133. Francis Bennett

Presence of God and Pure Awareness

Francis Bennett spent decades in the Trappist/Catholic contemplative world while also exploring Vipassana and Zen, and in 2010 he experienced a profound shift into the ever-present reality of pure Awareness. In this conversation, he and Rick explore what it means to recognize the presence of God as inseparable from the present moment, and how direct realization changes the way life is lived.

They also discuss Centering Prayer, the tension between belief-based and experiential spirituality, the integration of relative and absolute truth, and the practical aftereffects of awakening. Francis speaks candidly about the illusion of mind and ego, the role of language, the value of devotion, and how presence can remain steady even in turmoil, at the bedside of the dying, and in ordinary life.

Francis’ perspective is rooted in Christian mysticism, but it reaches naturally across traditions and points again and again to direct experience over secondhand belief.

Francis’ book: “I Am That I Am: Discovering the Love, Peace, Joy, and Stability of the True Self“.

• Francis Bennett and John Mark Stroud
• Adyashanti and Francis Bennett on “Resurrecting Jesus”
• Francis Bennett, in Panel Discussion on Refined Perception
• Francis Bennett, with Jac O’Keeffe and Igor Kufayev
• Francis Bennett in Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2
• Adyashanti and Francis Bennett on “The Embrace of Jesus and Buddha”
• Francis Bennett in panel discussion:: “Emptiness is also Form”

Transcript, summary, and key takeaways from this interview

Interview conducted 8/4/2012

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha At The Gas Pump
• 00:04:45 – The Origins of Centering Prayer
• 00:09:31 – The Tussle Between Experiential and Belief-Oriented Approaches in Spirituality
• 00:14:00 – The Awakening and the Joy of Being Present
• 00:18:33 – The Practice of Mindfulness and Vippasana Meditation
• 00:23:30 – A Shift in Awareness
• 00:28:59 – Recognition of Consciousness in Others
• 00:33:44 – A Big Shift Happened
• 00:39:03 – The Possibility of Integration with Practical Life
• 00:44:16 – The Integration of Relative and Absolute
• 00:49:28 – Changes in Sleep and Dream Experience
• 00:54:14 – The Acid Test of Self-Realization
• 00:58:42 – The Essence of God and Translations 
• 01:03:28 – The search for happiness and the nature of true happiness
• 01:08:37 – The Illusion of the Mind
• 01:12:29 – The Illusory Nature of the Mind and Ego
• 01:16:43 – The Search for Happiness
• 01:21:07 – The Temporary Role of Self
• 01:25:41 – Language as a Tool for Communication
• 01:30:40 – “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form”
• 01:35:24 – Resting in Spacious Awareness with Gentle Effort
• 01:39:24 – Finding Awareness within Turmoil
• 01:43:42 – The Importance of Direct Realization 
• 01:48:11 – The Importance of Hidden Impact
• 01:52:25 – Abiding in Devotion and Bhakti
• 01:56:19 – Presence in Deathbeds and Ministry Transformation
• 02:00:04 – Questioning the historicity of Jesus and religious teachings
• 02:03:58 – Uncertainty about Future Direction
• 02:08:04 – Independent Spirit and Evolving Spirituality
• 02:12:10 – The Value of Interviews with Regular People
• 02:15:53 – Sign up for our Newsletter

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