“By shifting awareness you do not need to control or quiet the thoughts and emotions that are arising. Instead, simply find out who or what everything is arising to, and from that awareness a natural wisdom, well-being and compassion can welcome everything.”
– Loch Kelly
Loch Kelly, M.Div., LCSW, is an author, meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and founder of the 501c3 non-profit, Open-Hearted Awareness Institute. Loch teaches in a non-sectarian human being lineage using an adult education style based in the earliest non-dual wisdom traditions, modern science and psychotherapy. Loch is grateful to all his teachers and shares from his own experience that has given him great joy, freedom and love. Loch’s work is to help people access awakening as the next natural stage of human development.
He offers in-person retreats, workshops, and online video and audio courses. He served on the New York Insight Teachers Council, studied extensively with Mingyur Rinpoche, and was invited to teach direct realization by Adyashanti.Loch has collaborated with neuroscientists at Yale, UPenn and NYU in the study of how awareness training can enhance compassion and wellbeing.
As a licensed psychotherapist, Loch has been teaching seminars, supervising clinicians and practicing awareness psychotherapy in NYC for 30 years. Loch is a graduate of Columbia University and Union Theological. He was awarded a fellowship to study forms of non-dual meditation in Sri Lanka, India and Nepal from 1981-1982 and has studied with teachers from around the world. He studied Buddhism with Professor Lily de Silva at the University of Kandy, Sri Lanka, Insight Meditation with Godwin Samararatne and at the Theravada monasteries, Inter-Spiritual Contemplative Meditation with Fr. Bede Griffiths and Anthony de Mello, Advaita at Sri Ramana Ashram, and Dzogchen and Sutra Mahamudra with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche in Nepal. Loch spent 10 years establishing homeless shelters and community lunch programs and working in a community mental health clinic in Brooklyn, New York.
He also served as Coordinator of Counseling and Interspiritual Chaplain at Union Theological Seminary and worked extensively with families recovering from the trauma of 9/11. Loch currently lives in New York City with his wife Paige and their cat Duffy.
Loch’s book: The Way of Effortless Mindfulness
Webpage for Loch Kelly’s New Book, with free gifts: The Way of Effortless Mindfulness
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Download Audio:
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People Mentioned:
Books Mentioned:
- Zen in the Art of Archery
- Awareness: Conversations with the Masters
- The Way to Love: Meditations for Life
- The Impact of Awakening
Show Notes:
- Could you share some of your experiences learning Buddhism in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka?
- What do you consider that as your first spiritual experience?
- Effort mindfulness – letting go and surrender
- What were your first few days like when you were travelling to in India and Sri Lanka in 1981 and 1982?
- Deliberate mindfulness practice
- We can practice calm, peace, relaxation in those meditation retreats. And the big question is how do we make transition into the reality of this world?
- Direct path tradition – Dalai Lama
- Living a fully intimate human life
- Studying spiritual contemplative meditation with Anthony de Mello.
- How did you life change after coming to US after travelling to India, Srilanka and from retreats?
- How do we practice effortless mindfulness?
- What is your definition version of enlightenment?
- Any difference between a small mind and awareness based mind?
- What are your personal favorite activities to get into this effortless mindfulness?
- Can you talk about that trauma and suffering and how can we relieve this suffering when we have it everywhere and how, and what are the good practices, ways to mitigate, suffering and deal with it in a loving way?
- and much more
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