741. Emeline Lambert – Remembering Our True Nature

 In this conversation, Emeline Lambert shares her profound spiritual journey, beginning with her childhood experiences of feeling extremely out of place in a world that seemed illusionary and pointless. “Who am I?” was the question that was always too terrifying  to answer. She purposefully tried to cover up the truth of her deepest Self through the limitations of ego and performance art; leading to years of depression, anxiety and PTSD. A turning point in her life occurred during a retreat that invited a significant shift in consciousness and a deeper understanding of her true nature. Emeline discusses the impact of meditation and presence on her life, the changes in her relationships “post-shift”, and the necessity of acceptance, self-observation and compassion. She emphasizes the role of nature as part of any spiritual practice and the ongoing, endless unfolding that is self-discovery. In this conversation, Emeline and Rick explore profound themes surrounding awakening to our true nature, love, and the gift that suffering becomes in the process of awakening. They discuss the differences between knowledge and experience, emphasizing that awakening is a collective impulse rather than an individual desire. The dialogue touches on the importance of surrendering to the essence of “what is”, the impact of the mind's commentary on suffering, and the significance of service in spiritual practice. Emeline shares her insights on the flow state in practical applications and the understanding of the shadow self, ultimately highlighting that awakening is an ongoing phenomenon that occurs beyond the architecture of the man-made sense of separate self. Emeline volunteers with the New York–based non-profit City Voices, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental illness and addiction recovery through peer-led support programs, spiritual groups, and self-awareness activities. She co-facilitates their Saturday Spirituality Group and leads regular meditations. Email: CityVoices1995@gmail.com Website: cityvoicesonline.org Emeline's personal email: emwlambert@gmail.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 12, 2025 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Breaking News: You Are It  00:01:43 - Introducing Emmeline Lambert  00:02:46 - Childhood: "I'm Not Your Child, I Come From Mars"  00:05:31 - The Quest for Identity: Ballet and Acting  00:07:34 - The Moment of Collapse: "We Can Hear You in the Tape"  00:08:48 - Giving Up the 30-Year Run from the Self  00:10:47 - The Spontaneous 10-Day Vipassana Retreat  00:11:54 - The "From Mars" Coincidence  00:13:08 - The Shock of Incarnation  00:14:49 - What Snapped You Out of Your "Depressing Twenties"?  00:17:18 - Peeking Behind the Curtain: The Retreat Experience  00:19:55 - A State vs. A Trait: The Shift Didn't Go Away  00:20:40 - How Friends and Family Reacted  00:27:29 - The State of Pure Acceptance  00:28:26 - A Monastic Lifestyle and Redefining Meditation  00:30:54 - No Nostalgia for the Old Life  00:31:14 - Living as a Recluse and Paying the Bills  00:33:23 - The Power of "Not Knowing" What's Next  00:35:38 - Our Inner Purpose is to Awaken  00:38:32 - We Don't Awaken in the Comfort Zone  00:38:47 - The "Thinking Machine" and Going Hours Without Thoughts  00:41:20 - Thoughts are Impersonal Data  00:43:15 - The Conditioning Cycle (Action, Impression, Desire)  00:44:54 - The Illusion of the "Self"  00:46:40 - Experiencing Pure Silence in Moments of Trauma  00:49:00 - How to Deal with Unwanted Thoughts: Say "Yes"  00:53:03 - Relationships, Connection, and Quality Over Quantity  00:56:40 - Dealing with Difficult People: Love and Compassion  01:01:00 - Recognizing the Inner Aliveness in Everyone  01:02:52 - Why We Love Animals and Babies  01:05:02 - Buddhist vs. Hindu Views on Reincarnation  01:06:57 - All Paths Point to the Same Ineffable Truth  01:08:12 - Q&A: Why Awaken If We Were Already Awake?  01:12:00 - Q&A: What is Your Sense of the Word "Love"?  01:13:30 - Has Work Become More Skillful Post-Awakening?  01:17:33 - Being in a State of Flow at a Quicker Pace  01:19:13 - Can Acting be Conducive to Spiritual Evolution?  01:22:30 - Would She Ever Return to Acting?  01:24:46 - Q&A: How to Deal with the "Shadow Self"  01:31:23 - A Prescription: The 5-Minute Practice  01:37:32 - The Importance of Repetition and Practice  01:39:31 - "You Are the Destination"  01:43:25 - Q&A: Do You Still Have Outbursts of Anger or Depression?  01:45:18 - Working with City Voices  01:48:21 - "90% of Progress is Invisible"  01:51:14 - Q&A: Will You Become a Spiritual Teacher?  01:54:11 - Collective Awakening and the Sangha  02:00:13 - The Role of Surrender & How Many Need to Awaken?  02:01:46 - Q&A: Advice to Her Past Self & Suffering's Role  02:05:02 - Conclusion