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The Seeking
Is there any such thing as free will? Is everything in life predetermined? Does God play dice with the universe? Questions that intrigue seekers of the truth, are answered with great insight, sincere earnestness and absolute clarity in Ramesh’s typical free-flowing dialogues, spiced with his delightful good humor, during the morning ‘satsangs’ or meetings with visitors from all over the world.
Through his teaching, Ramesh exposes the sense of personal doership as the root cause of all suffering. He describes how the process of this simple understanding can lift the burden of a life of struggle, and the peace and tranquility that can arise when one learns to accept totally what life offers, at any given moment, with grace and ease.
When asked how long it takes to grasp this understanding, Ramesh answered, “Three Days. Three Days!” So, here is a taste of a modern sage’s daily talks, over three days, with visitors at his residence in Mumbai.
Through his teaching, Ramesh exposes the sense of personal doership as the root cause of all suffering. He describes how the process of this simple understanding can lift the burden of a life of struggle, and the peace and tranquility that can arise when one learns to accept totally what life offers, at any given moment, with grace and ease.
When asked how long it takes to grasp this understanding, Ramesh answered, “Three Days. Three Days!” So, here is a taste of a modern sage’s daily talks, over three days, with visitors at his residence in Mumbai.
- GenresSpirituality
122 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2004
11 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Ramesh S. Balsekar
169 books73 followersRamesh S. Balsekar was a disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master. From early childhood, Balsekar was drawn to Advaita, a nondual teaching, particularly the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Wei Wu Wei. He wrote more than 20 books, was president of the Bank of India, and received guests daily in his home in Mumbai until shortly before his death.
Balsekar taught from the tradition of Advaita Vedanta nondualism. His teaching begins with the idea of an ultimate Source, Brahman, from which creation arises. Once creation has arisen, the world and life operate mechanistically according to both Divine and natural laws. While people believe that they are actually doing things and making choices, free will is in fact an illusion. All that happens is caused by this one source, and the actual identity of this source is pure Consciousness, which is incapable of choosing or doing.
Balsekar taught from the tradition of Advaita Vedanta nondualism. His teaching begins with the idea of an ultimate Source, Brahman, from which creation arises. Once creation has arisen, the world and life operate mechanistically according to both Divine and natural laws. While people believe that they are actually doing things and making choices, free will is in fact an illusion. All that happens is caused by this one source, and the actual identity of this source is pure Consciousness, which is incapable of choosing or doing.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 23, 2023
I read the Kindle version on my iPhone.
This is a no-frills, slightly clunky transcription of Q&A sessions held over three days. I'm sure a lot is omitted, but you get the general sense of the conversations.
However, the message is simple and powerful, so this gets 5 stars. I don't know how it hits for other people, but I found it spoke directly to me, as someone who has engaged in a spiritual practice for many years and has run into plateaus. The value of Ramesh's perspective is not so much his concept itself ("No one is the doer" - which will be known to many readers already), but the way he disinfects it from any hooks for exoticism, esotericism, or spiritual materialism. I would say this teaching is aware of the shame-driven modern consciousness and its tendencies toward avoidant busyness and hypercriticism. This awareness is invaluable, because so many presentations of nondualist wisdom are not adapted to modern experience and have people engaged in spiritual exercises that, while effective in the past, will either grind contemporary people to dust or send them into self-hypnotic escapism. We hate ourselves too much, because we feel responsible for too much, and that simple message - "No one is the doer" - I believe is the best way to disarm all that tension.
A must read for anyone in the middle of a spiritual path - though I believe it might be unclear if you're just getting started.
This is a no-frills, slightly clunky transcription of Q&A sessions held over three days. I'm sure a lot is omitted, but you get the general sense of the conversations.
However, the message is simple and powerful, so this gets 5 stars. I don't know how it hits for other people, but I found it spoke directly to me, as someone who has engaged in a spiritual practice for many years and has run into plateaus. The value of Ramesh's perspective is not so much his concept itself ("No one is the doer" - which will be known to many readers already), but the way he disinfects it from any hooks for exoticism, esotericism, or spiritual materialism. I would say this teaching is aware of the shame-driven modern consciousness and its tendencies toward avoidant busyness and hypercriticism. This awareness is invaluable, because so many presentations of nondualist wisdom are not adapted to modern experience and have people engaged in spiritual exercises that, while effective in the past, will either grind contemporary people to dust or send them into self-hypnotic escapism. We hate ourselves too much, because we feel responsible for too much, and that simple message - "No one is the doer" - I believe is the best way to disarm all that tension.
A must read for anyone in the middle of a spiritual path - though I believe it might be unclear if you're just getting started.
November 26, 2021
I laughed many times. This book is good
I like majority of Ramesh teachings. They explained well few verses in the Quran where God says things like:
1. They do not have a choice
2. You do not will unless God wills.
3. You did not throw when you threw but God threw
4. Nothing of the matter belongs to you.
I like majority of Ramesh teachings. They explained well few verses in the Quran where God says things like:
1. They do not have a choice
2. You do not will unless God wills.
3. You did not throw when you threw but God threw
4. Nothing of the matter belongs to you.
January 23, 2013
Wonderful clear teaching regarding non-volitional living. Quick, easy read. LOVED LOVED LOVED it!!!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews