434. Joi Sharp, 2nd Interview

Joi was aware of the unseen magic of Presence at a very early age. She remembers being more drawn to this mystery than anything else. This led her to delve into many traditions of spirituality. After a spontaneous awakening at age 28, Joi spent two years on a blissful honeymoon of Spirit before plunging into a deep period of emotional purging and healing. Among her healers were a powerful Lakota medicine man, with whom she traveled for two years, and a group of Yogananda disciples who had developed a powerful way of unlocking unconscious beliefs using kinesiology. She worked with them 3x/week for two years. During this period that the formless aspect of the Divine Mother appeared to Joi and she began a very intense journey.

Joi met Amma in 1993, and she realized that Amma was the same Mother that had captured her heart and soul. Joi spent nine years in Amma's Indian Ashram, and then two years in Tiruvannamalai at Ramana's Ashram.

When Joi came home from India, she was completely exhausted, and her "seeker drive" fell away. She began sitting with Adyashanti, who helped her understand all that had taken place within her being.

Joi began teaching in 2006, with Amma's and Adya's blessings. Joi continues to be inspired and moved toward what Life could be if we let go to our inner potential, which is the ultimate intelligence of all creation.

Joi's Website

Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

First BatGap interview with Joi

Interview recorded Dec. 17, 2017.
YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:43 - The Importance of Devotion and the Nervous System
00:07:11 - The Evolution of Devotion
00:11:15 - The Value and Sweetness of Devotion
00:15:38 - The Importance of Devotion and Inspiration
00:19:47 - The Deeper Intelligence Within Us
00:23:41 - The Validity of Wanting Awakening
00:27:52 - Discovering the Capacity for Devotion
00:32:11 - Radical Transformation through Association with Presence
00:36:10 - Neuroplasticity and the Transformation of the Brain
00:39:48 - Recognizing Presence within Ourselves
00:44:01 - Physiological Transformation Through Being
00:48:05 - The Capacity of Clarity
00:52:58 - Using Clarity to Purify and Heal
00:57:31 - The Subtle Beings Within Us
01:01:42 - The Evolution of My Relationship with Amma
01:06:15 - The Role of Teachers and Dependency
01:09:55 - Finding Clarity and Resonance
01:14:02 - Cultivating Discernment
01:18:06 - Strengthening the Muscle of Discernment
01:22:46 - The Importance of Openness and Personal Experience
01:26:53 - The Freedom of Not Having a Place to Rest Our Head
01:31:11 - The Integration of Form and Consciousness
01:35:33 - Moving towards a collective consciousness
01:39:33 - The Shift to a Many-to-Many Model
01:43:17 - The Satisfaction of Working with People
01:46:33 - The Gifts and Ordinary Life
01:50:55 - Importance of Solitude and Integration
01:54:50 - The Importance of Integration and Engagement
01:58:57 - Finding Intimacy Everywhere
02:02:22 - Farewell and Happy Holidays