454. Caverly Morgan - a podcast by Rick Archer

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.Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.


Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:44 - A Conversation about Consciousness00:06:51 - Discovering Zen Monastery Life
00:10:19 - Discovering the Path of Meditation00:13:53 - An Identity Crisis at the Monastery
00:17:50 - Being with Your Experience00:21:34 - Cultivating a Mentality of Spiritual Seeking
00:26:05 - The Journey to Enlightenment00:30:25 - The Middle Way on the Spiritual Path
00:34:25 - Compassionate Concessions and Meeting Others Where They Are00:38:51 - The Reconciliation of the Absolute and the Relative
00:43:27 - Seeking Enlightenment and Addressing Perceptions of Separation00:47:13 - The Nature of Humor in Spiritual Practice
00:51:25 - The Contrast of Perceiving the World as Ramana Maharshi00:55:55 - Recognizing Negative Self-Talk
01:00:06 - Moving towards greater happiness01:03:51 - The Danger of Blending Morality and Practice
01:07:52 - Energetic Effects of Spiritual Practice and Neuroplasticity01:11:20 - 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 Teens01:24:13 - Transformation and Connection in the Classroom
01:28:26 - Building a Supportive Community for Teenagers01:32:18 - The Demand for the Program's Expansion in Portland
01:36:08 - Flourishing and the Tools for Growth01:40:13 - The Disappointment of Enlightenment
01:44:12 - Lack of attunement and suffering
01:48:33 - The Power of Collective Conditioning01:52:32 - Shifting Consciousness and Collective Transformation
01:56:54 - The Marriage of Activism and Spirituality02:01:00 - Availability of Teachings for All

Further episodes of Buddha at the Gas Pump

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Website of Rick Archer