Finding Wisdom & Enlightenment in the Classics of Western Literature (feat. Dean Sluyter)
Enlightenment can be found in the most unexpected places, including in Western literature. According to my guest, Dean Sluyter, there’s a lot we can learn from several beloved classics.
We can read Hemingway as haiku, learn mindfulness from Virginia Woolf, see Dickinson and Whitman as Buddhas of poetry, and Huck Finn and Gatsby as seekers of the infinite.
In this interview, we’ll learn more about Dean’s unique insights into mindfulness and awakening.
Dean Sluyter has taught natural methods of meditation and awakening since 1970. His five highly acclaimed books include the bestsellers such as Natural Meditation. Dean gives sessions throughout the United States and beyond, from Ivy League colleges to maximum-security prisons. His media appearances have included The New York Times, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Oprah Magazine. A student of Eastern and Western sages in several traditions, Dean has completed numerous pilgrimages and retreats in India, Tibet, Nepal, and the West.
During our discussion, Dean explains the wisdom we can glean from several literary giants he mentions in his new book, “The Dharma Bum’s Guide to Western Literature: Finding Nirvana in the Classics,” and how we can apply them in daily life. He also offers advice on enhancing our meditation and mindfulness practice.
Interview time stamps:
03:04 ︳Dean talks about his background as an English prep school teacher and a meditation expert and how it shaped his unique point of view
07:05 ︳What is Nirvana and how it can be found anywhere
09:50 ︳Dean shares how he found inspiration in the most unlikely of places
13:07 ︳What is “infinite okayness” and non-attachment
15:45 ︳Why we need to stop trying so hard when meditating
17:54 ︳The way to simplify meditation and access deeper states more easily
19:57 ︳Dean shares how he teaches meditation to inmates in maximum security prisons
23:50 ︳The spiritual significance of the messages embedded in the works literary giants like William Shakespeare, Henry David Thoreau, Ernest Hemingway, Toni Morrison, and others
26:55 ︳How the works of writers like Shakespeare and Blake reflect Buddhist teachings
31:55 ︳The concept of surrendering and meditation helps with letting go of control
38:44 ︳Why Dean added unconventional figures like Dr. Seuss and Rodgers & Hammerstein to the book
46:00 ︳What happens to our body when we’re meditating
47:00 ︳Why it’s important to see literary giants as humans who are fallible
Learn more about Dean Sluyter and his books at his website.