All experiences are just experiences. There could be the experience of eating food or going for a walk, or an experience of expansion beyond the boundaries of the body, stillness in the midst of activity, or the arising of bliss. They all have content, but realization is when we see that what we truly are has no content.

A lot of teachers use analogies, and they can be helpful to a degree. But the method I use is allowing people to see that they are already the impersonal, timeless, effortless being, and noticing that all forms arise within that.

It’s allowing people to see thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and sensations arising effortlessly. The only place from which we can watch forms arising effortlessly is from effortless being, because if the mind is engaged, there’s motion. There isn’t the opportunity to see the effortlessness.

Noticing forms arising effortlessly enables us to see that that’s what we’ve always been, and to make the distinction between effortless being—where all forms arise effortlessly—and engaging the mind.

Engaging the mind requires effort. We give rise to speculation, or describe or judge something. Realization is making the distinction between the mind, which we’ve been programmed to depend on and think is primary, and seeing that what we truly are precedes the mind being engaged.

The mind is something we can put down. We can rest as effortless being and function from intuition rather than concepts. Functioning from effortless being is functioning from our infinite nature, whereas engaging the mind is activating individuality.

Seeing that distinction is the easiest way. I’ve stuck with one-to-one conversations because people have different kinds of mental and emotional programming. Many have had profound spiritual experiences and want to stabilize them, but that assumes realization is an experience, which it isn’t.

Others have limiting concepts or beliefs. The strategy for self-realization varies depending on the programming, because programs of limitation need to be addressed in different ways.

For someone convinced that self-realization is an experience they need to stabilize, you take them beyond that so they realize their true nature doesn’t have experiential content.

Others feel they’re not worthy: “I’d love to realize my true nature, but I don’t think I’m worthy.” There’s programming around feeling inferior or undeserving. Bringing in a sense of equality and realizing everyone is equal in reality allows those with inferiority programs to be brought up to that level.

Then there are people who feel allied to a teacher who has all the answers. Everything is referred back to “my teacher says this.” That locks you into limitation, because you’ve put someone else’s teaching above your own sovereign spiritual nature.

While you’ve done that, you’re not on a level footing with your true infinite nature. You have to accept your own sovereignty, not feel there’s a hierarchy where you’re below anyone.

I’ll go into detail about programming in our next online event…

With love,
David Bingham