What is non duality?

[Matty]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

If I understand correctly in Taoist metaphysics the duality of Yin Yang is perceptual so ultimately it's not real. That's not all that different from what Advaita says about apparent reality otherwise known as our waking reality, i.e. the universe and all within it.

Simple the Yin-Yang seems, yet how so complex and deep it really is.

Kinda like E=mc2 , many thinks it's just a simple equation and which leads to believing they know it yet they don't really understand it. Science is still unraveling the complexities within E=mc2.

E=mc2 is not for everyone to grasp the understanding as well as applying it or attempt to. Just as Yin-Yang. This also doesn't mean anyone should be looked down on or belittled for not understanding or applying. It takes devotion in not just to understand but to apply also. But for those who know and at least try to understand and able to apply at least in some way, and don't. As the saying of the old, will be judged many folds more ( forgot the technical amount of X fold)

Originally Posted by Matty

Simple the Yin-Yang seems, yet how so complex and deep it really is.

Simple doesn't necessarily equate with easy.

As I said in essence it doesn't seem to me much different then the concept of the relationship between duality and non-duality in Advaita. Of course I'm not certain because I only have a surface level understanding of it but I do have a deeper understanding of Advaita and it seems to me there's some similarity, at least on the surface.

You might find "The Lamp of Bliss" lecture I linked in my post above of some interest.

[Matty]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Simple doesn't necessarily equate with easy.

As I said in essence it doesn't seem to me much different then the concept of the relationship between duality and non-duality in Advaita.

True simple for some is difficult for others... everything seems simple when we become aware of the question. Simple is usually far from easy
When someone deeply studies something such as spiritually. At some point they should come to an understanding that the truth is the truth. No matter how many different ways it is expressed or explained. And of course that's simple >.<
It amazes me sometime's how so many great's before us all said in one way or another. That they don't matter and don't want to matter. Understanding what they have came to a realization of is what matters. That the Teacher's only purpose is to teach you what they know and not become the stumbling block of idolization. The greatest Teachers and Guides had the same insight, yet so many fail to understand that. To me is a sign of a true Teacher or Guide.
Speaking of I been wanting to write up something about Teachers and/vs Guides.

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Emotional states of mind are in constant flux. Underlying and illumining all that flux is limitless and unchanging stillness unperturbed.

Here's the technical Advaita answer that expounds on my above quote.

Ask Swami with Swami Sarvapriyananda | June 13th, 2021 - How is bliss the same as existence and consciousness? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HVtoK5-IIE&t=2433s

[Matty]

Emotional states of mind are in constant flux...

That's an interesting word of play.
Does this imply that Swami, acknowledge's not only the Emotional states of the mind and Heart. That the Mind is even more emotionally complex than the Heart?

Or
Is Swami stating that emotions is a state of mind?

And on " unchanging stillness unperturbed." Does this imply that we shouldn't be concerned about the underlying or illuminated of such complexity's?
If so why not?

Originally Posted by Matty

Is Swami stating that emotions is a state of mind?

Yes, but...

The brain is the organ of experience, however there are major nerve plexus throughout the body, one being near the heart and another near the stomach (there are others too). They are connected with the brain, the brain regulating and the plexus monitoring and providing feedback. I suspect the reason why we say things like heartfelt and gut feeling is certain emotional states have pathways stronger to one plexus rather than another. This is on the level of physicality.

The more important point is the true source and that would be Ananda, sometimes referred to as bliss but not in the way we think of bliss. SatChitAnanda where Sat is pure existence, Chit is pure Consciousness and Ananda is pure Bliss but more aptly described as fullness, completeness or perhaps contentedness.

What we experience as existing is a reflection of Sat, being conscious a reflection of Chit and all emotion a reflection of Ananda. To muddy the waters even further SatChitAnanda, according to Advaita, is all there is, without a second and Sat is no different than Chit is no different than Ananda. Sat = Chit = Ananda. That's the non-dual nature of ultimate reality and all of duality is reflections of Itself, illumined by Itself.

SatChitAnanda is the Vast. Without limit and never changing. The Ineffable.

There's a verse in the Kena Upanishad that gets at this. https://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacreds...arama/kena.asp

It is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech, the life of the life, the eye of the eye.

That's It. Call it God, Brahman, SatChitAnanda, Ineffable, Source, whatever. From my perspective and experience the most direct way to perceive It is as the Witness of all experience including mind and even that function of mind called Ahamkara (appropriating function; the I-maker; ego). The pure Consciousness behind what we perceive as individual consciousness. If one looks deep enough and with a still mind it can be "known", and once "known" I don't see how it can be "unknown". Call that Self-realization.

In short the Bliss of Enlightenment isn't what we experience as bliss. It's not joy or happiness or love or ecstasy. It's that deep and unwavering stillness or serenity that's always present regardless of mind's emotional state. It's ever-present and unwavering but we don't recognize it because mind obscures it.

Anyway that's the Advaita take and to me it dovetails with experience. I'd say it's there right now in everyone's experience but overlooked. We consider consciousness quite ordinary when in fact it's Extraordinary. We consider ourselves conscious when we are actually Consciousness Itself. Not the individuated or reflected consciousness but the One pure Consciousness AKA SatChitAnanda without a second.

It seems far-fetched and I would have thought so a couple short years ago but no longer.

EDIT: Here's an analogy. Face and reflection in a mirror. Think of SatChitAnanda as the face and our entire set of experience as its reflection in the mirror. Take away the mirror and the face still exists. Take away the face and the reflection is no more. Face/SatChitAnanda is intrinsic whereas reflection/mind-body-thoughts-emotions-all esperience is extrinsic. Inherent existence vs. dependent existence. Ultimate reality vs. apparent/transactional reality.

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by Matty

It's not really...
...
...to hold up

Well, enjoy the peace then, I guess. Such as having peaceful conversations. Being inspired by Source to life giving thought. Good feeling thoughts and ideas. By tuning in to those things that already feel good when you think about them. Such as world peace and source energy flowing to all and sustaining all and inspiring all to enjoy life peacefully and enjoyably. Have fun, be free. Be supported. Exploring new life giving ideas and desires. All the things that cause you blend with your Source of being and feel good in that blended oneness/wholeness. That just keeps calling/inspiring you forward to more and more good stuff. Good experiences. Good ideas. Good feelings.

[Ewwerrin]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Yes, but...
...
...Ultimate reality vs. apparent/transactional reality.

So you are talking about the absolute reality of Existence. Which has no awareness of itself? It just exists as all existence? There is nothing outside of it, to be aware of anything? Like that?

re your post #76 JASG,Brilliant.

Originally Posted by Ewwerrin

So you are talking about the absolute reality of Existence. Which has no awareness of itself? It just exists as all existence? There is nothing outside of it, to be aware of anything? Like that?

Yes. Existence itself unbound and without limit. Awareness itself unbound and without limit. Bliss itself unbound and without limit. It can be "touched" in the deepest meditative state where, regardless how much time passes, it seemingly ends just as it begins and time, space and form drop out. One "knows" one existed, was aware and was utterly content even though mind or any other object of awareness wasn't present.

In essence it's the same as deep and dreamless sleep however the delineation is clear and obvious. What can be realized is that state of being is ever-present even when mind is fully engaged. It's the substrate of existence, the stage upon and within which duality plays out. As far as I can determine it's just a matter of becoming more and more familiar with that state of being and it becomes easier and easier to "rest" in it regardless what's transpiring in duality.

It's like I'm not moving through the world but the world is moving through me and that includes the external world, body, mind and all the contents of mind. Even from a psychological perspective that's true but this just takes it one step deeper to the witness of mind. Awareness itself.