How does Advaita Vedanta explain free will?

The essence of the teaching removes the concept of free will simply by removing the concept of separation and other. Without an other, what would be the reason for the concept of free will? Not – Two is not even one as when you say one immediately you have labeled that to which no label may be applied. Where is the landing place for concepts if there is nothing but the absence of everything and only the knower of this absence remains.

Is regular, effortless concentration on difficult tasks possible through meditative practice?

Effortless concentration on difficult tasks is the normal state, worrying about outcomes of the actions taken is illusion.

How can one be always in Samadhi?

Samadhi is just remaining with yourself and paying full attention only to That You Are as it is manifesting as a sense of Presence. Paying attention only to That You Are as it manifests as a sense of Presence and allowing every thing to appear and disappear without creating the concept of an observer. Your natural state when you are not imagining division.

Do enlightened beings get bored as they have already reached the ultimate and there is nothing left to be achieved?

Enlightenment is simply the dissolution of the false idea of being a body in a world thereby strengthening the concept of separation. Knowing your true formless nature spontaneously releases you from the illusory bondage of space and time, without the instrument of mind, identifying with body, life is spontaneous.

If consciousness is energy, and energy could not be destroyed nor created, then would that mean we will forever be conscious even after death? Would that prove life after death?

A few misconceptions need to be cleared in this question. First everything that is known is known through consciousness. Consciousness appears to you and you begin knowing your formless existence through form and the medium of ‘I am’. This is the birth of the conceptualizing and cognition through the instrument of mind, ego and intellect. World and everything in it begins to take substance through this idea of being born in a world. Through this belief of being a separate individual experiencing a world outside of oneself attention is directed away from the source from where consciousness has appeared. When the apparatus with which you are attached and believing to be you perishes and returns to the five elements from which it came consciousness and all that was known will no longer be available and you will return to your natural no-knowing as there will be nothing to be known and no instrument to know. No birth, no death, no life as all of these appeared through consciousness that appeared to you.

What happens to human consciousness after death?

What happens to the people in your dream when you wake up? The entire world and everything you know is through consciousness which is appearing to you the formless Presence. You can only know yourself as a sense of Presence through the illusory world of form appearing in consciousnesses. As consciousnesses has appeared it will also disappear along with everything in it, only That which was prior to consciousness will remain as it Is.

Now that you are awaken do you feel the need to awaken others?

All actions are spontaneous (without thought). Just movements in space. Whatever happens, happens, there is no one to notice or be concerned.

Why is there reincarnation? Can’t we live just one life?

Firstly your question infers that reincarnation is a truth. So first let’s dispel this false concept by simple analysis. The body is a composition of the five elements and after it’s death it decomposes or is destroyed. So the body would be unable to ‘reincarnate’. The mind is a flow of thoughts that creates a personality through identification with the actions seen being done by the body while you are believing that you are in a specific body form. This person continues to change with every experience, or after every experience gathers new information with which to use for future actions. So which person would ‘reincarnate’ as it is constantly changing or evolving. This leads us to the next and perhaps most important point. The you that is neither the body, nor the mind, as you are able to perceive the changes they seemingly go through is the you that has no shape or form. Therefore this you that is shapeless and formless by that very nature are not able to be ‘born’ or ‘die’. You can not be changed, divided, destroyed or created. The formless You simply Is. All of the forms are merely appearances.

Why do enlightened people not talk?

This question is formed from your own mind and is completely blocking you from knowing the Reality. Talking and not talking has nothing to do with the Reality, know yourself and these questions will not bother your attention. Find the source of every question rather than trying to search for answers. Each time the mind stirs to ask a question you provide it with more of your energy, which in turn churns out another question from the factory. You are prior to mind, You are prior to everything, You are not, were not, nor could you ever be a thing. Stop providing attention and power to the mind that only knows about things.

Have you achieved enlightenment?

Enlightenment is not an achievement, as anyone that could be perceived achieving anything has been dissolved. The speaking process would automatically cause the illusion of separation by the statement ‘ I am enlightened’ creating a pseudo entity achieving an illusory goal and declaring it to the conceptual ‘others’, rather than remaining eternally still, silent and un-moving.

What is the difference between happiness and enlightenment?

Happiness requires some outside stimuli which is bound to dissipate or be temporary, enlightenment is the uncaused source from where happiness arises. The fountain from which happiness takes birth, lives, and dies.

What is the “enlightened being” perspective on God? In enlightenment, all notion of words like God ends, however, is this because this prevents more storytelling so it is better to be present or it is because you really do believe there is no God?

The unmanifest manifests as a sense of Presence which can be felt in manifestation, in the story of manifestation you can be taught by this Presence. That You Are which is labeled as God. So yes, God is a label for the Presence That You Are. Without labels, concepts, ideas, thoughts or beliefs. God Is That You Are there is nothing but That You Are, there Is no you there.

What is the difference between old souls and new ones? Aren’t we all souls from the beginning, following a new journey to complete our purposes?

Soul is eternal and only One, there is no old or new until the concept of individual and duality is impressed.

Is it possible for heaven to be a temporary state and not the final destination of one’s soul?

There is a need to clear up a few misconceptions. First their is not one’s soul, there is only One soul playing out as many. Regardless of what religion you are believing in whose ideas were given to you by others, simple investigation will reveal this Truth. Every religion will lead you to a state of surrender where you may be taught by the Presence which can be labeled whatever you like, but which is in essence what is labeled as God. This Presence will reveal all of the secrets and teach you directly and clear all doubts and misconceptions brought about by others ideas which you have taken as your own.

Why do we get distracted easily?

Why do we get distracted easily?

We use our mind and senses to experience the world which is always seemingly in motion and also seemingly more interesting than our natural, silent, still Presence. This is only temporary as eventually the seemingly moving world will appear empty and meaningless and we will then pay attention to our Self from where all of this is arising.

What are the best ways to dis identify from the separate self?

Observing the mechanism that creates and sustains the false will naturally allow the True to be seen.

What are the most important things to do in life?

Remain Aware in every moment, meeting life as it comes, allowing life as it goes.

What’s YOUR best advice to focus a wandering mind during meditation?

Let it wander, meditation will show you that you are the observer of this wandering mind, allow it to wander and remain the witness of the wandering mind. Without giving attention to the thoughts that are passing you will cease to birth new thoughts off of those thoughts and the mechanism of thinking will slow and eventually disappear.

If an enlightened person meets with an accident and his memory gets erased, what would be his enlightenment status? Will that affect him?

This question assumes a few too many things that by answering or removing those assumptions the overall question will be answered. Enlightenment is the dissolution of the false idea of separation due to the belief that you are in a body and therefore there are ‘others’. Memory is just the imprint of actions that were perceived through this false idea of separation while it was believed in. Without the body belief you Are as You Are, formlessly Aware without identification with any thing.

What is more important: satisfying one thousand desires or conquering just one?

Seeing desires for what they are, distractions from the peace That You Are, and developing the one desire to know Yourself fully As You Are, will cause any other desires to pale in comparison and no longer be interesting.

Did your spiritual awakening compel you to make significant life changes? If so, what were they and how did you manage the process of significant change?

Changes happened spontaneously, old habits were undone as they were either seen to be useless and not needed, or were simply forgotten effortlessly.

Should we all aim to achieve something that is beyond ourselves?

Freeing yourself from any limitations imposed by the thinking mind will naturally allow you to achieve what is beyond beliefs, concepts, ideas and take you beyond who you believe yourself to be.

In order to “be yourself,” do you not first have to “know yourself” know who you really are?

Be yourself is simply not trying to be anything other than yourself in each moment, Just Be, without the drive to be this or that, effortlessly you will know yourself by not creating disturbances or distractions. As my Master Sri Ramakant Maharaj says “Be normal, Be simple, Be humble, Be always with You.”