Introduction

Rupert Spira is a non-dual teacher, philosopher, author, and proponent of the Direct Path, based in Oxford, UK. Bernardo Kastrup is an author, philosopher, and the executive director of Essentia Foundation, whose work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has PhDs in philosophy and computer engineering, and previously worked at CERN. In this conversation, we explore: — An introduction to non-duality and the empirical evidence in support of it — The link between the materialist worldview and widespread addiction in our society — The possibility of an addiction arising because of a disconnection from nature — Rupert and Bernardo’s definition of a life well lived. And more. Learn more about Bernardo’s work by going to: https://www.essentiafoundation.org and Rupert’s at https://rupertspira.com. --- Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the ‘Casimir Effect’ of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured on Scientific American, the Institute of Art and Ideas, the Blog of the American Philosophical Association and Big Think, among others. Bernardo’s most recent book is Science Ideated: The fall of matter and the contours of the next mainstream scientific worldview. For more information, freely downloadable papers, videos, etc., please visit https://www.bernardokastrup.com. From an early age, Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality, beginning to meditate at the age of seventeen and studying the teachings of the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition over the next twenty years. In 1997 he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, who introduced him to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon and to Jean Klein and the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. More importantly, Francis directly indicated to him the true nature of experience. Rupert lives in the UK and holds regular meetings and retreats in Europe and the US. You can learn more about his work at https://rupertspira.com. --- 3 Books Rupert Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle - https://amzn.to/44wkyEY — You Are the Happiness You Seek - Rupert Spira - https://amzn.to/44x8KT4 — Be Who You Are - Ramana Maharshi - https://amzn.to/46GzEJS