9 Life lessons I learned in 52 years of exposure to Advaita Vedanta

[James Swartz]

1. First understand that Life is a zero-sum game.

2. The objects you seek don’t contain satisfaction/happiness. If they did the same object would produce the same joy or suffering for everyone.

3. Objects are anything you seek other than yourself. For instance: feelings, thoughts, events, situations, relationships, etc.

4. It’s natural to seek objects, but the results of your seeking are not up to you, although you can influence them.

5. So do your very best and don’t ignore the moral dimension of reality.

6. Look for the lesson in unwanted results, take them cheerfully and correct what you said or did that produced them.

7. Without compromising your principles try to accommodate yourself to the situations presented by the field of life.

8. You will inwardly react personally to what happens, but it is wise to keep negative reactions to yourself. Life is impersonal and doesn’t care what you think. In so far as people take things personally, it is best to not express negative reactions unless they are requested.

9. This wisdom and the attitude it encourages is called Karma Yoga. It works. The benefits are: it removes the anxiety for results which usually compromises your skill in action, which allows your karma stream to efficiently and happily carry you to your goal.

 

 

[Leo Gura]

Hey James, if it's really you.

Edited April 19 by Leo Gura

[James Swartz]

Hi Leo, yes, it's me. What's up? Where did we meet? Did we meet in India?

I taught in Reno once, maybe we met there?

Edited April 19 by James Swartz

[nistake]

Your posts seems quite authentic and "pure" to me. This is what this forum lacks most of the time unfortunately.

[James123]

31 minutes ago, nistake said:

Your posts seems quite authentic and "pure" to me. This is what this forum lacks most of the time unfortunately.

Damn right. 

[abrakamowse]

If you are really James, thanks, I have your book The Essence of Enlightenment.

Now that I see I have to read it again.

I also watched your videos in YouTube. Thanks for your teachings.

 

[Razard86]

Great post. Couple things. I wouldn't count thoughts or feelings as objects, as you can control thoughts and emotions, just like they can control you.

A person can be a positive thinker or a negative thinker. If one focuses on practicing looking at the brighter side of things over a prolong period of time one can produce a mind that is positive. The same is true for its opposite.

The next thing is it is not good to repress negative emotions. All emotions seeks expression and they will have their way. You have two routes to dealing with negative emotions. You can sit with them and allow them to express until they fizzle out, or you can logically sort them out with yourself or another that you trust. But you can't ignore them.

Also life is NOT just impersonal, it is highly personal as well. If it wasn't you couldn't have a first person perspective experience. It's like a video game or a movie. You can take the perspective of the character, or the objective view of what is happening and both have their own merit within their own paradigm.

[Leo Gura]

10 hours ago, James Swartz said:

Hi Leo, yes, it's me. What's up? Where did we meet? Did we meet in India?

I taught in Reno once, maybe we met there?

We've never met. But I am familiar with your work.

Edited April 19 by Leo Gura

[Princess Arabia]

Is this you? I looked you up and started watching. 

Edited April 19 by Princess Arabia

[Razard86]

https://www.shiningworld.com/contact/

^^^ This you?

[James Swartz]

31 minutes ago, Princess Arabia said:

Is this you? I looked you up and started watching. 

Yes, that's me. I totally forgot about that recording. Good for you

[James Swartz]

59 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

We've never met. But I am familiar with your work.

Yes, I thought so. Why not come to Berkeley in July or Trout Lake, WA in August?

https://www.shiningworld.com/events/list/

[James Swartz]

21 minutes ago, Razard86 said:

https://www.shiningworld.com/contact/

^^^ This you?

Yes, you can find more here: https://www.shiningworld.com/about/

[James Swartz]

9 hours ago, abrakamowse said:

If you are really James, thanks, I have your book The Essence of Enlightenment.

Now that I see I have to read it again.

I also watched your videos in YouTube. Thanks for your teachings.

 

That's great! But the teachings are not mine, I just copied what I was taught by great Swamis in India.

[abrakamowse]

3 hours ago, James Swartz said:

That's great! But the teachings are not mine, I just copied what I was taught by great Swamis in India.

We are all one so it’s ok

hahaha 

What is teaching to itself 😊

[CARDOZZO]

8 hours ago, Princess Arabia said:

Is this you? I looked you up and started watching. 

Wow, just thanks for sharing.

[Raze]

@James Swartz can you take this quiz and tell me what location it gives you

https://haai.nonsymbolic.org/sf/c6b52018?seg_id=01FM2M6DQTH0GEY294BCGJ1X3P.3464.1636470830844

[CoolDreamThanks]

@James Swartz Did you discover answers to the most important questions in life? Like:

• The reason behind the creation of the universe?
• What is God/Self?
• Is life a dream, an illusion, maya?
• What is the practical process of coming back home (to Self)?
• How do we break the cycle of birth and death?
• If God is perfect Love and the Creator of this domain, why is there suffering, pain, and death?
• Are you aware of the activities of the unconscious mind and the thought system that is hidden there?
• Is life made out of vibrations? Is the universe infinite? Is the theory of multiverse correct? Is it holographic? 
• Does manifestation work? 
• Is diet important in awakening?
• Was Buddha enlightened? If so, why didn't he mention that God is Love? Perhaps he was mistaken and finished his journey by only attaining nothingness aka cessation?