Buddha at the Gas Pump

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712. Melinda Edwards Aug 08, 2024

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Melinda Edwards, MD is a mother, writer and physician in Charleston, South Carolina, providing psychiatric care for underserved adults. She attended the Medical University of South Carolina and completed her residency in psychiatry at Stanford Medical Center. She has studied complementary and alternative medicine with Andrew Weil, MD, researched the effects of MDMA on PTSD with Michael Mithoefer, MD, and is a columnist for Autism Parenting Magazine. Dr. Edwards is the author of PSYCHE & SPIRIT: How a Psychiatrist Found Divinity Through Her Lifelong Search for Truth and Her Daughter’s Autism. As a child of medical missionaries, Melinda grew up in a Mayan Indian village in Guatemala, Central America. Early in life she experienced an inner pull to a deeper truth. Her journey has taken her through various spiritual practices including meditation retreats, guidance from spiritual teachers, travel to India, and living in spiritual communities. Her quest led to the ongoing discovery of the sacred in all. Inspired by her journey with her daughter Saachi, Dr. Edwards founded the 501c3 nonprofit organization Living Darshan to foster a deeper understanding of autism in the world. Website: melindaedwardsmd.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded July 20, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:26 - An Evolutionary Journey 00:07:57 - The Fear of Going to Hell 00:11:58 - Tiptoeing Through Sleeping Elephants 00:16:32 - Levels of Spiritual Evolution 00:20:56 - The Spiral into Anorexia 00:25:46 - The Importance of Compassion and Being Heard 00:30:10 - Love as a Virus and the Hazards of Idealizing Spiritual Teachers 00:34:39 - Red Flags in Spiritual Teachers and Communities 00:39:21 - The Dangers of a Spiritualized Ego 00:43:34 - The Danger of Unqualified Advice in the Spiritual Community 00:47:37 - Exploiting Students' Finances 00:51:29 - The Role of Students in Spiritual Teaching 00:55:29 - Correlation between Teaching in Medicine and Spirituality 00:59:39 - Spiritual Teachers and Holistic Development 01:03:34 - The Realization of Nothingness 01:07:09 - The Nature of Realization and Integration 01:10:15 - The Dissolution of the Project of "Me" 01:13:53 - Micro adjustments and thriving 01:18:13 - Medications and Spiritual Awakening 01:21:51 - Support and Caution in Meditation Retreats 01:25:50 - The Impact of Spiritual Practices on Brain Chemistry 01:29:41 - Taking Medication for ADD and Kundalini Awakening 01:33:16 - Online Sessions and the Law 01:38:05 - The Porousness of Energy and Information 01:42:40 - The Increase of Neurodiverse Beings in the Population 01:47:44 - Different Realms and Dimensions 01:51:22 - Supporting Autistic Children in Their Purpose 01:55:29 - Navigating Kundalini Energy 01:59:32 - The Power of a Mother's Love 02:02:41 - Stay tuned for upcoming content

580. Sue Morter Dec 22, 2020

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International speaker, Master of Bio-Energetic Theory, and Quantum Field visionary, Dr. Sue Morter utilizes the embodiment of high-frequency energy patterns to activate full human potential. Through her seminars, retreats, and presentations, she illuminates the relationship of quantum science and energy medicine – elevating human consciousness into life mastery. Dr. Sue is the USA Today bestselling, #1 bestselling LA Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Energy Codes: The 7-Step System to Awaken Your Spirit, Heal Your Body, and Live Your Best Life. Through THE ENERGY CODES, Dr. Sue provides techniques to activate untapped energy and neurocircuitry in the body, empower hidden potential, and become one’s true, essential self. She is the founder and creator of the globally-taught coursework, The Energy Codes®, a multi-level body of work on Personal and Spiritual Development. Dr. Sue also created the BodyAwake® RYT 200 Certified Yoga Program and is co-creator of the Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.). She has served on professional licensing boards, providing guidance to health care practitioners on integrative approaches to healthcare leadership. Dr. Sue is also adjunct faculty at two medical schools at Michigan State University, an AAU school classified as one of the top 100 universities in the world. Dr. Sue is the host of Gaia TV’s Healing Matrix, and co-host of Your Year of Miracles lifestyle training. Dr. Sue is E-RYT 200 and E-RYT 500 certified in Yoga Instruction and was recently recognized for her outstanding achievements as an honored member of the Transformational Leadership Council. In addition to founding Morter HealthCenter in 1987, she is the founder and visionary of the Morter Institute for Bio-Energetics, an organization committed to teaching individuals self-healing techniques with an inner wisdom-based approach to life based on Quantum Science and higher consciousness. With three distinct schools representing the unification of mind, body, and spirit: the School of Energy Medicine, School of BodyAwake® Yoga, and School for Higher Consciousness and Personal Development – Dr. Sue provides tools and avenues to empower the global community to discover and embody a joyful, inspired life, lived from the true, Soulful Self. Website: drsuemorter.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded December 12, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:10 - Sharing Profound Experiences in Teaching 00:08:25 - The Discovery of Energy Fields 00:12:35 - Tapping into a Deeper Knowing 00:16:53 - The Continuity of Life 00:21:11 - Heart-Based Meditation 00:25:43 - Holding Teachers Accountable for Social Change 00:30:03 - The Importance of Integration and Embodiment 00:34:27 - Grounding and Embodiment 00:38:40 - Integrating Nature and Collaborating with Forces 00:42:28 - Dissolving into the Light 00:47:41 - The Shift in Perception and Dimensionality 00:51:51 - Finding Bliss and Grounding Energies 00:56:16 - Tapping into Infinite Energy 01:00:30 - The Energy Dissipated in Mental Activities 01:04:36 - Cosmic Desires Supported by the Cosmos 01:08:33 - Harnessing Connection with the Universe 01:12:56 - Embracing the Shift and Reevaluation of Life 01:17:09 - Awakening to a Greater Sense of Self 01:21:37 - Embracing the Invisible Realm and Revealing Hidden Gifts 01:26:08 - Choosing to Utilize Your Energies 01:30:07 - The Power of Vibrational Frequency 01:34:32 - Embracing Parts of Ourselves 01:39:00 - The Bus Stop Conversation 01:42:31 - Finding Self-Love through Adverse Circumstances 01:46:02 - Healing and Filtering Energy 01:50:02 - Distorted Biofield and Energy Flow 01:53:48 - Understanding the Language of the Soul 01:57:34 - Discovering the Power of Energy Codes 02:01:23 - The Birth of Level Three 02:05:07 - Interview with Sue Morter

472. Steve Briggs Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

As a teenager, Steve Briggs met his guru at a meditation retreat in the Swiss Alps. After studying English Literature at the University of Arizona on a tennis scholarship, the author received an MBA and a Ph.D. in Vedic Studies and traveled internationally instructing thousands in the art of meditation. Steve is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), whom he met in India in 1996. He has been practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM) for the past 46 years and credits his guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, with showing him the path to enlightenment. Steve currently coaches the Maharishi School boys' tennis team. His players have won four state high school championships, including the 2014 triple crown. Steve has trained two national champions and a top 50 ATP professional tour player. In 1994, Steve Briggs was sent to India to teach TM to corporate executives. During his seven years in India, Steve traveled repeatedly to the high Himalaya where he encountered many yogis and sadhus. The author’s first book, India Mirror of Truth, was a popular memoir about his time in India. Steve's second book, The Tale of the Himalayan Yogis: The Nirvana Chronicles, is a novel set in India and Tibet. Website: stevebriggsauthor.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 24, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction with Rick Archer 00:04:56 - Tennis and the Zone 00:08:54 - The Search for an Advantage in Tennis 00:13:10 - The Role of Myelin in Performance 00:17:38 - The Beginning of Tennis 00:21:39 - Witnessing Consciousness & Athletes' Experiences 00:25:35 - Immersed in the World of Kali 00:29:51 - The Power of a Higher Vibration 00:33:41 - Perception Without the Senses 00:38:14 - Exploring Consciousness and Awakening 00:42:39 - The Meaning of the Mantra 00:47:19 - Devotion towards Higher Beings 00:51:49 - The Erosion of Fear and Emotional Discipline 00:56:10 - Shifting from Head to Heart 01:00:40 - Breathing Your Way to Enlightenment 01:04:55 - The Importance of Variety in Daily Life 01:09:02 - The Connection Between Emotions and Health 01:13:04 - The Importance of Checks and Balances 01:17:12 - The Dangers of Intense Spiritual Practices 01:21:21 - Meeting Babaji in Different Forms 01:25:27 - A Mysterious Encounter in Varanasi 01:29:26 - Encounters in the Himalayas 01:33:45 - Levitation and the Human Relationship to Laws of Nature 01:38:01 - Proper use of extraordinary abilities 01:41:57 - The Reality of Gurus and Ethics 01:46:25 - The correlation between higher states of consciousness and ethical behavior 01:50:21 - Trusting Your Inner Wisdom 01:54:34 - Feeding the Dogs and Learning Humility 01:58:38 - The Restless Devotee 02:02:53 - The Buddha Tradition and Feeding Tigers 02:07:09 - A Fellow Traveler on the Spiritual Path

460. James O'Dea Jul 01, 2018

Show notes

James O’Dea is the award-winning author of The Conscious Activist, Cultivating Peace, Soul Awakening Practice, and other works. James is a former President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, Washington office director of Amnesty International, and CEO of the Seva Foundation. He has taught peacebuilding to over a thousand students in 30 countries. He has also conducted frontline social healing dialogues around the world. He is a founding member of The Evolutionary Leaders group and on the Advisory Board of The Peace Alliance, Kosmos Journal, and the Laszlo New Paradigm Institute. Website: jamesodea.com Books: The Conscious Activist: Where Activism Meets Mysticism Soul Awakening Practice: Prayer, Contemplation and Action Cultivating Peace: Becoming a 21st-Century Peace Ambassador Creative Stress: A Path for Evolving Souls Living Through Personal and Planetary Upheaval 'James O'Dea is a modern-day prophet who has journeyed further than anyone I know in the ways of peace' -- Lynne Twist www.pachamama.org 'James O'Dea is indubitably one of the most evolved souls on the planet' -- Ervin Laszlo author of over 40 books on cosmology, consciousness, and new science. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded June 30, 2018 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Invocation 00:04:03 - This Consecrated Hour 00:10:19 - The Music beneath the Melodrama 00:15:24 - The Purpose of Creation 00:22:06 - The Heart's Response to Tests and Bitterness 00:28:15 - The Bittersweet Beginning 00:34:38 - Beginning of Activism and Loss of Spiritual Connection 00:40:46 - Learning from Losses and Mystical Experiences 00:46:33 - The Evolutionary Process of Evil 00:52:29 - The Subtle Domain: A Story of Refinement 00:58:42 - The Teaching of Quality and the Rainbow Umbrella 01:03:02 - The Power of Forgiveness 01:08:50 - Restorative Justice and Forgiveness in Conflict Zones 01:14:35 - The Indestructible Spirit within the Palestinian Camp 01:20:46 - A Transformation in Front of Me 01:26:49 - The Hunter of the Fire 01:31:58 - The Blossoming of Celestial Perception 01:36:12 - The Subtle Plane in Mozart's Music 01:40:33 - The Power of Subtlety and Refinement 01:44:00 - The Power of Communion and Fields 01:47:27 - Neutralizing Tension in the Field 01:50:50 - The Power of Field Connectivity 01:54:44 - A Pivotal Day in My Life 01:58:19 - Fields Within Fields: Exploring Spirituality and Human Rights 02:01:25 - Subtle Realms and Interconnectedness 02:05:27 - The Toll of Dealing with Mayhem and Torture 02:09:06 - The Complexity of Knowledge and the Simplest Form of Awareness 02:11:50 - The Marrying of Consciousness and Compassionate Action 02:15:07 - The Complexity of Existential Crises 02:19:02 - The Infinite Rhythms of Consciousness 02:22:55 - The Luminous Essence of Your True Self

392. Gabor Harsanyi Mar 20, 2017

Show notes

Gabor is a spirited coach who frees people from thought addiction, allowing consciousness to awaken and to become the real guide. Gabor nearly lost his life escaping from communist Hungary at the age of 18. He arrived in Canada with a single-minded and insatiable thirst for his first love - power and material wealth. At the age of 30, he was already a multi-millionaire, had his black belt in Hap-Kido, and had degrees in business and engineering. However, he was not at all happy. And so, Gabor turned to his 2nd love - spirituality. He resided with and was initiated by a Shaman in Ecuador, lived in a forest in the U.S., all the while, attending Ramtha's School of Enlightenment. He also studied with teachers such as Burt Harding and Bob Proctor, and took every new age seminar within shooting distance. All these served as soul searching pacifiers with an occasional glimmer of "What a great experience! If only I could hang on to it a bit longer." Finally, at the age of 40, Gabor found his true Master - suffering. His suffering came in the forms of heartbreak, the loss of his family and his entire fortune, and suicidal depression. Through the grace of this newfound master, Gabor was now able to surrender to his third and ultimate love - Presence, the silence of nothing, where the capitulated mind takes a back seat and becomes the servant. Having deepened his presence and integrating it into his life, Gabor developed many techniques and the ability to teach the indescribable. For the past 10 years, he has been offering seminars and private sessions, online and in several countries around the globe. In these sessions, Gabor not only guides people and teaches the techniques he has developed, but he also helps them deal with the mind’s onslaughts by proxy. Website: gaborharsanyi.com Facebook page Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 3/18/2017 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction with Rick Archer 00:04:23 - Escaping to Find Freedom 00:08:00 - Overcoming Fear and Trusting Others During a Refugee Journey 00:10:48 - Responsibility as a parent 00:13:22 - Achieving Success without Knowing the Limits 00:16:28 - Losing Everything in the Real Estate Crash 00:19:02 - Brutal and Barbaric Physical and Mental Exercises 00:21:22 - The Value of Past Spiritual Experiences 00:24:42 - Emphasizing Spirituality for Everyone 00:29:00 - The Mystical Perspective of Awakening 00:32:54 - The Feeling of Oneness and Unity 00:36:17 - The Toughest Period 00:38:51 - Drunkenness and Control 00:42:09 - Building Stress and Depression 00:46:54 - Learning from the Indigenous Community 00:53:10 - The Ayahuasca Experience 00:57:53 - Accessing Presence through Difficulties 01:02:59 - The Dolphin Technique for Interrupting the Mind 01:06:47 - Maintaining Expanded Awareness and Avoiding Emotional Blows 01:11:56 - The Problem with Meditation Techniques 01:15:57 - The Complexity of Meditation 01:18:45 - The Complexity of Life and Cultural Breakthroughs 01:22:27 - Finding Simplicity Within Complexity 01:26:12 - Convergence and Resoluteness 01:28:41 - Surrendering to Universal Intelligence 01:31:01 - Becoming Second Nature 01:33:49 - The Body's Intelligence and Universal Intelligence 01:37:04 - Dissolving the Trinity in Unity 01:40:32 - Learning and Practical Applications 01:43:38 - Simplicity and Inner Practice. 01:45:19 - Live Streaming Interviews on YouTube Save Save

361. Timothy Conway, 2nd Interview Sep 12, 2016

Show notes

Sheerly by Divine Grace, in 1971 Timothy woke up to nondual Reality, the Divine Reality or Self that is doing everything and being everybody. He has gratefully served ever since then as a simple “spiritual friend” (kalyana mitra) and since the 1980s as a satsang leader, counselor, healer, and author of over one hundred essays, as well as the book Women of Power & Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time and forthcoming books (The Liberating Zen Sourcebook, the enormous 2-volume India’s Sages, and other works). His website Enlightened-Spirituality.org is a major resource on spiritual awakening, nondual wisdom and nondual devotion, engaged spirituality, illustrious sages, and world religions, spiritual humor, and much more. After residing in the Santa Barbara region of the Great Dream from 1988 to mid-2016, Timothy and his wife Laura are residing in Vistancia, Arizona, for at least a year to be close to her family. Timothy continues to hold free satsangs and classes on a variety of spiritual topics and also sees clients for psychological counseling services. His basic message: Your unborn TRUE IDENTITY is already complete, whole, and full as Absolute Awareness-Aliveness, and by the Grace-full Power of this Supra-personal Reality the personal consciousness “instrument” can be suffused with all sorts of beautiful Divine virtues. Timothy's email address. Interview recorded 9/10/2016 Transcript of this interview First interview with Timothy Free downloadable audio recordings of Timothy's weekly satsangs YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:58 - Understanding the Meaning and Value of Life 00:10:06 - The Power of Personal Consciousnesses 00:15:26 - The Unity of Sages and Their Enjoyment of Differences 00:20:46 - The Non-Duality of Behavior 00:25:38 - Ramana Maharshi's Stubbornness 00:30:29 - Amma's Mystical Tendencies and Troubled Past 00:35:19 - The Odds of a Blind Turtle 00:40:57 - The Paradox of Unenlightenment 00:45:47 - The Seduction of Spiritual Cults 00:50:40 - Egalitarian Nature of Clear-Light Awareness and Transmission Models 00:55:26 - Non-dual devotion and the pitfalls of praise 01:00:08 - The Life of a Teacher 01:04:58 - The Presence of Divine Virtues 01:08:58 - The Racket of Lobbyists and Defense Contractors 01:12:36 - Absolute Language and Transcendence 01:16:41 - Souls and the Intrinsic Perfection 01:20:50 - The Divine Perfection in the Laws of Nature 01:24:51 - Innocent Souls and Complicated Conditioning 01:29:03 - Letting go of Seeking 01:33:11 - The Activities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas 01:37:25 - Unity in Diversity 01:41:22 - The Role of Consciousness in Animal Rights and Climate Change Awareness 01:45:26 - Letting Go of Samskaras 01:49:28 - Ramana's Enlightenment Journey 01:53:15 - The Value of Deep Dreamless Sleep 01:56:41 - The Three Gunas and Yogic States 02:00:41 - Awakening to Our True Absolute Host Nature 02:04:39 - The Gradual Cultivation of Buddha-like Qualities 02:08:27 - Owls Singing 02:12:04 - Music

96. Jon Bernie Nov 15, 2011

Show notes

Jon Bernie’s first awakening experience at the age of sixteen led him to spend many years practicing in the Zen and Theravadan Buddhist traditions, first as a monk in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, and then as an early student of Jack Kornfield’s. In the late 1980s, Jon’s spiritual trajectory was profoundly altered when he met Jean Klein – master of Advaita Vedanta and Kashmiri Yoga with whom he studied intensively for an extended period. Jon subsequently spent time with H.W.L. Poonja and Robert Adams, both direct disciples of Ramana Maharshi. Jon’s spiritual development was also greatly aided by Brother David Steindl-Rast, who, along with Thomas Merton, was one of the first Christian monks to seriously practice in the Zen and Tibetan traditions and has since been instrumental in building interfaith networks worldwide. After Jon met Adyashanti in 2002, his spiritual journey came to fruition, and subsequently Adya asked Jon to teach. In addition to his work as a spiritual teacher, Jon is a certified Zero Balancing practitioner and a teacher of the Alexander Technique in private practice in San Francisco since 1981. Jon’s healing work has also been deeply influenced by extensive training in NLP, hypnosis, Self Acceptance Training, cranio-sacral therapy and the Qigong system of Dr. Yu Penxi. In addition to his private practice, Jon has given lectures and workshops for the general public at the Suzuki Method Teacher’s Conference, UCSF Medical School, JFK University and the Whole Life Expo. Jon currently leads regular classes, retreats and intensives in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Jon's book, Ordinary Freedom Jon's Website Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/13/2011 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Power of Energy in Satsangs 00:05:18 - Interconnectedness and Synchronization 00:07:57 - A Psychic Awakening at 16 00:10:28 - Questioning the Existence of a Creative Force 00:13:42 - The Mind Wanders 00:16:53 - Becoming a Buddhist Monk 00:20:32 - The End of Fear and the End of Seeking 00:23:52 - Constant Discovery 00:27:27 - Second Awakening and the End of Fear 00:30:54 - Subtle Ways of Transformation 00:33:56 - Healing the Unseen and Unhealed Parts of Ourselves 00:36:50 - Relating to Spiritual Teachers on a Human Level 00:39:48 - Monastic Component in TM Movement 00:43:11 - Embracing Different Paths to Personal Growth 00:46:35 - Talking about Personal Identity 00:50:04 - The Experience of Human Feelings 00:52:47 - A Meeting with a Radiant Spiritual Teacher 00:55:50 - The Absence of Self-Consciousness 00:58:19 - "Do the Next Obvious Thing" 01:01:19 - Discovering Life and Learning as a Human Being 01:04:50 - Being a Mirror for Others' Resistance 01:07:23 - The Miracle of Satsang 01:09:49 - The Beginning of Awakening 01:12:14 - The Question of Belief 01:15:08 - The Inner Lives of Individuals 01:18:31 - Awakening to Shakti with Rick and Tony 01:20:58 - Collective Transformation and Flexible Approaches to Spiritual Practice 01:23:43 - Questioning Beliefs and Assumptions 01:26:32 - The Necessity of Gradual Growth and Breakthroughs 01:29:37 - The Path to Truth 01:32:38 - Conclusion and Farewell Save

84. Pamela Wilson Aug 31, 2011

Show notes

Pamela speaks the Truth of Advaita, non-duality - that the universe is one undivided whole. For the last ten years, she has traveled widely in the United States, Canada, and Europe, holding satsang and giving private sessions. Week-long retreats have been held in Mexico, Costa Rica, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the USA. She has endeared herself to many through her lighthearted humor and compassion, and deep understanding of what it is to be human. She lives in the Bay Area of Northern California. Pamela's website Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 8/28/2011 2nd Interview with Pamela YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Pamela Wilson's Spiritual Teachings 00:03:33 - The Supreme Intelligence 00:06:26 - The Play of Natural Intelligence 00:09:31 - Clear Seeing and the Balance of Consciousness 00:13:01 - Coming Back to Deep-Rooted Still Naturalness 00:15:52 - The Devotion of Saints and Sages 00:18:54 - The Infinite and Existence 00:21:44 - Greek Mythology and Seeking Deeper Meaning 00:24:15 - Spontaneous visitations from Ramana Maharshi 00:26:47 - A Pillow Fiasco 00:29:21 - The Beauty and Seduction of the Vastness 00:32:05 - Appreciating Brahman through our perceptual mechanism 00:34:50 - Using the Sedona Method for Meditation 00:37:33 - The Shakespearian Costume 00:40:19 - The Fear of Annihilation 00:42:56 - Urgency and Immersion in Spiritual Teaching 00:45:45 - The Mystery of Awakening 00:48:30 - The Transformative Effect of Awakening 00:51:31 - Fear in the Unmoving Pond 00:54:30 - Relaxing the tension in humanness 00:57:18 - The Tree of Life's Relaxation Process 01:00:08 - The Nature of Suffering and Awakening 01:02:43 - The Power Surge of Relaxation During Sleep 01:05:15 - The Luminous Nature of Reality 01:07:41 - Hanging out with a sage 01:11:10 - The Integration of Strength and Sensitivity 01:14:17 - The Healing Influence of Attention 01:17:14 - Resting in Substratum 01:19:48 - The Function of Timelessness 01:22:32 - The Essence of Life Waking Up 01:27:43 - Transition to Adyashanti Save

75. John Sherman Jun 21, 2011

Show notes

John Sherman shares the remarkable life story behind his direct, uncompromising teaching on awakening. From prison, political extremism, and years of inner struggle to the discovery that a single honest look can dissolve the sense of separation, this conversation explores how freedom is found in ordinary, immediate experience rather than in concepts or spiritual performance.
John and Rick discuss the fear of life, the formation of self-consciousness, the roots of human misery, and why so many spiritual approaches miss the point. John speaks candidly about Gangaji, Ramana Maharshi, and the practical simplicity of turning attention toward what it actually feels like to be you. His message is plain: the problem is separation from life, and the remedy is direct seeing.
This interview also touches on John’s years in prison, his work with the Gangaji Foundation, and the evolution of his teaching into the simple invitation that has defined his later work: just one look.

63. Thomas Gates Apr 03, 2011

Show notes

This interview is in audio only. From http://thomasgates.com/bio: Thomas was born in Texas in 1950 and grew up in the rural countryside not far from Dallas. He spent much of his childhood playing in the woods, observing the stars, the sky, the trees, the animals, the changing of seasons, and the effortless flow of nature’s way. As a result, he quietly sensed that there must be one simple and powerful essence sustaining all this incredibly diverse creation. Meditation Then, shortly before his twenty-second birthday, Thomas learned a unique and simple meditation technique that quickly confirmed his sense of what had been occurring in nature all along. It enlivened the experience of that deep, underlying silence–the silence that permeates and sustains the whole field of existence. Emergency This peace and happiness lasted about one week when Thomas suddenly found himself being rushed to the hospital with a severe case of appendicitis. The doctors told him not to worry. It would just be a routine surgical procedure and that he would be home in three days. Little did he know that his life was about to be altered forever. Thus began the prelude to an amazing journey that took him all the way through and beyond the “light” to the underlying, eternal source of our existence and all creation. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 1/30/2011 Audio below and as a Podcast. Video unavailable.

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