While expanding his education and eventually working at a number or companies as an HF engineer, Dan's first love was always spiritual exploration. In 2011, after a number of years of trial and error refining the process of self inquiry into deep self investigation, there came an undeniable recognition that he was not a separate self. Simply no one at all. There was only the selfless THIS, "aware existence". This became his permanent condition.
Soon after, (from a certain perspective), Dan left a successful corporate position and his old life, following an intuited impulse to be in a more free, natural and creative circumstance. He now lives with his wife Victoria in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, loving nature, exploring various forms of artistic expression and guiding others to awakening.
Website: deepselfinvestigation.com
Book: Deep Self Investigation: A Modern Guide to Awakening
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Transcript of this interview
Interview recorded July 19, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Dan Kelso
00:02:00 - What is Deep Self Investigation (DSI)?
00:03:52 - The Scientific Approach: Direct Experience Over Intellect
00:06:20 - The Paradox of "Who" is Doing the Inquiry?
00:08:40 - Are Humans Different from Nature?
00:11:20 - The Sense of Self as a Fiction
00:15:20 - Association vs. Identification with the Body
00:17:20 - Detachment During Intense Experiences
00:19:36 - The Paradox of Being the Doer and Not the Doer
00:22:20 - The "I Got It, I Lost It" Phase
00:24:56 - The Impact of Awakening on Daily Life and Relationships
00:29:04 - Distinguishing Detachment from Psychological Dissociation
00:33:04 - Awakening's Influence on the Body-Mind
00:36:16 - Is the Sense of Self a Prerequisite for Awakening?
00:39:52 - Life Changes and the Pace of Integration
00:42:48 - Don't Dig a Bunch of Shallow Holes
00:45:24 - Q&A: Knowing Physical Pain Without Being In It
00:48:08 - Q&A: Does Formal Practice Continue After Awakening?
00:52:40 - Tapping into Other Dimensions of Existence
00:56:56 - Q&A: Handling Family Triggers and Maintaining Realization
01:00:40 - Q&A: Is the Sense of "Me" Always in the Middle?
01:03:56 - Guided Self-Inquiry with Rick
01:09:08 - Detachment vs. Inappropriate Behavior
01:12:00 - The Importance of Spiritual Integrity and Confronting Unethical Teachers
01:17:52 - The Intuitive Knowing of Right and Wrong
01:22:36 - The Degeneration of the Dao
01:23:52 - Conclusion
