Tantra The Supreme Understanding Session (2)

Join us for a series of talks, focusing on the greatest position- Tantra. Commentary on the book by Shree Rajneesh written in 1975. Every Wed from June 28-Aug 30. This is the recording of the second session from 5/7/2023. Enjoy...

Please note: This track was recorded live and may contain background noises.

Transcript

Let's take a deep breath in.

Let's close our eyes.

Take another deep breath in.

And relax.

And the next breath in,

We keep in,

We don't breathe out.

Breathe in,

Fill your lungs as much as you can,

And hold.

And slowly breathe out and let go.

Let go of all your efforts.

Let go of everything that already happened in the past.

And let go of everything that may happen in the future.

Allow your breath to guide you back to the present moment.

To whatever is happening right now around you.

Become aware of your surroundings and all the information it generates.

Become aware of your own body sitting here.

Breathing.

Become aware of the posture your body took upon its seat.

Any sensation your body may feel,

May it be pleasant or unpleasant.

Become aware of the rhythm of your breath as the air is gushing in and out of your nostrils.

Your breath may be deep or shallow.

It may be hot or cold.

Just observe as it naturally happens,

Bringing oxygen and life into your body.

And as you breathe out,

Cleansing you from within and relaxing more and more.

Allow your attention to be aware of your own thoughts.

What am I thinking of right now?

Observe that movement as thoughts rise,

Pass through your mind and subside.

Without getting too entangled with any specific thought,

Allow that endless stream to happen while you just observe.

If you found that you've been carried away by a specific thought,

Never mind.

As you realize that,

Use your breath to come back to the present moment and root yourself back in this position of the ultimate observer.

And keep observing that endless stream with no attachment or resentment.

Stupid thoughts,

Intelligent thoughts,

Doesn't matter.

Just observe.

Thoughts fly in that space of your mind like clouds in the sky.

They leave no mark as they pass by.

Take a deep breath in and let go.

Let go more and more.

Allow your attention to be aware of any emotion you may be experiencing right now.

Without tagging that emotion as good or bad,

Desirable or undesirable.

Allow it to be experienced.

Happy or sad,

Bored or curious,

Doesn't matter.

Just observe.

Observe as this endless flow of events keeps on happening around you and within you.

And while it continues,

Allow your attention to turn away from that flow and focus on itself.

The origin of awareness.

The observer is observing the observer.

That inner background that allows any phenomena to exist.

Where there is no movement,

There is only silence.

And for a moment,

Become that silence.

Slowly allow your attention to come back to your body.

It is seated here upon its seat.

Part of our circle.

Let's unite our individual intentions into one unified intention.

To intention to grow,

To develop,

To evolve.

The smile.

Let's take another deep breath in.

And when you feel comfortable,

You may open your eyes.

Hello again everyone here and online.

How are we doing?

So we are on this journey.

Tantra,

The Supreme Understanding.

This is the second station.

Briefly,

We are going to review what we have discussed in the first meeting.

This is a story about a teacher called Tilopa who found a disciple ready,

Ripe,

Enough to teach him and express the very special state of consciousness that he attained.

So in the first chapter he says that whatever he is experiencing,

He is calling it Mahamudra,

Which is the great position,

The greatest position.

The Mahamudra cannot be expressed in words or described in any word or symbol.

So the very attempt to try to explain it or describe it is futile and it is not going to work.

So the first sentence in that song he says,

I am not going to be able to express it so maybe I will try to sing it to you.

The first sentence in that song is basically saying that it is not going to happen,

Which is so beautiful.

Like it takes the edge of the expectation of attaining something,

Gaining something,

Realizing something,

Getting the point.

He takes a hold over it.

Tilopa says no,

No,

No,

Forget about it,

It is not going to happen.

And Niropa,

His disciple,

Was receptive enough,

Ready enough,

Ripe enough to accept that but still committed himself to that union between the disciple and the teacher.

And through that union that knowledge sprang.

And today 800 years later we are able to discuss it because he was smart enough to write it down and actually he taught it to his disciple and his disciple taught it to his disciple and that one died without teaching.

And the lineage was over after three generations but the scripture remained so we can enjoy that knowledge through Tilopa and his beloved disciple.

So the main issue,

The main subject of the first chapter of that song is being ready for that,

Accepting that invitation to walk the journey that has no end and no cause and no personal gain and commit to it even though you started knowing that there is nothing for you to gain or to attain,

Which is amazing.

I don't know of any other path that offers you nothing.

First lesson the teacher comes and tells you forget about it,

Whatever you paid for you are going to get nothing in return.

That I promise you.

That's why so few people walk the path of Tantra.

I promise you nothing other than you are going to be lost.

And yet you are innocently wholeheartedly accepting that invitation.

This is very unique.

So this was the first chapter.

Any questions about the first chapter,

Whatever you experienced throughout this week,

If you want to share,

People online,

People here,

Did you have a chance to read the text or did you have any thoughts or questions about it?

Now is the time before we move on to the second chapter.

Which is important to state that this is not a lecture.

I have nothing prepared other than the song.

So the more you are interactive with me,

The more alive this event will become and accurate for you.

Anybody online?

OK,

So,

Second chapter.

Who would like to read it?

But,

Ah,

The phrase,

When the time had fully come,

Captures the preparedness in my mind.

What?

Preparedness.

The phrase,

When the time had fully come,

Captures the preparedness in my mind.

Is that the first chapter?

I don't remember that in the first chapter.

So I'm not sure which phrase are you referring to,

Barbara.

So,

Chapter two.

You probably see it in mirror image.

Maybe I can post it on our chat.

Let's see if I can find it.

Bear with me a moment.

Yeah.

I just had something in my throat going on here.

I need to.

.

.

OK,

So I'm posting it on the chat.

There's water.

Apparently it's too long.

Do you want me to take it?

I'm doing everything possible to make this complicated.

Just a minute.

Let's try to cut it in two.

Paste.

Also not.

I don't know why.

So yeah,

If you can.

.

.

I'll type it.

Carly will type it,

So maybe that will help.

OK,

So.

Let's get back into it.

I'm going to read this one.

So people online can hear the audio well.

It goes like that.

Chapter two.

The root problem.

The song continues.

If one sees not when staring into space,

If with the mind one then observes the mind,

One destroys distinctions and reaches Buddhahood.

The clouds that wander through the sky have no roots,

No home,

Nor do the distinctive thoughts floating through the mind.

Once the self-mind is seen,

Discrimination stops.

In space,

Shapes and colors form,

But neither by black nor white is space tinted.

From the self-mind all things emerge.

The mind by virtues and by vices is not stained.

So this is the second chapter.

So in order to dive deep into this knowledge,

We need to zoom out.

If you think about life's problems,

Your life's problems,

And the everlasting attempt to solve these problems,

You realize that attempt is futile because you are missing out the root problem.

It's like trying to cut the tree by trimming the branches.

You trim one branch,

Another one grows.

You trim another branch,

Another branch grows.

But if you don't go to the root of the tree,

The tree will keep on growing.

So there is no way to solve one problem without two new problems coming out.

Tilopa is guiding us to wake up to the root problem,

Saying that only when that issue is resolved,

Life's problems can be resolved,

Once and for all.

And in order to realize the problem,

You need to understand the nature of the mind.

What is the mind?

The mind is that inner space,

I call it inner screen,

On which an image is projected.

Actually,

A movie is projected.

And that movie contains an endless stream of emotions,

Sensations,

And most importantly,

In this case,

Thoughts.

Endless stream of thoughts keep on bombarding the screen of the mind.

That's the nature of the mind,

To be hosting an endless stream of events,

Of phenomena,

That keeps on emerging from somewhere,

And then,

After experiencing,

Go somewhere else.

After experiencing,

Go somewhere else.

So,

Realizing the nature of the mind is an endless stream of changing events is a huge realization.

Because that nature is not a problem.

People are asking,

You know,

How can I calm my mind?

How can I attain a quiet mind?

And that's a wrong question to ask.

Because the mind is not designed to be quiet.

The mind is designed to be projecting an endless stream of events.

You know,

That's why people are so frustrated.

You know,

They sit to meditate.

You know,

They do the OM,

And they spend half an hour,

You know,

Chanting,

Whatever.

And then they wake up,

And you ask them,

Well,

How was it?

And,

No,

It didn't work out.

Why?

What happened?

I had thoughts.

So,

I mean,

You know,

People have an idea that a quiet mind is a telling of an awakened consciousness.

And Tilopa is saying,

No,

No,

That's not at all the point.

Enlightened people think also.

The idea that you have to empty your mind from thoughts is futile.

First of all,

Because you're attempting.

And through attempt,

Nothing can be achieved.

Tilopa mentioned that in the first chapter.

Mahamudra cannot be attained by your effort.

It's not a prize for your efforts,

Or a medal that you achieve at the end of the journey.

It's not a trophy.

Mahamudra is not something that you can forcefully attain.

So,

Trying to empty your mind from thoughts is still you trying to achieve something.

And that is,

How do you call it?

Futile.

Yeah.

Against your purpose,

Against your.

.

.

That is counterproductive.

This is the term I was looking for.

So,

Realizing that is already a very important start.

The mind,

Its nature is to keep on projecting events and phenomena.

Emotions,

Sensations,

Thoughts,

Thoughts,

Thoughts.

Thoughts about the emotions,

Thoughts about the sensations,

Thoughts about your experience.

So this is the first thing.

The second thing to realize is that those thoughts are not yours.

They don't belong to you.

They don't identify you.

It's so easy to be identified with one's thoughts.

And create an identity around the framework that the thoughts create for you.

And the perspective that you take to observe and experience life.

Through the concepts and preconceptions that you build around you.

What is good,

What is bad,

What is desirable,

What is undesirable,

What is preferred,

What is rejected.

Through that lens you observe and experience life.

There is a whole system of thoughts and ideas that creates that prism that you look at life and allow yourself to experience.

And realizing these thoughts are not yours.

First of all because thoughts cannot be owned.

And secondly because most of those thoughts that you've gathered are not yours to begin with.

They are a consequence of your upbringing,

Of your parents,

Of the culture that you were raised in,

The education that you received,

Life experiences.

These were imprinted on you.

Think about you,

Born in China.

How different your prism will be.

Think about you born 200 years ago.

How different your prism will be.

So those thoughts are not you and they don't identify you.

And the third thing to realize about those thoughts is that they create an illusion of an entity because they are endless.

But the reality is that thoughts are like objects.

They have a beginning and an end.

And in order to realize that,

To experience it,

You need to be fine-tuning your observation of thoughts.

It's like when you watch from a distance you see a crowd of people.

You call it a crowd.

But really there is no thing as a crowd.

These are individual people standing close to each other and create an entity that you call a crowd.

Same with thoughts,

Right?

Thoughts are individual objects.

You see so many of them,

You think so many of them,

Then you create a whole entity out of them.

You call it my mind.

But actually between the thoughts there are gaps.

Experience the gaps.

This is what in the ancient time was called Satori.

Satori is a consciousness that is able to identify the gaps.

Melting into the gap is called Samadhi.

Samadhi is eternal bliss that is untamed by changing events.

It's like melting into the blue.

It's seeing the blue between the clouds and melting into the blue.

This is Samadhi.

Isn't that beautiful?

So these things are very important when you come to understand the nature of the mind and how it works and how it affects us.

So that was the preview.

So let's dive into the text and see what it says.

Tilopas says,

Again,

Don't be shy to stop me at any time and interrupt.

This is your contribution.

The root problem.

If one sees not when staring into space.

This is actually a practice.

He is now teaching a practice.

A tantric practice.

What is it?

You train your eyes to look without focusing on any specific object.

It's like gazing.

It's like the eyes of a madman.

When you look at somebody who is insane,

It feels like he is staring at you but through you.

He doesn't even see you sometimes.

Have you seen that?

Or maybe a baby.

A baby where their eyes are not really focused yet.

It looks like a chameleon.

What the hell is he looking at?

I am here but he is somewhere else.

This quality of an observation is what Tilopa is requiring now.

The ability to look but without focusing on any object.

It's very automatic when we look at something,

We focus on a thing.

We focus on that tea can.

We focus on the bottle.

We focus on the plant.

We focus on the face of Yaron.

When we are outside we focus on the tree.

We focus on the car.

We focus on the cloud.

There is always an object that steals our attention.

But Tilopa says no.

When you look at space but you see not.

You don't see any thing.

This is a quality that is required here.

You are not caught up by things anymore.

Because things have.

.

.

In order to see a thing you need to have a preconception about it.

So you are already limited.

You can only see what you already expect to see.

Or have experienced seeing.

That's how the mind works.

There is a blueprint of previous encounters.

Which allows you to see whatever you are trying to look at.

Either because you have seen it before or because you have developed an idea about the possibility of that existing.

You know the story about the ships of Columbus.

Sailing towards the shores of America and the native people are unable to see the ships.

Even though they see the ripples in the sea,

The ships are not able to see the ships.

Even though they see the ripples in the sea,

The ships elude them because there is no such thing.

There is not the possibility of such a thing.

So they can't see it.

Until the shaman is trying to understand what are those ripples in the water.

Slowly and gradually the ships emerge from the horizon.

And then he tells his people,

Listen,

These are floating devices on the sea.

And then they come and they can see it because now they have an idea about it.

What you don't have an idea about you can't see.

And those ideas are thoughts.

Tilopa says,

An awakened consciousness doesn't have ideas,

Preconceptions.

So instead of trying to look at something,

You look at the not.

You look at the nothingness.

You look at the background of every event,

Of every phenomenon.

You look with the innocent eyes that has no preconceptions,

No ideas,

No judgment,

No preference,

No agenda.

This is so beautiful.

So instead of focusing on the object,

The practice that he is suggesting is that you train yourself to look without focusing and have that innocence in you.

Next time you want to practice Tantra,

You sit outside,

Whatever,

And you soften your look so that it's not focused on anything.

It can see everything,

But it's not focused on anything.

And suddenly something amazing happens.

Something amazing happens.

Objects disappear.

Separated,

Identified objects disappear.

And what is emerging is wholeness.

Wholeness not as a philosophical idea,

But as a direct experience which merges the observer and the objects of observation.

That's the invitation.

Spend this week.

Practice that.

Spend some time.

Look,

But don't focus.

Add that innocence.

I don't expect to see anything.

I don't focus on anything.

I allow individual objects to melt in front of me to one holistic experience of oneness.

If with the mind,

One then observes the mind.

And now you maybe are able to understand better the practice that we are doing here before our meetings every week.

What are we doing here before our meetings every week?

You mean the meditation?

The meditation.

We observe the phenomena that keep on bombarding us with no agenda.

We don't try to hold on to something or to reject anything.

Emotions may come,

Sensations,

Pleasant,

Unpleasant.

Thoughts come and go,

Come and go,

Come and go.

And we just observe.

And then that shifts.

That shift is so precious,

So unique.

So unique from the object,

From the phenomena to the observer.

The mind is watching the mind.

Awareness is watching the awareness.

The observer is watching the observer.

For once we are free from the attraction of the drama that is happening around us.

Even if it is for a brief moment,

We allow the attention to let go of that thrill of things happening and changing.

And observe the observer.

This is very unique.

Very unique.

Not many people have ever given themselves the chance to do that.

We are so caught up in the stream of events.

So that shift is so precious,

So unique.

If with the mind one then observes the mind,

What do we realize?

We realize that the realm of phenomena is outside of us.

The realm of phenomena is outside of us.

It is not who we are.

Things happen,

It is okay,

They can happen.

But we are always free to observe it without reacting.

Because it is not who we are.

It is not what we are.

If there is a gap between what I see and me,

It means that these are not the same thing.

And that is a huge realization.

This is the root problem.

What is the root problem?

Identifying with that stream.

Trying to fix a thought.

Why are you trying to fix a thought?

Why are you trying to replace a negative thought with a positive thought?

Because you believe that those thoughts have power.

They represent you.

You have an idea about what it means to be a good person.

So you try to act according to those ideas.

But you are caught up in the action.

Trying to measure your goodness by what you do or what you prevent yourself from doing.

But you are caught in the action.

Do you see what I am saying?

No?

No?

Those phenomena don't identify you.

You know,

In my book there is an example by a teacher called Andrew Cohen.

I probably told you this story once.

He was teaching in a university.

And when the time for questions came,

He said that a very attractive young student rose up to ask a question.

And he immediately was deaf to her question.

He was just completely blinded by her beauty and all the thoughts that came with that.

Wow,

This is such a gorgeous person.

Maybe I should find a chance to meet her in the break.

Or maybe.

.

.

You know,

And the students are asking,

What?

A spiritual teacher thinks those thoughts?

You are supposed to be bigger than that,

No?

And Andrew Cohen says,

You know,

The fact that those thoughts came into my mind was not a problem.

Actually,

You would expect a man to think those thoughts when he is meeting a beautiful woman like that.

When would that become a problem?

It would become a problem if I would identify with those thoughts.

You know,

Believe them,

React to them.

And then,

Okay,

Maybe I should go in the break and try to hit on this woman or whatever.

You see,

The fact that thoughts are there,

It doesn't reflect on you at all.

Your mind is like a radio.

Those thoughts are not yours.

It's like,

You know,

Channels that are being.

.

.

You are receiving channels,

Information.

This specific thought was in that man's head just a moment ago.

Now it's in my head,

And a moment later it will be in that man's head.

It's got nothing to do with me.

It's just passing through me.

That state of consciousness is so real.

We are so automatically identified with those sensations,

Emotions and thoughts.

Creating a personality around that.

And of course,

The more identified we are with this persona,

The more susceptible we are to that specific type of thoughts.

Because now we have an agenda.

So these types of thoughts come closer to us,

Easier to receive them.

We become susceptible to this type of energy,

This type of frequency.

Because we build that type of receptor.

You've tuned yourself to that station.

Exactly.

So instead of identifying with that receptor,

An awakened consciousness is completely unidentified.

And doesn't have any preferences.

No,

No,

I just want this type of thoughts.

I just want this type of experience.

That type I know is not good for me,

Or not good at all.

So caught up in that.

Yes,

No,

Pro and against.

Preferences.

Buddha called it.

How did he call it?

No?

It will come in a minute.

Suffering.

Suffering,

But the cause of suffering is?

Attachment.

Pro and against.

Anybody?

We can take duality here.

But the names of that duality,

He gave it a name.

Cravings and aversions.

Cravings and aversions.

I crave for that,

This is.

.

.

No,

No,

No,

I reject that.

Do we need a break?

Are we good?

Yes.

Barbara is saying,

The gap.

Yes,

The gap.

Okay.

So,

If with the mind,

One then observes the mind,

One destroys distinctions and reaches Buddhahood.

One destroys distinctions.

What does it mean,

Distinctions?

This could be explained in two levels.

Distinctions between one object versus the other object.

Okay,

This is a high tree,

This is a low tree,

This is closer to me,

This is further away from me.

Distinctions,

As opposed to realizing oneness,

Unity.

A continuum flow of energy,

Of consciousness.

Distinctions are made by the mind,

So it narrows down what we are allowed to see and to experience.

Narrowed down by preconception,

By expectations.

Right?

This is what the mind does,

It narrows down everything into something small that we can digest.

Do you know that?

The mind is an amazing screaming machine.

We spoke about that,

Right?

Out of two billion pieces of information,

If I recall correctly,

That our senses are bombarded by at every given moment,

Two thousand of them we realize.

Two thousand out of two billion.

So what is it?

One tenth of a thousandth of something like that.

So most of what is happening is happening that we are not even aware of,

Because our mind is shrinking that to digestible pieces.

That's what happens when we take drugs,

Consciousness changing drugs,

How do you call it?

Psychedelics.

Psychedelics.

What happens then?

Mind expands,

Right?

And we start becoming more and more aware of the fantastic reality around us.

Artificially.

Our mind is like somebody is opening the tap and more and more information is bombarding us.

Problem is the system is not ready to integrate that.

So what happens?

There is the danger of collapse.

And then we can see people after taking mushrooms or whatever,

They collapse.

And sometimes it's irreversible.

Or it takes years to recover from such an experience.

Because you did it artificially and your system was not prepared for that complexity.

So instead of trying to do it artificially,

Better to do it hand in hand with a spiritual master like Tilopa.

Gently observe the nature of reality with no preconception,

No agenda,

No discrimination,

No.

.

.

How do you call it?

Distinction.

There is no thing I am looking at.

I am not looking at a thing.

I am becoming more and more soft,

Receptive to experience the wholeness of existence,

The totality of it.

One consciousness.

That later translates itself to separate objects.

But now I am not focusing on those.

I am focusing on the bigger picture.

That's the observation of a tantric yogi.

So it destroys these distinctions.

So the mind doesn't separate anymore artificially for us.

And gives it a name,

Gives it a title.

Gives it an explanation.

Would you say that it is more,

And of course this is a distinction,

That it is more like a merging with things as opposed to a destroying of anything?

When you are talking about the mind being more in tune with the totality of what is happening.

Destroying?

What do you mean destroying?

You use the word like the mind is something that destroys the.

.

.

Innocence.

I would say intelligence destroys innocence.

Intelligence destroys.

.

.

What is intelligence?

It is a preconception about everything.

The more intelligent you are,

The more ideas you have about life.

And that idea stands between you and the direct experience of it,

The essence of that.

Like you are researching trees.

You have so much knowledge about trees,

Right?

But you can never experience the tree innocently,

Because you have the baggage of knowledge that stands between you and the tree-ness of the tree.

That is what they used in chapter one of the Supreme Understanding,

Speaking about the Brahmins coming into the room.

They are too full,

Like there is nothing.

Exactly.

It is so beautiful,

That realization.

Even on the spiritual path,

Saints,

They have such a huge ego.

They believe they know everything.

They have been experiencing the highest level of consciousness.

And they create an identity around that.

That is it.

Guruji,

My teacher,

Is saying,

When they have these big events where teachers from all over the country are invited,

It is such a huge deal to know who to sit next to,

Who doesn't speak with who.

Such a big drama.

Saints from all over India.

Such huge egos.

People are so full of themselves and their ideas.

So,

If you have a preconception,

Drop it.

If you think you already know,

Drop it.

I say,

The highest understanding of the intellect,

The most mature intellect,

Eventually reaches the ultimate understanding.

And that is,

That it is not here to understand.

And then it drops.

That endless search for making sense,

Getting the point,

Trying to figure it out,

That drops.

So you are finally available to experience it.

To experience the triness of it.

Angie says,

Ignorance is bliss.

It is definitely bliss.

But you know,

What is amazing in life is,

In most cases,

You need to build up to that stage where you are ripe enough to drop it.

The contradictions.

Yes.

There are only a few people in the recorded history that didn't have to go through that accumulation of knowledge in order to be mature enough to drop it.

Some are,

But very rare.

Most of us need to build up to that stage.

So don't judge yourself for being intelligent.

And that is the beauty of it.

And knowing and having many ideas about life.

But now,

The invitation is,

Drop it.

It doesn't help you on your path.

So destroys,

This is the destruction you refer to,

Destroys distinctions and reaches Buddhahood.

Yeah,

Destroys distinctions.

Destroy is a tough word that he is choosing.

Allow them to drop.

Maybe more gentle.

Annihilate them.

Allow them to drop.

I guess it speaks to the strength of what distinctions can do if we associate with them.

If we are attached to them.

So you want to have an equally strong word to counter it.

Yeah.

Okay.

What is Buddhahood?

Buddhahood is that state of consciousness that is beyond any sort of identification.

Buddhahood is a small mind merging into the big mind.

And there is no separated self anymore.

Which carries the whole baggage of me,

Me,

Me,

My,

My,

What will happen to me.

So,

Let's continue.

Okay.

Let's get right back into it.

Any questions?

I can't see.

Oh,

Somebody was asking,

Is anyone teaching?

Confused,

Disjoined.

We took a break.

Yeah,

Yeah,

Yeah,

We are back.

Okay.

So.

If you want to go back to Angie's trying to suss out this wording of achieving or attaining emptiness as a counter to destroying the distinctions.

You don't need to achieve emptiness.

You just need to stop focusing on the fullness.

The skies are there behind the clouds,

Always.

You don't need to achieve the skies.

It's there already.

You just need to stop focusing on the clouds so much.

As you are so accustomed to.

Broaden your vision,

Soften it,

Make it more innocent,

More prevailing.

And then you'll see there is skies behind the clouds.

It doesn't matter how thick the layer of clouds is.

There is always skies there behind it.

Same,

Nothing to be achieved.

The clouds,

The clouds that wander through the sky have no roots.

No home,

Nor do the distincting thoughts floating through the mind.

So.

So.

So.

Once the self-mind is seen,

Discrimination stops.

So when we reach that state of consciousness,

We stop discriminating between this and that.

We stop trying to pick one or the other.

And the way he explains,

The way he describes it is in space,

Shapes and colors form.

But neither the black nor white is space-tinged.

That's the way he explains it.

It's so beautiful.

It's so beautiful.

That's the way he explains it.

It's so beautiful.

So.

Forms are being born through our observation.

But in that space of observing,

Those forms are powerless.

Those forms leave no mark,

No trace.

They cannot really threaten you,

Destroy you in any way.

And this is a huge realization.

You know,

When you go to the cinema and you watch a movie,

Right?

You're caught up in the changing events,

In the drama it creates.

And the more you're caught up,

The better the movie is.

And then after the movie,

Wow,

This was amazing.

I didn't experience the two and a half hours flashing by.

Entertainment,

We call it.

But when it happens here in our mind and we are caught up a year after year after year,

Completely oblivious to the fact that we are watching a movie,

We are slaves to our mind.

There is no freedom there.

We are so identified with the changing events,

There is no choice but to be a victim of circumstances.

A tantric yogi can observe that film that happens as if it was projected in a silver screen in a cinema,

Without identifying with it,

Just enjoying it for entertainment.

Think about your life.

How would your life be experienced if you stopped identifying with those changing events?

And the thought comes and you can just,

Hmm,

That's interesting.

And let it pass by without creating a story around it,

Identifying yourself with it.

This is what,

And the realization here is,

This is what makes it powerful.

This is what makes it so influential.

This is what makes it so critical for you to try to manipulate the world of events and phenomena.

Because you believe that only when they,

These phenomena will be more similar to the idea that you have in your mind about what is good,

What is preferable,

Only then you can be free.

And there is no freedom there.

There is only endless opportunity to feel a victim,

Because it never really matches your ideas and expectations.

And if at the very,

You know,

Fleet moment it does,

Then you know from experience that it's just temporary and it will pass.

So again,

Cravings and aversions,

Cravings and aversions.

Right?

I'm listening to what you're saying and it's like in the background there's this woman just wailing her heart out singing this song.

Mm-hmm.

Should we close that door?

Maybe less noise?

I was just putting it into the whole big picture.

I couldn't hear a woman singing at all.

Because you're focused on the song.

At some point my mind is like this,

A woman can really sing.

Listen for a second,

Catch some words and put it in the song.

In space,

Shape and colors form,

But neither by black nor white is space tinged.

So,

You know,

I've tried to explain it once,

Describing our consciousness to be like the theater hall.

Maybe this is a better way to explain it,

The theater hall.

No,

The theater hall is there to allow the show to play.

Right?

Whatever the show is.

It could be a good show,

It could be bad,

It could be comedy or tragedy,

It could be stand-up,

Whatever,

A concert.

The theater hall is there to allow that to happen and allow us to experience it.

This is consciousness.

Consciousness is there to allow life to be experienced.

Just as the theater hall is not intimidated by the show,

Cannot be affected by the show,

As dramatic as it might be,

Nothing can tinge the theater hall,

Space,

Nothing.

And the scene is starting and the scene is ending and the players go back scene,

They change costumes,

They come back again as different characters and then they go back and change again.

The theater hall is there to allow that.

Same as consciousness.

Available to allow life to be experienced,

Un-intimidated by it.

Changing events cannot destroy consciousness.

This is a huge realization.

Once you start living your life,

Free of that fear,

From life,

You come close to what he calls Buddhahood.

A tantric yogi is not afraid of life anymore.

Realizing consciousness cannot be destroyed.

Consciousness is eternal.

Changing events are always temporary.

Everything that starts also,

And everything that is born also dies.

Consciousness is not born.

The theater hall is there.

Of course it's a bad example because someone built it sometime.

Consciousness was never created.

What's outside of space?

Can you go to the corner of space?

The edge of time?

So you see it's beyond space and beyond time.

It's beyond those realms.

Something has to be.

Consciousness is.

That's the realization.

And another important understanding about discrimination.

Nor by black or white,

Space is changed.

So,

Everything is possible within that space.

What we distinct as good and what we distinct as bad,

Both have equal opportunities.

Both are there to be experienced.

What we believe is useful or unuseful,

What we believe is preferable or unpreferable,

And helpful and harmful,

Humane,

Inhumane,

Any idea we might have about it.

All are there.

Black and white.

This,

A tantric consciousness doesn't discriminate between them.

It's all allowing.

Even the need to tag it as one or the other is gone.

Especially good and bad.

You can say something is darker,

Something is brighter.

It's just the nature of it.

But once you tag it as good and bad,

That's a huge problem to yourself.

So,

You have to figure it out to yourself.

Because good and bad don't really exist.

These are artificial tags that we put on reality.

Reality is not good,

And it's not bad.

Reality is neutral.

It has no preference.

And it doesn't really care if you like it or not.

That's the unfortunate fact of it.

The present moment is inevitable.

And it doesn't stop to ask whether it fits your plans and your expectations or actually contradicts them.

It doesn't matter.

So,

If you want to evolve towards a more tantric experience of life,

Allow yourself to drop those ideas,

Those discriminations,

And specifically the goods and the bads.

You know,

The ego has a tendency to take everything and see how it can use it to its own benefit.

Even spiritual knowledge.

You know,

The whole drama about the secret.

I don't know if you were on the path when that book came out.

Do you remember The Secret?

It's a whole drama about how we can use spiritual knowledge to gain benefit,

To become more prosperous,

To win the lottery.

You know,

If you only think,

You harness the power of thoughts,

You think positive things will happen to you.

So,

You see,

You're digging yourself deeper and deeper into that position of what will I gain out of this?

How can I benefit most out of this?

What is there?

Ego,

Ego,

Ego,

Ego.

It's a holistic ego,

But still,

Ego is there.

So this path is contradicting The Secret altogether.

It started with the first sentence saying,

Forget about it,

It's nothing for you to gain.

You are going to be destroyed.

Do you want to keep walking on this path?

Don't try to use that for your own personal gain.

It's not going to work.

It's just another trap that you put on your path.

Spiritual knowledge is not to be used for any private benefit.

It might be a side effect.

It usually is a side effect,

Especially in the early steps that you take on the path.

But very quickly you come to realize,

No,

No,

No,

Something much bigger than me and my personal life is there,

Benefiting.

And I'm just an aspect,

A very insignificant aspect of something much,

Much bigger that is evolving here.

Okay.

So neither by black or white,

Those distinctions,

That space is not tinged.

It doesn't leave a mark.

A consciousness,

A yogic consciousness,

Doesn't collect stains,

Doesn't build karma.

What is karma?

Karma is that imprint caused by ego actions,

Egoistic experience,

Caused by fear,

Caused by suffering,

Caused by me trying to negotiate,

Trying to manipulate life to be more similar to the ideas that I have about it.

This is karma.

This creates disharmony.

This creates imprints.

So a tantric consciousness doesn't create imprints.

Buddha cannot be karmatic.

They say even if Buddha kills,

It doesn't build karma.

Because Buddha comes with no ideas,

Preconceptions about his doing.

There is no intention.

There is only spontaneous action coming out of love.

Sometimes love has to destroy life.

It happens.

Rarely,

But it happens.

Usually it supports life.

But it doesn't build new karma because there is no ideas,

Preconceptions,

Agenda following the action.

Or not following,

Even generating the action.

Right?

So like the Buddha,

You walk on this planet free from agenda and preconceptions about what should have been,

What better be in the future.

Why?

Because you are free from the idea that whatever is happening is not happening.

Whatever is happening around you and within you can threaten you in any way,

Destroy you in any way.

If you are free from that fear,

Then there is no reason to try to manipulate events anymore.

Do you see that?

That identification drops.

Laura says Buddha was pragmatic,

I think.

What do you mean by pragmatic?

What does it mean for you to be pragmatic?

My laptop is about to die.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

My laptop is about to die.

Buddha was an embodiment of an awakened consciousness.

Realizing the true essence of his own self.

Which is love,

Unconditional.

And he preached this Gospel of love.

Like Jesus after him,

He said there should not be any specific terms,

Conditions for you to attain that state of consciousness.

You just need to wake up,

To drop all your ideas and preconceptions about what should happen.

That's it.

And he laid a few paths for people to walk on those the path of the warrior,

The path of the servant,

The path of the righteous man.

So people might find it more easy to walk under the light of his wisdom.

But maybe in that way he was pragmatic.

But the bottom line is that there is nothing to attain or to achieve.

Not according to Buddha,

Not according to Tilopa.

So the point that we've concluded here is that changing events cannot leave a mark on you.

Not really.

In his words,

Neither by black nor white is space tinged.

You know,

This reflects to trauma,

Traumatic events for example.

So many of us are marked by traumatic events and it changes the way we allow ourselves to express ourselves and experience life.

Because we have that imprint on the identity that we've built throughout the years.

And usually that trauma works in a way that limits how much of what we are we can express.

Why?

Because that happened to me.

And that left a mark.

And that was too painful.

I couldn't bear that.

And now I need to protect myself,

Close myself,

To make sure that pain doesn't happen again.

I cannot experience it again.

It's too much.

The point is,

It's never too much.

The theater hall is big enough to host any show.

Any show.

And I can't any show as extravagant as it may be,

As terrible or traumatic as it may be.

Your consciousness is wide enough to experience everything.

Actually,

The fact that something is happening to you is only because you can experience it fully,

With an open heart and a willing soul.

And the fact that you didn't realize that in real time,

That it happened,

Is what caused that imprint.

So wake up to the vastness of your own consciousness.

Don't close your heart.

Don't try to hide behind a shield protecting you against life.

This is a terrible way to live.

Terrible waste of your own potential.

Life cannot destroy you.

They cannot leave a mark on you.

Not even a mark.

Just like the clouds don't leave a mark on the blue skies.

Events happen and consciousness is able to experience it.

Ugly or beautiful.

No discrimination.

Painful or pleasurable.

Doesn't matter.

You are wide enough to be able to experience anything,

Anytime.

That's a huge realization.

What do you say?

I'm floating into my own world here.

Talk to me.

Talk to me.

Talk to me.

Well,

Even just when I hear you talk about the shields that we create as a result of these imprints or these experiences that were traumatic,

My thought around that is it's actually the story that we carry that is the shield,

That we're using as a shield,

Right?

Yeah,

The story.

The relationship that we have with our story is very delicate.

And in most cases,

Consciously or unconsciously,

We use it as an excuse.

We use our story as an excuse.

You know,

This happened to me and that happened to me and that's why today I cannot be free.

I cannot be fulfilled.

I cannot be happy.

I cannot be enlightened or whatever.

Because of those past events that I carry with me,

Like luggage,

And I'm so identified with it,

I build a character,

A persona around it.

This is who I am.

And awakened consciousness doesn't have that luggage.

It dropped it.

And it didn't come to reclaim it.

If you ask an enlightened person,

Who are you?

The answer you will get is very simple.

Something in the realm of,

I'm a child that was born in the womb.

I was never developed.

I never experienced anything significant.

I'm just here,

Happy to be with you.

No imprints from the past.

You know that story about the Buddha?

It's a beautiful story.

When he was teaching in a village,

There was a whole crowd coming to see him.

And one individual in the crowd was so upset about his teaching.

Just building more and more frustration and anger.

And when the evening ends,

The Buddha was greeting people on the way back home.

And he came in front of him and started cursing him,

And yelling,

And,

You are a charlatan.

You should never teach.

Spat on his face and left the room.

And,

The story says that that man could not sleep.

He was turning in bed,

All night,

Trying to understand what,

Why did he behave like that?

It was so uncharacteristic.

And at five o'clock in the morning,

He came to the place where Buddha was sleeping,

And knocked on the door and woke him up.

So Buddha was like,

Yes,

Yes,

What?

And he says,

Listen,

You have to forgive me.

I really don't know what happened to me.

And Buddha was asking,

Why should I forgive you?

He said,

What?

Don't you remember me?

I was cursing and spat on your face.

And Buddha was laughing and said,

No,

No,

That man is not standing here now.

No imprints.

No story.

No past impression to tame your vision,

To close your heart,

To victimize yourself.

All that is ego,

Ego,

Ego,

Trying to create an identity,

Trying to have a position through which to create an identity,

Trying to have a position through that story in life.

You see,

Trying to have a position,

Something stable that you can stand on and watch all this chaos,

Maybe protect yourself against it.

No,

No,

No,

No,

No.

An awakened consciousness doesn't have a base.

It's completely free to flow,

Wherever the flow takes you,

Because you're not afraid anymore.

There is no personal agenda.

That story is just melting into the physical present moment of things.

Yes?

Last sentence of the second chapter.

Ah,

A question.

No,

It was just a comment.

Well said.

Great points.

Thanks.

I like the cloud's insight.

Thank you.

From the self-mind,

Things emerge.

The mind,

By virtue and by vices,

Is not stained.

So I think we covered that.

Don't you agree?

Everything is included.

Consciousness is wide enough to allow everything to be experienced.

Everything,

Good or bad,

Horrific or gorgeous.

Pain and pleasure.

Everything is there,

So we can experience it.

And consciousness doesn't have preferences.

No agenda,

No preconception,

No point of view that is protected or safe enough to stand on and feel anchored.

Consciousness,

When it's awakened,

It's not anchored.

So today you can see things from here,

And tomorrow from there,

And the next day there is a whole new knowledge coming that was completely contradicting what you believed.

And there is no problem to embrace that,

Because you are not attached to any point of view.

Huh?

Do you see what I'm saying?

Neither by virtues or by vices.

A character is being built.

No,

No,

No.

You know,

The story can say that I'm a winner,

I'm fantastic,

I've gained so much knowledge,

You know,

Like those saints we spoke about.

Or the story can say that I'm a loser,

I'm a terrible person,

Nothing good ever happens to me.

It's the same ego trying to build a position in life.

Don't.

Don't hide behind any position.

Embrace the opportunity life gives you to experience what is free from any judgment,

Free from any preconception.

This is the second chapter of the psalm.

Take that this coming week and practice that.

Open your eyes and observe without watching anything specific.

Just see the wholeness,

The oneness,

One consciousness.

Embracing,

All embracing.

What do you say?

Yes?

You want to sing?

Yes.

Yes?

Okay,

So we are singing a love song.

You know that?

Between a disciple and his master.

Between a master and his beloved disciple.

So the only thing you need to do is close your eyes and open your heart.

Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Namo Amida Butsu Jai Gurudev Thank you all for coming sharing this experience Thank you online See you next week for chapter 3 in our journey Good night