John Gallagher (real name) works in retail tech support, has 3 young kids, and was brought up as a charismatic Christian. Six yrs ago he went into contemplative Christianity, doing contemplative prayer for 3 yrs. He has been working in nonduality for about a year, practicing deep surrender and acceptance. This is a two month FB messaging follow-up on an earlier post "Dialogues w/John...10 wks to "absolute, stunning, perfection...".
John
Sweet
More has fallen
away... revealing the I am that I am.
The All that I am. And that is truly a revelation
Gary
There were several
verses from the Bible that Ramana Maharshi used in his teachings,
particularly "I Am That I Am", and "Be still and know that I Am
God". Ramana said that all of advaita Vedanta is condensed in those two
statements.
John
‘I am that I am’ sums
up the whole truth. The method is summed up in ‘Be still’.
What does stillness
mean? It means ‘destroy yourself’.
Because any form or shape is a cause of
trouble. Give up the notion that ‘I am so and so’.
I guess this is what
some people call God consciousness or Divinity or things like that. It's amazing! We're all here and you are me! I
noticed that too. All just positionalities...
The whole feeling of
this being a dance is becoming more and more apparent to 'me'
Gary
It's a useful metaphor.
Just posted a youTube video "The"I" can't dance..." which you might find useful.
John
Very cool! Totally resonates with me.
There is a wonderful
collective energy, isn't there in all kinds of settings!
So, hey, the whole
Silence thing is really happening here.
Like not actually
quiet, but kinda sinking into Reality... It's kind of... mega!
Gary
Just stay present for
it, and let it "happen", and enjoy the "sinking into
Reality".
It feels more and more "locked down".
There's nothing to be
done to "make it happen better".
John
It's kinda funny... I
feel like I'm beyond choosing...
Which is new for me!
Or perhaps it's always been this way
Gary
That is a
"common" report as folk move deeper.
As the belief in a
single "John" moves to many ad-hoc "Johns", much weaker and dis-assembled, it is apparent that something else is running
the show.
How can all of these ad-hoc
characters be making one meaningful "choice"? None of them knows what is going on with anything, other than their little "ad hoc". There is something "driving the
bus", but it's not "the Johns".
Once the brain sees what is possible and gets
enough examples to work with, it tosses the Johns to the curb. The Johns made it
difficult to see as they were always running around claiming credit or blaming
someone else if it went wrong.
John
It feels like I'm falling into Love... there's nothing I can
do to escape...
Gary
Keep feeling for
anything that isn't Love/Presence/Oneness, and let go of it.
Just let yourself
dissolve into it...let it completely flow into and fill what you now feel as
your form...
John
It's funny how we're
looking for what we are. Isn't that odd?
It never quite
resonated with me that meaninglessness was beautiful, until now.
I see it as a
dance! That was my goal ever since I heard you say it!
Yus!
Gary
We are all
the Dancers, all Her dancing w/Herself, and She is the audience, the conductor,
the orchestra, and light and sound folk, etc. Just let go into the Dance...
John
So cool Gary!
Fascinating to
see the deeper identifications come to light... quite naturally and
effortlessly...
Gary
It's like the draining of a lake...as the level gets lower,
i.e. as you become more Still, rocks that were not visible before, are now
naturally seen to be present.
As they are seen and effortlessly disappear when they are
not "dragged into the boat", the level in the lake continues to be
lowered and Stillness becomes ever deeper.
John
Woo . Thanks for being
around amigo
It's interesting. The
current feeling is a kind of stasis.
Not good, not bad. Not
personal or impersonal.
Empty... but not in a
definable way.
Gary
i use the terms "full emptiness" and "empty
fullness". Look for whether anything could be taken away, or added,
to improve it.
Typically, as the brain gets the system worked out and
cleaned up, it generates the neurotransmitters dopamine and some opiods to
sweeten it.
It will become so sweet and "yes",
that it will be difficult to move away from, particularly as the "I"
is no longer around to stir things up and the brain recognizes that this is "the best game in town".
John
It feels like my system is 'clearing itself out'. In
fact, I know this is what is happening.
So cool man!
Ah. The Universe is
divinity at play. Ah . And I am that. And you are. Wow
Ah. The Universe is divinity at play. Ah . And
I am that. And you are. Wow
Damn phone sends everything twice!
Gary
Even the "damn phone" is the
Universe as divinity at play.
And you are That, as the phone and
"i" are as well. She is all of It.
John
Heh.
Wow!
Life
is good eh? Really good...
Gary
All
one has to do is not fight against it, and just let it dance...
John
Who would want to
fight such a good thing?
It's funny... how...
the roar of the dance always goes on... I feel a bit detached from it
somehow... I guess that will pass...
All these feelings will pass…
Gary
All of these feelings, as with this body, stories, thoughts,
etc. continually change.
The key is to focus on what it is that doesn't ever change,
amid all of this ceaseless change.
The dance continues, but what is the background against
which the dance is done?
John
Yeah. I'm noticing on
a more real level of understanding that no-one has anything I don't have...no one has more Truth...
It's a further realization that there is no
separation...
Over the
last few months there has been a huge explosion, but now the smoke is clearing
and the dust is settling
Gary
No one has more
Truth, because we all are the same Truth just manifesting in different
disguises.
That feeling of smoke clearing and dust
settling is the brain getting the new configuration worked out. It has been "cutting and trying" and
it's getting it done.
The confusion is that we are only able to look at the brain/"clock" from "the
outside", i.e. our conscious awareness. we can't see the brain @ work as it busily rearranges billions of neurons to accommodate what it really
wants, which is more peace, stillness, and clarity and less confusion, anxiety,
stress and depression.
John
It's comforting to
know the brain is on the case!
Gary
The questions typically are, “If
we don't know what it's doing, how can we be sure it will turn out OK?” What if we don't like
it? Maybe it doesn't care what "we" think about it?
John
Good question! I guess knowing it's all OK makes it all OK.
Wow, Gary. This has
really opened out.
My centre has fallen
right away. This is the real deal man.
Amazing!
Gary
What??? You mean what Ramana and Nisargadatta were saying was true???
Just keep letting go
of "everything" you can find that you are attached to.
It is truly amazing,
particularly as it was there "all along", closer than your breath,
w/o needing you to do anything but get out of the way.
John
Amaaaazing. Whoop
It just keeps a
changin! I'm wondering if i'll get to a point where it feels 'static' if that
makes sense?
Gary
No, as "you"
are increasingly “smallified”, you won't reach a "static" point.
The Awareness and
Presence that increasingly manifests, is amazingly alive, vibrant and
continuously dancing, even as the sense of a concrete observer falls away into
Stillness.
John
Yikes! Smallified! OK...that does make a lot more
sense than static…“Smallified” is exactly how it feels...
A concrete observer is falling away...as you say.Actually it's uncannily accurate
Although it's a little
bit scary too!
Gary
What is it that is
scared?
Just a previously
believed to be "concrete observer" that was always a construct is revealed to be a host of ad-hoc Johns masquerading as one...
 |
| John Gallagher |
John
Yessss!
Feels a bit weird at
the moment...
Now it's less weird...
Finding 'me' is
getting very... very tricky...
OK... this is nice...
openness... love... peace... gratitude... freedom...
BTW, there is an excellent self-inquiry vid by Prasant Radhakrishnan, "Who hears?...". Prasant is an SF Bay-area, jazz/Indian Carnatic fusion folk who has a deep heritage in Ramana Maharshi's work w/generations of engagement @ Ramanasramam. we have been working together for several years.
BTW, there is an excellent self-inquiry vid by Prasant Radhakrishnan, "Who hears?...". Prasant is an SF Bay-area, jazz/Indian Carnatic fusion folk who has a deep heritage in Ramana Maharshi's work w/generations of engagement @ Ramanasramam. we have been working together for several years.
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteReally great to read about the experiences that are unfolding. Sure you are helping many folk along the way. And in fact, probably more than "you" could imagine. IME, the action of self inquiry has proven itself time and time again as a blessing. Grace in a moment. Love in an instant. Born again, free. . .Persistence is useful and to persist is key.
Smiling and happy from afar. . . . .
Dominic
[Random Commenter here]
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you, going deeper into the fold of experience and authenticity. I feel the calling of the direct path and also am motivated to follow its simple (but not easy instructions).
Question (and this is for Garry or anyone else that can help).
As I try to refine my Self-Inquiry technique I have come across the chapters in Happiness Beyond Thought I have found useful. Through a simple Google search I found the whole thing on Scripd. Before I know i I have copy on my computer (as well as Dancing Beyond Thought). I am grateful for coming in contact with these teachings. How can I contribute to this project/cause/teacher? I understand these teachings are freely given, but I feel gratitude that wants to express itself.
Any pointers would be appreciated.
Love and stillness.
AndrewP
Gratitude
Hi AndrewP.
DeleteYes, both Happiness Beyond Thought, and Dancing Beyond Thought are available through Scribd as free downloads. If you want hardcopy, you have to pay Amazon or iUniverse to print/provide it - net profits go to kids in south India.
The blogposts, articles, videos, website, etc. are all free; links under "About" under any of the videos. Check out the 60 youTube videos (just put "Gary Weber - nonduality" in the uT search box.)
There is no need to contribute. The gratitude can be in "paying it forward".
Great that you found the books useful. stillness
This is all very helpful, thank you to Gary, John, commentors, all.
ReplyDelete