GC: Hello everyone! We are here in another videocast. Once again, Master Gualberto has kindly agreed to join us. Gratitude, Master! The Master will answer questions that you ask here on the channel. We always bring some excerpts from Joel Goldsmith's writings for Master to clarify it deeper.
Master, today I am going to read an excerpt from the book called “Living the Illumined Life.” In this passage, Joel comments: “The spiritual life reveals that the Kingdom of God is within us, while the material life says that we must go out and obtain, accomplish, reach, do.” Within that, Master, I have a question from Simone Castro. She made the comment and asked the following question: “How to balance spiritual life with material life?” Master, can you answer for us?
MG: Very well. Here, Gilson, we already have a delicate situation, and I'll tell you what it is. We have this program running in us, this training that we bring. I have called this conditioning. What we have here that is delicate is exactly this vision that we receive from religious culture, of the separation between spiritual life and material life. We need to dispense with that, because Life is a Totality, Life is a Whole. We are the ones who have made this kind of separation.
In life, we can create many sections, many separations, many divisions, and, basically, we made this one between spiritual life and material life. But we can also put other divisions, other sections there. We can set political life, social life, economic life, and, in reality, Life is just one Life. Real Life is Life where what is present is the Reality of that Consciousness, which is the Consciousness of God. This is the only Life!
What we call “life,” apart from that, are mental concepts that we have. Even “spiritual life” is a concept, “material life” is a concept. Where can we go with this? Nowhere, because all we need is to understand the Whole Life, the Totality of Life, to have an understanding of what Life is, Real Life, which is available for each of us to assume, or rather, allowing Life to assume its place in this existence here, in each one of us.
We have a wrong notion, Gilson, based on these divisions, these sections: economic life, family life, social life… Now, spiritual life and material life, we also call it “my life.” Here, we have this existence and, in this existence, the only Life present is the Divine Life, it is the Life of God. So, this intellectual attempt to separate material life from spiritual life leads to this confusion. We want to balance. Balance what? Life is this Whole! Either there is Real Life, which is the Life of God assuming this existence in each one of us or this so-called “my life” is conflict, contradiction, suffering… it is the egoic life within the egoic mind.
So, there's nothing to balance here. Here, what we need is to become aware of the Truth of our own Being. The awareness of that Truth is the Life of God assuming this human existence. So, the sense of humanity and person present within the experience of living is something that disappears when that Real Life, which is Life in that Totality of Pure Being, of Pure Consciousness, takes over. So, the work here is to become aware of the Truth about who we are, not to try to reconcile things. Who would be in this attempt if not the intellect itself, which is conditioned to patterns of division, patterns of separation, to create these sections?
These divisions are merely intellectual and conceptual. We have to abandon this! It is necessary to become aware of the Truth of our Being in the context of living, and it is precisely in this relationship with life, as it happens, that this is discovered. So, there is no point in trying a spiritual life parallel to a material life or trying to balance two things that, in fact, do not exist, they are just concepts.
The only Life, Gilson, I want to repeat, is the Life that presents itself to each one of us here and now, and it is in this Life that is the Totality of Life – which is Divine Life, which is Real Life – needs to be understood.
So, it's not about achieving any balance, it's about, in this life, in our ordinary relationships with objects, people and in all situations, discovering the Truth about who we are. That Truth about who we are reveals that Divine Life, and in that Divine Life, everything is Divine. Family life is Divine, economic life is Divine, social life is Divine. In fact, there are no longer these “particular lives,” there is only this one Life, and It embraces this Totality, and these sections disappear. Although externally they even seem to exist, internally this does not exist, it is just a Life being lived in its Totality, in this Beauty, in this Truth, in this Awareness of Love, of Consciousness, of Divine Beauty, of the Beauty of God.
The task consists of doing a work here and now, in this life, which is the life common to all, apparently appearing with these aspects of social, religious, political, economic life, and so on. I want to repeat: none of this is real. Life has to be understood here and now, as It is; assumed here and now, as It is: a Real Life, a Divine Life, a Life of God. A work is necessary in this direction, and this is the purpose of these meetings here: to investigate what this Life is in its Totality, so that, in this existence, what is present is only this Unique and Real Life, the Life of Being, Divine Life, not the life of the ego, this particular life, this illusory life, this so-called “my life.” That's it basically.
GC: Master, it is interesting that, in this matter of division, as soon as I met the Master, a meditation practice was very strong for me. So, I divided the moments of meditation and the ordinary moments, the moments of human life. And then, as soon as I met the Master, the Master already broke with this division, bringing this Real Meditation, which is every moment. It is not even logical, but it is very easy for this identity of an “I” to separate moments and want to separate this connection, this Reality, from a practice, from one task or another. Can you speak a little more about this True Meditation each time?
MG: Here, Gilson, the point is to embrace the Truth of your Being and let go of division. The truth is that, for a long time, every type of religious teaching that we receive further fosters and sustains, within each of us, conditioning of this type, where we separate life into sections, into departments. Then there is my social life, I repeat, my family life and my divine life. There is my meditation time and my work time and my play time, and my family time. This is how the intellect in us separates and divides everything, but this is still of that conditioned intellect.
The basis of our mind is this intellect. That which we call “mind”... part of this so-called “mind” – we don't have time here to delve into that... part of this so-called “mind,” in us, is this intellect; and that intellect in us is conditioned to separate, divide, compare, judge, evaluate, and, of course, separate meditation from work, meditation from the moment in life, meditation from the family. And Meditation is the association with Reality of your Being, or the verification of that Reality in this instant. If, at this moment, your Being does not reveal itself, there is no such encounter or this verification here and now – we do not have another moment to do this. Anything else we do outside of this moment is just an attempt to run away from what life is showing each of us here. It is in front of life as it shows itself that this association with Truth of your Being is revealed; and This is possible when there is this real encounter with Meditation.
I have called it, Gilson, “Correct Meditation,” because everything we hear out there about meditation is not True Meditation. We have this so-called therapeutic meditation, meditation to achieve goals, purposes, dreams, to relax, to achieve emotional balance, balance in feelings, to find a certain stillness in the mind or create a certain stillness of the mind. That's what people out there call meditation.
Here, we are showing you what True Meditation is. Meditation for the purpose of that direct Recognition of the Truth of your Being, and that is here and now. You don't withdraw a moment to do this. You become aware of the whole movement of thought, feeling, emotion, sensation, even speech – right now we are gesturing... Bringing awareness into this moment as you drive the car, as you wash the dishes, as you walk.
What is the difficulty of bringing, to this moment, the awareness of this physical and intellectual movement of thoughts, bringing awareness to this emerging movement of feelings? What is the difficulty we have to, at this moment, become aware of ourselves, to just appreciate this moment without putting the sense of an “I” present to intervene, to interfere, to say “I don't like that” or “I like it very much”? Because the purpose of Meditation is to become aware of that Real Presence without the sense of an experiencer, without the sense of an observer, without the sense of someone being the thinker or interfering in this instant, but it is always in this instant that it becomes possible. Outside of this moment, you can withdraw a moment to meditate, but who is having that moment? It's the “I”! So, in the moment of this so-called “meditation,” outside this instant, you are in a psychological refuge of self-engineered, self-created stillness. In fact, you are bringing yourself a form of self-hypnosis, you are bringing yourself a way to sleep in a conscious way. It relaxes, it tranquilizes, but it is not Meditation.
Meditation consists of bringing into this moment here and now – no matter what the body is doing, no matter what the intellectual activity is at this moment, no matter what shows itself at this moment – bringing into this moment this awareness of observing what arises, without getting confused with it, without reacting to it, without placing that background that is the “I,” the ego, this “me,” with its demands, with its choices, with its “want” or “not wanting.” This means approaching Meditation, and this is only possible now, because it is at this moment that Life, in its Totality, is showing itself. This is the best... no, it is the only instant you have to assume the Truth of your Being. Any other moment is just an invention of your own thought, your own “I,” your own ego. So, it's actually a great self-hypnosis trick of the “I” to maintain its continuity and become spiritual.
That's why we have separated life in this way: material life from spiritual life, and we want to make a balance. This does not proceed! The Truth of your Being is now, and there is no such thing as spiritual life and material life. I repeat: there is only Life, and that Life is Life Free from the sense of a separate “I,” from an ego-identity. This is what I have called, Gilson, “Life in Real Spirituality.” This Real Spirituality is not separate from living; it is Divine Life in living, without the sense of a present identity, without the sense of an ego-identity. It is when, in this moment, we stop creating these separations between worldly life and divine life. This worldly life I might call “life in the ego,” and this Divine Life is Life free from the ego.
It has nothing to do with the external aspects of a family life, a social life or a professional life. There is only One Life present, and that Life is present when there is this True Meditation, this awareness of this Being what We Are here and now, freed from the sense of this “I,” this “me,” this person we believe ourselves to be. Meditation reveals It. True Meditation makes It clear, here and now.
GC: Master, this subject is very interesting, because it is very strong, very common, for people to have a meditation practice; and this concept – which is not a concept, but an experience, as the Master says – of this True Meditation at every instant (in reality, there is only this instant) is something innovative, I would say. And we even have a question, Master, about this, from Sueli Santos. She says: “Good night. So, is meditating an illusion? Sorry for the question, I've just been introduced to this path, I need to listen more to Master Gualberto.”
Master, you've already talked a lot about it, but can you talk a little more about this difference between True Meditation, in practice, a Real Meditation... the difference between this practice from therapeutic meditation?
MG: Meditation... we have to understand what is the purpose for this meditation. If the purpose of meditation is to get a result, it has a purpose, it becomes a therapeutic meditation practice. This way, meditation is not an illusion, meditation is a therapeutic self-help practice. This brings huge health benefits! It brings health to the body, it brings emotional health, it brings psychological health – the practice of therapeutic meditation – but that is not the practice we are talking about here. We are signaling to you the importance of True Meditation, Meditation for the Awakening of your Real Nature, for the Awakening of the Truth of your Being, for the Awakening of God, for this so-called Spiritual Enlightenment.
So, these expressions: “Awakening,” “Spiritual Enlightenment”... I always called It the Natural State. Today I've been putting it more in this format, because people look for it with these names. The Natural State of Being-Consciousness awakens when there is this contact with True Meditation... with Real Meditation in an experiential way. That's why I call it True Meditation in practice; it is here and now, at this moment.
What is known out there as meditation – that's not what we're talking about. Even if people want to practice this technique, or this practice, this or that system, ok, that's good for health, but that's not what we're talking about. We are dealing with the disidentification of the illusion of an identity, which is the “I” in living, here and now, in this experience. This is Real Meditation. And what is called out there as meditation has only the purpose of helping, and it is therapeutic, and it also has this effect of quieting the mind, of silencing the mind. It has a very strong help effect of self-hypnosis, of calming you down, of helping you to sleep better.
All this is very helpful, a great help, but it is not what we are dealing with here. We are talking to you about the end of the sense of an “I,” of an identity present in living. That, of course, is the end of suffering. It is something far, far superior to any practice, any technique and any psychophysical aid. So, what we are dealing here with you is something completely different, when we talk about True Meditation, when we work here with this question of the Truth of this contact with your Being, in this vision here and now of your Real Nature.
GC: Master, it's interesting how today I see the complete difference between this practice of a meditation – as I had, a practice of many years – and when this True Meditation takes place. And, mainly, in the presence of you, Master, in the intensive meetings, in this focus of attention on the Master, in a little while it seems that it “turns the key” and it is something even difficult to translate into words, because it is not an experience, it is an experiencing, something different. And this is very interesting, as in the Presence of the Master, in this Darshan, which is this sharing of Presence that the Master has, something that I sought a lot, which is Silence, Stillness, in a little while it happens in Satsang, in the meetings, and it is pure Grace even to be able to have this opportunity.
MG: The Truth of your Being is pure Consciousness. As pure Consciousness, It is Love, It is Freedom, It is Peace, It is Happiness. Then, the realization of your Divine Nature, and this happens very easily within the meetings called Satsang... The word “Satsang” is an Indian word for “meeting with the Truth.” When you are faced with a Realized Being, there is something present which is beyond the mind, which is beyond all effort, beyond all seeking on your part, for that contact with your Divine Nature.
This is something that happens very naturally, it happens in a very simple, very direct way, without any will, without any volition, without any motivation on your part. Simply, you are present and this Energy of Presence, this Power of Presence – in India they call it Shakti – this Divine Shakti, this Grace, as we call it, does a work in your body, in your mind, in this being that we are, and That takes place.
What happens in that moment is that you are simply… Some call it “piggybacking” on that Power of Presence that is your Natural State. It is already your Natural State, but That in a Realized Being is active, present. So, this Power of Presence, of Consciousness, is shared. Then, you are under this new condition of Pure Being, of Pure Presence, and the Natural State of Meditation begins to happen.
And also, Gilson, see it: we have no idea, but Meditation is our Natural State. Being-Consciousness is already You! But we live in our mental world. In this mental world, what is prevailing is the sense of an egoic identity with all this background of conditioning, and this brain, because of this conditioned movement, because of this repetitive movement, because of this restlessness inherent in this egoic state, does not allow you to be aware of the Silence, of this Presence, this Real Consciousness.
And when you are in Satsang, it happens very naturally, without any volition on your part, without any motivation, will, or intention. The very fact of being present... in him, there, a very natural process of resonance, communion, communication, or sharing of Presence takes place, whatever name we want to give it! The truth is that your Being recognizes itself in this Silence, in this Power of Presence, and this is what happens within Satsang.
So, the most important thing is not the speech, it is not the teaching, but the Power of that Grace, the Power of that Presence, which is shared in a sacred environment called Satsang. That's what we have in these meetings. The word “Satsang” means... “Sat,” “Being,” and “sang” comes from “sangha,” comes from “reunion,” comes from “meeting.” So, it's an encounter, a reunion with “Sat,” with Being, a moment with Grace, a moment with God, a moment with your Natural State, which is Meditation. That's what is present in Satsang. This is the uniqueness of these meetings. This happens in an online way, but occurs much more strongly in a face-to-face way. That's what takes place.
GC: Master, we are already coming to an end. Gratitude, gratitude, for this meeting, for this videocast. Who is watching the videos, leave the “like,” leave a comment, ask questions. Here in the first comment, pinned, there is the WhatsApp link of the information group about the intensive meetings, which are these Satsangs, as the Master said. And anyone who wants to give oneself this opportunity to “experience,” to be able to be in the Presence of the Master and receive this State of True Meditation, here's an invitation to participate in the meetings. As the Master said, online meetings and, also, more intensively, in person at the Ashram in Gravatá city, Pernambuco [Brazil].
Master, gratitude. Thanks for this videocast.
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