409. Stephen D’Amico

Stephen D'Amico is a spiritual teacher, mystical poet, and author. At age 22, Stephen went through a profound spiritual transformation that culminated in a permanent realization of his true nature. Since then his life has been devoted to understanding the spiritual path from an evolutionary perspective and helping others reconnect with their true nature to help bring about a global awakening in human consciousness. The main way he does this is through the direct transmission of the enlightened state of being, which connects others with their own true nature. In the past, Stephen has worked in the field of conflict resolution and restorative justice as a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and project leader for youth social action groups. He has also taught at both the elementary and high school levels, focusing on the special needs of students with learning disabilities. Currently, he and his wife, Aniko, run Millwood Melt, a lively grilled cheese restaurant in their beloved community of Leaside, in Toronto. Customers and students playfully refer to Stephen as "the grilled cheese guru." When not feeding bodies, Stephen lives and breathes to feed souls. He currently hosts transformational gatherings/satsang and offers individuals enlightened guidance and support via phone, Skype, or in person. He is the author of two books: The Incredible State of Absolute Nothingness: A Personal Account of Spiritual Enlightenment Heaven on Earth: A Guide to Enlightenment & Human Unity. Website: stephendamico.com Facebook Page Discussion of this in interview in the BatGap Community Facebook page. Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/23/2017 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:04 - Losing Connection to True Nature 00:10:06 - Lucid dreaming and maintaining awareness 00:14:39 - Childhood Spiritual Experiences 00:19:42 - The Practice of Witnessing 00:24:18 - Witnessing and Subtle Beings 00:28:52 - Beings from the Intermediate Realm 00:33:32 - Transitioning into teenage years 00:37:47 - Exploring Human Sexuality and Selfless Service 00:41:10 - Providing for Others 00:45:31 - The Perennial Search for Happiness 00:49:05 - Dissolving into the Voidness 00:53:41 - The Immersion in Bliss and Realizations 00:58:03 - A Radical Self-Change 01:01:45 - Detached State during Physical Work, Ascending and Descending 01:05:08 - Taking on Cosmic Stress 01:08:36 - The Perspective of Choice and Free Will 01:12:28 - Evolution and Freedom of Choice 01:16:07 - The Desire to Escape from the Body 01:19:22 - The Importance of Sentience and Reverence for Food 01:22:58 - The Process of Discovering the Ability to Channel Energies 01:26:51 - The Mechanics of Enlightenment 01:29:56 - The Maturing Soul and Outward Behavior 01:34:08 - The Transformation into the Non-Dual State 01:38:35 - The Transformation of Self 01:41:54 - The Net of Indra and Interconnectivity 01:46:27 - Agreement on the Mystery of Existence 01:50:35 - Distinguishing True Realized Beings from Fake Gurus 01:54:26 - Scrutinizing and Challenging Facades 01:57:42 - A Dream Come True 02:00:43 - Subscribe and Stay Updated Save