Paul was born in 1961 and lived most of life in the coastal county of Pembrokeshire, UK. He always loved the sea and aspired to be a professional football (soccer) player. One day, at the age of 15, while playing football, unbounded awareness dawned. Everything was the “ocean”. He didn’t know what this was, or whether anyone else had experienced it, but later on he discovered the Upanishads in a bookstore, which led to his joining a Vedanta Monastery for five years. For a time after that, he lived a hermit-like life. One day in meditation, a woman’s name came to him. He had never heard of her, nor did he even know whether she existed, but he knew he would marry her. He later did, opened a gallery and had two boys. He now spends his time supporting the boys and their business and chatting about the ocean.
Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group.
Interview recorded December 3, 2017.
Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:05:31 – Changing Sense of Identity
- 00:10:17 – Kundalini and Energetic Experiences
- 00:15:04 – The Beauty of Human Experience
- 00:20:02 – Assimilation and Adjustment Challenges
- 00:24:42 – Falling in Love with the Ocean and Finding Books
- 00:29:34 – An Old Monk’s Experiences
- 00:34:02 – Shake-up of Central Structures of Authority
- 00:38:32 – The Limitations of Words and Language
- 00:42:25 – Non-verbal communication and the limitations of language
- 00:46:24 – Insecurity in Identity
- 00:50:21 – The Paradox of Movement
- 00:54:19 – The Process of Creative Intelligence
- 00:57:53 – The Importance of Individual Paths
- 01:01:37 – The Wholeness of Everything
- 01:05:36 – A Journey of Awakening
- 01:09:06 – The Power and Intoxication of Authority
- 01:12:58 – Power and Abuse in Spiritual Circles
- 01:16:28 – The Role of Teachers and Students
- 01:20:13 – The Power of Humility
- 01:24:29 – An Unexpected Journey
- 01:28:30 – The Nature of Reality in Words
- 01:32:03 – Conversations and Tea
- 01:36:02 – Chatting and Helping People with Awakening
- 01:39:45 – Unsettling Experiences and Fear
- 01:43:52 – Dancing in the Bedroom
- 01:47:47 – The Presence of Subtle Beings.
- 01:51:49 – The Paradox of Existence
- 01:55:52 – A Delightful Virtual Tea and the Dance of Words
- 02:00:04 – The form and the formless
- 02:03:41 – John Sampson: A Life of Fascinating Experiences
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