Judy Cohen is a former clinical psychologist, former serial entrepreneur, former depressed, anxious, anti-depressant-taking, suicidal despairer. She used to be a seeker of Self Improvement. She used to be a Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, and later a Certified Senior Facilitator-Trainer of the Living Inquiries. (** She's not certified in either method anymore.) She was desperate to feel better. Luckily, eventually, Judy came to see that the methods she was trained and certified in actually perpetuated, strengthened, the sense of self as damaged.

Several awakening experiences happened. Contrary to popular myth, they didn’t put an end to unpleasant feelings. So all that seeking, the inquiry, the desperation to shift, was for… what, then? Judy finally realized she could give up seeking because… This. Is. It. As it is. And what could any teacher or technique give her that wasn’t already here, that she didn’t already have? She came to see that every experience- good, bad, happy, or sad- is an awakening. She knew to give up seeking because there was nothing more to get. She'd had it all along. Much more fun, this no-Judy-to-fix, nothing-to-seek existence. Though of course, she's also still here as Judy. Because human continues. And paradoxically…That's better.

Website: irreverentmind.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded January 26, 2019.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Background

00:05:01 - The Work and its Effects

00:09:43 - Perception and language distortion

00:14:08 - Words and Communication

00:18:45 - The Perpetuation of Stories

00:23:11 - Appreciating the Present Moment

00:27:46 - The Miserable Dream World

00:32:40 - Understanding vs Realization in Spirituality

00:36:51 - Embracing Paradox and Ambiguity

00:41:26 - Triggers and the Unpredictability of Human Experience

00:45:51 - Accepting "this is it"

00:50:33 - The Importance of Attitude in Education

00:54:59 - Surrendering Control and Finding Motivation

00:59:41 - Accomplishment and Spiritual Development

01:04:11 - Keeping the Mind Busy

01:09:08 - Finding Inner Peace and Bliss

01:13:23 - The Limitations of Language

01:17:33 - Preferences and Consciousness

01:21:40 - The Nature of Consciousness

01:25:55 - The Frog Desires Water, The Physician Disease

01:29:38 - The Infinite Versions of Bliss

01:33:24 - The Limits of Language and Metaphor

01:37:24 - Finding Peace in Pain

01:40:44 - Dissolving the Mind's Roadblocks

01:44:41 - The Trap of Reinforcing the Sense of Self

01:48:03 - Finding Intrinsic Happiness

01:51:14 - Emulating Teachers and Gurus

01:54:30 - The Contradiction of Perception and Guidance

01:58:22 - Relaxing into Oneness

02:02:13 - The Importance of Getting Out of the Dream

02:05:19 - Sparking New Ideas