The cause of all problems

We talk about problems, don't we?

Someone comes and asks, "What is the cause of all problems?" But then, I ask, "What problems are you talking about?"

First, see, we create an identity. In fiction, in imagination, in thought, we formulate this idea: the idea of a present identity. And this identity carries problems. Problems such as anxiety, fear, worries, every form of internal, psychological disorder... It is inherent to this "identity." Putting this word in quotation marks: "identity" since this "identity" is not real.

So, when you come and ask: "What is the cause of the problems?" I would answer you in a very simple way: the cause of all problems is the illusion of an identity. The illusion of this separate identity is the basis of all forms of problems, which, by the way, is part of this illusion.

So, when we talk about fear, when we talk about anxiety, when we talk about worry, about the conflict of desires, we are talking about an identity present in this experience of a problem. Without the illusion of this identity, there are no problems.

So, what you call a problem, your problem, is the problem of this supposed "me," this supposed entity you believe you to be. If you go deep into this "Who am I?" question, investigating or observing that identity, you will find out, if you go deep into it, that it doesn't exist.

And once you see there is no such identity, through observation, you will unfailingly realize there are no problems. Problems are for the problematic one, but the problematic one does not exist. The problematic one is a construction of thought. This false center, this false "me," is a construction of thought.

So, what is the real cause of all problems? Illusion! The illusion of an identity present to have problems.

So, if you have a fear problem, it's in a relationship between a supposed "I," a supposed present identity, and something. Fear is always present in a relationship of duality.

Then, there is this "me" and the object, or a reason for the fear. But actually, both appear together. So, this duality between subject and object, between this "me" and the other thing is the basis of this problem, for example, called fear.

If you take that element out of that experience, sensation remains, but the problem doesn't. You cannot confuse the experience itself with the problem. The problem presupposes a present identity, resisting, fighting, wanting to get rid of, trying to protect itself, or attacking in some way. That's when we have a problem.

Life doesn't carry problems. The mind never stops having problems. It is inherent, it is in the nature of the dualistic mind, the separatist mind, the egoic mind, to carry problems!

So, the recommendation is: get rid of this false center, recognize your own Being, live in your Essential Nature! That's the end of the sense of separation. That's the end of duality. That's the end of conflict. That's the end of problems.

There is no problem without this false center, there is no problem without this "me," this "sense of person," this ego-identity, with its innumerable images, with its searches, escapes, desires, resistances... Without this movement, there is no conflict, there is no problem.

Then, there is no problem! Your Divine State is your Natural State, and that Natural State has no problems. So, the cause of problems is the illusion of a separate identity, a false identity in resistance to Life, in resistance to this movement of What Is, of That which is present, here and now! It's always like that, always like that.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
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How to get out of suffering?

Some people have asked the question "how to get out of suffering?", "how to go beyond suffering?", "how to stop suffering?"

See, suffering has many, many aspects. So, there are many ways of suffering, and basically suffering is conflict. Every form of conflict… it presents itself as suffering.

Now, there is a difference between pain, a pain that is physical, and suffering, between suffering itself and the physical pain. We cannot confuse pain with suffering. That psychological pain, yes, is suffering, but this physical pain, linked to the body, is not necessarily suffering. It's just pain.

If we are talking here about suffering, we are talking about this psychological characteristic that involves this separate identity, that involves this personal sense of an identity present, this "me." So, when we talk about suffering, we are talking about the suffering of the "I," the suffering of this "me," this "person."

So here, the question is "who are you?", "what is this person basically?". If we want to find the end of suffering, we need to find out what truth exists in the "person," what the reality of the "person" is, what basically is a "person."

In fact, "person" is a set of memories, a set of remembrances. A huge amount of imagination and there it is the so called "person."

This "sense of person" is an illusion. So, the basis of suffering is the illusion of the "person." If we are working towards the end of suffering in ourselves, we need to find out the Truth about who we are, who we are, who "I" am. Once I realize that this "me" is a set of images, a set of memories, something based on a self-image, an image engendered by thought... once this is seen, a work of deconstruction of this false self-image is possible, this thought-based self-image.

This happens through a work of self-investigation, a work of surrendering and giving up this illusion. This is where the work of self-inquiry, meditation and surrender takes place.

So, the work of the Realization of the Truth about who You are, which represents the end of this psychological complexity, this illusion of self-image, with memories, recollections… The end of that, is the end of suffering.

So, how to go beyond suffering? Just letting go of the illusion of that false identity, letting it fall, letting it go. For this to be possible, for this to happen, this Consciousness needs to be present, this Attention needs to be present. So, the work of self-knowledge – and, here, the word "self-knowledge" is not in the sense of knowing the "I", but in the sense of becoming aware of what this "I" represents – is something fundamental.

Your work of Self-Realization is the work of discarding this illusion, the illusion of this sense of a separate identity solving, making choices, deciding, attached to, mixed up with experiences of thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions... The abandonment of this false identity is the abandonment of suffering. It is the abandonment of this "I," this "me," this illusion, the illusion of separateness. This is the end of suffering. This is the way to solve this issue, definitively and completely.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
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The Acknowledgment of the Truth

A quite common question... this is a question people ask: "Who is God?"

See, the acknowledgment of your own Being is the acknowledgment of God's Truth! There is no separation between You and Reality. Your Being is the Divine Reality. Your Being is this Reality of God.

But for a long time, you've been identifying with an image you have of yourself. An image that grew with you. So, since childhood, you have been carrying this image. You have been cultivating this image. It's the image of the person you believe you are.

So, you have an idea of who you are. You have an idea of what the world is, what life is, and you also have an idea of who God is.

It's not possible the acknowledgment of the Truth, this Truth of God, without the clear acknowledgment of the Truth of who You are. So, the point is "who am I?" and not "who is God?"

The question "where is God?" is answered when you find yourself. If you recognize the Truth about Yourself, you find the truth of where God is. Therefore, you need to work towards this direction. This is the work of Self-Knowledge, Self-Realization. Only this work gives you this Vision: the Vision of God, which is the vision of Yourself!

When you're entirely free from that presumption – because it's a presumption indeed – the presumption of a separate identity, of being someone in this whole manifestation, someone separate, unique, exclusive, someone particular.

Life is the Whole. It's a Totality. And, in this Totality, what prevails is the Divine Reality, the Reality of God. This is the Reality of your Being!

Your suffering, all your misery, all the complications in your life, all of them are based on this arrogance, this mistaken identification with this false center, with this false "me," with this image you have of yourself. This is not real. This is not You! This is not the Divine Reality!

So, the answer to the question "who is God?" is found in the answer to the question "who am I?"

So, Ramana Maharshi presented this question to the world by showing us that this is the answer we can have about where God is. So, God is in where we are what we are. That's where God can be found. This is the Truth about Me. This is the Truth about God. This is the Truth about You. This is the Truth about Ramana Maharshi. This is the Truth about Life!

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
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Everything is impermanent

What we intend to propose to you, in Satsang, is the experience of your Divine State, the experience of your Real State. This Real State I have called the Natural State.

See, everything you experience is impermanent. There is no permanence anywhere. There is nothing permanent! Everything is impermanent! See, the states you experience are impermanent. So, they cannot be part of your True and Real Nature.

Everything you live in your experience, as a separate entity, turns out to be impermanent. Naturally, because none of these experiences are part of who you are.

Your Real Nature is immutable! The states you experience are changeable. The sensations, perceptions and experiences are all changeable, while your Being remains untouched by changes.

So, the work of Self-realization is the work of Realizing the immutable Truth of your Being, this untouched Reality of your Being. So, when we deal with That which we are, we are dealing with What is immutable. When we are dealing with experiences, sensations, states and perceptions, we are dealing with what is changeable, impermanent and has no permanence

So, this invitation to this inner work is the invitation for the verification of your Divine Nature, your Real and Immutable Nature. Only this Divine Nature, which You are, remains when everything disappears. So, stay in What You are. Stay in What cannot be touched by changes.

Thought is touched by changes. Feeling is touched by changes. States – sadness, joy, pleasure, pain – all of them are touched by changes. Now, That which You are does not change. What You are remains immutable. That's your True Nature. That's your Divine Nature.

To remain in this Space is to remain in the Silence of your Being. That is God's Truth about who You are.

In India, they call this Sat-Chit-Ananda. Being, Consciousness and Bliss. That is your Divine Nature! To remain there, is to remain in What doesn't change. So, everything else is impermanent, only that Being remains unchanged.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
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Ramana Maharshi’s Presence

Here, we come across an issue I would like to address with you. The issue is: who is God? For me, this had always been an issue, a question. There has always been inside me a very deep interest in this.

So, Ramana Maharshi's Presence was a determining factor for the answer to this question.

One thing we all experience is this internal movement of thoughts going on. They happen and you don't have any control over them.

A thing you don't realize, due to the lack of attention to yourself, is that question "Who is God?" or "where is He?" is answered directly, objectively, when this very movement of thought is nullified, when that very frequency of thoughts running internally is verified.

In general, we live based on thoughts. Our entire personality is centered on thoughts. There is no room for the Acknowledgement of the Truth. There is no room for the answer to "who is God?"

If for a few moments we abandon this movement, we have this direct answer, because the Truth of who God is the Truth of who we are.

So, Ramana, Ramana Maharshi has always posed the question "who am I?" So, when you come to Ramana or those who came to him by that time and brought up issues, dilemmas, conflicts, problems, the question He always asked was this: "Who are you? Investigate, ask 'who am I?'"

That's because, in the answer to "Who am I?", in this answer, you find the Truth of God.

God is your Being. God is your Divine Nature.

Identified with thought's movement, mistaken for the movement of thought, entangled with this thought's movement, you do not become aware of Yourself, the Truth You are. This Truth You are is the impersonal Truth. It is the timeless Truth. It is the untranslatable, indescribable Truth. It is the Truth of God.

So, the answer to the question "who am I?" is the same answer to the question "who is God?" This represents the end of all conflict, suffering, all the illusion of this imaginary "me," this "me" as a separate identity.

So, Ramana Maharshi's Presence was essential and That has been essential for those who seek the Truth about themselves.

So, the Master is the one who represents the end of your search. In India, they call Guru: the One who lives completely in His Being, different from this egoic life, of this life identified with thoughts. A life where you are totally occupied with expectations about future events that, actually, may or may not happen;preoccupied and occupied with recollections and memories of what apparently happened, apparently happened to a particular and personal identity, this "me," this "I," which is not real.

There is no identity present in this experience, in life's experience. These are beliefs, in which we were brought up, we were taught. And to be stuck to this is to be apparently far away – apparently, I say – apparently far from the Truth of God, the Truth of Yourself.

What Ramana's Presence, what the Guru's Presence shows you, makes you realize, is that You are one with Life, You are one with Reality, You are one with God.

So, this vision is completely changed. This old model is completely destroyed. So, speaking particularly of what occurred and what happened here, the moment you realize the illusion of an identity is no longer present, this very impression of a "me" disappears. So, there is no longer this "me." There is no longer this experiencer. There is no longer this thinker. And this represents a unicity with everything, I'd say unity with everything. This is something overwhelming. This is something that completely transforms this whole viewpoint. This particular view disappears and the Vision of Reality comes up.

Then, a full comprehension that everything is one Reality takes place; and this Reality is God's Reality. This Reality is the Reality of your own Being!

So, in this sense, there is no difference between You and the Master's Presence, You and Ramana's Presence, you and God's Presence.

We are facing something revolutionary! The understanding that sitting on the grass is part of everything around you, and that sitting on the grass is Life, the whole Life, the whole manifestation of Life, this whole Presence of Life, Presence of God, this is something untranslatable. It is something words cannot communicate.

So, the answer to the question "who am I?", or the answer to the question "who is God?" or "where is He?", is found at this moment, at the moment that sitting on the grass is taking place.

Then something entirely new opens up, something, in fact, untranslatable.

That's the end of the illusion of someone present who was born and will die. That's the end of this internal movement of projections towards the future or the idea of getting rid of a past. That's when we face What we could call Love, Truth, Freedom, Peace. That's when, we are before the Divine, God, Life!

Dezembro de 2021
Gravatá-PE
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