Jim Newman’s Neo-Advaita, Rupert Spira’s Non-Duality vs Traditional Vedanta.

[00:00:00]How you going guys? In this video, I'll be answering this simple question.

[00:00:04]What's the difference between Neoider and traditional advisor vanta?

[00:00:10]If you're a regular viewer on my channel, I've said this many times. My spiritual evolution, grew up in a Christian faith, rejected that young, became an atheist, got into Buddhism, then Neoer, then there is one part I'm missing. Neoer, nonduality, then traditional advant.

[00:00:34]I'll be breaking those three down in this video and I'll be showing you some clips.

[00:00:41]What is neo? What's the feel of neo advider? I'll be playing clips from Jim Newman speaking in a very neo way.

[00:00:50]That's his outlook on spirituality.

[00:00:53]Neoider.

[00:00:55]Then I'll be playing a clip of Rupert Spyra very popular in the non-dual communities to show you the difference. Then finally I'll talk about after listening and studying neoadider non-duality I got a great deal of value out of rupert spy don't get me wrong but why did I eventually go into traditional teachings of Arti Shankara all the great masters of Hinduism I'll explain why at the end of this video but first let's play a clip of Jim Newman neoader style teachings to give you a feel of it if you're unsure what that even means.

[00:01:35]Let's hear what he says and how he says things, how he speaks. Then let's break it down a little bit. You'll see it here.

[00:01:43]>> So, you just live moment to moment unknowing.

[00:01:46]>> No one lives moment to moment.

[00:01:48]>> Okay. No, I'm trying to get it.

[00:01:50]>> I know, but you can't. I know you're the point.

[00:01:52]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:01:53]>> That's the point. It's too free. It's too anarchy. It's too everything to be gotten.

[00:01:59]>> It is.

[00:02:00]>> Yeah.

[00:02:00]>> It's It is radical. It's absolutely radical. It's It's very rare actually.

[00:02:05]>> It It is rare, but imagine if everyone had that realization. I mean, >> nobody has it.

[00:02:10]>> What about the body? Okay.

[00:02:12]>> Is a body.

[00:02:12]>> There is a body.

[00:02:14]>> It's just a body.

[00:02:15]>> It's a body. But the unknowing that is is is it part of the body?

[00:02:22]>> No, >> it's not.

[00:02:23]>> The body is the same thing as the as the curtain or the chair. It's just an appearance, >> but it's a vehicle for expression. It's not going anywhere. This isn't going anywhere.

[00:02:34]>> But but why are we here? Why are you're saying we're here? There's no We're just here.

[00:02:40]>> There's no why. And there's no we. There is what appears >> there. This appears.

[00:02:45]>> This is disappearance. Yeah.

[00:02:47]>> Disappear. [laughter] >> No, it's good. It's good. So in that clip, hopefully if you're new to these style of teachings, that's the kind of vibe and feel neo teachers give. They speak from the absolute level.

[00:03:06]There's no one here. There's nothing to do. Call off the search. You're already enlightened. Everything's an appearance.

[00:03:12]The sense of self is an illusion and appearance.

[00:03:17]Here's why this style of teaching is good and bad. Ultimately, what Jim Newman is pointing to is correct at the absolute level. And one thing I should say, I'm assuming you have a little bit of background in non-duality, that everything's pure consciousness. I won't break it down too much, but from the absolute level, Jim Newman is correct.

[00:03:41]There is ultimately no one here. There is ultimately nothing to do. Time is an appearance. All those types of phrases and wording he was using ultimately true.

[00:03:52]But what this type of teaching does when you constantly speak like this that interviewer I love him so much.

[00:04:02]This is part of a I think it's a 28 minute video almost 30 minutes. This interviewer he's so sweet and really nice. Constantly it's like this. I don't get it. There's nothing to get. But you got it. No I didn't. He's really nice. I like this guy. He's I I've watched this whole 30-minute thing like a comedy routine. It's just funny. In fact, even the interviewer in this interview says, "Jim, this is like an Abbott and Castello routine." You know that old who's on first, what's on second, who's you know that old Abbott, that baseball Abbott and Castello routine? It is like that. Who's on first?

[00:04:41]No, but what's on second? It's just this back and forth funny ridiculous thing. But what I'm getting at, this is the kind of style Neo advantage talking and it can make sense to you. It did make sense to me in the beginning stages. Yeah, there's no one here. There's nothing to do. It's all happening in boundless awareness. All this spiritual practice is reinforcing the sense of self in a safe, comfortable room when you're relaxed on the couch listening to this.

[00:05:10]Of course. What's all this meditation?

[00:05:13]What's all this spiritual practice?

[00:05:14]What's all this trying to achieve happiness in the world? Easy. In a safe, comfortable room when life is going well.

[00:05:23]But here's the problem. We can't live like this. In practical life, we can't keep talking like this. This also leads to spiritual bypassing.

[00:05:34]It's if you're new to these teachings, it sounds attractive, doesn't it? Makes sense. I don't have to do anything.

[00:05:41]There's no one here. It's all in boundless awareness. But try to live practically with this.

[00:05:48]It would be like this. When you speak like this or think like this, you can train a parrot to talk. You know those parrots that can that can speak. You you teach them English phrases. They can say hello, goodbye, Polly want a cracker.

[00:06:04]When they're calm and happy, the parrot can say a lot of words.

[00:06:10]But if you grab the parrot, squeezed it, shook it, terrorized the parrot, it will forget all those phrases. It will just go, it will just start squawking like a parrot. Forget all these phrases it learned. It goes into flight fight or flight mode. In a similar way, we can learn all these concepts. There's no one here, nothing to do. The sense of self is an appearance, an illusion. True. I'm not saying it's not true. But when we're in fight or flight mode, when life really stresses us out, all these teachings go out the window and where we have depression, we have anxiety, we have anger, just like that parrot would.

[00:06:50]If you see what I'm getting at, ultimately true, practically useless.

[00:06:58]Now, let's listen to Robert Spy, how he speaks. I call him a non-jill teacher. A how would you say it? He's non sectarian. He Here's the thing about Rbert Sparrow though. He comes from a long history of spiritual practice, Kashmir shyism if I'm not mistaken. Long history of spiritual practice, meditation, but he presents his teachings in a non sectarian way. Doesn't speak of religion much. Uses the word God a lot as infinite being.

[00:07:32]But let's listen to a clip of Robert Spyra address the question of one of his followers and see the difference. You'll see it here.

[00:07:43]>> My question is if you know why we are living why do you know why >> why we are living? What why are we here?

[00:07:58]What what's the the purpose? Why we are existing in this world?

[00:08:07]From the point of view of the infinite, your purpose as an individual [clears throat] mind is to provide the eyes and the ears and the nose and the mouth and the tactile sensations through which the infinite can manifest its infinite potential in form. So you are the vehicle that enables that the the eternal infinite formless being to manifest in form. So you are the vehicle of manifestation.

[00:08:49]That's from the point of view of the infinite. That's the service you provide. The service that each of us provides. Each of us draws an aspect of the potential that lies infolded in the infinite into into existence. Now, what is your purpose as as an individual?

[00:09:14]Um, I would suggest that it is twofold.

[00:09:19]First of all, to to know who you are, to recognize who you are, and then to express that in one way or another in manifestation and and to share it in manifestation. It's difficult. Sorry.

[00:09:36]>> It's difficult.

[00:09:38]>> What is difficult?

[00:09:39]>> Um [snorts] >> is it so the reason why existing here is a bit complicated or just very simple?

[00:09:51]>> Very simple.

[00:09:52]>> Very simple.

[00:09:52]>> Very simple. You just have two purposes from from your point of view. I'm not now speaking of what you enable for the infinite. I'm speaking about your from your point of view your the purpose of your life >> that just two things.

[00:10:08]>> So I have purpose >> two just two purposes that's all you have two purposes.

[00:10:12]>> Everyone has >> Yes. But I'm talking about you everyone.

[00:10:15]It's true for everyone.

[00:10:16]>> Okay.

[00:10:17]>> But I'm talking to you.

[00:10:19][laughter] >> Your first purpose is to discover who you truly are.

[00:10:25]And your second purpose is because if you don't discover who you truly are, one you won't find peace in yourself and two you cannot be of real service to humanity.

[00:10:40]So your first purpose is to to know yourself to know who you truly are. And then your second purpose is to express that knowledge in your life in whatever way feels right for you. It doesn't mean that you do what I'm doing.

[00:10:57]>> So if you notice the difference in Robert Spyra, he will talk about the absolute level a lot much like Jim Newman.

[00:11:06]But here's the thing about Rupert Spyra.

[00:11:09]He will adapt and adjust his way of delivery depending on the person asking the question. This comes from quite clearly a background in spirituality.

[00:11:21]This is what they do in advanc. The teacher comes down to the level of the student. They adapt and mold their answer to the student. This is what Rupert Spyro does.

[00:11:33]And the beautiful thing about Rupert Spyra, he brings the teachings of love.

[00:11:38]Constantly love. Love. Realize your true self then act in the world in a loving way.

[00:11:45]This is why many people are drawn to Ripet Spiral, myself included. When I got over my neo inviter phase, Jim Newman and other teachers, I won't mention more teachers than I need to. I just use Jim as an example. When I got into Rupert Spyra, this whole understand your true self, but also act in a loving way, really beautiful.

[00:12:07]So the next question might be if you like Rbert Spyra so much if you listen to him a lot if you bought a lot of his books which I did absolutely loved it why did you eventually go to to traditional advantage dun here's the reason I viewed it like this is like he has all the wisdom and knowledge he can live this experience he can share it with others But it reminded me of that saying, if you give a man a fish, he'll be hungry for a day, then he'll have to come back to you. But if you teach a man to fish, he can he won't need you anymore. He can fish for himself.

[00:12:48]Now, I'm not saying this as Robert Spy is making his students dependent on him.

[00:12:52]I'm not saying it like that. But what I found, the more I listened to Rupert Spy, non sectarian style teachings, I would have endless questions. Endless questions. is I would listen to him so much for so many years.

[00:13:08]What I'm basically pointing to, I could not make this teaching my own until I went to traditional teachings. I was dependent on listening to Robert.

[00:13:16]Listening, listening, which is fine.

[00:13:18]You're meant to listen, question and answer. They do this in traditional teachings, too. But I needed to make this teaching my own. So, I went to the traditional teachings that build a framework that allow you to learn how to fish.

[00:13:35]Once you understand the teachings from the bottom up, you don't have to ask questions anymore. You can give advice.

[00:13:42]That's why I'm giving advice. Now, here's the thing. I'm not giving advice saying I'm some enlightened being or guru. I'm giving advice because I've understood the teachings. I understand the concepts, the construct of the teachings. So, when you guys give me questions, I can give you answers.

[00:14:00]So, that's why I went to traditional teachings.

[00:14:02]They teach you the absolute like Jim Newman talks about. They they talk about the absolute but they spend a lot of time in this relative appearance.

[00:14:12]This appearance as Jim calls it. It's just an appearance. We live in this appearance. Also, Rbert Spyra is coming down to the level of the student speaking to them on the relative level.

[00:14:26]So, we need to acknowledge this appearance. We feel like we're a person living in time and space. We can do self inquiry all day. Realize this self is an illusion. Fine.

[00:14:37]And it's required. Like what Rbert Spy said, we need to understand our true self to really operate from a place of love and detachment. That's what he's pointing to.

[00:14:50]But we also operate in the in the relative.

[00:14:54]That's where all these teachings of love, compassion, all that kind of stuff Robert was pointing to are so important.

[00:15:00]And in traditional teachings, they're heavily focused on this relative knowledge. Karma yoga, meditation, devotion to a higher power. There is room for God in these traditional teachings. They're really hammering the spiritual practice to make this a lived experience.

[00:15:17]And when you make it a lived experience, you won't need to ask so many questions anymore. You feel love. You feel peace.

[00:15:24]You feel this urge to share knowledge, to share love.

[00:15:30]You make this a lived experience. And that's another thing with with traditional teachings. What Jim Newman was talking about, there's no one here, nothing to do. You're already complete.

[00:15:41]That goes from an intellectual understanding to a lived realization.

[00:15:45]Traditional teachings are trying to take you to the point where this separate sense of self either literally dissolves it. You won't feel like there's a self here. Even though it's an illusion, you won't feel like there's a self living your life. it will completely vanish.

[00:16:01]That's through the non-dual path. How does that happen? Taking your mind into nopa samani dissolving the mind. If your mind was an ice block and the absolute nature of reality was water, it's like dissolving the ice block into the water.

[00:16:18]But here's another thing. Sri Ramach Krishna says it's very hard to do this to shake this sense of eye this appearance this illusion very hard to do. So he says the ego isn't really a problem. This feeling I'm a person living a life. No problem really. The only problem is we have an unripe ego. An ego that is attached to the world. Thinks there's happiness in the world which causes us attachment, desire, anger. Even though this person is an appearance, in this appearance appears anger, desire, hatred, resentment, whatever.

[00:16:55]The best we can do is go from a unripe ego to a ripe ego. A ripe ego still feels like a person has the illusion of personhood. Fine, no problem. But now this illusion of a person is filled with thoughts and feelings of love, peace, joy, sense of humor, silliness, playfulness. This duality is no problem.

[00:17:16]What the what the problem is is there's duality and we hate the duality. We feel separate from the duality. We desire the duality. When you just don't feel that anymore, life becomes a play. a joy and you make what Rupert Spy was speaking about your own what he's telling his students you can make that a lived experience through traditional teachings and whether you dissolve this sense of self in composi or it still appears life's a joy life's a play all you have left is love compassion wisdom the mind of a child again whether this sense of self vanishes or not it won't really matter I honestly at this point in my life on this part of my spiritual path treat life like a movie like a play and once you see through the illusion of all concepts you're free to take on any concept. That's why I talk about devotion to a god so much. It's a joy for me to wake up and say thank you God for this experience. Thank you God for allowing me to serve you in the form of these people or these people serving me.

[00:18:24]It just becomes a joy, a play, a play of love.

[00:18:29]So ultimately there is no one here nothing to do. But even while there appears to be someone here with something to do, this person with something to do does loving acts, kindness, patience, love. It's just a free flowing feeling of love unfolding.

[00:18:48]So that's the difference between neoadder non-duality and traditional teachings. And the reason why I settled on traditional teachings, I'll leave it there.