Meditative Dialogue with Mukesh Gupta, July 30th, 2025

Passion, Fantasy, and the Gift of Impermanence

In this final session, participants continued exploring the source of authentic passion for awakening—that quality present in childhood before conditioning domesticates it. Mukesh observed how we live in “a fantasy of the mind” with its stories and beliefs, and examined what stops us from stepping out: the belief that the fantasy is both real and better than direct living with what is. “What if there is no hope? There is no future?” he asked, pointing to the truth of impermanence. A white bird flying across the water during this moment seemed to embody the openness that was being described. The dialogue touched on the mind’s need to fill emptiness with meaning, the futility of trying to fix ourselves or others. The session ended with seeing the beauty of simply being present together without any motive.

Gist: The dialogue explored the source of unconditioned passion, the seductive nature of mental fantasy, hope as limitation, and the freedom that comes from embracing impermanence and meaninglessness with presence and love.

By Joost De Wulf, Belgium