Wherein Dave and I discuss his near-death experience early in life and subsequent draw to contemplative study and practice, similarities between the practices and outlooks of the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing and Dogen, the apparent paradox of effort and effortlessness along the path, deep jhana, meditation in sleep, life as sacred display, and what it means 'to know like love like what it is to be'. In a future second part, hopefully we'll get around to how this fits a naturalistic understanding of our selves and the world.

Check out Dave's writing (it's really good!): https://utexas.academia.edu/DavidCollins

His twitter is: https://twitter.com/bodhidave3

I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, check out my website: https://www.wystantbs.com/

My twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS

Thanks for listening! May you be happy!