A Virtual Interview With Justin Stone

I never met Justin but he speaks to me each morning. Not in words uttered by an apparition, but instead when I step outside after morning T’ai Chi Chih practice and experience a fleeting wakefulness to the life that’s flowing through the universe. I feel particularly enlivened by the beauty of the sky and trees and the chirping of birds nearby. And I’m often struck with a potent but quickly fading sensation of the relatedness of everything.

On occasion my thoughts turn to the whimsical prospect of talking to Justin about my experiences. Having just reread his book Heightened Awareness, I mused: Why not speak with him by way of a virtual interview about his book? My questions and his answers in the form of selected book excerpts are the result.

Larry: Justin, please help me understand why you believe “heightened awareness” is desirable.

Justin: “It is said that ‘habit is the enemy of old age’ and this is true at several levels. First, we perform the same actions at the same time in the same way and we’re not fully alive in doing so. From brushing our teeth in the morning to driving a car, we run on automatic pilot. This is the very opposite of ‘heightened awareness.’

“Second, these habits become deeply ingrained ‘habit energies’ (vashanas in Sanskrit), and they shape our lives. When they develop into ‘tendencies’ (samskaras), they may shape our lives to come and the person does not know why he or she does certain things or feels certain urges. This is a form of slavery we impose on ourselves.

“So, in moving towards ‘heightened awareness,’ we are countering these destructive trends. At one level we become more alive, more capable of real joy in everyday life; we become masters of ourselves. At a deeper level we begin to undo the strands of karma we have woven for ourselves.”

Larry: Is this what people mean when they use the term “Higher Consciousness?”

Justin: “In truth, there is no such thing as ‘Higher Consciousness. There is only Consciousness. But in individuals, the pure Consciousness is usually blocked in varying degrees, so we speak of ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ States of Consciousness. For example, the sun is always the same, but when we see it through heavy clouds we speak of ‘weak’ sunshine.

“In the same way, Pure Consciousness – which is everywhere, in the sentient and insentient and in every inch of the sky and ‘empty’ space we see – is more latent than actual in most beings. When consciousness is dull and obscured, our awareness is extremely limited. As the clouds are brushed away, that is the habit energies and other obscuring factors are weakened, awareness grows from the inside. It goes from the limited individual outlook to the far-reaching universal. ‘Higher’ Consciousness and Heightened Awareness are not two separate things.”

Larry: I know people who go to countless specialized retreats to gain enlightenment. What are your thoughts about this?

Justin: “There are sincere, seeking people who go away every weekend to a different retreat or seminar, hoping to acquire in a few days a wisdom they do not have. They expect to receive it from the outside, not from within. Unfortunately they are confusing wisdom with knowledge.

“Specialists may possess some information, some technical know-how they don’t have, but real wisdom is inherent in all of us. When we realize ourselves, our own true nature, we will find the answers there.

“Experiencing enlightenment is merely uncovering our own treasure. In truth, no man is unenlightened; he simply does not realize his own wisdom.”

Larry: As a TCC student, I’m interested in understanding how your book addresses “heightened awareness” in relationship to TCC.

Justin: “One should know the meaning of Chi. Many disciplines work directly with Chi, including … T’ai Chi Ch’uan and T’ai Chi Chih. … It goes without saying that such practice is good for health as well as having spiritual benefits. All life is purification. Often we fight the process through taking painkillers and other drugs and do not see disease (dis-ease) in its true light.

“As the nervous system is purified, as the Chi circulation is accelerated and balanced, we should see things more clearly, have more energy, become less self-centered and possibly live longer.

“Remember, blood is flowing through the arteries and veins, the heart is beating in and out and the Chi (Vital Force) is either coursing through the meridian channels or is blocked in doing so. T’ai Chi Ch’uan and T’ai Chi Chih are far more that exercise. As the Chi is circulated the old habit energies are weakened and new habits take their place. To highly aware individuals, there is life coursing through every inch of the cosmos.”

Larry: Thank you very much Justin. Any last comments for now?

Justin: “No matter how small the drop of water, it reflects the entire moon.”