Full panel discussion at the Science and Nonduality Conference 2011 featuring Jeannie Zandi, Bentinho Massaro, and Kenny Johnson:
Posts Tagged ‘kenny johnson’
Book Review of The Last Hustle, by Kenny Johnson
November 4, 2011
The Last Hustle, by Kenny Johnson, as told to Shanti Einolander
As Real As It Gets
by Jerry Katz
Most books in the genre of spiritual awakening focus on the claims of the awakened state: “There is only consciousness (or God, love, awareness),” and so on. They invite the reader to see things as they are, not as they appear to be.
Sometimes an awakened author will speak about life before awakening, but not so often since it is seen as less than enlightened to appear as though attached to memories.
Rarely will the author reveal the shadow side that lurks after awakening: the unpretty impulses that continue to stir and surface.
However, Kenny Johnson tells it all. The Last Hustle is about life before awakening, awakening itself, and life after awakening. What is most valuable about this book is the distinction between the perception of things before awakening and that perception after.
Life before awakening was a loveless childhood, thieving, pimping, violence and years in prisons. With a firm grip on your arm he takes you into the bowels of places you would rather not go. But the grip is purposeful and you know where this journey is going.
His awakening itself was, like all awakenings, unique. It was prepared by remembered things spoken to him by his mother and aunt. It was developed by exposure in prisons to meditation, Yoga, Buddhism, the Black Israelites, and various conscious and intelligent men including a caring guard. It culminated in a connection with Gangaji and it — the awakening — happened when she visited his prison.
Life afterward was radically different:
“It is really humbling to come from the streets as one who brought destruction to everyone he met and now to find myself trying to bring as much love as possible to all whom I meet.”
“Just as I had come from the lineage of Iceberg Slim, The Magnificent Seven, Fillmore Slim, Minnesota Bob, and Sly Ryan, now I was in the lineage of Ramana, Papaji, and Gangaji.”
Though he would never return to crime after his final release from prison in 1997, Johnson still had to face episodes of anger, alcoholism, drug abuse, and their roots in poor self-esteem. He clearly shows that life after awakening includes directly looking at these arisings. Nor have shadow issues ceased in his life. He writes:
“I don’t know what a final awakening will mean for me, but I do know that Kenny Johnson is a far better and more content human being whose greatest desire now is to serve that awakening. He is no longer hustling and thieving, beating on women or giving the judicial system hell. He gets up each day and makes an intention to live a life of peace as best as he can and to try to guide others to do the same. Yet he’s also mindful and respectful that any moment he could re-experience all of the old anger, sadness, mistrust, delusion, and denial of the truth of his being.”
Often painful, often loving and spacious, The Last Hustle chronicles a full life and transmits a palpable sense that love is here and now and that it demands you face your life here and now. The Last Hustle is as real as spiritual books get.
Kenny Johnson has returned to prisons as an educator and spiritual guide through his organization This Sacred Space. His journey is highly worth experiencing.
The Last Hustle, by Kenny Johnson, as told to Shanti Einolander
My Experience at the Science and Nonduality Conference 2011
October 26, 2011I spent four days at the Science and Nonduality Conference (SAND) in San Rafael, California. Flying back to Nova Scotia on WestJet, the view offers crisp constellations, the northern lights, and rare shooting stars. I don’t know the names of the constellations, and the northern lights are carrying on for so many hours I’ve lost interest. But a shooting star means there’s nothing to forget when there’s only the surprise of the moment.
SAND is a conference of constellations, lights, and shooting stars. That’s the stuff we’re made of. That means SAND is also a community.
When people ask me about the Conference I tell them I’m interested in the sense of community that is generated, because I feel that that is how the teaching of nonduality is honed, made available, and disseminates.
Early in the life of the email forum Nonduality Salon, I guess it was the late 90s, I proposed the concept of the hologuru: the community as guru, teacher, guide, friend, source, muse; container of lights northern, southern, eastern and western.
This, the third SAND, was the best one. It’s hard to pinpoint why it was so good this year. It felt “rounded out” somehow. Peter Fenner used the word “mellow”. It’s one thing to create that feeling with a dozen people, but to generate it with 500 is a different level of achievement.
James Traverse describes it this way: “The blessing of SAND is that there is an endless number of beautiful people to meet and experience and each is a fascinating jewel of Indra’s Net – it was a truly breath-taking privilege to be in the presence of such beauty, integrity, honesty, humility, dedication, truth, joy and uninhibited Love.”
James Traverse is my neighbour and friend. We flew together, both gave talks, and shared cabs and a room. What we didn’t share was the same experience at SAND. If you talked to each of us separately, you might think we attended different gatherings. That speaks to the Conference’s complexity and richness. We agreed we’ll be back next year.
Besides James, I spent quality time with a few other people whom I wish to acknowledge and thank:
Maurizio and Zaya whose love energy drives everything.
Closer-than-close friend, former editor of the Highlights, and main nondual squeeze Christiana Duranczyk.
Long time Nonduality Salon and Advaita Academy contributor Dhanya for bringing me into her fresh and beautiful home in San Rafael and preparing perhaps the best meal I ever ate while bringing me up to date on her travels, adventures, and the world of traditional Vedanta.
My publisher Connie Shaw from Sentient Publications.
Kathy Berndt from our Nova Scotia Nonduality Satsang Meetup group.
Puppetji, whom I met at the elevator and even got mentioned in his appearance.
Chuck Hillig and Jeff Foster.
Author Sam Avery (we sat on the bench outside and smoked cigars together, therefore we are bonded for life).
Prema Akasha (who also did a delightful job emceeing my panel discussion and other sessions. Too bad she doesn’t smoke cigars.)
The people who graciously agreed to appear on my panel: Jeannie Zandi, Bentinho Massaro, and Kenny Johnson. Benjamin Smythe also agreed to participate but he got sick and couldn’t make it.
Rick Archer from Buddha at the Gas Pump.
Rob Schwartz from East Bay Open Circle.
Jonathan Tayler
Jonathan Bricklin
Jonah Mark Bekerman.
Chuck (darn it, last name I can’t remember, but I enjoyed meeting you a couple times).
Nick Day
Robert Waggoner
Scott Kiloby, Peter Fenner, John Prendergast, Unmani, David Loy
East West bookstore, which runs the SAND bookstore with great care and knowledge.
the artist Prasanna.
the volunteers, the technical people.
the small audience that saw my stand-up comedy act on open mic night.
I met lots of other people including several readers of the Highlights: Hi and thank you.
The biggest thanks goes to each one of you who attended my talk on Albert Blackburn and the panel discussion that I put together. Deep bow to each one of you. I also thank those who wanted to attend but could not due to conflicts as there were several concurrent talks and other obligations people had.
I also want to thank the young people I talked to, the college and high school kids. I’d love to see a big gang of young people next year. They’d have a ball and add a whole different kind of energy to the conference.
I saw many talks and loved to see the interest and passion of the speakers. I can’t say one stands out over the others as I appreciated each speaker for what he or she offered.
There’s so much I didn’t do and so much I didn’t see and so many people I didn’t talk to that it’s ridiculous. However, I have always felt that abundance is its own message. There should be even greater abundance, like a city that cannot be fully explored in many lifetimes because there is so much happening and change constantly happening.
Also at my age I tend to forget, so if we had a conversation and I forgot to mention you, please remind me so that I can acknowledge you. Fact is, with some people you connect with their eyes and spirit and not their name tag and there were many people I met in that category and you know who you are.
The SAND is as intriguing as the northern lights, as eternally wondrous as constellations, and as rare and startling as a shooting star.
In the next entry I’m going to publish James Traverse’s impassioned description of the Conference. I’ll gladly publish notes on your experience if you’ll send it to me.
Last note: SAND Europe is happening at the end of May 2012 in Amsterdam. I’ll post details as I receive them.
Thank you for your interest.
-Jerry Katz
