198. Jerry Freeman

Jerry FreemanJerry Freeman has been practicing Transcendental Meditation, the advanced techniques of TM, and the TM Sidhis program beginning shortly before turning nineteen, over 40 years ago. He was trained by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation the following year, lived for some years in the semi-monastic program Maharishi founded, and has continued to study Maharishi’s teachings to this day. He writes about Maharishi’s insights into the development of higher major states of consciousness, as they relate to today’s discussions of Advaita, Vedanta, awakening, Self-realization and enlightenment.

He is presently working on a book on this subject, tentatively titled: The Enlightenment Puzzle: what everyone should know about awakening. In the book’s introduction, he states, “What I have to say here is not my own invention. … What I will say here is not an official presentation of Maharishi’s teaching, as it includes numerous observations and conclusions that are my own. However, the great insights about awakening, human consciousness, enlightenment, etc. are not mine. They are Maharishi’s

Jerry supports a family of adopted children, working as a musical instrument maker. His penny whistles are recommended by many Irish music instructors for their students, as they are affordable and very high quality, and they are played in performance and recordings by many of the most renowned performers of Irish music.

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded 10/19/2013.

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction and Childhood days
  • 00:02:59 – Searching for Deeper Meaning
  • 00:06:36 – Influenced by Ramana Maharshi
  • 00:10:28 – Laziness and Resistance to Meditation
  • 00:14:00 – Starting Transcendental Meditation and Meeting Maharishi
  • 00:18:17 – Taming the Monkey Mind
  • 00:22:09 – The Quicksand of the Mind
  • 00:25:43 – The Benefits of TM and Open-mindedness to other Teachings
  • 00:29:15 – Building the Maharishi Patanjali Golden Dome of Pure Knowledge
  • 00:33:04 – The Unified Field and Universal Consciousness
  • 00:36:46 – The Significance of Maharishi’s Teachings
  • 00:40:15 – Finding Identity Beyond Purusha
  • 00:43:54 – The Complexity of States of Consciousness
  • 00:47:53 – Gradual Unfolding of States of Consciousness
  • 00:51:42 – Unfoldment of Human Consciousness
  • 00:55:32 – The Three Common States of Consciousness
  • 00:58:58 – Awakening the Inner Silence
  • 01:04:00 – The First Permanent Awakening
  • 01:08:30 – Witnessing Sleep and Awakening
  • 01:12:31 – Awakening and the Progression to Subtle Perception
  • 01:16:45 – The Development of Devotion and Unity Consciousness
  • 01:21:25 – Unity Consciousness in Brahman Consciousness
  • 01:25:52 – The Nature of Brahman Consciousness
  • 01:30:16 – The Faint Remains of Ignorance
  • 01:34:10 – The Faint Remains of Ignorance
  • 01:37:59 – The Mind and Ego
  • 01:41:35 – The Power of Atma-vichara to Destroy the Mind
  • 01:45:17 – Awakening to the Subtle Ego
  • 01:47:56 – Description of God Consciousness
  • 01:50:36 – Wrapping it up and links to further information
  • 01:53:20 – End Credits