Buddha at the Gas Pump

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298. Enza Vita Jun 29, 2015

Show notes

Enza Vita is the author of “Instant Presence: Allow Natural Meditation to Happen” and the founder of the MahaShanti Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to spiritual awakening. Enza Vita was born in a small village in Sicily and immigrated to Australia on her own at the age of seventeen. From a young age, she questioned everything around her, constantly seeking out the point and purpose of our life here on earth. Her search eventually brought her to her work in the consciousness community where she became one of the leaders in the personal development movement in Australia, working as editor in chief for glossy magazines “Woman Spirit”, “Health & Wellbeing” and publisher of “Innerself Newspaper”. Through her job, she was blessed with the opportunity to meet and study under many of the great spiritual teachers of our age and she was exposed to the wonderful writings of many others around the world. Her outer work always reflected her inner journey, one immersed in contemplation, self-inquiry, and spiritual deepening. Culminating in a profound spiritual realization in 2007, all her life’s work came into a clear focus, as she began to write and answer questions for those who came to her which eventually became her book “Always Already Free” later republished by Watkins under the title “author of “Instant Presence: Allow Natural Meditation to Happen”, currently being translated in 4 languages. In addition to her BatGap interview, Enza has been interviewed and quoted by many publications including “Nonduality Talk”, “Advaita Vision”, “One The Magazine”, “Meeting Truth” and other body-mind-spirit periodicals. She has also presented at the “Science and Nonduality Conference” (SAND) in USA and Amsterdam. Enza lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her partner and children. Website: enzavita.com. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 6/27/2015 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Book Background 00:05:31 - Unusual Experiences and Childhood Trauma 00:11:09 - Embracing Imperfection and Differences 00:16:48 - Garments of Human Limitations 00:23:44 - The Beauty of the World and the Dissolution of Separation 00:29:18 - Accepting all Paths 00:33:46 - The importance of experiential realization 00:37:38 - Past Lives and Spiritual Practices 00:42:08 - Memories of Past Lives 00:46:30 - Learning from a Sufi Mystic 00:50:36 - The Archery Teacher and his Promises 00:55:01 - The Role of the Teacher 00:59:46 - The Evolution of Spiritual Maturation 01:04:20 - Fabricating in the Mind 01:09:04 - Resting in the Present Moment 01:13:43 - Effortlessness in Meditation 01:17:58 - Integration and Memory 01:23:36 - The Monk and the Little Girl in the Bubble 01:26:10 - A Spiritual Practitioner's Journey 01:31:05 - A Terrifying Experience 01:35:50 - The Realization within Myself 01:40:01 - The Importance of Proper Care during Awakening 01:43:43 - Kundalini Awakening and the Importance of Guidance 01:47:58 - Manifestation of Beings in Different Dimensions 01:52:24 - The Continuum of Silence 01:56:57 - The Nature of Deep Dreamless Sleep 02:01:31 - Levels of Realization and God-realization 02:06:02 - The Era of Waking Up Together 02:10:30 - The Power of Openness and Sharing 02:14:38 - A Range of Ideas 02:18:52 - Cardamom and Hot Milk to Help Sleep

288. Peter Fenner Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

Peter is a leader in the Western adaptation of Buddhist wisdom. He is a pioneer in the new field of nondual psychotherapy. He was a celibate monk in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions for nine years. He has a Ph.D. in the philosophical psychology of Mahayana Buddhism and has held teaching positions at universities in Australia and the USA. He has taught workshops at Naropa University, the California Institute for Integral Studies, Omega Institute, and other centers, and given invited presentations at JFK University, Saybrook College, Stanford Medical School, Columbia University, and internationally. Peter’s way of teaching is known for its dynamic and engaging deconstruction of all fixed frames of reference that block entry to unconditioned awareness, and for the purity and depth of natural, uncontrived silence that emerges in his work. He also has a unique capacity for sharing the skills and states of his transmission in a way that others can easily understand and begin to replicate the nondual transmission. Books: Radiant Mind - Teachings and Practices to Awaken Unconditioned Awareness (Audio) Radiant Mind - Awakening Unconditioned Awareness (Book) Realizing Unconditioned Awareness Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy (Omega Books) The Edge of Certainty: Dilemmas on the Buddhist Path ESSENTIAL WISDOM TEACHINGS Websites: nondualtraining.com peterfenner.com wisdom.org Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 4/18/2015 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:07 - Distinguishing between intellectual understanding and direct experience 00:08:19 - Sourceless Bliss 00:12:35 - The Progressive Development of Experience 00:16:29 - Starting at the End 00:20:59 - Cultivating Peace and Serenity Amidst Difficulties 00:25:16 - The Paradoxical Nature of Non-Doing and Non-Dualism 00:29:40 - The Purity of Resting in Awareness 00:33:49 - The Purpose of Meditation 00:37:05 - The Practice of Doing Nothing 00:40:22 - Not Knowing and Presence 00:44:17 - The Ground of Subjectivity 00:47:26 - The Mystery of Awareness and Non-Duality 00:51:14 - Diversity of Non-Dual Approaches 00:54:39 - Neuroplasticity and the Nature of Enlightenment 00:58:35 - The Expansiveness of Enlightenment 01:02:03 - Resting as pure awareness in any state 01:05:39 - Collective Psychological Problems 01:09:15 - Dissolving Hidden Baggage and Flowing Life 01:13:00 - Exploring Devotion and Awareness 01:16:57 - The Concept of the Mind Stream 01:20:34 - Finding Inspiration in the Lineage 01:24:26 - Regaining the Natural State 01:28:19 - Embodiment and Integration 01:32:07 - Retreat in India and Nepal 01:35:49 - Nutty People and Spirituality 01:39:33 - Appreciating What We Have 01:43:18 - A Lifelong Passion 01:46:29 - Holding Up the Stick 01:50:09 - The Structure of the Course: Three Workshops 01:53:17 - Future Topics

286. Ellen Emmet Apr 13, 2015

Show notes

Ellen’s deepest longing for the absolute was fulfilled when she met her teacher, Francis Lucille. In his presence, over many years, she awakened to her true nature of peace and happiness through continuous and deepening glimpses. The process of aligning and stabilizing her life to and in this beautiful non-dual understanding has never ceased to unfold since then. As a child Ellen was in love with movement and dance. She knew without words the joy and limitless transparency that the body dissolved into when it was free and alive. As an adolescent and young adult, she acutely felt and enacted suffering through her body, struggling with an eating disorder and with depression. Thus, the experience that we call the body has always been central to all of Ellen’s experiences, both in the ignoring and in the recognition of her true nature. Today, Ellen lives in Oxford, England. She has a private practice as a Psychotherapist, and facilitator of Authentic Movement. Her background of Dance-Movement Therapy and Transpersonal Psychology has been deeply influenced by the non-dual understanding. Ellen also offers meetings called The Awakening Body, an exploration of the body and of perception sourced in the teaching tradition of Kashmir Shivaism, Jean Klein and Francis Lucille. During these sessions our true nature is explored at the level of the body and of the sense perception. Credentials: Master Degrees in Dance Movement Therapy (New York University) and Transpersonal Psychology (John F. Kennedy University, CA). Certificate in Laban Movement Analyst Other Teachers and Mentors: Janet Adler and Marion Woodman provided great guidance and support in the realms of feminine wisdom, archetypal energies and intuitive knowing. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 4/11/2015 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:09 - True Nature and Awakening 00:08:36 - The Beauty of Understanding Permeating All Areas of Life 00:12:41 - The Pathway to Understanding Your True Nature 00:15:57 - The Importance of Intellect and Experience 00:19:14 - The Power of "Mahavakyas" 00:22:32 - The Role of Devotion in Non-Duality 00:25:42 - Moving beyond the dryness in the non-dual world 00:28:53 - The Absurdity of Identity 00:32:07 - The Holistic Development Process 00:35:12 - The Ultimate Understanding in Yoga Practices 00:38:23 - The Flow of Thoughts and Sensations 00:41:38 - Exploring the Body and Space 00:45:02 - Allowing the Body to Surface and Release 00:48:14 - The exploration of the body and perception 00:51:22 - The Value of Sangha 00:54:29 - The Richness of a Polarized Relationship 00:57:38 - Exploring Understanding and Refinement 01:00:47 - Lessons from Every Encounter 01:04:17 - The Practice of Authentic Movement for Healing Trauma 01:07:45 - Traumatic Experiences and Spiritual Awakening 01:11:10 - The Power of Movement and Rituals 01:14:19 - Authentic Movement and Non-Duality 01:17:30 - Sarah's Formulation and Personal Experience 01:20:38 - Navigating the Inner Compass 01:23:58 - The Balance Between Individual Intention and Cosmic Will 01:27:15 - Surrendering to Something Larger 01:30:40 - The Journey of Self-Discovery 01:34:05 - The Journey Towards Wholeness 01:37:19 - Getting Involved with Ellen Emmett 01:40:22 - Conclusion and Upcoming Interview

285. John Prendergast Apr 06, 2015

Show notes

John J. Prendergast, Ph.D., is a retired professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and a psychotherapist in private practice. He spent many years studying with the European Advaita master Jean Klein as well as with Adyashanti. He was invited to share the dharma by Dorothy Hunt in 2012. He is the author of: The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence and In Touch: How to Tune in to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself. He is the senior editor of two anthologies of original essays about nondual wisdom and psychology entitled Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy (Omega Books)and Listening from the Heart of Silence: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy, Volume 2 (Nondual Wisdom & Psychotherapy). He is also the founder and editor of Undivided: The Online Journal of Nonduality and Psychology. Website: listeningfromsilence.com Interview recorded 4/4/2015 Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Second BatGap interview with John. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:49 - Following Subtle Impulses 00:07:19 - Mysterious Encounters with Spiritual Teachers 00:11:02 - The Wisdom of Not Knowing 00:14:24 - Crossing the Barrier of Fear 00:18:08 - The Head-Heart-Gut Structure 00:21:46 - The Schizophrenia of Awakened Consciousness 00:25:45 - Changing Patterns and Seeking Truth 00:29:35 - The Balancing Act of Spiritual Maturity 00:33:24 - Trusting the Process and Letting Go of Seeking 00:37:29 - The Paradox of Seekership and Exploration 00:40:40 - Finding Our Dharma 00:44:11 - Embracing the Human Experience 00:47:52 - The Capacity of the Heart to Bear Collective Suffering 00:51:44 - Moving with Love in the World 00:55:19 - Living in Deep Integrity with Our Heart 00:59:04 - Meeting Ajay, Continuing the Teachings of Jean 01:02:07 - The Power of Presence with a Teacher 01:05:03 - Discovering inner resonance 01:09:09 - Opening a Channel of Communication to the Body 01:12:46 - The Myth of Ultimate Completion 01:16:29 - Transformative Sobbing 01:20:28 - The Upwelling of the Heart 01:24:15 - The Wisdom of the Body 01:27:52 - The Power of Beliefs in Creating Noise in the System 01:31:29 - Tapping into Core Subconscious Beliefs 01:34:49 - The Tendency for Negative Traits in Humans 01:38:28 - Acting without being married to the principle of fairness 01:42:04 - Self-Acceptance and Judgment of Others 01:45:47 - Final Thoughts and Book Recommendations 01:49:20 - Featuring Regular Joes

282. Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) – 2nd Interview Mar 17, 2015

Show notes

A. Hameed Ali was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the USA to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him more and more into inquiring into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature. Hameed's interest in the truth of human nature and the true nature of reality resulted in the creation and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach®: “The Diamond Approach is a path of wisdom, an approach to the investigation of Reality and work on oneself that leads to human maturity and liberation. Because of our particular vision of Reality it is not completely accurate to think of this approach as spiritual work, for this work does not separate the spiritual from the psychological, neither does it see these two as separate from the physical everyday life and scientific investigation of the content of perception. However, because we live in a society where the prevailing thought is that of the separated facets of Reality, the closest category recognized in this mentality, to our approach, is that of a spiritual path or exploration.” Some of Hameed's many books: Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery The Power of Divine Eros: The Illuminating Force of Love in Everyday Life The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence Brilliancy: The Essence of Intelligence (Diamond Body Series) Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond Approach to Inner Realization Website: ahalmaas.com Transcript of this interview 1st interview with Hameed Hameed Ali and Karen Johnson on nondual relationships Interview recorded 3/15/2015 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to "Runaway Realization" 00:04:24 - The Journey to Realization 00:08:36 - Different Paths of Realization 00:12:45 - Perception of Reality and Different Experiences 00:17:04 - The Individual Being and its Intrinsic Reality 00:21:16 - The Enlightenment Drive and its Relationship to Instinctual Drives 00:25:30 - Aligning Humanity with True Nature 00:29:18 - The Emphasis of Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism 00:33:17 - The Manifestation of Grace and the Illusion of Separate Self 00:37:48 - The Illusion of Separateness and Development of Consciousness 00:42:14 - Different Ways of Manifesting Reality 00:46:15 - The Two Conditions of Freedom 00:50:05 - The Endless Process of Actualization 00:54:15 - The Development of Faculties and Expressing Realization 00:58:33 - The Process of Realization and Integration 01:02:01 - Removing the Barrier of Goal-Oriented Thinking 01:05:28 - The Freedom of Being and Views 01:09:40 - The Beginning of Fundamentalism 01:14:09 - Total Being and Non-Linearity of Time 01:18:13 - The Concept of Time and Timelessness 01:22:14 - The Subtlety of Motivation in Spiritual Practice 01:26:20 - The Practice of Living Life 01:30:25 - The Individual and the Whole Universe 01:34:14 - Interpenetration of Time and Space 01:38:20 - The nature of reality and our creative potential 01:42:30 - The Fine Gradations of Pure Presence 01:46:22 - The Nature of Consciousness and Knowing 01:51:00 - The Knowingness and Being 01:55:02 - The purpose of creation and the expansion of happiness 01:59:00 - Concluding Remarks & Future Interviews 02:02:06 - Next Week's Guest: Vasant Swaha

252. Judith Blackstone Oct 05, 2014

Show notes

Judith Blackstone is a nonduality teacher, spiritual psychotherapist, and co-founder of Nonduality Institute. She developed the Realization Process, a method of embodied nondual realization and psychological and relational healing. In the Realization Process, the radical openness of nonduality is based on deep contact with the internal space of one’s body. In this way, we discover an authentic, quality-rich experience of our individual being at the same time as we transcend our individuality. We realize ourselves as unified consciousness, pervading everywhere. When two people have both realized nonduality, they experience mutual transparency: a single expanse of consciousness pervading them both as a unity. Judith teaches workshops and teacher certification trainings in the meditation, embodiment, and spiritual psychotherapy aspects of the Realization Process. She is the author of Belonging Here The Realization Process: A Step-by-Step Guide to Embodied Spiritual Awakening An audio series of The Realization Process is available from Sounds True. The Intimate Life The Empathic Ground For information on Judith's teaching schedule, visit www.realizationprocess.org. To learn about Nonduality Institute, visit www.nondualityinstitute.org. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 10/4/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Judith Blackstone and the Realization Process 00:03:02 - Healing and attuning to oneself 00:06:06 - Seeking Healing and Letting Go 00:08:56 - A Journey of Healing and Spirituality 00:11:29 - Spiritual Awakening and Breakthroughs 00:13:58 - Discovering the Oneness of Everything 00:16:51 - The Awakening to Unified Consciousness 00:19:17 - Inhabiting the Internal Space of the Body 00:22:02 - The Nature of the Pervasive Space 00:24:50 - Total Integration of Body and Mind 00:27:37 - Being Present in the Body 00:30:57 - The Subtlety of Consciousness 00:33:32 - The Harm of Self-Erasure 00:36:32 - The Localization and Personalization of Experience 00:39:03 - Dismantling Childhood Constrictions 00:41:49 - Acquiring New Constrictions throughout Life 00:44:30 - Releasing Constrictions through Subtle Focus 00:47:11 - Penetrating Deep into the Internal Core 00:49:38 - Employing Nature's Intelligence in the Process 00:52:27 - The Healing Process 00:55:01 - Sexual Abuse and Spiritual Practices 00:58:07 - Sai Baba and the Mystery of His Influence 01:00:43 - Measuring Progress with Transparency and Bliss 01:03:30 - Acclimating to Extremes of Suffering and Happiness 01:06:05 - Attuning to the Innermost Core 01:08:37 - Retention rate of spiritual practices 01:10:49 - Teaching and Training Workshops 01:13:02 - Valuing Expertise and Compensation 01:15:12 - The Role of Spirituality in Modern Living 01:17:29 - Keeping Traditions Alive and Innovating 01:19:59 - Wrapping Up the Discussion

231. Jeddah Mali May 19, 2014

Show notes

Jeddah Mali is the Executive Director and founder of Global Paradigm Ltd, which delivers training programs for individuals and organizations seeking a completely new approach to the age-old dilemma of how to make life, business and society work effectively and harmoniously. Jeddah’s unique approach identifies and maps the cohesive design underlying every system, from an individual person to a solar system. It reveals the hidden patterns within every aspect of life that are responsible for how things turn out. Jeddah provides an in-depth examination into the nature and function of this design, and the mechanics that make it work. Our understanding and use of these mechanics determine the extent to which we can produce consistent and reliable results. Jeddah is sought after for her precise understanding of human beings, the contribution each person makes individually and collectively and the impact this has on the world in which we live. Her work examines the link between our design as human beings and our hardwired predisposition towards peace, collaboration and contentment. Seeds of Enlightenment Changing the Paradigm Series An Interview With Jeddah Mali Jeddah's website Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 5/17/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Jeddah Maul 00:04:52 - Strange Experiences in Childhood 00:09:00 - Expansion and contraction in the yoga sutras 00:12:49 - Childhood Challenges and Inner Life Disconnect 00:17:57 - Spiritual Experiences and Realizations in India 00:22:23 - Miraculous Support and Guidance 00:26:08 - Taking the Bodhisattva vow with the Dalai Lama 00:29:34 - Discovering Direct Access to Existence 00:33:23 - Direct Experience vs. Intermediaries 00:37:01 - The Presence of Jesus and Buddha 00:40:47 - The Residencies and Occupations of Ascended Masters 00:45:03 - Universal Assistance for All Beings 00:48:34 - The Existence of Higher Dimensions 00:52:24 - The Role of Corporations and the Bigger Picture 00:55:54 - Integration and Consciousness Shift 01:00:04 - Corporate Transformation for the Planet 01:04:07 - Working with CEOs for a Positive Impact 01:07:38 - Resistance to Understanding and Embracing Existence 01:11:13 - The role of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in creation. 01:14:54 - Realization of Universal Consciousness 01:18:52 - The Spectrum of Existence 01:22:50 - The Reality of Different Dimensions and Consciousness 01:26:54 - Enlightenment and Conscious Choice 01:30:03 - Direct Access to the Energy of Existence 01:33:35 - Exploring Higher Frequency States 01:36:50 - Working with People and Achieving Results 01:39:45 - The Process of Freedom 01:43:27 - Embracing Challenges in Practical Life 01:47:44 - The Wisdom of Non-Physical Beings 01:50:58 - Wrapping Up the Interview 01:53:39 - Meeting and Farewell

179. Hale Dwoskin Jun 09, 2013

Show notes

HALE DWOSKIN, New York Times Best-Selling author of The Sedona Method who is featured in the Letting Go movie, is the CEO and Director of Training of Sedona Training Associates, an organization that teaches courses based on the emotional releasing techniques inspired by his mentor, Lester Levenson. Hale is an international speaker and featured faculty member at Esalen and the Omega Institute. He is also one of the 24 featured teachers of the book and movie phenomenon, “The Secret,” as well as a founding member of The Transformational Leadership Council. For over three decades, he has regularly been teaching The Sedona Method to individuals and corporations throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, and leading coach trainings and advanced retreats since the early 1990s. He is also the co-author with Lester Levenson of Happiness Is Free: And It’s Easier than You Think (a five-book series). Sedona Training Associates is an educational training organization that was created to continue fulfilling Lester Levenson’s wish to share the practical and powerful methods he discovered for removing an individual’s personal blocks to abundance, health, happiness, and success. Many thousands of people from all walks of life worldwide have benefited from this work during the thirty-plus year history of The Sedona Method Course. Sedona Training Associates currently offers seminars throughout the US, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Eastern and Western Europe, and Japan. It also publishes audio programs that are distributed worldwide. Sedona Training Associates is dedicated to bringing lasting positive change to the planet through education and supporting the transformation of the world consciousness to bring about lasting inner and outer peace, environmental sustainability and social justice for all. Books & DVDs: The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being Letting Go: Transform Your Life - Transform the World Happiness Is Free, and It's Easier Than You Think! The Sedona Method Compilation Album Letting Go! The Truth About The Sedona Method: How To Rise To The Top Of Any Situation - The Hale Dwoskin Interview For more information please visit: www.Sedona.com Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 6/8/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Hale Dwoskin and the Sedona Method 00:05:55 - Letting go of Inertia and Compulsive Doingness 00:10:09 - Pretending to be in Acceptance and Peace 00:14:05 - The Illusion of Differences in Spiritual Realization 00:18:09 - Cooking the Seeds: Maintaining the Non-Dual State 00:22:22 - Letting go and living life open 00:26:00 - Living in a Soap Bubble 00:29:17 - Letting Go and Nonduality 00:32:43 - Balancing Nonduality and Life 00:37:27 - The Full Catastrophe of Life 00:42:36 - The Difficulty of Non-Duality 00:47:28 - The Natural Process of Dissolution 00:51:25 - The movie analogy and the limitations of analogies 00:55:09 - Dealing with Samskaras and Vasanas 00:57:53 - The Grieving Process and Allowing for Experience 01:01:30 - Healing Trauma and Letting Go 01:05:15 - The Importance of True Teachers 01:08:59 - Meeting Lester Webinson 01:13:38 - Finding Peace in Non-Duality 01:17:37 - The Analogy of Accumulating Vasanas and Impressions 01:21:46 - The School of Thought on Reincarnation 01:25:40 - Turning Rocks into Sand 01:29:07 - Recognizing Our Limitations and Embracing What We Are 01:31:54 - Beginnings in New York City 01:35:39 - Receiving the Teachings of Sedona Method 01:39:49 - Growth through Challenging Experiences 01:43:43 - Integration of Energetic Systems 01:47:12 - Exploring a New Modality 01:52:01 - Teaching from the Heart 01:56:14 - Following Your Heart to Achieve Freedom from Suffering 02:00:11 - Conclusion and Farewell

178. James Waite Jun 03, 2013

Show notes

DISCOVERING OUR NATURAL WELL-BEING. As the name suggests, well-being is natural – that is, it’s a normal condition (if not an average one for most of humanity) and not just in the domain of some sages and saints. Our real shared nature is one of goodness, balance and harmony, where suffering is not imagined or dwelt upon. In truth, in nature, there is no such thing as “suffering”. There is, of course, pain, when an injury is inflicted, and grief in unnatural circumstances or when a loved one passes, but there is no necessary attachment of mind-made suffering to that pain in nature. Our natural well-being finds its foundation in truth, reality, and love. Taken together, they form the ground of all our human and divine experience of life. And this grace of living in peace and contentment is what it means to be naturally “happy”. By “contentment” we mean contentment with the content of now – whatever that might be in the moment –confusion, anger, pleasure, pain, fear…bills! All this is mirrored and embraced in the aware silence of innate well-being. James Waite is a writer, designer, and businessman in Berkeley, CA. He discovers and shares this natural well-being in daily aware living at www.nondualityliving.com. He is the author of two books: “Real, Whole, Here, and Happy!” (Free @ NDL) and “Fading in the Light”. A new book, “LIVING HERE…Discovering our Natural Well-Being” is emerging. He meets weekly with friends in the San Francisco Bay area to explore aware living and you are invited to contact him (see below). He invites your inquiries at nondualityliving@gmail.com. or bewelltlc@gmail.com. James' blog Summary and transcript of this interview Interview conducted 6/1/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Non-Duality Insights 00:04:55 - A Journey of Awakening 00:09:12 - The Beginning of the Spiritual Journey 00:13:16 - Seeking Structure and Method 00:17:17 - Meeting Adyashanti and the Awakening Experience 00:20:43 - Recognizing the Forever Nature 00:24:50 - The Innocent Misplacement of Identity 00:29:02 - Hatred Towards God 00:33:52 - Blossoming of the Heart 00:37:36 - Love without Ego 00:42:08 - Perceptions and the Stuff of Our Being 00:46:22 - Resting in Awareness 00:50:21 - The Practice of Self-Remembering 00:54:45 - Paradoxical Nature of Levels and Stages 00:58:22 - Recognition of Body-Mind Experience 01:03:13 - Belief in Reincarnation 01:08:06 - The Mystery of Absolute Truth 01:11:54 - Interpenetration of the Absolute and the Relative 01:16:16 - The Fear Born of Duality 01:20:17 - The Illusion of Leaving and Doing 01:24:24 - The Value of Monastic Life 01:28:45 - The value of suffering and the intelligence of life 01:32:57 - The King and the Minister's Wisdom 01:35:40 - The Meaning of Life and the Cosmic Unfolding 01:39:36 - Exploring Life and Death with Michel de Montaigne 01:42:40 - Embracing the Reality of Death 01:46:08 - The Treasure of Knowing Reality 01:50:04 - The Path of Relieving Suffering 01:53:54 - The Well-being of the Boomer Generation and the Future of Humanity 01:58:07 - Ending Remarks and Contact Information 02:01:19 - Sign up for Email Notifications

172. Anne Sermons Gillis May 03, 2013

Show notes

Anne Sermons Gillis started her spiritual pilgrimage at the age of four. She explored multiple avenues for self-realization and even though she experienced the mystical, traveled the world, lived her life’s calling and created an abundant physical world, she always returned to the doorstep of suffering. Through the use of metaphysics, she achieved her material goals by the age of 24 and found herself living the empty life of the American Dream. She renounced much of the material world and found that renunciation brought no better rewards than achievement. In her quest to alleviate human suffering she delved beneath the traditional ideas of happiness and spirituality to the core of reality. At age 49 she awakened to that which is beyond suffering. Along the way, in 1984, she co-founded Connection Church (Center for Spiritual Growth) in Memphis, TN and served as the senior spiritual guide until 1998. She moved to Houston, Texas as a result of a strong inner urging. She met her mate two weeks after arriving and they married five years layer. They continue to live in the Houston area. Gillis is the founder of the EZosophy movement. Thousands continue to benefit from the principles of EZosophy. Her humor and frivolity set her aside from many teachers. She is sincere, but not serious. Gillis contends that life is not as hard as we make it; it is time to lighten up and enjoy life. “Our work and lives are an expression of love, not a chance to punish ourselves with relentless doing.” Gillis is the foremost expert on ease. She is an international speaker, minister, author, breath worker, and personal growth coach. Anne’s wisdom, humor, and exuberant presentation style make learning fun. Armed with years of experience in human dynamics, Gillis consistently delivers more than promised. She teaches people how to have accomplishment without struggle by presenting refreshing material that is immediately accessible. “Life is not meant to be a series of to-do lists punctuated by eating and sleeping,” says Gillis. Her approach to nondualism is called Radical Presence. Anne's books: Standing In The Dark EZosophy: The Art and Wisdom of Easy or at Least Easier Living Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic: Making Life Easier Through Innovative Prayer Anne's website Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded 4/27/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Awakening to the Beyond of Suffering 00:04:03 - The Ever-Deepening Awakening Journey 00:07:36 - Authenticity and Integrity in Spiritual Teaching 00:11:13 - Observing and Dissolving the Observer 00:15:07 - Expanding Consciousness and Ultimate Power 00:19:05 - The Continuing Development of Awakening 00:22:41 - Incremental Awakening 00:26:26 - The Battle with Insanity and Emotional Collapse 00:30:04 - The Importance of Emotional Support and Authenticity 00:33:17 - The Art of Breakups and Authentic Responses 00:36:39 - Dealing with Relationship Addiction 00:40:05 - The Continual Journey of Enlightenment 00:43:33 - Cosmic Awareness and States of Consciousness 00:47:02 - Increasing Sensory Awareness 00:50:28 - Exploring Mindscapes 00:54:21 - The Concept of Infinity 00:57:43 - Surrendering to the Flow 01:01:25 - Life as a Struggle and the Possibility of Letting Go 01:04:42 - Levels of Pain and Suffering 01:08:03 - Awareness of Suffering in the World 01:11:26 - Finding Balance in Life 01:14:48 - The Luxury of Being a Writer 01:18:01 - Finding Comfort in Prayer 01:21:44 - The Profoundness of Reality 01:25:16 - Standing in the Dark: Embracing Spiritual Challenges 01:28:46 - Afraid of Our Greatness 01:32:19 - Connecting with Others through the Internet 01:35:58 - The Internet as a Reflection of Consciousness 01:39:15 - The Power of Now 01:42:45 - The Essence of Reality and Presence 01:45:50 - Speaking to Authentic Groups and Wrapping Up

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