Catherine Ingram is an international dharma teacher with communities in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Since 1992 she has led Dharma Dialogues, which are public events that focus on directing awareness toward greater wellbeing in an ethical and happy life. Catherine also leads numerous silent retreats each year in conjunction with Dharma Dialogues. She is president of Living Dharma, an educational non-profit organization founded in 1995.
A former journalist specializing in issues of consciousness and activism, Catherine Ingram is the author of two books of nonfiction, which are published in numerous languages: In the Footsteps of Gandhi: Conversations with Spiritual Social Activists (Parallax Press, 1990) and Passionate Presence: Seven Qualities of Awakened Awareness (Penguin Putnam, 2003); and one novel, A Crack in Everything (Diamond Books, 2006). Over a fifteen-year period beginning in 1982, Catherine published approximately 100 articles on issues of consciousness and activism and served on the editorial staffs of New Age Journal, East West Journal, and Yoga Journal. For four years she wrote the Life Advice column for Alternatives Magazine based in Oregon.
For the past thirty five years, Catherine has helped organize and direct institutions dedicated to meditation and self-inquiry and, more recently, human and animal rights. She is a co-founder of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts (1976). She also co-founded the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) in The Hague, Netherlands (1991) and is a member of the Committee of 100 for Tibet. For six years (1988-1994), Catherine also served as a board director for The Burma Project, dedicated to raising international awareness about the struggle for democracy in Burma. She is currently serving on the board of Global Animal Foundation, which works on behalf of the world’s animals.
catherineingram.com
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Summary and Transcript of this interview
Interview Recorded 9/7/2013
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Catherine Ingram's Journey
00:04:07 - Finding Meaning in Life
00:08:16 - Mind Exploration and Drug Use
00:11:13 - The Embodiment and the Physical System
00:14:33 - Knowing When to Move On
00:17:23 - Qualities that Emerge in the Simplicity of Being
00:20:05 - Holy Yearning and the Relaxation of Seeking
00:23:06 - The Inner Awakening in His Presence
00:25:55 - The Role of the Spiritual Community in the Coming Years
00:29:27 - Inner Qualities: Contentment and Empathy
00:32:30 - The Suffering of Animals and Spiritual Hypocrisy
00:35:23 - Finding Solutions to Global Problems
00:38:18 - The Complexity of Moral Certainty
00:40:39 - The Commitment to Goodness and Letting Go
00:43:35 - Letting Go and the Power of a Broken Heart
00:46:16 - The Fluidity of Emotions
00:48:48 - The Journey Back to the Marketplace
00:51:09 - The Falling Away of Beliefs
00:53:17 - Dwelling in Eternity and Transitoriness
00:56:07 - Recognizing the Shift to Being That Silence and Eternity
00:58:34 - The Importance of Participating and Caring
01:00:28 - The Depth of Inner Reality
01:02:46 - Being Like an Ocean
01:05:08 - The Emergence of Qualities in People
01:08:22 - Being Like an Awake Animal
01:12:07 - The Deluge of Information in Modern Life
01:15:41 - The Power of Simplifying and Finding Elegant Solutions
01:19:10 - The Tipping Point and Survival
01:21:43 - The Importance of Taking Action and Staying Steady
01:24:50 - Embracing Change and Potential Disruptions
01:29:23 - End of Interview and Invitation to Subscribe