Michael Mamas Lecture - Walnut Creek, CA, August 2012

Awakening to Your True Nature, with Michael Mamas

From Dr. Michael Mamas' talk addressing the nature of the Self, and the process of spiritual evolution. 

Part 2 includes discussion of the following topics, as well as questions from the audience:
- Why do Children Suffer? Understanding Karma & Dharma
- Tools for Evolution
- Loving Thy Neighbor - On Oneness
- Meditation and Discernment
- State of Consciousness after Death
- Is God the same as Consciousness?
- Humility and Wisdom - The "I-Get-It" Syndrome
- Technology of the Unified Field

Dr. Mamas is an author and thought leader in personal development and spirituality. He bridges ancient Eastern wisdom with modern Western thought and application. Dr. Mamas is the founder of The Center of Rational Spirituality, and Mount Soma, a retreat community in North Carolina. Find more at www.michaelmamas.net.

Awakening to Your True Nature - Part 2: The Process of Spiritual Evolution

From Dr. Michael Mamas' talk addressing the nature of the Self, and the process of spiritual evolution. 

Part 1 includes discussion of the following topics, as well as questions from the audience:
- Stepping Beyond Your Paradigm - Finding the Source of Knowledge
- What is Consciousness? The Play of Consciousness & the Loss of Self to Illusion
- What is Existence? The Self-Interacting Dynamic of the Unified Field
- What it Means to Be Human - Darwinism & Creationism, Indoctrination vs Emancipation

Dr. Mamas is an author and thought leader in personal development and spirituality. He bridges ancient Eastern wisdom with modern Western thought and application. Dr. Mamas is the founder of The Center of Rational Spirituality, and Mount Soma, a retreat community in North Carolina. Find more at www.michaelmamas.net.

Awakening to Your True Nature - Part 1: The Fundamentals

Michael Mamas discusses the fundamental principle of discernment. As Adi Shankara said, the spiritual path is the path of discernment. Discernment is not done with just the mind. It is certainly not done with just the emotions. It is not a matter of the mind rallying around the emotions to create a rationalization to justify your reactions. You need to start on steady ground... unbiased, unconditioned, open, refined in feelings, and free, while solid, balanced, reflective, rational, and willing to take a look, not just at the information, but even more importantly, how you receive and process that information… what it resonates with or clashes with inside you and why!! Are you reinforcing your biases or are you moving beyond them?

Read the companion article about Discernment on Michael Mamas' blog:
http://www.michaelmamas.net/its-so-hard-to-listen-essential-knowledge-point-one/

Discernment - Fundamental Principle #1 By Michael Mamas

Michael Mamas discusses the Unified Field. Modern Physics calls it the unified field. It is also called the transcendent and the absolute. The ancient rishis, as well as some modern physicists, call it consciousness. It is oneness... the one thing out of which all things emerge... similar to how all sorts of ‘things’ emerge from your consciousness when you dream. As you evolve, this understanding moves from an intellectual notion, to an inner sense, to a clear certainty, to a direct/perceptible experience.

Read the companion article about The Unified Field on Michael Mamas' blog:
http://www.michaelmamas.net/essential-knowledge-point-2/

The Unified Field - Fundamental Principle #2 With Michael Mamas

Michael Mamas discusses “Darwinism/Creationism Resolution” in this audio.  There has been a debate between Creationists (man was born in God’s image) and the scientists, the Darwinists, the biologists (species evolve).  It seems like there is no reconciliation between the two.  This takes a very rational, very mature, unbiased look at the whole thing and see what unfolds.  As you find out on this short audio, what unfolds is pretty amazing.

Darwinism in a nutshell said that what happened was just survival of the fittest, random chance.  It started out that a couple of molecules came together, they could perpetuate so they did, and slowly, slowly over time mutations occurred.  Every so often, over time, it created a more evolved species that tended to survive because it was more fit, and that process continued until ultimately, you end up with a human being.  There is no question there is truth to that.  At the same time, modern computer models have brought up a very interesting point.  That is, that it happened way too fast.  It couldn’t be the whole story.

There is a unified field, an underlying basis of all existence.  It reacts with itself to create a very mathematically precise, very intelligent, very creative underlying structure that holds, supports, and gives birth to all of creation.  It can be compared to a sandbox.  When you take a sandbox and vibrate it, what happens is you start to see a pattern in the sand.  If you continue that process, the pattern becomes more and more coherent, more and more detailed.  Along with Darwin’s theory is that underlying vibration of all of creation that induces, entices, propels the whole evolution of species in a direction.

The question becomes, where does that process culminate?  When does that process come to completion?  It comes to completion when you have a species that is capable of embodying the totality of intelligence, knowledge, coherence in that underlying unified field, the underlying self-interacting dynamic.  That species is called a human being.  

So, who is right, Darwinists or Creationists?  Well, if you take a rational look at it, you realize they are both right.  Darwinism and Creationism are two sides of the same one coin.  One gives fulfillment to the other, and one gives a deeper understanding to the other.  Even though it is quite simple, we need to approach these concepts and their implications in a rational manner. 

Learn more:

Blogs:
* The Paradigm Shift (http://www.michaelmamas.net/the-parad...)
* More on the Art of Discernment (http://www.michaelmamas.net/more-on-t...)
* The Big Bang of the Brain (http://www.michaelmamas.net/the-big-b...)
* Why? (http://www.michaelmamas.net/why/)
* Regrets (http://www.michaelmamas.net/regrets/)

Articles:
* Resolving the Darwinism/Creationism Debate (http://www.mountsoma.org/michael-mama...)
* Humanity’s Place in the Universe (http://www.mountsoma.org/michael-mama...)

Books:
* Unconditioned Spirit (http://www.mountsoma.org/product/unco...)
* The Golden Frog (http://www.mountsoma.org/product/the-...)

Darwinism/Creationism Resolution - Science & Spirituality #1 by Michael Mamas

Michael Mamas discusses “The ‘I Get It’ Syndrome” in this audio. When you drop a pebble in a pond, rings go cascading out. Each ring parallels an outer ring. So, if you were living on one of the rings and looked at the ring right next to it, you might say, “Same thing, I understand everything about that ring.” And as you go inward, and more inward, to the rings close to the pebble, you would say, “I understand the point of entry, no difference.” 

In the case of the unified field and our relationship with it, those are called echoes of Truth. Each echo is a different level of understanding of the root, the seed, the essence of anything and everything. In the area of spirituality, people do that around the notion of the unified field, God. On some superficial level of life, it is what we call the astral realm. We have astral notions of God: some guy sitting on a cloud, some people are playing harps, etc. Pick your religion, and you know the astral correlate. There is a certain beauty to the astral correlate. 

If the awareness is cloudy or not fully aware or you are not fully awake to those deeper levels, then all we can perceive is those superficial astral levels. We are then missing the depth, missing the profundity of the whole thing. That is the process of evolution. To purify and culture your awareness so that you can be awake to those levels. But when you hear someone speaking from that level, you do the ‘I Get It’ Syndrome. You either hold your hands and sway and get caught up in emotionalism, or you think you understand it and say “I Get It.” Either way, you get caught up in the ‘I Get It’ Syndrome. Echoes of Truth, perceived as Truth, hold Truth at bay.

Michael Mamas’ purpose in doing these audios is to help people move deeper and deeper. The most powerful tool is proper meditation*. Then, there are these talks and starting to get an understanding of the whole thing so you can start to work with your own awareness and evolve it. So, just a word of caution when you listen to these audios, make sure you don’t get stuck in the ‘I Get It’ Syndrome. Over time, we will go deeper and deeper and deeper…

*Learn the Surya Ram Meditation free online (http://www.mountsoma.org/meditation/learn-surya-ram-meditation/)

Learn more:

Videos: 
* The Unified field: Fundamental Principle #2 (https://youtu.be/sP86Syx6IPE)
* Discernment: Fundamental Principle #1 (https://youtu.be/pxa3XO-_yGY)

Blogs:
* I-get-it Syndrome (http://www.michaelmamas.net/i-get-it-syndrome/) 
* The Guru (http://www.michaelmamas.net/the-guru/)
* Fundamental Principle #1: Discernment (http://www.michaelmamas.net/its-so-hard-to-listen-essential-knowledge-point-one/)
* How do you Know if Your Meditation is Working? (http://www.michaelmamas.net/how-do-you-know-if-your-meditation-is-working/)
* Humility: (http://www.michaelmamas.net/humility-2/)

Article:
* IPGACO, the Tar Baby (http://www.mountsoma.org/michael-mamas/articles/ipgaco-the-tar-baby/)

Books:
* Unconditioned Spirit (http://www.mountsoma.org/product/unconditioned-spirit/)
* The Golden Frog (http://www.mountsoma.org/product/the-golden-frog/)
* Look Deeper Live Better (http://www.mountsoma.org/product/look-deeper-live-better/)

The 'I Get It' Syndrome - Science & Spirituality #8 by Michael Mamas

In this audio, Michael Mamas discusses What is Genius? – Einstein #1: Expand Your Vision. Albert Einstein was a great physicist who had the notion of the unified field, special relativity, general relativity. These Einstein quotes really convey the man, how he thought, where he was coming from, and reveal the source of his genius. 

Einstein (1 of 2): Expand Your Vision - - What is Genius #7, with Michael Mamas

In this audio, Michael Mamas discusses What is Genius? – Einstein #2: Knowledge through Imagination. Einstein said “Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Many modern physicists say that this whole world is just a play of Consciousness. In that sense, it’s imagined. The unified field, that underlying basis out of which everything emerges is a field of pure, infinite, unbounded imagination. To understand life, to understand knowledge (though not in a conventional sense of facts and memorization), imagination is what really aligns with the true nature of existence. This is all imagination. To tap into your ability to imagine (not daydreaming)… Your nature is one with the source of all existence. You can awaken to that level of life that imagined all of this into existence. By tapping into that field of your own imagination, which is one with all imagination (one Consciousness, the unified field), then you start to function in a manner that is consistent with nature. That is when you tap into real Knowledge which is imagination. Deep inside, you already know everything. You only need to access it and find it within yourself. Einstein imagined the unified field theory, he imagined general relativity, he imagined special relativity. Neil deGrasse Tyson said, “When physicists talk to the public, they talk about what they know. When they talk amongst themselves, they talk about what they don’t know.” They imagine…

Einstein (2 of 2): Knowledge through Imagination - - What is Genius #8 by Michael Mamas

In this audio, Michael Mamas talks about anger. This topic was inspired by a conversation Michael Mamas had with somebody about what they were dealing with. Michael Mamas reminded them: Anger is a reaction to something that lies deeper. That which lies deeper than anger is hurt. Oftentimes, when you feel hurt, you get angry. To the point that you don’t even say, “Oh, you hurt me.” You don’t even allow yourself to feel the hurt. What you allow yourself to feel is the anger.

About Anger, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

On November 3, 2016, Michael Mamas gave a 1/2 hour talk to a group of 5th graders from a local school. The students were on a field trip to Mount Soma in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Michael Mamas Talks with 5th Graders

Everybody has issues. Their issues will come up against you. They will push your buttons. You’re going to take punches. Period. Everybody has issues. I think it helps to understand that everybody sees everybody else’s issues. On some level, you sense them. It’s not like we are all oblivious to so-and-so’s issues and they are pushing your buttons because you see their issues and nobody else does. Everybody sees everybody else’s issues. So the question is, how can you be great? You can be great by navigating those waters wisely.

Flatlining – Dealing with Conflict in Relationships, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

"A cynic is someone who sees things how they are rather than how they ought to be." This quote is really upside-down. Clearly a cynic wrote that, right? If you really see things for how they are, you're not a cynic. You see the divinity in everything, you see the beauty in everything, and you see the elegance in the whole dynamic. 

So really, it's the cynic who sees things the way they think they ought to be. That's what a cynic is. It's a judgment orientation. It's a cynical orientation. It sounds trite, but life is beautiful, humanity is a beautiful thing. The whole texture of group consciousness and the idea that people are part of a group consciousness… To be able to take a step back and view that, feel that pulse, feel the humanity in all people, the texture of the whole thing and come to commune with it in a way where "Maybe I can change this, but here I don't think I can, and it's not the appropriate time to intervene…." Do you know what? That's just people's nature – part of it. That is perceiving things how they are. That's not cynical at all.

Cynicism, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

This topic was inspired when Michael Mamas was watching the news. A principal of a high school at a commencement address was telling the kids, “You are not special.” To give a context, there has been for years now, a movement about telling kids they are special. There was a time when teachers put little blue ribbons on kids to remind them they were special. 

This helped Michael Mamas remember a true story of a woman who was concerned about her son because he had a poor self-image. She repeatedly told him, “You’re special.” She even put a banner saying “You’re special” in his bedroom so that he’d see it when he woke up in the morning. The problem with that is it really becomes an affirmation of the opposite. The child gets the underlying message: “You’re not special, but I don’t want you to have a poor self-image, so I’m going to tell you you’re special.” It’s patronizing and it makes the child feel even worse.

On Being Special, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

There’s the story of these two monks, walking from one temple to the next. They came to a stream and needed to cross the stream. There was a lady there and she needed to cross the stream too: “Oh no, how can I cross this stream? I have these high-heels on, my silks and everything, how am I going to get across the stream?” The older monk picked her up, carried her across the stream, and set her on the other side. And then the monks went on their way. The younger monk was just brooding, hanging on to it. He was angry, stomping, and just made for the longest time. Finally the older monk turned to him and asked, “What’s the problem? What’s going on?” 

The younger monk said, “You picked up that woman and you carried her across the stream, and we’re celibates, we’re monks! We’re not supposed to even touch a woman and look what you did!” 

The older monk looked at him and said, “I carried that woman across the stream. You’ve been carrying her this whole time.”

Our Conditioned Awareness, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

How do you tell the difference between your Dharma and your deeply held identity? Well, in a word, discernment. But what does it mean to be discerning? The first thing to do is to acknowledge how challenging that is. Because the grip of your identity is so strong. It’s your conditioning, but we use the word “identity” because you become so identified with your conditioning. You can use the word “identity” in other ways. Cultural identity: the culture helps culture you and therefore it has a positive value. But when we talk about identity, we are talking about identity with programming, identity with conditioning, identity with a belief system, identity with that which you think is your truth but is in fact what holds truth at bay.

Identity, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

It’s quite vogue to be attentive to how big your carbon footprint is. How much pollution you are dumping into the atmosphere: your carbon footprint. We would do much better to be attentive to something deeper than the carbon footprint, and that’s the energetic footprint: the footprint you impose on the fine fabric of group consciousness. And that can be a difficult thing to even ascertain. But you do well to do the exploration. You do well to ask yourself what kind of footprint you impose on the fine fabric of group consciousness.

What's Your Energetic Footprint?, with Michael Mamas (Personal Growth Series)

Michael Mamas is a thought leader in the areas of spirituality and personal development, with over 35 years of teaching experience (including the U.S., India, Europe, and Canada). He helps people develop a deeper understanding and more comprehensive outlook by providing a bridge between the abstract and the concrete, the Eastern and the Western, and the ancient and modern. Michael Mamas is the acclaimed author of nine books (including a novel, books for reflection, a home study course, a children’s book, and an anecdotal book translated into Japanese). Michael Mamas is also the founder and CEO of The Center of Rational Spirituality and the founder and developer of Mount Soma.

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