Ep376: Adi Da’s Zookeeper - Stuart Camps
Stuart Camps is a 30 year devotee of the American spiritual teacher Adi Da, long time curator of Adi Da’s zoo, the Fear No More Zoo, and author of Lightning Thunder Cows, a memoir of Stuart’s life with his guru.
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Stuart recalls his upbringing in Papa New Guinea, his later struggles to reintegrate into Australian society, and his lifelong connection with animals.
Stuart describes his approach to Adi Da and their first meeting, how he became a devotee and zoo keeper, and details his master’s teachings about animals and natural contemplation.
Stuart shares many anecdotes of his personal interactions with Adi Da, reflects on the teacher’s controversial behaviours and claims, and considers whether Adi Da was trapped by his own spiritual community.
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - 30 years with Adi Da
04:16 - Lightning Thunder Cows
05:56 - Natural contemplation
07:31 - Are animals inferior to humans
11:15 - Childhood in Papa New Guinea
12:53 - Explaining Adi Da’s use of the term “non-humans”
13:47 - Life in Papa New Guinea
15:36 - Childhood mystical experiences
17:45 - Reading habit
18:49 - Difficulties adjusting to Australian life
20:45 - Connection with animals
22:43 - The Eating Gorilla Comes In Peace
25:35 - Approaching Adi Da
26:56 - Trying to escape
31:47 - The need to grow up
35:25 - “Come to me when you’re already happy”
38:44 - Preparing to work with Adi Da
42:39 - Powerful first meeting with Adi Da
48:58 - Stuart’s unique relationship with Adi Da
53:04 - Adi Da on animals
58:27 - Direct relationship rather than religion
58:55 - Stuart’s evolving understanding of Adi Da and his controversial behaviour
01:04:31 - Adi Da’s sannyasin period
01:07:40 - What was it like to be around Adi Da?
01:08:24 - Reflecting on Adi Da’s claims to superlative spiritual realisation
01:12:03 - Why did Adi Da incarnate?
01:16:02 - More of Adi Da on animals
01:21:18 - Adi Da’s roar when a camel died
01:25:48 - Human congestion and thought
01:30:14 - Energetic conductivity and premodern peoples
01:35:27 - The role of spiritual practitioners
01:37:06 - Australian aborigines
01:40:08 - What it takes to be in relationship with a guru like Adi Da
01:49:59 - Problems with the community
01:50:45 - Was Adi Da trapped by his own community?
01:53:10 - Adi Da’s sacred theatre activities
01:56:30 - Why Stuart left Adidam
01:57:56 - Adi Da’s death
02:02:40 - Life after Adidam
02:06:54 - Sadness at how Adi Da is perceived in the world
02:08:23 - Exhortation to consider Adi Da’s teachings
To find our more about Stuart Camps, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James.