Tony Samara, author of ‘Shaman's Wisdom,’ ‘The Simplicity of Love Meditation,’ ‘Different Yet the Same,’ ‘Discover Your Inner Buddha’ and 10 other titles, spent his early years in England, Egypt and also in Norway, where he discovered the Zen Buddhist philosophy. This discovery eventually led him to the Mount Baldy Zen Centre in California, USA, where he received the spiritual teachings of Roshi Sasaki. His first spiritual teacher, at the age of 12, was the question - Who Am I? - and for a few years, he immersed himself more deeply into this question. He had the curiosity to explore further the essence of spirituality and ventured to many different countries, learning much about the various spiritual traditions and cultures, in a non-dualistic and open-minded way. Whilst making pilgrimages to numerous sacred sites in India and other parts of the world, Tony was able to dwell deeply upon the ancient Vedic and Jain philosophies and various mystical practices and work profoundly with the essence of these teachings. Tony Samara believes that: “The vast majority of people go through life without directly experiencing the depth of their true self or understanding their connection to life or their relationship to others and to the world at large. We are often taught to only relate to the world through our senses. We think, we reason, we feel - but we do not know from our hearts what it means to be connected to what is beyond the senses.” He recognizes that direct experiences have the potential to radically transform an individual and his or her life, as well as promote a profound and effortless letting go of past emotional, mental and physical pain and suffering. Tony Samara teaches with humour, humility and with infinite patience, empowering the individual with courage, trust and inner strength to continue on this journey back into wholeness, a path that leads towards real freedom. Website: tonysamara.com Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 6/18/2017. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:30 - A Different Way of Perceiving 00:06:22 - Sensitivity to the Environment 00:09:24 - The Transformative Power of Pain and Initiation 00:12:10 - A Child's Influence on Vegetarianism 00:15:20 - The Complexity of Being Human 00:18:18 - Starting the Journey of Meditation 00:21:26 - The Joy of Meditation and the Search for Awakening 00:24:34 - The Joy of Sitting in Meditation 00:27:42 - The Importance of Internal Positivity in Meditation 00:30:43 - The Quality of Experience 00:33:48 - The Mind's Role in Confusion and Happiness 00:36:56 - The Positive Effects of Meditation 00:39:49 - The Benefits of Morning and Evening Meditation 00:42:28 - Leaving the Zen Monastery 00:45:32 - Adapting to Change and Exploring India 00:48:48 - Nonverbal Transmission in Spiritual Practice 00:51:55 - Multi-dimensionality and the Expression of Reality 00:54:50 - Spirituality as Diving into a Deep Ocean 00:58:07 - Shifting into a Different Dimension 01:01:26 - Awakening and Gradual Transformation 01:04:42 - The Importance of Cultivating Consciousness 01:07:40 - The Use of Psychedelics in Spiritual Practice 01:10:40 - Importance of Diet for Meditation 01:13:48 - The Importance of Transformative Food and Exercise 01:16:50 - The Correlation between Happiness in the Body and Mind 01:19:45 - Spiritual Awakening and Adjusting to Change 01:22:41 - The Intense Energy of the World and Manifestation Opportunities 01:25:37 - Opportunities in Crisis 01:28:34 - Accessing Consciousness in Challenging Moments 01:31:21 - Connecting to Transmission and Intuition