178. James Waite

DISCOVERING OUR NATURAL WELL-BEING. As the name suggests, well-being is natural – that is, it’s a normal condition (if not an average one for most of humanity) and not just in the domain of some sages and saints. Our real shared nature is one of goodness, balance and harmony, where suffering is not imagined or dwelt upon. In truth, in nature, there is no such thing as “suffering”. There is, of course, pain, when an injury is inflicted, and grief in unnatural circumstances or when a loved one passes, but there is no necessary attachment of mind-made suffering to that pain in nature. Our natural well-being finds its foundation in truth, reality, and love. Taken together, they form the ground of all our human and divine experience of life. And this grace of living in peace and contentment is what it means to be naturally “happy”. By “contentment” we mean contentment with the content of now – whatever that might be in the moment –confusion, anger, pleasure, pain, fear…bills! All this is mirrored and embraced in the aware silence of innate well-being. James Waite is a writer, designer, and businessman in Berkeley, CA. He discovers and shares this natural well-being in daily aware living at www.nondualityliving.com.  He is the author of two books: “Real, Whole, Here, and Happy!” (Free @ NDL) and “Fading in the Light”. A new book, “LIVING HERE…Discovering our Natural Well-Being” is emerging. He meets weekly with friends in the San Francisco Bay area to explore aware living and you are invited to contact him (see below). He invites your inquiries at [email protected]. or [email protected]. James' blog Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 6/1/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Non-Duality Insights 00:04:55 - A Journey of Awakening 00:09:12 - The Beginning of the Spiritual Journey 00:13:16 - Seeking Structure and Method 00:17:17 - Meeting Adyashanti and the Awakening Experience 00:20:43 - Recognizing the Forever Nature 00:24:50 - The Innocent Misplacement of Identity 00:29:02 - Hatred Towards God 00:33:52 - Blossoming of the Heart 00:37:36 - Love without Ego 00:42:08 - Perceptions and the Stuff of Our Being 00:46:22 - Resting in Awareness 00:50:21 - The Practice of Self-Remembering 00:54:45 - Paradoxical Nature of Levels and Stages 00:58:22 - Recognition of Body-Mind Experience 01:03:13 - Belief in Reincarnation 01:08:06 - The Mystery of Absolute Truth 01:11:54 - Interpenetration of the Absolute and the Relative 01:16:16 - The Fear Born of Duality 01:20:17 - The Illusion of Leaving and Doing 01:24:24 - The Value of Monastic Life 01:28:45 - The value of suffering and the intelligence of life 01:32:57 - The King and the Minister's Wisdom 01:35:40 - The Meaning of Life and the Cosmic Unfolding 01:39:36 - Exploring Life and Death with Michel de Montaigne 01:42:40 - Embracing the Reality of Death 01:46:08 - The Treasure of Knowing Reality 01:50:04 - The Path of Relieving Suffering 01:53:54 - The Well-being of the Boomer Generation and the Future of Humanity 01:58:07 - Ending Remarks and Contact Information 02:01:19 - Sign up for Email Notifications