Shiv Talwar recently returned from India after staying two months in an Ashram in Rishikesh, the spiritual capital of India if not the entire world. There, he tasted a disciplined monastic life in the company of a real life guru. This life emphasizes inward orientation resulting in complete mindfulness in all life activities. Nothing should happen automatically, not even breathing and certainly no un-reflected reactions in personal relationships. Cultivating reflection mindfully leads to personal happiness and happy interpersonal relations.
Shiv learnt the real meaning of negative theology, a way of describing the ultimate in negative terms. The key lies in sub-rating one’s current understanding of spiritual realities to a newer and better understanding gained in deep meditation. One must meditate with an open, detached and searching mind and validate every meditative experience before sub-rating the old understanding. Blind faith can prove to be a hindrance in this process and it may impede spiritual growth.
In this seminar, Shiv shares his experiences and his learning at the Ashram. Shiv presented this seminar at the University of Waterloo to an audience of 47.