While expanding his education and eventually working at a number or companies as an HF engineer, Dan’s first love was always spiritual exploration. In 2011, after a number of years of trial and error refining the process of self inquiry into deep self investigation, there came an undeniable recognition that he was not a separate self. Simply no one at all. There was only the selfless THIS, “aware existence”. This became his permanent condition.
Soon after, (from a certain perspective), Dan left a successful corporate position and his old life, following an intuited impulse to be in a more free, natural and creative circumstance. He now lives with his wife Victoria in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, loving nature, exploring various forms of artistic expression and guiding others to awakening.
Website: deepselfinvestigation.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded July 19, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Dan Kelso
- 00:02:00 – What is Deep Self Investigation (DSI)?
- 00:03:52 – The Scientific Approach: Direct Experience Over Intellect
- 00:06:20 – The Paradox of “Who” is Doing the Inquiry?
- 00:08:40 – Are Humans Different from Nature?
- 00:11:20 – The Sense of Self as a Fiction
- 00:15:20 – Association vs. Identification with the Body
- 00:17:20 – Detachment During Intense Experiences
- 00:19:36 – The Paradox of Being the Doer and Not the Doer
- 00:22:20 – The “I Got It, I Lost It” Phase
- 00:24:56 – The Impact of Awakening on Daily Life and Relationships
- 00:29:04 – Distinguishing Detachment from Psychological Dissociation
- 00:33:04 – Awakening’s Influence on the Body-Mind
- 00:36:16 – Is the Sense of Self a Prerequisite for Awakening?
- 00:39:52 – Life Changes and the Pace of Integration
- 00:42:48 – Don’t Dig a Bunch of Shallow Holes
- 00:45:24 – Q&A: Knowing Physical Pain Without Being In It
- 00:48:08 – Q&A: Does Formal Practice Continue After Awakening?
- 00:52:40 – Tapping into Other Dimensions of Existence
- 00:56:56 – Q&A: Handling Family Triggers and Maintaining Realization
- 01:00:40 – Q&A: Is the Sense of “Me” Always in the Middle?
- 01:03:56 – Guided Self-Inquiry with Rick
- 01:09:08 – Detachment vs. Inappropriate Behavior
- 01:12:00 – The Importance of Spiritual Integrity and Confronting Unethical Teachers
- 01:17:52 – The Intuitive Knowing of Right and Wrong
- 01:22:36 – The Degeneration of the Dao
- 01:23:52 – Conclusion
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