735. Dan Kelso

While expanding his education and eventually working at a number or companies as an HF engineer, Dan's first love was always spiritual exploration. In 2011, after a number of years of trial and error refining the process of self inquiry into deep self investigation, there came an undeniable recognition that he was not a separate self. Simply no one at all. There was only the selfless THIS, "aware existence". This became his permanent condition. Soon after, (from a certain perspective), Dan left a successful corporate position and his old life, following an intuited impulse to be in a more free, natural and creative circumstance. He now lives with his wife Victoria in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, loving nature, exploring various forms of artistic expression and guiding others to awakening. Website: deepselfinvestigation.com Book: Deep Self Investigation: A Modern Guide to Awakening Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Transcript of this interview Interview recorded July 19, 2025 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Dan Kelso  00:02:00 - What is Deep Self Investigation (DSI)?  00:03:52 - The Scientific Approach: Direct Experience Over Intellect  00:06:20 - The Paradox of "Who" is Doing the Inquiry?  00:08:40 - Are Humans Different from Nature?  00:11:20 - The Sense of Self as a Fiction  00:15:20 - Association vs. Identification with the Body  00:17:20 - Detachment During Intense Experiences  00:19:36 - The Paradox of Being the Doer and Not the Doer  00:22:20 - The "I Got It, I Lost It" Phase  00:24:56 - The Impact of Awakening on Daily Life and Relationships  00:29:04 - Distinguishing Detachment from Psychological Dissociation  00:33:04 - Awakening's Influence on the Body-Mind  00:36:16 - Is the Sense of Self a Prerequisite for Awakening?  00:39:52 - Life Changes and the Pace of Integration  00:42:48 - Don't Dig a Bunch of Shallow Holes  00:45:24 - Q&A: Knowing Physical Pain Without Being In It  00:48:08 - Q&A: Does Formal Practice Continue After Awakening?  00:52:40 - Tapping into Other Dimensions of Existence  00:56:56 - Q&A: Handling Family Triggers and Maintaining Realization  01:00:40 - Q&A: Is the Sense of "Me" Always in the Middle?  01:03:56 - Guided Self-Inquiry with Rick  01:09:08 - Detachment vs. Inappropriate Behavior  01:12:00 - The Importance of Spiritual Integrity and Confronting Unethical Teachers  01:17:52 - The Intuitive Knowing of Right and Wrong  01:22:36 - The Degeneration of the Dao  01:23:52 - Conclusion