Unteachers - Nondualism
“There no teachers or teachings. There’s just what's happening.” - Jim Newman
Within the nondual community there are two fundamental styles of sharing the message that we will refer to as "compromising" and "uncompromising". These terms refer to the willingness to compromise the nondual message of "not-two" to acknowledge the person as a separate entity - "two". The uncompromising message is by definition a purer expression of nonduality and can therefore be very unattractive to the apparent person as it completely denies their existence and asserts that there is only "what is". This is often the message that is sought near the end of the story of me. The compromising message is generally what draws the apparent person in, as it maintains the core truth of nonduality but in a practical sense doesn't fully deny individual existence, or is at least willing to speak in dualistic terms to engage the seeker. This can sometimes be helpful and at other times create more of an identification with the contracted energy of "me". Both are included here because they are wonderfully interesting and this website is created for the enjoyment of the subject without an intent on liberating.
Uncompromising:
Jim Newman
Jim is apparently from New Orleans, USA but he now lives - apparently - in Austria with his wife Rita, who is also only apparent. He appears to have been influenced by Tony Parsons. His style is simple, uncompromising, and focused on "simply this".
Nargis
Nargis is an apparent someone who started sharing very recently. She is from The Netherlands. Her style is uncompromising and conversational with an emphasis on love and freedom.
Tony Parsons
Tony was apparently born in 1933 in London, UK and he seemingly discovered his true nature in 1953 at the age of twenty. A purported forty-three years later in what some might call 1996 he started sharing his apparent discovery with small groups and since then his meetings have appeared to grow in size and influence. The grandfather of uncompromising nonduality, his style is plain, direct, and playfully irreverent with a strong emphasis on what is.
Rupert Spira
Rupert was apparently born on March 13, 1960 in London, UK. He was supposedly introduced to nonduality around the age of sixteen, and at the age of thirty-seven he seemed to have met his teacher Francis Lucille with whom he would appear to study until he purportedly began teaching in 2010 at the age of fifty. His style is clear and meticulous with a poetic sensibility.
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Nisargadatta (Maruti) was apparently born on April 17, 1897 in Bombay, India. He supposedly discovered his true nature in 1933 when he was thirty-six. From then until his death in 1981 he would appear to share his understanding with those around him. His style is direct and impersonal with an emphasis on
"I am".
Ramana Maharshi
Ramana (Venkataraman) was apparently born on December 30, 1879 in Tiruchuli, India. In 1896 at the age of sixteen he purportedly discovered his true nature and six weeks later travelled to Mount Arunachala where he remained a monk until his apparent death in 1950. His style is simple, sparing, and focused on "I am".
Compromising:
Gangaji
Gangaji (Toni Roberson) was apparently born in Texas on June 11, 1942. In 1990 she seemed to have met her guru Papaji which promptly ended her spiritual search and she was able to see that every moment was extraordinary and that there was nothing to search for. Her style is loving, gracious, and simple.
Douglas Harding
Douglas was apparently born in 1909 in Lowestoft, UK. At the age of thirty-four he realized that he had no head, and that he was both nothing and everything. For the rest of his apparent life he explored the many implications of this discovery. His style is particularly unique, experiential, visual, and complex.
Mooji
Mooji (Anthony Moo-Young) was apparently born on January 29, 1954 in Port Antonio, Jamaica. He was supposedly introduced to Christianity in 1987 which began his apparent spiritual quest. It wasn't until 1993 when he met Papaji in India that he discovered true self. His style is loving and warm, with reference to many traditions.
Papaji
Papaji (Hariwansh Lal Poonja) was apparently born on October 13, 1910 in Punjab, British India. He experienced an awakening at the age of six which began his spiritual search. In 1944 when he was thirty-one he met Ramana Maharshi and the awakening he experienced as a child became his permanent reality. His style is clear and simple.
Adyashanti
Adyashanti (Steven Gray) was apparently born on October 26, 1962 in Cupertino, USA. He studied Zen Buddhism in his twenties and at the age of twenty-five experienced an awakening. It was only six apparent years later at the age of thirty-one that his search came to an end in full liberation. His style is gentle and light-hearted.
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu was apparently born on May 11, 1895 in Madanapalle, India. He was groomed from a young age to be a world teacher by a theosophy organization but rejected this completely and went off on his own. He did not identify with any school of thought whether philosophical or religious and believed that each individual must find their own way. His style is intense, penetrating, and particularly thorough.
Francis Lucille
Francis was apparently born in 1944 in France. At the age of thirty-one he seemed to have met his teacher Jean Klein with whom he would appear to study until Jean's apparent death in 1998. Francis purportedly began teaching in 1981 at the age of thirty-seven. His style is lighthearted, intelligent, and playfully irreverent.
Jean Klein
Jean was apparently born on October 19, 1912 in Berlin, Germany. He was supposedly introduced to nonduality in India after the second world war. At the age of forty-three in 1955 he seemed to discover his true nature and five years later in 1960 he purportedly began teaching until his apparent death in 1998. His style is rich and descriptive and his interests are wide.