The issue of effort

You know that in these meetings we are not dealing with you about spirituality. These talks are not based on Advaita Vedanta or any other religious or philosophical tradition. So, we are not dealing here with you about some kind of system, religious belief or some kind of philosophy. These terms do not apply to this talk.

What You are has nothing to do with philosophy, system, method of belief, this or that form of concept. It is none of these things! So, we cannot approach What You are through some of these expedients. In these meetings, what we deal with is something beyond mind and thus beyond words. You will not find anything about the Truth of Yourself in some system, practice, scripture or book.

You can provide yourself with an arsenal of beliefs, arm yourself and get a lot of ammunition in philosophy, in methods of analysis, self-analysis, but even so you will still be distant from the Truth about your Self. You will remain blind! To remain blind means accepting that something outside could give you the vision of What You are, because this is only a belief, that is, it has in its own base the illusion. The point is that all beliefs are false! So, here we put aside all concepts, all theories, all kind of knowledge and all beliefs.

The Truth You Are cannot be explained, analyzed or achieved by any of this. Why? Because, basically, You are what you are looking for, but you are doing this by going outside. There is nothing to be found, nothing to be gained and accomplished! You need to realize this! Otherwise, the mind will keep on looking for and, naturally, moving away from the simplicity of this encounter that happens when you look inside yourself.

If you have sincerity and intensity – true honesty and intensity of yearning – to really investigate the Truth about Yourself, so the search, this movement of search and external study of scriptures, books and all sort of knowledge, will have to stop. This sincere intention or this honest yearning to Realize the Truth, Being, God or What You are, is something that requires all this search to stop. This way, we initiate something entirely new, which I have been calling “Meditation.” This is the real way you can approach your Natural State of non-separation, non-duality. You may call this Advaita or Non-Dual State, but this does not matter at all.

Another interesting aspect here is that some say no effort is needed, all effort is only illusion, and others say that effort is definitely important, something required. My vision of this is that both sides are correct, and I have already been talking to you about this. A dedicated, diligent and endeavored approach is fundamental! On the other hand, it is essential surrender and a profound certainty that This cannot be achieved by any “doing,” by the simple will nor personal dedication. It is evident this apparent “me” cannot obtain This through effort, but it is also and very evident that if there is not a dedicated intention to investigate the movement of this “me,” nothing will be possible.

So, effort cannot give you This, because This is already present! That is why it is an illusion to believe through effort you could achieve This. However, you also remain in illusion when you believe that despite not making any movement towards this direction of self-investigation, This is going to reveal itself, only based on the idea This is already present. It is not how it happens! This is present as the Unique Reality, but to become aware of this requires an intention, the fervent dedication in this direction.

Once again, we face something that seems paradoxical. So, let us review this: What is present cannot be achieved, accomplished or obtained by effort, because it is already present; but That, which is present, will not be able to be realized without application, dedication or effort. It will remain invisible, “nonexistent.” Therefore, this idea of “me” is a very convincing idea to simply disappear through the intellectual non-acceptance that it is not real. This is just another kind of belief.

So, initially there is the idea of an “I” that is suffering and needs to attain Liberation or the end of suffering. However, this Liberation is not something we do not have or we are not now. It is not something we will achieve or become. So, here we are facing a paradox. You are not going to become Liberated, Realized, or Enlightened! You are not a separate identity that is going to unite with the Whole and stop being separate. The Truth is You are already Free here and now, but this is the Truth that You are. It is not the “truth” the mind knows. All the mind knows is what You are not, the illusion of the sense of a “me” as a separate entity.

Your True Nature is not something you are going to achieve, but the illusion of the Truth about Yourself may be discarded through this self-investigation, and this requires a good quantity of energy. So, this character that seems so true, is just so in its dream of existing, by living its own and special sense of separation, telling stories.

Therefore, the clear and complete recognition of this illusion through this self-investigation, which is the real effort, makes possible the Vision of the Truth there is no one in it, there is no “someone” there. The Truth about Enlightenment is that there is no one in It! There is no “someone” to become, to accomplish, to achieve, or to obtain This! Thus, this idea of Enlightenment vanishes, for You are beyond this idea. That is, this story of “obtaining Enlightenment” also ends.

*Online meeting transcription, originally held on November 4th, 2019 - First published in Portuguese on February 12th, 2020. For more information about our meetings click here.