Rupert Spira Podcast

In the fourth episode in the series recorded at Colet House in London, Rupert answers questions about whether it's possible to overdo spiritual practice, why emotional stability is important when investigating our true nature and the relationship between 'I', 'self', and awareness. Also discussed are how our relationships and work may transform as our understanding deepens, the most difficult thing for those on the path of devotion to give up and why enlightenment is not an experience but simply the recognition of the nature of being.

This is the second of two episodes with hosts Aryaan and Emira Arora of the ‘Under the Tree’ podcast. In this episode Rupert speaks with Amira Arora about the fundamental principles of non-duality and how consciousness creates the appearance of reality. They discuss how creation emerges through consciousness dividing itself into subject and object, how our experience always takes place in the eternal 'now' and 'here' rather than in time and space, and how the understanding of non-duality reveals that nothing truly exists apart from infinite consciousness. They also explore the nature of free will, examine how awareness knows itself without needing the finite mind, and talk about the dream analogy as a way to understand how consciousness localises itself as apparently separate individuals whilst remaining whole and undivided.

This is the first episode of two with hosts Aryaan and Emira Arora of the ‘Under the Tree’ podcast. In this episode, Rupert speaks with actor, musician and composer, Aryaan about the fundamentals of non-duality, the source of suffering in relationships, and what it means to awaken from the dream. They also explore the true nature of love, why many seekers experience a sense of emptiness after self-recognition, what happens after awakening, what it means to become established in your true nature, and the only experience that is absolutely true.

In the third instalment in the series recorded at Colet House in London, Rupert answers questions about the correlation between deep sleep and our experience of death, how consciousness hears our prayers and communicates with individuals and why, after awakening, desire diminishes. Also discussed are the causes of the physical response – of tears and joy – that often occurs when entering these gatherings, how compassion fits into the non-dual understanding, and whether there are other ways to find the true ‘I’ besides the direct path.

This is the second installment in the series of curated conversations from gatherings with Rupert at Colet House in London. The episode begins with a meditation and includes dialogues on how we can understand deep sleep when the finite mind cannot comprehend it, where our attention should go in meditation, and what happens to awareness after the death of the physical body. Other topics include how the recognition of our true nature takes place outside time and space, how, in awakening, nothing dies apart from the illusory sense of separation and the sorrow and conflict that attends it, and the relationship between the stillness experienced in awareness and the movement we perceive as reality.

Rupert speaks with physicist, engineer and inventor of the microprocessor, Federico Faggin. The conversation is moderated by speaker, author and BBC broadcaster, Simon Mundie. The episode includes topics such as why the ultimate science is the science of consciousness and how the scientific community is waking up to this understanding, how the divide between science and spirituality is a completely artificial one and how we can use AI in the pursuit of truth and love. They also discuss why the real point of interest is the hard problem of matter, not the hard problem of consciousness, explore various aspects of quantum and classical physics and compare views on whether or not free will is an illusion.

In this episode Rupert speaks with the head of the Vedanta Society of New York, Swami Sarvapriyananda. The dialogue is taken from the Awake in Stillness: The End of Dreaming Conference and is moderated by Bill Free from The Centre for Awakening. The conversation touches on many topics related to Advaita Vedanta, such as the Progressive Path, the Direct Path and the Pathless Path, the process of awakening, and what life is like after realisation. They also discuss free will, seeing the true reality behind all appearances, the nature of awareness, and they talk about how we can stay grounded despite what we see now happening in the world.

The first in a series of curated conversations from gatherings with Rupert at Colet House in London, this episode begins with a meditation and includes dialogues on coping with depression, dealing with challenging people and circumstances, and understanding feelings of existential dread. Other subjects include what it means to embody being, how to effortlessly remain with being, and how the thought ‘I am’ is different from all other thoughts.

This discussion with André Duqum from the ‘Know Thyself’ podcast delves deeply into non-duality, different types of meditation, and the essence of our true nature. Rupert also offers practical guidance on how we can cultivate a deeper connection to our true self by challenging habitual beliefs and thoughts, shows us how we can explore being through self-enquiry and explains how our innate longing for happiness shapes our experience.

In this episode of the ‘Dialogues on Truth’ podcast, Rupert speaks with founder and CEO of Sounds True, Tami Simon, about how we may realise lasting happiness, whether we should value both being and becoming, and how to remain at peace amidst turmoil. They also discuss Rupert’s idea of original ADD (awareness deficit disorder), the concepts of the absolute and relative levels of truth, and the Buddhist phrase ‘original face’.

Rupert speaks with the founder of The Weekend University, Niall McKeever. They talk about what non-duality is and how the non-dual understanding can be useful to therapists and their patients in alleviating psychological suffering. They also discuss the reason why certain people end up on the path of spiritual seeking, the paradox of seeking for happiness, the implications of the non-dual understanding on how we engage with the world, and the Direct Path approach to peace and happiness.

In this episode, Rupert speaks with Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra, Dr Christopher Wallis. They discuss the understanding that is at the heart of some of the greatest spiritual traditions, such as Christianity, Sufism, Advaita Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism, and how Advaita and Tantra, even though they emphasise different aspects of the understanding, are complementary and contained within each other. They also talk about the importance of translation, how the truth needs to be reformulated by each generation, and how the self that is said to be void, or empty, from the point of view of the finite mind is, in fact, plenitude itself.

In this episode, author and broadcaster Simon Mundie moderates a delightful conversation with Rupert and Francis Lucille. They discuss a wide range of topics including non-duality, its implications, the similarities and differences between Rupert’s and Francis’s approach, and how their relationship evolved from one of student and teacher to one based on friendship. They delve into their histories and influences, their different styles and ways of expressing the non-dual understanding, and various aspects of fundamental reality. They also explore enlightenment, the ‘hard problem of consciousness’, and the projection of perfection onto those who are considered to be so-called spiritual teachers. In fact, the two assert that rather than being considered teachers, that people view them as friends sharing truth with friends.

In the first episode of the newly titled ‘Dialogues on Truth’ podcast, Rupert speaks with Nikki Walton from ‘GoOD Mornings with CurlyNikki’. They discuss the purpose of being, the nature of prayer, and the difference between the thought ‘I am’ and the experience it refers to. They also explore how we can get back to our essence when we are overwhelmed by experience, and why we often return to sorrow and conflict despite knowing that freedom is available to us at all times. Rupert then concludes with a guided meditation.

In this episode, Rupert talks with Keith Kristich from closerthanbreath.com. After a brief meditation, they discuss the various traditions and teachers Rupert draws upon for his teachings. They also explore the nature of prayer, contemplating how all we ever experience is God’s being, along with the practical implications of that understanding. The conversation delves into Rupert’s book ‘The Heart of Prayer’ and concludes with a question-and-answer session.

In his latest podcast episode, on the intersection of science and spirituality, Rupert has a discussion with a group of scientists from UC Santa Barbara. They examine various aspects of non-duality such as how a clearer understanding of the consciousness-only model within the scientific community may give us a deeper understanding of reality and how that can help further scientific discovery and progress. The dialogue also covers topics such as the role of self-enquiry in reducing suffering and revealing peace and happiness, the dynamics of enlightenment or awakening and how true philosophy must be verifiable and derived from experience.

The latest ‘Rupert Spira Podcast’ episode is with Cory Allen from the ‘And Then It Hit Me’ podcast. The discussion covers topics such as why Rupert prefers the term ‘happiness’ over ‘enlightenment’, how someone who is interested in these matters can begin the process of self-realisation and how personality and identity fit within the non-dual framework. Rupert and Cory also discuss how friendship with those who share the non-dual understanding is a safeguard against falling into detachment and de-personalisation, and how this understanding gives us the best possible chance of leading a full, active, harmonious and enjoyable life.

In celebration of National Poetry Day in the UK, we invite you to enjoy Rupert’s recital of Austrian poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke. The spontaneous and joyful delivery comes in response to a request to comment on the topic of food. The poem is from Rilke’s collection ‘Sonnets to Orpheus’.

In the latest Rupert Spira Podcast, hosted by Science and Nonduality and moderated by Michael Reiley, Rupert is joined for a second time by Donald Hoffman. Their dialogue offers profound insights into the nature of consciousness and its relationship to reality. Together they propose that the materialist paradigm or the belief that consciousness emerges from the physical world is a flawed model and that consciousness is the fundamental field of reality. Exploring the potential of mathematics, art, and self-inquiry they discuss how we can transcend the limitations of spacetime and touch upon the transcendent aspects of human existence and they address the importance of integrating personal growth with the recognition of one's true nature. Ultimately, they envision a future where science and spirituality converge, leading to transformative breakthroughs in our understanding of consciousness.

The latest Rupert Spira Podcast episode is an in-depth exploration of the essential self. Rupert and host of the Omega Institute’s Dropping In podcast, Cali Alpert, discuss the importance of the non-dual understanding in easing global suffering, why happiness eludes us and why self-knowledge is essential. They also talk about why it is called the direct path, Cali asks Rupert about his spiritual journey, and they discuss how self-enquiry eventually gives way to self-abidance — allowing our innate peace and happiness to shine.