Integrating Presence

Getting Your Dharma Fix With Justin Otto

On February 5, 2024 Dharma junkie Justin Otto and I chat about his background, how he really got into mediation in jail and particulars on how it unfolded after landing there by way of someone else’s trumped up charges, an addiction journey after adolescent cancer, and plenty of dhamma like the Four Noble Truths, the Brahmaviharas, Dharma recovery groups, etc. Amongst other things we also discuss psychedelics and how to approach trauma

About:

Justin Otto is a Recovery Coach, Consciousness Coach, Meditation Instructor & group facilitator from Pensacola, Florida. Justin has been a touring musician, journalist, and blue-collar laborer and is currently the host of the Dharma Junkie Podcast. Justin is a childhood cancer survivor and former heroin addict who began exploring the Dharma and meditation when he found himself incarcerated while struggling with the human experience of addiction. He immediately saw the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, and the Dharma and, through his practice, found recovery from both substance and process addictions.

Justin is authorized to instruct meditation and facilitate groups by Wild Heart Meditation Center under the guidance of Rev. Mikey Noechel, MS, and Andrew Chapman, LMSW. He holds a 100H Meditation Teacher Certification through Meditation Alliance International and is pursuing a degree in Mental Health Counseling with a focus on addiction.

Justin is active in many social-profit organizations and continues to spread the Dharma (Dhamma) throughout the South East. He is the founder of Gulf Coast Dharma Meditation Society and leads groups weekly in Pensacola. Justin also serves on the Board of Directors for Flowering Lotus Meditation and is the co-founder of Mindful Pensacola, a collective of professional holistic practitioners dedicated to helping people wake up to their true potential and live happier, more fulfilling lives.

Biography:

Justin Otto is a Dharma practitioner, recovering heroin addict, childhood cancer survivor, student, writer, musician, psychedelic advocate and host of the Dharma Junkie Podcast. He draws upon his life experiences to aid in his goal of helping others end their suffering.

Links:

Audio: Getting Your Dharma Fix With Justin Otto

Real World Meditation With Ann Swanson

This Feb 19, 2024 conversation with meditator, yoga therapist and author Ann Swanson jumps into plenty of topics in her new book Meditation for the Real World and others such as the importance of science and research in mediation and yoga and the effects thereof, the eight limbs of yoga, the surprising effects of mindfulness meditation on anxiety, the power of loving-kindness and compassion meditation, presence, appreciation / gratitude, embodiment, tai chi as a gentle and accessible practice, dance style metaphors, meditation challenge, and more

About Ann Swanson:

I’ve dealt with the type of anxiety that leads to passing out at the most inopportune times. My pain was once so constant and debilitating that I’d lay in bed for days. And I thought I couldn’t meditate because my mind wandered too much. How did an anxious binge drinker become a meditation teacher? Well, meditation didn’t just improve my life, but it saved my life. Since experiencing the transformative power of presence, I have devoted my studies to the science and traditions behind yoga and meditation. My first book, SCIENCE OF YOGA, has sold over half a million copies, and my second book has just been released. I am ready to share the science and practical tips explored in the book Meditation for the Real World.

Biography:

Ann Swanson is the author of the internationally bestselling book SCIENCE OF YOGA, which has been translated into over 15 languages. Her new book, Meditation for the Real World, illuminates the fascinating science behind meditation with step-by-step practices. She worked alongside Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazar and an illustrator for the New York Times to create this science-backed visual guide. It’s important to note that Ann wasn’t a naturally “chill person,” and meditation didn’t come easy to her. Overcoming her own chronic pain and anxiety led her to India to study yoga and meditation, to China to explore tai chi, and to earn a Master of Science graduate degree in Yoga Therapy. Now, Ann blends cutting-edge research with ancient wisdom, resulting in realistic techniques you won’t just learn – you’ll love to live by!

Links:

Order Meditation for the Real World at http://www.meditationfortherealworld.com for exclusive bonuses, including science-backed audio meditations with music engineered to optimize your brain waves.

Order SCIENCE OF YOGA book: https://geni.us/cpr0p7

@annswansonwellness

Audio: Real World Meditation With Ann Swanson

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

How Time Meditates | February 23, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #18

In this eighteenth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we explore how our views, perceptions and experiences of time influences, colors and flavors mediation practice and our daily lives.

Potential resources:

. . . look for how a sense of time is formed in your experience. What does your mind do when you think a thought of past or future? How do those feel different? What is the difference in the qualities of sensations, in the way the head and eyes hold themselves, in where thoughts occur, in how they feel? Formally experiment with how a sense of time is created here and now, consciously, clearly, in this space, in this immediacy. This begins to create some of the frameworks of insight that will be very useful later. Read that sentence again and see how you immediately perceive the concept of “later”!
https://www.mctb.org/mctb2/table-of-contents/part-v-awakening/37-models-of-the-stages-of-awakening/a-revised-four-path-model/

The Order of Time [book]
The Buddhist Perspective on Time and Space By Ven Master Hsing Yun [free book]
Knowledge of Time & Space: An Inquiry into Knowledge, Self & Reality (Time, Space and Knowledge) by Tarthang Tulku [book]
https://lawoftime.org

(Ways to) join these Q & A’s when they happen live:

via downloading the free Wisdom app in your app store or via: https://wisdom.audio where I’m @integratingpresence or https://joinwisdom.audio/integratingpresence
watch on my YouTube channel

*There’s naturally an ongoing open call for meditation (related) questions for the (roughly) monthly “Meditation Q & A” either by the various social media means listed; integratingpresence[at]protonmail.com or just showing to type/ask live.*

Background

Regular, current and past visitors to Integrating Presence may recall the monthly series “Ask Us Anything” I did with Denny K Miu from August 2020 until January 2022 — partially including and continuing on with Lydia Grace as co-host for awhile until March 2022.

For a few months thereafter I did various Insight Timer live events exploring potential new directions and/or a continuation of the Ask Us Anything format while weaving in other related teachings to these events.

Then, after chats with meditation coach Wendy Nash, it became clear to start a new collaboration similar to “Ask Us Anything” simply and clearly called “Meditation Q & A” especially due to the original intent of the Ask Us Anything’s being “discussions about meditation and related topics.”

Past chats with Wendy:

Kindly Cutting Crap With Wendy Nash

Thoughts, Emotions & Trauma | 9/29/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #01

What Is Meditation? | 11/2/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #02

Ambiguity And Uncomfortable Truths | 11/30/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #03

Towards Mastering Holiday “Celebrations” | 12/21/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #04

Love And Brahmaviharas | Feb 9, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #05

Heart Practices | February 23, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #06

Changeability And Newness | March 30, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #07

Internal/External War And Conflict | April 13, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #08

Language: Meaning, Interpretation And Impartiality | May 25, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #09

How do I meditate? Am I meditating right? | July 27, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #10

World Wide Wise Speech | August 17, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #11

World Wide Wise Speech Part 2: Gender | August 31, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #12

Why Meditate? | September 28, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #13

Gratitude | November 23, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #14

Meditation Retreats | December 12, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #15

Nomadic Meditation | January 3, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #16

Meditation Spaces | January 23, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #17

Audio: How Time Meditates | February 23, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #18

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Catalysts For Awakening And Change Series: Potency And Experiences With Tim Bui

Tim Bui and I, in this Jan 14, 2024 recording, talk: potency, awakening experiences and processes, removal, identity, ego, embodiment, depression, emotions, wounds, transmutation, visions, clarity, spiritual practices, teachers, Vajrayāna Buddhism, retreats, healing, Mexico, self, not-self, existence, Buddha nature, nothingness, interconnectedness, weak(ening) goal barriers, doing, non-doing

Biography

High Performance Sleep Coach focused on helping purpose driven high performers excel. I use evidence backed methodologies to facilitate alignment to client vision and goals to make them easily attainable – eliminating burnout and procrastination and imbalance.

About Tim

I had my first transcendent meditation experience at the age of 13. Since then, I’ve been a disciple under the greatest Buddhist masters of our time. I’ve been initiated under the Dalai Lama and other top tier cultivators of the world and been trained in foundational up through the highest yogic tantras.

As a 25+ martial arts teacher and practitioner I bring the value of embodied teachings and philosophies of the East + my direct experiences through meditation into my coaching and my vision for impacting the world.

As a serial entrepreneur I’ve built, scaled, and successfully exited multiple businesses. I aspire to bring my practical business experience in combination with my spiritual and contemplative background to help shift the world into the most inspirational and connected world possible.

As a biohacker for more than a decade, I aspire to share what I’ve learned along the way to help people connect to their highest physiological expression of mental, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Find Tim:

https://www.facebook.com/tim.dinh.bui

https://twitter.com/timbuwhay

https://youtube.com/@highperformancehumans

https://www.instagram.com/timdinhbui

Audio: Catalysts For Awakening And Change Series: Potency And Experiences With Tim Bui

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Catalysts For Awakening And Change Series: Our Awakening Now With Ora Nadrich

On January 16, 2024 author Ora Nadrich talk “The Great Awakening”, its importance, shifts in consciousness, division and polarization in society, taking wholistic and spiritual perspectives, questioning and investigating things for ourselves, navigating opposition and controversial topics, self-awareness, advice for those just starting their awakening journey, inner and outer change, importance of community, how to serve others, and more

About Ora Nadrich

The Big Idea: Ora Nadrich takes us on an in-depth journey to fully understand what she calls the “Great Awakening” of our times. This spiritual awakening, caused by a global pandemic that catapulted the world into a fear frenzy, created tremendous polarization and dissent, dividing the world into two groups; those who are awake to know the truth behind the fear, and those that are frozen by fear and are in an “unconscious slumber”. Using Mindfulness and emotional intelligence to navigate the extreme changes we are facing, like censorship, government overreach, global elitism, AI and Transhumanism; Ora Nadrich will give you the necessary psychological armor to resist the dangers of our current state of affairs, which are unprecedented.

The Source: ORA NADRICH is a pioneering Mindfulness expert, international keynote speaker and coach, and the founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking. A sought-after expert in the fields of Mindfulness, transformational thinking, and self-discovery, she is the author of Says Who? How One Simple Question Can Change the Way You Think Forever, and Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity, named “one of the 100 Best Mindfulness Books of All Time” by BookAuthority. Her new book is Time To Awaken: Changing the World with Conscious Awareness (IFTT, Nov. 18, 2022).

Ora’s book “Time To Awaken”

Find Ora:

Audio: Catalysts For Awakening And Change Series: Our Awakening Now With Ora Nadrich

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Catalysts for Awakening and Change Series: A New Approach to the Awakening Process with Randi Green

When it comes to the overall processes of disclosure, we have a lot to learn. Randi and I investigate some of these levels and point out the working areas.

For more information regarding the work of Randi Green visit:

https://toveje.dk

https://randigreen.one

https://www.youtube.com/@higherawarenesslifestyle

https://www.youtube.com/@thehalacademybyrandigreen

https://www.youtube.com/@thehalfuturehumanity

Audio: A New Approach to the Awakening Process with Randi Green: Catalysts for Awakening and Change Series

Podcast version of the The HAL Future Humanities by Randi Green YouTube Channel:

Catalysts For Awakening and Change Series: Decimating Distortion With Dean Graves

A January 9, 2024 chat had Dean Graves and I discussing a multitude of distortions and what this means for awaking, what awaking even means as well as the terms “hierophant delusion”, “self”, “enlightenment”, “consciousness”, and “mindfulness.” Dean also provides a metaphysical framework from how he sees the bigger picture then goes on to explain his work with the Arcturians, free energy, the influence of negative entities and plenty more like wanting, movement, separation, freewill, unconsciousness, etc.

About Dean Graves

My story is simple and, in many ways, is remarkably unremarkable. For approximately 50 years of my life, I led a typical American life. Around my 50th year, I began to meditate and through that meditation have been able to glean significant information and insight into the topics that I have taught to others for 20+ years. The information isn’t totally unique, in that it has been provided to humanity in various forms throughout humanity’s history but it has repeatedly been systematically distorted and/or lost.

Biography

Dean Graves is a renowned meditation teacher, mental health counselor, and spiritual guide with over 20 years of experience in the field. Through his expertise in mental health and deep spiritual understanding, he provides a holistic approach to healing and growth. With his compassionate and insightful guidance, he has inspired and empowered people from all walks of life to embrace mindfulness and meditation as a path to greater self-awareness and spiritual awakening.

Find Dean:

https://www.ddeangraves.org

https://www.facebook.com/deanhalf

https://www.instagram.com/simpleenlightenment

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-graves-985390239

https://twitter.com/@deanhalf

https://www.youtube.com/@DeanGraves

Dean’s podcasts:

Chatting with the Arcturians:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chatting-with-the-arcturians/id1698853867

Simple Enlightenment:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simple-enlightenment-a-podcast/id1439611041

Books:

Audio: Decimating Distortion With Dean Graves

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Catalysts For Awakening and Change Series: The Awakening Heart

Randi Green and I converse on starting some of the awakening processes, especially those of the heart

Audio: Catalysts For Awakening and Change Series: The Awakening Heart

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Meditation Spaces | January 23, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #17

In this seventeenth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we talk meditative environments and spaces — mostly external via showing images of them — for one’s “personal” (formal) meditation space, group spaces, etc

References and related links:

Meditation Spaces

(Ways to) join these Q & A’s when they happen live:

via downloading the free Wisdom app in your app store or via: https://wisdom.audio where I’m @integratingpresence or https://joinwisdom.audio/integratingpresence
watch on my YouTube channel

Background

Past chats with Wendy:

Kindly Cutting Crap With Wendy Nash

Thoughts, Emotions & Trauma | 9/29/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #01

What Is Meditation? | 11/2/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #02

Ambiguity And Uncomfortable Truths | 11/30/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #03

Towards Mastering Holiday “Celebrations” | 12/21/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #04

Love And Brahmaviharas | Feb 9, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #05

Heart Practices | February 23, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #06

Changeability And Newness | March 30, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #07

Internal/External War And Conflict | April 13, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #08

Language: Meaning, Interpretation And Impartiality | May 25, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #09

How do I meditate? Am I meditating right? | July 27, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #10

World Wide Wise Speech | August 17, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #11

World Wide Wise Speech Part 2: Gender | August 31, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #12

Why Meditate? | September 28, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #13

Gratitude | November 23, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #14

Meditation Retreats | December 12, 2023 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #15

Nomadic Meditation | January 3, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #16

Audio: Meditation Spaces | January 23, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #17

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Images Of Meditation Spaces

Some images and links of meditation spaces for inspiration and for the 17th “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” (and others added afterward/since):

Caves

The Cave at Phnom Kulen, Cambodia
Kanchanaburi, Thailand – July 15, 2011: Buddhist monk sitting with alms bowl, lighten candle and long-handles umbrella to do individual meditation in the cave in national park in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Build Your Own Private Meditation Cave

Huts / Shacks / Pods

Domes

Earth Day Prayer in the sustainability dome 04-22-19

Home

Temples / Halls

Meditation with a monk
Meditation Hall at Chan Wu hotel in DengFeng, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. License this image, buy commercial usage rights, or order photo prints at MaximImages.com