208. Fred Davis

Fred DavisFred Davis studied and practiced Eastern wisdom for twenty-five years prior to 2006 when his seeking ended, and his true awakening commenced. He is the creator and editor of Awakening Clarity Now and the founder of The Living Method of Awakening. He is also the author of

The Living Method of Awakening is an extraordinarily successful process of direct pointing that encourages immediate recognition of our shared True Nature. Hundreds of people on five continents have found the door to freedom using The Living Method.

His work has appeared on Advaita Vision, Nonduality Living, Meeting Truth, ONE: The Magazine, and it shows up frequently in Nondual Highlights. He is happily married, deeply loves animals, and lives as a chiefly ignored, urban hermit in Columbia, South Carolina.

It has recently come to public attention that Fred was convicted in 2006 for sex offenses he committed as a teenager, in the 1960s. He addresses the issue on his blog.

Transcript of this interview

Interview conducted 12/1/2013

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Fred Davis
  • 00:05:43 – Awakening in the Insane Asylum
  • 00:09:24 – My Journey with Zen Meditation and Self-Inquiry
  • 00:13:33 – Knocking Your Head Against the Walls Spirituality
  • 00:18:45 – Losing it All, Finding Sobriety, and Seeking True Nature
  • 00:23:51 – Finding Freedom through Surrender
  • 00:28:38 – The Mysterious Collapsing Flower Pots
  • 00:32:15 – Struggles and Finding Relief
  • 00:35:26 – The Awakening Experience
  • 00:39:12 – The Real Deal Breaker
  • 00:42:38 – A Unique Jail Experience
  • 00:46:00 – The Journey of Suffering and Awakening
  • 00:50:45 – A Shift in Perspective and Awakening
  • 00:55:45 – The Mind Wants Either/Or
  • 00:58:46 – The Unfolding Process of Enlightenment
  • 01:03:26 – The Mind’s Either/Or Dilemma
  • 01:08:00 – Starting Awakening Clarity
  • 01:10:57 – Surprise Awakening and Egoic Pleasure
  • 01:14:42 – The Awakening Process and Sharing Insights
  • 01:18:48 – Awakening and the Importance of Context
  • 01:23:05 – Clarity about the I Am
  • 01:27:43 – Discovering Oneness
  • 01:32:05 – The possibility of anyone becoming a spiritual teacher
  • 01:35:27 – The Drive Towards Self-Recognition
  • 01:39:28 – The Subtleties of Non-Duality to Guide Awakening
  • 01:42:58 – Stabilizing and Refining the Mind
  • 01:46:29 – Beliefs, Opinions, and Positions
  • 01:51:10 – The Difficulty of Getting Out of Bed
  • 01:55:37 – Continuous Thinning of Conditioning
  • 02:02:53 – Challenges of On-Camera Sessions
  • 02:08:52 – Signing up for the iTunes podcast