Questioner: “Why Are Your Teachings Full of Contradictions?”
Questioner: I’ve heard you say that life is joyful and we should be grateful to be alive, but I’ve also heard you say that life is doomed, life equals suffering, and we should not hope to find joy in this world. I’ve noticed other contradicting statements in your work throughout the years as well. Can you explain this and tell us what you truly believe?
Bentinho: I don’t believe most of what I say. Whatever words I may utter, they are all perspectives offered to the person asking the question or given to the crowd in the room. What I say is dependent on context, crowd and purpose. I might give one person completely different advice than another person on the very same topic, or a different answer to the very same question.
To one person I may say that life is suffering—that there is no joy to be found in the world and that the best practice involves giving everything back to God and resting in the Silence of Awareness; to relinquish all hope and realize the Self, which is not an object or sense-perception.
To another person I might recommend that they live their life to the fullest, understand their purpose, believe in their dreams and attempt every day to live a more adventurous and aligned life; to act on their highest excitement.
To yet another person I might suggest a blend of these, or offer something else entirely.
Now, to me, these alternating suggestions are never essentially contradictory; they stream from a single place where all paradoxes are resolved. This place is the goal of the teachings. The teachings vary, depending on the listener, but the goal remains one—and free from paradox. It is only in the mind of the receiver that a dogma, story or belief is formed.
Any story or dogma is a point of view of—and inside of—The Whole (All That Is, Existence). A point of view of The Whole is partial; it is not the whole truth. Therefore, opposite points of view that contradict the initial point of view can be found. It is from the state of looking at life through points of view—instead of being it—that you perceive contradictions in what I say and therefore ask me this question.
If you were aware of the Oneness from which I, and you, and this chair over there flow—you would probably look at my many expressions and smile in recognition and understanding. You would not have any feeling of contradiction whatsoever. It is because you miss the underlying Oneness that you perceive diversity and contradictions in the teachings.
You see, everything I say, I say because there is a reason for it that is relevant to the context in which the words are uttered. Just like you do not explain something the same way to a 4-year-old as you would to your partner.
People’s sense of themselves is a point of view—they identify with a part, not with The Whole. Therefore, in order to dismantle their point of view and offer them a more expanded and less distorted and limited sense of themselves, I need to use other partial points of view that offer a counter-perspective to their own even more partial points of view.
This does not mean I believe in what I just said. We only believe in the points of view we feel we need for our well-being or advancement. I do not need the vast majority of what I speak. Hence, the words hold no meaning to me personally and I do not believe in them; they are tools of compassion only.
My words are rarely—if ever—delivered as an expression of opinion or belief. Such is the nature of teaching something below your own level, if you will: if you believe in the words you speak while you teach, you are something more akin to an activist or politician; not necessarily a matured spiritual teacher (which is perfectly fine).
If you identify with the words you teach to those supposedly ‘less evolved’ than yourself in some field of consciousness—or in awareness of consciousness itself—it likely means you have not yet fully mastered that teaching and you’re teaching yourself as much as you are teaching the listener while you speak. Which again, is perfectly fine and should not be judged—though it may be observed for accelerated learning.
The vast majority of my work does not represent me or my state, nor does it have much relevance for myself. In short, if it wasn’t for the seeker appearing, I would not be dealing with these thoughts, instructions and verbalizations. I would simply be what I already am; what I’ve already discovered. No words or instructions are needed to be what I have already realized I am.
Words no longer mean anything to me. Hence, the contradictions you may perceive in my expressions are not personal. They are to be understood simply as teaching mechanics.
Mastered teaching happens from a higher level of understanding (or from consciousness altogether) to a lower level of understanding (or to consciousness altogether). Thus, everything spoken is spoken into the lower level of consciousness, and consists of the words and constructs and material that this lower level experiences and can perceive.
As such, none of the words, as soon as they are heard, represent the higher level’s actual experience. They only can point you to it or hint at it. You have to make the journey yourself, as they say.
The higher level sees more easily where the lower level is stuck, and when asked for or when followed for teaching purposes, humbly offers an understanding that helps the lower level accept the stuckness, as well as a practice or pathway to lead them beyond the perceived limitation or confusion.
The ‘higher level of consciousness being’ (which does not mean they are more perfect or worthy in essence than you, and does not imply inequality) does not need to believe in the words, and the words do not need to be an expression of their beliefs. They just use them as communication tools. They are not bound by the words they use to uplift you; their words are tailored to the listener.
Never judge the authenticity of a teacher based on their usage of words; for that would most likely be a missed opportunity and misperception on your end. Words and teachings are distorted by nature and are malleable to fit the listener—the true aim is the resulting state of consciousness which these words can lead to when applied.
Always remember the goal, and do not fuss about the word games and the teacher’s seeming contradictions. As long as their actions demonstrate love, wisdom, courage, compassion, generosity, a desire for your highest potential, and a steadiness of faith... that teacher should be alright. Follow your heart. Trust your intuition.
Side note: Never believe the media or popular opinion before assessing what is right for you or true. I can tell you from consistent first-hand experience that the media today is to be almost entirely avoided, as it is extremely low in intelligence, purity of intention, and integrity—across the board.
They are clever and savvy at one thing though: distorting the truth for purposes that are not for the benefit of your awakening. Do not let the media fool you—this applies to any source of media and any topic they may address. Trust fully in your own wisdom and intuition and learn to see through their games.
This detachment from mainstream media will become increasingly important in the coming years, if what we desire is to increase the well-being of all. Pay attention and stay awake.
If I were to speak only the things I truly believe in, I would not speak at all. Perhaps such a time of perfect silence outwardly as well is still in the cards for me. I leave this up to the infinite intelligence. For now, teaching happens, speaking happens, travel happens, projects happen, business happens, relationships happen, and words flow.
Speaking is just a small aspect of teaching; much more powerful is silence, presence, frequency or vibration, and the example of the life lived.
Bottomline: Don’t take my words as truth and don’t make a religion out of them, for the majority of my words do not reflect my beliefs; they are merely pointers and they will always be contextual to who’s listening or asking the question.
For the most part, I speak for you, not for myself. My words, and even a lot of my choices and actions, reflect the many aspects, facets, challenges, and desires of the collective consciousness which I am here to reflect in many different ways throughout my lifetime—they do not represent me, even though they flow from this body you think of as me.
On that same note: I am not this body, so how could I be its speech or its actions? I am also not this mind, so how could I believe in anything I say? Once you transcend the mind identity, you too will be able to say this and understand. But until then, it will remain conceptual and partial—and therefore seem paradoxical to you. With practice, you too will see through the mist of illusion, and into the Heart of the One Being.
Almost everything I do is for you. For people who have been conditioned in so many ways from birth to live mostly for themselves, I know this is hard to believe. But it is possible to live a life dedicated on every level of your expression to be a mirror and a guiding light for those who are feeling stuck in a more limited view of themselves.
A day will come when you will also begin to function as a more direct mirror to this collective. For now, you probably have too many personal points of view, filters, biases and false desires, and you’re attached to outcome and the meaning you’ve erroneously given to objects, people, places and events.
These are your obstacles to peace; to love; to freedom; to wisdom; to true knowledge. The teachings and the practice are your tools, not your religion. Do not focus on the contradictions, focus on the goal and use what resonates; reject what does not. Practice.
Once the chase for meaning in the world is exhausted, and the deep peace and unspeakable perfection of the Self calls you home, you too, will begin your journey into Mirror Consciousness.
