| Stephan is a spiritual teacher who offers Satsangs and Retreats. He is a Psychotherapist and the Founder and Director of 'The School for Awakening,' an annual six-month awakening intensive. In 2001 Adyashanti gave him Dharma transmission and invited him to teach. He is the author of several books including "Beyond Mindfulness", "Wake up Now" and "A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening." After a difficult Childhood Stephen was longing to transcend the burden of his busy mind, the pain of his Childhood and his anxiety. He found himself on the doorsteps of Buddhism and Zen and practicing "Mindful Meditation" intensively as a Zen Monk for a decade. He developed the capacity to sit with unwavering focus for hours at a time but after many years of mindfully following his breath he felt that he reached the limits of mindfulness. He felt there was no sign of any insights or awakening. He left the monastery he was in and met the Advaita teacher Jean Klein who told him to "Stop meditating and instead discover the Meditator. Don't make Meditation a Habit". One day driving down the Freeway a phrase Jean Klein had often repeated drifted through his awareness: "The Seeker is the Sought". Suddenly his reality turned inside out and he had a profound awakening. Stephan talks about his journey, the work of Embodiment after Awakening, and reflects on the abuse shown by some spiritual teachers. There is a guided Meditation by at the end of this interview. |
