Judy Cohen is a former clinical psychologist, former serial entrepreneur, former depressed, anxious, anti-depressant-taking, suicidal despairer. She used to be a seeker of Self Improvement. She used to be a Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, and later a Certified Senior Facilitator-Trainer of the Living Inquiries. (** She’s not certified in either method anymore.)
She was desperate to feel better.
Luckily, eventually, Judy came to see that the methods she was trained and certified in actually perpetuated, strengthened, the sense of self as damaged.
Several awakening experiences happened. Contrary to popular myth, they didn’t put an end to unpleasant feelings. So all that seeking, the inquiry, the desperation to shift, was for… what, then?
Judy finally realized she could give up seeking because… This. Is. It. As it is.
And what could any teacher or technique give her that wasn’t already here, that she didn’t already have?
She came to see that every experience- good, bad, happy, or sad- is an awakening.
She knew to give up seeking because there was nothing more to get. She’d had it all along.
Much more fun, this no-Judy-to-fix, nothing-to-seek existence.
Though of course, she’s also still here as Judy.
Because human continues.
And paradoxically…
That’s better.
Website: irreverentmind.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Interview recorded January 26, 2019.
Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction and Background
- 00:05:01 – The Work and its Effects
- 00:09:43 – Perception and language distortion
- 00:14:08 – Words and Communication
- 00:18:45 – The Perpetuation of Stories
- 00:23:11 – Appreciating the Present Moment
- 00:27:46 – The Miserable Dream World
- 00:32:40 – Understanding vs Realization in Spirituality
- 00:36:51 – Embracing Paradox and Ambiguity
- 00:41:26 – Triggers and the Unpredictability of Human Experience
- 00:45:51 – Accepting “this is it”
- 00:50:33 – The Importance of Attitude in Education
- 00:54:59 – Surrendering Control and Finding Motivation
- 00:59:41 – Accomplishment and Spiritual Development
- 01:04:11 – Keeping the Mind Busy
- 01:09:08 – Finding Inner Peace and Bliss
- 01:13:23 – The Limitations of Language
- 01:17:33 – Preferences and Consciousness
- 01:21:40 – The Nature of Consciousness
- 01:25:55 – The Frog Desires Water, The Physician Disease
- 01:29:38 – The Infinite Versions of Bliss
- 01:33:24 – The Limits of Language and Metaphor
- 01:37:24 – Finding Peace in Pain
- 01:40:44 – Dissolving the Mind’s Roadblocks
- 01:44:41 – The Trap of Reinforcing the Sense of Self
- 01:48:03 – Finding Intrinsic Happiness
- 01:51:14 – Emulating Teachers and Gurus
- 01:54:30 – The Contradiction of Perception and Guidance
- 01:58:22 – Relaxing into Oneness
- 02:02:13 – The Importance of Getting Out of the Dream
- 02:05:19 – Sparking New Ideas
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