In This Video:
Most advice on 'being present' offers techniques to manage the mind. This teaching goes deeper, questioning the very entity that is obsessed with the future. Instead of giving the thinker another task, we look directly at the structure of planning and worry. True presence isn't an achievement; it's the recognition of the silent substratum that exists before any thought about tomorrow arises. This is the work we do in Satsang: meeting the non-dual truth of reality as it is, right now.
- When you find yourself compulsively planning, what feeling in the present moment are you attempting to avoid?
- Can you find the actual 'planner' inside you, or is there just the activity of planning appearing in awareness?
- What would shift if you treated every future plan not as a promise, but as a possibility held lightly in the open space of the present?
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00] How To Stay Present In A Future Obsessed World - An excerpt from Enlightened Teacher Rohan's Satsang interactions. [02:15] What Is Satsang? Satsang means “Meeting In The Non-Dual Truth of Reality.” [02:30] It is being in the presence of an enlightened teacher and experiencing their peaceful energy to discover our true, non-dual nature. Uncovering the deep beauty within us via higher consciousness and transcending the separate idea of "I" or "me". [02:45] Many techniques are used such as Meditation, Self Inquiry, Inner Investigation, Movement and most importantly, being in the presence & wisdom of an Enlightened Being. You can join Rohan’s Satsang Room from anywhere in the world via Zoom. [05:10] True enlightenment can't be fully explained with words. Rohan's sharings come from "his" direct ongoing Enlightenment experience, proven teachings, and what he's learned from other enlightened masters. [04:20] Note that authentic enlightened teachers have an energetic light about them that can be directly experienced. If a teacher doesn't have this, they might not be the real deal and CAN NOT "take you home". [06:00] Rohan asks that the viewer takes full responsibility for their life & actions and seek professional help if required, as this content is not to be considered direct life advice.
GLOSSARY
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Satsang
Literally "Meeting in Truth." It is the direct investigation into our true nature in the presence of an awakened teacher, transcending the separate idea of 'I' or 'me'. -
Non-Duality
The direct recognition that reality is a single, undivided whole. It points to the collapse of the illusion of a separate self, revealing the substratum of pure awareness. -
Self-Inquiry
A core practice of turning attention inward to investigate the source of the 'I'-thought. It is not a mental analysis but a direct seeing of what we are prior to identification. -
Enlightened Teacher
One who abides in the substratum of being and can act as a direct pointer to that reality for others. Their function is not to give knowledge, but to facilitate direct realisation. -
Inner Investigation
The process of looking directly at the mechanics of the mind—its beliefs, patterns, and agreements—without judgment, in order to facilitate their dissolution.
Q&A
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What does Satsang mean?
Satsang literally means "Meeting in the Non-Dual Truth of Reality." It is the practice of gathering in the presence of an awakened teacher to directly investigate and experience our true nature, which is undivided awareness, free from the illusion of a separate self. -
How can I stop obsessing about the future?
Instead of trying to stop the mind, the teaching suggests a different approach. Through Self-Inquiry, you investigate the 'I' that is obsessing. This shifts the focus from managing thoughts to recognising the silent Presence that is aware of them, which naturally quiets the mind's compulsive activity. -
What are the signs of an authentic spiritual teacher?
An authentic teacher is recognised not just by their words, but by an 'energetic light' that can be directly felt. They don't offer you more beliefs, but instead use skillful means like meditation and inquiry to guide you to your own direct realisation of Truth. -
Can I practice this if I'm not religious?
Yes. The methods used in Satsang, like Self-Inquiry and Inner Investigation, are not based on belief or religion. They are direct, experiential tools for looking at the structure of your own consciousness to see what is true, independent of any ideology.
“There’s nothing to add. What you are is prior to beliefs, thoughts and labels.
Here we explore and unveil the ultimate mystery of non-dual being.
Reality.”
