Author and director Jeff Brown returns to the Indie Spiritualist podcast for a conversation with Chris Grosso about getting grounded in our spiritual practice and avoiding the traps of spiritual bypassing.
Jeff Brown is the author of Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation and the new book Grounded Spirituality. He is the author of the viral blog Apologies to the Divine Feminine (from a warrior in transition) and the producer and key journeyer in the award-winning, Karmageddon. A spiritual documentary featuring Ram Dass, Seane Corn, Deva Premal and Miten. You can connect with his work at soulshaping.com and karmageddonthemovie.com.
On the west coast? Join Chris at the SAND (Science and Non-Duality Conference) Oct. 23rd-27th in San Jose, CA. Learn more about this conference that will bring together some of the brightest minds in science, artists and spiritual teachers from various traditions. Learn more about this endeavor to expand and deepen our understanding and experience of our relational nature through the two lenses of science and spirituality: scienceandnonduality.com
Caught in the Spiritual Bypass
Jeff shares how he was able to connect to his own spirituality through a process of embodiment and the opening of the heart. He describes his exploration into how spirituality has been mismarketed in ways that have caused harm to people seeking relief. How can we avoid a spiritual bypass and better integrate our meditative experience into our daily life?
“It becomes an elitist superior trip. The master yogi. The master meditator. All this, just to get away from admitting that we are human and we are imperfect. That we are carrying alot of pain, individually and collectivly, and that we need to find a way to work all of that together. Otherwise we are a complete and utter mess in our relationships with everything outside of ourselves.” – Jeff Brown
Grounded Spirituality (19:40)
What is grounded spirituality? Jeff looks at how we can find an all-encompassing spirituality that penetrates every aspect of our human experience.
“We begin and end our spiritual quest within the ground of our being. As both interpreter of experience and as our individuated portal to divinity. We don’t look outside our human form for spirituality. We look deeper within name and form. Cultivating a more refined understanding of the divine reflection that exists right in the heart of our selfhood.”- Jeff Brown
Back into the Body (37:00)
How can grounding into our bodies allow us to more deeply connect to ourselves and others? Chris and Jeff talk about what happens when we become disconnected from our body and our experiences.
“If you can’t feel yourself, how can you be HERE. That is not my experience of nowness.” – Jeff Brown
Listen to more conversation about spiritual bypass and Jeff’s experiences filming Karmageddon on Ep. 24 of the Indie Spiritualist Podcast
Distinguished teachers Sylvia Boorstein, MSW, PhD, Brahmani Liebman, MSEd, E-RYT 500, and Jashoda Edmunds, E-RYT 500, lead a weekend journey of learning—with the whole mind and body—to touch the wisdom within every cell.
Meditation, mindful yoga, and dharma teachings practiced together provide a profound way to liberate the mind from habits that cause suffering. Through both direct insight and inspiration, we can recognize that peace is possible in each moment regardless of life’s changing conditions.
To enjoy equal parts learning and vacation located in the scenic California Redwoods visit 1440.org/BeHereNow.
