Jeff Foster graduated in Astrophysics from Cambridge University in 2001. Several years after graduation, following a period of severe depression and illness, he became addicted to the idea of ‘spiritual enlightenment’, and embarked on an intensive spiritual search which lasted for several years. The spiritual search came crashing down with the clear recognition of the nondual nature of everything. In the clarity of this seeing, life became what it always was: open, loving, spontaneous, and fully alive.
Jeff presently holds meetings and retreats in the UK, Europe, and around the world, clearly and directly pointing to the frustrations surrounding our seeking activities, to the nature of the mind, and to the clarity at the heart of everything. His uncompromising approach, full of humour and compassion, enlightens and exposes the seeking mechanism – the mechanism behind all suffering – shattering our hopes for a future salvation, revealing the unconditional freedom and ease that is always already present, right in the midst of the human drama, and within every experience.
Jeff belongs to no tradition or lineage but has a deep respect for traditions and lineages. Jeff is not an ‘authority’ on life. His words are equal to the sound of a bird singing, or a cat meowing. All are expressions of the One Life. And when all words have disappeared, as they do, all that’s left is laughter.
Jeff's site: Life Without a Centre
Jeff's books: An Extraordinary Absence: Liberation in the Midst of a Very Ordinary Life, The Wonder of Being: Awakening to an Intimacy Beyond Words
Interview recorded 10/30/2011
Interview summary and transcript
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to the Interview with Jeff Foster
00:03:24 - The Mystery of Non-Duality
00:06:21 - The Stuck-ness and Freedom
00:09:49 - Discovering the Ocean Behind Things
00:12:30 - Embracing our Humanity
00:16:04 - A Total Embrace of Life and Non-Duality
00:18:54 - The Longing for Completeness and the End of Seeking
00:22:07 - Seeking Completeness in Relationships
00:25:42 - The Natural Movement of Seeking Completeness
00:29:06 - The Completeness of Seeking
00:32:33 - The Paradox of Seeking and Completeness
00:35:55 - The Constant Invitation of Waves
00:39:25 - Embracing Relationships and Self-Acceptance
00:42:26 - The Adventure of Relationships
00:45:30 - The Pain of Honest Self-Reflection
00:48:38 - The Possibility of Recognizing Who You Really Are
00:52:28 - A Journey of Self-Discovery
00:55:47 - The Messy Path to Self-Realization
00:59:26 - The Myth of Dramatic Stories
01:02:03 - The Sun and the Waves
01:05:02 - The New Doing: Rejecting All Doing
01:08:00 - Meeting People at Their Level
01:10:54 - Meeting Without Defenses
01:14:06 - The Man or Woman at the Cash Register
01:17:28 - Reflections on Crucifixion and Acceptance
01:20:51 - The Crucifixion and the Resurrection
01:23:40 - The Evolution of Language and Understanding in Non-duality
01:27:29 - The Natural Expression of Sharing
01:31:11 - Singing Our Song
01:35:02 - Allowing and Acceptance in Spiritual Teachings
01:37:44 - Introduction to the Show and Guest