Joel Morwood is the spiritual director of the Center for Sacred Sciences in Eugene, Oregon. For over 30 years, he’s helped guide seekers on the spiritual path through his many talks, essays, and books, as well as helped fashion a body of teachings that calls upon the great mystical traditions.
Joel Morwood, photo by by Jennifer W Knight
It was 2017 when I first reached out to Joel Morwood for an interview. I was told he was busy writing a book and not available until the following year. Forward to 2020 when I finally followed up with him. It was worth the wait. Honest, self-deprecating, insightful, I count Joel Morwood as a “win” in the world of spiritual teachers.
I hope you enjoy this episode and want to give a special thanks to those of you who’ve become monthly sponsors. See the Supporter Options below for more info. on that. Please feel free to leave comments or send an email with the contact form. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.
If you enjoy the podcast, please join my monthly supporters. Your help is appreciated.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
Selected Links and Topics from this Episode:
My special request for all listeners to consider supporting the TAT Foundation’s new center. Check out the photos and make a donation on the TAT Homing Ground page.
For more of Joel’s background, see his interview on BATGAP.
Giving up on the spiritual path – kenosis – the dark night of the soul.
The value of precepts.
Practices designed to destroy the spiritual practice itself.
On the surprising number of students at the Center for Sacred Science who have woken up.
“For the spiritual path to work, you really got to put all your eggs in one basket.” If you don’t have that passion, fine, just keep at it and you may get it.
The Way of Selflessness – a practical guide to enlightenment that takes core teachings from many traditions come together to make a complete path to awakening. Joel Morewood considers this book the introduction to his teachings.
Effort versus non-effort on the spiritual path, giving up spiritual practices versus reaching the point where you can’t do them, “who” surrenders? See Joel’s article “To Practice or Not to Practice” for more.
Whether any of Merrell-Wolff’s students became enlightened, and a few stories from Joel’s time with him.
When I asked Joel if he had any favorite spiritual films, he couldn’t think of any, but later sent a note that Zorba the Greek, starring Anthony Quinn is one he often references. “Although Zorba’s not enlightened, he exemplifies the freedom and passion for life that comes from practicing true detachment, as opposed to a sterile, pretend kind.”
Bob Fergeson, author of The Listening Attention and Dark Zen: A Guru on the Bayou, is a spiritual teacher who focuses on the nuts and bolts of spiritual seeking while also conveying with his presence the ineffable message of Reality. Hopefully this Bob Fergeson interview offers a taste of both.
In this episode with Bob Fergeson, we discuss the emotional traumas and “knots” which can block one’s ability to access the Listening Attention. Bob offers tips and techniques for releasing these knots and freeing this blocked energy.
I hope you enjoy this episode and want to give a special thanks to those of you who’ve become monthly sponsors. See the Supporter Options below for more info. on that. Please feel free to leave comments or send an email with the contact form. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.
If you enjoy the podcast, please join my monthly supporters. Your help is appreciated.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
Selected Links and Notes from this Episode:
My special request for all listeners to consider supporting the TAT Foundation’s new center. Check out the photos and make a donation on the TAT Homing Ground page.
I credit Joseph Sadony with inspiring me to explore the realm of intuition and giving a taste of the difference between an emotion that is a reaction to a thought, and a thought that is a reaction to a feeling. Every so often, I dust off my copy of Gates of the Mind and get a new clue on my seemingly endless quest to live as an “open gate.” While I can’t do an interview with Josephy Sadony, I’m always curious about those who are familiar with him.
Joseph Sadony in his study
Richard Howlin is a clinical developmental psychologist who specializes in autism who also happens to be a fan of Joseph Sadony. In this episode, we discuss how Dr. Howlin discovered Joseph Sadony, his efforts to help preserve Sadony’s legacy, and what he’s learned from his studies of Sadony.
I hope you enjoy this episode and want to give a special thanks to those of you who’ve become monthly sponsors. See the Supporter Options below for more info. on that. Please feel free to leave comments or send an email. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.
If you enjoy the podcast, please join my monthly supporters. Your help is appreciated.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
Selected Links and Notes from this Episode:
My special request for all listeners to consider supporting the TAT Foundation’s new center. Check out the photos and make a donation on the TAT Homing Ground page.
Dr. Howlin’s encounter with a patient with paranormal abilities. [4:15]
The observation that discussion of paranormal activity is more prevalent in England than the U.S. [7:30]
The limits to the causal, mechanistic training of psychology and how reading Josephy Sadony has made Dr. Howlin a better psychologist. [9:45]
Teaching clients to step out of the stream of thoughts via meditation. [13:15]
Distinguishing between a true feeling and a false feeling. [16:30]
Emphasizing the left hemisphere at the expense of the right hemisphere. [19:45]
Sadony’s book The Human Radio which lists all of the premonitions Sadony had and is one of Dr. Howlin’s favorites. It’s available on the Valley of the Pines website. [43:00]
The Valley of the Pines has fallen into disrepair. [45:30]
The tagline on Maury Lee’s website reads ” Sixty-nine year old male, expressing non duality, realization, by the grace of God.” The simplicity, yet depth, of that line is a good summation of Maury Lee.
Maury was recommended to me by Michael Casari, and I found him to be an otherwise quiet soul who became obsessed with finding the truth of his ultimate nature.
I hope you enjoy this episode and want to give a special thanks to those of you who’ve become monthly sponsors. See the Supporter Options below for more info. on that. Please feel free to leave comments or send an email. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Howdie Mickoski is the author of the recently published Falling For Truth: A Spiritual Death And Awakening. Howdie approached me some years ago with a book manuscript comparing the teachings of Richard Rose to alchemy, Native American traditions, ancient Egyptian wisdom, Carlos Castaneda, and the story of his own spiritual path. I couldn’t resist agreeing to publish it.
In this short but fascinating interview, Howdie Mickoski and I touch upon those topics and more. Please note that we recorded this interview on Skype, so there is video available on YouTube if you feel compelled to stare at our talking heads for 45 minutes.
For more of Howdie Mickoski, check out his interview with Iain McNay on Conscious TV.
I hope you enjoy this episode and want to give a special thanks to those of you who’ve become monthly sponsors. See the Supporter Options below for more info. on that. Please feel free to leave comments or send an email. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.
with a book manuscript comparing the teachings of Richard Rose to alchemy, Native American traditions, ancient Egyptian wisdom, Carlos Castaneda, and the story of his own spiritual path. I couldn’t resist agreeing to publish it.