Constance Casey, MDiv, is an author and teacher providing spiritual guidance for those interested in living a gentle and peaceful life.
Constance offers guidance for those entering deeper practice into the nature of reality and adjusting to a shift in consciousness. Her awakening occurred in 2008.
She has been practicing in the contemplative arts for over 40 years– first through her years in recovery, and then, as she deepened in Buddhist practice in 2007—which she shares in her memoir.
She’s a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program. Some of her teachers include Trudy Goodman and Jack Kornfield.
Constance obtained a Master of Divinity focusing on religious studies and went on to do hospital chaplaincy work. As an interfaith hospital chaplain, she offered compassionate care for patients and families while embracing the spectrum of human experiences. She is also authorized by Naropa University to teach meditation.
Constance’s practice is primarily informed by the suttas in Theravāda Buddhism where she has developed her own online classes, the most recent one is called Clearing Skies: Dispelling the Clouds that Hinder Us, and she leads support groups for dedicated meditation practitioners.
Through her experience she respects and values your unique spiritual practice and journey while supporting you to find balance and significance in the face of adversity. Constance will encourage you to attune toward being more mindful and aware for release and serenity.
Her first book called Time for Awakening: A Memoir shares her story of awakening and deeper meditation practice and is what brings her to our meeting today.
- She can be found at her website.
- On Substack
- On Instagram
- On Facebook
- And on Youtube
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and Transcript of this interview
Interview recorded March 30, 2024
Video below. Audio coming soon.
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Welcome to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:05:13 – The Levels of Receptiveness to the Dharma
- 00:09:13 – “Just Who Do You Think You Are?”
- 00:13:05 – A Snowy Awakening
- 00:16:54 – Healing and Bonding with My Sons
- 00:20:17 – Parenting as a Spiritual Practice
- 00:24:11 – A Fly on the Wall
- 00:28:09 – Tools of Recovery
- 00:31:31 – Ethical Structure in Spiritual Circles
- 00:35:14 – The Vicious Cycle of Repressed Discomfort
- 00:40:09 – Seeking Further
- 00:43:44 – Simplifying and Finding Fulfillment Within
- 00:47:39 – Expressing Experiences Through Art
- 00:51:17 – Finding Balance in Self-Care
- 00:54:59 – Honoring the Need for Rest and Balance
- 00:58:35 – The Power of Meditation and Personal Growth
- 01:01:38 – Constance’s Carpentry Journey
- 01:04:44 – The Importance of Speaking Out and Trauma (Conversation)
- 01:07:29 – Seeing the Teacher as a Human Being and the Absence of Hierarchy
- 01:10:27 – The Indescribable Experience of Awakening
- 01:14:19 – Following the Way
- 01:18:32 – Psychological, Theological, Sociological Perspectives
- 01:22:14 – The Power of Kindness in Movies
- 01:26:42 – The Intimacy of Stream Entry
- 01:30:45 – The Support of a Teacher
- 01:33:33 – The Association for Spiritual Integrity
- 01:37:43 – Factors of Enlightenment and the Hindrances
- 01:41:38 – Hindrances in Meditation Practice
- 01:45:49 – Cultivating Tranquility and Equanimity in Meditation
- 01:49:05 – The Benefits of Meditation and Inner States of Being
- 01:51:48 – Closing Remarks
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