Joi was aware of the unseen magic of Presence at a very early age. She remembers being more drawn to this mystery than anything else. This led her to delve into many traditions of spirituality. After a spontaneous awakening at age 28, Joi spent two years on a blissful honeymoon of Spirit before plunging into a deep period of emotional purging and healing. Among her healers were a powerful Lakota medicine man, with whom she traveled for two years, and a group of Yogananda disciples who had developed a powerful way of unlocking unconscious beliefs using kinesiology. She worked with them 3x/week for two years. During this period that the formless aspect of the Divine Mother appeared to Joi and she began a very intense journey.

Joi met Amma in 1993, and she realized that Amma was the same Mother that had captured her heart and soul. Joi spent nine years in Amma's Indian Ashram, and then two years in Tiruvannamalai at Ramana's Ashram.

When Joi came home from India, she was completely exhausted, and her "seeker drive" fell away. She began sitting with Adyashanti, who helped her understand all that had taken place within her being.

Joi began teaching in 2006, with Amma's and Adya's blessings. Joi continues to be inspired and moved toward what Life could be if we let go to our inner potential, which is the ultimate intelligence of all creation.

Joi's Website

Books:

Embodying the Infinite and the Dissolution of the Separate self: Stories, Transmissions and Ancient Vedic Knowledge for the Complete Liberation of Source Consciousness

Unpredictable Grace: My Adventure Recovering from Chronic Pain through Neuroscience and Quantum Mechanics

Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

First BatGap interview with Joi

Interview recorded Dec. 17, 2017.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:03:43 - The Importance of Devotion and the Nervous System

00:07:11 - The Evolution of Devotion

00:11:15 - The Value and Sweetness of Devotion

00:15:38 - The Importance of Devotion and Inspiration

00:19:47 - The Deeper Intelligence Within Us

00:23:41 - The Validity of Wanting Awakening

00:27:52 - Discovering the Capacity for Devotion

00:32:11 - Radical Transformation through Association with Presence

00:36:10 - Neuroplasticity and the Transformation of the Brain

00:39:48 - Recognizing Presence within Ourselves

00:44:01 - Physiological Transformation Through Being

00:48:05 - The Capacity of Clarity

00:52:58 - Using Clarity to Purify and Heal

00:57:31 - The Subtle Beings Within Us

01:01:42 - The Evolution of My Relationship with Amma

01:06:15 - The Role of Teachers and Dependency

01:09:55 - Finding Clarity and Resonance

01:14:02 - Cultivating Discernment

01:18:06 - Strengthening the Muscle of Discernment

01:22:46 - The Importance of Openness and Personal Experience

01:26:53 - The Freedom of Not Having a Place to Rest Our Head

01:31:11 - The Integration of Form and Consciousness

01:35:33 - Moving towards a collective consciousness

01:39:33 - The Shift to a Many-to-Many Model

01:43:17 - The Satisfaction of Working with People

01:46:33 - The Gifts and Ordinary Life

01:50:55 - Importance of Solitude and Integration

01:54:50 - The Importance of Integration and Engagement

01:58:57 - Finding Intimacy Everywhere

02:02:22 - Farewell and Happy Holidays