Feeling as localized (i.e. sensing the world locally) and being universal are not mutually exclusive. In a dream, we feel/experience a localized existence and yet we are the entirety of the whole dream. There is no one else there.
Yet you "remember" other lives. Are you saying this life and those lives are all similarly unreal. I can sort of grasp this when I compare my memory of a younger me with memories of a me in a former life. How are they different. One was associated with this body. But was it really "this" body. It's constantly fluxing as well. What is your experience of people who have "died" during your life?
Remembering other lives is really no different than remembering dreams...they are all fictitious "me". Said another way...there is no life that is other than Self. There is no coming or going away, so " people who have "died"" didn't go anywhere. Nothing was lost.
I have listen ... but i wonder, can i make a wish as "the Self" or a wish is always coming from "the me and the thoughts i have been learning in my life"? I wonder if there is some communication between the real self and the self i feel i am? 🙏🙏🙏
That separation/duality does not exist. There is only the real Self... no other Self exists. There are not two. There is just the imagination and belief in a "me" and "other"...that are other than Self. In the absence thought, there is no "me". Whatever you want to do is exactly what the Self wants to do as you. The same applies to wishes.
Memory is like RAM in a computer but in the brain, even if consciousness or the feeling of "now" is still somewhat of a mystery but we understand memory pretty well via neuroscience memory is lost which connects with "death of self "in all these non-duality /meditative perspectives
@@apsarabalajee There is no such thing as personal karma...there is action and consequences of action...action and reaction...cause and effect. You throw a stone into a pool of calm water some summer day and there will be a splash.
@@apsarabalajee There is only the Self and any action is only done by the Self. Each action has effects or consequences of the action. How can an illusion bear anything?
@@NondualityChannel if you ask me, i don't know. this is all still a new concept, even for billions of people not to mention myself. but if i have to answer, from many source i've read and heard about this kind of concept, the self isn't playing any role, the individual does. the self somehow watching in silence. this Emotional-numbness self try to feel something by projecting "dreams" in individuals. me, as an individual, think it isn't fair. so the individual is playing roles and have pool of feelings who suffer, and happy. CMIIW
@@polarbear8188 There is only Self...there is no other. There is emotion...so that too is Self. There are roles...so they are played by Self. Self alone exists. Self is the sole power, mover, and doer. Nothing happens except by Self.
@@NondualityChannel so then one could do as one pleased let some other being suffer the consequences. The Buddha talked of his 500 past births. Was he deluded
@@shirinvenkat One is always free to do as one pleases and every action has consequences of action, but there still is no "me". Nor are there "other beings". I could talk of past births too, that does not mean that I believe in a "me".
@@NondualityChannel That there is no me is accepted only in the ultimate sense but at the Vayvaharika sat that is the mundane plane it is not at random that we get birth. The subtle body is semi mortal. We are not reborn with the same name or form but with the same sanskaras ie.tendencies and desires.
@@shirinvenkat I don't entertain such duality and ideas of separation that don't exist...there is but one reality. Brahman alone exists...no other...no "me".
I don't agree with you completely, if you read Hindu/Indian scriptures you will get to read that God/Shiva/your understanding of self loves us/his own parts so much that he has given us all freedom to explore and experience ourselves so yes ultimately we all merge with the self which is called Mukti/liberation but before that we have a long long journey that we all are going through atm
Hi Eric! Even from your comments made here, it is obvious that you realise this body-mind continues after the death of the body. And I reckon you omit this in the video and won't say it directly in the comments either because you want people to wake up, and if they focus on the body-mind too much, they won't be able to do that. I undrstand this, even though I find it deceptive, but probably its just that I cant experience on your level, and the goal actually justifies the means. Sorry, I dont mean to be rude, but this is how the limited little perspective that I am feels about it. What I don't understand is why you and teachers like you want people to realise the Self so much. If everyone realised the Self, Self wouldnt be able to experince itself, no? Why is it so obviois that the goal of our existence is Realisation? Isnt the goal of our existence just to exist and allow Self to experience through us? Embody our unique perspective fully and thus contribute to the incredible richness of life? Or is it that realisation is truly so blissful you want everyone to experience it? Thank you if you take the time to answer.
There is no goal at all. Everyone won't realize the Self anytime soon...the game of life continues and Self-realization is just one way to play the game of life. If you have no interest, that is fine. As for me, I just like talking about it.
I am totally on board with the idea that this body is temporary and there will still be life after I die, but...... I still have this nagging curiosity of what it FEELS like to die, or what it FEELS like to experience the True Self? Does the true Self have some sort of experience? What will happen after all "life " as we understand it ends......is there still some THING that is experiencing? I know this is probably a flawed question coming from a perspective of a human in a body that can't understand NOT having this experience. But I still feel like there must be some sort of state of awareness of whole Self.....like a point of consciousness that "looks" out into a void and is aware of itself and everything and understands everything. What is IT to FEEL like this true self? Or is it simply.that we keep jumping from life to life....only ever experiencing reality from 1 point of view at a time. I don't know it that makes sense.but I'm just curious about this fundamental energy/self that we all talk about.....and if there is some type of conscious experience that is attributed to this. I know probably no one has the answer to this but it's something that plays on my mind a lot. If anyone has any theories other than what has already been described in the video. Thanks for sharing your wisdom! 🙏
There is no such perspective that you imagine of whole Self. Each body can only experience reality from one point of view, but it is all the Self. All bodies are the Self. As for feeling the Self, you always have felt the Self...it is existing...being.
@@NondualityChannel thanks for your reply. So what you're saying is there is no separate experience of the Self with a capital S (including all beings and reality as we know it) and our normal every day experience of being a person in a body? Essentially being a person in a body IS the Self. And you can only experience it one body at a time. I suppose it's confusing to me because I see many people around me and many lives and it seems like they're all having a parallel experience to me. So there must be some sort of Source that it giving life to everything.....and then I imagine this Source as having a type of awareness of it's own. Probably completely different to time but ultimately real....??!
@@FJBtV-os2pv so what you're saying is that there IS an experience that is being the true self.....that is separate from our every day human experience? I've heard some spiritual teachers talk about enlightenment not being a change of the state of our human experience, but rather simply a change is perspective that acknowledges that everything is really one.
@@ramblingsofthejewbans2013 Yes, there is no separate experience of the Self. There will be no experience in which it is like…oh, this is the Self. Just like the eye can not see itself. At no point does the eye see something and go…oh, this is the eye. “And you can only experience it one body at a time.” - no, the body can only experience one body at a time. “I imagine this Source as having a type of awareness of it's own.” - this is commonly imagined. Because we can not really comprehend anything other than having a point of perspective.
What happens when an individual dies? That individual doesn't know that the individual died. There are no more questions in that individual. Only others know that individual died which creates an empty space in the memory of those who perceived that individual which eventually be patched by other future events.
![Death of the illusory self... Warning: Discussing sensitive topic [CLIP] #awakening #nonduality](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cwh3liKg3IM/mqdefault.jpg)
This concept has completely liberated ‘me’ from worry. There’s literally nothing to be afraid of.
This guy is an idiot
Catholic school as a kid installed horrendous fears about death.
Plus a lifetime of guilt and shame for even being born.
I’m terrified of both life and death.
Constantly trying to earn “gods” favor but just feeling the thoughts that tell me I’m headed to eternal torture and suffering at the hands of devils and demons.
I’m 53 and the older I get the more scared I get.
I HATE it.
Got sober 10 years ago and went back to Ram Dass who I was reading at 14 years old.
That led to Ramana, Nisagardatta and plenty more.
It’s been the most confounding, confusing, hell ride ever.
Plenty of peak experiences usually coupled with hilarious laughter and or joyful sobbing.
I’ve seen clearly there’s only 1 of us here but that realization fell away like all the rest and fear took back over.
I’ve meditated everyday for 10 years, still do but nothing like what all you “awakened” beings talk about had taken a permanent position.
I still have awful mental and emotional suffering even tho no sufferer can be found etc etc.
Sigh.
Sorry to hear your pain...I also have similar anxieties and distress. I have to try and focus on other things, avoid contemplating these topics or watching videos like this that often just make things worse. We need try and minimise suffering for ourselves and others and enjoy life the best we can.
Reminds me story of disciple and Zen master
Disciple: "Master what happens after death?"
Master: "I don't know"
Disciple: "But your a Master"
Master: "But I'm not a dead master"
lol.. [btw]: the illumination of your life existed before your birth and will remain after death of the body. You are just the quality of illumination
I started researching non duality about 2 years ago. I have recently 9/17/22 loss my 32-year-old son in a motorcycle accident, I almost feel and think I was drawn to this teaching to prepare and help me through this awful trauma to my soul. I had several premonitions of him passing away It would be an awful thought that would flash in my mind, and I would instantly reject and reoccupy my mind with anything to remove that thought or precognition. But I am well aware that i have experienced them before he passed. I'm still very much struggling with the loss of my son but as I watched this video, I came to the conclusion that he is me just in a different form, as if he was here telling me MOM, I'm right here, I am with you as you and will never leave you. Not sure why I'm sharing this maybe perhaps so I will allow myself to reflect upon such deep inner knowing.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ that must so incredibly hard. Sending you love. Yes, we are all one energy creating, but it sure feels like we are separate beings. Emotions and feelings are so intense. This human thing is quite the challenging experience❤
Your happy and light laughing is so wonderful. ❤🎉
Thank you Eric 🙏🏻 I really like your delivery style of these profound pointings. Life is a wonderful mystery! Love & light to everyone 💚
I have a different perspective for people who ask "what will happen to me?"
Essentially I consider the possibility that illusory partition can remain or fade slowly before the self stops playing from that perspective... ie life after death still maintaining some maya/illusion/divide or a continuation of that particular form.
What makes me suspect this is my own ego dissolution experiences, dreams, and other's account of their near death experiences... not that it ultimately matters since that too would be another illusion, albeit a more faint one. I hope I'm making sense, but if not, my apologies.
I feel like the concepts of soul, akashic records, ghosts, heaven, etc. can all point to these continued dualistic experiences before a particular form is done away with or a particular perspective goes away.
Of course that could be egoic wishful thinking. 🤷🏾♂️
I don't really care either way, but find the possibility of play fascinating
I agree with you. If consciousness can play in earthly bodies, why wouldn't it play in the "afterlife " as well??!!
It didn't end for "me" when I died. And after listening to hundreds of other NDE's, their selves made the transition "there and back". Now I did feel "the peace that passeth all understanding" and I can't say I had a body, but I do remember the whole thing. 🤷
The individual perspective will end eventually...and what you really are never went anywhere.
@@NondualityChannelstrange realization n ur so right there's no I... N why we are interlinked is strange coz body goes to earth mind is finished... Latent tendencies continue when another being comes into picture coz the same material is being recycled thts why it's said all cells carry memory n impressions... Thts why they say live a happy life... Coz we r connected so better pass good impressions to next life I mean the person who lives it... Thts the one I they talk about... No individual I. Ur right self continues playing the game... The individual goes...period... Thts why u cannot explain anything... Some ppl getting depressed getting killed cancer... No proper explanation... All a game of permutations of latent tendencies... Self is nothing but a quantum probability of all possibilities wch will continue forever
What an excellent description of non-duality. Love it! 💖🙏💖 (A little lizzard stopped by to have a look and a listen. 😆)
There is no lizard. There is only the Self ( in costume )
@@sartemisa1 😆
Nice to hear the perspective of a fellow gamer
Your video helps so much
So, can we say The Self is The Energy? I cannot imagine "the self", but the energy playing all the roles makes total sense. Thanks so much for these videos, I get totally absorbed when watching.
Energy works just as well as Self.
It’s a light in Hinduism non duality. Ofcourse it’s energy
The self is an illusion. It's created by the ego. Your thoughts are not yours, your body comes from the earth. So who are you? The answer is nothing.
@@DoodleDoo haha. Nothing and in the same time... everything ;)
@@NondualityChannel had the strangest revelation Eric.. Blasted all wat I practiced fr 35 long years... It jus happened abruptly... All is a dream and there's only one dreamer which is the only reality... Can't call him anything because whatever we call it is in language which itself is his dream.. Now my thoughts have become disjointed coz the centre is broken... N regarding so called after life... It's his dream.. His choice... So reincarnation hell heaven is what he is dreaming ... I'm a fucking projection.... Nothing else... Can jus bow my hands n request him to dream well about me coz I still have to live well for children till this body drops🙏.... Please share ur feedback...thts why nothing can be explained... Big bang will have permutarions n contradictions same goes fr all allegories metaphors evolution.. U name it... All is his dream his choice... Nothing can be attributed... All stories fears in religions was to awaken ppl to this reality... Bible quran the first line says... God says BE.. N universe springs up... Telling people in first line tht it's his dream his projectuon... Thts why the dreamer God is beyond real n unreal u can't objectify or subjectify it... The only definition is I AM... Thts all...
After this video, Oscar Wylde comes to mind:
"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."
Thanks so much!
You reboot and play some more 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 best ever!!!!!’ Omg imDAF!!!! In all reality this is what perspective I have been graced to have realize. I have seen many different forms and characters shown to me from who knows when. It’s all a dream and a game. But your comment was classic. Absolutely loved it 😍 😊❤
Thank you for the lovely video, great articulation!
Hi Eric! Been watching your videos for a while and I appreciate that you are a true enthusiast, as I see you around other nooks of the net I hang out at sometimes. My name is Eric, too. (Eric means one god forever, eh!?)
It seems different enlightened teachers have different perspectives on this topic. GP Walsh says the enlightened person goes to a realm that that doesn't involve death anymore. Eckhart Tolle has talked briefly about a more subtle energy realm that he said we shouldn't worry about now, but seems to be some kind of reality more like heaven. They both seem to imply that although it is paradoxical, we still keep our subjective self with a small s to some degree. Rupert Spira seems more in-line with you, that reality is like the breath... Just God breaths in and out and we are the out breath and then we are called back to oneness and something else comes out.
From Jesus, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, it seems that consciousness is using us for a mechanism to grow its appreciation of its own power and eternity.
I like this quote from Henri Bergson - 'The universe is a machine for the making of Gods.' Do you think it's possible and that like Tolle said, we get to maintain the illusion of a separate self along with others that have made the total journey? Like once you experience enough suffering, you are able to reborn as a separate self that can withstand the magnitude and intensity of having an eternity-long lucid dream. And for company, other enlightened people join you? Obviously, you would be aware of the illusion, you would know it was all just the self. After all, In the future, if you craved more appreciation, if you couldn't stand the Devine boredom anymore, you could jump back into Maya and have another go-round to develop your appreciation more.
Thanks for your videos as always!
That is the dream and hope of the illusory "me". To remain separate as an individual. There is no "me" and no such separation. Enlightenment shatters the illusion of "me" and any such concepts of individuality. So too the concept that there is anywhere to go. What you really are never goes anywhere.
Expressions of star dust talking to expressions of star dust. Dreams talking to dreams. Nothing piercing nothing.
Hmm, lots of comments on this one and it's not even more than 4 Earthly months old. Simply beautiful & profound, as usual. Thanx
These facts - and I consider them facts, because all sages and enlightened people say essentially the same - are easier to accept if the substance, the self, the awareness, our godly nature can be experienced as a reality. It doesn't help to know these circumstances intellectually. It is needed to feel them essentially.
To me it seems that enlightenment cannot happen before life has turned into an almost ongoing and recurring experience of meditation and awareness. Arriving at this point is the job we have. The way there is countinuous and persistent practicing of awareness and meditation.
At this point it is probably a little step from the identification with the individual me to the identification with the meditative state, the awareness as being our real nature, our safe haven. It's an easy step from there. And the transition is smooth
Thank you so much! To me dying was simply realizing that the imagined individual me never lived. BTW: I have a nagging question, wondering if it might be worth a video. If I/Self/Awareness “experiences everything as itself”, if it is not definable, if it is reality itself rather than real - why not just do away with it and say: There is only experiencing. In other words: What is the difference (if any) between my realization “I am not a thing.” and “There is nothing to be called ‘I’ (or not I) at all.” I remember certain experiential attributes occasionally being ascribed to “pure” awareness like that “full emptiness” or “potentiality” but it is still a bit of a mystery to me and it seems a frequent subject of heated discussions between nonudalists and advaita-followers. So: Is awareness even a thing? Is there a positive experience of “awareness” rather than just the obvious negative (“There is no me. There is just peace.”)? Does enlightenment allow for a subject?
no, there is no subject anymore, rather what you used to call subject and object has become one and the same.
while eric has a wonderful way of simple and short respones to profound questions, i would also like to recommend some of the old masters, like e.g. vairotsana, offered in a beautiful reading by samaneri jayasara:
ua-cam.com/video/0r--IzR-I48/v-deo.html
Delightful, keep sharing your insights plz,
Thanks, quite a freeing perspective. It's perhaps the biggest picture point of view as you demonstrate how we are all one, however, what do you think of the concept of soul and higherself? For instance, in the game analogy, there is still a single person operating those characters in the simulation, like you return your focus back to being a character in this outer reality when you stop playing a videogame. What if there is an outer body to this realm, like the movie Inception, you wake up from dreams within dreams, characters within characters?
It sounds like you could be saying this realm is the only one. Because if it is not, then our individual portion of memories and experiences may extend beyond the death of our individual characters.
Ultimately any and all form gives way to that which is formless. All form is temporary and not the ultimate reality. Soul/higher self might be a momentary continuation of the game, but that too shall pass to that which is formless...or transcends form.
@@NondualityChannel well said!
My precious 31 year old son passed away tragically. His death cause is undeterred. He did suffer serious head injury. I have felt suspicious if his father having a part in his death. This feels like a night mare to me. I am new to non duality. I want him to come back. I understand we are one. I am grieving this loss and it is the worse thing that happened to me. Any comfort to help me understand would be appreciated. Thank you
Nonduality is not something that is practiced at times like this in order to get comfort. Nonduality is either realized directly and automatically lived...or it is not.
If you are new to non-duality, it will be of no comfort...it would only be concepts that you could believe or disbelieve.
For example, that you and he were never born...and so he did not go anywhere (so need to come back). While you say you understand we are one, that is a mentally held concept and what you really believe is that we are separate.
So don't worry about nonduality for now. Grieve and process what happened. Fully accepting what happened and what is.
Perhaps, look at this "me" you feel yourself to be and look at it and question it. See that you are not that. Also, delve into who/what am I really?
Thank you
That was a good one....a very good one..TYE
When you say the game goes on that’s the question. How does it appear to change go on. Do you go through a tunnel to the next incarnation or a dualistic afterlife
The question is based upon a fictitious "me"...there is no "me".
Disembodied awareness aware of “more” than what the finite bodymind was aware of
@@EhHold That "me" too is temporary and goes away. It is illusory...there is but one Consciousness.
@@NondualityChannel “me” would refer to a finite bodymind contained within disembodied awareness.
Many people spend years of human birth meditating trying to understand non dual nature of things etc. After death as we believe conciousness continues, it should then know all about oneness and the form n formless as it is now more aware and probably all knowing as reported in NDEs. In other words soul should be in somewhat enlightened state by virtue of its transition.
So all the striving is it just for this human birth which is anyway fraction of the time we may spend on the other side.e could as well focus on our regular life pursuits.
Truth
Thank you Eric.
I've heard some say that before this body was born there is no memory of anything, like a total blackout, a total void. Could this be the case or will there still be experiences and colors?
Imagine you suddenly loose all of your memories and identity, could it be asked what happened to the person you were just a moment before?
We're embedded within an illusory perception of lineal (temporal) consciousness, but that's not its nature.
No one knows. But it may be just a repeat of life and yourself or nothingness forever or u float into space and expand and see it all do it all forever.
But do u remeber before u were born
?
The tunnel of light may be a shutdown in our brains or just a tunnel to nothingness or another body..
Basically it’s whatever u want it to be but u will die so ur gonna find out , or not, either way
But does your "personal" awarenes continue or get extinguished, is the key question. I'm still not clear on that after watching this video... If personality is form, then does that extinguish the self, if your form goes away at death? Can you reboot it if it gets destroyed? It's not clear to me; maybe I'm confusing things.
Does self-realization reveal how the SELF is playing all these characters? This is incomprehensible from the point of view of the character. I was wondering whether the shattering of the illusion of 'me' at a 'local' level reveals this mystery mechanism of one SELF playing multiple characters.
Yes all illusions will be revealed .
Yes, self-realization reveals there is only the Self.
It is not a matter of knowing how (mentally). Do you know how you open your hand? Can you put it into thoughts and words? Of course not, but you do it. Likewise, the Self just plays all the characters in this play.
you never die
hey man, this is the first video of yours i’ve watched and I can already tell that you get it. I have a question though. the idea of the Self is the foundation for most eastern methods of spiritual thought, specifically hinduism and buddhism (although buddhism mainly opposes it). strangely though, while most of these traditions hold a perspective of reincarnation very similar to the one you expressed here, they tend to have methods of obtaining less painful rebirths. do you think this perspective is nonsense because everyone shares the same consciousness? because it seems to me that if there is fundamentally no permanent self/form, than that includes individual souls.
You are not this birth...what you really are was never born, so it is rather silly to seek a better birth. That is just still believing in a "me" again. There is no "me". The Self is not a "me" - not personal, not a center, has no circumference, etc. Buddhism only says that there is no permanent "me"...and I agree.
Of course, from a priestly point of view talking to the masses it does make sense when talking to people who believe in a "me" and future births to tell them to do good in order to have less painful rebirths. It is expedient when trying to improve the overall behavior of society. Even if the hidden teaching for initiates is that there is no such thing.
@@NondualityChannel i completely agree buddhism fundamentally has it right, although its whole concept of merit in addition to the hindus’ “karma” seems to only exist in order maintain them on a worldly/societal level
@@sheevcreatine5676 Bodhidharma once was asked by Emperor Wu what merit was accrued by all the donations, monks ordained, temples built, etc. (by Wu)...and Bodhidharma said flatly and unflinchingly, "no merit whatsoever". Startled, the Emperor asked, "What is the highest meaning of the sacred truth?" Bodhidharma said, "Vast emptiness, nothing holy."
I love the videogame analogy ahhaah. I'm a big gamer 😎 so it hit home
Great video! I was just wanting to ask what's the difference between an individual's conscious awareness, and awareness or being itself? Is the conscious awareness synonymous with the ego?
Conscious awareness is of the body and is often identified with and so becomes part of ego ("me"). But conscious awareness is extremely limited. Of the thousands of bits of info every moment, conscious awareness can only be aware of a few bits. Under hypnotism, more can be recalled because subconscious awareness is able to get more. So there is more awareness than what is purely conscious. Awareness itself is singular. All awareness...conscious, subconscious, etc. are all just awareness or being itself.
@@NondualityChannel thank you very much for the clarification.
Wonder what your thoughts on this famous Sage quote???
It has been said that the Arhat finds the way to escape rebirth.
Now a Bodhisatva is a Arhat plus some and has realized there is no escaping rebirth and has stop trying.
There is no escape...the one that is trapped is an illusion.
Wow! How do you know or how does this get realized?
What is consciousness?
The illusion of "me" shattered...leaving only Consciousness/Self/Brahman/That/etc (pick your equivalent pointer/term).
Consciousness is all there is. Everything is Consciousness.
As for how does this get realized...a "me" can not cause it. At best, one can create a more conducive environment for the grace of awakening/enlightenment/liberation/self-realization/etc (pick your term). If you are looking for advice on what to do, check out ua-cam.com/video/QBWGxbC7yBk/v-deo.html
@@NondualityChannel Thank you so much Eric I listened to the video a few times. What I heard was, Cease manipulating, stop trying to achieve something. Allow it to be, surrender to what is. Be open to self realization happening on its own.
So there is really nothing for the me to do. Many thanks for your lovely videos Eric have a lovely weekend x
👍 When the bodymind dies, nothing happens. Something stops happening, the illusion of little self. This is no experience, but the end of experiencing (like deep sleep). For the Self, there is not even a cessation of happening. It just Is. It is like the end of the mirage in the desert. Before the mirage there is the sand, the heat and the air. After the mirage, same. During the mirage, same. The mirage dissolves when air and heat change the apparent location of their temporal game of illusion. The sand always remains.
Ryokan said:
My legacy -
What will it be?
Flowers in spring,
The cuckoo in summer,
And the crimson maples
Of autumn...
(from: Dewdrops on a lotus leaf)
So, Eric, how does this affect your response when someone you love, dies?
My grandparents and also my father-in-law have died, but there is no feeling of loss. They really have not gone anywhere.
Here is one for you...
If I play a video game on my PC, consuming 500 watts of electricity, how does that energy change form into something else? It seems to be at the end point.
It changes form...into the work and resulting heat within the computer that creates the video game's graphics and logic. Energy is not created or destroyed...this is a basic scientific fact.
@@NondualityChannel thank you
Nothing changes? _Something_ changes: the character no longer exists in the play.
_Everything_ is always changing. Nothing remains static.
There is change and yet no change.
Eternal Illusion. Brahman. Godly fun and games. 😆
Hi. This video is very interesting I enjoyed seeing this nondual perspective on it. I had a question, about dreams. What do you think (or from a nondual perspective) about dreaming about things that are going to happen in the future, before they already happen. Since u described how our dreams are from our own consciousness how would you describe this? Thanks
It was not scripted, but highly probable...and it is possible to foresee what is probable. Looking at the future is like looking at a cake, until you've tasted it what do you really know? And then, of course, it's too late.
@@NondualityChanneleric if everything is eternal nothingness.. What is the motivation to live
@@puneetgrvr Motivation is something an adult ego/illusory "me" wants. Put it this way, when you were a young child...what was your motivation to live? Children don't have such ideas.
In my last night's dream the dream characters appeared to display self awareness and seemed to have their own lives outside my dreaming mind/self. But this was shattered upon waking up. How do I know it's not the same case in this waking dream state??
How do I know you live your own personal life outside my awareness of you? Do you live your own personal life? You'd probably say yes just like If I were to dream tonight and ask one of the dream characters??
What you are asking and suggesting is solipsism, but I speak about nonduality.
The dream characters are self aware...and have their own conscious awareness. Just like you...you are no different.
It is rather egoic and self-centered to think the world revolves around your conscious awareness...and outside your conscious awareness they may not exist.
@@NondualityChannel non duality is essentially solipsism. What else could "there are no others" as quoted by Ramana Maharishi possibly mean.
So are you saying the dream characters from last night's dream continue living their own personal lives once the dreamer-myself (whatever that refers to) has woken up.
I can only go by my direct experience, as far as I'm concerned I'm the only one here just like the dream I had last night. Am I wrong?
Also nisargadatta Maharaj says there is literally no world in deep sleep, it only appears when I wake up. I'm gonna have to take this radical position. I am fed up playing poor little me. What do you reckon?
@@vvv2k12 Solipcism says I only know that I exist and everyone else could be imagined/dreamed by me. Nonduality recognized even "I" don't exist because that "I" too is part of the dream.
All the dream characters...even the one you thought you were...ceased to exist when the dream ended.
@@NondualityChannel solipsism refers to the (no)self/consciousness when stated only "I" exist.
That's some next level shit (pardon my French).
🙏
Thanks
Thank you!
More than great video,, I appreciate impulse for some laughing but I'd like to edit out the "too much" laughing..it gets a bit in the way of the learning.
I used to be into nondual teachings in the 1980s. I figured that since gurus are enlightened, there is no way they can be wrong about what they say. Eventually I found that they can be wrong about spiritual matters, and I no longer allowed them to limit my mind.
The awareness, mind and creative aspects of being are all parts of who we are. The first being to exist used these aspects to make it so many selves exist within itself. Uniqueness does have validity. We are one and many at the same time. It wouldn't be possible to share love and Oneness with each other in a substantial way, if each of us didn't exist in a substantial way. We exist in unique ways that are far beyond what human lives show us.
You didn't share / describe much, since 80's journey... why?
@@sartemisa1 I am not certain what you are asking. I have had numerous experiences that relate to what I wrote. I don't believe a youtube comment space is the place to say everything.
@@alberthaust4542 to say everything = no. ( why do you take it to extremes? To kill the argument, hmm ). To say something = yes. Some reasoning. Some ideas. But your contribution here is... vast emptiness, nothing... to quote a friend. Why? Why do you behave like this? Why is it difficult to connect a few worded reasonings?
@@sartemisa1 I'll say one thing, I have experienced my Soul in an Oversoul kind of way. I was aware of numerous incarnations at once. It wasn't difficult to be aware in such a way, because my beingness was quite large.
I have found that the me that abides in my body, is just one small portion of my total Self. I have been in communication with my total Self for about 17 years. As I said in my first post, uniqueness does in fact exist. We are one and many at the same time.
The goal isn't to simply abide as pure awareness. The goal is to be able to use our awareness, mind and creative aspects of being in a wise, loving and harmonious way.
If I, the self is in control, how come my wife is assuming she is the one in control and I have to do chores instead of playing golf ?
Do you play golf or..does golf play you?
The Self as you wants to play golf and the Self as your wife wants you to do chores. There is only the Self playing all the parts...the only controller or actor.
My curiosity is peaked to be sure but now I can only wonder how you were able to jump out of the rabbit hole and become a wise observer, rather that a player in the game. I enjoy your knowledge and understanding but I want to personally experience what you experience. Thanks for any and all help you can offer.
@@mikeharper3784 What to do was the topic of another video - ua-cam.com/video/QBWGxbC7yBk/v-deo.html
Pls what is the difference between ‘aware consciousness’ and ‘conscious awareness’ thank you
I have no idea what you mean by "aware consciousness"...I have never heard of this phrase.
I need a better definition of what the self is who is playing all the parts are there multiple selves or is it one big universal self?
There is only Self...not two (or more).
Reincarnation happens to those who have attachments to the physical world . Attachment to sex, ego , and even people can bring you back .
The Self never comes or goes. You are That (tat tvam asi).
It's actually quite terrifying... When you consider that the experience that comes after this one could be that of an animal in a factory farm, or of an alien in a death camp in a galaxy far away. Just think about all the horrible things that organisms experience here on Earth. Many animals experience getting eaten alive by other animals. Just think about all the ways humans suffer. "Reincarnation" or "Generic Subjective Continuity" or "Existential Passage" or "Rebirth"... The Buddhists sought to get out of it... I just hope this isn't true, because if it is, the life that comes after this one will not know anything you know, and may be that of a terrified pessimistic creature... Sure it could be an optimistic one too. It's all a gamble.
I feel you. Sometimes i have panic Attacks thinking the same thing. There Is too much sofference in this world. I don't know if there Is a way to avoid rebirth.
I was thinking more on the lines of - we could end up being a little squid in the sea. Or we could be a cricket that is placed in a tank ready to be eaten by the lizard 😂 sorry! Not helpful.
I can "understand" what you say about death, because I've had 6 satori in my life but still no permanent Awakening, but at the same time I've had contacts with the afterlife doing metaphony plus Matt Fraser and many others, NDE scientists etc. gave evidences of an afterlife so I'm confused. I think that the "I" illusion continue even after the body/mind death and it is what we call soul. Maybe. This is just a theory of mine but I really would appreciate your opinion on it. Thank you for everything 🙏🏻
Whether an "I" illusion continues or not really does not matter...it is a false "I" as it is not who/what you really are. Regardless, such an "I" is temporary and will eventually disappear...as all forms come and go...and that "I" is a form.
Awakening is a shattering of the "I" illusion...and with it the illusion of going anywhere.
@@NondualityChannel thank you for the answer 🙏🏻 and again, for your videos.
@@NondualityChannelpls b specific.. Is enlightenment same as fainting.. With absolutely no perception?
@@puneetgrvr Not at all. Perception continues.
@@NondualityChannel wat I mean is post the so called body death... Perception n non perception is same... Even now it's empty perception
I have 2 questions 🙂 if you have time.
1. Are you mostly the Self?
2. What can i do - if i am tired of the "me" ? 🙏 🙂
1. There is only the Self. I can't be anything else.
2. Delve into the "me". Inquire. Question. Investigate. See the false as false. Also, see this video - ua-cam.com/video/QBWGxbC7yBk/v-deo.html
🙂🙏🌺☀️🙋
can you talk about this in film making terms?
What is the point of realizing your true nature if we die and go back into nothingness anyway? For me it's like quitting a game before finishing it. Would it not be more fun to just play it until the end?
Realizing your true nature does not mean quitting a game before finishing it...it means realizing it is just a game and not something serious. And so the game can be more enjoyed. Furthermore, there is no coming from or going back into nothingness.
Have you ever successfully explained the concept of death to an inquisitive child? How can that be done?
I've never had to explain it to a child.
@@NondualityChannel My 5 year old has been asking me lol. It’s tricky trying to explain it. The video game analogy almost works but the problem is they’re used to respawning as the exact same character not as a new character each time the video game character dies.
Nothing changes, but from bird perspective, generalising.
Your memories, sensations, fears, worries, concerns, plans, childhood moments, friendships, loves, hates, pains, disappoints, everyrhing you gained material and non material dissappears.
Your configuration stops to exists.
So, as just a simple conversation, yes, you achieved me to feel better, but that's all.
For sure we can imagine many explanations about energy, universal consciousness, bla bla, living universe, outside of existence or small beings wirhout shape.
Brutal fact is, the darkness will eat you, the light will turn off in your head ans that's it.
Everyrhing else is philosophing or say it spirituality if you like.
So what are mediums ( some) tapping into, no they aren’t all fakes, some have passed scientific testing.
Hi eric , what do you think about nde? and things they say happens after death?
Were you ever born?
@@NondualityChannel I get what you're saying, the self is there there is no time
it's only the self, everything else is an illusion right?
@@NondualityChannel But let me phrase my question this way:
You, as Eric, though enlightened, can only still control your own body. You, Eric, cannot control my body, and you can't control any other person's body. So, when this Eric dies, then the self will play into another body and control another body (reincarnation). That is one part of the NDE claims. Do you agree?
The other claim is living in some other realm - the astral realm, heaven, paradise; you name it...
Any thoughts on that?
My other question is, why can't Eric control my body, or anyone else's body, after enlightenment?
If you become the self or one with the universe, then why is it that you can't control other physical bodies and can still only control Eric's body?
I hope this helps clarify your question.
@@surena3727 Self is currently playing all bodies. The Self does not move into another body after Eric or you die. Self is controlling both Eric and you (and all other bodies) now already.
There is no "becoming the Self"...Self alone existed all along. Eric is imagined in this body. You are imagined in your body.
I’m so confused, btw I appreciate your videos I just cannot get my head around the meanings. If life were a video game and your character dies yet you can reboot again then of course we’d all be very relaxed in life, but when our form dies we are no more, there is only one life…. So how can we relate it to a rebooting of a character again?
Incorrect. We are not our forms, but the entirety of life (and not one life among many). The form dies but life continues on. It does not depend on a cell or body.
If you want it to relate it to a rebooting of a character again...how about reincarnation. Reincarnation is the idea of endless reboots.
@@NondualityChannel thank you for your reply. Reincarnation in the sense that other characters are made but what we are will never live on again, we only experience life once?
@@benji-5796 No, that is still identifying with the body-mind, your experiences, memory, etc. That is not what you are.
I think this question cannot be answered. Saying that we are not the body and in fact we are energy doesn’t change the question. We are still feeling as localized (sensing the world locally) beings and not unversal beings.
Feeling as localized (i.e. sensing the world locally) and being universal are not mutually exclusive. In a dream, we feel/experience a localized existence and yet we are the entirety of the whole dream. There is no one else there.
Yet you "remember" other lives. Are you saying this life and those lives are all similarly unreal. I can sort of grasp this when I compare my memory of a younger me with memories of a me in a former life. How are they different. One was associated with this body. But was it really "this" body. It's constantly fluxing as well. What is your experience of people who have "died" during your life?
Remembering other lives is really no different than remembering dreams...they are all fictitious "me". Said another way...there is no life that is other than Self.
There is no coming or going away, so " people who have "died"" didn't go anywhere. Nothing was lost.
So it’s like in a dream without dreaming ?
It's just like before birth.
So how do we figure out our true selves
First, see the false as false...recognize that all that you think you are - in fact - you are not.
@@NondualityChannelI know that but what makes us who we are as souls when we go to the other side ? What are our personalities like?
I have listen ... but i wonder, can i make a wish as "the Self" or a wish is always coming from "the me and the thoughts i have been learning in my life"? I wonder if there is some communication between the real self and the self i feel i am?
🙏🙏🙏
That separation/duality does not exist. There is only the real Self... no other Self exists. There are not two. There is just the imagination and belief in a "me" and "other"...that are other than Self. In the absence thought, there is no "me".
Whatever you want to do is exactly what the Self wants to do as you. The same applies to wishes.
@@NondualityChannel i am speechless, thank you ... so much 🙂🙏☀️🌺🌟🏖️🌴🤸🧚
What's the new form we take after we die? Just admit you dont know
You are not the current form and you were never born.
Perhaps the memories transform into collective consciousness?
Why would it remain separate from collective consciousness at all?
Memory is like RAM in a computer but in the brain, even if consciousness or the feeling of "now" is still somewhat of a mystery but we understand memory pretty well via neuroscience
memory is lost which connects with "death of self "in all these non-duality /meditative perspectives
So am I supposed to be a serial killer and be ok after death?
The "me" you are referring to is fiction and does not exist.
Hi Eric.I also had the same thought.so there is nothing like karma?
@@apsarabalajee There is no such thing as personal karma...there is action and consequences of action...action and reaction...cause and effect. You throw a stone into a pool of calm water some summer day and there will be a splash.
@@NondualityChannel So the illusory one performing the action has to bear the consequences?
@@apsarabalajee There is only the Self and any action is only done by the Self. Each action has effects or consequences of the action.
How can an illusion bear anything?
Well......that's one idea.....
I think it depend on you’re karma if you’re attached to the world you will reincarnate if not you will merge with the ultimate
There is no "you" either way....that "you" is an illusion.
If the consciousness i mean
@@hasansarhan9296 There is only one consciousness and nothing changes with death of the body...for that one consciousness is all bodies.
Thank you namaste
@@Cosmicmatchaconsumer The game of life goes on...nothing gained and nothing lost. Forms come and forms go.
ok this individual is end. but will i have to play another role again?
That is still identifying with a "me" (and individuals)...there is no "me".
Said another way...what role is not being played by Self?
@@NondualityChannel if you ask me, i don't know. this is all still a new concept, even for billions of people not to mention myself.
but if i have to answer, from many source i've read and heard about this kind of concept, the self isn't playing any role, the individual does. the self somehow watching in silence. this Emotional-numbness self try to feel something by projecting "dreams" in individuals. me, as an individual, think it isn't fair.
so the individual is playing roles and have pool of feelings who suffer, and happy.
CMIIW
@@polarbear8188 There is only Self...there is no other. There is emotion...so that too is Self. There are roles...so they are played by Self. Self alone exists. Self is the sole power, mover, and doer. Nothing happens except by Self.
Is that the same for suicide? Nothing happens?
Why would there be a difference?
9:00, i like my game with cheat. i cant do that here.
What happens to the theory of Karma then?
There is no such thing as personal karma...for the person is an illusion and does not really exist.
@@NondualityChannel so then one could do as one pleased let some other being suffer the consequences. The Buddha talked of his 500 past births. Was he deluded
@@shirinvenkat One is always free to do as one pleases and every action has consequences of action, but there still is no "me". Nor are there "other beings".
I could talk of past births too, that does not mean that I believe in a "me".
@@NondualityChannel That there is no me is accepted only in the ultimate sense but at the Vayvaharika sat that is the mundane plane it is not at random that we get birth. The subtle body is semi mortal. We are not reborn with the same name or form but with the same sanskaras ie.tendencies and desires.
@@shirinvenkat I don't entertain such duality and ideas of separation that don't exist...there is but one reality. Brahman alone exists...no other...no "me".
Nice concept but still a concept. Neti neti.
What reincarnates then? thanks :)
Doesn't matter. I was never born.
After listening to you in this video I wonder what your view on past lives is. Aren't all deceased past lives in this theory?
Thank you for sharing.
What happens when you die?
You die! That’s it.
No story attached.
I don't agree with you completely, if you read Hindu/Indian scriptures you will get to read that God/Shiva/your understanding of self loves us/his own parts so much that he has given us all freedom to explore and experience ourselves so yes ultimately we all merge with the self which is called Mukti/liberation but before that we have a long long journey that we all are going through atm
That is the illusion. There is nowhere to go and nothing to become...you are That (tat tvam asi).
Hi Eric! Even from your comments made here, it is obvious that you realise this body-mind continues after the death of the body. And I reckon you omit this in the video and won't say it directly in the comments either because you want people to wake up, and if they focus on the body-mind too much, they won't be able to do that. I undrstand this, even though I find it deceptive, but probably its just that I cant experience on your level, and the goal actually justifies the means. Sorry, I dont mean to be rude, but this is how the limited little perspective that I am feels about it. What I don't understand is why you and teachers like you want people to realise the Self so much. If everyone realised the Self, Self wouldnt be able to experince itself, no? Why is it so obviois that the goal of our existence is Realisation? Isnt the goal of our existence just to exist and allow Self to experience through us? Embody our unique perspective fully and thus contribute to the incredible richness of life? Or is it that realisation is truly so blissful you want everyone to experience it? Thank you if you take the time to answer.
There is no goal at all. Everyone won't realize the Self anytime soon...the game of life continues and Self-realization is just one way to play the game of life. If you have no interest, that is fine. As for me, I just like talking about it.
I am totally on board with the idea that this body is temporary and there will still be life after I die, but......
I still have this nagging curiosity of what it FEELS like to die, or what it FEELS like to experience the True Self? Does the true Self have some sort of experience? What will happen after all "life " as we understand it ends......is there still some THING that is experiencing?
I know this is probably a flawed question coming from a perspective of a human in a body that can't understand NOT having this experience. But I still feel like there must be some sort of state of awareness of whole Self.....like a point of consciousness that "looks" out into a void and is aware of itself and everything and understands everything.
What is IT to FEEL like this true self?
Or is it simply.that we keep jumping from life to life....only ever experiencing reality from 1 point of view at a time.
I don't know it that makes sense.but I'm just curious about this fundamental energy/self that we all talk about.....and if there is some type of conscious experience that is attributed to this.
I know probably no one has the answer to this but it's something that plays on my mind a lot. If anyone has any theories other than what has already been described in the video.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom! 🙏
You reincarnate if you have not realized your true self here .
There is no such perspective that you imagine of whole Self. Each body can only experience reality from one point of view, but it is all the Self. All bodies are the Self. As for feeling the Self, you always have felt the Self...it is existing...being.
@@NondualityChannel thanks for your reply.
So what you're saying is there is no separate experience of the Self with a capital S (including all beings and reality as we know it) and our normal every day experience of being a person in a body?
Essentially being a person in a body IS the Self. And you can only experience it one body at a time.
I suppose it's confusing to me because I see many people around me and many lives and it seems like they're all having a parallel experience to me. So there must be some sort of Source that it giving life to everything.....and then I imagine this Source as having a type of awareness of it's own. Probably completely different to time but ultimately real....??!
@@FJBtV-os2pv so what you're saying is that there IS an experience that is being the true self.....that is separate from our every day human experience?
I've heard some spiritual teachers talk about enlightenment not being a change of the state of our human experience, but rather simply a change is perspective that acknowledges that everything is really one.
@@ramblingsofthejewbans2013 Yes, there is no separate experience of the Self. There will be no experience in which it is like…oh, this is the Self. Just like the eye can not see itself. At no point does the eye see something and go…oh, this is the eye.
“And you can only experience it one body at a time.” - no, the body can only experience one body at a time.
“I imagine this Source as having a type of awareness of it's own.” - this is commonly imagined. Because we can not really comprehend anything other than having a point of perspective.
To call consciousness or God just an energy is cruel
It is not cruel...it is not personal.
What happens when an individual dies? That individual doesn't know that the individual died. There are no more questions in that individual. Only others know that individual died which creates an empty space in the memory of those who perceived that individual which eventually be patched by other future events.
Why are you always eating something when you are talking? Nervous or what? Vulgar behaviour. Please do stop that nonsense. Thank you.