Matthew Immergut, Ph.D., was co-author of the highly successful meditation classic, 'The Mind Illuminated,' and works as an Associate Professor of Sociology at Purchase College, SUNY where he has developed a minor in Contemplative Studies, and teaches classes on meditation, happiness, social theory, and new religious movements.
We discuss how the systematic approach presented in the book has supported countless meditators, while also addressing the complexities that emerged around his co-author Culadasa (John Yates). We'll discuss Matthew's perspective on navigating teacher-student relationships and the broader challenges of translating traditional Buddhist practices for contemporary audiences, and how teachings on emptiness aim at a fearless capacity to love.
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0:00 Intro
4:30 Matthews background: wilderness survival and chassidic judaism
10:30 Goenka vipassana & addiction
19:00 Departure from messianic Judaism
23:30 Meeting John Yates (Culadaca)
30:25 Publishing & crafting the Mind Illuminated
42:00 The strengths of the book
47:00 Whatever you do has the same obstacles
48:10 The downsides of the book: progress isn’t linear
50:20 Striving, meditative ego and burnout
55:30 Just assume you are bypassing
59:39 On the awakening and behaviour of Culadasa, John Yates
1:17:00 waking up vs cleaning up
1:22:30 Bypassing vs indulging
1:26:30 Best practice going forward
1:28:10 What Matthew would change about the book
1:30:30 Seeing emptiness to induce a fearless capacity to love
1:35:00 Cessation, awakening, immoral behaviour and emptiness of consciousness
1:42:30 Morality as the starting point for enlightenment?
1:45:30 Wisdom, Morality and Insight
1:47:30 what to do when you need a break from meditation?
1:51:30 the future of the Mind Illuminated?
1:52:30 the power of meeting saints - perfection vs imperfection