In this interview I am once again joined by Beth Upton, meditation teacher, ex-nun, and student of renowned meditation master Pa Auk Sayadaw.
Beth shares her emphasis on meditation with the natural rhythms of the body and reveals how she deals with students who experience low motivation, psychological challenges, and even psychosis as a result of meditation practice.
Beth also discusses her own relationship difficulties after disrobing as a nun, why she embarked on special communication trainings to address them, and explains why erotic feeling diminishes as one becomes more enlightened.
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Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/161-natural-meditation-beth-upton-2
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics Include:
00:00 - Intro
00:43 - Beth’s Sanditthika meditation community in Spain
04:16 - Different modes of community
07:36 - Meditation with one’s natural rhythm
10:45 - The structure at Pa Auk monastery
12:04 - Resting for the first few days of retreat
14:35 - Working with low motivation to practice
17:30 - Facing challenging mental and emotional states during retreat
19:47 - Psychosis on retreat
21:34 - Common teacher mistakes when dealing with emotional states and psychosis
23:12 - Fear of litigation and criticism
27:14 - Scandal, transparency, and patriarchal models
31:57 - Living in harmony with nature
33:12 - Relationships after leaving monasticism
40:12 - Does enlightenment eliminate erotic function?
41:58 - Begin in a relationship with an enlightened person
43:49 - Tantric and kundalini practices
47:05 - The value of relational and communication practices
48:14 - Meditation isn’t enough to heal relational patterns
52:04 - Beth’s training in relational practices
53:20 - Truth in relationship
55:32 - Balancing retreat practice and practice in life
58:51 - Off-cushion meditation toolkit
01:01:09 - Beth’s personal practice rhythm
01:03:48 - Sense restrain is a gift to oneself
01:06:00 - The consequences of indulgence
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Previous episode with Beth Upton:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep138-trained-as-a-nun-beth-upton
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To find out more about Beth Upton, visit:
- https://bethupton.com/
- https://www.sanditthika.org/
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com