Ari Nielsen is a practitioner with an eclectic background that spans Reichian Breathwork, Cybernetics, Unschooling, Dzogchen & Improv. He spent over a decade living in the heart of the community surrounding the prime representative of California New Age spirituality of the 1970's, Adi Da. He also edited the collected works of Bruce Di, Marsico, an existential therapist whose philosophy can be summed up as “Be Happy, and Do What you Want.” Currently, he writes a publication on Substack that elucidates a radical liberating orientation to life which he calls “Searchless Responsiveness. In this episode, we explore Ari’s experience living in Adi Da’s community, the guru model of spirituality, the option method for happiness, self & identity, unconventional approaches to parenting and so much more.

🔗[Links & resources] 🔗

📝[Show Notes] 📝

0:00 - Intro
2:03 - Ari’s journey into spirituality
9:00 - Living in Adi Da’s community and other pivotal teachers & teachings
20:10 - The guru model (risks & rewards)
27:51 - Bruce Di Marsico and The Option Method for Happiness
35:43 - Dzogchen and Searchless Responsiveness
38:48 - Challenging perennialism and non-dualism
45:00 - Agenda without compulsion
49:04 - Unhappiness as motivation and the ideal state
53:18 - Self and identity
1:02:45 - The evolution of Ari’s meditation practice
1:04:18 - Khorde Rushen retreat with Keith Dowman
1:12:46 - Greatness, wholeness & desire through the lens of Searchless Responsiveness
1:19:58 - Letting go of perfectionism
1:21:41 - The importance of changing up your meditation practice
1:25:27 - Unconventional approaches to parenting
1:39:29 - A simple practice to taste Searchless Responsiveness

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