561. Andrew Hewson

Andrew HewsonAndrew Hewson is a contemporary spiritual teacher whose focus is on the realization of the Presence of Divinity as one’s fundamental Source and Self. Emphasizing transcendence as a process that can not only be undergone in the midst of daily living but even facilitated by it, Andrew speaks from the experiential reality of having been carried by the Grace of total transformation in the context of daily life.

Growing up in the Southeastern United States, Andrew’s childhood was characterized by a state of lightness, freedom, and underlying connection.  This effortless Way of Being was taken as an unspoken given until an intense qualitative shift took place in his early teens. The condition which once prevailed progressively became replaced by an acute sense of separation, limitation, and lack, leaving little room for functional participation in the common activities of human life.  With this radical drop into apparent fragmentation, Andrew began to seek relief wherever possible. This seeking eventually led to the discovery of altered states of consciousness through the use of alcohol and drugs which quickly spiraled into the pits of despair.

After years of unsuccessfully attempting to live from such a constricted sense of identity, Andrew found himself in a medical isolation jail cell facing 30 years in prison. It was there, in the midst of absolute hopelessness and despair, that the Grace of Surrender shone forth, bringing about a profound shift in Consciousness. This transformation revealed a Still, Silent Presence, or Field, Divine in Its Nature, and ignited a fire for spiritual evolution.

With a natural and impersonal application, Andrew was given to prayer, meditation, and spontaneous investigation into the nature of identity. The process of Transcendence took place in the day-to-day ebb and flow of human life, culminating in the replacement of the sense of a personal, separate self with the Infinite Context of Divinity.  This Reality has since lived and loved while engaged in the common activities of the human experience, serving wherever possible while still finding space for silent reflection in Nature and tasting the Infinite expansion of further refinement.

The role of speaking and teaching is not something that was decided upon at a given point in time but is rather a spontaneous and uncontainable expression of the Love that prevails in the condition from which the words emerge. Andrew speaks effortlessly by the grace of Divinity and gives all Glory to the One that abides in the Hearts of All.

He also lectures on the evolution of conscious experiencing and the application of this understanding in areas of human suffering such as addiction, mental illness, and eating disorders.

Andrew currently resides in Western North Carolina with his wife and partner Elle Hewson where they are working together with devoted friends to be of greater service to those who have been called to Truth, Love, and the fulfillment of Our Highest potential.

Website: nondual-devotion.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded July 25, 2020

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:07 – Addiction and Shift in Identity
  • 00:08:00 – Spiritual Bypassing and Accountability
  • 00:11:50 – Shifting from Dominance of Content and Form
  • 00:15:33 – Moments of Deep Connection and Fragmentation
  • 00:19:47 – Finding the Presence of God in Unexpected Places
  • 00:22:49 – Past Life Development and Spiritual Continuum
  • 00:26:30 – The Grace of Revelation
  • 00:30:38 – The Emergence of Conscious Awareness
  • 00:34:54 – The Full Spectrum of Development
  • 00:38:42 – The Masculine and Feminine Aspects of Consciousness
  • 00:43:23 – Devotion as an impetus to self-realization
  • 00:48:07 – Devotion to truth and the transmission of light
  • 00:52:40 – The Play of Divinity and the “Why” Question
  • 00:57:01 – The Need for Support in Exploring Dark and Challenging Aspects
  • 01:01:05 – The Blossoming Forth of Potential
  • 01:05:58 – Moving from Seeking to Devotion
  • 01:10:34 – The Sprouting of Possibilities
  • 01:14:46 – The Four Pillars of Observation and Understanding
  • 01:19:05 – The Dynamics of Silent Seeing and Pure Awareness
  • 01:23:54 – The Hidden Potential of the Self
  • 01:27:56 – Perception of Essential Nature
  • 01:32:34 – The Kybalion and the Mind-Blowing Universe
  • 01:36:36 – Transmutation and the Blossoming of Divinity
  • 01:40:12 – Resolving the Split in Spiritual Identity
  • 01:43:52 – Transmutation and Field of Attention
  • 01:47:13 – Divine Displacement and the Four Pillars
  • 01:50:13 – Quotes on Awareness and Impeccability
  • 01:53:42 – The Blessing of Failure
  • 01:57:34 – The Power of Divinity Revealed
  • 02:00:45 – Farewell and Gratitude

506. Leah Cox

Leah CoxAfter graduating in French from the University of Exeter and working for several years in conventional jobs in London, Leah found herself deeply unhappy; struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety, disordered eating, an intense feeling of being a ‘wrong’ human being, and desperation to ‘find her purpose’.

In 2012, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery, but even after several years of personal and spiritual growth, she found herself in all the same cycles.

In 2016, through grace, good luck, and some wonderful people, Leah experienced her first true spiritual awakening, seeing through the illusion of the separate self and knowing herself clearly as the one Love that we all are. For the very first time, she knew true peace, happiness, and freedom. Most importantly, the feeling of being a ‘wrong’ human being left her completely.

Since that time, her journey has been one of ongoing learning, integration, and unfolding.

Leah works with clients one-on-one and runs online and in-person classes and workshops to support others’ journeys of healing, awakening, and following the call of the heart. Known for her tender, playful and (sometimes) fiery spirit, her message is simple: you are already whole, you are already worthy and you are never, ever outside the gates of Love.

Website: leahmarjoriecox.com

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded June 8, 2019.

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:27 – Starting the Spiritual Journey
  • 00:10:13 – Awakening to No Separate Self
  • 00:14:54 – Overwhelming Compassion and Self-Worth
  • 00:18:34 – Unhealthy relationship with food and body image
  • 00:22:06 – Overcoming Obsession and Finding Joy in Life
  • 00:24:24 – The Only Way Out is Up
  • 00:26:30 – Changing Perspective
  • 00:28:55 – The Paradox of Meaning in Life
  • 00:32:50 – The Profound Meaning of Concepts
  • 00:35:13 – Finding Meaning in Challenging Times
  • 00:38:22 – Instilling a Perspective of Continuous Unfolding Journey
  • 00:41:04 – Trusting Your Inner Knowing
  • 00:43:47 – A Period of Inner Emptiness and Vacillation
  • 00:47:21 – Settling into the Experience
  • 00:51:19 – Spiritual Paradoxes with Dan
  • 00:54:53 – The Multidimensionality of Truth
  • 00:58:34 – Embracing Paradox and Opposing Views
  • 01:01:53 – Beauty and Sorrow at the Same Time
  • 01:05:02 – Effortless and Harmonious Work
  • 01:08:17 – Changes in Work with Clients after Awakening
  • 01:11:13 – Openness and Vulnerability in Relationships
  • 01:14:39 – Shrieking the Madness of the World from My Bed
  • 01:17:28 – Unlocking Inner Potential
  • 01:20:38 – Discovering Your Life Purpose
  • 01:23:54 – Finding Meaning in Life
  • 01:27:33 – Kundalini Awakening and the Process of Spiritual Progress
  • 01:33:08 – Pondering the Temporal and the Eternal
  • 01:38:50 – Dan’s Paradox Points
  • 01:43:22 – Private Sessions on the Spiritual Path
  • 01:46:43 – Appreciating the Beauty of the Lake District

475. Maury Lee

Maury LeeMaury Lee was raised on three continents. He was the oldest son of Baptist missionaries. The oldest son since the sixteenth century had been a minister. Maury Lee turned out to be the black sheep. Even as a small child he felt that something was not right with the theological interpretation of Jesus. He had a deep intuition that the missionaries did not know the truth, even though they proclaimed to.

In childhood, Maury Lee was able to watch and observe the missionaries in the Belgian Congo close up. He did not feel that they were honest with themselves. He saw that their belief covered many fears. Maury Lee did not feel that belief based on fear could be open to experiencing truth directly. When all the kids began getting Baptized, he told his father that it would not be right to get Baptized just because others were doing it. He told his father that it would only be meaningful if he was out on his own, not dependent on his parents, or the church. His father saw the truth of this and respected Maury’s wishes. Maury was never baptized.

Maury moved every year until the age of fourteen. His parents took his family to Belgium at the age of eight. He was thrown into a French school there, taking the tram and walking to school. Then to the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo – DRC). He lived summers in the bush, and the school year in Kinshasa at a boarding school. He was just as deeply immersed in the primitive culture of the natives as he was in French schools. There was a lot of Bible study as well.

Maury attended high school in Kinshasa, DRC; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Brussels, Belgium. He went to college in Southern California in the late sixties with the drug culture in full swing. He did not need any drugs to lose his mind. Being away from parents, relatives, and friends, all his doubts came up full-blown. All beliefs he was taught began to fall away. Existential questions arose that could not be easily answered. After getting a Master’s degree in counseling and participating in Gestalt and Primal therapy, enlightenment became his primary pursuit. In time he realized that he was the open nondual awareness the sages speak of. That was the end of the search, but just the beginning of embodying what it means.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Video below. Audio coming soon.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:36 – Escape from the Congo
  • 00:08:23 – Jesus and Eastern Sages
  • 00:11:46 – Questioning Everything
  • 00:15:41 – The Search for Spiritual Answers
  • 00:19:24 – The Pain of Killing Innocent Beings
  • 00:23:11 – Confronting Repressed Anger Through Therapy
  • 00:26:38 – Quietening the Mind through Therapy
  • 00:30:33 – Childhood Pain and Emotional Release
  • 00:34:04 – Maury Lee’s Primal Scream Therapy Journey
  • 00:37:45 – Facing and Releasing Pain
  • 00:41:30 – Personal Path to Truth and Transformation
  • 00:45:36 – The Correlation between Knowledge and Experience
  • 00:50:04 – The Connection Between Knowledge and Experience
  • 00:54:10 – A Mysterious Hospital Visit
  • 00:57:47 – The Calmness and Peace within Me
  • 01:01:22 – Losing the Sense of Self
  • 01:05:11 – Finding Confidence in Others’ Journeys
  • 01:09:01 – The Awakening Experience and the Journey Ahead
  • 01:13:00 – The Relationship Between Experience and Knowledge
  • 01:17:17 – The Realization and Stopping of Seeking
  • 01:21:25 – Alignment and Behavior
  • 01:25:22 – Questioning Authority
  • 01:29:02 – The Shift in Identity
  • 01:33:04 – The Role of the Human Mind in Science and Spirituality
  • 01:36:51 – The Human Mind in Science
  • 01:40:54 – Discussion on Dedication and Contemplation
  • 01:44:39 – Contemplating Spiritual Ideas
  • 01:48:58 – The Emergence of Consciousness
  • 01:52:55 – Freewill and Choice in Life
  • 01:56:21 – Sharing Helpful Insights and Encouraging Conversations