Interview with Amanda Foulger

Synopsis

The conversation revolves around spiritual work, service, humor, metaphysics, and unconventional teachings. The speakers discuss the American Book of the Dead, concepts of transit states, and the role that training—whether in spiritual practice or mundane work—plays in fostering transformation. Discussions meander into reflections on consciousness, reincarnation, the role of teachers, satire of the self-help movement, and oddball references to science fiction, esoteric traditions, and Sufi influences. There’s an interplay between humor and mysticism, reflecting a deep yet irreverent engagement with serious themes.

Summary

The discussion starts with a reference to The American Book of the Dead, a work intending to render metaphysical ideas, especially concerning death and transition, more accessible to an American audience. The speaker humorously equates the process of training in spiritual practice with dog training, emphasizing that discipline and structured exercises form the foundation of any transformative journey. A significant theme is the idea of transit, explored both literally (as movement from one place to another) and metaphorically (as the journey of consciousness through different states of existence).

The irreverent humor is evident with recurring self-deprecating remarks about being a busboy, the commercial reality of publishing, and satire on the spiritual marketplace where seekers often jump from one teacher to another. A dismissal of spiritual teachers as ‘fakes’ is counterbalanced by the acknowledgment that people are just as likely to be "awake" in a science fiction convention or an insurance firm as in a spiritual group.

Themes of esoteric training systems, including Sufi and Tantric practices, surface frequently, though always with a layer of irony. The reliability of spiritual texts, the importance of cultural context in transmitting spiritual ideas, and the necessity of real work—whether physical or metaphysical—are underscored.

The conversation also touches on literary concerns, particularly regarding the act of writing as a means of transmitting universal concepts, emphasizing that genuine authorship comes in the craft, not in the ideas themselves. Philosophical asides explore death as a transition, the illusion of control, and the role of societal structures in shaping consciousness.

Minor tangents include speculative reflections on dolphins as original planetary caretakers, critiques of consumerism, and a parody of self-improvement culture. The overall tone is one of playful skepticism, encouraging inquiry while refusing to offer codified answers.

Keywords and Key Phrases

• American Book of the Dead
• Transit Bardo states
• Isolation tank work
• Higher laws
• The Great Work vs. real work
• Science fiction confluence with mysticism
• Training as transformation
• Dog training model of spiritual discipline
• Esoteric traditions in the modern West
• Self-love as a barrier to growth
• Commercialization of spirituality
• Literary craft versus spiritual transmission
• The finagle factor
• Snoofies vs. Sufis
• Cultural translation of metaphysical concepts
• Consciousness as a machine
• Death as a growth state
• Reincarnation narratives outside Tibetan context
• Dolphins as cosmic overseers
• Epitaph of the Mevlevies

Graphic Prompt for AI-Generated Cover

*"A surreal illustration blending a New York subway station with an ancient Tibetan temple. In the foreground, a mystical busboy wearing an apron and holding a transit map stands at a crossroads, with two doorways behind him—one leading to a diner kitchen, the other to an expansive cosmic void. Ethereal floating manuscripts, resembling an ancient Book of the Dead, swirl in luminescent blues and purples. A neon sign above reads ‘No Dogs in Transit.’ In the background, dolphins in spacesuits hover, observing the scene from the vastness of space."*