#284 From Prison to a 3 Year 3 Month Silent Retreat - Earle Birney

Earle led the yoga philosophy department and taught meditation and yoga, while also studying Tibetan, Sanskrit, business, and a 7-year advanced program in Tibetan Buddhism.

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About my Guest Earle Birney

Earle grew up an avid sports fan in Vancouver, Canada. With just 4 months left of study before obtaining a degree, he began to realize that a life of following “societal norms” — starting a career, buying a house, getting married, having kids — did not make sense or appeal to him. It felt confining rather than freeing. So instead, he took out a student loan, bought an around-the-world ticket, and went on his personal search for freedom. Fueled by liquid inspiration, Earle ironically ended up in Paremoremo, a maximum security prison in Auckland New Zealand where he remained as a guest for the next 22 months. This is where Earle met the practices of yoga, meditation, and Buddhist philosophy. Earle began studying the Asian Classics Institute program and shortly after returning to Canada, went to help him start the Diamond Mountain University and Retreat Center in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. Earle led the yoga philosophy department and taught meditation and yoga, while also studying Tibetan, Sanskrit, business, and a 7-year advanced program in Tibetan Buddhism. This period of study concluded with a 3 year 3 month 3 day silent meditation retreat.Taking his 27 years of experience, Earle thrives on making the often complicated teachings practical and relatable. Earle uses his expertise in retreat and his capacity to guide people along the stages of meditation, to help them in their spiritual journey.Earle is the head of curriculum development and lead teacher at the Yoga Studies Institute (YSI). YSI reaches over 10,000 students annually, leading students in yoga programs and retreats, meditation teacher trainings, and philosophy workshops. Earle also teaches and leads meditation programs at the Three Jewels Outreach Center in NYC for many students, including beginning meditators, people training to become meditation teachers, and advanced practitioners looking to deepen their practice in retreat.

What we Discussed:

00:10 Who is Earle Birney

01:00 His Journey to understand life

05:35 4 months from finishing his Degree and quit

07:40 The plan was to work and kep travelling

08:18 How he got into selling Acid

09:30 Getting a warning he should have listened to

10:28 The Process of Getting Arrested

11:40 His Court Experience

14:20 His experience in Prison

15:50 How did his Parents react to the situation

17:00 After 5 month how was the prison experience

18:55 The jobs in the Prison

20:30 What was his Mindset when he know he was getting out

22:45 Was there any treatment in Prison to help with drug use

25:00 The Journey after Prison

28:00 7 Years in a Buddist centre

29:00 3 Years 3 Months & 3 Day silent retreat

29:50 How did they cover costs

30:45 Spending 3 years to go inwards for yourself

31:45 The Structure of the Retreat

33:19 How was his mind in the 1st few days

35:25 After the Retreat what was the next part of his journey

38:00 Fast for Hunger

40:20 Give Dignity to the Homeless

41:00 What Meditation do they Teach and his Practice

43:30 When People say they can not Meditate

46:00 Getting Tired in Meditation

49:14 Walking on the beach worked for me Meditating

50:48 The Free Resources on his Website

How to Contact Earle Birney

www.yogastudiesinstitute.org

https://www.instagram.com/samayogastudio/

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