Author: John Richards

According to Advaita Vedanta, is there a real and everlasting you?

You are not body. You are formless. Formless you does not have a beginning or an end, as there is no concept of time. Time came along with the body which you are not. You are prior to every experience, even the experience of existence or ‘I am’. This feeling of ‘I am’ or ‘I exist’ has appeared to That which was there prior to knowing this feeling of existence or ‘I am’. This ‘I am’ has appeared to you. This is called the birth of time. Within this span of time their is the appearance of things, you are not a thing. Things appear due to this knowledge of ‘I exist’ or “I am’, which has appeared to you.

You are not body. You are formless. As this appearance of ‘I am’ or ‘I exist’ is fleeting, everything that is known that has come along with it is illusory in nature. Every thing that is known, everything that is seen, every experience that has ever been registered is absolutely illusion.

When your Presence attached with a body form the consciousness took a snapshot from the perspective of being an object in time and space and from this wrong perspective began interpreting the ‘world’. You are not in the world, the world is within you.

A similar experience occurs within the dream state, a dream world is projected with a you in it. In reality the dream is within you, not you in it. Due to the false impression of being a body form the consciousness which creates the dream world, creates the so-called waking world. Their is only one consciousness which appeared spontaneously with the feeling ‘I exist’ or ‘I am’. As this feeling ‘I am’ is illusory, everything that appeared along with it is illusory.

The one to whom the feeling ‘I exist’ and the spontaneous projections of consciousnesses appeared is the Reality, That You Are.

Where can a person get a meditation mantra for free?

Soham. Breathe in So. Exhale Ham. This is a powerful Mantra. This Mantra is now given to you by Your most Supreme highest Self in one form, to your most Supreme Highest Self in another form, to remind you of your true formless nature. Take this as Absolute Truth. Do not allow the mind to come in and distract you with thoughts of who is this? Is this real? This Mantra is not working. Etc. I the Supreme Self am conveying this Mantra to you the Supreme Self. Know yourself in a real sense. You are not body. You are formless. This Soham Mantra will remind you of your true formless nature, then there can be no separation.

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m not the mind or the body. I know this is spiritual development, but I’m 20 years old and no one around me feels like their body is a vessel. Is this normal and where do I go next spiritually?

This ‘I’ which knows it is not the body or the mind, with what does it identify? To whom does the label ‘I’ belong? Who knows this feeling of the body being a vessel? You are the formless holder of the body, from what position is this known?

When this formless holder of the body is identified perfectly there will be no place from which to form questions, as there will be nothing to be known. The formless knowledge which knows the appearance of the seeming form based ‘reality’ spontaneous understanding That You Are.

There is no next, there is no time. Time, next, others, body, world, experience came along with the body, which are not, were not and never could be.

How do I kill my ego for once and for all?

You are not body. You are formless. Ego came along with the body, which you are not. The belief in being a body created the false appearance of separation which allowed the impression that there was an ego. You are not body. You are formless. There is nothing except formless you.

Does one find the truth, or does the truth find the one?

You are the Truth. You need only remove the false. Their are many different paths to this same end, and in the end there is no path as there was only the illusion of the false appearing true.

I am that which watches this, yet I am interested and attached to this. Why is that?

Because the concept of separation has not yet been proved in your own experience as illusion. You are not body. You are formless. There is no experience. The illusion of experience is impressed through the belief in being a body form. This one that watches with interest is watching from the wrong perspective of being a body form in a world. All of the thoughts that are based on body experience and body knowledge are believed to be ‘my thoughts’.

You are not body you are formless. Thoughts dance across the screen of mind and with your wrong identification of being a body form you buy those thoughts. Then the concept of how to get rid of all these thoughts becomes a source of struggle and distraction. Because you believe you are a body form, you desire other forms for the form you take yourself to be. This is attachment.

Attachment will dissolve the moment you realize your true formless nature. You will no longer be carried away, distracted or interested in any thing particular, as you will firmly know you are not a thing.

Even the concept of the observer will dissolve as their will be nothing ‘other’ that requires active observing. The entire form based illusory appearances are completely false and based solely on ignorance of oneself.

Identify yourself perfectly, using body while it is available. You are the formless holder of the body. All body based experience and knowledge is illusion as it appears and disappears within That You Are.

Do “you” lose all fears once you get enlightened?

You are not body. You are formless. Dissolution of the concept of separation due to belief in being a body is labeled ‘enlightenment’. As you have realized your true formless nature, their is no place for fear to rest. Their is no mind created projections that draw attention unnecessarily from passing phenomena. The objects that appear and disappear no longer seem disturbing, as it is fully realized that you are formless. Their is nothing except formless you. With the belief in separation dissolved and proved untrue, there is nothing except You. Who is to fear? What is there to fear? What can possibly effect the formlessness That You Are. Of course if you are not living the ‘enlightenment’ and it is still just an intellectual understanding than fear is certain, and will be justified by all sorts of conceptual nonsense that will need defending.

How did you find your spiritual teacher?

A sense of Presence came through the concept of seeking. A desire to surrender arose from the sense of Presence. The sense of Presence seemed to grow as more attention was paid to That than to anything else. This sense of Presence led this body to another body in which it said “You are not body.” Presence recognizing Presence using objects appearing within Presence.

Why do we say, “I have a body” and not, “I am a body”?

For the same reason you say ‘I have a car’ and not ‘I am my car’. The body is an instrument available for your use, for a limited time, it is not you. You are their prior to taking this body form, and you will be there after the body form can no longer sustain your sense of existence. You are prior to every experience, even the experience ‘I exist’.

What is a spiritual ego? Is it a by-product of more spiritual knowledge?

Ego is ‘I’ as something, rather than everything is ‘I’. The belief in being a body creates the concept of separation. The concept of separation creates the illusion of experiencing. The illusion of experiencing creates the concept of experiences. The concepts of both being a body and I am having experiences creates what we could label as ‘body knowledge’.

This ‘body knowledge’ which appeared to be gathered by the experiencer or ‘I am getting knowledge from this experience’ creates the concept of a ‘spiritual ego’.

No worries, you are not, were not and never could be a body. You are not body. You are formless. Everything that came along with the body which you are not is illusion, as you are not a body. Formless you in which forms appear and disappear has no experience as their is nothing other.

How do I control my wandering mind during meditation? I either fall asleep or my mind deviates to other unnecessary things during meditation.

It is a common misconception that a ‘wandering mind’ somehow disturbs meditation. On the contrary a wandering mind makes meditation that much easier, as you are able to discover your true position effortlessly. You are the witness to whom the wandering mind appears. You are the observer of thoughts across the screen of mind. Therefore it is known that you are outside the process of thinking.

You Are not body. You are formless. Formless you does nothing, as their is nothing that can be done. Enlightenment is the dissolution of the false concept of separation brought about by the belief in being a body form. Once this false layer is removed from the reality, That You Are, there will be only oneness. Their can be no separation in the formless.

Space would be the best comparison if we had to descend into the body based illusion to explain reality. Space cannot be separated. The walls of a building may appear to separate the space in one room, from that of the next. However, this is of course untrue, as in reality the space can not be separate, it pervades everything. You too are the formless reality in which all form appears, plays and then disappears. There is nothing except formless you.

Taking the ownership of actions done by the body that you are not creates the appearance of an egoistic doer of something with the expectation of a resulting outcome. You are not body. You are formless. All body based concepts and body based knowledge came along with the body, which you are not.

How do I distinguish what is me and what is my ego?

Everything that is perceived is not you. You are the perceiver. When everything is left off, discarded, you are there. You are prior to every experience. You are prior to the concept of ego. Nothing that is perceived can be you.

Why is there no “I” after being enlightened? How should I understand that?

There is no ‘I’ as an individual. The ‘I’ appears as many and assumes the position of an individual based on attachment and association with a body. You did not know you existed. A sense of existence was perceived. Wrong identification with a body caused a snapshot to be taken and the wrong point of perceiving began. Yes, you exist, of course. You are prior to every experience, even the experience ‘I exist’. Prior to knowing of your existence, you knew nothing, not even yourself. After knowing this feeling ‘I exist’ you started to know so many things. Identification with a body creates the illusion of experience. You are not body. You are formless. There is nothing except formless you.

How do enlightened people see people and the world? Do they see everything and anything as “one” with them?

You are prior to every experience. You experience this concept of ‘you’. You are not body. You are formless. Due to belief in being a body the illusion of experience is impressed. You are not body. Prior to belief in body you knew nothing, and there was no experience or experiencer. After belief in body you started to know so many things. You are prior to every experience, even the experience of your own existence. Prior to this feeling of existence or ‘I exist’ you were there, as this feeling of existence appeared to you. After this feeling ‘I exist’ came upon you spontaneously a world was projected and you claimed and attached to a body form. This body form allowed you to express this knowing of existence and you said ‘I’. This wrong identification with body form created the subject/object dualistic perceiving point from which a world was perceived, with a ‘you’ in it. You are not body. You are formless. This world of name and form has appeared, will remain for a time, and then disappear all within your true formless nature. There is nothing except formless you.

How do I find a spiritual guru? Is it necessary? Can I attain spirituality alone without a guru?

Guru takes the form of Presence through meditation and concentration. This Presence once felt in meditation, should be ‘worshiped’ with absolute attention, first in the meditation and then in the daily life. When you continue to give your attention more and more to Presence instead of the passing outside things and situations, there will be an expansion. Remain with this Presence. Without having to label it. Without trying to ‘figure it out’. Remain with the sense of Presence, brushing aside anything that tries to distract you from it. Eventually while doing your daily activities you will be immersed in this Presence and the activities will be seen as occurring within this Presence. Just as when you are sick, all of the activities are done in the ‘sick feeling’. Or when you are hungry all of the activities are done within the ‘hungry’ feeling. So to when you are immersed in Presence all of the activities will be done within that Presence. Presence is the Guru, remain at the Guru’s feet. If an external Guru is needed to clear away body related knowledge or concepts, one will manifest while you are immersed in Presence. This path is direct and will lead to Realization.

Many awakened beings note that life is just a game. Every game eventually gets you bored, especially if you are locked in the gaming room for eternity. How do they keep motivation to go on?

Life is a play, not to be taken seriously as it is completely illusion based on a wrong concept of being a body. Due to the concept of being a body the world seemingly appears and you are in it. You are not body. You are formless. The world appears in you, not you in it. Their is no boredom as boredom requires time or repetitive activities. You are not an object in time, you are formless. Every action is spontaneous as their is no actor being created after the fact to place a debit or credit on your account. Their are no days, no things to do, nothing of any sort. Scenes appear, actions are spontaneously done, then the scene disappears. Even this is done within the illusion, just as a dream. You are not body. You are formless. Just as in a dream an entire dream world is projected and populated, so it is with the waking world. Knowing this, how could anything be taken seriously? Enjoy playing in the formlessness That You Are by using the form body until it no longer can sustain the illusion. When the movie is done, leave the theater smiling.

How does one achieve enlightenment?

Stop believing you are a body. Investigate this false foundation from which your perceiving point has created an illusory world. Enlightenment is the recognition that you are not, were not, and never could be a body or any form. You are formless, timeless, spaceless, deathless, birthless. You only know yourself through the body. You are not body. You are formless. The body occurs or has appeared within you. The mind is the key that unlocks the illusory prison. The mind produces thoughts about form and the world of name and form. Once you know yourself in a real sense through the manifestation of Presence, no thought can be about you. Mind will stop the belief in being a body as you are no longer involved or paying attention to body based thoughts. You stop believing you are a body and accept the reality that you are formless. All form is illusion. The knower of this is reality.

Why is our own self-realization and enlightenment the greatest contribution to humanity?

You will cease the illusory struggle with imaginary ‘others’. Your ripple will be stillness. Their will be spontaneous Selfless action, because you will know there is nothing except your Self.

What is the longest you’ve meditated and how long did it take for you to get there?

The better question would be ‘What was it that broke your natural concentration on formless you in which all form appears and disappears? What was so interesting in the passing illusory scene that caused you to get involved and created a belief that you were doing something?’ ‘When did you stop believing the false idea that meditation was something that you do, rather than the background of all doing?’ Asking yourself these questions, will remove the questioner and the idea of meditation. The answer to your question could also be given, the longest that ‘I’ have meditated was only interrupted by the thought of a mediator who appeared and disappeared and was proven by that fact not to be true’.

If you obtain enlightenment, can you then create your reality with the power of your decisions or only get the truth?

Enlightenment is the dissolution of the false concept of separation impressed through the ‘I am a body’ idea. You are not body. You are formless. Formlessness can not effect form, formlessness can use form for a time. Time is created within the formlessness through identification with a body, which you are not. Reality is not created, only illusion is created. Illusion is created through the concept of being a body which impresses the wrong concept of separation. Separation is illusion. Reality can not be separated as it is without any form or attributes. Reality appears to be separated only due to the belief in being a body, which you are not.

Is there a relationship between Kundalini and enlightenment?

Both are concepts that came along with belief in being a body, which you are not. When you believe you are a body, so many concepts appear. You are not body. You are formless. What concept truly apply’s to formless you? Nothing.

What disturbs our inner silence in life?

Silence is the background, everything that appears and disappears does so against the silent stillness. Thoughts, images, ideas, beliefs, concepts are all appearing and disappearing on the background of silence. Deep in the ocean, their are no waves. A Tsunami can be on top, on the surface, the background of the ocean is still and calm. Waves, wind, storms, rain, appear and disappear on the oceans surface. In reality there is no disturbance. The silence is not disturbed, the ocean is not disturbed. Their is no disturbance until the thought comes ‘I am disturbed’.

Where do you go when you need a spiritual push leading to the ultimate awakening?

Presence. When you are inwardly remaining still without giving attention to outward passing things, you can sense this. This Presence is ever so subtle. Once Presence is ‘caught’ within attention it will pull you in. This may not be understood at first. Through meditation and concentration you will feel this subtle Presence. Worship this Presence as God, giving full attention. Even as you go about your daily activities, give effort to remain in contact with this Presence. When Presence is pleased and the feeling is that of expansion, Presence will reveal the Ultimate Awakening.

Who are the most unenlightened people in the world? How would you enlighten them, and with what tools?

You are not body. You are formless. There are no people, just formless you. There is no enlightenment or not enlightened, these are concepts which came along with the body, which you are not. All body based concepts are false. You are not body. you are formless. All body based knowledge is ultimately useless. You are not body. You are formless. The formless holder of the body That You Are is not affected at all by any of the body based experiences. Your belief in being a body causes everything to be seen through the lens of identification with a specific form in a world. All of this occurs within you, not you in it. Discover this truth by removing all of the illusory layers that keep you distracted from your true formless nature. Prior to being, body and world, you did not know yourself. After beingness or Presence has appeared, you started knowing so many things.

How does karma work for someone that is enlightened?

Enlightenment is the dissolution of the concept of separation brought about by the belief in being a body form. You are not body. You are formless. Knowing your true formless nature as it manifests as a sense of Presence on which all form has appeared you are naturally apart from any apparent happenings in the body form world. All form is occurring within That You Are, not you in it. The egoistic sense of being a doer was impressed through the belief in being a body form, which you are not. In your true formless nature you are prior to the mind that is trying to impress that you are a doer, doing good and bad things. You are the formless background, the reality on which the illusory layers appear, play and disappear. Their is no karma for you. Karma is a concept that came along with the body, a body based concept. You are not body. You are formless. Enlightenment is the dissolution of the concept of separation brought about by the belief in being a body form.

What does fear mean spiritually?

Fear is caused by the belief in being a body which can die or deteriorate. You are not body. You are formless. Everything that has been seen is illusion, the seer is formless. The entire world is projected from the wrong perspective of being a body so ‘others’ are seen. Everything that is seen is illusion. The greatest fear comes when the question is asked from the perspective of the egoistic state. ‘Is it then true that nothing I did mattered? Is my life completely meaningless? Nothing of ‘me’ continues?’ These questions cause fear to arise and many to turn back from the ‘void’. Quickly Presence will show that ’This one you believed yourself to be and experienced all of these things and life and such, never was. You have lost nothing. Formless you is all there Is.’ You are not body. You are formless. Everything that you have ever known, experienced or seen has been in this bubble of illusion sustained by the belief in being a body. Which you are not.

Can a homosexual achieve enlightenment?

You are not body. Male and female are attributes of the body, which you are not. The one essence plays in various forms. That same essence is in an ant, dog and human being. That essence is formless, yet can take any shape or form. Enlightenment is the dissolution of the false concept of separation due to the body form being believed as ‘I’. You are the background in which all form appears and disappears, there is no deed, no doer, nothing. Body based concepts and knowledge are completely untrue, as you are not a body, you are formless.

Why do I feel 2 souls in one body?

The answer is within the question. Why do ‘I’ who naturally would be a soul that is identifying two other souls within the same body that this ‘I’ is using. The soul is formless and occupies a body. In the formless state their can be no separation. You can not separate the space in a room. Their can be the appearance of separation (walls/body) but in reality there is no such thing. So this feeling of multiple souls is the feeling of formless Presence that somehow an ‘I’ is feeling. ‘I’ is formless Presence, there is no separate soul. When you say ‘I’ it is Presence taking the position of ‘I’ yet in reality it is not separated. Presence appears to be separate because of the appearance of body. Just like the walls that separate the space in the room. They only appear to separate. In reality there is no separation.

What is the advaitic (non-dualist) response to “if a tree falls in a (remote) forest, does it make a sound?”

You are there prior to every experience. Without your Presence nothing is. You must be there prior to every experience.

What is awareness? What is consciousness? What’s the difference between them?

Awareness can be without consciousness, consciousness cannot be without awareness. Who or What would there be to be aware of consciousness, if there was nothing to which consciousness appeared? Awareness requires consciousness as a vehicle of something other with which to be aware of. Aware of appearances in consciousness, aware of consciousness or the feeling ‘I exist’. Through this awareness ‘I exist’ spontaneously consciousness projects a world, either dream or so called waking, within consciousness that you are aware of.

What is the number one obstacle to enlightenment?

Belief in being a body. Not allowing the dissolution of this false concept, trying to ‘get’ Enlightened and keep the illusory identity with being a body in a world.

Why is it almost impossible for a woman to get enlightened?

Please remove this silly concept. You are not body. You are formless. Gender is for the body which you are not. You are not man or woman, you are formless. You have no color, no shape, no form of any kind, absolutely zero attributes, nothing. You are not body. You are formless. Even this concept of formlessness came along with the body, which you are not. Prior to holding a body form you did not know anything about formlessness as there was nothing except formless you. All concepts came along with the body, which you are not, were not and never could be. Prior to belief in body, you are formless. After leaving the body, you are formless. And in this very moment you are the formless holding a body form, which is not true, as you are formless all of this so called form is appearing within you. Man, woman, enlightenment, all these concepts came along with the body, that you are not.

What is meant by the Taoist quote, “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know?”

You are not body. You are formless. Once you deeply know your true formless nature you will understand that no one speaks or does anything. Speaking and doing are done by the forms that appear and disappear within the formlessness That You Are. If you believe you are speaking, you are identified with the body, which you are not. The formlessness must use a body form to speak, but you are not body. Taking the touch of being a speaker, rather than knowing speaking is occurring, is ignorance. Ignorance can be removed through proper understanding, ‘I am formless, this body is not me.’

What is learned from the spirituality of everyday life?

Everything comes and goes, except you who are prior to every experience. Nothing remains.

Nothing has happened, nothing is happening, nothing can ever happen, the world is a projection on your spontaneous Presence, there is nothing except formless You. Everything that you do, or have ever done, all that you know, or have ever known is within the bubble of illusion brought about by the misidentifcation with being a body form. You are formless, you are not body, you were not body and you are not going to remain the body. Presence or the sense of existence appeared to you and spontaneously the primary illusion was projected from the perspective of being something. The joke is that the egoistic sense being false desires to continue, as it never was anything other than illusory appearance, it’s continuation is not possible, as it never was. The illusory appearance of separation was impressed through the ‘I am a body” idea, which you are not, were not and will never be. When these words are imbibed they will dissolve the illusory layer that appears to be covering formless Presence.

Has anyone actually become enlightened, or is it an unobtainable ideal?

Enlightenment is the dissolution of the false concept of separation impressed through the belief in being a body. You are not body. You are formless. In the true formless nature there is no individuality or separation, formlessness can not be separated. Space is often used as an example of this. Realization of your true formless nature removes the concept of individuality spontaneously which in turn removes the idea of ‘someone’ or ‘something’ other. This belief in body that went on a journey to find that you are formless. You are not a body form.

I have heard enlightenment happens only once. If it’s true, why only once ?

A room is dark, you flip the switch, it is now not dark. The light is seen instantly. There may be many steps to get to the light switch, however once it is turned on, you will no longer believe in perpetual darkness. Once you recognize your true formless nature without the instrument of mind, you will no longer be a slave to the mind and it’s interpretations of the form world.

What is the most important lesson you have learned after experiencing ego loss?

Their was no ego to lose. The ego was a false concept that was impressed through the concept of being a body creating an illusion of duality. Once seen properly it dissolved without effort through right understanding. That which was never a reality had become a reality through misunderstanding, and now all of that was cleared up. You are not body. You are formless. Their is no separation in formlessness. Their is nothing except formless you.

How does Karma affect us?

You are not body. Your concept of being a body allows the identification with actions performed by the body that you are not. Your belief in the sense of being a doer through the actions of the body that you are not creates impressions in the mind. Identification with this as my thoughts and my actions through the mind which is an instrument of the body which you are not, cause the phenomenal memory and life time line. Because you become lost in the world in which the body has that you are not has appeared, the actions of that body that are witnessed and processed through mind take on an ownership quality. The concept of Karma is created and believed in to label the whole process of taking credit for actions that the body that you are not appears to be doing. In reality since all of this is illusion and body based concepts, there is no effect at all. Unfortunately the effects of this body based concept since you are believing yourself to be a body impresses that other actions that are occurring spontaneously are the direct result of the actions you are not doing. Once you realize you are not body then all of the body based concepts will appear silly, irrelevant and completely ignorant. Until that time you will ask questions about body based concepts with the belief that they effect you, and the other ignorant who believe they are knowledgeable will explain the body based concepts that don’t apply to you in great detail and sincerity.

What is “direct experience” as related to awakening/enlightenment?

You are not body. You are formless. Formlessness within the body manifests as a sense of Presence. This Presence will remove the belief in being a body and all of the related body concepts. This Presence may or may not manifest as a spiritual teacher or Guru, but will always provide the guidance needed to remove the concept of being a body and direct you to your true formless nature. Living as the Presence within the body without the egoistic pressure from mind, ego and intellect, formlessly aware. Presence resting in Presence without the concept of being a body is termed enlightenment. Remembering of course that prior to belief in being a body this concept, and all body based concepts, did not exist at all.

Can the self be both individual and universal at the same time?

Their is only one Self. Within the manifestation their can appear to be many separate individuals. Just as in dream their can appear to be many separate individuals, however it is only one from which the dream is projected. You are formless. The appearance of the manifestation through form creates the concept of individuality through the belief in being a body. With the belief in being a body a world appears with a you in it. You are formless their is no separation or distinction in reality or the unmanifest prior to the appearance of manifestation.

Why do some people not self-realize after meditating their whole lives? Are they doing it wrong?

You are not body, you were not body, you are not going to remain body. Body is not your identity. Meditation allows glimpses into your true formless nature. The belief in being a meditator keeps you from That realization. From the body mind perspective you are glimpsing reality, from your true formless source you are dissolving the illusory layer causing the appearance of separation by belief in being a body. The meditator must dissolve within the meditation.

Why are there so many ways to define enlightenment? And why is everyone so adamant that their definition is correct?

You are not body. You are formless. All of the ideas about enlightenment came along with belief in being a body. In this false realm of body knowledge nothing is true and nothing is false. All body knowledge is based on or built on the wrong foundation of the concept ‘I am a body’. You are not body you are formless. In a dream a homeless man may own a large mansion, many luxury cars, have lots of money and jewelry, when he wakes up where has it gone? He has enjoyed all of the money and luxury, it seemed very real and satisfying, yet it was all an illusion. He was dreaming. You are not body. You are formless. The form based reality which is occurring within the formlessness That You Are is illusion. All of the form based appearances are based on the wrong foundation of the concept ‘I am a body’. You are not body. You are formless.

What do people drive for after enlightenment?

You know you are dreaming only after you wake up. There is nothing within the dream that is real or that can be brought from the dream. You are not body. You are formless. Knowing, or realizing this reality there is nothing in the form existence that is real or that you can take with you. Not even the false ideas of being a body and living a life.

What is consciousness? What created consciousness? Why does consciousness even exist?

Consciousness is created spontaneously through the first concept ‘I exist’, as this sense of existence arose to That prior to the knowing of existence or anything other. Consciousness is the manifestation of the sense of existence and all of the various imaginings of that knowledge. You are prior to every experience including the primary experience of knowing existence, or ‘I am’ ‘I exist’. Just as existence has appeared, so it will disappear, you the knower remain. You are not what you appear to be within consciousness, and everything that has appeared is within consciousness.

Is spirituality the only way to overcome bad habits?

Spirituality will dissolve the illusory entity which is the root of all bad habits.

Who has left the most helpful bread crumbs to guide those who follow on the path to enlightenment?

You are not body. You are formless. There is nothing except formless you. There is No God, No Brahman, No Atman, no Paramatman, No Master, No Disciple, there is nothing except formless you. Every sage says this same thing in different ways but this is the gist of all spirituality. You are not body, you were not body, you are not going to remain the body. Everything that you have experienced using body form is illusion, you are formless. You were formless prior to the concept of body and world, you will be formless after the concept of body and world has left, and you are formless now. There is nothing except formless you. Recognizing this truth and living it so that the mind, ego, intellect can no longer sustain their body pressure is enlightenment.

Why do some people fall easily to peer pressure from a spiritual perspective?

When you do not know yourself in a real sense there are always doubts and the desire to gather or seek information from outside. This doubt grows into fear, and fear breeds more doubt. When you do not know yourself in a real sense the fear of death is impressed strongly. Trying to get answers about this causes confusion and more doubts. Once you know yourself as the formless reality in which all form has seemed to appear for a limited time, this fear of birth and death will dissolve, along with all of the other wrong concepts. Then you will not worry about what others believe in or try to get you to believe. You will no longer need that support from outside of yourself.

Have you ever felt some divine presence?

You know you exist, that you are. Through meditation you will come to know that you are not the mind and you will begin to accept thoughts less and less. As you discover that when you accept thoughts less, letting them go by unnoticed, that there is a space. A silence, or gap, where the thoughts are not continuous. This is the point at which Presence will emerge from underneath the flow of thoughts. This Presence is quite intoxicating as the feeling of peace will be reflected strongly. This is the point at which your mind and attention begin to turn towards Presence more and more, and the clammer of the world less and less. This sense of Presence will grow or expand. In reality the Presence is not expanding or growing, the pressures of the mind (thoughts) keeping the Presence with the belief in being a body is dissolving. You will then through this dissolution of being a body form remove the illusory concept of separation. You are Divine Presence, their is nothing except formless you.

What happens after a spiritual awakening? Is it anticlimactic?

You are not body. You are formless. Discovering this truth about yourself is termed spiritual awakening. What happens is that you understand you are not body. All of the experiences and knowledge that came using the body are illusion, you are formless. Discarding all of these false ideas and beliefs slows the train of thoughts about being a body form. It is noticed that all of the thoughts produced through mind are about the body which you are discovering you are not. As the thoughts slow do to inattention the reflection of your Presence is felt more strongly. As more and more attention is payed to this growing sense of Presence it will, like a black hole, bring in everything to itself. The only thing that will remain is you, who are not a thing and can not be removed. You will understand that you are prior to every experience, including the experience of being a body in a world. Nothing is there. Now enjoy using the body form, knowing that although it has a time limit, you do not. There is no birth or death to the formlessness That You Are.

When there is only one entity that really exists according to Advaita Vedanta, why is there existence of million life forms including humans in our universe?

In a dream the dream consciousness creates millions of objects, scenes, people and multitude of life forms. All of these appear to be real, however there apparent reality when investigated is proven unreal, you wake up form sleeping and notice the dream is gone. Advaita Vedanta points to your true formless nature, you are not body you are formless. That formlessness has been labeled Brahman. All of the millions of objects, scenes, people and multitude of life forms will be proven unreal the moment you know yourself in a real sense without the body. You are not body. You are formless. All of the appearances and experiences with form are illusion as they take place within the formlessness That You Are.

How can we observe consciousness when we use consciousness to observe?

The knower of the sense of existence is prior to it. You are prior to every experience. The sense of existence or ‘I am ‘ has appeared to you. Consciousness is the result of the knowledge of existence. This can be seen in dream. You are sleeping, the sense of existence creates the consciousness of the dream world spontaneously a dream world is projected. Dream consciousness is being witnessed or observed by you, without body and without eyes you are seeing and moving within the dream. The same consciousnesses that creates the dream world is also creating the so-called waking world which is projected spontaneously and is observed by you. Your belief in being a body causes the appearance of a difference. There is no difference. Everything that has happened and all that you have ever experienced is within consciousness that has appeared spontaneously due to the sense of existence or ‘I am’. You are prior to every experience, including this experience ‘I exist’.

If the goal of meditation is to silence the mind, why can’t we do it here and now?

You are not body. You are formless. You have been hammered with he concept of being a body. From this position of being a body you have perceived the world through mind. Mind can only present thoughts in form and based on being a body. Silencing the mind will release this false concept of being a body. Meditation allows the layers of illusion that have obscured your formlessness to dissolve without further concepts being birthed. The final concept meditation will dissolve is the meditator. You are not body. You are formless.

Do you agree that there is no individual self but only universal self?

It is a fact. Their is no need to believe, just remove all of the false beliefs that are covering this truth. You are not body. You are formless. None of the body based concepts that came along with the body are true, as you are not body, you are formless. If all of the walls in you house collapsed their would be no separation of the space in the house. It would no longer be bedroom, bathroom or any other label to impress the separation of space. You are not body. You are formless. Their is nothing except formless you. Misidentification with a body form has caused all of these appearance of dualistic impressions of separation of formless you.

What is self-realization and how do you achieve a permanent state where transcendental knowledge becomes your domain for eternal peace and happiness?

Self-Realization is the label given for the dissolution of the false idea of separation brought about by belief in being a body. You are not body. You are formless. Many concepts came along with the belief in being a body, which you are not. Prior to belief in being a body their were no body based concepts. All of the so called knowledge that you have acquired through the belief in being a body is useless and actually builds the egoistic sense of achieving. You are formless. All of the relations and experiences are body based. You are not body. You are formless. Everything that is seen is absolutely illusion as you did not see anything prior to the belief in being a body, the seer was there prior to anything seen. You are prior to every experience. There has to be you in order for anything to have appeared to you. This experience of being a body and the appearance of the world has appeared to you. You are formless. When you know your true formless nature prior to the belief in being a body then naturally there is no separation. The concept of birth and death came along with the body, you are not body, birth and death do not apply to you. This fear of death which came along with the misidentification with being a body and all of the other body based concepts do not apply to you. You are formless, their is nothing except formless you.

If everything is Maya or illusion, then how about enlightenment?

Enlightenment is simply the direct recognition of this truth. You are not body. You are formless. All experience with form is within the formless You Are. Similar to a dream state and therefore illusion, as you are not body everything that the body encounters occurs within you, not you in it. Formlessness using form to discover your true formless nature, and stop along the way to enjoy the experience of existing as a form.

How can one transcend duality into non-dual state? What are ways to not become attached to labelling things as separate in life?

You are not body. You are formless. Everything that you have known, experienced or seen has been after the concept of being a body, which you are not, was impressed or accepted. From this false understanding of being a body many body based concepts were added to you: You were born, you are going to die, you have to find yourself, you need happiness, you can become great, Mother, Father, God, etc. You are formless there is no birth and death to you. You are not body, you were not body, you are not going to remain body, there is nothing except formless you.

When will my karma end?

The moment you stop identifying yourself with the body which you are not.

What does expanded consciousness actually mean in a deeper explanation?

Dissolution of the false body touch. From the perceiving point of being a body mind it feels like “expansion” in reality it is the dissolution of the impressions of being confined to a body.

Does nonduality really exist?

You are prior to every experience, this can easily be understood. You must be there to experience anything. Now what experiences you? Thus there is only You, just not as you imagine yourself to be through experience.