Caverly Morgan is a meditation teacher, nonprofit leader, and visionary. She is the Founder and Guiding Teacher of Presence Collective, dedicated to igniting personal transformation and collective awakening. She is also the Founder and Guiding Teacher of Peace in Schools — a nonprofit which created the nation's first for-credit mindfulness class in public high schools. Peace in Schools is pioneering new depths in mindfulness education through teaching youth as well as training educators.

Caverly blends the original spirit of Zen with a modern nondual approach. Her practice began in 1995 and has included eight years of training in a silent Zen monastery. She has been teaching contemplative practice since 2001.

Prior to her pioneering efforts with Peace in Schools, Caverly formerly worked for nonprofits serving people with special needs. An artist and educator, she brings insight, passion, warmth, and humor to her transformative work with students of all ages and experience levels.

Caverly leads meditation retreats, workshops, and online classes internationally. She has been a visiting teacher at Open Circle, the Science and Nonduality Conference, Insight Meditation of Seattle and Charlottesville, Against the Stream in San Francisco, MNDFL, and the New York Zen Center of Contemplative Care.

Caverly also speaks publicly at conferences on topics including contemplative practice, social entrepreneurship, authentic leadership, and mindfulness education, and has been featured in publications such as Mindful Magazine and The New York Times. She is dedicated to actualizing possibility, serving love, and embodying the truth of interconnection.

Website: caverlymorgan.org

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Caverly's presentation at the Science and Nonduality Conference

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

Caverly in panel discussions on ethics and spiritual teaching.

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:03:44 - A Conversation about Consciousness

00:06:51 - Discovering Zen Monastery Life

00:10:19 - Discovering the Path of Meditation

00:13:53 - An Identity Crisis at the Monastery

00:17:50 - Being with Your Experience

00:21:34 - Cultivating a Mentality of Spiritual Seeking

00:26:05 - The Journey to Enlightenment

00:30:25 - The Middle Way on the Spiritual Path

00:34:25 - Compassionate Concessions and Meeting Others Where They Are

00:38:51 - The Reconciliation of the Absolute and the Relative

00:43:27 - Seeking Enlightenment and Addressing Perceptions of Separation

00:47:13 - The Nature of Humor in Spiritual Practice

00:51:25 - The Contrast of Perceiving the World as Ramana Maharshi

00:55:55 - Recognizing Negative Self-Talk

01:00:06 - Moving towards greater happiness

01:03:51 - The Danger of Blending Morality and Practice

01:07:52 - Energetic Effects of Spiritual Practice and Neuroplasticity

01:11:20 - The Importance of Discernment and Truth

01:15:48 - Ongoing refinement in the journey of self-discovery in Zen monastic lineage and Amma's influence

01:20:09 - Transformation in Teens

01:24:13 - Transformation and Connection in the Classroom

01:28:26 - Building a Supportive Community for Teenagers

01:32:18 - The Demand for the Program's Expansion in Portland

01:36:08 - Flourishing and the Tools for Growth

01:40:13 - The Disappointment of Enlightenment

01:44:12 - Lack of attunement and suffering

01:48:33 - The Power of Collective Conditioning

01:52:32 - Shifting Consciousness and Collective Transformation

01:56:54 - The Marriage of Activism and Spirituality

02:01:00 - Availability of Teachings for All