1. The Direct Path, which is another name for the teaching of Sri Atmananda, proceeds in a very logical fashion, one termed a tattvopadesha. It goes from an examination of the world (the gross realm) to the body to the mind (the subtle realm). What’s revealed is that all objective experiences are appearing to awareness. From here, one ultimately “collapses” the distinction between objective appearances and awareness, thus discovering the nondual sweetness: “I am awareness, and all experiences are, in fact, nothing but aware presence.”

2. It seems to me that, in the West, it would be good to investigate not only the world (perception), the body (sensation and feeling), and the mind (thinking) but also relationships. For it is relationships that seem especially to be separative: I am separate from you; I am separate from others.

3. What would be some preliminary prakriyas, or lines of inquiry, to be undertaken when it comes to relationships? Here are a few that spring to mind as I write just now:

• Physical characteristics–Space: Am I separate from you in space? Is it true that I’m “right here” while you’re “over there”? No, all experience is taking place here.
• Physical characteristics–Time: Am I separate from you in time? Are we only physically present now before you are absent? Is there such a thing, in direct experience, as the absence of a person, or isn’t there only the present arising? You’ll never find the absence of a thing, and you’ll never find the absence of a person in direct experience.
• Mental characteristics–Beliefs, Sensibilities, etc.: Is it true that we are divided in virtue of non-overlapping beliefs, sensibilities, etc.? Well, take any belief–namely, X. To what is X arising? To witnessing awareness. What is X ultimately made of? Awareness. When I take my stand as awareness, do I find any divisions between “me” and “you” in my direct experience? No, none.
• Mental characteristics–Strong Dislikes: This is nicely handled through what Jung termed “shadow work” or through what I call “samskaric inquiry.” In any case, all you find in experience is an I-thought: “I don’t like that you’re shallow; I’m deep.” Is there, in direct experience, an other-entity to which the thought refers? No! Is there, in direct experience, an I-entity contained within or referred to by the thought? No. What is here? Only awareness. Therefore, take your stand as awareness.

4. All the tools in the Direct Path teaching–notably, direct experience, higher reason (or higher inquiry, you might say), and witnessing awareness–can be brought to bear on the often painful sense of separation that only seems to be the case in the context of relationships.

5. The discovery, as Atmananda helps us to see, is that there are, ultimately, no relationships; there is only identity. There is no separate “I” or “you”; there’s only awareness. I am This; you are This. There is only This.