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#3354 -
The Nonduality
Highlights - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights
A new DVD from NetiNeti
Films:
Moments with Sri
Nisargadatta Maharaj: Archival films 1979/1981
Watch the trailer: http://netinetifilms.com/videos/nisargadattatalks.mov
Read more about Moments
with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and order: http://netinetifilms.com/jozef.htm
Moments with Sri
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Reviewed by Jerry Katz
Maharaj
Immersion; Layers of Gratitude
This DVD is an immersion
into the daily life and eternal teaching of Sri Nisargadatta
Maharaj. Before we ever meet Nisargadatta, we meet Josef
Nauwelaerts the cameraman, who radiates gratitude and dedication
to Nisargadatta. Then we meet Bombay, the luxury, the
architecture, the waterfront, the Gate of India, the streets,
roads, pedestrians, the narrow streets of old Bombay where
Nisargadatta lives, the poverty, the people living and working in
the streets, their temples, Nisargadatta's poverty street, up to
his apartment whose details are shown.
The daily chores of
Nisargadatta are filmed: the dusting of photographs and frames by
Nisargadatta himself, the lighting of incense, the constant
movement of the 84 year old Maharaj, his gratitude for his gurus,
though, clearly, Nisargadatta is beyond showing gratitude; he is
gratitude or grace. We see the great details of effort Maharaj
extends toward creating the atmosphere for teaching: the cymbals,
the bells, the chanting, the incense, the meditation. Total
immersion.
The camera is always
moving. Josef has caught the fire of Nisargadatta, the ever
moving, ever changing manifestation, beingness, within the space
with Nisargadatta, and the ever changing sounds of the street,
with kids playing, shouting, and the tumult of business and
traffic. However, these are background sounds that add to the
atmosphere and never interfere, enhancing the experience of
immersion. There are a few close-up shots of Nisargadatta's face,
which seem valuable, and too bad there were not a lot more. There
are more close-ups of the followers than of Nisargadatta.
However, the filming of the audience is like a Nisargadatta-cam.
The introduction to the
film is given by Stephen Wolinsky, who hosts several videos in
the NetiNeti films library devoted to the teachings of
Nisargadatta Maharaj. Stephen may be at his best in this brief
introduction. He is not teaching, only showing gratitude. That in
itself is a teaching. You may recognize at once that gratitude is
mantra, practice, and guru. Gratitude comes from Wolinsky, from
the filmmakers, from the NetiNeti production and distribution
crew, from the followers in Nisargadatta's home. Nisargadatta
himself is gratitude, or grace. When a questioner asks
Nisargadatta, "I don't remember. Please explain our
beingness," gratitude wells up for the innocence of the
question. Gratitude is awakened and informed in this production.
THEMES,
CONFESSIONS, AND URGINGS:
In answering questions,
Nisargadatta asks questions: Who is "I Am"? Why "I
Am"? He urges you outside your body and body-mind thoughts.
Why this beingness? he asks. How am I? Why am I? What does it
depend on? From beingness, how we become no being, from no being
to beingness, how does this happen? One should analyze and find
the answer for oneself, says Maharaj.
He addresses beingness
before conception and abiding in the state prior to conception.
He talks of death as the confidence that I Am has disappeared. He
entertains questions on maya, prolonging life, karma, dreams.
Analyze yourself without
dependence upon anything, he instructs. "If you know
Self," he says, "you know God." "Your
identity has to go for (there to be) realization of your true
being."
TONE:
There is plenty of humor
in the relaxed atmosphere, while Nisargadatta is always in
control and leading the show. We see Nisargadatta ministering to
people at their level of understanding. We want to think that we
deserve the highest teaching and that we are receiving it. But
what is the highest teaching? Can it be spoken by Nisargadatta or
anyone? Every teaching given in words is a lower teaching
pointing to the teaching that can't be given. Still, Nisargadatta
implies that what is captured in this film is his advanced
teaching: "Only a rare person will understand what I'm
driving at."
Experience this
Nisargadatta immersion. Take these words of Maharaj to the
shopping cart: "Every human being is eligible for self
knowledge, earnestness being the only deciding factor."
THE 6 MINUTE CLIP
OF SWAMI NITYANANDA:
Swami Nityananda is a
powerful human mantra, a living, bodily initiation. His presence
in words or film can awaken Kundalini. This is a different kind,
a more gross initiation than Nisargadatta offers, thus a welcome
complement.
~ ~ ~
Watch the trailer: http://netinetifilms.com/videos/nisargadattatalks.mov
Read more about Moments with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and order: http://netinetifilms.com/jozef.htm