#33: Awakening and the Search For Meaning with Dr. Daniel Ingram

I’m joined by Dr. Daniel Ingram. Daniel’s book, Mastering The Core Teachings of the Buddha, is well-known in spiritual circles due, in part, to a mixture of practical instruction, lucid insight, useful maps, and common sense. His teachings are controversial to some, compelling for many, mostly due his bold declaration that “enlightenment is an attainable goal, once our fanciful notions of it are stripped away.” My interest in Daniel’s work is that he’s clearly one of the most advanced meditation experts alive today, with profound insight matched by a down-to-Earth approach that has consideration for common misconceptions, false promises, ego traps, and the “dark side” of awakening. Our illuminating conversation is inspired by the relationship between awakening and meaning. We cover mental health, the value of Western psychology and blind spots of Eastern traditions, perfectionist models, why not all meditative skills are transferable, synchronicity and the nature of the Now, the World of Experience vs. the World of Meaning, the dark side of wizardry, and the usefulness of philosophy and concepts, plus much more. Resources and References: Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: https://www.mctb.org The Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium: https://theeprc.org