What if everything you knew about reality was an illusion?

Continuing our series on Consciousness and Non-Dual Philosophy, In this episode, “Why is there suffering?”, we answer some common questions asked on this topic:

• Why is there suffering in the world?
• Am I the cause of bad things happening to me?
• What is my purpose if everything is one?

Here’s a quick recap of what we covered:

The Three Principles of Non-Dual Philosophy

• Everything is consciousness—without exception.
• Consciousness is one and indivisible. There is not ‘consciousness and something else’—it’s all one.
• YOU are that consciousness!

We explore why the intelligence that created the world would allow bad things to happen. Why is there war and evil? How am I responsible for the events that happen to me in my life?

Dr. Rob breaks it down for us that these tough questions usually come from the ego’s limited perspective. Instead of blaming ourselves, we are invited to see that we are part of the whole, much like branches on a tree. Yes, tragedy and injustice exist in the play of Maya (illusion), but our awareness of them is what connects us, not makes us to blame.

Key Points:

• The three foundational principles of non-dual philosophy and how they apply to daily life
• Why bad things happen to individuals and the world at large from the lens of consciousness, ego, and Maya
• The purpose of suffering, personal identity, and how trauma fits into the greater play of life
• Finding personal and universal purpose: the role of creation, individuation, and the power of inner work

✨ Exercise for the Week Ask yourself: What if I am one with everything? Meditate on that. Notice what arises.

00:00 Introduction
00:15 The Paradigm Shift: Consciousness & Non-Dual Philosophy
01:23 Three Principles of Non-Duality
04:43 Why Do Bad Things Happen? Suffering, Ego, and Responsibility
10:37 Personal Suffering and the Purpose of Pain
12:26 Maya, Duality, and the Nature of Reality
15:37 Healing, Changing Patterns, and Free Will
18:11 Creativity, Evolution, and Lila
19:36 Purpose: Are We Born With It or Do We Learn It?
25:32 Theory, Practice, and the Path to Individuation
26:33 Shadow Work as a Path to Oneness
29:40 Practical Wisdom and Final Thoughts

•••

Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
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This week, Debra and Rob peel back the curtain on the concept of non-dual consciousness—a perspective rapidly gaining momentum in science and transformative coaching. Are you just your body and brain, reacting to an outside world? Or are you the consciousness that gives rise to your entire experience?

Here’s what you’ll uncover in this episode:

• The Shift from Materialism to Consciousness: Why leading-edge scientists—and great seers of the past—say consciousness is the ultimate reality, not matter.
• The Rope & The Snake Story: How our minds project meaning onto the world, sometimes mistaking a harmless rope for a dangerous snake. What are you projecting onto your life right now?
• Dreamlike Nature of the World: Are your experiences as solid as you think—or more like passing scenes in a dream?
• Coaching Implications: Learn how these profound frameworks can empower you (or your clients) to move beyond surface-level change and access profound creative power.
• Dealing with Suffering: Why acknowledging the “apparent reality” of your challenges actually opens the door to relief, creativity, and deep joy.

00:00 Introduction & Recap of Consciousness
00:54 Why Non-Dual Consciousness Matters
03:12 Shifting Scientific Paradigms & What It Means for Coaches
04:45 The Upanishads and the Nature of Reality
06:22 Appearance vs. Reality: The Dream Analogy
08:21 Awareness as Absolute Reality
09:16 The Concept of Maya: Apparent Reality
10:31 Implications for Personal Growth and Coaching
11:27 Projecting Happiness and Power Outside Ourselves
13:39 How the Mind Constructs Reality
15:04 Transactional and Apparent Reality
16:20 Does Anything Matter if Reality is an Illusion?
19:30 Is Suffering Real?
21:42 Understanding Suffering Through Awareness
22:21 Coaching Through Questioning Apparent Reality
26:57 Will Life Become Numb Without Suffering?
28:10 Living a Full, Enlightened Life

•••

Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | connect@creativemindmethod.com

What if everything you’ve believed about consciousness—and your sense of self—is just the tip of the iceberg? Dive into this mind-expanding episode of Soul Sessions with CreativeMind, as Debra Maldonado and Dr. Robert Maldonado unravel the profound concept of pure consciousness and its origin in ancient non-dual teachings.

Discover how understanding the witness within you can unlock freedom from limiting roles, dissolve feelings of separation, and radically shift how you coach, create, and experience life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What pure consciousness is (and what it isn’t)—drawing from the Upanishads and non-dual philosophy
• The illusion of separation between subject and object, and how your “dreams” shape waking reality
• Why shadow work is essential for truly experiencing non-duality
• Practical ways this awareness can free you from anxiety, redefine your identity, and transform your approach to coaching

Subscribe for the rest of our consciousness series, and tap into the unchanging truth at the core of who you are.

00:00 Introduction
01:03 The Meaning of Consciousness and Non-Duality
02:43 Subject vs. Object: True Nature of Pure Consciousness
05:44 The Illusion of Separation
07:48 Western Science vs. Non-Dual Perspective
09:00 The Witness and the Nature of Thought
16:15 Non-Dual Consciousness and Its Impact on Coaching
17:25 Roles, Shadow Work, and Personal Identity
21:03 Thoughts vs. Pure Consciousness
21:48 The Upanishads’ Story: Dream, Reality, and the Witness
24:45 Implications for Personal Life and Inner Peace

•••

Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | connect@creativemindmethod.com