Chris Hebard is the founder and creator of StillnessSpeaks.com, a premier resource on the internet aggregating the text, audio, and film of authentic contemporary and traditional teachers of Non-Duality and Self Inquiry from within all spiritual disciplines. The website reflects his enthusiasm and love for its material.
The approach of StillnessSpeaks is integral; it does not promote any particular path or methodology. Chris attempts to honor the many paths available to all Truth Lovers; in doing so, he hopes to demonstrate that there is only one destination.
Chris writes, speaks and films on Self Inquiry, Advaita, and non-duality extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He can be reached at oncechris@stillnessspeaks.com.
As you will hear in this interview, Chris’s own journey involved becoming a hard-driving, successful businessman, who dismissed spirituality as impractical nonsense, only to suffer a series of devastating losses which brought him literally to his knees, dismantled his ego, and ignited a burning desire for Self-Realization.
Interview recorded 4/3/2011.
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Chris Hebard
00:04:16 - Childhood Memories and Prep School Life
00:06:35 - The Beginning of My Rebellious Years
00:09:09 - Entrepreneurship and Spiritual Disconnect
00:11:36 - The Shift in Perception from LSD Experiences
00:14:13 - The Shift into Business and Ego-Inflation
00:17:08 - Embracing Change and Transformation
00:20:04 - Overcoming Adversity and Finding Inner Peace
00:24:21 - Feeling Lost and Searching for Identity
00:27:51 - The Power of Now and a Turning Point
00:30:15 - The Shift in Understanding
00:32:37 - The Beautiful Journey of Personal Growth
00:34:55 - Discovering Advaita Resources
00:37:55 - The Journey of Awakening
00:40:18 - Stumbling upon Francis Lucille
00:42:35 - Meeting Francis and Profound Experiences
00:44:59 - "Darshan" and the Power of Proximity
00:47:18 - The Shift in Perception and Direction of Life
00:50:12 - Enthusiasm and Criticism
00:53:15 - Magnificent People on the Unfolding Journey
00:56:19 - The Contagion of Awakeness
00:59:18 - The Substance of Awareness
01:02:06 - A Lukewarm Heart
01:05:02 - The Importance of Having Teachers
01:07:35 - The Nature of Reality and Self-Realization
01:09:47 - Fine-tuning the Physiology and Letting Go
01:11:46 - The Question of Free Will
01:13:28 - Following Your Heart's Desires
01:15:49 - The usefulness of teaching different perspectives
01:18:17 - Connecting and Collaborating
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