In a recent episode of the YouTube series featuring Rupert Spira, a prominent teacher of non-duality, the conversation delved deeply into the timeless and essential nature of being. The discussion took place between Rupert Spira and his guest, Deepak Chopra, exploring the profound wisdom contained in Spira’s latest book, “The Heart of Prayer.”
The dialogue provides viewers an opportunity to contemplate the essence of being, love, and consciousness, while reconsidering the constructs of time, space, and self.
Table of Contents
The Heart of Prayer: A New Perspective on Non-Duality
In “The Heart of Prayer,” Spira takes his teachings on non-duality, typically expressed through meditation and self-inquiry, and reframes them in the language of prayer and devotion. This shift in language provides a bridge for those who are more comfortable with devotional practices but seek the same understanding of oneness and presence.
According to Spira, the book draws from guided meditations delivered during his retreats. The meditations are lightly edited and compiled into a cohesive collection that speaks to the innermost truth that lies at the core of each individual’s experience.
In his words, “The direct method is the means by which we just go directly to our innermost most fundamental experience—the pure experience of being.”
The Essence of I Am
Throughout the conversation, Spira and his guest delve into the concept of the “I am”—a phrase that resonates across spiritual traditions as the fundamental awareness of existence.
Spira points out that although everyone experiences this “I am,” it is often obscured by the layers of thought and experience that qualify it, such as “I am a man” or “I am happy.”
These qualifications distort the pure awareness that exists prior to these labels. Spira emphasizes that the pure “I am” is not a mystical or extraordinary state but rather the most basic and universal experience.
“It just refers to the fact of being which is everybody’s innermost experience,” he explains. By focusing directly on this unchanging awareness, Spira offers a pathway to realizing that this pure being is untouched by the changing experiences of life.
Love as the Recognition of Shared Being
The discussion touches on a profound aspect of Spira’s teachings: the nature of love. Spira describes love as the recognition that we share our being with everyone and everything. In this recognition, the illusion of separateness dissolves, revealing a deeper truth that transcends the surface level of experience.
“Love is to recognize that in spite of the fact that we seem to be two people, behind our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and history, we are the same being,” Spira explains. This understanding leads to a redefinition of love that is not dependent on external conditions or experiences but is instead an inherent quality of our shared, indivisible being.
In this sense, love becomes a direct realization of oneness, which Spira articulates beautifully as a “quiet joy” that is ever-present, even in the midst of life’s challenges.
Exploring the Timeless Nature of Being
The conversation also explores the notion of time and space as constructs of the finite mind. Spira suggests that time and space are not fundamental to reality but are instead how infinite being appears when perceived through the lens of a finite mind.
The experience of “I am” is not bound by time, as Spira illustrates with the metaphor of space: “The space in the room in which you are sitting did not come into existence when your house was built. Its nature remains unchanged, just as our being is eternal and ever-present.”
This perspective opens the door to profound realizations about the nature of birth, death, and existence itself. According to Spira, birth and death are simply human constructs, while the underlying reality—our being—remains unchanged and unaffected by these events.
A Bridge Between Devotion and Non-Duality
One of the most significant contributions of “The Heart of Prayer” is its ability to connect the devotional aspect of prayer with the non-dual understanding of consciousness. Spira’s language reflects this integration, as seen in the poetic expressions found throughout the book.
For instance, a passage reads, “Whatever I speak is All In Praise of you… In fact, there’s no duality in this life of Union with yourself.”
While the traditional language of non-duality often focuses on concepts like awareness, consciousness, and meditation, this book brings those same truths into the realm of devotion. It invites readers to explore the profound connection between prayer, love, and the direct experience of being.
Recommended Reading
The Heart of Prayer by Rupert Spira offers a unique and profound exploration of non-duality through the lens of devotion and prayer. This book seamlessly integrates the timeless understanding of our essential nature with the language of prayer, creating a bridge between traditional meditation practices and devotional spirituality.
Spira’s clear and heartfelt teachings guide readers directly to the experience of pure being, untouched by the changing circumstances of life. Through carefully curated meditations and poetic reflections, this work reveals the simplicity and peace of recognizing our shared essence and the love that naturally arises from this realization.
The Heart of Prayer is a valuable resource for both seasoned spiritual seekers and those new to non-duality, offering gentle yet profound insights into the nature of awareness, love, and timeless presence.
——
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services that we believe will add value to our readers. Thank you for your support!