Buddha at the Gas Pump

Chris Beal discovered Buddhism as an exchange student in Japan in the 1960s. Given her determination, she was sure she would succeed in getting enlightened. But enthusiasm doesn't always guarantee success, and she went home disappointed, depressed and demoralized. Thirteen years later, after a spontaneous awakening, she contacted the priest who had been her main teacher in Japan and began a six-year connection which deepened her understanding of what she had realized. Meanwhile, she sought a spiritual path in the States but found nothing that spoke to her as deeply as her first teacher had until she met Adyashanti twenty years ago. After almost a decade of absorbing his teachings, she found the realization gradually deepening on its own. Chris enjoys writing about spirituality and spiritual awakening. Her writing includes numerous published book reviews, author interviews, and articles, She is currently seeking publication of her novel, ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE FLESH, in which the main character's dilemma reflects that of many seekers: How do you know which way will lead to the ultimate Truth when what you are seeking is not in the realm of imagining? Chris's Blogs: Miracle of Awakening Literary Journeys to Truth Buddhist Fiction Blog (contributor) Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 16, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:25 - The Unimaginable Nature of Awakening 00:10:10 - Perspectives on Enlightenment and Awakening 00:13:54 - The Importance of Suffering in Enlightenment 00:18:09 - A Conversation about Suffering and Bliss 00:22:20 - Seeds of Enlightenment 00:26:09 - Entering Nirvana and the Struggle 00:30:07 - Dependency and Longing for Love 00:33:16 - Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path 00:36:27 - Awakening and the Role of Teachers 00:40:33 - The Path of Everything Being Okay 00:44:47 - The Story of My Spiritual Journey 00:48:48 - The Deeper Place 00:52:40 - Neurophysiological Makeup and Purification 00:57:11 - Experiencing Lack of Separation 01:01:04 - Connecting with the Energetic Field 01:04:11 - The Illusion of Awakening as Effortless 01:07:42 - The Paradox of Separate Domains 01:11:31 - The Debate on Free Will and Choice 01:15:20 - The Pitfall of Comparing Yourself to Others 01:18:40 - The Razor's Edge on the Spiritual Path 01:21:52 - The Process of Awakening and Abiding 01:24:37 - Recognizing Awakeness vs Behavior 01:28:08 - Association for Spiritual Integrity 01:31:33 - The Role of a Teacher in Enlivening the Field 01:36:12 - The Role of Fiction in Understanding Ultimate Reality 01:39:33 - Spiritual Fiction Recommendations 01:42:14 - Discussing Buddhist Fiction and Mythical Stories 01:45:26 - The Transcendent Last Chapter 01:49:00 - Interactive Blogs and Literary Discussions 01:51:17 - Wrapping Up and Next Guest Announcement

Donald Hoffman received a Ph.D. from MIT and is a Professor of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He is an author of over 120 scientific papers and three books, including The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes. He received a Distinguished Scientific Award of the American Psychological Association for early career research, the Rustum Roy Award of The Chopra Foundation, and the Troland Research Award of the US National Academy of Sciences. His writing has appeared in Scientific American, New Scientist, LA Review of Books, and Edge, and his work has been featured in Wired, Quanta, The Atlantic, Ars Technica, National Public Radio, Discover Magazine, and Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. He has a TED Talk titled “Do we see reality as it is?” Website Other book: Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 9, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump with Donald Hoffman 00:04:52 - Meditation as an Exploration 00:09:08 - The Process of Transformation and the Endless Exploration 00:13:08 - Safety First 00:17:22 - The Illusion of Space-Time 00:22:25 - The Limitations of Space-Time and Measurement 00:26:32 - The Observer and the Observed 00:31:40 - The Oneness of Ultimate Reality 00:36:35 - The Illusion of Objective Reality 00:41:47 - Humility and Precision in Science and Spirituality 00:46:03 - Challenging Dogmatism & the Split between Science and Spirituality 00:50:57 - Rethinking Reductionism and Fundamental Reality 00:55:56 - The Role of Science and Reason in Spiritual Exploration 01:01:03 - The Humility of Scientific Spirituality 01:05:36 - Godel's Candy Store Theory of Consciousness 01:10:03 - The Dynamics of Consciousness 01:14:07 - The Nature of Scientific Progress 01:19:03 - The Science Game and Precision in Spiritual Experiences 01:23:23 - Exploring Consciousness beyond Space-Time 01:27:33 - The Fundamental Dynamical Principle of Consciousness 01:31:38 - The Fictions of Space-Time and Extraordinary Experiences 01:35:20 - Consciousness as Fundamental 01:39:32 - The Evidence for Consciousness as Fundamental 01:43:21 - The Dance Between Precision and No-Concepts 01:47:08 - The Importance of Avoiding Sloppy Thinking 01:51:20 - The Conscious Agent and Unity Consciousness 01:55:58 - The Nature of Consciousness and Emotions 02:00:16 - The Infinite Nature of Consciousness and Godel's Theorem 02:04:41 - Exploring Infinite Possibilities within the Source 02:08:20 - The Playfulness of Exploration 02:11:29 - Consciousness as Fundamental

Proud to be born in India as a Hindu, I will be sad if I die merely a Hindu. Convinced very early in life that all boundaries are artificially created and tend to hinder the growth of the spirit, I ended up studying at post-doctoral level Physics, Philosophy, and Religion at various universities and later teaching as a professor in these fields. Wishing to correspond to the transformational teachings of several great spiritual luminaries, especially of Krishna, Buddha, Christ, and Patañjali and of present-day masters Krishnamurti and Gurdjieff, I am interested in the actual journey of self-transformation and experiencing the inevitable shifts of focus of energy along the way. Website: ravindra.ca Books: The Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism The Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Navigating the Battle of Life The Pilgrim Soul: A Path to the Sacred Transcending World Religions Heart Without Measure: Gurdjieff Work with Madame de Salzmann The Wisdom of Patañjali's Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide Science and the Sacred: Eternal Wisdom in a Changing World Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 2, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:56 - Radical Transformation in Spiritual Practice 00:10:39 - The Emphasis on Science and Technology in India 00:15:05 - Exploring Christianity in a Different Cultural Context 00:19:16 - The Role of Belief and Faith in Spiritual Development 00:23:48 - Truth is a Pathless Land 00:28:53 - Love and Compassion vs Intellectual Understanding 00:33:38 - The Significance of Uniqueness and Oneness 00:39:19 - Uniqueness and Oneness in Spiritual Traditions 00:44:43 - The Miraculous Orderliness of Creation 00:49:18 - The Expulsion of Lucifer from Heaven 00:54:34 - Inclusivity in Religion 00:59:45 - Temptations and Tests 01:04:24 - Seeking for What I Am 01:09:07 - The Journey of Self-Realization 01:13:37 - The Development of an Enlightened Person 01:18:12 - Kundalini Awakening and Subtle Energies 01:23:42 - The Importance of Self-Knowledge in Spiritual Growth 01:27:41 - The Shift in Perspective: From Having Questions to Being in Question 01:31:44 - The Eight Limbs of Yoga 01:35:57 - Being Breathed 01:40:40 - The Path to Self-Transformation 01:45:58 - The Purpose of Prakriti in Serving Purusha 01:49:47 - Conditioning and Impression 01:53:46 - Christ's Response on the Crucifixion 01:58:25 - The Need for the Right Instrument 02:03:03 - The Connectivity of Mycelium and Wondering About Astrology 02:07:15 - Remarkable People and Scientific Work 02:11:34 - Trouble with CIA and FBI suspicions 02:15:14 - Website and Future Events 02:17:45 - Swami Beyondananda's Farewell

Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.) considers his most sacred work to be learning how to be with his daughter and son, Alethea Aanya, and Kyah Jayden - and their mother, his wife, and "life-nectar", Ijeoma. "To learn the importance of insignificance" is the way he frames a desire to reacquaint himself with a world that is irretrievably entangled, preposterously alive, and completely partial. Bayo was born in 1983 into a Christian home, and to Yoruba parents in western Nigeria. Losing his diplomat father to a sudden heart complication, Bayo became a reclusive teenager, seeking to get to the "heart of the matter" as a response to his painful loss. He sought to apply himself to the extremes of his social conditioning, his faith, and his eventual training as a clinical psychologist - only to find that something else beyond articulation was tugging at his sleeves, wanting to be noticed. After meeting with traditional healers as part of his quest to understand trauma, mental wellbeing, and healing in new ways, his deep questions and concerns for decolonized landscapes congealed into a life devoted to exploring the nuances of a "magical" world "too promiscuous to fit neatly into our fondest notions of it." A fugitive to manicured disciplinarity in the academe, speaker, and proud diaper-changer, Bayo leads an earth-wide organization (The Emergence Network) as its Chief Curator and Director. The organization is set up for the re-calibration of our ability to respond to civilizational crisis - a project framed within a feminist ethos and inspired by indigenous cosmologies. He considers this a shared art - exploring the edges of the intelligible, dancing with posthumanist ideas, dabbling in the mysteries of quantum mechanics and the liberating sermon of an ecofeminism text, and talking with others about how to host a festival in Brazil - and part of his inner struggle to regain a sense of rootedness to his community. He also hosts a course (We Will Dance with Mountains) among other offerings. Bayo is visiting professor at Middlebury College, Vermont, and has taught in universities around the world (including Sonoma State University California, Simon Frasier University Vancouver, Schumacher College Devon, Harvard University, and Covenant University Nigeria – among others). He is a consultant with UNESCO, leading efforts for the Imagining Africa’s Future (IAF) project. He speaks and teaches about his experiences around the world, and then returns to his adopted home in Chennai, India - "where the occasional whiff of cow dung dancing in the air is another invitation to explore the vitality of a world that is never still and always surprising." Bayo has authored two books, ‘We Will Tell Our Own Story!: The Lions of Africa Speak!’ and ‘These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home’, and has penned forewords for many others. Websites: bayoakomolafe.net emergencenetwork.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 25, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:46 - The Times Are Urgent, Let Us Slow Down 00:08:42 - Slowing Down in Times of Urgency 00:12:36 - The Challenge of Thinking in Different Terms 00:16:10 - The Balance of Preciseness and Unboundedness 00:20:51 - Dancing with the Masquerade: Rediscovering Core Values 00:25:50 - The Evolution and Devolution of Ideas 00:29:05 - The complexity of the universe and the pieces of the puzzle 00:33:12 - Devolving and the Emerging Universe 00:37:16 - The All-Pervading Intelligence of God 00:41:19 - The Excess of Meaninglessness 00:44:27 - The Future as Creator 00:48:10 - The Beauty of Contrast and Difference 00:52:44 - Blind men feeling the elephant 00:56:28 - Embracing the Impermanence of Truth 01:00:57 - The Influence of Environment on Judicial Decisions 01:05:14 - The Color of a Triangle 01:09:23 - Panpsychism and Panentheism 01:13:40 - Variations of Non-Dualism and Multiple New Materialisms 01:17:15 - The Ongoingness of Materializations 01:20:59 - The Absurdity of Non-Dualism and Anticipation 01:24:29 - Futures Literacy: Noticing and Shifting Perspectives 01:28:08 - Post Activism: Slowing Down to Meet Other Bodies and Other Agencies 01:32:04 - The Recycling Ethics and Environmental Impact 01:35:24 - Imagining a More Beautiful World 01:38:58 - Aligning with the Flow of the Universe 01:43:29 - The Newtonian-Cartesian Paradigm and Harmony vs Disruption 01:48:07 - Understanding the Fundamentals of Creation and Consciousness 01:52:57 - The Story of the Trickster Tortoise 01:56:09 - The Tortoise and the Hidden Wisdom 01:59:34 - Reflections on the Current Time

An opinion leader and public speaker, Stephen G. Post, Ph.D. (University of Chicago, 1983) is the best-selling lead author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving. He has been quoted in more than 4,000 newspapers and magazines and featured on numerous television shows including The Daily Show. Described by Martin E.P. Seligman in Flourish as one of “the stars of positive psychology,” Post is a leader in research on the benefits of giving and on compassionate care in relation to improved patient outcomes and clinician well-being. He addressed the U.S. Congress on volunteerism and health, receiving the Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement. Post was co-recipient (2012) with Edmund D. Pellegrino MD of the Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in HealthCare from the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, and the Kama Book Award in Medical Humanities from World Literacy Canada (2008). His book The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease: Ethical Issues from Diagnosis to Dying was designated a “medical classic of the century” by the British Medical Journal (2009), which wrote, “Until this pioneering work was published in 1995 the ethical aspects of one of the most important illnesses of our aging populations were a neglected topic.” Post is a recipient of the Alzheimer’s Association's national distinguished service award “in recognition of personal and professional outreach to the Alzheimer’s Association Chapters on ethics issues important to people with Alzheimer’s and their families.” In 2021 Post published Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease (Hopkins). Co-Recipient of the 2019 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Professionalism Award for development the Professional Identity Formation curriculum of the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Post has taught at the University of Chicago Medical School, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1988-2008), and at Stony Brook (2008-present), where he is Founding Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics. The Center was selected (2011) for special institutional excellence by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (AMA & AAMC accrediting body), the only humanities and ethics entity in American medical school history to receive this distinction. An elected member of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Royal Society of Medicine, London, Post is the author of 300 articles in journals such as Science, the New England Journal of Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. In 2003 Post was invited to join the Founding Fellows of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), based at Cambridge University. Founded in 2002, ISSR is the world’s preeminent learned society devoted to this intersection, with 200 Fellows from the sciences and humanities. In 2001 he founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, so named by philanthropist Sir John Templeton, who selected Post as the Institute’s President. A non-profit 501(c) 3 public charity that investigates kindness, giving, and spirituality, Post has written popularly on this topic in God and Love on Route 80: The Hidden Mystery of Human Connectedness. Websites: stephengpost.com unlimitedloveinstitute.org Email: [email protected] Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 18, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:14 - The Angel's Message in the Dream 00:10:04 - Adolescent Spirituality & the Meaning of Experiences 00:14:38 - Following a Dream 00:19:16 - Chasing Dreams in Nebraska 00:23:40 - A Life-Changing Encounter on the Ledge 00:28:26 - Exploring Comparative Spirituality and Religion 00:33:22 - Meeting Ken Kesey at Reed College 00:37:41 - The Bridge and the Phone Call 00:42:22 - The Power of Compassion and Kindness 00:47:31 - Theodicy and the Problem of Evil 00:52:32 - The Role of Parents in Modeling Kindness 00:57:18 - The oneness of the other 01:01:58 - The Perspective of Life as One Chapter 01:06:29 - Sensitivity of Alzheimer's patients to empathic qualities 01:10:53 - Honoring the Divine in Individuals with Disabilities 01:15:31 - The One Mind in the Universe 01:20:45 - The Plausibility of the Big Bang Theory and Open-Mindedness 01:25:24 - Selfless Service and the Expansion of the Heart 01:30:41 - The Experience of Beautiful Energy and Spiritual Nature 01:35:23 - Everyday Divine Interventions 01:39:54 - Synchronicity and the Carl Jung Story 01:44:40 - The Neurology of Helping Others 01:49:23 - Cultivating Compassion in Medical Education 01:53:52 - Cultivating Empathy and Compass

HeatherAsh Amara is the Warrior Goddess Mama and creatrix of The Warrior Heart practice. She is dedicated to inspiring depth, creativity, and joy by sharing the most potent tools from a variety of world traditions. Raised in Southeast Asia, HeatherAsh has traveled the world from childhood and is continually inspired by the diversity and beauty of human expression and experience. She brings this open-hearted, inclusive worldview to her writings and teachings. HeatherAsh is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling: Warrior Goddess Training: Become the Woman You Are Meant to Be, Warrior Goddess Wisdom: Daily Inspiration for Women (Warrior Goddess Training), The Seven Secrets to Healthy, Happy Relationships (with don Miguel Ruiz Jr.), and Warrior Heart Practice Website: warriorgoddess.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 10, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:31 - Influences from the Toltec Tradition 00:04:41 - Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan Matus 00:06:55 - Exploring European Shamanism and Toltec Teachings 00:08:56 - The Coronavirus as a Catalyst for Change 00:11:00 - Reconnecting with Nature and the Cycles of Life and Death 00:13:05 - Holding the Beauty and Grief of Life 00:15:46 - Holding the Paradox and Chaos 00:19:30 - The Interconnection and Transformation of the World 00:24:31 - The Influence of the Toltec Tradition 00:29:09 - Traveling Between Worlds and Purifying Intent 00:33:56 - The Power of Impeccability and Responsibility 00:38:33 - Building Awareness and Recapitulation in Toltec Wisdom 00:43:08 - The Significance of Everyday Occurrences 00:47:56 - The Toltecs and Teotihuacan 00:53:02 - The Soul as the Drop in the Ocean 00:57:37 - Concocting Stories and Making Agreements 01:02:32 - Finding Peace and Joy in Life 01:07:47 - Embracing Stillness and Chaos in Life 01:12:37 - Parenting and Unconscious Agreements 01:17:39 - Separating Feelings from Stories 01:22:12 - Untangling the Story and Finding the Truth 01:26:41 - Practice of Self-Inquiry 01:31:07 - Working with the Chambers and Transformation 01:36:22 - Recognizing the Divine and Embracing our True Work 01:40:21 - Community Development and Tool Sharing 01:44:57 - Moving Beyond First Attention 01:49:37 - Recapitulation: Sorting and Letting Go of Energy Leakage 01:54:27 - Accessing and balancing different forms of energy 01:59:20 - Connecting with Your Feelings 02:05:27 - Learning more about HeatherAsh and upcoming programs

Meditation asks, “Who am I?” Therapy asks, “How do I heal and become happier?” Purpose work addresses the question, “Where do I belong in the ecology of life?” Purpose guiding breaks the spell of our default purposes of safety, security, comfort and outward success, and orients us towards our true purpose, which is to embody our unique calling within. When we all have the opportunity to live our calling, we can support our collective true purpose: to become co-creators of our species’ evolution. We may, thus, give birth to more beauty, truth, and goodness into the world. Jonathan Gustin, M.A, MFT, is the founder of Purpose Guides Institute. He guides people to find and embody their life’s purpose, as well as trains those who want to become Purpose Guides themselves. Jonathan has been a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and Purpose Guide for over 20 years. He is an adjunct professor at JFK University and co-author of Purpose Rising: A Global Movement of Transformation and Meaning with Ken Wilber, Erwin Laszlo, and others. Website: purposeguides.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded April 3, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:07:24 - Early Interest in Enlightenment 00:14:49 - Discovering Your Deeper Purpose 00:19:34 - Finding Purpose in Your Work 00:23:26 - Finding Your Soul's Purpose 00:27:27 - Illumination through Different Roles and Identities 00:30:58 - The Power of Imagination and Soul Identity 00:34:33 - The Mysterious Nature of the Soul 00:38:17 - The Rootedness of Soul in Time and Place 00:42:11 - Regression Therapy and Life Between Lives 00:46:35 - Finding the Deepest Joy in Life 00:50:13 - Living your purpose in any circumstance 00:55:10 - The Tamp Down of Soul Upwelling 00:59:53 - Hitler's Twisted Purpose 01:04:06 - Finding the Sweet Spot 01:07:40 - Finding Purpose and Living Authentically 01:13:00 - Default Purpose and Finding Your Calling 01:17:00 - The Journey to Soul and Purpose 01:21:31 - The Avatar and the Earth Suit 01:25:25 - The Movement of Enlightenment 01:29:59 - The Book Club with Adya 01:34:03 - The Competing Commitments and Addictions of Purpose 01:37:28 - Living Your Purpose 01:41:27 - Living Your Soul's Purpose 01:45:00 - The Tsunami of Climate Change 01:48:33 - Climate Change as Spiritual Practice 01:52:55 - Practical Work and Finding Your Purpose 01:57:06 - The Journey of Personal Transformation 02:00:26 - Finding Your Core Purpose and Thriving 02:04:14 - Finding Safety and Expressing Concerns 02:07:13 - Conclusion and Farewell

Cynthia Jurs is a Tibetan Buddhist lama and a Dharmacharya in the Order of Interbeing of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh whose source of refuge and spiritual inspiration is Mother Earth; Gaia. In 1990, she made a life-changing pilgrimage to meet the hermit and meditation master, Kushok Mangden Charok Rinpoche, a 106-year-old lama living in a remote cave in Nepal from whom she received the practice of the Earth Treasure Vases when she asked him, “What can we do to bring healing and protection to the Earth?” For thirty years, Cynthia has been building a global community committed to planetary healing and collective awakening in partnership with elders and activists around the world. Cynthia teaches an innovative blend of engaged Buddhism and sacred activism through the Earth Treasure Vase Global Healing Project, the Open Way Sangha in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the international Gaia Mandala Community. Through her nonprofit, Alliance for the Earth, Cynthia has worked with former combatants and the women who stopped a war in Liberia, West Africa, to build peace, teaching mindfulness and co-founding the Peace Hut Alliance for Conflict Transformation. Cynthia’s book, Summoned by the Earth, is forthcoming. New website - GaiaMandala.net - the home for our global healing community with many practices, calls, courses and more ways to get involved in our work of global healing and collective awakening. Old Website: EarthTreasureVase.org Join the monthly Full Moon Earth Treasure Vase Global Healing Meditation here. This is a free call via Zoom. A recording is automatically sent out to registered participants. Monday Mindfulness Meditation, a weekly gathering via Zoom at 4 pm Pacific // 5 pm Mountain // 7 pm Eastern. As we shelter at home, we can meet this moment of collective crisis and opportunity with calm and clarity by cultivating a practice of calm abiding in mindfulness. In this weekly 1.5-hour practice group, we will sit, walk and sit again—entering into the quiet space within and stopping to catch our breath, to center ourselves, to let go of worry and fear and reconnect with our true source of Being. At the end of our practice, there will be an opportunity for mindful sharing around the circle. Click here if you are interested in participating. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 28, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:45 - The Wisdom and Suffering of the Virus 00:09:00 - The Trim Tab Effect on Climate Change 00:12:38 - The Wisdom of the Dogon Elder 00:16:53 - Meeting the 106-year-old Lama 00:20:07 - Healing and Protection for the Earth 00:24:50 - The Power of Earth Treasure Vases 00:28:49 - The Power of Offering and Alchemy 00:33:32 - Becoming a Vessel for Healing and Protection 00:37:34 - Getting Out of Our Own Way 00:41:11 - Women's Peace Movement in Liberia 00:45:30 - The Ceremony and Burial 00:49:24 - From Soldier to Peace Builder in Liberia 00:53:10 - The Urgency of Addressing the Crisis in Congo 00:57:39 - A Symbolic Wedding: The Burial Ceremony 01:01:39 - The Power of Clay Pots and Tree Planting 01:04:57 - Distributing Treasure Vases to Sacred Places 01:09:31 - The Balance Between Masculine and Feminine Energies 01:14:24 - Healing Cultural Disruption and Oppression 01:19:44 - The Liberating Power of Reframing the Story of the Buddha 01:24:14 - A Blessing From the Wise Woman in the Cave 01:27:46 - The Earth as my Greatest Teacher 01:31:25 - Awakening to a New Evolutionary Turn 01:35:58 - Making Offerings and Establishing Relationships 01:41:21 - The Importance of Balance and Service 01:45:16 - The Practice of Service 01:48:21 - The Possibility of Something Different 01:52:06 - Stewarding the Vases 01:55:32 - Full Moon Meditation Announcement and Gaia Calling Course Information 01:58:19 - Closing Remarks and Contact Information 02:00:27 - Music Segment

Peter journeyed to India in 1970 and spent time with Ram Dass and his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, eventually traveling to the Himalayan foothills to live briefly with Gangotri Baba, a disciple of Babaji. He also had transcendent experiences with Anandamayi Ma and other saints. Later he traveled to Tibet and Egypt but did not find his true path until Sathya Sai Baba instructed him to meditate on the I AM—which leads to the True Self. Returning from the East, the Ascended Master Saint Germain materialized before him in Muir Woods near San Francisco and told him to go to Mount Shasta, where he would meet the teacher who would prepare him to work with the Masters in their quest to help humanity. This teacher was Pearl Dorris, a former assistant to Godfre Ray King, author of "Unveiled Mysteries". Vowing to accomplish the training that was offered, he went through years of instruction, initiation, and adventures at the hands of the Masters, who occasionally appeared in physical form. These adventures are described in his best-selling book, "Apprentice to the Masters: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Book II." He is working now under the direction of Saint Germain to bring the ancient teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on the nature of mind into the I AM Teachings of mastery. Books: Search for the Guru: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Part I Apprentice to the Masters: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Part II "I AM" Affirmations and the Secret of Their Effective Use I Am the Violet Tara: Goddess of Forgiveness and Freedom I AM the Living Christ: Teachings of Jesus It Is What It Is: Further Adventures of a Western Mystic Website: i-am-teachings.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 21, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Appreciation 00:03:22 - Satchidananda and the Twinkle in His Eyes 00:07:11 - A Dream with the Guru 00:10:38 - Lessons from Illness and Healing 00:14:10 - Meeting the Guru in Rishikesh 00:17:39 - Meeting Spinach Baba 00:21:38 - Seeking Answers from the Guru 00:25:31 - A Divine Encounter in Muir Woods 00:30:35 - A Mysterious Encounter 00:34:42 - Guidance from Within and Ascended Masters 00:38:48 - The Cloak of Invisibility and Higher Frequency Vibration 00:42:20 - Praying to Padmasambhava 00:46:05 - Going back to Mount Shasta 00:49:34 - The Many Incarnations of Saint Germain 00:53:12 - The Appearance of Saint Germain 00:56:44 - Creating Desired Things, The Pitfalls 01:00:39 - A Dream Leads to a Synchronistic Encounter 01:04:39 - Encounter with Saint Germain 01:08:13 - A Divine Encounter at the Restaurant 01:11:35 - Trusting Inner Guidance 01:14:48 - The Message of the Current Pandemic Crisis 01:18:49 - The Antidote for the Virus 01:22:40 - Practical Measures to Protect Against COVID-19 01:25:35 - Charging Water with Amethyst 01:29:08 - A Meeting with the Bliss Permeated Mother 01:33:55 - Divine Love and Unity with All 01:38:03 - Cooperation between Ascended Masters and Space Beings 01:41:07 - The Importance of Seva and Helping Others 01:44:17 - Exploring Personal Identity and Interacting with the Masters 01:47:18 - A Dream Encounter 01:59:41 - Farewell and Greetings

Clare Dubois is the founder and CEO of TreeSisters.org, a global women's movement spanning over 200 countries, that has collectively funded the planting of over 25 million trees. TreeSisters is a social change movement and a tropical reforestation organization working towards normalizing cultural reciprocity with nature. The aim of both Clare and TreeSisters is to make it as normal to give back to nature as it currently is to take nature for granted while supporting humanity in its transition from a consumer species to a restorer species. Before founding TreeSisters, Clare worked internationally for over two decades, coaching business leaders and facilitating group behavior change processes in multiple sectors. Known for her direct, catalytic energy, her inspirational speaking and her holistic approach to collective transformation, Clare is a walking invitation to anyone ready to step up and step in on behalf of the planet. Short, informative videos: "Waking Up" (mentioned by Clare in the interview) How Music Can Plant Trees Grow Your Own Forest You Are Alive For A Reason Clare's interview with IONS - LA Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 7, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Clare Dubois and TreeSisters.org 00:03:55 - Clare Dubois: An Invitation to Collective Transformation 00:06:18 - From Victim to Survivor 00:10:50 - Inauthentic Feminine Behavior and Patriarchy 00:15:11 - Stepping into Personal Responsibility 00:19:05 - The Consciousness of Nature and Our Relationship with Trees 00:23:14 - The Global Brain in the Forest 00:27:14 - The Shift in Consciousness and the Oneness of Nature 00:31:38 - The Sacredness of All Life 00:35:51 - The Sacred Seeds of Pure Sanity 00:40:02 - Connecting to Fullness and Generosity 00:43:45 - Witnessing the Rocky Mountain Forest Dying 00:47:55 - The Urgency of Awakening and Remembering Our Power 00:52:19 - Merging with the Natural World 00:56:51 - Awakening to the Sacredness of Nature 01:01:12 - The Sacredness of All Life 01:05:36 - A Leap of Faith in the Chasm 01:10:07 - Overcoming Limitations and Self-Realization 01:14:09 - The Death of Our Planet and the Age of Restoration 01:18:22 - The Story of the Seagull and the Ocean 01:22:38 - The Mother of Initiations 01:27:08 - Trees as Conduits for Energies from Different Planets 01:31:48 - Merging with Nature and Living in Intimacy 01:36:11 - Navigating through Class Five Rapids 01:40:08 - Embracing the Suffering 01:44:06 - Discovering Your Purpose in Life 01:48:47 - Self-liberation and Living a Meaningful Life 01:52:23 - The Perpetuation of Life and the Insanity of the Current System 01:56:13 - The Circulatory System of Gaia 02:00:15 - Creating a Thriving World 02:04:15 - Planting Trees for Restoration

Zaya Benazzo is a filmmaker from Bulgaria with degrees in engineering, environmental science, and film. For many years, she worked as an environmental activist in Holland and Bulgaria, and later produced and directed several award-winning documentaries in Europe and the United States. Maurizio Benazzo grew up in Italy, and in 1984 came to the United States on a ninety-eight-year-old sailing boat. He started working as an actor, model, and filmmaker, but his thirst for knowledge was only satisfied in 2001 upon encountering I Am That, the seminal work by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, while he was in India shooting the award-winning documentary Short Cut To Nirvana. Maurizio and Zaya merged their lifelong passions for science and mysticism when they met in 2007, and their first project together was filming the documentary Rays of the Absolute on the life and teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. This project sparked their next level of creation and collaboration: Science and Nonduality (SAND)—a global community inspired by the timeless wisdom traditions, informed by modern science, and grounded in direct experience. Book: On the Mystery of Being: Contemporary Insights on the Convergence of Science and Spirituality Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 29, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:16 - Finding Peace with Nisargadatta 00:09:53 - The Unraveling of a Familiar Story 00:13:35 - The Connection Between Trauma and Seeking Answers 00:17:24 - A Beautiful Movie about Nisargadatta 00:20:47 - The Birth of Science and Duality 00:24:23 - The Limitations of Knowledge and Understanding 00:27:49 - The Unity and Diversity of Existence 00:31:49 - Paradox and Ambiguity in Spiritual Maturity 00:36:08 - The Individual and the Ocean 00:40:23 - The Influence of Culture on Teaching 00:44:26 - Holding Conversations Lightly 00:47:23 - The Mystery of Life and Human Connectedness 00:52:10 - Meeting the Shadow and Unconscious Material 00:56:49 - The Dance of Therapy and Inquiry 01:01:18 - From the mind to the heart 01:05:51 - Observations on the Disembodiment of the Western World 01:10:14 - Spirituality and Social Inequality 01:14:06 - Trauma in Political Leaders 01:17:26 - Inclusion and Diversity in Spiritual Conversations 01:21:29 - Privilege and Diversity in Conversation 01:24:45 - The Inclusiveness of Spirituality 01:28:45 - The Necessity of Multi-dimensional Approaches to Life 01:32:19 - Meeting Yourself in Solitude 01:36:47 - Exploring Sexuality and Oneness 01:40:48 - Changing Ourselves and Creating Awareness 01:43:42 - The Future Direction of SAND Conference 01:46:55 - The Evolution of Teaching and the Dream of Trust and Deeper Listening 01:50:30 - The Admirable Effort of Personal Growth and Redemption 01:54:26 - Science and Nonduality Conference 01:57:28 - Plans for Future Meetings

Rev. Bill’s life has been a spiritual journey, spanning slightly over 7 decades. His whole life has been a mystical trip in search of gurus, the paranormal, and self-discovery. He has written about his many spiritually transformative experiences and “near-death-experiences” including supernatural events during his combat tour of duty in the Vietnam War. In his books, he has shared some incredible spiritual events that are beyond both common understanding or explanation. His autobiography “Warrior: A Spiritual Odyssey” takes us on a life quest for love, understanding, forgiveness, and enlightenment. His follow-up book “Alchemy of a Warrior's Heart" continues that mystical journey including four trips to India for even more profound experiences with holy men, miracles and his personal relationship with the Divine. What he knows for sure after all these years is that the only thing that is truly real is LOVE. He is an author, an award-winning poet, international motivational speaker, artist, film advisor, veteran advocate, a Vietnam War veteran (Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart Medal, 14 Air Medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, etc.). He has spoken around the world including Germany, England, Wales, Bolivia, and India. He has been involved with a dozen films and documentaries. (Such as: “In the Shadow of the Blade”- showed on the History Network and “The Art of Healing” shown on PBS TV) Rev. Bill has been on over 800 radio and TV shows over the last 18 years and has stories about his life featured in over a dozen books by other authors and in hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles. He has had articles in such diverse publications as “Parade Sunday Magazine” and “The Self-Realization Fellowship Magazine” as well as military magazines and new age magazines. His YouTube Channel has over 70 videos and had gotten over 550,000 views in its first 18 months. He speaks publicly about the need to forgive and power of love. His mission in life is to inspire others to seek the Divine and he does that through his personal stories of his own life experiences. He is a seeker but not just for himself. His “mission” is to allow others to experience his journey through his stories. He has had many near-death and near-death-like experiences and encounters with the supernatural. He is a friend to many - including famous celebrities and people in power positions in life but he treats everyone the same whether they are homeless or the President or a CEO. His beliefs are simple: There is but ONE GOD – and our only mission is to LOVE & SERVE ALL. Additional books by William “Rev. Bill” McDonald: A Spiritual Warrior's Journey: The Inspiring Life Story of a Mystical Warrior – 2003 Purple Hearts: Poetry of The Vietnam War – 2003 Sacred Eye: Poetry In Search Of The Divine – 2004 Bill's guru, Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath Bill's Website Bill's email Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview First BatGap interview with Bill McDonald Interview recorded February 22, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:09 - Sharing Pearls of Wisdom 00:07:14 - The Overwhelming Responsibility of Knowledge, Intuition, and Empathy 00:10:44 - The Power of Intuition and Belief Systems 00:14:51 - Believing Different 00:18:50 - The Importance of Time in the Material World 00:22:51 - The One Guru: God 00:26:36 - The Danger of Dangerous Spiritual Teachers 00:30:08 - The Inner Guru vs. Outer Guru 00:34:41 - The Importance of Having a Teacher 00:37:49 - Embracing Discomfort and Growth in Life 00:41:56 - Embracing Life's Challenges 00:45:57 - The Significance of Evolutionary Events 00:49:35 - Discovering and Manifesting Potential 00:53:03 - Mending Fences and Making Amends 00:56:15 - The Value of Living and Dead Gurus 01:00:02 - The Guru's Love and Presence 01:03:48 - Seeing God in All 01:07:02 - Being Present and Connected 01:10:41 - The Power of Now 01:14:42 - Learning through the "morphogenetic field" 01:18:09 - Manifestation through Free Will 01:21:23 - Cultivating and Retaining Faith in the Divine 01:24:36 - Plant Medicine and Personal Experiences 01:28:03 - Challenging Prejudices and Judgments 01:31:12 - The Change in Perspective 01:35:06 - The Pitfalls of Meditation and Psychedelics 01:38:32 - The Risks of Drug Use and the Importance of Meditation 01:42:42 - The Value of Personal Experience 01:46:25 - Manifesting a Loving Life 01:50:17 - Delight in Different Perspectives

Roger Walsh MD., Ph.D. DHL graduated from Queensland University with degrees in psychology, physiology, neuroscience, and medicine, came to the United States as a Fulbright scholar, and is currently a professor of psychiatry, philosophy, anthropology, and religious studies at the University of California. His research interests include psychological health and wellbeing, virtues such as love and wisdom, practices such as meditation that foster them, and the psychological roots of our current social and global challenges. Roger’s books include Paths Beyond Ego, The World of Shamanism, and Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, and he recently edited the modestly titled volume, The World's Great Wisdom. His research and writings have received over twenty national and international awards. He was formerly a circus acrobat, held world records in trampolining and high diving, and recently graduated from the San Francisco Comedy College and had an extremely brief and unsuccessful career as a standup comedian. For more information, see drrogerwalsh.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 15, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:25 - A Shocking Revelation about Water 00:08:32 - The Hidden Disciplines of Religion 00:13:19 - Multiple Perspectives on Realization and Developmental Stages 00:18:06 - Psychological Maturity and Spiritual Development 00:22:12 - The Enlightenment and the Awakening to Pure Consciousness 00:26:16 - The Limitations of Scientists and the Recognition of Pure Consciousness 00:31:02 - Consciousness awakening through the nervous system 00:34:19 - The Universe Becoming Conscious 00:39:07 - Inherent growth dynamic in the psyche 00:43:30 - The Transition to Post-Conventional Thinking 00:47:33 - The Wisdom of Spiritual Practice 00:51:30 - The Spiritual Gravity that Draws the Mind Within 00:55:42 - Different Stages Reflecting Different Worldviews and Values 01:00:23 - The Developmental Stages of Consciousness and Psychology 01:04:38 - The Marrying of Technology and Spirituality 01:09:31 - The Importance of Ethics in Spiritual Practice 01:13:52 - The Dangers of the "Ends Justify the Means" Mentality 01:17:21 - The Story of Narada and Maya 01:21:01 - Motivation and Emotional Transformation 01:25:14 - The Nature of Craving 01:30:07 - The Dystopian Future of Addiction 01:34:32 - The Race between Consciousness and Catastrophe 01:38:40 - Surfing the Spiritual Wave 01:42:53 - Mapping the Territory of Consciousness 01:47:33 - Tapping into the Universal 01:52:15 - Openness to Feedback and Understanding 01:56:33 - Hanging Out with Kindred Souls 02:00:07 - Practice and Transformation 02:04:10 - Going Deeper into Ourselves and the World 02:07:43 - A Conversation with an Expert

Isira brings a deep understanding of Indigenous, ancient and universal wisdom. She bridges the gap between the overwhelming challenges we face in the world today and our spiritual journey. As a powerful advocate for conscious change, Isira is highly engaged in today's social issues. Her enlightened commentary assists us to navigate the divisive worlds of politics, climate change, mental health and beyond. Books: Awakening You: Embodying Peace, Love and Freedom on Earth Buddha on the Dance Floor Website: isira.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Second interview with Isira Interview recorded February 7, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 00:04:06 - Perception of the World 00:08:22 - Indigenous Mindset and Modern Human Mindset 00:12:31 - The Interconnection of All Things and the Dance of Life 00:17:32 - A Traumatic Experience of Abuse and Awakening 00:22:09 - The Root of Suffering and Disconnection 00:26:21 - The Rubber Band Effect of Disconnection 00:30:12 - A Miraculous Recovery and Forgiveness 00:34:38 - Interdimensional Experiences and Reunion with the Lama 00:39:00 - A Time of Preparation and Resetting 00:43:09 - The Power of Alignment and Connection 00:47:38 - The Intensity of Global Problems and Ignoring Warning Signs 00:51:42 - The Impact of an Echo Chamber 00:55:47 - The Design of Social Media Platforms and the Loss of Value and Relevance 01:00:00 - The Beauty of Chaos and Transformation 01:03:32 - The Story of the Seeker and the Master 01:07:23 - Averting Catastrophe through Spiritual Awakening 01:11:54 - The Impact of Climate Change on Metropolitan Areas 01:16:14 - Severed Relationships and the Collapse of Society 01:20:35 - The Need for Connectedness and Decentralized Government 01:24:11 - Materialism and Fear in Modern Society 01:28:12 - The Illusion of Material Possessions 01:32:13 - Untapped Potential and Gamma Brainwave States 01:36:51 - Accessing Deeper States of Consciousness 01:40:54 - The Balance of Destructive and Creative Forces 01:45:03 - Restoring Balance in Society and Nature 01:48:54 - Overpopulation and the Need for Reduction 01:53:01 - Holding onto the Self in Times of Radical Shifts 01:56:50 - Acting in Accordance with Intuitive Impulse 02:01:17 - Regeneration and the Four Pillars of Lore 02:05:23 - Ordinary People Awakening

Diane Hennacy Powell, M.D. is a Johns Hopkins-trained psychiatrist, therapist, neuroscientist, and public speaker. She develops multidisciplinary theories towards understanding psychological anomalies, such as savant skills and verified accounts of spacetime navigation. Her current research focuses on controlled testing of autistic savants and children reported to be telepathic and/or precognitive by their caregivers. Dr. Powell has been on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, a member of a think tank on human consciousness at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, and Director of Research for the John E. Mack Institute. Her investigation into the neurocorrelates of ESP is discussed in her 2008 book The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena, and in Seriously Strange: Thinking Anew about Psychical Experiences. Dr. Powell is also an expert on PTSD and created the psychiatry program for Survivors of Torture, International in San Diego, California. She was the principal author of IONS The 2007 Shift Report: Evidence of a World Transforming and a contributing author to Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonement, the 2014 Campus Book of the Year at Indiana University. She is also a participant in the #NeverAlone movement for suicide prevention. Website: drdianehennacy.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 1, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Diane Hennacy Powell Interview 00:03:48 - Autistic Savants: Extraordinary Abilities 00:07:14 - The Brain's Processing Unit 00:11:07 - Acquired Savant Syndrome and Twin Intuition 00:14:54 - Extraordinary Mental Calculation Abilities 00:18:05 - Extraordinary Abilities and Experiments 00:21:43 - Accessing Universal Knowledge 00:25:25 - Contributions to the Universal Field of Intelligence 00:29:21 - Haley's Remarkable Abilities 00:33:04 - The Blind Savant Syndrome and Blind Seers 00:36:43 - Phenomenal Stories of Twins Raised Apart 00:40:28 - The Academy for the Advancement of Post-Materialist Sciences 00:44:31 - A New Paradigm: Consciousness as Fundamental 00:48:19 - The Three Theories of Post-Materialism 00:52:37 - The Role of Junk DNA and Glial Cells 00:57:02 - The Beauty of Specialization and Connection 01:00:52 - The Manifestation of Human Consciousness 01:04:09 - Challenging the Scientific Paradigm 01:07:51 - Challenges in Biological Sciences Research 01:11:27 - Embracing the Evolution of Human Beings and Unusual Perceptions 01:15:28 - Knowledge Beyond Experience 01:19:30 - Reincarnation and Desire 01:23:09 - Technologically Assisted Telepathy 01:27:20 - The Subtler Aspects of the Senses and Emotions 01:31:53 - The Relationship Between Physiology and Emotions 01:35:58 - The Evolution of Consciousness and Free Will 01:40:04 - The Illusion of Free Will and Conscious Decision-Making 01:44:12 - The Tragedy of Suicide 01:48:12 - The Importance of Preserving Human Consciousness 01:51:39 - Rational Vaccination and the Pharmaceutical Industry 01:55:07 - The Great Awakening and the Next 20 Years

Forty-five spiritual teachers, members of “The Association for Spiritual Integrity”, met for four hours prior to the start of the 2019 Science and Nonduality Conference. For the first couple of hours, we engaged in a deep, honest discussion about the challenges teachers face, seeking to learn how we might better support one another. We then broke into six groups, each focusing on a particular topic. Then we reassembled and recorded the remainder of the meeting. This video includes: Introduction by Rick Summary of discussions in each of the six breakout groups. (1) Bringing forth women and feminine empowerment. (2) Ongoing growth for teachers and continuing education, trauma, attachment, and shadow work. (3) Creating community and peer support (4) Healthy power dynamics and dual relationships (5) The Ethics of the Spiritual Community (6) The importance of awareness of teacher misbehavior and discerning between real misbehavior and false accusations. A personal or professional commitment expressed by each teacher in the meeting. Summary and Transcript of this meeting Recorded October 24, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Purpose of the Meeting 00:01:04 - Discussion and Breakout Groups 00:01:57 - Appreciation for Gifted Leaders 00:02:52 - ASI: Continued Education and Growth 00:03:54 - Incorporating Yin Teachings into SAND 00:05:09 - Supporting Each Other in the Process of Bringing Balance 00:06:15 - Creating a Safe Space for Teachers 00:07:22 - Online Teacher Assessment and Community Support for Spiritual Teachers 00:08:23 - Increased Support and Accountability 00:09:26 - Creating a Referral Listing for Affordable Retreats 00:10:28 - Difficulties with Dual Relationships and Power Dynamics 00:11:31 - Power dynamics and emotional triggers 00:12:42 - Keeping data on ethical behavior and misbehavior of teachers and guides 00:13:37 - Awareness of Misconduct 00:14:37 - Bringing forth the importance of the feminine and women's voices 00:15:39 - Spending time in silence and self-reflection 00:16:35 - Commitment to Women's Video Conference Group 00:17:35 - Organizing Information and Workshops 00:18:20 - Commitment to Authentic and Heartfelt Communication 00:19:13 - Personal Commitments to Self-Care and Understanding 00:20:05 - Creating Online Safe Spaces for Peer-to-Peer Interactions 00:20:58 - Commitments to Marginalized Communities and Openness to Learning 00:21:48 - Committing to Integrity and Love 00:22:49 - The Teachings of Don Juan Matus and Padmasambhava 00:23:48 - Commitment to Awareness and Empowerment 00:24:51 - Commitment to Service and Divine Embodiment 00:25:59 - Recommitting to Integrity and Healing for All 00:27:00 - Commitment to Personal and Professional Evolution 00:28:03 - Supporting and Connecting with Each Other 00:29:05 - A Beautiful Thing We're Creating 00:29:54 - Appreciation for support and resources

With Jac O'Keeffe, Mariana Caplan, Craig Holliday, and Miranda Macpherson Introduction by Rick Archer The spiritual awakening sweeping the world may be critical to addressing our critical problems. Ethical breaches by spiritual teachers sabotage this awakening. How the ASI was founded. Its role & perspective. Qualities and Characteristics of a healthy teacher, student, and spiritual community. What to look for in a spiritual teacher The student’s responsibility. Healthy teacher/student relationships. Support for teachers recognizing their blind spots. Are higher consciousness and more ideal behavior correlated? Continual growth and learning, even in the teachers’ seat. Discriminating between Awakening, Integration process, and actualization. Abiding exclusively in nondual awareness vs. developing a multi-layered perspective. What contributes to unhealthy behavior or cult-like tendencies. Questions and answers Guru addiction Money issues in spiritual communities The responsibility teachers and students share The importance of therapy. Teachers referring students to other teachers. How long to stay with a teacher Teachers inviting students to give them feedback Discussion of this panel in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this discussion. Recorded October 25, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Purpose of the Organization 00:02:40 - Establishing Guidelines for Spiritual Teachers 00:04:40 - Introduction of Spiritual Speakers 00:06:29 - Qualities of a Healthy Spiritual Teacher and Student 00:08:38 - Pursuing Growth in Spiritual Communities 00:10:47 - Accountability and Ethics in Teaching 00:12:47 - The Role of Humility in Teaching 00:14:31 - The Role of Trust in Teacher-Student Relationships 00:16:17 - The Process of Idealizing Teachers 00:18:23 - The Interplay in Unhealthy Relationships 00:20:25 - Higher Consciousness and Behavior 00:22:22 - Aligning with Integrity in Sexuality, Money, and Power 00:24:26 - Embracing Lifelong Learning 00:26:20 - Finding Balance and Growth in Education 00:28:08 - The Tricky Spot of Non-Dual Awareness 00:30:02 - The Deterrent of Fixed Notions and the Endless Possibilities of Awakening 00:32:02 - The Problem with the Search for Enlightenment 00:33:49 - The Danger of Group Think in Spiritual Communities 00:35:41 - Challenging Group Think and Teacher-Student Relationships 00:37:41 - Recovery from Guru Addiction 00:39:35 - Working on Our Relationship with Money 00:41:30 - The Illusion of Giving in Spiritual Teachings 00:43:30 - Mobilizing Teachers in the Shift 00:45:27 - The Power of Students Speaking Up 00:47:02 - The Development of Spiritual Maturity 00:49:05 - Engaging in Good Therapy and Trauma Healing 00:50:43 - Referring a Student Out of Their Depth 00:52:12 - Long-term relationships with students 00:54:24 - A Teacher's Role in Empowering Students 00:56:09 - The Need for Connection and Support in the ASI Community 00:58:01 - Music Interlude

Leanora Rose founded Embody Truth in 2012 as a way to support an integral approach to awakening and embodiment. The work is originally inspired through a personal awakening and culminates into a coherent and disposable map helping others navigate the terrain. Using a direct felt sense experience a somatic meditation practice supports unification, integration, and embodiment of all phenomena (traumatic material, identity, essence, back to stillness). Leanora Rose provides one-on-one sessions, for those awakening as well as online group programs for ongoing practice, learning, and support. Born in Africa she has lived in seven countries, including London, and California. A life of contrasts, from farm girl to corporate America, a variety of careers, from IT to cottage industry within a land-based, permaculture project in New Zealand for 25 years. She currently resides in Ubud, Bali. Facebook Page Youtube Channel Interview recorded January 17, 2020 Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:07 - A Prayer for a Simple Life Close to Nature 00:10:05 - The balancing act of ego and divinity 00:15:08 - Trapped in Obsession and Selfishness 00:19:54 - Balancing Two Nervous Systems and Breathing Techniques for Silence 00:24:32 - The Paradox of Being and Embodiment 00:29:32 - The Paradox of Infinite Discovery 00:34:28 - Healing Trauma and Mastering Vulnerability 00:39:06 - Riding the Edge of the Comfort Zone 00:43:38 - The Subjectivity of Psychedelic Experiences 00:48:18 - Exploring Trauma and Meditation 00:52:59 - Reaching Towards Resolution 00:58:14 - Traumatized People and Service Dogs 01:02:11 - Mastery over Empathy 01:06:44 - Expanding Perception and Resolving Problems 01:10:39 - Finding Balance between the Numinous and Emotions 01:15:11 - Challenging Situations and the Nervous System 01:18:30 - The Intelligence of the Gut 01:22:29 - Guided by the Soul 01:26:23 - Observations on Awakening and Polarization 01:29:51 - A Global Awakening and the Power of Love in Action 01:33:29 - The Power of Inner Silence and Weathering the Storm 01:36:14 - Meeting the Storyteller and Transforming the Experience 01:39:33 - The Power of Sincere Acknowledgement 01:42:58 - The Power of Light and Shadow 01:46:10 - Illuminating the Shadow 01:49:05 - The Difference Between Mind and Body 01:52:48 - The Power of Connection to True Self 01:56:49 - The Journey of Discovery and Self-Healing 02:00:36 - The Light Will Always Wait for You 02:03:24 - Conclusion and Next Steps

Susan Raven is a long-time student of Anthroposophy and an experienced workshop facilitator. She has worked with the methods and exercises prescribed by Rudolf Steiner for seeing into the supersensible realms and has also trained with Dorian Schmidt, director of the Biodynamic Research Institute. Susan is author of the book "Nature Spirits: The Remembrance", featured in the Cygnus magazine, Nexus, Star & Furrow, and Caduceus. Susan is also a singer-songwriter and has produced two CDs entitled "Glittering Cities" and "Ravensong" which are regularly played on local and regional radio stations including the BBC. Website: susanraven.com Book Susan mentioned near the end of the interview: Universe of the Human Body: With Gaia Touch Body Exercises Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 11, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Susan Raven and her work 00:04:13 - Connecting with the Super Sensible Realm 00:09:28 - The Sanskrit Tradition and Invisible Forces 00:14:34 - Hierarchies of Larger and More Powerful Beings 00:20:36 - Collective Consciousness and Beings 00:25:58 - A Co-Creative Relationship with Nature 00:31:49 - Communicating with Nature Spirits and Elementals 00:37:55 - Neutralizing Knowledge and Overseeing Elementals 00:44:14 - The Emergence of a New Species of Human 00:50:18 - The Splitting of Humanity and Higher Consciousness 00:56:11 - Six Steps to Self-Development 01:01:32 - Working with the Genius Loci 01:06:50 - Overwhelming and Frozen 01:12:41 - The Role of Nature Spirits and Human Behavior in Land Rehabilitation 01:19:50 - Trees Sacrificing Themselves for Humanity 01:25:31 - The Substance of Gnomes and Elemental Forms 01:30:29 - The Substance of the Undines and Dreaming 01:35:37 - The Substance of Beings and the Circle of Life 01:41:10 - Accessing Solutions and Ideas from Nature 01:47:34 - The Wisdom of Plants and Teacher Plants 01:52:31 - A Chivalrous Participation in the Life of Plants 01:58:00 - The Power of Rituals and New Rituals for the Elementals 02:03:23 - The Ancient Land of Pure Wisdom 02:08:09 - The Arrogance of Human Intelligence 02:10:25 - Music 02:11:33 - Music 02:12:41 - Musical Interlude 02:13:49 - Music 02:14:57 - Musical Interlude 02:16:05 - Music 02:17:13 - Background Music

Born in 1968, Sebastián Blaksley is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, born into a large traditional Catholic family. He attended the Colegio del Salvador, a Jesuit school of which the headmaster was Jorge Bergoglio, the current Pope Francis. Although he wanted to be a monk as a young man, his family did not consider it acceptable, and the inner voice that he always obeyed let him know that: "You must be in the world, without being of the world." He studied Business Administration in Buenos Aires and completed his postgraduate studies in the United States and Argentina. He also attended other studies in England, followed by several highly responsible positions in well-known international corporations, living and working in the U.S., England, China, and Panama. He then founded his own corporate consulting firm in Argentina that he led for over 10 years. Sebastián has two daughters with his former wife. At the age of six, Sebastián was involved in a near-fatal accident during which he heard a voice, which later identified itself as Jesus. Ever since he has continued to hear that voice. Sebastián says: “Since I can remember, I have felt the call of Jesus and Mary to live abandoned to their will so that despite my various activities, I always put spiritual and religious reality at the center. I am devoted to my Catholic faith.” In 2013, he began to record messages from his mystical experiences. In 2016 he miraculously discovered A Course of Love and felt the call to devote himself to bringing it to the entire Spanish-speaking world. In addition, he now receives, transcribes, and shares what the voice of Christ—the voice of love—dictates. Most recently he has received Choose Only Love, a series of seven books, the first of which was published in October, 2019. Websites: fundacionamorvivo.org Choose Only Love Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Spanish transcript of this interview. 2nd BatGap interview with Sebastián Interview recorded January 4, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:27 - An Encounter with Jesus Following a Tragic Accident 00:07:14 - The Miraculous Discovery 00:11:10 - Integration of A Course in Miracles and A Course of Love 00:15:21 - Reading with the Heart 00:19:25 - The Vastness of the Material Universe 00:23:17 - Becoming Christ in our Humanity 00:27:12 - The Symbolism of Jesus and the Union of God and Humanity 00:31:50 - The Triune Nature of Existence 00:35:43 - Contemplating the wonders of creation 00:39:15 - The New Humanity and Our Relationship with Love 00:42:46 - The Expression of Love and Free Will 00:46:40 - Being Love in Every Moment 00:50:26 - Integrating Everything into the Totality 00:54:14 - Communicating with Jesus 00:58:00 - Jesus' Love and Communication 01:01:57 - Reconciling Love and Hellfire 01:05:44 - Trusting Love 01:09:38 - The Power of Trust and Love 01:13:21 - Finding the Christ in Others 01:17:11 - Trusting Our Hearts and Practicing Love 01:20:28 - The Power of Love in Difficult Situations 01:24:08 - The Power of Love 01:27:34 - Education in Prisons 01:31:04 - Receiving "Choose Only Love" from the voice of Christ 01:35:08 - Awakening and Experiencing the Divine Love 01:38:12 - Messages of Hope amidst Chaos and Destruction 01:41:58 - Transforming Our Relationship with the Earth 01:45:28 - Light and Change in Animal Rights 01:49:03 - Love and Diversity in the Garden of God 01:52:06 - Getting in touch with Sebastian Blaksley

Recorded at the 2019 SAND Conference Opening points: People get polarized in different perspectives. The more they focus exclusively on their perspective, the more justification for it they find. Learning to appreciate paradox; accommodating different viewpoints within a broader perspective. Enlightenment as Totality. Only Totality can realize Totality. Totality has no difficulty reconciling paradoxes. Getting comfortable with paradox might be conducive to our realization of Totality. Examples of contradictory realities: free will vs. determinism personal self vs. no-self Are we already enlightened, or must enlightenment be attained? Is practice an aid or an obstacle? Is the guru model dead? Does non-duality imply that there are no stages of spiritual growth? direct vs. progressive paths patience vs. determination on the spiritual path Additional points covered: Acting in accordance with your own experience, not a concept of someone else’s. Absolute reality does not negate relative realities. Radically different realities at different levels of nature’s functioning are perfectly compatible with one another. Incorporating universal and individual perspectives – ocean and wave, boundless and boundaries. My experience in doing BatGap. Recorded at the Science and Nonduality Conference, October 27, 2019. Summary and transcript of this talk. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Previous talks on BatGap: 2018 SAND Conference Q&A and Interview by Shakti Caterina Maggi SAND 2017: "The Ethics of Enlightenment" Talk at Berkeley Open Circle Center Talk at SAND 2015 Interviewed by Fax Gilbert Interviewed by Richard Miller YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Different levels of consciousness 00:01:49 - Perspectives and Justifications 00:03:04 - The Knower of Brahman is Brahman 00:04:32 - The Debate on Free Will 00:05:40 - The Concept of Freewill 00:07:03 - The trouble of taking someone else's perspective 00:08:24 - Debating the Existence of Reincarnation 00:09:27 - Mithya: The Concept of Dependent Reality 00:10:43 - Subsuming Perspectives and the Totality of Brahman 00:12:14 - Shift in Perspective and the Sun's Perspective 00:13:30 - Rising to the Experience 00:14:49 - The Role of Practice in Spiritual Development 00:16:08 - The Role of Gurus in Contemporary Spirituality 00:17:21 - Respect for Different Spiritual Paths 00:18:43 - The Seamless Wholeness of Existence 00:20:05 - Progress in Spiritual Practice 00:21:19 - The Progressive Dyeing Process 00:22:36 - The Value of Life and Balance 00:23:57 - Levels of Complexity and Hierarchical Arrangements 00:25:25 - Different Levels of Reality 00:26:38 - Embracing Paradoxes and Ambiguities 00:28:05 - Cultivating Awareness and Focus in Meditation 00:29:34 - Finding Freedom in Confinement 00:30:53 - The Ethics of Feedlots and Advanced Beings 00:31:56 - Paradoxes and Personal Judgment 00:32:55 - The Beauty and Diversity of Life 00:34:11 - The Thrill of Interviews and Exploring Different Perspectives 00:35:22 - Being of Service to Others 00:36:42 - Surrendering to the Moment in the Spiritual Experience 00:37:44 - Comparing Yourself on the Spiritual Path 00:38:52 - Paths of Devotion, Intellect, and Meditation 00:40:05 - Balancing Heart and Mind

Mirabai Starr writes creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. She has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of the mystics: John of the Cross - Saint John of the Cross: Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom Teresa of Avila - The Interior Castle, and Julian of Norwich - The Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation She is the award-winning author of: God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation, and Mother of God Similar to Fire, a collaboration with iconographer, William Hart McNichols. Her latest book, Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was published in Spring 2019. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Website: mirabaistarr.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview First BatGap interview with Mirabai. Interview recorded October 28, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:28 - Suppression of Women Mystics and the Rebalancing of Power 00:07:10 - The Burial of Feminine Wisdom in Religion 00:10:57 - The Dark Night of the Soul and Feminine Mysticism 00:14:34 - The Blend of Mysticism and Activism 00:18:39 - Finding Solace in Not Knowing 00:22:38 - Teresa's Second Conversion Experience 00:25:56 - The Gaze of Unconditional Love 00:29:17 - The Power of Spiritual Friendship 00:31:49 - Mystics and Wisdom Beings 00:34:32 - Non-duality and Surrender 00:37:00 - Dissolving into Sweetness 00:40:01 - Feminine Wisdom: Love and Embodiment in Spirituality 00:43:09 - Harmonizing Devotion and Non-Duality 00:45:24 - Devotion and Non-Dual Consciousness 00:48:40 - Mirabai: A 16th century woman mystic 00:50:44 - Krishna's Love and Protection 00:53:10 - The Life of Mirabai 00:55:56 - The Birth of Mirabai and Spiritual Awakening 00:58:46 - An Encounter with Anandamayi Ma 01:01:29 - Ram Dass and Anandamayi Ma 01:03:42 - Embracing Our True Selves 01:06:18 - Redefining Masculine Dominance and the Rise of the Divine Feminine 01:09:17 - The Reclamation of Mother Earth 01:12:36 - The Power of the Feminine 01:14:35 - The Dark Side of the Feminine 01:17:02 - Dropping into the Fierce Feminine 01:20:07 - Multiple Spiritual Belonging 01:22:25 - Women Mystics: Sharing Stories of Awakening and Service 01:25:13 - Finding Divinity in Everything 01:27:10 - End of Video

Rabbi Zvi Ish-Shalom, Ph.D., is a professor of wisdom traditions at Naropa University and is the founder of Kedumah, a universal mystical school that teaches a step-by-step approach to spiritual awakening and personal development. Integrating the timeless wisdom of the great mystical traditions with cutting edge knowledge of psychology, science, and the somatic healing arts, Zvi gently points us toward the primordial light of boundless freedom that abides at the heart of our experience. He is the author of the book The Kedumah Experience: The Primordial Torah and teaches retreats, workshops, and inner work groups internationally. Website: kedumah.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded November 30, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:02 - Understanding the Vibration of Texts 00:09:32 - Early Religious Experience and Discovery of Mystical Texts 00:15:13 - The Shifting Inner Transformation 00:19:23 - Early Devotional Phase 00:23:54 - Diving into Devotion and Meditation 00:29:59 - Shuckling and Divine Presence 00:34:11 - A Deepening Journey of Annihilation 00:39:24 - Connection with a Divine Presence 00:44:37 - Annihilation of the Self 00:49:31 - The Black Annihilation Fire and the Primordial Point of Light 00:54:04 - The Primordial Starlight 00:59:05 - Experiences of the Kabbalistic teachings 01:03:22 - Anointing with Divine Oil 01:08:03 - The Power of Ritual and Symbolism 01:12:23 - The Colors of Creation and Manifestation 01:17:13 - The Essence of Formlessness 01:22:02 - The Meaning of Torah, Kabbalah, and Kedumah 01:27:00 - Revealing the Kedumah Teachings 01:32:13 - The Five Dimensions of Experience 01:37:34 - Contraction and Concentration in Life 01:42:43 - Integrating the Inside and Outside 01:48:10 - The Culmination of the Spiritual Journey 01:52:44 - Contractions and Radical Awakening 01:57:08 - The Primordial Light of the Sun 02:02:01 - Reincarnation and Karma in Kabbalah and Kedumah 02:06:29 - Simultaneous Lives and Realities 02:10:49 - Worship through Materiality and the Feminine Principle 02:15:52 - The Vastness of Intelligence and the Soulship 02:20:39 - Nondimensional Soulship and the Next Buddha 02:26:06 - Farewell and Blessings

John J. Prendergast, Ph.D., is the author of The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence and In Touch: How to Tune in to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself. He is a retired adjunct professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a licensed psychotherapist. He studied for many years with the European Advaita master, Jean Klein, as well as with Adyashanti. He was invited to share the dharma by Dorothy Hunt. He offers retreats in the U.S. and Europe, as well as online. Website: ListeningFromSilence.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview First BatGap Interview with John Interview recorded November 23, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:03:49 - Following the Subtle Impulses 00:07:19 - Mysterious Encounters with Wise Teachers 00:11:02 - The Wisdom of Not Knowing 00:14:24 - Crossing the Barrier of Fear 00:18:08 - The Head, Heart, Gut Structure 00:21:46 - The complexity of human nature and awakening 00:25:45 - The Polarity of Change and Fixing 00:29:35 - Balancing Act and Spiritual Maturity 00:33:24 - Trusting the Process of Balance 00:37:29 - The Seeker and the Sought, a Paradoxical Teaching 00:40:40 - Finding Your Dharma 00:44:11 - The Shift and the Capacity for Empathy 00:47:52 - The Capacity of the Heart to Bear Collective Suffering 00:51:44 - Moving with Love and Being of Service 00:55:19 - Living in Deep Integrity with our Heart 00:59:04 - The Influence of Teachers 01:02:07 - The Importance of Teachers in Spiritual Awakening 01:05:03 - Discovering Inner Resonance 01:09:09 - Opening Communication with the Body 01:12:46 - Non-phenomenal completion and the refinement of the instrument 01:16:29 - Leaning into Deep Sadness 01:20:28 - The Heart's Upwelling and Sharing the Love 01:24:15 - The Wisdom of the Body 01:27:52 - The Power of Beliefs in Creating Noise 01:31:29 - Identifying Core Subconscious Beliefs 01:34:49 - The Tendency for Darkness in Human Nature 01:38:28 - Acting without being married to the principle of fairness 01:42:04 - The Power of Self-Acceptance and Transformation 01:49:20 - Interviews with Regular Joes

Julie Brown Yau, Ph.D., has a 30-year background in psychological, somatic and spiritual traditions providing her with a unique depth of knowledge and direct experience. Julie’s unified approach for addressing developmental and complex trauma, includes the latest neuroscientific & psychosomatic findings, depth psychology, & Eastern wisdom. Julie is an author, speaker, and has a private practice in Laguna Beach CA. She works on Skype worldwide. Julie supports those on a spiritual path to embody realizations and assists those going through spiritual emergence. She is also the Director of Education and Program Development at Compassionate Care ALS, helping families and individuals through trauma and the dying process. Julie's latest book: The Body Awareness Workbook for Trauma: Release Trauma from Your Body, Find Emotional Balance, and Connect with Your Inner Wisdom. Website: juliebrownyau.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded October 24, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview+ Introduction to Julie Brown Yao 00:04:05 - Connecting to Subtle Energies 00:08:02 - Exploring the Spaciousness of Experience 00:11:51 - Early Trauma and Boundaries 00:16:37 - Creating a Sense of Safety in Trauma Healing 00:21:19 - Experiencing the Extraordinary and Ordinary 00:27:01 - The Impact of Incoherence on Society 00:30:39 - The Importance of Love and Nurture in Early Development 00:33:59 - Building Resilience and Connection in Childhood 00:36:57 - The Detrimental Effects of Distraction on Infants 00:40:22 - The Biochemistry of Trauma and Samskaras 00:44:14 - The Trauma of Hellfire and Intergenerational Healing 00:48:57 - Building Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth 00:52:57 - Finding Meaning in Trauma Healing 00:57:01 - Trauma and Disconnection 01:00:35 - The False Sense of Pride and Shame 01:03:24 - Descending into the Underworld 01:06:32 - Healing Trauma in Spirituality 01:09:49 - Suffering from Squashed Authentic Expression 01:13:05 - The Cycle of Expansion and Abiding States 01:16:28 - Disturbing Stories and Trauma in Spiritual Communities 01:20:53 - Healing Trauma and Self-Love 01:28:31 - Exploring Trauma and Body Awareness 01:32:12 - Exploring Early Trauma 01:35:28 - The Impact of Early Trauma on Identity Development 01:38:49 - Connecting with Your Inner Child 01:41:49 - Transforming Tension with Compassion 01:44:44 - Soothing Trauma with Eye Contact 01:47:24 - Writing the Body Awareness Workbook for Trauma 01:50:25 - Closing Remarks and Appreciation

Vicki Woodyard is a spiritual writer living in Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, she graduated from The University of Memphis, magna cum laude, with a B.S. in English and Psychology. She is a meditator, a webmaster and has a lifelong interest in the spiritual path. Her late husband, Bob, died of multiple myeloma in 2004 and they lost their only daughter to cancer when she was seven. This equips Vicki to write about her path in an honest and humble way, opening the reader’s own heart to what is worth living for. The light of her path is tinged with humor as she lays down the bottom line and invites you to consider what YOU are living for. Awakening is but a dream until you sink into the heart. When you are caught in the dream, it just means you have temporarily forgotten. Vicki’s writing, as Elsa Joy Bailey says, "serves as a bookmark to help you find your place again. The website is a way into what is. Vicki’s writing catches one off-guard, waking people up to their mortality and infinite being at the same time..." She is the author of: Paperbacks: LIFE WITH A HOLE IN IT: That's How the Light Gets In - The Wisdom of an Awakened Heart BIGGER THAN THE SKY: A Radical Awakening eBooks - All of Vicki's books are available in eBook form on her website: You can find out more about Vicki at her website or friend her on Facebook. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded November 16, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump with Vicki Woodward 00:05:26 - Suffering and Spiritual Awakening 00:11:04 - My Introduction to His Teachings 00:15:03 - The Short-Term vs. Long-Term Perspective 00:18:45 - The Bus Stop and Digging Deep Wells 00:22:38 - Finding Balance Between Extremes 00:25:56 - Capturing Wisdom in Short Sutras 00:29:35 - Gathering Energy 00:32:59 - The Journey to Wholeness and Simplicity 00:36:28 - True Resting and Putting to Rest 00:39:35 - The Gentleman Teacher 00:42:47 - Cracking Open the Ego and Humility 00:46:15 - Dreams and Destiny 00:49:43 - Meeting the Hawaiian Guru 00:52:59 - Synchronicities with John Ramsey 00:55:47 - Synchronicities and Spiritual Coherence 00:59:05 - The Experience of Self 01:02:18 - Finding Humor in Tragic Times 01:05:49 - Being Conscious in Daily Tasks 01:09:28 - Suffering and Consciousness 01:13:16 - Overcoming Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety 01:16:47 - A "What Me Worry" Approach 01:19:48 - Manifesting Grace through Leaps of Faith 01:23:09 - The Grace of Christmas Dinner 01:26:53 - The Phoenix Rises from the Ashes 01:30:35 - The Intensity of Spiritual Practice 01:34:26 - The Power of Consciousness and Grace 01:37:42 - The Journey of an Ordinary Spiritually Awakening Person 01:41:27 - Finding Wholeness in Life 01:44:56 - The Art of Going Deep 01:47:39 - Closing Remarks

Mark has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time,” “a consummate storyteller,” and “an eloquent spiritual teacher.” His work is widely accessible and used by many and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages. A bestselling author, he has published twenty-one books and recorded fourteen audio projects. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation. In 2016, he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, and was also chosen as one of OWN’s SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity. Mark has a regular columnist for Spirituality & Health Magazine. Recent books include Drinking from the River of Light; More Together Than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World, cited by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2018; Things That Join the Sea and the Sky, a Nautilus Book Award Winner; and The Way Under the Way: The Place of True Meeting, a Nautilus Book Award Winner. If you’d like more information about Mark, his books, or events, please visit MarkNepo.com or ThreeIntentions.com. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded November 9, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:51 - Being a Conduit and a Membrane 00:07:10 - Believing in Everything 00:10:18 - The Diversity of Paths 00:13:39 - The Story of Ganesh 00:16:58 - The Addiction to Watching Things Fall Apart 00:20:31 - The Two Tribes 00:23:43 - The Paradox of Progress and Incarnation 00:27:10 - The Essential Role of Music in Survival 00:30:37 - Being the Poem and Breathing in Life 00:34:04 - The Evolution of Creativity 00:37:10 - The Disconnect and Epidemic of Mass Shootings 00:41:05 - The Heart as a Gill 00:44:35 - Looking Inward, Finding Contentment 00:47:45 - The Power of Shared Consciousness 00:51:31 - The Power of Connection and Resilience 00:55:24 - The Wagon Wheel Metaphor and Community 00:58:29 - The Power of Quotes from Presidents 01:01:49 - Holding the Paradox of Being Jewish 01:05:10 - Softening the Heart through Conversation 01:08:19 - Feeling the Collective Consciousness 01:11:50 - Distributing the Pain and Opening Our Hearts 01:14:56 - The Wisdom of Suffering 01:18:22 - The Continued Exposure of Misconduct and the Challenge of Enlightenment 01:21:21 - Learning from Nature and Culture 01:24:14 - Learning by Watching the Monkey 01:27:12 - God's Words on the Heart and a Compassionate Universe 01:30:21 - The Little Worm and the Golden Web 01:33:26 - The Unity of Creation and Interconnection 01:36:38 - Starting the Day with Meaningful Rituals 01:39:32 - Concluding Thoughts and Remarks

Annette Kaiser was born in Zürich, Switzerland in 1948. She is a spiritual teacher, founder and spiritual director of the retreat center Villa Unspunnen in Switzerland. Under her guidance, this place has become a gem of peace and light, that inspires many people in their spiritual work. She is a visionary of a Universal Spirituality and has written more than ten books. After completing her studies in economics and sociology at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), she worked for many years in the field of development cooperation. Her special fields were the women`s cause and intercultural dialog. During 17 years, she was a student of Irina Tweedie, an Anglo-Russian Sufi-teacher (author of Daughter of Fire: A Diary of a Spiritual Training with a Sufi Master). In the late 1980s, Annette Kaiser opened her Tai Ji DO-School, training teachers for over 30 years. Since 1998, she is authorized by Mrs. Tweedie to continue the Naqshbandiyya Mujaddidiyya Sufilineage, guiding human beings on the path of love. In the year 2000, she developed the „DO-path“, which she continues to develop and which enhances a deep transformation of the heart as a way of living in a non-dual, cosomocentric understanding. In 2017 she started teaching the art of spiritual dreamwork. She is particularly devoted to transconfessional and transcultural evolutionary spirituality, which implies an open aware state of being as the natural expression of an integral way of living in a very deep sense. This way leads to Universal Spirituality and Universal Cooperation as Not-Two. In both areas, Annette Kaiser initiates and participates in many ways (retreats, workshops, conferences, audio-conferences, etc.) with different groups, centers and human beings in Europe and worldwide. She sees the 21st Century as a call for humanity to recognize itself as inseparably One, co-creating a new culture in collective wisdom and love of One Heart. In addition, she engages herself also on a very practical level, always in the spirit of what Universal Spirituality means for her – ONE World – ONE Humanity – ONE Consciousness – locally and globally: e.g. recently by initiating the Co-creating Europe movement, or supporting the project of “Lebensraum Belmont” next door. And for over 30 years she is president of the not-for-profit association “Open Hands” that supports projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Furthermore, projects like “The path of Love – A Meditation path” and the meditation “The Golden Thread – for ONE WORLD” have been inspired by her. She is married, mother of two adult children and grandmother. Website: goldenerwind.ch Books: The Path Has No Name: Life and Vision of a Sufi Teacher Annette Kaiser: 99 Questions to a Spiritual Teacher Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 19th, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:14 - Early Devotion and Interest in Spirituality 00:09:12 - The Quest for Understanding Reality 00:13:44 - The Journey of Finding Spiritual Guides 00:17:19 - The Miracle of Life 00:21:42 - The Life of Mrs. Tweedy 00:26:00 - Inviting Her to Switzerland 00:28:59 - Studying in Hochschule St. Gallen and the Movement of Gestalt Therapy 00:32:08 - Falling into Nothingness 00:36:08 - Awakening with Responsibility 00:40:11 - The Practice of Zikr and its Benefits 00:43:26 - The Possibility of Heaven on Earth 00:48:06 - The Awakening of Consciousness and the Calamity we Face 00:52:47 - The Transformation Process of the Butterfly 00:56:51 - Gems of Humanity in Iran 01:01:09 - The Immigrant Crisis and the Spiritual Perspective 01:06:16 - The State of Mind of All People 01:10:58 - The Miracle of the Body and Understanding Sexuality 01:16:28 - Unity of Soul, Body, and Spirit 01:20:53 - The Three Faces of God and the Shadow Part 01:25:03 - Embracing Different Perspectives 01:29:29 - The Journey of Spiritual Development 01:32:14 - Finding Divinity in the Ordinary 01:35:54 - Interview with Damian Eccles 01:39:26 - Exclusion from the Community 01:43:35 - The Importance of Self-Reflection in the Collective Field 01:47:38 - The Power of Spiritual Dream Work 01:52:24 - The Beauty of Switzerland and Engagements 01:55:41 - The State of Europe and its Challenges 02:00:34 - The Emergence of the New Culture 02:04:23 - Signing Up for Notifications

Henry Shukman (Ryu’un-ken) is an Associate Zen Master of the Sanbo Zen lineage, based in Kamakura, Japan. He has trained primarily with Joan Rieck Roshi, Zen teacher John Gaynor, Ruben Habito Roshi, and now continues his training under the guidance of Yamada Ryoun Roshi, current abbot of Sanbo Zen. Henry is dedicated to what he sees as core Zen training—clarifying our essential nature to our own satisfaction, and thereby finding true peace of mind, and then living that essential nature in every moment of daily life, in freedom, love and deep responsiveness. As it happens, Mountain Cloud Zen Center was originally founded by a teacher whose training also took place within Sanbo Zen back in the 1950s, and Henry is the first Sanbo Zen teacher to have taught at Mountain Cloud since its founder. Henry is a writer and poet of British-Jewish origin, who has published eight books to date, of fiction, poetry and nonfiction. He writes regularly for Tricycle, The New York Times and other publications, and his most recent book is the poetry collection Archangel. He lives near the center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Clare and their two sons. Henry adds, “At one point in our conversation I start to outline several “levels” of practice that have traditionally been outlined in zen. But partway through I slipped into another categorization of “wisdom levels” as given by Shinzen Young, a mentor of mine. I should have credited him. With apologies, I’m doing so now. Many thanks.” Earlier books: One Blade of Grass: Finding the Old Road of the Heart, a Zen Memoir The Lost City (Vintage Contemporaries) Savage Pilgrims In Doctor No's Garden The Lost Continent Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview conducted October 12, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:10 - A Brief Introduction and the New Book 00:07:37 - Finding Belonging in the Universe 00:11:54 - Emotional Wounds and Healing Journey 00:16:00 - Recalibrating and Finding Balance 00:19:55 - The Different Levels of Personal Psychology 00:24:16 - Discovering Zen Meditation 00:29:02 - Awakening through Different Senses 00:33:34 - Becoming Inseparable from All Phenomena 00:37:56 - The Importance of Having a Teacher 00:41:53 - A Shift in Perception and the Dissolution of Self 00:46:13 - The Marvel of Each Moment 00:50:06 - Humility and ongoing training in spiritual practice 00:54:22 - The Wall of Awakening 00:58:19 - Shifting to a Perspective of No Self 01:02:24 - The Importance of Multiple Valences in Practice 01:06:51 - Feeling Excluded in Pickleball 01:10:49 - Presenting the Koan 01:14:52 - Trusting the Process and the Yearning 01:18:59 - Awakening and Levels of Realization in Zen 01:23:06 - The Ten Stages of Zen Awakening 01:26:59 - The Beauty of Not Knowing 01:31:08 - Humility, Gratitude, and Compassion 01:35:11 - The Latent Energy of the Universe 01:39:40 - Falling into the Mystery 01:44:02 - The Cup Running Over 01:48:04 - Beings in the Buddhist Realm 01:52:17 - Finding the Hara in Zen Practice and What is Looking? 01:56:41 - The Importance of Teachers 02:01:12 - The Buddha with a small "b" 02:05:10 - Wrapping Up the Interview

Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD, is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening (Sounds True, 2018) and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2017), Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research, and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world. Websites: milesneale.com 2 Year Online Contemplative Studies Program Audio course: The Gradual Path - Tibetan Buddhist Meditations for Becoming Fully Human Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 28, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:02 - Integration and gradual progression of consciousness 00:09:59 - Expanding Circumference of Concern 00:14:57 - The Journey to Unity Consciousness 00:19:36 - The Certs commercials and the importance of multidimensionality 00:28:42 - What was being removed from meditation practices 00:33:23 - Transforming the Collective Consciousness 00:37:55 - The Fear of Hedonism and Nihilism 00:42:28 - The Importance of Systematic Teaching in the Lam Rim 00:46:55 - The Purification of the Nervous System and Release of Samskaras 00:51:36 - The Power of the Mantra and Settling the Mind 00:55:47 - The Divide between Spiritual Life and Personal Predicaments 01:00:35 - Addressing Trauma in Spiritual Communities 01:04:56 - Unconditioning from Cult-like Thinking 01:08:59 - Trusting Your Intuition and Sense of Self 01:12:16 - Trauma-Informed Dharma: Empowering People 01:15:47 - The Pitfalls of Science Turning into Dogma 01:20:00 - Authority Figures and Self-Confidence 01:24:35 - Removing Deep Rooted Imprints without Meditation 01:29:13 - Processing Trauma Memories 01:33:42 - The Limits of Yogifying Trauma 01:38:19 - Accessing Alternative News Content 01:42:46 - Reconciling Paradoxes: The Brahman Perspective 01:47:16 - The Importance of Multiplicity of Views and the Teachings of Emptiness 01:51:18 - The Resurgence of Psychedelics and Expansion of Consciousness 01:55:40 - The Power of Pilgrimage in the Modern Age 01:59:15 - The Power of Immersion and Pilgrimage 02:03:36 - An Integrative Curriculum for Personal Growth 02:07:33 - Bringing Spiritual Knowledge into Life 02:11:20 - Concluding Remarks

From my earliest memories, God was always at the center of things. After exploring a number of teachers and modalities in the great spiritual garden of late-sixties San Francisco, things really geared up when I learned the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique in Berkeley in 1967. TM’s gifts were unmistakable and I began a thirty-year career of devoted service to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Vedic tradition. This encompassed many years of teaching TM in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and lots of time simply meditating, including seven years in a convent style setting. All this yielded vast personal and spiritual growth which remains fully integrated into my life, a gift that keeps on giving. Towards the end of this period, I studied and shared several healing modalities, especially Cranio-sacral therapy. This deepened my experience of the body as energy and Light and helped me discover the body’s huge role in lasting and comprehensive healing. In 1996, my path led me to the indigenous traditions of the West, especially Lakota. I was blessed in countless ways by the great Lakota holy man, wisdom keeper, and Sundance leader Naca Wa-Anata. Through him, I received a personal pipe–a precious and powerful source of inspiration, healing, and transformation–and was able to participate in life-changing Lakota ceremonies, including Sundance, for many years. As a result, I opened to a profound and intimate relationship with the Earth and her healing and nourishing gifts and learned to embrace life on Earth with a grounded joy and openness that I had never known before. Most importantly, I learned to embody and live the boundless consciousness I had merged with through the Vedic teaching and find the same infinite Self everywhere and in everyone. Through this time, I gradually realized that I was here not only to help people merge with the Infinite in their awareness but also to help them include their bodies in the journey. In simplest terms, this means helping our cellular reality or belief systems shift from identifying as density to self-recognizing as divine Light, or FirstLight, as I call it. We truly are just a dream of Light. Finally, around 2012, what I now call the path of Grace simply showed up for me, initially while visiting sacred sites in France. In essence, I was made aware that our growth is no longer something we have to work at. God/Divine Love/divine Light is so powerfully present now that all we have to do is open and receive It, and It will take care of all that we need for spiritual and human fulfillment. Since then, many divine gifts have “downloaded” to share with others to support this effortless form of growth. While remaining endlessly Silent and utterly unlocalized, this magical-mystery-tour of a life is a sacred and joyous privilege. Website: firstlighttransformations.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. First BatGap interview with Cynthia. Interview recorded September 21, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:10 - Shifting from Density to Divine Light 00:07:42 - Mary Magdalene's Message of Love and Support 00:11:44 - The Emergence of First Light 00:16:24 - The Emergence of Different Fields of Potentiality 00:19:21 - Individual Journeys of Spiritual Awakening 00:22:47 - The Shift in Collective Consciousness 00:26:38 - The Infinite Way Home 00:30:03 - The Transition and Turbulence 00:34:15 - Embracing Being and Doing 00:38:47 - Being Established in the Self 00:41:31 - Exploring the Depths of Existence 00:45:18 - Becoming Light: The Path of the Rainbow Body 00:48:31 - Physiological and Spiritual Transformation 00:52:27 - Living Without Belief Systems 00:56:25 - Perceiving the Divine with our Senses 01:00:01 - Expressing the Infiniteness within You 01:03:30 - Breaking Through Doubts and Resistance 01:07:28 - The Shift in Attitude and Opportunities for Evolution 01:10:23 - The Experience of Change and Transformation 01:13:49 - Transmuting Suffering into Bliss 01:17:36 - Seeking Help and Different Approaches to Healing From Mental Illness 01:21:04 - Lady Julian's Visions and God's Love 01:24:16 - Expansion and Cognition of Awareness 01:28:18 - Dissolving Duality and Defensiveness 01:30:44 - Dissolving into the Black Hole 01:34:31 - The Correlation between Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics 01:38:17 - The Limitations of Understanding Reality 01:42:10 - The Humility of Enlightenment 01:45:20 - The Omnipresence of Intelligence 01:47:46 - Lightning Bolts to the Head

Cassandra Vieten is Executive Director of the John W. Brick Foundation, Scholar-in-Residence at the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at the University of California, San Diego, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences where she worked for 18 years and served as President and CEO from 2013-2019. She is a psychologist, mind-body medicine researcher, author of numerous articles in scientific journals, and an internationally recognized keynote speaker. Her research has focused on spirituality and health, transformative experiences and practices, and the development of mindfulness-based interventions for emotional well-being. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and completed her research training in behavioral genetics at UCSF. She is the author of Mindful Motherhood: Practical Tools for Staying Sane During Pregnancy and Your Child's First Year, and co-author of Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life, and Spiritual and Religious Competencies in Clinical Practice: Guidelines for Psychotherapists and Mental Health Professionals. Her current projects focus on how mental health care be transformed so that it includes fitness/movement, nutrition, mind-body, and clients’ spiritual and religious beliefs and practices (when relevant) to foster mental and emotional fitness and well-being; what environmental and internal conditions, agents, practices, and states of consciousness stimulate imagination – in particular, the ability to see new possibilities; how cognitive, social and neuroscience along with practices from the world’s wisdom traditions can foster positive change in individuals and in our world (see Consciousness, Communication and Change program and Campaign Science for the political and activist arena), and how introducing people to awe-inspiring ideas and environments can stretch their imagination or help them see things from a new perspective, leading to self-transcendence, shifts in worldview and perspective on life, and other prosocial emotions and behaviors. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded September 14, 2019 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Science and Spirituality as Means of Understanding Reality 00:05:25 - Self-realization and the Gita 00:07:45 - A Blissful Epiphany in Space 00:10:40 - The Combination of Science and Spirituality 00:13:40 - The Role of Intuition and Creativity in Inventions 00:15:46 - Reluctance in the scientific community towards psychic phenomena 00:18:17 - History repeating itself 00:21:06 - Paradigm Shifts and Robust Studies 00:23:50 - The Importance of Critical Thinking in Science 00:27:54 - Presenting climate change to skeptics and the importance of collective thinking 00:31:30 - The Power of Authenticity in Activism 00:35:08 - Awakening and Change 00:38:20 - Taking Practice off the Mat: Fierce Love and Social Justice 00:41:38 - The Practice of Perspective 00:45:26 - Destiny and Enlightenment 00:48:31 - The Misunderstanding of Awakening 00:52:04 - The Normalization of Vulnerability and Self-Reflection 00:54:49 - Communicating for Change 00:58:08 - The Institute of Noetic Sciences 01:01:36 - Transformative Education and Spiritual Practices 01:04:56 - The Future of Meditation Science and Research 01:08:30 - The Complexities of Individual Perception 01:12:14 - Exploring the Nature of Reality 01:15:47 - Speculating on the Rules of Robotics 01:18:54 - The Role of Futurists 01:22:17 - Embracing Solutionism 01:25:23 - The Three Key Areas of Focus 01:28:25 - Shifting Perspectives and Fostering Imagination 01:31:56 - The Ripple Effect 01:34:57 - The Future of Virtual Reality Experience 01:38:01 - The Wonders of Possibility

Noah is an explorer of what is happening in his own experience. This started on the level of mind, and gradually opened to exploring what's going on in his body, and then from his soul. This journey has led him to meet, feel, heal, and let go of a tremendous amount of pain. Through this journey, a lot of wisdom and honesty has revealed itself. Noah now shares himself and his insights with others. Books: A Guide to The Present Moment Una Guía para El Momento Presente (Spanish Edition) Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 7, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:05 - Growing Up in an Ashram and Following a Guru 00:08:11 - Personal Journey and Learning from Teachers 00:11:55 - Discovering Your Own Truth 00:15:17 - Rebellion and Self-Discovery 00:18:51 - Breaking Free from the Guru's Influence 00:22:49 - The Ease of Stopping Spiritual Practices 00:26:32 - The Disappearance of Everything 00:30:53 - The Illusion of Being Done and the Continual Process of Growth 00:34:50 - The Relationship Between Fear and Worthiness 00:38:32 - Reconnecting with Emotions 00:42:57 - The Journey of Emotion and Pain 00:46:37 - Unexpected Experiences with Past Lives 00:50:37 - Exploring Past Lives for Healing 00:54:32 - Beautiful and Horrible Past Life Experiences 00:59:15 - Coming to Earth for the Experience 01:03:05 - Choosing Our Parents: A Holistic Perspective 01:07:23 - Holding Both Knowledge and Experience 01:11:28 - Exploring Deep Layers of Suffering 01:15:28 - Past Lives and Spiritual Work 01:19:59 - The Nature of Personal Identity and Free Will 01:24:11 - Embracing and Discerning Emotions 01:28:03 - Intense Moments and Ice Cream Choices 01:31:50 - The Fluidity of Truth and Sharing Perspectives 01:35:39 - The Universe as a Teacher 01:39:37 - The Beauty of Perception 01:44:01 - Benefits and Limitations of Discipline 01:46:45 - Cause-Effect Relationship and Arbitrary Possibilities 01:50:20 - The Power and Uncertainty of Beliefs 01:54:00 - Opportunities to Follow Up 01:57:13 - Upcoming Interviews and Subscriptions

Rey Hernandez is Executive Director of the Consciousness and Contact Research Institute (CCRI), a 501c3 academic research institute comprised of 15 Ph.D. academics and medical doctors whose mission is to explore the relationship between Consciousness, our Cosmology, and Contact with Non-Human Intelligence via the Contact Modalities. Rey was previously one of the co-founders of The Dr. Edgar Mitchell FREE Foundation, a 501c3 academic research institute comprised of 12 Ph.D. academics and lay researchers who recently completed a 5-year comprehensive, worldwide, academic research study on UFO Contact Experiencers. The late Apollo 14 Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the 6th man to walk on the Moon and the founder of the Institute for Noetic Sciences, and Dr. Rudy Schild, Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics at Harvard University, were two of FREE’s co-founders. Rey graduated with honors from Rutgers College, was a Masters Candidate at Cornell University, and was a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of California at Berkeley where he was the recipient of a National Science Foundation Ph.D. Fellowship. He previously was a Professor for six years at the New School for Social Research and at the City University of New York. He is currently an attorney with the US Dept. of Treasury in Miami, Florida. Rey is one of three co-editors of the historic 820-page book titled “Beyond UFOs: The Science of Consciousness & Contact with Non-Human Intelligence (Volume 1)”, which was based on FREE’s 5-year comprehensive academic research study on UFO-related contact experiencers. He has also published in several peer-reviewed academic journals including the Journal of Consciousness Studies and the Journal of the Society for Scientific Exploration. Rey’s new projects are a 3-volume book and a full feature science documentary titled “A Greater Reality: The New Paradigm of Consciousness, the Paranormal, and the Contact Modalities”. Rey’s email is: [email protected] Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 31, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:55 - Edgar Mitchell's Interest in UFOs and Contact Experiences 00:10:20 - A miraculous encounter with angels 00:15:16 - Different Perspectives and Missing Time 00:19:33 - Angelic Visitations and UFO Encounters 00:24:04 - Witnessing a UFO with My Daughter 00:28:27 - Unexplained Sightings Above the House 00:32:45 - The Start of Paranormal Experiences 00:37:37 - Positive Effects of Contact with Non-Human Intelligence 00:42:22 - The Evolution of John Mack’s Research and the Shift in Perspectives 00:47:27 - Transformative and Positive Experiences 00:52:25 - Paranormal Experiences and Spiritual Messages 00:57:29 - Interconnected Contact Modalities within the UFO Field 01:01:59 - The Physical and Non-Physical Nature of Contact Modalities 01:06:54 - Comparisons between Near-Death Experiences and UFO Contact 01:10:56 - Interacting with Beings from Subtler Realms 01:15:09 - Exploring Consciousness and Diverse Experiences 01:19:04 - The tipping point of acceptance 01:23:41 - The Emergence of Non-Material Topics 01:27:32 - The Rise of Contact Modalities 01:31:52 - Awakening of Humanity and the Need for Spiritual Evolution 01:36:13 - The Team of Advisors 01:40:09 - Embracing all possibilities in the search for truth 01:44:29 - Unity and Consciousness in Ancient Texts 01:48:53 - The Unanswered Questions of Consciousness and Contact 01:52:28 - Dealing with Different Types of Entities 01:56:24 - Major Categories of Interactions with Beings 02:00:40 - The Transformation of Humanity 02:04:11 - A Downloaded Revelation 02:08:28 - Encounters with Non-Human Intelligence 02:12:29 - Thank you, Ray

Gillian Ross has always found it difficult to put a label on her spiritual perspective. If pressed she would describe herself as a Christian Buddhist yogi and mystic with a penchant for Taoism! Over recent years, however, she has been happy to call herself a spiritual evolutionary or evolutionary mystic in the tradition of Teilhard de Chardin in the West and Sri Aurobindo in the East. Born in the UK in 1940, she migrated to Australia as an academic in the early sixties. Her Western education gave her an Honours Science Degree, a Masters degree in Philosophy and a Doctorate in the Behavioural Sciences but left her feeling increasingly restless and unfulfilled. There was a growing awareness that her intellectual conditioning had disconnected her from the natural spontaneity and mystical riches of her childhood. The deep love she felt for her children awakened lost memories of spiritual connection. She began to meditate, practice yoga and study Eastern philosophies. In her early forties, she left her marriage, her city life, and academic career and took her family of two young sons, two dogs and two cats off to the Blue Mountains of NSW to explore an alternative lifestyle. She has never looked back! After many years of feeling like a fish out of water, she came to understand what it means to “flow in the current of the Eternal Tao”. She trained as a yoga teacher and shiatsu therapist and has become a best selling ABC author (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) of relaxation and meditation CDs and a yoga video as well as publishing four books on science and mysticism and the evolution of consciousness. After her sons left home she moved even further into the wild. Over the last 20 years, she has fallen in love with 40 acres of natural bush adjacent to a powerful sacred aboriginal site in Northern NSW. She nurtures it as a haven for spiritual retreats and residential weekends on evolutionary spirituality and mystic meditation, delighting in sharing with others some of the philosophies and practices that have helped to bring her out of spiritual bleakness into a lasting sense of peace, purpose and, above all, joy. Books: Consciousness V Catastrophe: Reflections on the Next Stage of Human Evolution Psyche's Yearning: Radical Perspectives on Self-Transformation CD: Relaxation Audio CD Links: Website: drgillianross.com Connection: An Awakening Experience (blog post) Consciousness V Catastrophe: Reflections on the Next Stage of Human Evolution (YouTube video) Email: [email protected] Toolgoolawa School (mentioned in the interview) Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 24, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:58 - The Consciousness Revolution and Evolutionary Spirituality 00:10:36 - Evolutionary Mysticism and the Driving Force of Evolution 00:18:14 - Awakening the Collective Consciousness 00:24:19 - The Power of the Awakened Heart 00:29:04 - Problems with Paleolithic Emotions and God-like Technology 00:35:29 - The Emergence of a New Consciousness and Humanity 00:39:58 - Getting Established in the Self for the Faith Transition 00:43:35 - The distinction between emotions and feelings 00:48:31 - The Sacredness of Life and Our Treatment of Animals 00:53:48 - The Shadow Side of Non-dualism 00:58:21 - The Science of Spirituality and the Impact of Consciousness 01:02:30 - The Scientific Method and Mystics 01:06:27 - A Journey of Mystical Awakening 01:11:05 - Awakening the Mystical Anatomy 01:16:10 - The Awakening of the Third Eye 01:20:06 - Awakening to the Divine Within 01:24:08 - The Injection of Feminine Energy 01:28:32 - Flowing with the Stream of Consciousness 01:32:40 - The Snowflake Self and Connectivity 01:36:19 - Finding Fulfillment and Reawakening Genius 01:40:04 - Buying a House and Finding the Lemon Grove 01:42:43 - Guides and Spiritual Insight 01:45:37 - Surrendering to the Divine Will 01:48:46 - The Framework of the New Story 01:51:43 - Stabilizing High Levels of Consciousness 01:54:42 - Universal Mysticism and Connecting with the Sacred 01:57:51 - The Transition from Ego to Essence 02:00:48 - The Power of Love and Sacred Activism 02:03:13 - Getting More Involved and Staying Updated 02:05:28 - Encouragement to Write a Book

Dorothy Walters, Ph.D., spent most of her early professional life as a professor of English literature in various Midwestern universities. She helped to found one of the first women’s studies programs in this country and served as the director of this program for many years. After an extended residence in San Francisco, she now lives and writes in Colorado, where she has a close relationship with the mountains as well as various streams and canyons. She underwent major Kundalini awakening in 1981 (a phenomenon totally unfamiliar to her as well as to most of her contemporaries at the time); since then she has devoted her life to researching and writing about this subject and to witnessing the unfolding of this process within herself as well as assisting others on a similar path through writing and other means. As someone who made her extensive journey without the direction of any external leader or guru, church, or established order, she is a strong believer in the “guru within,” the inner guide rather than the external authority figure or institution. She feels that universal Kundalini awakening is the means for planetary and personal evolution of consciousness, and that evidence of planetary initiation is becoming more and more prevalent. Her Kundalini awakening and subsequent process of unfolding are described in her memoir Unmasking the Rose, A Record of a Kundalini Initiation. Her poems taken from her four previous volumes are published as “Some Kiss We Want: Poems Selected and New”. Her article on “Kundalini and the Mystic Path” was included in Kundalini Rising, an anthology from Sounds True Publications. Her poems, which have been included in many anthologies and journals, have been set to music and sung at the Royal Opera House in London as well as Harvard University, used as texts for sermons and read aloud in churches, included in doctoral projects, been frequently quoted, and have given inspiration to many. Recently, a pilgrim to Petra read one of her poems aloud while there. She often gives counsel and referral free of charge to those undergoing spontaneous Kundalini awakening and/or spiritual transformation. Books: Unmasking the Rose: A Record of a Kundalini Initiation The Kundalini Poems: Reflections of Radiance and Joy Marrow of Flame: Poems of the Spiritual Journey (2nd ed.) Some Kiss We Want: Poems Selected and New Website: Kundalini Splendor Dorothy passed away in February, 2023. Conversations with Andrew Harvey: Dorothy Walters "Mystic Poet" Kabir & Kundalini - Andrew Harvey & Dorothy Walters Dororthy Walters and Andrew Harvey discuss Kundalini Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 17, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:06:21 - The Two-Edged Sword of Kundalini 00:13:09 - Out-of-body experiences and subtler realms 00:17:31 - The Masculine and Feminine Aspects of Shiva and Shakti 00:21:43 - Kundalini Awakening Journey 00:26:32 - Searching for Guidance in the Absence of Gurus 00:30:59 - Walking in Two Worlds 00:35:33 - The Importance of a Spiritual Buddy 00:39:37 - First level initiation with unseen guides 00:43:35 - Being in Touch with Guides 00:47:10 - Early Experiences and Lack of Understanding 00:50:44 - Moments of Cosmic Consciousness 00:54:11 - The Experience of Bliss 00:57:28 - The Energetic Path 01:00:46 - Tuning into Others' Experiences 01:04:51 - Challenges and Pain as Catalysts for Kundalini Awakening 01:09:05 - Overcoming Cancer and Spiritual Awakening 01:12:32 - Aches and Pains with Inner Spiritual Awakening 01:16:59 - The TM disaster and finding your own path in spirituality 01:20:06 - Beauty and Oneness in Consciousness 01:24:22 - The Skepticism of Channeling and the Answers Received 01:27:35 - Facing Childhood Issues 01:31:31 - Hope and the Power of Poetry 01:34:35 - The Power of Poetry and Spiritual Writing 01:38:27 - Evolution and Progress in Turbulent Times 01:42:01 - The Subtle Body and the Bliss 01:45:31 - The Importance of Taking Care of your Body 01:49:09 - Surrendering to Vastness and Love 01:53:47 - Publishing Poetry and Embracing Wildness 01:58:43 - A Delightful Conversation with Rick 02:01:52 - Staying Connected with Me

Sri Shyamji was born and raised in India. At age 12, he met his spiritual teacher in the Himalayas and spent several years under his guidance. The Guru initiated Shyamji into the Saivite tradition of Tantra—imparting a rare oral tradition of sacred sounds (naada yoga), breath (svara yoga), and spiritual wisdom. The grace of the guru (guru krippa) and the spiritual practices he imparted (sadhana) are the basis for Sri Shyamji’s extraordinary intuition and unique chanting of sounds and mantra. For millennia this tradition was passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition which preserved its purity. It is a rare opportunity to learn the science of sound from a true master. Website: chakrainstitute.com Book: Microchakras: InnerTuning for Psychological Well-being Email: [email protected] Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 13, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meeting the Spiritual Teacher 00:05:46 - The Power of Breathing with the Nose 00:11:10 - The Brain's Role in Thinking and Feeling 00:16:03 - The Nature of Love and Subtle Matter 00:21:08 - Blocked Micro Chakras 00:25:56 - The Importance of Breastfeeding and the Belief that Babies Have no Feelings 00:30:34 - The Importance of Pronouncing Sounds Properly 00:35:52 - Discontentment and Addiction 00:40:44 - The Importance of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms 00:45:44 - Ingmar Bergman and the Colors of the Week 00:50:28 - Understanding the Mind and Mantras 00:54:50 - The Subject and the Ego 00:59:05 - The Story of a Human Being 01:02:40 - The Meaning of Meditation 01:06:41 - The Stages of Meditation 01:10:52 - Purification of the Body and Sexual Energy 01:14:35 - Understanding the Prana Calendar and Nostril Dominance 01:18:21 - Calming Anger and the Power of Water 01:22:01 - Controlling the Ego 01:25:57 - The Seven Sister Powers 01:29:36 - Awakening Kundalini and Siddhis 01:33:38 - The Value of Teachers and Subjective Science 01:38:10 - Music Compilation 02:03:13 - Sri Radhe Mantra and Purifying the Second Chakra 02:08:33 - The Power of Stories 02:12:12 - The Three-Body Purification Practice 02:16:12 - Individual Fitness and Surviving Challenges 02:19:45 - The Meaning of Tantra and Its Misconceptions 02:24:16 - The Importance of Sleep in Relation to the Sun 02:28:42 - Many more years to come

Over his lifetime Tom has dived deeply into inner work while simultaneously living a householder life. Through an ongoing revelation of living in the moment, he integrates the insights of the most sophisticated western-developed psychologies with the ongoing unitive consciousness with which he has been blessed since the year 2000. Tom uses these skills and this wisdom to guide those dedicated and willing to go courageously inward, often finding and releasing blocks to spiritual awakening which originated in earliest, often pre-verbal, childhood. After being asked to teach, Tom has been sharing this work for over 19 years. His sessions give attendees a taste of what he exudes, a patient tender Love that is our true interconnected nature. His focus on connection to the immediacy of felt sensation enables potent transformations to readily manifest. His work and presence is an acknowledgment that our beautiful imperfect human condition is completely embraced by the wide openness of Life itself, even when the most uncomfortable aspects of ourselves appear. Tom is known for his humility and a profound acceptance of what is. Throughout his life, he has worked in numerous jobs in multiple disciplines — from basic minimum wage to corporate executive, from grade school teacher to construction contractor, from graphic designer to writer. He has been married to his wife, Dawn, for almost 40 years and they have one daughter. Website: tomkurzka.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded August 3, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:44 - Childhood Moments of Connection 00:10:47 - Unity consciousness and celestial perception 00:15:41 - Feeling Yourself as the Space 00:19:46 - A Trip Down Memory Lane 00:24:14 - The Fractured World 00:27:57 - Losing My Mind 00:31:53 - Meditation Experiences 00:36:04 - The Mystical Element in All Traditions 00:39:49 - Integrating Fear in Meditation Practice 00:43:45 - Fear of Annihilation 00:48:03 - The Fractured Mind 00:52:11 - Physiological Transformation and Unraveling 00:56:03 - Transition to Awakening 01:00:22 - Recognition of Oneness 01:04:20 - Seeing Perspectives from God's Point of View 01:08:14 - Imperfect Human Beings and the Beauty of Being Human 01:12:30 - Reliving Early Trauma and Connecting with Loved Ones 01:16:48 - The Purpose of Life and Continuing Evolution 01:20:48 - Finding Aliveness Beneath the Bleakness 01:25:06 - The Gut Awakening 01:29:18 - The Personal Essence and the Vastness 01:33:09 - The Zone and Spontaneous Flow 01:37:23 - The Connection Between Divine Intelligence and Human Behavior 01:41:38 - The Sun's Expansion and Earth's Destruction 01:45:34 - Higher Standards in the Spiritual Community 01:49:26 - Transitioning to Full-Time Teaching 01:53:40 - The Body's Subtle Bracing 01:57:51 - Receiving and Listening 02:01:55 - Building Connections in Local Communities 02:05:43 - Goodbye Rick

Brian Longhurst has been aware of the reality of the spirit realms since childhood. Born in England, he moved to Canada as a young man, where he began what was to become an enduring, personal relationship with Jesus, who manifested in glory to him when Brian was 22. Jesus told him he had come to lead him back to God. From then, his encounters with the living Jesus began in earnest, a decades-long - still ongoing - journey of spiritual awakening. After marrying, Brian returned to live in England. He now resides in Gloucestershire with his wife, Theresa. Books: Seek ye First the Kingdom: One man's journey with the living Jesus Finding the Kingdom Within: Awakening to Eternity Entering the Kingdom Within: The Return to Reality Living FROM the Kingdom Within: Remembering Our One Identity Sharing the Kingdom Within: Ascending the Hill of the Lord Website: honest2goodness.org.uk Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded July 27, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:26 - Communing Mind-to-Mind 00:08:49 - The Center of our Focus 00:13:39 - The Purpose of Incarnating into Challenging Conditions 00:18:36 - The Dream of Separation and Duality 00:22:40 - The Intelligence of Creation 00:27:15 - Encountering Jesus in Canada 00:32:13 - The Encounter with Jesus 00:37:06 - The Purpose of our Existence 00:41:33 - Jesus Appears to a Muslim in Iran 00:46:07 - Purpose in the Physical World 00:50:38 - Finding Stability in Chaos 00:55:35 - The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth and the Real World 01:00:12 - The Profound Spiritual Awakening 01:04:23 - The Great Rescue Program and Transforming Energy 01:09:44 - The Three Measures of Meal 01:14:30 - The Acceleration of Awakening 01:18:36 - The Power of Inner Plane Servers and Beings of Light 01:23:17 - Seeking the Real Jesus 01:28:29 - Understanding the Book of Revelation 01:32:31 - Sharing Your Story 01:36:26 - Vision vs Sight 01:40:48 - Holistic Blossoming and Patience in Spiritual Development 01:44:59 - Seeking First the Kingdom 01:49:21 - Finding the Kingdom within 01:53:05 - The Correct Translation of the Bible 01:58:34 - The Best Translation of the Bible 02:03:00 - The Kingdom of God Within 02:07:29 - Bobby Kennedy's Visit in Spirit 02:11:54 - Continuing the Conversation 02:15:32 - Continuing the Conversation

Shaykh Burhanuddin Herrmann is a contemporary mystic of the ancient Sufi tradition, called to the path at a tender age. He went through the classic dervish training, which involved an intense daily practice of meditation and prayers under the direct guidance of the Master, accepting his instructions for inner and outer life (including raising a family), extreme solitary spiritual retreats, pilgrimages, and regular challenging tests in daily life. He received direct transmission of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, one of the most ancient and authoritative of the forty existing Sufi Orders, known variously through the ages as the ‘School of the Masters of Wisdom’, the ‘Way of the Scientists of the Soul’, and the ‘Path of Love’. When Shaykh Burhanuddin was 18 years old, he invited to his hometown in Germany the Grand Master and world guide of the Naqshbandi order, Maulana Shaykh Nazim al Haqqani ar Rabbani, may his secret be sanctified. When he saw him the first time he fainted in the middle of the street. Meeting a Master, a saint who has gone beyond fears and who lives in the freedom of love is an unforgettable and life-changing experience. Henceforth he was constantly at his beloved Master’s side for thirty-five years, accompanying him around the world spreading the Sufi touch of grace and love. As an appointed shaykh (spiritual guide), he was trained to develop an eye to detect the expressions of Beauty in Life, whatever shape they may take. He was taught that in order to become human beings we are called to practice love and respect towards the Creator through the Creation and His creatures. He was taught gratitude for everything that he had and that he had not. Maulana replaced in him the feeling of the need to strife in life, with an unshakable joyful faith that everything, good or bad is coming from the same Loving Source, and that it carries a message and a teaching for your own evolution. He finally provided Shaykh Burhanuddin with the means and the drive to present a life-changing self-realization Method, the Uwaysi System, in a modern and universal key, beyond any belief or requirements. For 30 years Shaykh Burhanuddin Herrmann has been leading spiritual growth meetings and retreats all over the world, in service of people’s spiritual needs. His simple and revolutionary method, the Uwaysi System, aims to awaken people to the real meaning and purpose of their lives, to remind them their highest origin and destination, and to help them to live a life of the heart, in peace, happiness, creativity and gratitude whatever their life circumstances may be. Shaykh Burhanuddin is the author of three books (all in Italian): Il cammello sul tetto. Discorsi Sufi. Una guida mistico-pratica alla Via dei Dervisci Il derviscio metropolitano. Vivere oggi la tradizione Sufi Il sufismo. Mistica, spiritualità e pratica Website: sufiway.eu He is also a musician and the founder of the Dervish Orchestra. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded July 20, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:14 - Conveying the Longing for the Divine 00:08:18 - Direct Experience of God in Sufism 00:13:32 - Understanding Traditions and Becoming Human 00:19:04 - The Full Emptiness and the Path to Single-player Mode 00:24:44 - The Center of Life Energy 00:30:44 - The Importance of Accepting Life as It Is 00:35:01 - Life has no end 00:38:31 - Higher States of Consciousness and Enlightenment in Sufism 00:42:21 - Becoming Humans in a Time of Transformation 00:46:22 - Seeking Spirituality from a Young Age 00:50:37 - Childhood in the Forest 00:54:22 - Silence in the Himalayas 00:58:23 - Seeking Help from a Master Healer 01:01:59 - Healing Miracles and Personal Transformation 01:05:16 - Functioning in the Real World 01:08:48 - Klaus' Family and Spiritual Upbringing 01:12:08 - Encountering Khidr, alayhi salam 01:16:12 - Sufism and Cultural Heritage 01:20:05 - Meeting J. Krishnamurti and the Power of Silence 01:24:16 - Speaking the Truth 01:28:10 - Importance of Dreams in Sufism 01:31:50 - Rumi and His Importance 01:35:38 - Dressing in the Presence of the King 01:39:55 - Breaking through the Barrier of Fear 01:43:44 - Punishment for Misleading Information from Doctors 01:48:16 - The Revolutionary Prophet Sufism 01:51:26 - The Power of Thankfulness 01:54:55 - Embracing the Good Reasons 01:58:04 - Traveling Around the World 02:00:43 - Farewell

Born in Sheffield, England, Georgi has led a life of charm, intoxication, collision and perpetual re-awakening. Having experienced her parent’s divorce and later her father’s death to alcoholism, Georgi was a born seeker for a stable home that was somehow prior to the broken home that she knew. As a teenager, she attended evening classes at the School of Philosophy in Belgium, that offered a ‘sanitized’ version of Vedanta. While it gave a lot, the experience became oppressive, and when she left to Oxford University, she instead delved into Jungian psychology and the application of psychoanalytic and feminist literary theory. When she was 20, Georgi arrived in Jerusalem, in search of a midway point between the mysticism of the east and the decay of the west. She experienced a part of the earth that is charged with bliss. Yet it was also a country where it seemed that nobody belonged. In this, she found a sense of belonging (in the field of not belonging). Georgi’s life in Israel would include a compulsion for conflict. She worked as an investigative journalist exposing lies told about terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Later, she would undergo a high-conflict divorce in which she was condemned by rabbinical courts as a fake convert, a home-breaker and a naughty woman. All this served to re-awaken her deeper purpose: the exploration of the mysteries of consciousness. After she met the love her life - spiritual teacher Bart ten Berge - this passion would express through escalating processes of liberation.Today, she is deeply fulfilled in sharing this journey with others through workshops, and one-on-one mentorship. A free spirit, citizen of the world and a poet, Georgi is presently pioneering Nondual Therapy, which she sees as part of a paradigm shift in the evolution of psychology. Books: Nondual Therapy: The Psychology of Awakening Stillness of the Wind: A Collection of Nondual Poetry I Am Here: Opening the Windows to Life and Beauty Website: perception.inner-growth.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded July 6, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Importance of Donations in Supporting BATGAP 00:04:47 - The Value of Individual Responsibility and Volunteer Work 00:08:37 - A Jacob's Ladder of Light 00:12:30 - The Connection Through Meditation and Mantras 00:17:09 - Forbidden Mantras and Spiritual Contemplation 00:21:19 - Surrendering to Genius 00:26:10 - Mystical experiences and the power of sound 00:30:11 - The Death of the Author and the Fluidity of Texts 00:34:28 - The Negative Effects of Trusting Outer Authority 00:38:58 - Cannabis and Coffee-induced Psychosis 00:42:16 - From Anxiety to Apocalyptic Depression 00:46:42 - Finding Healing and Service 00:50:53 - Overcoming Anxiety and Finding Joy 00:55:05 - Closing of the Heart 01:00:00 - Visitations from Enlightened Beings 01:03:01 - The Cone of Non-Duality 01:07:34 - The Paradox of Existence and Nonexistence 01:12:37 - Qualities of Awakening: Love, Peace, Joy 01:17:21 - The Peace Within Conflict 01:22:26 - The Spoiled Nature of Humanity 01:26:14 - The Impulse to Incarnate in a State of Nondual Quality 01:31:16 - The Innocence and Guilt of Humanity 01:35:35 - The Non-Dual Nature of Inheritance and Purpose 01:39:53 - Embracing Natural Empathy and Unity with Others 01:44:16 - Different Experiences of Enlightenment Based on Nervous System 01:49:14 - The Sensitivity of the Nervous System 01:53:17 - The Vision of Two Figures 01:58:06 - The Tragic Effects of Psychiatric Drugs 02:02:49 - The Mind as a Receiver 02:07:57 - Embracing Diversity and Non-Conformity 02:11:43 - Conclusion and Donation Reminder

My deepest devotion, throughout my life has been to the discovery and embodiment of our truest nature. I studied organized and mystical religions, I traveled to many countries in our world, getting a taste of different cultures and people, I lived a conventional suburban life as a wife and mother, I lived in chronic confusion, and I studied psychology, all with the gnawing question of ‘what is all this really about?’ tugging at my sleeve. I was born in Brooklyn New York, into a world where appearances were everything, but I tended an inner world that I kept to myself. When I look back on how I was “companioned” throughout my childhood by my inner world that was full of comfort and promise I marvel at the wisdom and strength of this stream of consciousness. After raising my two sons, I went to graduate school to study psychology and find professional legitimacy, and to focus on my interior. I had, for a long time, known I needed to heal from childhood trauma and I also felt a calling to help others. But, like so many of us, I had looked to the external world for this elusive happiness and healing I felt was missing. After completing my degree, I built a satisfyingly delicious career – with the same gnawing question in my heart – how do I reconcile pain and confusion with a life-long intuited knowing of a greater consciousness or awareness? In addition to a private practice of psychotherapy, I taught at California Institute of Integral Studies and the University of California at San Francisco. I was the therapist for a pilot study at Stanford and led workshops and presentations for cultivating resilience. (My first book is The Woman’s Book of Resilience – twelve qualities to cultivate). I began to follow and study spiritual teachers: Adyashanti, David Hawkins, Mooji and Jan Frazier. After decades of devoted searching, I was guided by Jan Frazier and experienced a profound shift in consciousness at the age of 70. (Poster child for it never being too late) This realization allowed the inner and the outer world to melt into each other. After decades of healing and opening to larger and larger states of consciousness, the search ended. This shift set my course, in a humbling and wondrous way, to deeper and further understanding, to embodying and, most importantly, living what had been revealed. In the sweet presence of now, I am along for the ride of intimate contact with whatever life has in store from moment to moment and day to day. In my bones, I understand what it means to be intimate with 10,000 things. Website: bethmillerphd.com Book: Waking Up on the Couch Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 29, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:24 - Childhood in the Atmosphere of War and Powerlessness 00:11:17 - The Dream of Unbounded Presence 00:15:05 - Dreams as Messages from God 00:19:25 - The First and Biggest Disillusionment 00:24:15 - The Metaphor of the Movie 00:27:47 - Becoming Radically Honest with Ourselves 00:33:40 - The Play of God 00:38:29 - The Wisdom in Life's Buffeting 00:42:11 - The Transformative Power of Psychotherapy 00:47:18 - Becoming a Better Human Being 00:51:59 - A Familiar Presence 00:56:52 - The Contagiousness of Intimacy and Awakening 01:00:06 - Losing Sense of Boundaries 01:04:29 - The Love That Showed Up 01:08:53 - The Shift on the Last Day of the Retreat 01:11:59 - The Value of Presence in Integration 01:15:29 - Awakening and the Body 01:19:36 - The Power of Pure Consciousness 01:23:16 - Trusting Life and Comprehending Something 01:26:59 - Being Grounded in Being 01:31:28 - The Importance of Facing and Feeling Human Pain 01:35:20 - Becoming Transparent and Clear with Ourselves 01:40:16 - A Shift in Perspective 01:43:51 - A Deepening Sense of Being Gone 01:47:50 - The Depth of Being in Direct Contact 01:52:10 - Understanding Awareness and Self-Referral 01:56:17 - The Realization and the Pinch Me Moment 01:59:42 - The Hope for Societal Shift 02:02:05 - The Pleasure of Interviewing 02:04:07 - Conclusion and Next Interview Announcement

Some of the opinions expressed on certain topics in this interview do not reflect BatGap’s point of view. While this may be true of any of our interviews, we wanted to make a special point of it here since the opinions were stated rather emphatically. Hans Wilhelm has created over 70 short YouTube videos in which he explores and visually explains the dynamic of the universal laws. This ‘back of a napkin’ approach has been so appealing that his YouTube channel has more than 100,000 subscribers. Hans says, “My mission is to offer these videos to inspire viewers to question and explore spirituality and their own relationship to the universe.” He is the author and illustrator of over 200 books for all ages – including some together with Byron Katie. His books have sold over 40 million copies and are translated into 30 languages. Websites: LIFEexplained.com YouTube Channel hanswilhelm.com Facebook Books: Tiger-Tiger, Is It True?: Four Questions to Make You Smile Again The Four Questions: For Henny Penny and Anybody with Stressful Thoughts I'll Always Love You Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 15, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:29 - From Belief to Knowing: The Spiritual Path 00:08:36 - Applying the Golden Rule in Daily Life 00:12:38 - Living by the Laws of Not Hurting and Loving 00:19:38 - The Purpose of Our Existence 00:21:45 - The Purpose of the Detour 00:27:19 - The Universality of the Christ Energy 00:33:31 - The Sun Shines with the Sunrise 00:38:00 - Soul Groups and Reincarnation 00:42:58 - The Soul's Connection to Abortion 00:47:31 - Explaining and providing information is better than banning 00:52:16 - Guardian Angels and Their Purpose 00:57:36 - Guardian Angels and Negative Entities 01:01:54 - Negative Entities and Protection 01:06:36 - The Power of our Aura and Negative Forces 01:10:51 - The Gift of Being Born on Earth 01:15:46 - The Cosmic Teaching by Jesus of Nazareth 01:19:36 - Animals as our Little Brothers and Sisters 01:23:52 - Listening to the Heart instead of the Intellect 01:27:17 - What Happens After Death 01:30:30 - The Perspective Shift on Life and Death 01:34:03 - The Limitations of Communicating with Ancestors and Spirits 01:37:18 - Help and Guidance for Higher Evolved Beings 01:41:13 - The Power of YouTube Videos 01:44:19 - Understanding the Purpose of Life 01:47:29 - The Consequences of Organ Transplants 01:50:09 - Organ Donations and Acts of Service 01:53:28 - The Importance of Saying "I Love You" 01:56:16 - Becoming Independent and Strong in Relationships 02:01:49 - Contacting Karl via Email 02:03:03 - The Joy of Interviews

After graduating in French from the University of Exeter and working for several years in conventional jobs in London, Leah found herself deeply unhappy; struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety, disordered eating, an intense feeling of being a ‘wrong’ human being, and desperation to ‘find her purpose’. In 2012, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery, but even after several years of personal and spiritual growth, she found herself in all the same cycles. In 2016, through grace, good luck, and some wonderful people, Leah experienced her first true spiritual awakening, seeing through the illusion of the separate self and knowing herself clearly as the one Love that we all are. For the very first time, she knew true peace, happiness, and freedom. Most importantly, the feeling of being a ‘wrong’ human being left her completely. Since that time, her journey has been one of ongoing learning, integration, and unfolding. Leah works with clients one-on-one and runs online and in-person classes and workshops to support others’ journeys of healing, awakening, and following the call of the heart. Known for her tender, playful and (sometimes) fiery spirit, her message is simple: you are already whole, you are already worthy and you are never, ever outside the gates of Love. Website: leahmarjoriecox.com Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 8, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:27 - Starting the Spiritual Journey 00:10:13 - Awakening to No Separate Self 00:14:54 - Overwhelming Compassion and Self-Worth 00:18:34 - Unhealthy relationship with food and body image 00:22:06 - Overcoming Obsession and Finding Joy in Life 00:24:24 - The Only Way Out is Up 00:26:30 - Changing Perspective 00:28:55 - The Paradox of Meaning in Life 00:32:50 - The Profound Meaning of Concepts 00:35:13 - Finding Meaning in Challenging Times 00:38:22 - Instilling a Perspective of Continuous Unfolding Journey 00:41:04 - Trusting Your Inner Knowing 00:43:47 - A Period of Inner Emptiness and Vacillation 00:47:21 - Settling into the Experience 00:51:19 - Spiritual Paradoxes with Dan 00:54:53 - The Multidimensionality of Truth 00:58:34 - Embracing Paradox and Opposing Views 01:01:53 - Beauty and Sorrow at the Same Time 01:05:02 - Effortless and Harmonious Work 01:08:17 - Changes in Work with Clients after Awakening 01:11:13 - Openness and Vulnerability in Relationships 01:14:39 - Shrieking the Madness of the World from My Bed 01:17:28 - Unlocking Inner Potential 01:20:38 - Discovering Your Life Purpose 01:23:54 - Finding Meaning in Life 01:27:33 - Kundalini Awakening and the Process of Spiritual Progress 01:33:08 - Pondering the Temporal and the Eternal 01:38:50 - Dan's Paradox Points 01:43:22 - Private Sessions on the Spiritual Path 01:46:43 - Appreciating the Beauty of the Lake District

J. Jaye Gold has been assisting people in their search for inner meaning for 35 years. He is currently living in the Sierra foothills of Northern California where he works with several dozen seekers of truth. Over the years he has deliberately resisted the trend to become a “traveling guru” with thousands of followers, in favor of preserving an element that he considers precious – that of maintaining opportunities for developing a meaningful teacher/student relationship. He is available to anyone who seeks his guidance, and asks for no payment in return. Websites: justingold.net The Center for Cultural and Naturalist Studies, Inc. Books: Justin Time: Autobiographical Stories from an American Spiritual Master Another Heart in His Hand: A Spiritual Anomaly Highway of Diamonds: An International Travel Adventure The Roca Group: A Tale of Financial Espionage Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded June 1, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:40 - Embracing Uncertainty 00:09:09 - Establishing Credentials and Background 00:12:46 - A Multi-Religious Background 00:17:44 - The Importance of Real World Experience 00:22:17 - Reexamining the Equipment and Support Systems 00:26:46 - The Value of Metaphors and Fairy Tales in Understanding 00:31:08 - Starting from the Outside in Education 00:36:12 - Dealing with Trauma and Embarrassment in the Present Moment 00:40:47 - Internal Reactions to External Difficulties and Humility 00:45:25 - A Humble Perspective on the Universe 00:50:02 - Language and Culture 00:54:33 - The Spiritual Quest and Temptations of the West 01:03:00 - The Importance of a Living Teacher 01:03:14 - Updating Ancient Teachings 01:07:40 - An Arduous Journey to an Exotic School 01:12:04 - Meditation in Central America, Iran, and the Uncovering Process 01:16:17 - Exploring Obstacles in Human Life 01:21:10 - The Unique Ideas of No Church and No Ministers 01:25:15.000 - Working with David Shapiro in Northern California 01:29:20 - The Invention of Patterns and Patents 01:33:35 - The Importance of Having Something to Take Care Of 01:38:08 - The Power of the Thinking Process 01:42:55 - The Creative Capacity of Human Beings 01:47:18 - Exploring the Realm of the Unknown 01:51:29 - Growing Up in New York City and the Evolution of Kindness 01:55:57 - The Guru Maharaj-ji Investigation 02:00:31 - Becoming a Premi and Getting Exposure to Maraji 02:04:42 - The Next Buddha: The Power of Small Groups 02:09:06 - Music and Cultural Exchanges 02:12:35 - Interview with Leah Cox from the UK

Kate Gustin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her education from Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley; and has worked in a variety of settings over the past twenty-five years as a mental health practitioner: outpatient psychiatry, community mental health clinics, VA Hospital, college counseling services, and currently in private practice. Gustin integrates the science of positive psychology into her psychotherapy, teaching, and consultation, and leads classes and trainings for students, patients, and health care professionals. Book: The No-Self Help Book: Forty Reasons to Get Over Your Self and Find Peace of Mind Websites: kategustin.net no-selfhelp.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 25, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:54 - The Influence of Eastern Thought 00:07:58 - Spiritual Practice and Influences 00:12:05 - Choosing Where to Rest Your Attention 00:15:50 - The Importance of Regular Practice 00:19:32 - The Levels of Self Concept 00:23:18 - The Development of Self-awareness: From Ahamkara to Brahman Consciousness 00:27:03 - Connection and Accessing Inner Resources 00:30:35 - The Illusion of Self 00:34:09 - Shifting Perspectives: From Self to No-Self 00:38:05 - The Irrelevance of Self-Esteem 00:41:53 - The Shift in Culture and Paradigm 00:45:42 - The Erosion of Self 00:49:12 - The Illusion of Self and the Effort to Protect It 00:53:04 - The Self as a Thief 00:56:45 - The Longing for Self 01:00:28 - The Influence of Past Experiences on the Present Moment 01:04:05 - Processing Traumatic Experiences in Therapy 01:07:55 - Life as an Instrument of Wisdom 01:12:00 - The Fading Self-Referencing Narrative 01:15:40 - Detaching from Self and Suffering 01:19:31 - Letting go of attachment to opinions 01:23:08 - Disidentifying from Beliefs and Building Understanding 01:26:37 - Infusing Collective Consciousness 01:30:21 - The Illusion of Self 01:34:19 - Near-Death Experiences and the Beauty of Death 01:38:20 - The Shift Towards a More Unified Reality 01:42:04 - A Glimpse of Possibilities 01:45:49 - The Importance of Digging Deeper 01:49:37 - Cultivating Compassion and Empathy 01:53:29 - Workshops and Website Updates

Kylea Taylor, M.S., LMFT, found two gaps in ethics education in the early 1990s while simultaneously studying to be a Marriage and Family Therapist and working as a senior trainer at the Grof Transpersonal Training where she assisted Stanislav Grof in training practitioners of Holotropic Breathwork®. Kylea observed that working with clients in non-ordinary states of consciousness requires different ethical awarenesses. She drew upon the tenets of several of the great religions to create InnerEthics™, a model for ethical self-reflection. The model clarifies the unique ethical territory of understanding and working skillfully with people who are experiencing profound and extra-ordinary states of consciousness and also provides a scaffolding for recognizing our semi-conscious, inner motivations as practitioners, teachers, and caregivers in order to avoid client and student harm and increase client and student benefit. Her book, The Ethics of Caring: Finding Right Relationship With Clients for Profound, Transformative Work in Our Professional Healing Relationships, illuminates transference, countertransference, power dynamics, dual relationship, and other topics important to relational ethics. The book won the 2017 Nautilus Book Award in the category, “Relationships & Communication.” Kylea teaches, writes, and consults about ethics. She is also currently President and co-founder of SoulCollage Inc., which since 2003 has been training facilitators worldwide to share an expressive arts method that promotes deep self-discovery, individually and in community. Kylea’s focus as a therapist has been on assisting clients in integrating the meaning and extra-ordinary gifts of spiritual emergence, awakening or transpersonal experiences, and what she calls “personal paradigm shift” phenomena. Website Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded May 18, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Kylea Taylor and InnerEthics 00:03:14 - The Importance of Inner Motivations in Ethics 00:07:14 - Changing the Culture: A Mission for Ethical Behavior 00:10:29 - Development and Impediments in Different Ways 00:13:36 - Right Relationship and Learning from Mistakes 00:16:56 - The Interconnectedness of All Beings 00:20:24 - An Ethical Crisis in the Spiritual Community 00:24:14 - The Importance of Discernment in Spiritual Teachers 00:27:26 - Peer Supervision and the Johari Window 00:31:22 - The Importance of Self-Reflection for Teachers 00:34:39 - Power dynamics in spiritual communities 00:38:27 - Ethical Fading and the Detriment to Clients 00:42:01 - The Rajneesh community and the ethics of the student 00:45:13 - The Importance of Protection, Permission, and Connection 00:49:28 - Healing from Spiritual Wounding and Trauma 00:53:27 - Non-traditional therapy for PTSD 00:57:47 - Trusting the Inner Healer in Psychedelic Therapy 01:01:29 - Holotropic Breathwork and Psychedelics Comparison 01:05:33 - The Mechanics of Holotropic Breathwork and Prana Awakening 01:09:12 - A Powerful Kundalini Opening 01:13:07 - Caution in Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness 01:16:25 - Moving towards positive change with #MeToo movement 01:20:01 - Types of Individuals Who Might Benefit from Self-Reflection 01:23:51 - Learning from Mistakes and Apologizing 01:27:08 - Redemption and Transformation 01:31:10 - The InnerEthics Model and Self-Reflection 01:35:15 - Switching Hats: Finding Balance in Therapy 01:38:46 - The Importance of Ethics in Spiritual Development 01:42:21 - Different Experiences in Spiritual Emergence 01:46:06 - Surrendering Control 01:49:45 - Justification through illusion

Michael Pollan is the author of eight books, including: How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation, Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, and The Botany of Desire, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. A longtime contributor to the New York Times Magazine, he also teaches writing at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley where he is the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Science Journalism. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the one hundred most influential people in the world. Website Christopher M. Bache is professor emeritus in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Youngstown State University where he taught for 33 years. He is also adjunct faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. An award winning teacher, Chris’ work explores the philosophical implications of non-ordinary states of consciousness, especially psychedelic states. Chris has written three books: Lifecycles- a study of reincarnation in light of contemporary consciousness research; Dark Night, Early Dawn - a pioneering work in psychedelic philosophy and collective consciousness; and The Living Classroom, an exploration of teaching and collective fields of consciousness. His new book is LSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven (2019). Website Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Christopher Bache in Panel Discussion on Ayahuasca and Psychedelics as Potential Catalysts for Personal and Societal Evolution Interview recorded May 11, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background of the Guests 00:04:44 - The Evolutionary Strategy of Gratifying Human Desire in Plants 00:09:20 - The Intelligence of Plants 00:13:30 - Relief for Existential Distress 00:17:28 - Psychedelics and Mental Habit 00:23:34 - The Potential of Psychedelics in Treating Mental Health 00:28:54 - The Effects of Psychedelics on Consciousness and the Brain 00:33:31 - Changes in Belief and Perspective 00:37:35 - The Price of Admission to a Mysterious Other Ground 00:41:17 - Exploring the Nature of Mind 00:45:32 - The Complementarity of Science and Spirituality 00:49:50 - The Question of Consciousness and Mind Preceding Matter 00:53:47 - Evidence for Continuity of Awareness 00:58:08 - The Subtle Body and Psychedelic Experiences 01:02:56 - The Demanding Work of High Dose Psychedelic Sessions 01:07:47 - The Healing Process in Psychedelic Sessions 01:12:50 - Healing the Collective Psyche 01:17:24 - The Shift from Individual to Collective Perspective 01:22:15 - Taking Psychedelic Inquiry Seriously 01:26:34 - Boundaries of Consciousness Exploration 01:31:16 - Merging with the Mind of the Universe 01:35:59 - The Exploration of Consciousness Through Psychedelics and Meditation 01:40:26 - Connections between Psychedelic and Mystical States of Consciousness 01:44:27 - The Relationship Between Psychedelic Experiences and Behavior 01:48:42 - Publishing Michael's book in paperback 01:52:32 - The Receptive Nature of Children's Consciousness 01:56:45 - The Potential Negative Consequences of Legalizing Psychedelics 02:00:53 - The Evolutionary Dynamics of Humanity 02:05:54 - The Birth of the Diamond Soul 02:10:46 - The Crisis of Consciousness and the Future Human 02:15:05 - Closing Remarks and Appreciation

Daniel is the creator of the award-winning film "Inner Worlds Outer Worlds" as well as the ongoing "Samadhi" series. He is also the founder of the Awaken The World initiative whose purpose is to bring the ancient teachings of Samadhi back to the world for free (in as many languages as possible) Daniel's approach combines self-inquiry with traditional forms meditation so that participants have the opportunity to simultaneously realize their transcendent nature, and to purify themselves of conditioned patterns. The pathless path is to realize an ever-deepening development process within the self-structure, and to simultaneously realize what is always already beyond the self-structure. Samadhi is when the world that is constantly changing merges or unites with the changeless. Website: awakentheworld.com YouTube Channel Inner Worlds Outer Worlds - Part 1 - Akasha Inner Worlds Outer Worlds - Part 2 - The Spiral Inner Worlds Outer Worlds - Part 3 - The Serpant and the Lotus Inner Worlds Outer Worlds - Part 4 - Beyond Thinking Samadhi Parts 1 and 2 - DVD Blu-ray Combo Pack Samadhi Free Guided Meditations and Instructions Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded May 6, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:28 - Kundalini Awakening and Terrifying Experiences 00:08:44 - The Terror of Ego Dissolution in Spiritual Awakening 00:13:18 - Exploring Christian Influences 00:18:18 - Battling Diabetes & Discovering Meditation 00:23:44 - Identification with the Dan Structure and the Truth of What We Are 00:28:59 - Techniques for Purifying the Mind and Body 00:33:55 - Cultivating Stillness and Grace 00:38:12 - The Physiology of Spiritual Practice 00:42:25 - The Benefits of Regular Meditation Practice 00:46:51 - Levels of Existence: The Energy and Mind 00:52:07 - The Illusion of Self 00:57:06 - The Persecution of Galileo and the Search for Truth 01:02:30 - The Profound Intelligence of Creation 01:07:19 - The Value of Ruthless Honesty 01:12:24 - Experiencing Reality in Different Ways 01:17:19 - The Ineffability of Spiritual Experience 01:21:34 - The Proliferation of Ancient Esoteric Teachings 01:26:18 - The Importance of Experiencing Life for Energetic Growth 01:31:27 - Finding Freedom: Breaking Conditioned Patterns 01:35:11 - A Beer and the Awakening 01:39:15 - The Self-Organizing Aspect of Existence 01:43:51 - The Unfathomable Intelligence 01:48:41 - Alignment with Awareness and Dancing the Dance 01:53:11 - Playing with our True Nature 01:58:03 - Daily Meditation Practice and Dropping Mind Patterns 02:02:38 - Sharing and Learning on the Spiritual Path 02:07:06 - Yoga, Meditation, and Chainsaw Healing 02:11:40 - Healing through Diet and Skepticism 02:14:57 - Meditation Retreats and Self-Directed Practice 02:18:55 - Closing Remarks

Dani Antman is an internationally known energy healer and interfaith minister in Santa Barbara, CA. She has been at the forefront of energy medicine and healing since 1992 when she graduated from the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. Dani is a graduate of The School for Nondual Healing and Awakening, where she taught for over nine years. She has led workshops at the Esalen Institute, La Casa de Maria, and The Lionheart Institute for Transpersonal Energy Healing. She is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and helps people recover from the effects of trauma and PTSD. She has received spiritual direction and assistance for over 17 years from Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care (see BatGap interview with Joan Shivarpita Harrigan). Through this consistent guidance, she completed a challenging Kundalini process related to her Jewish past. She is dedicated to guiding others on their spiritual path. Silvia Eberl is the new lineage holder of Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care, as designated by Swami Chandrasekharanand. She is working in Austria and Rishikesh, India. Her contact info is: [email protected]. Websites: German version English version Dani's website: daniantman.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded April 27, 2019 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:03:59 - The Misleading Nature of Spiritual Purification 00:07:07 - Early Life and Tumultuous Times 00:11:27 - The Zen of Art and Focus during All-nighters 00:14:53 - Discovering Healing and Self-Transformation 00:18:57 - The Existence of a Subtle Body 00:22:57 - Distance Healing Mechanisms and Limitations 00:26:57 - Wholeness and Integrated Perception 00:30:59 - Seduction and Deception in Spiritual Teachers 00:35:30 - The Dark Side of Spiritual Teachers 00:39:38 - The Living Tradition of Kabbalah 00:44:00 - The Living Tradition of Enlightened Sages 00:47:46 - The Importance of Spiritual Activism and Seva 00:51:57 - The Sex Rising and its Effects 00:56:15 - A Rising in Spiritual Seekers 00:59:48 - Kundalini Awakening and Progressions 01:03:50 - Kundalini Awakening Journey 01:08:17 - Addressing the Root of the Problem 01:11:56 - Milestones in Spiritual Awakening 01:15:45 - Kundalini Awakening and Brain Support 01:19:23 - Repairing the Chakra System 01:22:50 - Kundalini Yoga and the Advaita Vedanta 01:26:21 - Loss and Grief, Near Death Experience 01:31:03 - Grounding into the Body, Running and Returning 01:35:06 - Surrendering to Grace 01:38:48 - The Power of Sincere Intentions and Desires 01:42:17 - Near Death Experience 01:46:24 - A Life-Changing Experience and Fearlessness 01:50:10 - Returning to the Jewish Lineage 01:53:57 - Connecting with Dani Antman 01:57:42 - Preserve the Teachings of Jesus