Video of 2-hour in-person workshop on self-inquiry

[winterknight]

I conducted this in NYC a few days. I lay out the big picture theory of the spiritual search, and then go through several coached self-inquiry meditations with seekers.

 

[Natasha]

@winterknight I watched it last night on YT (new subscriber :-)

Have you considered giving an interviewed on Buddha At The Gas Pump? It's a podcast where the host Rick Archer talks to enlightened folk about their journey, insights, and books they wrote. Rick is not awake himself, but he is a serious seeker and his list of guests is quite impressive. Would love to see you on there too 

[Salvijus]

Why are you doing this? 

If you had a milion dollars would you still do these things? 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Salvijus

[SoonHei]

@Salvijus  WHY-Questions are never really truly answerable...

 

WHY do you like the food you do?

WHY is your favorite color whatever it is?

and most of ALL: why the heck is the sky blue?

[winterknight]

3 hours ago, Natasha said:

@winterknight I watched it last night on YT (new subscriber :-)

Have you considered giving an interviewed on Buddha At The Gas Pump? It's a podcast where the host Rick Archer talks to enlightened folk about their journey, insights, and books they wrote. Rick is not awake himself, but he is a serious seeker and his list of guests is quite impressive. Would love to see you on there too 

Yes, this is a great idea and I've been trying to get on. Feel free to suggest me as a future guest -- if you put my name in, it'll say I've already been suggested, but it does count the votes... [EDIT: My real name is Akilesh Ayyar]

3 hours ago, Salvijus said:

Why are you doing this? 

If you had a milion dollars would you still do these things? 

Something drives the mind-body to it, I guess. Sure, I would still do it with a million dollars, if indeed I am doing it at all even today 

Edited August 9, 2019 by winterknight

[winterknight]

9 minutes ago, SoonHei said:

@Salvijus  WHY-Questions are never really truly answerable...

 

WHY do you like the food you do?

WHY is your favorite color whatever it is?

and most of ALL: why the heck is the sky blue?

[Natasha]

7 minutes ago, winterknight said:

Yes, this is a great idea and I've been trying to get on. Feel free to suggest me as a future guest -- if you put my name in, it'll say I've already been suggested, but it does count the votes...

Will do

[Salvijus]

@winterknight do you wish to become popular spiritual teacher like echart tolle and other modern nonduality teachers? 

[winterknight]

3 minutes ago, Salvijus said:

@winterknight do you wish to become popular spiritual teacher like echart tolle and other modern nonduality teachers? 

I'm not sure I'd like to be like them exactly, but I'd definitely like to get my message across to many more people searching for truth.

[AlldayLoop]

1 hour ago, winterknight said:

Yes, this is a great idea and I've been trying to get on. Feel free to suggest me as a future guest -- if you put my name in, it'll say I've already been suggested, but it does count the votes...

Don’t put Winter Knight as his name guys!

His real name is Akilesh Ayyar 

[Natasha]

31 minutes ago, AlldayLoop said:

Don’t put Winter Knight as his name guys!

His real name is Akilesh Ayyar 

DAH

[SoothedByRain]

@winterknight New sub

Love from England!

[winterknight]

1 hour ago, AlldayLoop said:

Don’t put Winter Knight as his name guys!

His real name is Akilesh Ayyar 

Thanks 

[Mu_]

3 hours ago, winterknight said:

I conducted this in NYC a few days. I lay out the big picture theory of the spiritual search, and then go through several coached self-inquiry meditations with seekers.

 

Thanks for sharing the video, it was enlightening.  Just out of curiosity, how did you set this up and how many people showed up?

[Natasha]

2 hours ago, Keyhole said:

Those look like murder curtains to me...

Were my thoughts exactly and a bit distracting at first. Maybe we're just used to seeing other talkers' stage set-ups that are so different? I think Rupert Spira's flower arrangements are amazing and whoever does them has to be a really talented artist.

[winterknight]

48 minutes ago, SoothedByRain said:

@winterknight New sub

Love from England!

15 minutes ago, Mu_ said:

Thanks for sharing the video, it was enlightening.  Just out of curiosity, how did you set this up and how many people showed up?

By inquiring with a ton of yoga studios till I found one that was open to it. 3 people showed up.

[Mu_]

6 hours ago, winterknight said:

By inquiring with a ton of yoga studios till I found one that was open to it. 3 people showed up.

Ah interesting, I'll have to remember that approach in the future.  You ever thought of putting something up on meetup?  Although you would have to have a space to hold the talk, but I bet a park could work or something.

[Jkris]

@winterknight whats your take on Bhakthi yoga ? Love for God ? Prayer ? Various Bhavanas ? Why many saints emphasize that ? 

What does it mean there are many paths for reaching God?

What's the importance of concentration practice ?-Meditation on particular object ? 

Why monks or realized say you are at beginning level or this level or that level etc ?

Why monks read the books of what their Guru or founder of institutions book as part of their daily routine ?

Why emphasize is given from mind - purification ? The long lengthy path or bottom up approach than the top down approach of self realisation first and then the purification of mind ?

Or in short why renounciation-selfless service(karma yoga) and bhakthi yoga is emphasized more ?

Is the hallmark of self realisation is completely emotionally stale ?

----------------------------------------

Karma yoga 

-----------------------------------------

How forgetful I am ????

Forget things where I kept an object or if I completed the task given completely.

Do self realised get anger when (anger appear and shout and let go or anger doesn't appear at all or pretend to be angry)

Do self realized are free from emotions when insulted - shamed - criticized or abused ?

It's very difficult to be free from suffering when insulted ? Like wise occasional guilt ?

Finding it difficult to get the work done from others with out getting anger-authority-impatience?

When asked to do a work faster? Tension do arises?

How to develop patience?

When mundane tasks are given how to transcend or drop the inner resistance of mind ?

-----------------------------------------

???

 

[winterknight]

21 minutes ago, Jkris said:

@winterknight whats your take on Bhakthi yoga ? Love for God ? Prayer ? Various Bhavanas ? Why many saints emphasize that ? 

What does it mean there are many paths for reaching God?

What's the importance of concentration practice ?-Meditation on particular object ? 

Why monks or realized say you are at beginning level or this level or that level etc ?

Why monks read the books of what their Guru or founder of institutions book as part of their daily routine ?

Why emphasize is given from mind - purification ? The long lengthy path or bottom up approach than the top down approach of self realisation first and then the purification of mind ?

Or in short why renounciation-selfless service(karma yoga) and bhakthi yoga is emphasized more ?

Is the hallmark of self realisation is completely emotionally stale ?

----------------------------------------

Karma yoga 

-----------------------------------------

How forgetful I am ????

Forget things where I kept an object or if I completed the task given completely.

Do self realised get anger when (anger appear and shout and let go or anger doesn't appear at all or pretend to be angry)

Do self realized are free from emotions when insulted - shamed - criticized or abused ?

It's very difficult to be free from suffering when insulted ? Like wise occasional guilt ?

Finding it difficult to get the work done from others with out getting anger-authority-impatience?

When asked to do a work faster? Tension do arises?

How to develop patience?

When mundane tasks are given how to transcend or drop the inner resistance of mind ?

-----------------------------------------

???

 

Bhakti is emphasized because it helps purify the mind, and because it suits certain temperaments. There are many paths to reach God means that there are many paths to purify the mind, which then recognizes the truth. Concentration practice quiets the mind. A quiet mind is necessary for inquiry. Different "levels" are just said to help beginners figure out that their mind is getting quieter; it has no real significance beyond that. Monks reading books as part of their daily routine also builds in values and quiets the mind. Moral values, emphasis on the founders of the religion, etc. can help that, but can also be abused. Emphasis is given on mental purification because so many seekers are unable to do the higher practices with intensity, and it's easier to systematically offer those kinds of practices. But that doesn't mean that's always right. 

Self-realization is not emotionally stale. It's emotionally indescribable.

The self-realized are free from all emotions, but the mind is not; the self-realized do not identify with the mind, do not even believe the mind exists. If the mind exists, then it displays various emotions. 

Develop patience by inquiring into who it is that needs to develop patience. Inquire and be free of all this effort. Drop the inner resistance of mind by allowing it to be... and realizing that you are not that resistance.

[winterknight]

42 minutes ago, Mu_ said:

Ah interesting, I'll have to remember that approach in the future.  You ever thought of putting something up on meetup?  Although you would have to have a space to hold the talk, but I bet a park could work or something.

Thanks