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Join us in this captivating episode of Simplest State as we welcome George Barselaar, who details his study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his move to Kashmir, India, to deepen his understanding of the Shiva Sutras.

George shares his deep experiences and insights from studying with the revered saint Swami Lakshmanjoo, since 1981.

He delves into the transformative teachings of Kashmir Shaivism, the profound implications of the Shiva Sutras, and his dedication to the tradition. The discussion covers a range of fascinating topics, including the nature of consciousness, the interplay between Shiva and Shakti, the philosophy behind the Sanskrit alphabet, the concept of time in Vedic philosophy, and practical wisdom imparted by Swami Lakshmanjoo.

Furthermore, Barselaar reflects on the challenges and revelations of his spiritual journey, emphasizing the importance of keeping life simple and maintaining regular practice to realize one's divine nature.

This episode is a rich exploration of spirituality, meditation, and the essence of self-realization.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

In this insightful episode, we explore the profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a revered text that addresses the universal themes of duty, righteousness, and the true purpose of life.

Our guest is Dr. William Sands, an esteemed academic and researcher. Dr. Sands, a Sanskrit scholar, highlights the significance of the Gita across various cultures and philosophical traditions.

Dr. Sands explains the crucial distinction between the practice of yoga and the state of yoga, the relevance of concepts like dharma, alongside insights on personal growth, consciousness, and the practical applications of Gita’s teachings in modern life.

He explains the historical and allegorical elements of the Gita, discusses the importance of experiencing higher states of consciousness, and offers practical advice on how to apply its teachings in everyday life.

Join us as we uncover the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and its relevance in today's complex world.

In this engaging conversation, Ron speaks with Dr. Craig Pearson, a distinguished scholar and PhD in Vedic Science. Dr. Pearson discusses his book 'The Supreme Awakening' which explores the universality of experiences of enlightenment across different cultures and eras, and has been praised by prominent figures like David Lynch.

Dr. Pearson shares his motivation, rooted in his practice of Transcendental Meditation, and the extensive research process behind the book, which involved sifting through hundreds of texts to find first-hand experiences of higher states of consciousness. He explains the stages of consciousness described by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, emphasizing the natural progression beyond the typical human development as it is defined by modern psychology.

Dr. Pearson and Ron explore the fascinating experiences of well-known figures such as William Wordsworth, Eugene O'Neill, Billie Jean King, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. 

Dr. Pearson emphasizes that these profound experiences are accessible to everyone, and reflects on how Transcendental Meditation can systematically cultivate these states. 

The discussion highlights the spontaneous and diverse ways these states are experienced, and their significance in achieving full human potential. Dr. Pearson also addresses the impact of individual transcendence on global issues, promoting the idea that cultivating higher consciousness can lead to global peace and enhanced creativity.

The conversation concludes with reflections on how anyone, regardless of their background or daily life, can achieve these profound experiences and contribute to a better world.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

In this episode of Simplest State, Ron interviews Dr. Robert Keith Wallace, a pioneering researcher on the physiology of consciousness. The discussion moves from subjective experiences of higher states of consciousness to their objective, measurable correlates in the physiology.

Dr. Wallace shares his journey and groundbreaking research on Transcendental Meditation (TM) starting with his research at UCLA and Harvard, which demonstrated significant findings such as increased alpha brain wave activity, reduced oxygen consumption,  decreased blood lactate levels and decreased anxiety. He elaborates on how these changes reflect a unique state of restful alertness, differentiating TM from other meditation techniques.

The conversation also explores the implications of meditation on gene expression, and the profound implications for overall health and longevity.

Dr. Wallace reflects on his remarkable experiences with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and highlights the integration of modern scientific understanding with ancient Vedic knowledge.

He discusses the growing interest and research in spirituality and higher states of consciousness and makes a compelling case for the continued objective study of subjective experiences.

The dialogue concludes with thoughts on the future avenues of research and the importance of a healthy lifestyle together with meditation practice.

Join us to explore how meditation enhances creativity, intelligence, and wellbeing, and its evolving role in modern medicine.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

Dr. Pearson’s book, The Supreme Awakening: Experiences of Enlightenment Throughout Time—and How You can Cultivate Them, offers us a glimpse into the lives of people who have recorded their experiences of higher states of consciousness, as conveyed to us through their poetry, prose, letters and biographies.

The wonderfully unique feature of this book is that it documents the experiences of higher states of consciousness by dozens of people, spanning thousands of years, across all geographic regions, and in every culture.

The interview ranges from Wordsworth to William Blake, from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj to Eugene O’Neill and Billie Jean King. Pearson provides clear examples revealing that the development of higher states of consciousness is not a fanciful philosophy, nor a mere metaphor or belief system, but is a natural, and indeed vital, progression of human evolution.

As William James said, “Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake.”

We discuss the fact that knowledge is structured in consciousness and knowledge is different in different states of consciousness. Each state of consciousness is a world unto itself and our experience of reality is, and can only ever be, a reflection of our own state of consciousness.

Craig notes that people seem to have a glimmer, a spark, that tells them there is something more to life that lies beyond their day-to-day experiences.

He further explains that the development of consciousness is the key to knowing the full experience of happiness that we are capable of—the ultimate experience of bliss within, in our own simplest state of awareness.

Dr. Pearson also describes how the development of our consciousness can bring solutions to world problems which, essentially, are caused by collective stress, adding that a problem is just something to which we have not applied sufficient consciousness or creativity.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

George Barselaar was born in the south of Holland and grew up in Sydney, Australia.

At the age of 18, George took a keen interest in Yoga, which inspired him to learn Transcendental Meditation (TM), and eventually, to become a teacher of TM.

He went deeply into Vedic Science and Sanskrit, and  developed a keen interest in Kashmiri Shaiva Philosophy.

George was immediately struck by the very first verse of the Shiva Sutras, as translated by Lakshmanjoo, which says, "Consciousness is everything."

Feeling an irresistible pull, George went to India to study under the guidance of Swami Lakshmanjoo, who was the last living Master of the oral tradition of Kashmir Shaivism.

George recalls the time that one aspirant told Swami Lakshmanjoo that he did not feel he was making much progress with his meditation, and Lakshmanjoo explained that the passion for self-knowledge (enlightenment) must be as strong as the overwhelming passion he felt the first time he fell in love.

With regard to the turmoil we see in the world, George was optimistic and said that, "Sometimes the world gets shaken-up in order to wake up."

He added that meditation creates ripples that affect others in a positive way. When we create coherence in our own consciousness, it affects everyone in our environment.

George was given permission to transcribe all of the Swami’s recorded lectures, and it took almost 20 years to complete the English transcriptions of all of Swami Lakshmanjoo’s recorded teachings.

George now lives in Northern California, where he and his partner, Claudia, work full-time for the Universal Shaiva Fellowship and Lakshmanjoo Academy.

They often spend the summer months in Kashmir, and George connected with us for this interview from Kashmir, India, at the ashram of Shaivacharya Swami Lakshmanjoo Maharaj.

About Kashmir Shaivism, Swami Lakshmanjoo said that it is the three-fold science of man and his world, and is a philosophy meant for any human being without the restriction of caste, creed, color or gender.

For more information on Swami Lakshmanjoo and Kashmir Shaivism, please see the following websites:

Kashmir Shaivism: www.universalshaivafellowship.org

Lakshmanjoo Academy: www.lakshmanjooacademy.org

Ishwar Ashram Trust founded my Swami Lakshmanjoo: https://www.ishwarashramtrust.com/

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

With only a few precious hours left on earth–a miracle–a donor organ becomes available!

His heart stopped for 6 minutes during surgery, but John's will was strong and he's here today to share profound insights into his Catholic upbringing, the expansion of his horizons at that mecca of the psychedelic counterculture–Haight-Ashbury, the realization that drugs did not provide the answers he was seeking, and his subsequent pursuit of higher knowledge and enlightenment with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

John describes in compelling detail the drama and emotion of his illness, his last days and hours, and the series of miraculous events that gave him "a 30-year extension to his train ticket," and an ethereal meeting with his donor.

We'll hear from John how these experiences have shaped his current perspective and we look forward to the release of his memoir, Bohemian U, which is the first volume of his upcoming autobiography, Satsang Junkie.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

The Bambi Bucket, used in aerial firefighting in more than 115 countries, is a life-saving device that allows pilots to drop water on wildfires with precision.

It was even used to fight the post-explosion fires after the tragic blast at the Port of Beirut, Lebanon and also to cool the nuclear reactor after the Tsunami tragedy in Fukushima, Japan.

Don Arney, the man who invented it, is our guest today.

Don is a resident of British Columbia, Canada, and is just the 14th Canadian to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in Washington, DC

He is an inventor, a helicopter pilot, and noted philanthropist that has practised meditation for 5 decades to develop his mental potential and creativity.

Entrepreneur, inventor, helicopter pilot, and a noted philanthropist, Don has practised meditation for 5 decades to develop his mental potential and creativity.

Don describes how diving deep in meditation has allowed him to find the infinite value in solutions and see that each part of the solution contains the entirety. He adds that everyone has the opportunity to do the same.

Meditation has revealed to Don the interconnectedness of our active world, and he says, “The beauty of mind-stuff is the lack of boundaries.”

Don describes how “Being happy for no reason,” is one of the greatest gifts of his expanded vision.

The profundity of solutions is in their simplicity, says Don, as he relates how solving engineering problems is ultimately a journey of self-discovery.

Learn more about Don at Donarney.com

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

A fascinating discussion with James Hoggan, author of I'm Right and You're an Idiot - The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean it Up.

Hoggan recalls his meeting with the Dalai Lama, and how the esteemed Buddhist monk, Thích Nhất Hạnh, taught him about compassionate listening and the inner ecology, advising James to, "Speak the truth, but not to punish."

This lively exchange touches on many timely subjects, including tribalism in public discourse, propaganda, and the growth of unreasonableness. Hoggan relates how the inner work on one's character and consciousness is necessary to effectively participate in social and political processes.

Learn more about James Hoggan at: https://www.hoggan.com/ and https://www.imrightandyoureanidiot.com/

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”

Educated at Eton College and the University of East Anglia, Vesey Crichton was one of the early players in the burgeoning personal computer industry.

Vesey learned meditation as a student and experienced remarkable benefits from the practice, which inspired him to become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM). He relates the sense of privilege and sanctity he felt when he eventually had the opportunity to work directly with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

From the abstract and sublime, Vesey shifted his attention to the world of logic and commerce and became a senior executive with Compaq Computers, which later merged with HP, and he was integral in the set up of Alta Vista–one of the Internet's pioneering search engines–in Europe.

He describes his successes with Compaq and Alta Vista, remarking on the luck and support of nature that he attributes to his practice of meditation.

Vesey went on to become Vice-President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Palm Inc, which, at the time was the world-leading provider of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) and smartphones. 

He describes how the development of consciousness dwarfs all other skills and lessons in his life, and he now wishes to take a step back from his activities to pursue the accelerated development of consciousness.

Music by Lesfm. Track “In the Forest”