The Liminalist # 135: Allowing the Soul to Exist (Deconstructing Dave Oshana with Los Liminalistas)

Four-way conversation with Martin J., Chris S, and Frances H., discussing the 11/11 Dave Oshana meet, that thing he’s doing, allowing the soul to exist, a sense of nature, a quasi-religious group, meeting Dave without expectations, weird effects, reverse vampires, an attractive sense of self, like a hologram, sleeping through Dave’s class, letting go of mind-based identities, something indescribable, the Enlightenment Transmission, watching a wild animal, Ann Diamond, holding vs. filling the space, seeing human nature, a space for finding one’s voice, skepticism about the model of the spiritual teacher, a more covert strategy, imagining a better world, keeping the mosquitoes, reaching more people in order to reach less, an undiscerning audience, the art of conversation, the open heart 5-rhythm crowd, a preference for one-to-one interaction, the social etiquette of groups, dissolving values rather than reinforcing them, the rules of social engagement, agreeing to pretend, the belief of one’s audience, Dave’s charisma, identity as a response to other, a Cockney guru, 1960s charisma, Michael Caine, leadership, invitation to step up, facing inhibitions on Oshana retreats, a space for taking the initiative, a process of selection for disciples, insight through contest, reception & transmission, no tourist rule, a show of aggression, a preference for the negative.

Dave Oshana’s site.

Songs: “Slippershell,” by Kristin Hersh; “Ali Walk with Me,” by The Raveonettes.

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