Epiphany - “a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization”. These powerful insights often come unexpectedly, sometimes come following intense spiritual practice.
Almost invariably they change lives profoundly and I wonder how common they are? So a request to share details of epiphany experiences via info@insighthealth.com.au, and news of Ruth’s new ventures, but first
Thought for the day
There comes a point in your sitting
When insights will flash into your mind.
If you do not jot down things that you want to remember,
This could bother you and interfere with your concentration.
You may want to keep a pencil and notebook next to you.
Yasutani Roshi, Zen master
Actor Peter Cayote is quoted as he eloquently describes his own rather dramatic epiphany. It came as he heard the sound of a bird call…
Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! it cried — strident, insistent, obliterating all thought. Suddenly, in that momentary emptiness, its cries were transformed and I heard them as It! It! It! It! — the indisputable answer to my question. I took one more step and the world as I had always experienced it ended.
I cannot describe what happened next because in that instant language and thought fell entirely away from my existence. The boundaries between “in here” and “out there” disappeared. The world remained recognizable, as it had always been, but completely stripped of descriptive language and concepts.
Everything appeared to be a phantom of itself, luminous but without weight or substance. “I” had been replaced. The closest I can come to describing what I felt was an awareness with no physical location, inseparable from the entire universe. Everything was precisely as it had come to be.
The power of an epiphany rests in this direct experience of non-dualistic reality. Commonly without the benefit of an epiphany, we relate to the world from the perspective of “me” and “it”. There is me and my computer. There is me and my lover. There is me and my work, my car, my dog, etc, etc… Two things. Me and all these external objects, people, things. Me and it. Duality.
And with this duality a sense of separateness; often a compensatory over-identification with self, and a depreciation of the worth of other people and things. With a dualistic perspective we often have the sense we can exploit other people, the environment, the material world. There is a disconnect.
During an epiphany, any sense of duality is transcended, and the new experience is of oneness; a non-dual state.
There is the sense of merging, of being at one with all of humanity, of being intimately connected, even intertwined with the environment, of being at one with all.
Curiously many people who have experienced this non-dual state, describe it as having lasted for just a few moments; literally seconds or maybe minutes.
Yet in this brief encounter their lives changed.
It is like they experienced a profound truth and did not forget.
This could be like someone who was raised indoors and had never seen the light of day. They would only need to be outside for a brief moment on a blue sky day to experience the truth of what a clear sky is like. Even the briefest of experiences would clearly establish what the sky is like and even if they were locked inside again immediately, that experience would stay with them and change their knowing about the world they lived in.
Now the fact is most people who have had an epiphany are profoundly affected by it. Yet there seems to be little research into this well-known phenomena; little seems to be known about it.
So I am curious. Have you had an epiphany? Do you know someone who has? Are you willing to share your experience with me and maybe others? If you are, please write to info@insighthealth.com.au.
Here are some suggestions as to what to write…
What happened? How old were you? Where were you? What led up to the experience? What seemed to trigger it? How long did it last? What can you say of the experience? Did you tell others about it? How has it affected your life? Have you had similar experiences since?
If you would like me to ring to discuss your experience, please leave your details. If you would prefer to share just with me, or are happy to have your account retold, please make that clear. If you prefer confidentiality, that is ensured.
What I would like to do is firstly get some sense of how common these experiences are, and then for those who may like to, share with consent via the blog.
Personally I find hearing the epiphany experiences of others very inspiring.
Activate your own inner healer
Support the one you love to heal
We all know healing is a combined effort. It makes sense to benefit from the best of whatever modern medicine has to offer, along with any relevant supportive therapies. But then there is our own side to the healing equation. How do we get the best from our own innate capacity to heal?
What better than to learn from two senior doctors who along with their medical specialties, specialise in teaching and supporting people to activate their healing potentials and recover. This program also specifically addresses the needs of carers - how to look after yourself while supporting the one you love on their healing journey.
with Dr Ruth Gawler and Murray Paterson
Murray Paterson has a rich history in corporate relationships and mindfulness. Together with Ruth, they can gently guide and support you to a new way of being within relationship.
Dates Monday 9th at 11.30am (arrive from 9.30) to Friday 13th at 2.00pm, September 2019.
Venue The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Court, Yarra Junction, Victoria.
Enquiries and Bookings Call 1300 651 211 or Email clientservices@gawler.org
Almost invariably they change lives profoundly and I wonder how common they are? So a request to share details of epiphany experiences via info@insighthealth.com.au, and news of Ruth’s new ventures, but first
Thought for the dayThere comes a point in your sitting
When insights will flash into your mind.
If you do not jot down things that you want to remember,
This could bother you and interfere with your concentration.
You may want to keep a pencil and notebook next to you.
Yasutani Roshi, Zen master
Actor Peter Cayote is quoted as he eloquently describes his own rather dramatic epiphany. It came as he heard the sound of a bird call…
Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! Eeek! it cried — strident, insistent, obliterating all thought. Suddenly, in that momentary emptiness, its cries were transformed and I heard them as It! It! It! It! — the indisputable answer to my question. I took one more step and the world as I had always experienced it ended.
I cannot describe what happened next because in that instant language and thought fell entirely away from my existence. The boundaries between “in here” and “out there” disappeared. The world remained recognizable, as it had always been, but completely stripped of descriptive language and concepts.
Everything appeared to be a phantom of itself, luminous but without weight or substance. “I” had been replaced. The closest I can come to describing what I felt was an awareness with no physical location, inseparable from the entire universe. Everything was precisely as it had come to be.
The power of an epiphany rests in this direct experience of non-dualistic reality. Commonly without the benefit of an epiphany, we relate to the world from the perspective of “me” and “it”. There is me and my computer. There is me and my lover. There is me and my work, my car, my dog, etc, etc… Two things. Me and all these external objects, people, things. Me and it. Duality.
And with this duality a sense of separateness; often a compensatory over-identification with self, and a depreciation of the worth of other people and things. With a dualistic perspective we often have the sense we can exploit other people, the environment, the material world. There is a disconnect.
During an epiphany, any sense of duality is transcended, and the new experience is of oneness; a non-dual state.There is the sense of merging, of being at one with all of humanity, of being intimately connected, even intertwined with the environment, of being at one with all.
Curiously many people who have experienced this non-dual state, describe it as having lasted for just a few moments; literally seconds or maybe minutes.
Yet in this brief encounter their lives changed.
It is like they experienced a profound truth and did not forget.
This could be like someone who was raised indoors and had never seen the light of day. They would only need to be outside for a brief moment on a blue sky day to experience the truth of what a clear sky is like. Even the briefest of experiences would clearly establish what the sky is like and even if they were locked inside again immediately, that experience would stay with them and change their knowing about the world they lived in.
Now the fact is most people who have had an epiphany are profoundly affected by it. Yet there seems to be little research into this well-known phenomena; little seems to be known about it.
So I am curious. Have you had an epiphany? Do you know someone who has? Are you willing to share your experience with me and maybe others? If you are, please write to info@insighthealth.com.au.
Here are some suggestions as to what to write…
What happened? How old were you? Where were you? What led up to the experience? What seemed to trigger it? How long did it last? What can you say of the experience? Did you tell others about it? How has it affected your life? Have you had similar experiences since?
If you would like me to ring to discuss your experience, please leave your details. If you would prefer to share just with me, or are happy to have your account retold, please make that clear. If you prefer confidentiality, that is ensured.
What I would like to do is firstly get some sense of how common these experiences are, and then for those who may like to, share with consent via the blog.
Personally I find hearing the epiphany experiences of others very inspiring.
RUTH's next MEDITATION-Based RETREATS
with Dr Ruth Gawler and Prof Sanjay Regav
Support the one you love to heal
We all know healing is a combined effort. It makes sense to benefit from the best of whatever modern medicine has to offer, along with any relevant supportive therapies. But then there is our own side to the healing equation. How do we get the best from our own innate capacity to heal?
What better than to learn from two senior doctors who along with their medical specialties, specialise in teaching and supporting people to activate their healing potentials and recover. This program also specifically addresses the needs of carers - how to look after yourself while supporting the one you love on their healing journey.
This program addresses the basic requirements of how to give the body and mind the best chance to heal. Therefore it is directly applicable to a wide range of illnesses and health disorders including, but not limited to autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, degenerative diseases, mental health issues and chronic stress.
Join an inspiring and practical program. Interact with like minded people all committed to the healing path, and learn from two amazing doctors!
This I highly recommend!
DATES : 17 - 21 May. The program will be repeated 29Nov - 3 Dec 2019
VENUE : The Yarra Valley Living Centre, Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia
WEB LINK : Click here
ENQUIRIES and BOOKINGS : Contact the staff at The Yarra Valley Living Centre
Telephone : 1800 667 576
Email : ClientServices@gawler.org
Website : Click here
MINDFUL RELATIONSHIPS 9th - 13th September
with Dr Ruth Gawler and Murray Paterson
Take time out to address what is at the heart of life - relationships
When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world,
We lose connection with one another – and ourselves. Jack Kornfield
For better relationships with your self, with family, friends and colleagues
Mindfulness practices cultivate greater internal and external awareness
and change our relationships for the better.
Murray Paterson has a rich history in corporate relationships and mindfulness. Together with Ruth, they can gently guide and support you to a new way of being within relationship.
A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT GETS TO THE HEART
OF WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN
Venue The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Court, Yarra Junction, Victoria.
Enquiries and Bookings Call 1300 651 211 or Email clientservices@gawler.org
Yes, most profoundly, when I was in my late 40s. I had gone for a long solo walk, on a silent retreat, and was sitting beside a small river when it suddenly transpired that "I" realised it was all truly perfect. Everything, including "I", was interconnected. And the world was deeply real but also somehow transformed. The butterfly was a still a butterfly but for this period of time it was also somehow a part of me. Or perhaps more accurately my sense of it and and I was lost. Even the litter that had been left by a previous being was all fine. I was as connected to it as to the butterfly as to the river as to the tree. The suffering litter was part of the whole, to be neither despised nor rejected. "I"could pick it up without resentment and I did.
ReplyDeleteThis state unfolded for quite some blessed time and has remained with me. For me love has become a deep non-dual understanding of connectedness. And in a very real sense I do not feel that it was "my"experience but Truth which passed and passes through me. I call it God but could not then say His name.