PDF Notes From Bentinho Massaro's Free Online Global Enlightenment Retreat 2020

SUMMARY NOTES
Bentinho Massaro’s Free Online Global Retreat

April - May 2020 
Summary Notes
Bentinho Massaro’s Free Online Global Enlightenment Retreat
This is a collection of the summary notes from Sessions 1 through 8 of Bentinho’s

Free Online Global Enlightenment Retreat.
Watch and rewatch all of the sessions for free on BentinhoMassaro.tv/freeretreat.
Session 1: Enlightenment Is Possible for YOU!
Session 2: The Art of True Meditation
Session 3: Everything Is Free of Meaning
Session 4: The 4 Bodies; Understand the Causal Body
Session 5: Being Infinite Love + Q&A
Session 6: How to Purify the I Am
Session 7: Balancing Enlightenment and Worldly Function
Session 8: The Bliss Beyond Pleasure and Pain 
Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 2

Session 1: Enlightenment Is Possible for YOU
Watch Session 1
Bentinho began the Online Global Enlightenment Retreat with this statement:
“Here we are, in the middle of a quarantine, getting together with like-minded hearts and
souls to explore the nature of what is real, the nature of ourselves, the nature of
consciousness. It is obvious that what humanity is calling for right now is a sense of clarity,
a sense of inner direction, a sense of guidance as to what to place their attention on and
invest their energy into. And so, I felt called to offer what I can, which is translations of
direct experiences of the nature of consciousness. Some of these translations are from
ancient teachings of the East, although none of these true teachings really originate
anywhere. They don’t have a location or a time, they are simply the way of existence. The
purpose of this retreat is to provide you with the tools to recognize the ground of Being,
the substratum or root of your Being, so that all (or at least more) of your attention can go
towards that.
Enlightenment Is Possible
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned practitioner or if this is the first time you’ve heard any
of these words. These tools, guided meditations and explanations will give you first-hand,
direct-experience access to something very profoundly true, liberating and clarifying. The
first few sessions will be tailored to people who are new to this type of material and
practice.
The premise or concept of enlightenment implies that we believe such a realization or

recognition or transformation of consciousness exists—that it’s possible. Yes, it is possible!
It is possible for you. So, if it’s possible to have such a profound shift in consciousness /
identity, then what exactly is that shift? What is the result? Why would you want it? And
what do you have to let go of in order to achieve it?
Enlightenment is not an experience. See it instead as a spectrum of the evolution of

consciousness; the awakening of consciousness; the expansion of consciousness; an
increase in the brightness/clarity with which an entity knows itself. The science of
enlightenment could be described as a process of familiarizing oneself with your true
state, or natural condition, which you have previously not paid attention to or recognized.
You have had a lot of practice in how-to-be-human-according-to-other-self-proclaimed-

humans. But what if the true purpose of being human transcends the typical training we
receive in what it means to be human? What if there is a transformational journey that we
are meant to be on? Why are we here and what is possible for us? When we say, “I am a
human being,” what are we really saying that we are? Typically, this is limited to believing
we are a body, a clump of flesh, that goes through life on this planet abiding by Newton’s
laws, preferring pleasure over pain, and developing psychological relationships and

attachments to other meat-suits and the environment over time. Through this, we amass a
database of conceptual knowledge and biases. Enlightenment is the transcendence of this
state of perception and belief.
It’s very important to believe that enlightenment is possible (and again, think of
enlightenment as a spectrum or gradient, rather than as black or white). If we don’t believe
it’s possible, how will we be inspired to use our intention in such a way as to maximize
the probability of increasing realization of the True Self? Enlightenment is very possible for
every single person hearing this. And what better time to explore this than now, when your
external reality is forcing you to go within, to sequester yourself, to turn your attention to
what is truly important to you?
The Natural State

Meditation is not about having no thoughts; it’s about recognizing the Awareness—or
‘me’—that remains when you have no thoughts. This is the sense of I Am—the sense of
self, the sense of pure existence, the sense of being sentient, conscious, awake and lucid.
You will be able to perhaps most clearly recognize this when you stop your thoughts, even
for just 2 to 5 seconds. You will be able to do this with practice. With practice, you will be
able, at will, to suck all the oxygen out of the mind (so to speak); to take away all of its fuel
for thought, while remaining fully awake of your existence. This might be difficult to do at
first, but if you can stay awake after having stopped your thoughts for even a second, you
will have a direct-experience introduction to this natural state of consciousness. If you
recognize the natural state of “I exist” (that which knows that it is) in that split second, this
realm will open up to you.
There is something profound within you that never changes, and you can access this at
any given moment by slowing down your thoughts, by stopping thoughts altogether, by
relaxing your allegiance to thoughts and maintaining awareness of yourself as “I exist.”
Thoughts may still pop up, but because you’re not giving them any meaning, significance
or importance in that moment, your bandwidth opens towards the deeper, intuitive level of
consciousness, which is already in touch with its utter freedom.
You’ve never had an experience apart from that which is hearing my voice right now
(Awareness itself). There is a quality beyond the thinking, conceptualizing mind that is
cognizant, that is able to know. The power to know (or you could say, the power to exist
and know that you exist), is one of the core descriptions of what consciousness is.
Recognize the fact that you are present to what I am saying; that you exist and therefore
can hear what I am saying. This is a very simple, subtle shift in attention.
Take your attention off of what you think and focus on, and relax it for 2 to 5 seconds.
Recognize the natural state of clear, ever-present I-Am-ness—the feeling “I am conscious, I
am aware.” This is intrinsic to who you are. This is the natural state of consciousness; this is
enlightenment. Of course, it goes deeper than just this initial realization as you continue to
deepen your practice and purify your vision.

The process of enlightenment is about familiarizing yourself with the natural state, which
is always here. Every human being on this planet can do this and instantly benefit from it.
It is a process of recognizing yourself and increasing the luminosity or clarity of this
recognition. The natural state is already here, but you’ve covered it up with thoughts and
ideas. This is the wide open secret. And it is yours; it is entirely, 100% you, already.
Always and Already.
Enlightenment exists. It is possible for you (and all human beings) to become more
enlightened or awake or self-realized; to discern the True Self from the not-true self. The
more you want this, the more all of the perceived obstacles are rendered irrelevant; they
are neutralized.
Appearances and That Which Is Aware of Appearances

I want to make a distinction for you between awareness, or that which hears/knows my
voice right now, and everything that is known by it/within it. Everything besides this pure
knowledge of I Am that is known is an appearance. An appearance is anything that has a
beginning, middle and end; anything that can be experienced as an object of perception.
This includes physical objects, but it also includes thoughts—your thoughts are also
appearances. An appearance is anything you experience as an object, any perception you
are aware of. Anything that you can be aware of generates a subject-object relationship.
By calling something an appearance, you are already emphasizing its temporary nature. In
this way, the word is helpful to the practitioner.
The ultimate truth cannot be anything you are aware of because ultimate truth cannot
appear and disappear; it must be here all the time. And that is exactly why it has gone
unnoticed by most of you. We recognize all of the objects that appear, but the substratum
of all appearances—the consistent, pervasive Self—we fail to notice.
There is consciousness and the contents of consciousness. In sort of a faulty way, we could
also say there is the subject and there are the objects of consciousness. It’s sort of faulty
because really the subject is produced by object-based attention. When the focus on
objects disappears (or when thoughts stop for 2 to 5 seconds), what is revealed is the
natural state, which doesn’t have a subject or object. It just is, and it is awake. The natural
state is unified is-ness; unity consciousness—clear, luminous, vibrant, alive. The
recognition that you are aware of appearances is the direct introduction to the natural state
of ever-present, timeless awareness.
We are going on a journey here together that will transform your sense of self. If you
continue to be exposed to these teachings, I promise you that your pain will turn into bliss.
Your delusions, your concepts and your projections will turn into the clear, direct
knowledge of who you are. You will achieve the liberation that you are currently trying to
find through objects and attainments. This is a profound shift in consciousness, a profound

transformation of your very sense of being, which you can do at your own pace. I
encourage you to practice the tools that you will learn in these sessions, and to support
each other. You can join our community Facebook group, if you wish: Bentinho Massaro’s
Teaching and Community.
How much do you desire to feel at one with the Creator, with God? How much do you
desire freedom? How much do you desire to know yourself truly and directly?

Session 2: The Art of True Meditation
Watch Session 2
In Session 2, Bentinho explained four different meditation techniques. Here is a short

description of them:

1. Relax for 2 to 5 seconds and let go of all objects and descriptions. In the blankness
that remains, recognize consciousness, clarity, and the fact that you exist. Repeat
this with will and intent, many times per day. 
2. For a longer period of time, perhaps as a seated meditation, relax all thoughts and
descriptions. Identify the feeling of "I exist" or "I am." Make this feeling clearer and
clearer until this ‘subtle frequency’ becomes more obvious, stable and eventually
even all-consuming or ‘outshining other perceptions’. Rest in this deeper state of
consciousness without being distracted by subject-object focus as much as you
can, so that consciousness may recognize itself and become familiar with its own
essential nature. 
3. Instead of focusing on what you are, become more aware of what you are not. This
practice is called neti-neti ("not this, not that") in Vedanta philosophy. Instead of
focusing directly on the True Self, in this practice you focus on and discern what
you are not. You allow appearances to arise, and see them as appearances. You may
even investigate the appearances by trying to see if you can find your “I” in that
appearance, or not. By realizing clearly that no appearance is what you are, and
that you cannot BE that which you SEE, you negate everything you are not—
everything with which you previously unconsciously associated yourself. Through
this practice you will release more and more false assumptions and veils, and your
True Self will shine ever more vividly in your own awareness as that which remains
when everything else is seen to be ‘not you'. 
4. A questioner asked if he can also see everything as himself. Bentinho loved this
suggestion so much he decided to elaborate on this practice and include it as part
of the session’s suggested meditations. The practice goes as follows: any perception
that you register (any object that appears within your focus) you now whole-
heartedly call by the name of God, or by whatever name you prefer to use—
Source, the One Infinite Creator, Love, Me, Pure Awareness, Universal
Consciousness, I AM, etc. Attempt to see whatever appearance arises as being of
the nature of—made of and belonging to—that pure Consciousness or the True Self.
By doing this, you will generate an intuitive feeling of oneness with all things.
Continue to amplify that feeling by continuing the practice.
During Session 2, Bentinho was asked if there is any music he finds conducive to
meditation. Here are his recommendations:

• 528Hz Energy CLEANSE 
• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 1 
• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 2 
• 432Hz - The DEEPEST Healing 
• 936 Hz Pineal Gland Activation 

Session 3: Everything Is Free of Meaning
Watch Session 3
Bentinho began Session 3 by breaking down how we assign meaning and significance to
things and events and thus generate our own bubbles of sorrow and misperception. He
continued with an explanation of The Five Views or Four Bodies / Veils diagram. Here are
some notes from the session to refresh your memory. Bentinho suggests you listen to each
session two or three times to deepen your understanding / experience of the material
presented.

Giving Things Meaning and Significance

If you’re brave enough to investigate the meaning you’ve given to things, or even the fact
that you’ve assumed that things inherently have meaning (they don’t, because nothing
does), you will find that the things you’ve given the most amount of meaning and
significance to are the most distracting to your freedom and your ability to perceive and
channel unconditional love. Whatever we give meaning to draws our attention (sometimes
for good reason).

We typically fear that we cannot skillfully or intelligently operate without meaning. And
nothing is further from the truth. There is no object in existence that carries its own
meaning; all meaning is optional and given by us. As soon as we label something and give
it meaning and significance, we see it as an object separate from ourselves and we see
only our filters about it. We then experience it as an object that threatens the physical
body object, which we have also defined and given meaning and significance to in a
variety of ways. This distracts us from true perception.

Giving things significance has a contractive energetic momentum around it. It builds sort
of a prison around us of concepts and limiting beliefs, which segregates and separates our
experience of ourselves and generates fear, anxiety and stress. It creates a sort of dense
feeling of object-subject focus, and we don’t allow ourselves to enjoy the naturally free
state of this awareness—God or Creator—that’s here. We limit our sense of self by our own
choice.

In essence, the entire universe is dead quiet and free of meaning. When you can touch this
truth with direct experience, it’s greatly helpful for resting in your natural state,
recognizing the freedom of everything, recognizing the perfection that constitutes every
appearance, and contacting the intelligence, unconditional love and true bliss that is the
true nature of everything that appears.


The Five Views or Four Bodies / Veils

Direct practice / experience is the most important thing. The purpose of this diagram is to
give your intellect the ability to recognize what it’s experiencing in its direct experience.
When you have direct experience, but without a clear, true to form intellectual framework
of the path, it can become a long, arduous, confusing journey, which can distract you from
your direct practice. You will find that this map most probably mimics your own direct
experience as you deepen in your meditations; Bentinho claims it is a universally true
process of evolution or awakening or ascension for virtually anyone.
The Five Views or Four Bodies / Veils diagram:
The diagram is most dense, or gross, on the right side (the physical body / physical plane)
and gets more and more subtle as you go to the left. The grosser realms depend upon, or
their existence is dependent upon, the subtler realms, or bodies. The subtler realms
permeate the grosser realms.

• The square represents the physical body and the physical world. 
• The waves represent the mind, or mental body. In a sense, we could say the mind
observes or “knows” or is aware of the physical body / world, although it is really
consciousness, or the witness, that knows the body / world through the mind. 
• The next symbol, which is depicted as a point of view, represents what we would
call the witness, or the individual soul consciousness at the center of the
individual’s every experience. At this point, pure non-dual or “universal” awareness
has assumed a location, an individuation. The witness is like the window through
which a spark or ray of the light of the Sun (God) shines through into the house of
the mind and the body. It is only through the light that comes through this window
that we can perceive or know the mind and the body. The witness observes the
mind and the body. As soon as you can observe the mind, and you realize you can’t

be what you’re seeing, there is a liberation from the mind; your sense of self starts
to transcend all of the impulses of the mind. Becoming aware of the witness itself is
the beginning of true spirituality or Enlightenment. 
• The next symbol, which is like a sideways view of a satellite dish shape, represents
pure, non-dual awareness; the light of God itself. As the witness, or the
individuated spark of consciousness, withdraws its attention from the mind and the
body and dissolves the feeling of being located somewhere, it’s like the drop of
water begins to merge back into the ocean. It realizes that its true nature is water,
and as water, it is equally everywhere and in every drop. You begin to grok that
your nature transcends all space, time, location and form. You begin to vibrate in
the God consciousness state, and to realize that you are already God—the
Beingness in all things. 
• The symbol at the far left, the question mark with the infinity symbol, represents the
reality that is beyond God. Even God is a manifestation; it has a source. This source
is utterly indescribable. It is the Absolute Me or I, prior to and independent from
God consciousness. You cannot form an image of it, because any image would
represent an experience, and any experience is made of consciousness, or God.
The Absolute Reality is beyond consciousness; therefore, it is beyond experiencing.
The Absolute Reality is you, and it’s here right now, but it’s clouded with
consciousness. But before consciousness, you are Absolute Infinite Perfection. 

Session 4: The 4 Bodies; Understand the Causal Body
Watch Session 4
In Session 4, Bentinho went deeper into the teaching of the 5 Views or 4 Bodies/Veils,
focusing mainly on the Causal Body, or the body of ignorance / nothingness / space. This
body is also called the Bliss Body, or the Anandamaya Kosha, in Vedantic philosophy.
Some teachings suggest there are no levels or stages in Enlightenment, and ultimately, this
is true (in some regards). However, for the majority of people, when they begin to practice
meditation, they tend to become disillusioned with their progress because they don’t know
about the Causal Body. Experientially understanding the Causal Body can save the seeker
years of confusion in meditation, and this was Bentinho’s main purpose in Session 4. There
is a lot of technical information in this session, so Bentinho recommends you listen to it at
least one more time to ensure you’ve understood and integrated the teaching.
We will continue to provide you with a synopsis of these sessions. But to go in depth, we
highly recommend you sit down and watch the videos to absorb the entirety of each
session.
The Causal Body

Conceptually, a body is a vehicle, but it can also be viewed as a veil. Just as the Physical
Body has the functionality to interact with the physical plane, the mind (or Subtle Body)
has the functionality to interact with the subtle planes—the world of thoughts, reasoning,
imagination, feelings, dreams at night, subconscious projections, impressions, preference,
and so on. Since each body also includes the previous body, the Subtle Body includes or
encompasses the Physical Body, the Causal Body encompasses the Subtle Body, and the
Great-Causal Body encompasses the Causal Body. Each body, as we move from right to left
on the diagram, is subtler, or less coarse, than the previous body, and each body is
permeated by, and its existence is dependent upon, the body to its left.

Self-Realization is the art of using your own attention to investigate and deconstruct the
different layers of yourself in search of the true “I” or Self.
It is about asking the questions, “Who am I?” and “What am I not, that I’ve falsely
identified with?” When we are children, we tend to identify almost exclusively with the
Physical Body and the physical world. As we grow older, our association of “I” with the
Physical Body becomes subtler, and typically, we begin identifying more with the mind
(Subtle Body), in addition to being identified with the Physical Body. We become
intellectuals, we mature, we value character and morals over physique, we take things
personally based on thoughts and speech, etc. In short we become more identified with
our mind and personality rather than just our physical body.
There is a body beyond the Subtle Body that most people don’t have a concept about.
Which makes sense, because it’s a non-conceptual state.
The Subtle Body supports and encompasses the Physical Body, but what supports and
encompasses the Subtle Body? This is the Causal Body, also known as the body of
ignorance, nothingness, space or bliss (ignorance = bliss). If you look at the diagram, you

will see that the Causal Body has a crucial position—it is between Enlightenment (the
Great-Causal Body, or God state) and the Subtle Body (the mind).
The Causal Body is like a canyon or dark gap or space in between two continents that
most people don’t know what to do with. When you take your attention off the Subtle
Body (but remain awake), you automatically enter into the Causal Body. If we include the
Causal Body in our conscious understanding, if we learn to recognize it, it becomes easier
to stabilize in it (and go beyond it). It becomes like a trampoline from which we can jump
into the next body, the Great-Causal Body—or the God state, the pure Universal I-Am
essence.
The Great-Causal Body is the subtlest body of all, and for the mind-based consciousness,
which is used to focusing on the Physical Body and the Subtle Body, it is quite a leap to
jump straight to the Great-Causal or God Body. If the leap is made, it is typically difficult
to maintain that recognition because the Subtle Body (mind, senses, impressions, memory,
dreams, desires, etc.) is still very active and identified with. Therefore, becoming aware of
the Causal Body and anchoring more into that Body of No Knowledge, can help unwind
the mind, create stability, stillness and focus in consciousness, and increase one’s ability to
focus on the subtler, rather than be distracted by that which is more gross or coarse or
tangible. As a result of “unknowing the mind” more into the Causal Body of Space, the
peace and stability that results, is a much more stable platform form which to recognize
the Body of Knowledge (Great-Causal Body, God State) and stabilize in that from a place
of being used to the state of nothingness or “deliberate ignorance.”
The Causal Body is also known as the body of ignorance, or no-knowledge. It is the
unknown. This stillness or emptiness is the first thing most meditators step into when they
go beyond the mind after stopping thought for a few seconds. Often, this state is mistaken
for the God-state, or even for The Absolute beyond God, because it has certain similarities,
from the mind’s point of view. Stepping into the Causal Body is like stepping into a place
that has no light and no objects. It is not dark in a negative way, in fact, it’s very peaceful,
typically. That’s why it’s also called the Bliss Body (Anandamaya Kosha). There is a sense of
peaceful, restful, natural nothingness; you’re not conscious in the way you’re used to being
conscious. The tense sense-perception of being a subject looking at objects outside of
yourself relaxes here. The ego unwinds and loses some momentum. It is unknown territory
to the Subtle Body. The Subtle Body can’t go there. But you can.
There is a sense of restful bliss in the Causal Body because peace and not-knowing
(ignorance) are blissful compared to the raging activities of the thoughts, emotions, desires,
and strategies of the Subtle Body (the mind). There is a blissful restfulness, but it is not the
true bliss of the true Self. It’s more like a “reset space” or “ground zero” into which the
world disappears, and from where it once again arises when the Subtle Body is again
focused upon.
It appears to be empty of form, knowledge and information; it has the quality of space.
Many spiritual aspirants stop at this stage because they don’t comprehend it and it doesn’t
seem interesting enough or they don’t know that there is a step (2 steps actually) beyond

this Body. Some aspirants mistake the Causal Body for God or Enlightenment and don’t go
further because they think this space of no objects and no knowledge is Absolute. It is not.
It is itself still an object, a body, a veil. There are two more steps beyond it. One is God,
the Body of Knowledge, and beyond that is the Original One Infinite Absolute, which is
not a body or a veil, but the One Infinite Reality.
Once you are told by your teacher about the Causal Body, and you begin to recognize its
qualities and understand its place in the greater scheme of your journey inwards toward
the Source, you can deliberately use it as a stepping stone. You are back in control of your
own meditation and progress. Confusion has lifted. You can proceed with excitement,
mainly for two reasons:
1. Once you recognize the Causal Body, you realize it’s not God. Your goal is not the
nothingness of the Causal Body; your goal is God, or Enlightenment. So you don’t
stop there!  
2. The Causal Body is easier to hold onto with your attention because it’s not as subtle
as the God state. Holding your attention on the Causal Body and becoming more
stable in it can help you stabilize your consequent Self-Realization of the God
State. It will save you a lot of time going back and forth from short glimpses of the
God state, and then back into your turbulent Subtle Body (mind). Stabilizing in the
direct experience of the Causal Body is a great way to begin to relax all the
momentum, tendencies and latent impressions that fuel the Subtle Body’s chaotic
and unreliable ways.
Contacting the Causal Body relieves the Subtle Body of its erratic energy and
misguided and distracting mixed frequencies, while enhancing its capabilities
(intelligence) at the same time. A calm mind is not a “calm mind,” it is actually a
“non-mind.” The Causal Body is what provides the Subtle Body with calmness,
clarity, stability, purity (like space) and honesty. A child cannot raise itself
effectively; only a parent can raise a child. Similarly, the mind cannot direct,
stabilize, clarify and enhance itself; only the Causal Body can influence the Subtle
Body in such virtuous ways. This stability is greatly helpful in maintaining and
deepening one’s recognition of the God Self.
More and more, learn to stabilize yourself in the peaceful nothingness of the Causal Body
during meditation (and even when you’re not in meditation). Eventually, you will become
aware that you are aware of this nothingness, and your attention will begin to turn back
even further. You will start to realize, “If I’m aware of this nothingness, then I am not found
in the Causal Body (the body of Nothingness), just as I am not found to exist in the
Physical and Subtle Bodies. I must be beyond even the space of ignorance, because
whatever I see, I cannot be.”
That which is aware of the Body of Ignorance, or Causal Body, is the Body of Knowledge,
or Awareness (the Great-Causal Body).

At this point, you can go back through the window of the “witness feeling” (the “witness
feeling” is really just an aspect of the God state shining through a window of the Causal
Body). As soon as you go through this “window,” you realize there is just the non-dual
Love, Light and Awareness of God, radiant and Self-Luminous in all directions equally. This
is the Great-Causal Body, the Body of Knowledge (Self-Awareness), or the God State.
Contacting this body in your direct experience is Enlightenment.
Another Analogy
Here is another analogy that will help you recognize this.
In this drawing, the Earth represents the Physical Body, or the gross plane. Around the
Earth is the atmosphere, which is subtler than the physical nature of the Earth. The
atmosphere represents the Subtle Body (the body of the mind—thoughts, imagination,
dreams, etc.). There is still gravity towards the world of form and objects, but it’s subtler. If
you penetrate through the atmosphere altogether, you enter into pure space. (Imagine this
space without light or stars at this point.) The pure dark space surrounding the Earth and
atmosphere represents the Causal Body.
If you are brave enough to traverse this nothingness, you will become stable in it and
familiar with it. In fact you will soon realize there is nothing to fear about this Body, as it
has always been with you as the supporting space for both your subtle and physical world
and body experiences. After a little while, you will become very comfortable in the
peaceful state of “no knowledge.”
At this point, it’s like a single ray of the sun hits the back of your space shuttle and
illuminates you from behind (a light enters the Causal Body) and whispers: “I am
witnessing this Nothingness, therefore I must be beyond it, or prior to it.” As you turn
around towards this ray of light (the Witness), it reveals the Sun (God/Awareness-Love-

Light) as its source, and you move towards this Sun (the Great-Causal Body or the God
state).
Once the God state has been realized, the experience of the Causal Body changes. The
element of ignorance is removed, because now it is permeated with the light of the Sun, or
the Body of Knowledge and Self-Awareness (the Great-Causal Body). However, it still
retains the quality of space and it continues to support the Subtle and Physical Bodies and
their respective planes or worlds.

Session 5: Being Infinite Love + Q&A
Watch Session 5
Bentinho started Session 5 with a brief summary of the four previous sessions, then
continued with Q&A (questions & answers). As with all of the notes we are providing for
these sessions, this is a not a complete transcript of the session; much is left out. Session 5
is filled with many deep transformative teachings, as well as beautiful gems of wisdom that
are not included in these notes for the sake of brevity. It is highly recommended that you
listen to each session a couple of times to absorb and integrate the teachings.
A Brief Summary of the Previous Sessions

• Session 1: Enlightenment is possible for everyone. It is important to feel that
enlightenment is possible for you, because if you don’t, you won’t be nearly as
motivated and confident in what you’re practicing.
• Session 2: Bentinho explained four meditation techniques. Please see the notes for
Session 2 for a recap of these techniques.
• Session 3: Meaning is optional. All meaning and significance is given by us, and it
is actually distracting us from the True Self. Later in Session 3, Bentinho explains
the 5 Views or 4 Bodies / Veils diagram.  
• Session 4: Bentinho went into great detail explaining the Causal Body, which is one
of the most misunderstood stages of enlightenment-oriented meditation. Once you
have a clear understanding of the Causal Body, meditation becomes much clearer
and more fun.  
Q&A with Online Participants

For the rest of Session 5, Bentinho answered questions from participants watching live on
Facebook and YouTube.
Question 1
Question: Is the Causal Body the same as what you mean by Presence in Trinfinity
Academy?
Answer: Yes and no. Originally, Presence is the I Am itself—the God state, the Great-
Causal Body. This is the only “substance” for anything to be made out of. It is a
combination of Awareness (or Free Will, but not in the usual sense of “free will”), Love (the
innate basic knowledge of infinite unity), and Light (patterns formed out of Awareness and

the intelligent use of Love that ultimately create what we perceive as “form”). These three
things are the first creations out of Infinity. This combination, Awareness-Love-Light, is
what I call God, and everything is made out of this, because that is all there is. Everything
we perceive and experience is an illusion produced out of the original illusion of
Awareness-Love-Light.
So yes, the Causal Body is the same as what I call Presence in Trinfinity Academy, because
ultimately, everything is this Presence. And no, because Presence is present in all of the
bodies, not just in the Causal Body. The Causal Body is Presence experienced as
nothingness, or as the body of space or emptiness.
Watch Session 3 for an overview of the bodies, and Session 4 for an in-depth, experiential
exploration of the Causal Body. Go through the lessons of the Introduction and
Enlightenment I courses in Trinfinity Academy to learn more about Presence.
Question 2
Question: Is the Causal Body the same as what is known as “present moment awareness”
in Buddhism?
Answer: Don’t take this as a claim of knowledge or authority about the different lineages,
but I would equate the Causal Body with what Dzogchen teachings call the “Universal
Ground of Traces.” The Great-Causal Body, or the God state, would, in my understanding,
equate to what they call the Dharma Kaya, or ultimate body.
What Buddhism calls “present moment awareness” (or perhaps “mindfulness”) is not the
Causal Body. You can have present moment awareness of an apple or of a dream or of a
thought, or of nothingness. Your true Presence-Awareness is yourself in the form of God, or
Awareness-Love-Light, which is the ability to be and know. Present moment awareness is
simply to be aware of the Now. If you become present enough to the Now, you will
become less distracted by the Physical and Subtle Bodies, and you will be able penetrate
into the state of nothingness (the Causal Body), or beyond that into the God state (the
Great-Causal Body).
Question 3
Question: Is it possible to directly know these subtler bodies (and The Absolute) when the
physical body is experiencing chronic pain or when in continuous physical danger, such as
self-isolating with an abuser? If so, is there any guidance or insight you could offer to those
who struggle to have undisturbed periods of meditation and self-inquiry?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to know these subtler bodies when experiencing chronic pain. It
may be a little more challenging or distracting, but the benefit of having chronic pain is
that you have more motivation than the average Joe, which can make up for the extra

distraction. There are different approaches to handling physical pain. In general, I would
suggest investigating the metaphysical cause of the pain. Alternatively, I’m not saying this
is always easy, but it is possible: Focus where the pain is not. This is not about suppressing
or bypassing or avoiding pain, as pain can be a great learning tool, but there’s also nothing
wrong with giving yourself a break. Plus it’s great practice in realizing you are not the
gross or subtle bodies. Your I AM is free from these, ultimately.
Pain has a location, a body in which it exists. Therefore, there is also a location—a
vibrational location or a state of consciousness, or ‘body’—where the pain is not. If you
are aware of the pain, this means there is also a place where the pain is not. So, identify
where the pain exists or appears in your consciousness, and then focus on a different
location or plane of your consciousness. There is a state / location / plane / body where the
pain is not, and the Causal Body is such a body, free of the physical and mental
distortions. Physical and emotional pain exist in the Physical and Subtle Bodies, not in the
Causal Body. Focusing one’s attention in the Causal Body offers relief from chronic pain,
similar to how physical and mental pain are not experienced in deep sleep.
There is also an information exchange between the Physical and Subtle Bodies and the
Causal Body. When you are focusing your attention in the Causal Body, some of the
physical and emotional blockages balance themselves out quite naturally. When you focus
on this conscious emptiness or nothingness or ignorance, you are “unknowing” your pain,
your thoughts about the pain, and your feelings about the pain. This can give you a much
greater perspective, so that when focus returns to the mental and physical bodies, you
know that you are not those bodies that are in pain.
Question 4
Question: Is there any place for intention? Because if I were to use intention, then I would
have already given intention meaning. Or can intention just be like the door knob
(referring to an analogy from a previous session), just there and not distracting? Would it
be helpful in any way to have a loving intention, or would this distort the outcome of
something by not letting it be super free?
Answer: Love is always a good intention. But at a certain stage, Love is automatic, so it’s
no longer an intention—it’s a reality. But up until Love is a total reality, anytime it’s not
your direct experience, it’s great to come from that intention. The only space from which
you truly know that Love is, is the Great-Causal Body—the pure, universal I Am. At that
point, you don’t need Love as an intention anymore, because it’s already there.
Question 5
Question: The issue for me (and others I’ve been talking to in the community) is an intense
fear that spontaneously arises while meditating deeply upon nothingness (the Causal
Body). What is this fear? It feels as if (and this is speculation) on the boundary between
the Causal Body and the Great-Causal Body there is a visceral fear that yearns for

understanding and transcendence, like a gatekeeper. It feels as if it is asking for a complete
letting go of all attachments and ideas of identity. Any insight as to what this fear may be?
Answer: I love the term gatekeeper. It’s like the eye of the needle, or a narrow window.
There is an instinctive knowledge that, “If I pass through this window, I will no longer be
‘me’ in the way I know myself to be.” This is because you have associated yourself with
your thoughts and ideas and beliefs for a long time, and none of these things fit through
the eye of the needle. The only thing that fits through the eye of the needle is the pure
spark of you, your essence.
This image is not truly accurate, because it paints a picture of having to let go. There is a
core to this teaching which is beyond even the need to let go. This is the realization that
what we are looking for is already truly realized. The God state is already here, whether or
not we “go through the eye of the needle.” This is sort of a way to bypass having to go
through the eye of the needle, although you’re not really bypassing it; you’re going through
a different kind of eye of the needle that doesn’t seem as threatening. You’re adjusting
yourself to the true state of your being, as it already is.
You are already God—there is no letting go of attachments or going through the eye of the
needle. The truth of this moment, the essence of all appearances, is already timelessly free.
If you can go straight to this recognition, it makes redundant any kind of letting go or
making of a decision. Just by being recognized, this intrinsic Awareness recognizes itself,
and thus everything that’s not true is rendered illusory, or not real. When you see
something is not real, the idea or feeling that it poses an obstacle and needs to be let go of
disappears as well. This only happens through practice; it cannot remain just an
intellectual understanding. The intellect can help guide you, but it cannot liberate you
beyond the subtle plane, because intellect belongs to the Subtle Body.
Question 6
Question: Is there any correlation between the bodies or veils in meditation and brain
waves—alpha, beta, theta, gamma and delta?
Answer: Roughly, but I wouldn’t limit it to that. Don’t pin me down to this, because it’s
kind of subjective, a guesstimate, but if one were focused exclusively in each body (and
there is almost always a blend), I would say:
• Physical Body focus: Mostly beta with a little bit of alpha 
• Subtle Body focus: Mostly alpha with some beta and some theta 
• Causal Body focus: Somewhere in the range of theta and delta 
• Great-Causal Body focus: A combination of delta and gamma

Another way to see the gamma brain state is an interactiveness or open portal between all
of the bodies, like a free-flowing communication or a simultaneity between them all. This
happens when concentration is pure but the grasp of the ego is thin, and one’s attention or
concentration is wide-open; not locked onto anything per se.
Question 7
Question: Is it possible to access the state of nothingness or the God state with techniques
that focus on relaxing the body and tuning into its wisdom beyond the mind? What is the
state of “flow” that dancers and athletes experience?
Answer: When you’re in the flow state, it’s kind of an unconscious, or quasi-conscious,
usage of the state you are already tuned into. It’s almost like it just happens, like you are
the witness of a flow state, rather than having a deliberate focus on the state you wish to
be tuned into.
Yes, it’s possible to access the state of nothingness or the God state with relaxing
techniques, but it’s really just a “permission slip.” It’s a roundabout way. I sense a sort of
worshipping of the body, with almost a fetish attention on it, in your question. See if you
can begin to see beyond that because you are still giving power away to something; it’s not
a direct usage of these teachings. You’re giving the body meaning in a certain way, and
you’re giving power away to that meaning. But because that meaning is in alignment with
your intention to be a flow state, or to be connected to the nothingness state or the God
state, it can work. It’s just a roundabout way.
It is the intention that is direct; you just believe it’s going through the wisdom in the body
that transcends the mind. This is serving your personal preference or symbolization. If it
works for you, by all means use it, but you can begin to connect to these states more and
more directly if you choose to. No matter what you are doing, you can recognize the
space of nothingness, the empty foundation within which it is all appearing, and which
itself is free from the object-based knowledge found in the physical and subtle foci.
And you can recognize the light of Awareness itself. In fact, that is happening right now. In
truth, you are God right now, looking through all the bodies.
Question 8
Question: Within which of the 5 bodies does a person experience connection with
intuition, higher guidance and/or Intelligent Infinity?
Answer: Within the framework I am teaching, there are not 5 bodies; there are only 4
bodies. The fifth view is The Absolute, which is not a body. Ultimately the 4 bodies are
illusory; they are the Creation, the Illusion, the Grand Experience. The Absolute cannot be

described as a “body;” the bodies are functions or expressions of The Absolute, and they
typically also veil The Absolute from the perceiver, or: from itself, ultimately.
In your question, you are asking about how the person experiences these things. So, that
would always be through the Subtle Body, or the mind, because the person is the product
of the Subtle Body. We interpret all of our visions, intuitions, downloads and insights in the
Subtle Body. Some of these insights come from the subtle planes and some of them come
from the physical plane. For example, if I see an object falling, I deduce that there is
gravity. This is the Subtle Body assessing information from the Physical Body or plane.
Similarly, you can access information from other aspects of the Subtle Body, for example,
your memories, or intuitions from other parts of the Subtle Body. You can also access
intuitions or downloads from the Causal Body or beyond, but as soon as it’s downloaded,
you experience its manifestation or symbolization or understanding through the Subtle
Body.
You are beyond intuition already. But if you are still giving meaning to it, as if you are a
person, then you will only experience the tail end of those downloads—the symbolization
of it, which you are familiar with. You can’t experience the intuition / download in its own
native state if you are giving meaning to yourself as if you are a person who needs
intuition and downloads and flow states, etc. If you are identified with the Subtle Body,
you will interpret it through that veil, and it will always be misinterpreted to some degree.
If you are focused exclusively in a particular state, such as the state of nothingness (Causal
Body) or the God state (Great-Causal Body), and you are not dragged down by meanings
given by the ego, then you can directly contact transcendent states of consciousness. You
become functional in those states, and not really “human” anymore. When you can
operate from the higher bodies, no longer needing interpretations and symbolizations of
these subtler states, then you can begin to experience these intuitions from their own level.
You can still translate these intuitions into words within the Subtle Body, but you’ve
already understood them at their own level—before words and labels. The insight is
instantaneous; you begin to know things more directly.
Stop giving so much meaning to yourself as a person and trust in your capacity for Infinity.
You’re so much bigger than you know.
Question 9
Question: In which of these 5 bodies are you, when you talk to us?
Answer: There is a free-flow happening, and there is a simultaneity of it all. This is one of
the subtlest concepts to grok; I call it true simultaneity. All of these levels of consciousness
are simultaneously available to me. There is like an openness, or a portal, to all of these
levels of consciousness that I can, to a great extent, access at will, and that are all
operational automatically. There is a transparency that has been strengthened over time,
and because of this, there is a free flow. It’s like I can take the elevator up and down really

quickly without losing the overall feeling of the simultaneity of it all. My bodies work in
tandem, you could say, when teaching or just while living in general.
In Closing
Keep exposing yourself to this material if you are serious about it, if it is something that
you want. Un-know everything back to the space from which it arose; back to the
Universal Ground of Traces, or the Causal Body—the peaceful state of no-thing. Then
bring Awareness into it as much as you can; recognize the Awareness that illuminates the
nothingness—and that illuminates your thoughts and all the forms of this world. Rest more
and more in this nothingness, and in Awareness as well. Eventually, you will be able to
rest in the God state, which is super subtle but brilliant and pristine and pure. This is
possible for everyone; this is possible for you.  

Session 6: How to Purify the I Am
Watch Session 6
The term “Self-Realization” is pretty self-explanatory; it means the realization of the Self
(or: the real “me”). It implies purifying one’s vision or knowledge or understanding from
that which is not the Self, so that one may have a clear and pure view, understanding,
knowledge and experience of the Self. Another term for Self is “I Am.” Or you could say
“Awareness” or “Being.”
Why is it typically not sufficient just to hear these words? Why does the recognition of I-
Am or Awareness not immediately result in a causeless state of consciousness or being that
is aware of its own essence, to the degree where one is in bliss, in love, and is free? Why
is the recognition of the feeling of I-Am not the end of the story? Why is it not real Self-
Realization? This is where the purification of one’s ability to perceive the I-Am in its
original purity, rather than cloaked in concepts and associations, comes in.
The Innermost Sense of “Me”

Another word for Self or I-Am is “Me.” You’re almost always referencing yourself. You talk
about this Me all day long, whether in your head or through your vocal chords. Almost
any type of conversation you have somehow pertains to you. Even if the topic is not
directly about you, you come to the conversation from a place of assuming the Me. This
understanding or this state of Me has, for the most part, been un-investigated. It is because
of this lack of direct investigation that we walk around as if in a cloud or a bubble of mind
and thought (the Subtle Body) that makes all kinds of claims of me and I and mine. So,
why is the recognition of I-Am or Me (the innermost sense of Me) typically not enough?
Because this is a journey of purification.
The I-Am itself is always and already free, is already perfected, is already the Great-Causal
Body or the God state. I-Am is God, but not the I-Am that most people recognize (at first).
So, how do we go from a false sense of I-Am to an ever-clearer, ever-purer sense of I-Am
that equates to the God Self?
Right now, you would not be having this experience (or any experience) if you weren’t
here to observe it, to witness it, to know of it; to be here for it. There is no knowledge apart
from the Knower, the Me, the I-Am. This is why the Great-Causal Body is also called the
Body of Knowledge. It is the body that contains all knowledge. And in its own state it is
aware of itself; so it has true Self-Knowledge (capital K), rather than the knowledge of
contents and appearances and perceptions. Right now, your Physical Body is listening to
this (talk), your Subtle Body is interpreting it, and your Causal Body is providing the space
or stage for it all to happen. But there is also something that is aware of all of this. An
essence, if you will. There is a substratum or root cause (or Great Cause) that is responsible
for all the rest of perception, and indeed the entire Universe.

While the Causal Body could be said to cause or provide support for the experiences of
the Physical and Subtle Bodies (just like space provides Earth with an orbit), the Great-
Causal Body could be said to be directly responsible for all of experience itself—for all the
other vehicles of experience. But it’s so simple and subtle that we overlook it all too easily,
even though without it, nothing else would be known at all. This is one of the reasons why
the recognition of I-Am, or the innermost Me, is typically not a profound realization that
liberates us right away. Some faith in the teachings is needed first, in order for one to
practice them to a point where they do become liberating. You always have access to this
I-Am (the Great-Causal Body) in the form of your sense of Me—your innermost sense of
yourself, or being. However, we often don’t stay with this recognition long enough to
zoom in on it purely; and so we come to premature conclusions about it and its true value
remains blurry to us.
When God Associates Itself with Contents

The I-Am is God, however, it has associated itself with the Causal, Subtle and Physical
Bodies and their objects of perception. In other words, it has associated itself with
contents. When God associates itself with contents, it has added objects, appearances and
definitions—that provide it with a shape, a size, a dimensionality, a function, and a
location—onto its original Self-Knowing nature. In this way, God gives itself the sense that
it is a partial, location-bound subject, or even an object. Your individuation is God in
delusion; God in ignorance of itself; God in search of itself.
In its own state, at the heart of its own Beingness, the I-Am is ever pure, ever self-reliant,
and ever radiant. It doesn’t need to be purified. But the deluded version of God, also
known as ______ (insert your name here), is God in ignorance of itself. God in delusion
can use this knowledge to free itself from the concepts it has produced and identified itself
with. Knowing how to purify the I-Am will save you years of confused meditation time.
When I mention the I-Am, or when I ask, “Who are you?” what does your attention go to?
Usually it will go to the body or the mind, or to an idea. But this not the original I-Am.
Associating the true I-Am, in all of its magnificence, with the Physical Body or the Subtle
Body, or even the Causal Body of space, is to pull a veil over God and believe that the veil
is who you (God) are. And yes, even that veil is made of God’s Awareness-Love-Light
(which are the three original qualities of God or the I-Am). So, God is truly self-deluded.
The antidote for this is for God to know itself once again without being fooled by the veils
(or Bodies) made of its own essence.
Self-Realization equals Me-Realization. It is a realization of what you are, as opposed to

what you are not. Although everything in the first three bodies (Physical, Subtle and
Causal) is made of the fourth body, the Great-Causal Body—the cause of all the universes
—for the purpose of clarity, instruction and practicability, I will make this statement: There
is the Me that you are and there is everything else that you are not. Even though ultimately,
everything you are not is actually made of what you are, so you could argue that
everything else is also you.

But for the purpose of this session, it’s much more practical and effective, when it comes
to delivering the results you desire (liberation from these veils), to see what you’ve
associated with that is not-you. This is sort of a poetic, symbolized process of purification
in which the true Me in its original state of purity can naturally dawn on you.
The I-Am is a Quality, Not a Form

Notice that when I ask you to become aware of the innermost sense of Me, you’re still
looking for a thing or a direction (you might be pointing inwards, which is one of the
better delusions to use—turning your attention 180-degrees inward). You’re still looking for
a form, a shape, a size, a dimension, a location, a particular experience—a thing. But the
I-Am is a quality, not a thing. Being is a quality. A quality does not need a location, a
subject and object, an outside or an inside. The quality of I-Am is just that—a quality. It’s
never had properties like space and time. It’s never been a part of any of that. But we’ve
become so reliant upon the sense of self that has been produced by associating the I-Am
with the senses, with thinking and concepts, that we automatically try to place the I-Am
somewhere within the world of form we already know. Hence we cannot perceive the I-
Am in its original purity.
It’s almost inevitable that we will attempt to locate the I-Am somewhere, as if it’s in the
heart or the head. But the I-Am does not have a location, because ALL locations are
appearances made of the quality I-Am. So try to see the I-Am (which is God, or the Great-
Causal Body) as a quality, not a form. This is very important in accelerating the purification
process—the purity with which you know the real Me. The I-Am does not have a form; this
is why meditating on the I-Am is so subtle. This is also why meditating on the Causal Body
is usually easier to maintain—because even space has a sort of form or location or a
certain property that is easier to maintain our conditioned-by-form attention on.
The Causal Body is the first veil pulled over the eye of God. The I-Am truly has no form.
Form is something that has a shape or a location. A quality cannot be said to have a
location. For example, an apple has a location and candy has a location. But sweetness
does not have a location. Candy is the form; sweetness is the quality. Kindness is also a
quality; it cannot be said to have a location or a position; it cannot be said to be
somewhere inside the body. Speech does not contain kindness. A quality already
transcends the entire realm by which and through which we’re used to referencing
ourselves—space, time, objects and subject.
If you can contemplate and realize the true nature of a quality—in this case, the quality of
consciousness itself—then you can begin to purify the sense of Me from any added-on
feeling or thought or perception—all of which have some manner of form, space, time,
location, individuation, subject or object. This allows you to simply rest in Consciousness
as the quality that it is. This is most accessible to many by identifying the quality or
“feeling” of “I-Am.”

God cannot be said to look like this or not look like that. It doesn’t have a form of its own.
All forms are the form of God, but God itself is a quality, not a manifestation. All
manifestations appear inside and due to this quality of Being. The Great-Causal Body does
not have a location because it doesn’t have a form. Anything that has form is a
manifestation of that which has no form.
I know this is subtle, but try to relate to the I-Am, the innermost sense of Me, as a formless
quality so that you can turn your attention onto that quality instead of attempting to look
for it inside your kundalini rising, or in this chakra or that chakra, or inside your heart or
your head, or inside of an angel, or inside of a tarot deck, or above your head, or in space,
etc. The quality of I-Am, of I-Exist, of Me, of God, is not to be found in a form or in a body
or in a location. You cannot point in any direction in order to locate I-Am. You have to
simply notice that you are, and with practice, maintain awareness of that quality.
We’re always attributing form to God or to Me—“I am this, I am that, I’m over here, you’re
over there…” This is why, when we initially try to recognize or rest in the I-Am, we don’t
typically experience the sense of timeless bliss. This generally comes with practice, and
your practice will greatly accelerate if you understand the process of purifying the I-Am,
rather than just continuing to be mindful or continuing to observe the feeling of “I am
present as the body.” These things are great to relax you and stabilize the mind, but when
it comes to actual Self-Realization, I’m asking you to recognize the sense of Me, because
the sense of Me is God. But the sense or primordial quality of Me has been clouded in
associations, which I’ve sometimes called “mental containers.”
We use everything that we’re used to—our allegiance to the senses—and project that
whole way of being onto the I-Am. And so it feels like the I-Am is “over here.” But how
can a quality be over here? It’s either everywhere or nowhere. Sweetness has no location,
but sugar does. The body is the sugar; the sweetness is the I-Am. But the sweetness in
sugar is not exclusive to sugar; it’s also in candy and apples and other things. So, in that
sense, sweetness is all-pervasive; it is transcendent to the form. The quality of
consciousness doesn’t have a location, my friends. And when you begin to tap into that,
the bliss and love will begin to be released into your conscious awareness.
All that exists is the I-Am itself. The degree to which we can be empty of additions, empty
of associations with the pure quality or state of I-Am, the less we will identify it with form,
the more we will stay at the root of Beingness itself, as the pure quality of non-local, non-
dual Awareness-Love-Light, the God state, the Body of Knowledge which knows its own
self-luminous nature. The degree to which your Physical, Subtle and Causal Bodies can be
illuminated or pervaded by the true Knowledge of the Great-Causal Body, the more the
illusions will dissolve. God ever is. It is everywhere and nowhere. God—I-Am—IS.
Recognize the feeling of I-Am as a quality. It is the quality of clarity itself, the quality of
cognizance, the quality of being, the quality of knowing (not the objects which we know
of); the quality of pure “I-Am.” It is the root quality that has to be there before anything can
be experienced. This includes the experience of nothingness, or deep sleep, or ignorance,
or not-knowingness, or pure space without objects. Even these things are still objects; they

have forms, even though they are subtle forms. It is necessary for the I-Am to be there in
order to experience nothingness, or ignorance, or the Causal Body.
True Meditation
For Self-Realization, we are getting both feet more firmly planted in the I-Am, in the God
state, in the Great-Causal Body. We’re talking about the quality I-Am knowing itself more
and more continuously. A lot of people, when they meditate, subconsciously feel that they
are meditating with the body. This is based on past associations, memories, and the
imprint or veil of “I am the Physical and Subtle Bodies.” You actually believe that it’s you
(as a body and/or mind) who is going to meditate, “I’m going to sit down in meditation. I,
as the body-mind, am going to meditate on the I-Am.”
What will greatly free you up, and what is crucial in order to get to a purer Self-
recognition, is to understand that true meditation is not done with the body or the mind. In
a sense, you could even say that it’s done without the body or the mind. True meditation is
the I-Am meditating upon itself and abiding in itself. It is consciousness knowing
consciousness. It is the I-Am enjoying its own quality; its own sweetness, and recognizing
all of the associations that will eventually fall away. By looking for these associations while
you are aware of the I-Am, you can accelerate this process. You will understand that the I-
Am has associated itself with the Physical, Subtle and Causal forms. Being aware of these
associations, you can clearly discern that none of them contain “You.” You ARE, and this
isness naturally knows of the passing forms or appearances. Whatever you know of,
cannot be the knower itself. Know the knower. Be with the quality of pure isness or being.
The Causal Body can be a great intermediary tool—like a bridge—to help you unwind all
the impressions of the mind; to become purer, simpler and emptier. The Causal Body is
like the innocence of not knowing. Compared to the Physical and Subtle worlds, the
Causal plane is already free, to a degree. It’s not the true bliss or the true enlightenment,
but comparatively, it is vast and empty, still and transcendent; and you can stabilize in it if
you want to. You can give your Subtle Body knowledge and your Physical Body knowledge
back to the space which supports them both and rest in that nothingness. This is the initial
step of surrendering your ego—to the simple presence of no-knowledge, of space-like
nothingness.

Session 7: Balancing Enlightenment and Worldly Function
Watch Session 7
The more the veil of separation has been penetrated, the more automatically the
understanding of Oneness dawns on you, or is made visible. The intangible, the subtle, is
made obvious. Therefore, the more you know your essence, the more you know all other
selves as well. Each individuation needs to be honored for what it is, for what it appears to
be, and for where it appears to be at within this spectrum or gradient of The One (in the
form of the entity) knowing itself.
“Black or White” Teachings

I’ve both been a fan and not a fan of the more direct, “black or white” type of teachings,
which are often found in Advaita Vedanta philosophy or the more non-dual Eastern
teachings in general. I don’t mean to offend any particular branch of spirituality; they are
all valid and these different ways appeal to different beings, depending on where they are
at and what their particular preferences and biases are. But I have some balancing notes to
share.
When we generalize, we inevitably lose accuracy or nuance, but to get a point across we
sometimes have to generalize. So, in general, these (black or white) types of teachings are
based on the premise that there is truth and there is illusion. I don’t disagree with that
statement, in and of itself, and I speak these words frequently myself. There is a black or
white approach in these paths that can be helpful as intermittent tools or modes for the
seeker to commit to. In this approach to enlightenment, one takes on the premise that
there is only truth or illusion—black or white, true or false—and that there is really
nothing in between that one needs to pay attention to. In fact, anything between the false
and the true should be discarded as an illusion, in order to gain the quickest experiential
results of ‘the truth’.
This can be very powerful if the student is ready for it, if it’s relevant for the student to
adopt this view of spirituality, and if the psychological attachments to forms and ideas
have already been loosened up and recognized as optional choices. When this conviction
is high, one is ready to intermittently adopt a more radical black or white approach as
means to accelerate purification—to nakedly and courageously face the light of the Sun,
the Truth, Oneness and unconditional Love. In this Light, the layers of the person that still
exist will become blatantly obvious to the entity’s mind; they will cast a stark shadow. One
will become willing to expose one’s most hidden secrets; to expose one’s most privately
kept thoughts and beliefs and emotions regarding one’s vulnerability, one’s seemingly
separate appearance, one’s belief in lack, and so on.
For much of this retreat, we have taken on a somewhat mild, more balanced approach to
this black or white teaching. This version is supportive of wherever you’re at. Unless there
is a genuine willingness and readiness in the adept to commit more and more fully (almost

exclusively) to deepening the yearning for this Oneness, and without disciplining one’s
entire life to support it, these black or white statements are often less than helpful. They
may, however, be helpful as intermittent periods where one takes on that approach.
Black or White Teachings as an Intermittent Approach or a View

The only way this works in a balanced way (and this is what is often missing) is if people
understand consciously that they are taking on an approach or view. If I state, “This is true
and that is false,” and if you have 100% faith in my words, while disregarding where you
are at in your own life/journey, then it’s easy to make the mistake of judging yourself. The
only way I have found a black or white type of teaching to be helpful is when it is
consciously approached as an approach—as a view that one adopts for intermittent
periods of time. Just like when you put on climbing shoes to climb better, and take them
off when you’re done. You’re not going to walk around in daily life with those extreme
climbing shoes on, it would only cause your feet to hurt.
You have to take responsibility for the views you take on, the teachings you absorb, and
for the approach that is part and parcel of that message. You have to understand the biases
with which the teacher is teaching. I wish to remind you to balance the information you
hear so that you make it applicable to yourself in the most radically balanced and honest
way possible.
You are responsible for how you apply and integrate these teachings. I do my best, even
when I’m emphasizing more radical or direct approaches, to layer it with nuances that are
about maintaining a balanced view, so that it remains accessible to all entities, no matter
where they are at in their journey. But there is only so much nuance I can layer in; there
are only so many stages where people are at that I can honor, if you will, in any sentence
or even in any session.
The grander picture, according to my experience and view, is the realization of the One
Infinite Creator by itself, for itself, through itself, in the form of all of us. And as such, I
prioritize the direct approaches frequently. At no point should you try to mimic my view if
it doesn’t resonate for you. Only adopt what resonates with your internal guidance system,
while at the same time being honest about what your excuses and biases and conditioning
are telling you. It is your responsibility—your honor, duty and joy—to sift through this and
assess and decide. The degree to which you commit to a contemplative, remembrance-
based existence is entirely up to you.
I am an advertisement for greater focus on what is true and greater letting go of what is
false. I am an advertisement for greater courage and self-honesty as to what one is holding
onto that is not essential to one’s being. I am an advertisement to focus and embrace the
remembrance of that which is essential—to that which is ultimately true—and to devote
oneself to this purification process, sometimes at the expense of more temporary goals or
foci. This letting go process naturally happens as one focuses attention towards the One,

the infinite nature of all things. This is the great healer; this is the great resolver of
paradoxes; this is the great guide; this is the inner/true guru.
Another reason I don’t wholeheartedly prefer the black or white types of teachings (even
though I don’t necessarily disagree with some of them, and I see great value in their
approach when seen as an approach) is that when they are applied to everyone in general,
they fail to honor the grandness within the illusion of the individuality of the journey of the
mind-body-spirit complex. There is an infinite amount of diversity possible within the
illusion, even though the substratum of the illusion is Oneness—pure, sheer Awareness-
Love-Light. But out of these three primary colors, or active principles of the One Infinite
Creator, anything can be produced. If this is all a representation or symbolization of the
One Absolute Infinite, then wouldn’t it allow for an infinite variety of expressions and free
choices? It must and it does, obviously.
The Purpose of the Illusion

What is the purpose of the illusion? I believe it is a vehicle for the One Absolute to know
itself in an infinite variety of ways; to learn about itself through choices, expression and
reflection. This happens in a way that we cannot possibly describe with our human
language, so whatever I say, and whatever impression you get of what I’m trying to convey,
is greatly distorted and simplified. In a simplified way, we could say that the One Infinite
Creator wanted to know itself and taste its potential, and therefore, within what it began to
dream up, within Awareness-Love-Light, it generated infinite variety and free will to
explore all of this in seemingly endless ways. What you currently think of as “you” on a
day-to-day veiled basis, is one of the fingertips of the Creator exploring itself.
Black or white paths tend to dismiss all of this diversity as purely conceptual and
redundant. This type of approach has the practical value of accelerating one’s quantum
leaping into higher states of consciousness or Self-Realization and dropping attachment to
the ephemeral faster. However, for the sake of a balanced and consistent journey, one
needs to also appreciate and honor the illusion’s value. This doesn’t mean that you can’t
know it is an illusion—indeed you can. In fact, if it’s truly an illusion, why wouldn’t you
appreciate it? Wouldn’t not appreciating it give it more reality? The only reason you would
devalue an aspect of the Creator knowing itself is if you do not fully believe it’s an illusion.
If you fully believe it’s an illusion, you’re in complete acceptance of it because illusion
does not pose a threat to the beholder of that illusion.
The black or white approach often gives the impression that because something is illusory,
it should therefore be judged as not worthy or not good, and this creates imbalances
within the holistic nature of this intelligently and delicately designed mind-body-spirit
complex. One should at least honor and appreciate the depth and the extent of the
spectrum within the illusion. If one does not honor this, one almost always creates
imbalances or suppressions. This does not mean you should give everything significance
and distract yourself from the direct path approaches, because these approaches are by far
the most effective and accelerating. By all means, if it suits you: use this brief lifetime in a

black or white kind of way as often as you can, responsibly, with a subtext of appreciating
and honoring the depth and breadth of this journey.
So now, when you choose to see only one thing as true and everything else as false, and
when you guide all of your attention towards that truth, it is a conscious choice. You are no
longer under the spell of true or false, or right or wrong, or black or white; you’re choosing
it as a method, as a view, as an approach. And therefore, you can truly benefit from that
approach without falling into traps of suppression or judgment or non-appreciation of all
the illusions you encounter along the way. You cannot let go of what you judge—what you
resist persists, and what you suppress just lingers in the background. Eventually, all things
are acceptable.
If we’re not applying these direct teachings in a suppressive way, but rather in a holistic
way, then we are open to the appearance of themes of energetic blockages that come up
for us; misperceptions that we’ve carried for so long that we need to spend a little bit of
time honoring as they are, accepting them as they are, understanding the nature of the
misperception and contrasting that to a truer perception that is closer to the vibration of
the One Infinite Creator. This prevents the misperception from being suppressed or judged
further, so it can be brought into the Light and transmuted into a more holistic
understanding that is more transparent to the Sun of the Self.
One’s “shadows” are the result of suppression and non-acceptance and non-appreciation.
To the truly committed adept, nothing is off the table; everything is up for grabs. Everything
is available to be appreciated, understood in its own timing, and ultimately, to be accepted
and seen as another expression of the One Infinite Creator knowing itself.
So I recommend you appreciate the niche and limitation of your physical and mental
experiences. Understand that they are in no way an impediment or limitation upon your
inner experience, your intuitive experience, or upon what you can realize in your
contemplations and meditations.
Four Types of Beings

The four types of beings describe the outcome, or the radiance, or the expression that
emanates from a being who is committed to the One Infinite Creator to a certain degree of
directness. This is a practical way of making certain distinctions to help you get a fuller
sense of the options that are available to you. These four distinctions basically describe the
functionality of a being, once they have achieved a certain level of consciousness, and
based on their desire or focus or commitment to a greater expansive state of
consciousness. These distinctions describe not so much the beings themselves, but more
their journey and the way they express themselves, and what their effect is on the world
around them, within the illusion.

The Person
We are all familiar with the Person. The Person includes most people before they wake up,
and typically for some period of time after they wake up. It is safe to assume that, to a
great degree, you are still the Person. Unless you’ve done a lot of work, there are a lot of
aspects of you that are still the Person.
But let’s describe someone who is fully the Person and not aware of anything beyond that.
The Person can be recognized as someone living their life with the purpose and
functionality of procuring and securing the things that it sees as lacking, and then making
the necessary efforts to maintain those things. The person fears the loss of what has been
acquired and is always looking for greater self-preservation, safety, and growth of assets.
The world that the Person attempts to be of service to typically doesn’t extend beyond the
immediate family or household. You could describe them as the most selfish and the most
grounded, in a 3D type of way, of the four categories. In other words, this is your “average
Joe.” This is not a judgment; it is just a description of a state of consciousness.
The Shepherd
The Shepherd covers a wide range of the journey. This is a person who has awakened from
the personal bubble, to more or less of an extent. If you are comparing this to the 7
Density spectrum, the Shepherd ranges from late 3rd Density to late 6th Density or early
7th Density. Again, it covers a wide spectrum—the majority of one’s journey as a soul.
The Shepherd is the person who has become spiritually activated; aware that they are not
just their bodies and their minds. They have activated the positive path of service to others
and they have become more metaphysical in their understanding.
Since the Shepherd covers such a wide spectrum, there are great differences between
those at the early stages and those at the later stages. However, what they have in common
is their intention, desire and functionality; it is simply the clarity of self-knowledge and the
balance and precision with which this knowledge is executed or given to the world that
differs in the beginning stages from the later stages. The Shepherd wants to be of service to
others and does so from a metaphysical, awakened state (to some degree, at least). They
“shepherd” those who are still more fully bound to person-consciousness.
This is where I believe most of you [Bentinho addresses the viewers] have your focus or
orientation, although most of you also still have a lot of personal consciousness
components that you’re dealing with and processing and bringing into the light, accepting,
transforming and letting go of. Your functionality in the world is to be of active service,
bouncing back and forth between your inner experience and how that reflects in your
outer experience. It’s about fine-tuning your integration of Love and Wisdom and then
executing that in the world. You constantly upgrade your understanding, deepen your
meditation and surrender more of yourself to God or the One Self that constitutes all of
Creation.

Whereas the Person is all about consuming, the Shepherd is about creating and generating
and radiating. The Shepherd becomes less selfishly oriented. There is also less belief in
lack. There is more trust and faith that the entity is supported no matter what. The
Shepherd begins to awaken to the abundance that is present in every holographic cubic
inch of this illusion, so to speak. As a result, the Shepherd is more flexible with
possessions, more generous with possessions and energy, and naturally more giving. The
Shepherd recognizes more and more the unity, the underlying connectedness between self
and other-self.
As a soul moves up in the densities of Love (4th Density), Wisdom (5th Density) and Unity
(6th Density), it becomes more and more fully a Shepherd; more and more of service in a
balanced way. It knows itself more and more completely. Near the end of the Shepherd
stage, it becomes the unified Self; the fully integrated Self. It becomes the near-completed
version of the individual extension of God.
Note: If you are interested in learning more about Shepherding consciousness and
purifying and transforming your being to be more in alignment with serving others, you
may wish to check out Bentinho’s Shepherding Consciousness program. This is a paid 12-
month, self-paced online program, which has received many accolades from participants.
It includes membership in a private Facebook group where you can meet, interact, and
support others who are interested in developing this aspect of themselves.
The Mirror
The shift from Person to Shepherd is a shift from consuming to giving, compassion, clarity,
self-understanding at a higher level, recognizing the unity of all things, and so on. One
desires to give in an evermore transparent, purified way to those with whom one interacts,
with ever less expectation or need for return. There is a natural love and generosity.
There comes a point where another major shift in the being’s orientation and functionality
occurs, which is distinct enough to require its own category. This is the shift from 6th
Density into 7th Density—from the unified individual soul-self into a much fuller
association with or identification with the universal Self, or the God Self. This is where the
individuated sense of I Am begins to open up so that the Light that surrounds it and
sources it is fully allowed in, to the degree where the identity shifts from individuation to
Allness, or non-duality, or God.
The late 6th-Density Shepherd has balanced Love and Wisdom / Wisdom and Love over
and over and over again. The entity has come to know its subtle distortions and has
integrated them, allowing them to be integrated into the Light of God. At some point, the
“gravitational” effect of the One increases one’s desire and yearning. There is an inner pull
to release oneself into the Allness; to release all memory and attachment of personal
identity and location. You want to become one with the Ocean of God.

The functionality or purpose or expression of a Mirror is distinguished from the Shepherd
in that the Shepherd is still focused on Creation, on interacting with the components
within the illusion, of making sense out of them and using the illusion of polarity in all of
its variety to know itself and fine-tune itself. In contrast, the Mirror doesn’t display an
active desire to interact with the world of polarity, although there may be some degree of
interaction. The Indian sage Ramana Maharshi, including his outer expression of ‘lifestyle’,
is a good, almost symbolic example of this.
Note: This does not mean that every Mirror Being will appear the same way; it’s just a
symbol. Do not try to mimic the image of other masters in their expression or lifestyle.
Rather, simply try to realize what they realized within yourself and accept/allow the way
that Intelligence most naturally decides to express itself through your unique blueprint or
incarnation.
The inner experience of the Mirror is that of Oneness with God. One surrenders into the
Light of God because one feels they have completed their individual journey, or at least
have no further attachment to their individual thoughts or activities. There is a total
acceptance and appreciation for all components of oneself, and therefore there is no
power in any of them. Ra describes it as (paraphrasing): All components of duality have
been used up; they are no longer useful for this entity.  
Here is the Ra (Law of One) quote Bentinho was referencing:

 
“The [spiritual] mass increases, shall we say, significantly but not greatly until the
gateway density (7th Density, merging with the Great-Causal Body or God). In this
density the summing up, the looking backwards—in short, all the useful functions of
polarity have been used. Therefore, the metaphysical electrical nature of the
individual grows greater and greater in spiritual mass.”
The vibration around this entity is one of unified wholeness. The entity feels complete in
their journey and willingly lets go of all need for personal memory or sense of separate
identity in order to become unified with the Awareness that is the essence of All That Is.
While the Shepherd is like a ray of the Sun that is giving here and giving there, the Mirror
is equally radiant in all directions. In the core of that being, there is an equal radiance, a
divine radiance, for all things and all beings. There is a Perfection or sense of completeness
that is known vividly all the time. It’s like being the Sun rather than being a ray of the sun
that’s hitting a particular portion of the planet.
The Mirror radiates as God and appreciates that, contextually, their mind and body are
now being used as clean, undistorted mirrors for the world to see its own face in; both the
conscious and the unconscious faces. The Mirror has let go of their identification with
their individuality and knows/resonates with the knowledge that it is All That Is or God or
the Great-Causal Body; therefore, it doesn’t take things personally in the way the Shepherd
still does.

The Gateway Being
I’ve dabbled in this, but I won’t speak too much about it until I’ve deepened my own
experience of it. Whereas the Mirror is sort of resting in the middle—in between the world
of Creation and the pure God state—the Gateway has gone beyond that state or stance.
Even the Great-Causal Body, the God body, has dissolved itself. Identity has been sucked
out of it through the black hole, and now all there is is the One Infinite Perfection before
the substance known as “God” appeared. The entity does not see anything but the Infinite
Unity beyond all forms of consciousness.
The Gateway Being’s functionality in the world is like a vortex; the energy field of such a
mind-body-spirit complex assumes the form of a tear in the veil of the matrix. Whereas the
God Self represents itself as a pure beacon radiating pure Love-Light, the Gateway radiates
a frequency of Beyondness, of going beyond everything. This is not greatly relevant for
where humanity is at, as it is way beyond the requirement or learnings that are part of this
Density.
In Closing
It’s up to you to discern what you are, where you’re at, and what feels relevant for you, but
appreciate your whole journey. Most of you are probably somewhere in the early stages of
the Shepherd range. Your desire is to be of service and to know more of the Creator; to
know yourself more fully. There are still remnants of your personality, you’re triggered
sometimes, you’re emotional, you’re fear-based from time to time, etc. Don’t judge this.
My intention behind giving you these four distinctions is not so that you will judge
yourself by it—that would be another Person-consciousness thing to do. Love yourself,
accept yourself, and appreciate and marvel at the depth of this journey. Appreciate the
infinity and intelligence inherent in the illusion itself. This will already expand your
consciousness greatly.
The more you focus on the sense of pure I Am, the more this will all naturally happen and
accelerate. Tune in to the radiance of unconditional Love and Light, which is the principle
of Creation itself.

Session 8: The Bliss Beyond Pleasure and Pain
Watch Session 8
Regardless of the nature of the pain you’re experiencing, if you can give it back to the
Body to which it belongs (referring to the Bodies / Veils discussed at length in Sessions 3
and 4), you can create a sense of space and ease around that pain (which is an
appearance). This also applies to pleasure, but let’s start with pain because we are typically
attached to pleasure but we want to avoid pain.
Once again, here is the diagram of the Five Views or Four Bodies / Veils, as these Bodies
are referenced throughout Session 8.
The Way to Avoid Pain Is to Include It

The way to avoid or minimize pain is to include it—in the Body to which it belongs. When
you do this, it is no longer “I” who suffers or has the pain. You could say it is the “I” that
observes the pain, but it is not the “I” that experiences the pain.
Let’s say you have a toothache and this pain is present throughout the day. If you can
witness it as pertaining to the physical body—if you can ask yourself, “Who or what is
having this pain?”—you will discover very quickly that it’s the body that is experiencing
the pain. It sounds simple at first, but when you really deepen this, you can have a

transcendental experience whenever the body goes through pain or discomfort (or
pleasure).
When you see that the pain is actually happening to the Physical Body, there is a great
sense of liberation and transcendence that happens as a result. The Physical Body is what
is experiencing the physical pain. Where is the pain happening? It’s happening in and to
the Physical Body. If you continue to be aware of it in this way, a sort of “zooming out”
happens; you move into one of the next Bodies and you no longer feel identified with the
pain. Then, there is no need to avoid the pain because it’s not happening to you.
A “side effect” of practicing this is that the actual physical pain is typically greatly
diminished. And by including the pain rather than avoiding it—by allocating it to the body,
where it belongs—the associated psychological suffering stops. If you tune into the Causal
Body (or beyond) you can, in a positive holistic sense, be so overwhelmed with the higher
Body that you’re not currently aware of the pain. Sometimes this can even completely
eradicate the pain, because you have tuned into a different Body and accepted that the
pain is happening to, and belongs to, the Physical Body.
You can use this method as a tool to deepen Self-Realization, as well. You can deliberately
rest in the nothingness and ignorance of the Causal Body, or you can become aware of
Being—the Light of God (the Great-Causal Body). When you are more aware of these two
Bodies, you are not as aware of the Physical and Subtle Bodies, which is where the pain
resides.
You Have Never Experienced Pleasure

This shift of focus also applies to pleasure. Let’s say you’re having sex, as many people find
having sex pleasurable. I’m also using sex as an example because applying this to sex can
help deepen relationship and connection, and can be another tool for deepening Self-
Realization. While you’re experiencing pleasure during sex, it is happening in the Physical
Body. There is also a different type of sexual pleasure which is happening in the Subtle
Body as an energy exchange.
If, during sex, you can give the pleasure back to the Bodies to which it belongs, you will
witness yourself in the pleasure and become so much more sensitive to the energies,
because your typical ego-state is not involved in it. While witnessing yourself during sex
(or during any act), become aware that it is the Physical Body that is making love (and also
the Subtle Body). If you tune into the Causal Body, you will witness that sex or pleasure is
happening to the Bodies to which it pertains, and you will notice an Intelligence that will
begin to operate on these Bodies and energy flows because you’re getting out of the way.
This applies to any activity, not just sex.
If you manage to get out of the way, which is another way of saying that you move up in
the Bodies, or you move up in your state of consciousness, or you become focused on
something subtler and vaster, you allow for the ever-present flow of Intelligent Energy that

animates everything to guide your other Bodies. Now, you are placing your Bodies in
direct connection with an Intelligence that transcends anything you could ever think of.
This Intelligence is truly infinite, so it can always find the most appropriate response.
So now, you’re not identified with the pleasure. It’s not you experiencing the pleasure. You
have never actually experienced pleasure; you as God can only experience God. It is the
person (the Physical and Subtle Bodies) that is experiencing the pleasure. If you can
witness the pleasure as belonging to the body, and not to you, there is a great letting go in
that—a powerful surrender. The Intelligence that flows through freely is enabled, and your
interaction becomes more intelligent and present. You are freeing yourself from the
addiction to pleasure (and pain).
This scares a lot of people because pleasure is our “hope” from this painful world, so we
chase it and savor every moment of it. We’re often addicted to it and driven by this
addiction, whether consciously or subconsciously. This drive causes turbulence, unrest
and chaos in the Bodies. Pleasure-addiction is one of the most paradoxically negative,
self-limiting things we do to ourselves. I promise you, one of the most liberating
experiences you can have is to give away your attachment to pleasure when you're at the
peak of a pleasurable moment (sex or otherwise) by allowing it to be a part of the Subtle
and Physical Bodies—giving it back to the realms to which it belongs. Not owning it or
taking pride in it.
This is not the same as undermining the pleasure or denying it; it is a holistic approach
that is not black or white. Just don’t be attached or identified with it. The body and
sensuality don't disappear; they have their place and time. They can be a great healing
path and an antidote to disassociation, disconnection or overly-masculine energy or
imbalances. But for those who are ready for true freedom, it cannot be fulfilled through
association with pleasure (in my opinion; feel free to disagree). When you become trusting
enough of God, your true Self, to pass your pleasure back to the Body to which it belongs,
enough to not own it or be prideful about it, a great liberation from the pleasure happens,
and you realize how painful your attachment to pleasure really was—how much it
distorted and confused you. You realize what true pleasure is, which has nothing to do
with the Physical or Subtle Bodies feeling this way or that way.
Beyond Pleasure and Pain

True pleasure is the quality of existence-consciousness-bliss, or sat-chit-ananda. We get a
distorted reflection of this true happiness through pleasure of various kinds. When we
experience pleasure in the Physical or Subtle Bodies (or even in the Causal Body), we
download a little chunk of the true Self that we already are, which already contains
everything we desire and seek and chase and fight to protect—but it’s what we already
are! Pleasure is the letting through of a bit more of the light of Self through the veils of the
Bodies. But to identify with that pleasure is to pull the veil back over your consciousness
very quickly.

The Physical Body is experiencing the pleasure (or the pain), and you are aware of the
body experiencing this. The sensation of pain does not belong or pertain to you. The Subtle
Body is experiencing the thoughts and energy flows, the mental, emotional or egoic
pleasure and pain, and you are aware of this also. Psychological suffering and
psychological pleasure do not belong or pertain to you either; they belong to the Bodies
out of which they are created. When you recognize this, a great space opens up.
Ultimately, you begin to realize that you are like the Sun (or the God state or the I Am
itself), which is witnessing/knowing what is happening to the Physical and Subtle Bodies,
through the ever-supportive space of the Causal Body.
If you don’t give experiences back to the appropriate Bodies; if you don’t see that pleasure
and pain belong to the Physical and Subtle Bodies, then you are typically identified with
them. Through inclusion you transcend; whatever you try to push away will bounce back.
But including something doesn’t mean you can’t distance yourself from it. You can include
pleasure and pain but not define them as who you are. Instead, you can see them as
something appearing inside of your Awareness, as if from the distance of a great space; as
if on the far horizons of your beingness.
As you practice this, more and more it’s like you are looking at your life as if it is inside of
a “snowglobe.” There is a sense of distance and freedom from it all, but it doesn’t limit
your ability to look at it. In fact, when you’re not identified with anything that appears in
the Subtle and Physical Bodies, you can look at things from every angle, from the I Am
and from the space of the Causal Body. When you do this, things are experienced as if
from a distance, and not defining of oneself—but not separate either. Included yet
transcended; in the world (with the worldly Bodies) but not of the world (with the Causal
and Great Causal Bodies).
Two Ways to Practice

If you’re interested in deepening your recognition of God (and perhaps in priming yourself
for a glimpse of The Absolute as well), you can take this even further. Here are two ways to
practice this.
1. Practice this method first, for a period of time. Consistently give every physical
experience back to the Physical Body. Ask yourself and understand, “Who does this
experience belong to? Who does it affect? Not me! It affects the Physical Body.” Or,
when you’re having thoughts and desires and emotions,“Who do these thoughts
and desires and emotions belong to? Not me! They belong to the Subtle Body.”
Give these experiences back to the Subtle Body. This doesn’t mean you are
suppressing these experiences; you are allowing them to be exactly as they are,
because they no longer happen to you. It’s only when consciousness misidentifies
itself with the body or the thinking mind that it has preferences and tries to
suppress, avoid or procure things. Acceptance of everything as it is has already
occurred; everything is already included and accepted in consciousness.  

2. After you have practiced this for a while and you have developed a sense of
spaciousness and dis-identification (yet with total acceptance and love and even
playfulness), you can begin to give away every experience to the Great-Causal Body
(God). Without the Light of God, no experience would be illuminated; there would
be no perception. So now, recognize that every perception and any experience you
could ever possibly have—whether it’s made up of the Physical Body, the Subtle
Body or the Causal Body—happens to the Great-Causal Body (God / Consciousness
/ I Am). Give it all back to God; the great I Am. Any possible experience or
perception is made of this Awareness-Love-Light. The Bodies are just consequent
illusions made up of this primordial, original Illusion. Whether physical, subtle or
causal, all perception is made of the I Am-Consciousness.
The effect of this is profound if you practice it consistently, patiently, deliberately

and frequently (or all day long :) ). It immediately deepens your connection to this
Oneness and your ability to access unconditional love and bliss. It gives you direct
knowingness of Self Knowledge, Self Awareness. God consciousness awakens to
itself more and more, and a sense of unity, expansiveness and universality
develops. The individuated “point” begins to disappear and there is the sense that
everything IS. There is just formless, indescribable Love-Light-Consciousness. It is
seen that all illusions are manifestations of Awareness-Love-Light, and there is no
separation. This is like backing up against the back of the “snowglobe” of All That
Is, the bubble of primordial Illusion, or God, or the true I Am.
If you do this sufficiently enough, if you’re ready for it, and if you really want it, in this way
you are opening up the portal to The Absolute. If everything—every Body, every
experience, every perception, all of it—belongs to consciousness, then everything happens
to consciousness, not to Me... (hinting at the realization that you are not even the Great-
Causal Body, but beyond even that).
This is not a psychological game. You have to understand that the glimpsing of the true
Absolute You can only be realized from or by—or in contrast to—the God state; it cannot
be realized by the thinker, or the Subtle Body. But from the God state you can begin to
glimpse that Me is prior to and exists before God and its entire realm of experiences.
“Somehow, I am beyond all experiencing, and free of it.” This realization is something you
can commit to if you really feel ready for it and you really want it. It’s the most profound
realization I have had, and I believe it is the most profound realization that exists, because
what is realized is absolute and it is infinity.
Going back to the origin story of All That Is: Infinity becomes aware, and then this
Awareness generates Love because it only knows unity. Therefore, everything must be
itself; this is Love. And then this Intelligence, this Awareness, begins to exert its magic, its
potency, its will, onto this basis of formless, unconditional Love—this intelligent energy of
pure Love—and patterns and waves are produced. What follows is light, and the illusion of
perception is made possible. You are ultimately beyond all of this, but the first step is to
experience more and more of your I Am-ness, which contains this Love and this Light. And

already, that is one of the biggest things you could dream of deepening into and realizing.
It is also the gateway to The Absolute.
Nothing Ever Happened to You

The Physical Body is doing and executing everything, and the Subtle Body is processing
the information. You have never done anything in your life. How can All That Is do
anything? It’s All That Is! And yet it gives rise to the experience of doership and lessons and
learning. That's the paradox. You no longer have to feel like your experiences and
perceptions determine what you are or that they even affect you. Not a single trauma has
ever affected you or created a single flaw on your Awareness. Awareness is still Awareness;
God is still God. Nothing has ever been affected except your thoughts about things and
your identification with the moving objects. But even right now, there is a changelessness
in your day-to-day, moment-to-moment experience. Why not tap into that?
A Funny Thing About Science

Science is amazing in certain regards, and there are many beautiful scientific endeavors
out there. But at the same time, science and scientists and the scientific community are
often (not always) prideful, knowingly or not knowingly. The interesting thing to witness is
that while scientists pride themselves in being scientific and empirical, they all fail
miserably due to one simple oversight which leads to a major, foundational assumption.
Scientists forget to investigate one big assumption, and virtually all of science is based
upon this one assumption. The assumption is that there is a world apart from
consciousness. What if this assumption is incorrect? What would that mean to everything
we’ve ever “proven scientifically?”
This assumption has never been proven, yet somehow, almost all of the scientific minds of
this world think it’s okay to not really investigate this, and to assume that things are
actually real. There is no proof of this whatsoever; there is no proof that there is an actual
world apart from perception or experience itself. And yet we believe that the world is
“reality.”
In a sense, the sages have been more scientific in their approach than the scientists of the
West have ever been. The sages and yogis have always investigated the very root
assumption of experience itself. That’s why they are lifetimes ahead of what we typically
call science. These true investigators of experience itself are the true scientists—in my
book anyway.
At the same time, in science there have been many fantastic experiments and
investigations. Observations have been passionately performed and applied by many
brilliant and devoted scientific minds. This is lovely; it’s wonderful. I’m just addressing the
pride in the general scientific community, and to not get too distracted by that sense
because they are all working on premises that have not investigated the root assumption

underneath it all. They assume that the world causes consciousness, but they have no
direct experience of this and no one has been able to prove it.
The true scientist starts with the very root assumption, which is, “I am experiencing a
world.” If we go back to direct experience, we are being scientific with life itself. Direct
experience is all we ever have; everything else is assumption and deductive knowledge, or
inference. If we don’t start with the root assumption, we are just being scientific inside of a
delusional dream that we assume is actually there. We are being scientific without being
scientific. This is quasi-science. Real science is to understand consciousness, the nature of
experience, and to investigate deeply the nature of experience, perception, and
consciousness itself. To stay as close as one can to direct experience is to be as scientific
as one can possibly be. Direct experience, not assumptions. And the whole world of
science is based on assumptions. The only science that is not based on assumptions (at
least in its end result) is the science of Self-Realization.

PDF Notes From Bentinho Massaro's Free Online Global Enlightenment Retreat 2020

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originalbeschreibung:

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

PDF Notes From Bentinho Massaro's Free Online Global Enlightenment Retreat 2020

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

SUMMARY NOTES

Bentinho Massaro’s Free Online Global Retreat

This is a collection of the summary notes from Sessions 1 through 8 of Bentinho’s

Watch and rewatch all of the sessions for free on BentinhoMassaro.tv/freeretreat.

Session 1: Enlightenment Is Possible for YOU!

Session 2: The Art of True Meditation

Session 3: Everything Is Free of Meaning

Session 4: The 4 Bodies; Understand the Causal Body

Session 5: Being Infinite Love + Q&A

Session 6: How to Purify the I Am

Session 7: Balancing Enlightenment and Worldly Function

Session 8: The Bliss Beyond Pleasure and Pain

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 2

The premise or concept of enlightenment implies that we believe such a realization or

Enlightenment is not an experience. See it instead as a spectrum of the evolution of

You have had a lot of practice in how-to-be-human-according-to-other-self-proclaimed-

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 3

The Natural State

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 4

Appearances and That Which Is Aware of Appearances

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 5

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 6

In Session 2, Bentinho explained four different meditation techniques. Here is a short

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 7

• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 1

• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 2

• 432Hz - The DEEPEST Healing

• 936 Hz Pineal Gland Activation

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 8

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 9

The Five Views or Four Bodies / Veils diagram:

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 10

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 11

The Causal Body

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 12

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 13

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 14

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 15

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 16

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 17

A Brief Summary of the Previous Sessions

Q&A with Online Participants

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 18

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 19

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 20

• Physical Body focus: Mostly beta with a little bit of alpha

• Causal Body focus: Somewhere in the range of theta and delta

• Great-Causal Body focus: A combination of delta and gamma

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 21

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 22

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 23

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 24

The Innermost Sense of “Me”

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 25

When God Associates Itself with Contents

Self-Realization equals Me-Realization. It is a realization of what you are, as opposed to

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 26

The I-Am is a Quality, Not a Form

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 27

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 28

Bentinho Massaro’s Global Enlightenment Retreat 29

“Black or White” Teachings

Session 8: The Bliss Beyond Pleasure and Pain 

• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 1 

• Indian Flute and Tibetan Bowl 2 

• 432Hz - The DEEPEST Healing 

• 936 Hz Pineal Gland Activation 

• Physical Body focus: Mostly beta with a little bit of alpha 

• Causal Body focus: Somewhere in the range of theta and delta 