Dean Sluyter (pronounced “slighter”) has taught natural methods of meditation and awakening since 1970. His five highly acclaimed books include Natural Meditation: A Guide to Effortless Meditative Practice (Amazon #1 stress management bestseller, and Nautilus Gold Medal winner for best mind-body-spirit book) and Fear Less: Living Beyond Fear, Anxiety, Anger, and Addiction. Dean gives talks, workshops, and retreats throughout the United States and beyond, from Ivy League colleges to maximum-security prisons. His media appearances have included National Public Radio, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Coast to Coast AM, The Dr. Oz Show, and O, The Oprah Magazine.
A grateful student of Eastern and Western sages in several traditions, Dean has completed numerous pilgrimages and retreats in India, Tibet, Nepal, and the West. He is known for conveying authentic teachings in forms that are relaxed, accessible, and down-to-earth. When not writing or teaching, he plays the ukulele and happily rides his Vespa through the streets of Santa Monica.
Other books:
- The Zen Commandments: Ten Suggestions for a Life of Inner Freedom.
- Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies
- Why the Chicken Crossed the Road: & Other Hidden Enlightenment Teachings from the Buddha to Bebop to Mother Goose
Website: deansluyter.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Interview recorded May 26, 2018.
Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:06:06 – The Principle of Effortlessness
- 00:11:15 – The Effortlessness of Meditation
- 00:16:26 – Resting as Awareness and Mindfulness
- 00:21:18 – Finding Fulfillment within Ourselves
- 00:26:29 – Happiness and the Nature of Awareness
- 00:31:54 – The Illusion of an External Universe
- 00:37:26 – The Existence of the Moon and Reality
- 00:42:25 – Shifting Perspectives and the Materialistic Worldview
- 00:47:12 – The Paper Tiger
- 00:51:05 – The Stories We Read
- 00:55:00 – Finding the Divine in Unexpected Places
- 00:58:59 – Functioning from the Zone
- 01:02:52 – Support of Nature and Synchronicity
- 01:06:27 – The Intersection of Spirituality and Science
- 01:10:18 – The Misconception of Alpha Waves
- 01:13:57 – Relaxing at the Moment of Contact
- 01:17:29 – Sharing with the Sweetest Dog in the World
- 01:21:30 – Breaking the Habit of Worry
- 01:25:28 – Cessation of Suffering through Mind Control
- 01:29:20 – Arrival at the Villa of the Hippie Artist Commune
- 01:33:34 – Cultivating Devotion and Appreciation
- 01:37:30 – The Shaky Ground of Devotion
- 01:41:37 – Movies as Conduits of Higher Wisdom
- 01:45:28 – Einstein’s Classroom in Princeton
- 01:49:03 – The Healing Power of Meditation and Conscious Contact
- 01:53:06 – Bill Wilson’s Meditation Experience
- 01:57:04 – The Lord of Destruction
- 02:01:25 – Finding Liberation in Loss
- 02:05:48 – Cooperating with the Cosmic Purpose
- 02:09:24 – Ways to Support the Channel
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