About this episode
Over his lifetime Tom has dived deeply into inner work while simultaneously living a householder life. Through an ongoing revelation of living in the moment, he integrates the insights of the most sophisticated western-developed psychologies with the ongoing unitive consciousness with which he has been blessed since the year 2000. Tom uses these skills and this wisdom to guide those dedicated and willing to go courageously inward, often finding and releasing blocks to spiritual awakening which originated in earliest, often pre-verbal, childhood. After being asked to teach, Tom has been sharing this work for over 19 years. His sessions give attendees a taste of what he exudes, a patient tender Love that is our true interconnected nature. His focus on connection to the immediacy of felt sensation enables potent transformations to readily manifest. His work and presence is an acknowledgment that our beautiful imperfect human condition is completely embraced by the wide openness of Life itself, even when the most uncomfortable aspects of ourselves appear. Tom is known for his humility and a profound acceptance of what is. Throughout his life, he has worked in numerous jobs in multiple disciplines — from basic minimum wage to corporate executive, from grade school teacher to construction contractor, from graphic designer to writer. He has been married to his wife, Dawn, for almost 40 years and they have one daughter. Website: tomkurzka.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 3, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:44 - Childhood Moments of Connection 00:10:47 - Unity consciousness and celestial perception 00:15:41 - Feeling Yourself as the Space 00:19:46 - A Trip Down Memory Lane 00:24:14 - The Fractured World 00:27:57 - Losing My Mind 00:31:53 - Meditation Experiences 00:36:04 - The Mystical Element in All Traditions 00:39:49 - Integrating Fear in Meditation Practice 00:43:45 - Fear of Annihilation 00:48:03 - The Fractured Mind 00:52:11 - Physiological Transformation and Unraveling 00:56:03 - Transition to Awakening 01:00:22 - Recognition of Oneness 01:04:20 - Seeing Perspectives from God's Point of View 01:08:14 - Imperfect Human Beings and the Beauty of Being Human 01:12:30 - Reliving Early Trauma and Connecting with Loved Ones 01:16:48 - The Purpose of Life and Continuing Evolution 01:20:48 - Finding Aliveness Beneath the Bleakness 01:25:06 - The Gut Awakening 01:29:18 - The Personal Essence and the Vastness 01:33:09 - The Zone and Spontaneous Flow 01:37:23 - The Connection Between Divine Intelligence and Human Behavior 01:41:38 - The Sun's Expansion and Earth's Destruction 01:45:34 - Higher Standards in the Spiritual Community 01:49:26 - Transitioning to Full-Time Teaching 01:53:40 - The Body's Subtle Bracing 01:57:51 - Receiving and Listening 02:01:55 - Building Connections in Local Communities 02:05:43 - Goodbye Rick