The Advaita Show #015 – Eliot In Charge

Eliot takes the helm
December 11, 2005
The Advaita Show #016 – Guru Chic
December 28, 2005
Show all

The Advaita Show #015 – Eliot In Charge

The Advaita Show #015 (MP3 – 18MB – 50min)

>LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

Eliot says:

This podcast is a conversation between Bob, me, a guy who just
got off the plane from California, named Rick, who came
specifically to see Bob to resolve his questions about Advaita.
We talked about a range of facets of Bob’s message, with emphasis
on the themes of “There is only That… everything is That” and
“Nothing to get… you already are That… the futility of
seeking… it can’t be grasped via conceptualization”. It’s
punctuated sometimes with our attempts at humour.

Cameron says:

Thanks, Eliot, for keeping Bob off the streets while I’m away. You know the old saying: An Idle Guru Is the Devil’s Plaything.

29 Comments

  1. Bob Seal says:

    Excellent clear seeing guys!
    Thanks for the show.

  2. Richard says:

    Hi Eliot, Wanted you to know that the volume on show #15 was extremely low. When I turned my speaker way up, what I heard was really great stuff.

    Keep up the good work and please at a higher volume.

    Thanks,
    R.

  3. Amey H'ng says:

    Hi, Bob & Cameron,

    I love your shows. This is Amey from Toronto. Remember me, Bob? I got the Cassettes tape from you few years ago.

    I read Nisargadatta’s teaching & Ramana, Ramesh, Papaji. I have been living in with this understanding for few years, on and off, is just not permanent like what they describe their experienced, permanency? Am I necessary to get that clear up? Mostly theories…. little of experienced, come and go, and I know is the mind that asking and speaking that.

    I always have been wanting to meet you, but didn’t make it, and now also feeling so strong to come and meet you during holidays…still thinking.

    Thank you.

    Love from Toronto
    Amey

  4. well done eliot
    love you eliot
    love you bob

  5. Steve of UK says:

    Hi Bob + Eliot
    just to let you know ,like Richard said the volumes low.Thanks for all the shows in 2005 and have a Holly Jolly Christmas.
    S.

  6. This is better than sex.

    Taking the advaita position is always fun.

    Shameless in Satori….

  7. Laya says:

    Really great show,

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU !

  8. Cameron says:

    Folks, the volume is my fault, not Eliot’s. I would usually run the audio through some post-production before I upload it, but as I’m away from my studio this week, I took a chance and gave it to you raw. I’ll enhance it when I get home next week for ya.

  9. Amey H'ng says:

    Hi Richard,

    I changed the volume higher, do you want a copy? Love from Toronto

  10. ravi says:

    Hi! BoB & Cameron,
    Thanks a lot for answering all my questions- always. Its really great listening to you guys. I use the show as a satsang. Listen to a little bit everyday. It helps me to stay focused on the facts of the Universe and all that but then again the entire Universe is an illusion so….

    I got a bunch of questions (as usual). And before Cameron asks me to get a life, let me just remind him that Life is an illusion 🙂 and Yes!!! we do have internet in Bangalore, India cameron (reference 2 shows earlier) and infact it is one of the fastest growing I T city in the World.

    The Questions:

    1) The physical – psychosomatic being- is only in the mind, right??? and birth and growing up are memories that are strengtened by what “others” tell us about ourselves, but is not the illusion as well strenghthened by seeing others being born and growing up. These then just cannot be concepts????

    2) I understand that one must act/work, But when my ennui with everyday events is overwhelmed by the desire for truth, wouldn’t it be better to give up the acts of everyday??? The indian “Sanyas” system seems incredibly appealing.

    3) In deep sleep and before birth conciousness is not aware. That is really scary. what happens in deep sleep?? You guys say that the “I am ” does not sleep. Its there all the time. Its just not cognizing?? so is it possible to move in and out of the Matrix? And if there is no awareness at the ultimate level, who wants to move out or in of the matrix???

    4) I think the greatest part of the illusion is the “Advaita bit” – “An illusion trying to prove it is an illusion !!!!! ”

    Please do the show twice a week. its wonderful

    regards

    ravi
    Bangalore
    India

  11. Richard says:

    Hello Amey,
    Yes, if there is some way you can do that, it would be appreciated. Love from Virginia Beach.

  12. Björn says:

    Hi Bob and Cameron and Elliot!

    You and your show really are a blessing to crazy(like myself) and serious Advaitins all over the World. I have a question about THAT … I mean, THAT has a question about THAT. When people, including myself, talk, write and read about Advaita there are so many different names for THAT. I have a suggestion to make. What about a competition or voting for the best verbal expression of THAT. I like Bobs “Intelligence Energy”. It’s much better than the commonly used “Conciousness”. I often use the word “Universal Intelligence” or “openness”.
    What do you think about a ranking list. Top ten words for THAT? Not in order to reduce the number of names, I just think it could be fun.

    Love
    Björn in Sweden

  13. Amey H'ng says:

    Hi RIchard,
    i can send via email.

  14. Richard says:

    Hi ravi, I am by no means Sailor Bob and his response will be infinitely wiser than mine, so I hope you don’t mind my input.

    About giving up the acts of everyday, I think the Sanyas system says it’s for one who has gotten an education, raised a family to adulthood, and then they can live a life of pure spirituality.

    Nisargadatta left his family and business to wander around India until a co-disciple convinced him he would do better to return home and practice (pardon the expression) spirituality at home.

    Papaji loved staying with Ramana Maharshi. When civill war broke out R.Maharshi told him he had better get back to his family. Papaji protested saying what does it matter, it’s all a dream. Ramana retorted, if it’s all a dream then why not go back to your family and care for them.

    I enjoy your comments and questions,
    R.

  15. Richard says:

    Hi Amey,

    Thanks very much. My email is: [email protected]

    Best of wishes,
    R

  16. Luly says:

    Bjorn,
    i agree that at times the wording for what is impossible to name can mislead and confuse, but we use them anyways.
    ‘consciousness’ misses the mark for me because sometimes we do not feel conscious. and ‘intelligence’ also doesn’t do it for me bacause there’s some really weird stuff out there. although, ‘energy’ does fit the bill.
    my favorite is ‘capacity’. as one is potentially capable of anything and/or nothing.
    capacity also implies both action and space. from etymology- 1480, from M.Fr. capacité, from L. capacitatem, from capax “able to hold much,” from capere “to take” .
    i am not a scholar, but ‘that’ which advaita describes seems to be both active and passive and open-ended, a mutually supportive ebb and flow and the space or opportunity for that movement.
    well, that’s my two cents worth 😉
    Luly
    in northern caifornia

  17. Bob,
    What is naturally ‘dawning’ here is what seems to be deeper and deeper knowwingness, beingness, oneness … not as an experience (that arises after) but as a ground of Being.
    This seems to be att odds with the core pointer that That I Am, All Is That … it SEEMS as though it fades and brightens.
    Can you say a bit about this? It is quite wonderful, how “it seems to expand…” at the same time, there is not all that much of a thing that could really care 🙂
    Love to you, Bob, Barb, Eliot… and everyone … happy holidays!

  18. Tan says:

    He björn,
    I call THAT sometimes “Chocolate covered Doughnut” .

    Sometimes “Holy Shit” seems also in order.

    Or what about: “What the Fu.., shut up”

    I AM “What the Fu.., shut up”, and I ABIDE as “What the Fu..,shut up”.

    or tomorrow I COULD ABIDE AS “Holy Shit” or as “Chocolate Covered Doughnut”.

    I hope my words make it in the top ten list of “THAT” words. It is time for me to become famous 🙂

  19. misa says:

    Hi Tan

    but top ten “THAT” words probably are mail, bird, nose, hair, face, i, use, handkerchief, when, i, wand, to, blow, nose minus 2x i and nose and of course bird and mail, those are not right advaita terms regarding spiritual knowledge, it is ten, top ten

    and when top ten is already out there, why to bother with other words?

    lets just abide as that and nothing happens

    🙂 m

  20. Rick says:

    I think some labels can cause more side effects than others. “Energy” for me is suggestive of a medium within which the energy would operate. “Intelligence”, “Awareness”, “Consciousness” sound subtly like attributes that imply an object that has them. The label for me that seems to carry the least baggage and potential for conceptual offspring is “This”. It’s always changing, ever-present, and the moment you try to conceptualize it – it’s gone! 🙂 Hard to go spinning off into thought about “this” when its clear that it’s all that ever was, is, could be, etc. Another one that mihgt be on my list is “Stop” (or Bob’s “Full Stop”). Looking for labels, explanations, or anything else is the whole problem. Replacing whatever label that I’m looking for to conceptualize “this” (which is natrually prior to conceptualization) with a label of “stop” might be a good reminder that I’m facing in the wrong direction.

  21. Mark says:

    I thought this was a really good episode, thanks guys! Bob really summed ‘IT’ all up beautifully. Thank you.

  22. That?
    NOT THAT
    not two?
    not that
    not
    no
    n
    .

  23. peggy says:

    I was thrilled to be able to listen to this podcast!! It is the only podcast on the Advaita show that i do not get an error msg on. I do not know why I cannot listen to the others. Does anyone have any ideas?

    I’m new to Advaita/non-dualiity. It’s been nearly a year now since discovering all of the non-dual web sites, books etc. I did buy one of Sailor Bob’s books. I’m not quite clear though. My thoughts just keep taking over.

    Thanks for your show—I can use all the help I can get.
    Here’s hoping I’ll be able to access future shows.
    Love,
    Peggy

  24. Björn says:

    Thanks everyone for your candidates to the top ten list of THAT-words.

    The nominees are:

    1. Energy
    2. Intelligence
    3. Awareness
    4. Conciousness
    5. This
    6. Full Stop
    7. “Chocolate covered Doughnut”
    8. “Holy Shit”
    9. “What the Fu.., shut up”
    10. Capacity
    11. Openness
    12. Universal Intelligence
    13. Intelligence energy
    14. Presence
    15. God (why not?)

    More suggestions?
    This could be fun. Lets decide what words ARE NOT THAT… 🙂 … There can be only ten!

    Love
    Björn

  25. Gilbert says:

    Well done guys. Looks like you sent Vicky over the edge. Sexual practices where she is must be rather dull. Come to OZ baby, we can really heal ya good and proper.
    All jockulars aside, that is a good coverage and without too much wiff waff from Cameron. However, I still can hear him in the background throwing darts at his shrink.
    Maybe someone should give him James book for Christmas. Melly Kristmoss every ONE.

  26. Richard says:

    Hi Peggy,
    Can’t help with technological problems as I’m backwards in that department.

    I would suggest that even if you only keep listening to show #15 and keep re-reading Sailor Bob’s book, you would have all you need. Although, you would miss Cameron’s insightfull input and delightful raunchy humor.

    You say you’re “not quite clear” but actually who you are is perfectly clear, always was, always will be.

    Happy holidays to all,
    R.

  27. Dale Hinton says:

    What? infinite is not on the Top Ten?
    Kick God of the list and give infinite it’s place

  28. Björn says:

    I forgot one nominee to the top ten list of THAT-words – BRAHMAN – The first and the last, the beginning and the end?

    1. Energy
    2. Intelligence
    3. Awareness
    4. Conciousness
    5. This
    6. Full Stop
    7. “Chocolate covered Doughnut”
    8. “Holy Shit”
    9. “What the Fu.., shut up”
    10. Capacity
    11. Openness
    12. Universal Intelligence
    13. Intelligence energy
    14. Presence
    15. God (why not?)
    16. B R A H M A N ( … NEW … )

    Regards
    Björn

  29. Luly says:

    Bjorn,
    i think Rick hit it just right with “this”.
    a list of “one”, “not-two” (or ten ;).
    “this” is always present, always fresh, ever changing, inclusive of all that is this, here, now, all-ways, and always.
    and now “this” … & now “this” … & now “this” … & …. …. ….
    ad infinitum.
    and “this” does lead to “stop”!
    how clever is “this”!
    how Beautiful!
    gotta love it!

    Luly

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *