Interviews with leading spiritual teachers and writers about their latest challenges—the "leading edge" of their work.
Mariana Caplan, PhD: Discernment on the Spiritual Path
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tami Simon speaks with Mariana Caplan, PhD, a psychotherapist, cultural anthropologist, and professor of yogic and transpersonal psychologies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is also the author of the new Sounds True book Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path. Mariana discusses enlightenment, the teacher-student relationship, and what makes someone “spiritually mature.” (54 minutes) » Read the transcript
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Thank you Tami and Mariana,
One of the greatest societal dangers of our time are claims of “enlightenment”. When we believe that we actually have an edge on the truth, we are playing a very unhealthy game of oneupmanship. As soon as any of us think so highly of ourselves, we have already missed the whole point.
Your mention of humility in contrast to righteousness is so important. Always, the Light is larger than our individual comprehension of it, no matter how spiritually evolved we may be.That’s exactly what keeps us humble.
Seems to me that when it comes to enlightenment, we are moving forward together, or we are not moving at all. Bottom line: We are one. In that spirit, let us continue to help each other along that most sacred path.
Wishing much success with your new book!
Comment by Jo-Ann Triner — November 10, 2009 @ 11:58 pm
Thanks. Appreciated the openness of Mariana and Tami’s usual pointed questions. The spiritual path to me appears to require a continuous letting go of ideas and concepts and nothing helps us to do so as quickly as the disillusionment that we end up experiencing with half-backed so-called spiritual masters.
Comment by JP — November 11, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
Hello Tami,
I’m so happy that a couple of days ago I found your blog (from the Contemplative Outreach site), and through your blog, your podcast. I just listened to your interview with Mariana Caplan. It was excellent, and I feel fortunate to have discovered you both. I find your blog posts/essays also very engaging, and am looking forward to reading them all, as well as listening to all your podcasts.
Thank you.
Anna Maria
Comment by anna maria — November 12, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
Mariana reminds us that the primary problem of even those of us on the spiritual path is in dealing with our emotional difficulties. That would make this our main curriculum no? Another job is to integrate the great Spark that has touched us.
She speaks very well of Yogi Ramsuratumar and a man named Claudio. Claudio who?
We can learn to be humble enough to be who we are and as we are even in public without so much fear of how we will be received by others. If we accept that we are on a path without end and therefore will never achieve the end perhaps we can learn to cultivate more humility. Some good stuff here.
Comment by Stan — January 15, 2010 @ 9:38 am