Izzy Cloke live meeting Brussels-Belgium 19-10-2024 part 1

Summary

This conversation delves into the nature of self-awareness and existential seeking, exploring how the illusion of the individual self perpetuates a constant search for meaning, fulfillment, and safety. It highlights the futility of seeking, explaining that true freedom lies not in finding something external, but in the cessation of seeking itself. The discussion reveals that emotions, experiences, and sensations are simply happening without a 'doer,' and that recognizing this truth leads to a profound sense of wholeness. Ultimately, the video emphasizes that everything is already complete, and seeking only arises from the illusion of a separate self.

Takeaways

• 😀 The experience of being an individual is an illusion, and the sense of separation from the world is false.
• 😀 Seeking is a natural part of the human experience, but it ultimately stems from the misunderstanding that something is missing.
• 😀 The pursuit of fulfillment or freedom through external means, such as authority or spirituality, is futile because what is sought is already present.
• 😀 Emotions and sensations are not something to be avoided or negotiated with, but rather experienced fully as they arise, free from the sense of a separate self.
• 😀 The concept of attention, as something an individual directs, is illusory. In reality, there is no one to place attention, just a flow of experiences happening on their own.
• 😀 The idea of safety through external authority, like a pilot or God, is an illusion. There is no one in control, only the appearance of control.
• 😀 The seeking energy behind human efforts to find meaning or security is part of the illusion. It cannot lead to fulfillment, but is itself an expression of wholeness.
• 😀 Full freedom is found not through attaining something, but through the cessation of the seeking itself, realizing that there was nothing to seek.
• 😀 The ordinary, everyday experiences—like sitting in a room or going to a bakery—are as extraordinary as the most spiritual or mystical moments because they are all part of the same wholeness.
• 😀 There is no one who suffers, seeks, or experiences these phenomena; it is simply the energy of life expressing itself, without a separate individual doing it.
• 😀 The existential angst of seeking meaning or purpose is common, but it is driven by the false belief in a separate self that needs to achieve or find something to complete itself.

Q & A

What does the speaker mean by 'there never was anyone'?

The speaker suggests that the concept of an individual self is an illusion. When they reflect on their life, they realize there was never truly an individual or self-consciousness to begin with. This 'person' is a construct that fades away when recognized for what it is.

How does the idea of attention relate to the concept of being an individual?

The speaker describes attention as a tool that individuals feel they can control, focusing on certain aspects of their experience. However, from the non-dual perspective discussed in the script, attention is not something placed by an individual; it's just what happens, as there is no separate self doing the focusing.

What is the relationship between seeking and the feeling of being an individual?

The speaker explains that seeking is intrinsic to the feeling of being an individual. The individual constantly seeks something to provide fulfillment, whether it be authority, safety, or meaning. However, since the individual is an illusion, the seeking can never lead to true fulfillment.

How does the speaker describe the feeling of security and authority in life?

The speaker describes the sense of security and authority as an external force that people often rely on. This can be seen in examples like trusting a pilot to fly a plane, where the individual feels safe because they perceive someone else as knowing what they're doing. However, when there is no individual self, this reliance on authority dissolves.

What does the speaker mean when they say seeking is the same as avoiding?

The speaker asserts that seeking something else, like fulfillment or freedom, is a form of avoidance because it's an attempt to escape what is already happening. In other words, seeking for something 'better' is inherently a form of running away from the present experience.

Why is the search for safety considered exhausting?

The search for safety is exhausting because it's based on a false belief that something is missing. The individual feels the need to find something outside of themselves to feel secure, which leads to constant seeking and avoidance. This process is endless and tiring because it is based on an illusion.

How does the speaker view painful or uncomfortable emotions?

The speaker suggests that when there is no individual, emotions—whether painful or pleasurable—are fully experienced without the need to control or manage them. In the illusion of being an individual, emotions are often overwhelming because the individual feels responsible for managing them, but in the absence of a self, emotions are just allowed to flow as part of the whole experience.

What is meant by 'wholeness' in the context of the conversation?

Wholeness refers to the totality of experience, where everything is complete and interconnected. The speaker emphasizes that there is no separate self to seek or avoid anything, and that the feeling of seeking is simply wholeness appearing as seeking. Wholeness is not something to be found, it is already present in everything, just as it is.

Why does the speaker claim that the search for freedom is futile?

The search for freedom is futile because it is based on the belief that something is lacking. The individual seeks freedom as if it were something external to be attained, but the truth is that freedom is inherent in all things, and the search itself prevents the recognition of this fact.

How does the speaker describe the experience of a 'glimpse' of non-duality?

A 'glimpse' of non-duality occurs when the illusion of being a separate individual temporarily disappears, and one experiences the totality of existence. In this state, there is a clear recognition that there was never anyone separate to begin with. These glimpses are described as fleeting but powerful, showing the reality of wholeness before the illusion returns.