Buddha at the Gas Pump

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267. Nukunu Larsen Nov 23, 2014

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Nukunu was born in Odense, Denmark 1947. He left school 13 years old. He was declared hopeless so he was given no education certificate. He worked and trained as a house painter for the next 4 years. After 9 months of military service he started to study again, first secondary school, then college and the University. He holds a Bachelor in Philosophy and a Master in Psychology. In the end of his Master degree in 1979 he met Osho. Maybe the most important event in his life so far. He worked as a therapist in Poona and the West for the next 16 years. When Osho died in 1990, Nukunu was carried on to another Enlightened Master Poonja’ji in Lucknow. He spent 4 years with the great Master until he finally met the masters of the Sacha Lineage in 1994. On March 9, 1995 there happened spontaneously a shift in Nukunu's consciousness and a radical new way of viewing life was born. Since then all his work has been centered on helping people into the non-dual. Nukunu uses his background in meditation and therapy to invite you into who you are. His basic approach is that you are already what you are looking for. "Relax as awareness into this moment and it will reveal itself.” You cannot become Enlightened (since you are it already) you can be Enlightened. His Dharmadoors are all about going beyond the separation of “I” and the content of consciousness. He is offering Satsangs, Intensives, retreats, and training in Non-Dual Therapy. Website: nukunu.net YouTube Channel Book: True Rebellion, The: a Story of an Awakening Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/22/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Personal Background 00:04:18 - Atom Bomb of Feelings 00:08:23 - Meeting Papaji in Pune 00:13:04 - The Shift in Perspective 00:17:20 - The Intensity of the Quest for Truth 00:20:32 - Meeting Jhanchi Mai and Maharaji in Rishikesh 00:25:17 - The Backdrop of Silence 00:29:14 - The Power of Projection and Taking Back Projections 00:32:47 - The Importance of Love and Projection 00:36:25 - Fulfillment beyond the body \\ 00:39:04 - Seeing Enlightenment in Sexuality 00:40:10 - Meeting Yourself Fully 00:44:14 - Creating a Womb for Spiritual Awakening 00:47:36 - The Value of Meditation and the Body as a Necessary Instrument 00:50:32 - The Three Stages of Fear 00:53:26 - The Dark Night of the Soul 00:56:01 - The Dark Night of the Soul 00:59:20 - The Power of the Present Moment 01:01:33 - Awakening and Cultivation 01:04:47 - The Importance of Deep Love and Dissolution 01:07:45 - The Difficulty and Innocence of Satsang 01:10:02 - The Cultivation of the Heart 01:12:46 - Creating an Atmosphere of Deep Change 01:15:32 - The Mind as a Cyclone 01:18:15 - Relaxing into Deeper Levels 01:21:28 - Permanent Change and Teaching Others 01:24:07 - Different National Consciousness 01:25:59 - Embracing the Divine Presence 01:28:55 - The Profoundness of the Divine 01:31:38 - Deep Understanding and Heart-oriented Connection 01:33:48 - The Role of the Interviewer 01:35:55 - Closing Remarks

234. Karen Johnson Jun 05, 2014

Show notes

Karen Johnson is a co-founder of the Diamond Approach as it is taught in the Ridhwan School, a contemporary original spiritual understanding and path, expressing timeless wisdom on self-realization using the insights of our time. She is a colleague and friend of Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas). Her life is dedicated to the discovery of inner freedom and sharing the treasures with humankind. In this interview, we discussed how the Diamond Approach is evolving, what differentiates it from other traditions, and the most recent developments of the past 15 years, about which Karen and Hameed have only recently begun to teach, speak and write. Neither the depths of spirit nor the surface of the mundane world can adequately express what reality is and what is possible for each of us. How can our human lives be both the arena for spiritual practice and enlightenment, and the occasion for our true being to express its infinite possibilities? When we realize that we are each the miracle of matter and spirit and at the same time we are neither, our everyday ordinary experiences can become doorways to further possibilities of reality, of awakening to our spiritual potential in its endless possibilities. True Being lives through the particulars of our lives, utilizing them to reveal its potentialities. The Diamond Approach explores how to use our personal situations as occasions for practice and learning, and as opportunities for expression of our finer spiritual qualities. It enables people to work with their everyday experiences of work, relationships, play, creativity, love, sex and so on to learn to be the transcendent living a human life. Its students learn to employ each particular situation within this world to go beyond it in a way that includes it. Inclusive transcendence enables our human consciousness to view reality beyond the concepts of duality and nonduality. Each particular situation affords us the opportunity to use its energies and forces to liberate and optimize our experience. Following such path, it becomes natural to be of help to others and to life in general. Book: The Power of Divine Eros: The Illuminating Force of Love in Everyday Life Website: ridhwan.org Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 5/31/2014 Karen Johnson and Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas) on Nondual Relationships at the SAND conference. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Karen Johnson and the Diamond Approach 00:03:14 - The Beginnings of Spiritual Awakening 00:05:53 - Childhood Experiences with Seeing Auras 00:09:03 - The Significance of Refined Perception 00:12:43 - Energy Information and Exchange 00:15:59 - The Essence of Spiritual Development in Ridwan School 00:19:19 - Meeting Hamid and the Beginning of a Journey towards Awakening 00:22:46 - Awakening of Presence 00:27:00 - The Evolution of the Working Relationship 00:31:46 - The Evolution of Work and Relationships 00:36:03 - Being's Guiding Intelligence 00:39:26 - The Energy of Mollusks in Teaching 00:42:46 - The Curriculum and Practices in the Ridwan School 00:48:48 - Different Perspectives and Dimensions of Spiritual Experience 00:54:24 - The Gray Night of the Soul 00:57:05 - Opening up the realm of the freedom vehicle 01:01:18 - The Development and Integration of Spiritual Experiences 01:04:54 - Acting Like a Normal Human Being 01:09:11 - The Deeper Realities and Fluidity of View 01:13:40 - Fluidity and Growth in Understanding Reality 01:17:14 - The Dynamism of Different Traditions 01:20:02 - The Possibilities of the Unimagined 01:23:33 - Discovering Freedom and Possibilities 01:26:31 - The Recognition of Life and Death 01:29:32 - The Individual and the Ocean of Consciousness 01:33:12 - Exploring Other Realms and Traditions 01:36:08 - The Experience of Featurelessness 01:39:19 - Varying Degrees of Impressionability 01:42:24 - Embracing Differences and Discernment 01:45:35 - Closing Remarks and Farewell 01:47:47 - Farewell and Closing Music

222. Menas Kafatos Mar 20, 2014

Show notes

Dr. Menas Kafatos is The Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics and Director of Excellence at Chapman University. He received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. After postdoctoral work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined George Mason University and was University Professor of Interdisciplinary Sciences there from 1984-2008. He has authored and co-authored numerous books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe, and Principles of Integrative Science. He is a recipient of the Rustum Roy Award from the Chopra Foundation, which “honors individuals whose devotion and commitment to their passion for finding answers in their field is matched only by their commitment to humanity” and the IEEE Orange County Chapter - Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award. He has been interviewed numerous times by national and international TV networks, newspapers and radio programs. Chapman University Bio Wikipedia Page Books: The Non-Local Universe: The New Physics and Matters of the Mind The Conscious Universe: Parts and Wholes in Physical Reality Looking In, Seeing Out: Consciousness and Cosmos Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 3/15/2014 Menas Kafatos, in Panel Discussion on Kashmir Shaivism YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Menas Kefatos and his research interests 00:04:03 - The Nature of Consciousness 00:08:33 - The Nature of Emptiness and Conscious Awareness 00:13:09 - Complementarity: Physics and Mysticism 00:17:32 - Perception of the Self in Others 00:22:02 - The Play of Universal Consciousness 00:25:50 - Transformation after Death 00:29:39 - The Collapse of the Quantum World 00:33:43 - Division and Complementarity 00:37:38 - The Evolution of Consciousness and Complementarity 00:41:46 - The Play of Existence 00:45:46 - Consciousness and the Hard Problem 00:49:53 - The Observer and the Act of Observation 00:53:53 - The Conscious Universe 00:57:45 - Quantum Principles Applicable to Everyday Life 01:00:48 - The Principle of Complementarity 01:04:14 - Non-locality and complementarity 01:08:21 - Non-locality and the Infinitely Correlated Nature of Creation 01:11:32 - The Interconnectedness of Principles 01:14:53 - The Emergence of the Pauli Exclusion Principle 01:18:50 - The Awareness of Atoms and Electron Interaction 01:22:48 - Unity in Diversity and the Bigger Picture 01:26:28 - The Conscious Universe and Universal Intelligence 01:30:12 - The Meaning and Purpose of Life 01:34:01 - Consciousness and the Clockwork Universe 01:37:23 - The Many Perspectives of Reality 01:40:57 - The Psi Phenomenon and Scientific Research 01:43:57 - The Debate on Climate Change and Global Warming 01:47:29 - Catastrophic Implications and Irreversible Damage 01:50:07 - The Conflict Between Environmentalism and Fossil Fuel Industry 01:52:45 - The Intelligent Universe

217. Jeffrey Kripal, with Dana Sawyer Feb 10, 2014

Show notes

Jeffrey J. Kripal holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religious Studies for nine years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. Jeff is the author of seven books, including Comparing Religions: Coming to Terms, Mutants and Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal, and Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred. He specializes in the comparative study and analysis of extreme religious states from the ancient world to today. His full body of work can be seen at http://kripal.rice.edu/. Dana Sawyer is a professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and a lecturer on world religions for the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. His expertise is in Hindu and Buddhist systems of philosophy, and he has a professional interest in exploring the appeal of Asian religions on the Western mind. In that regard, he has written a critically acclaimed biography of Aldous Huxley and has just finished writing the authorized biography of Huston Smith, the renowned scholar of world religions. Books: The Perennial Philosophy Reloaded: A Guide for the Mystically Inclined Aldous Huxley: A Biography Huston Smith: Wisdomkeeper: Living The World’s Religions: The Authorized Biography of a 21st Century Spiritual Giant Website Transcript of this interview Other BatGap interviews with Dana: Individual interview With Khen Rinpoche Tsetan Dana Sawyer in Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2 Dana Sawyer on Huston Smith Interview recorded 2/9/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Jeffrey J. Kripal and his work 00:03:14 - Background and Interest in Religious Belief and Behavior 00:06:17 - Jeffrey's Openness to Metaphysical Ideas in Academia 00:09:39 - Revisiting the Paranormal and Psychic Abilities 00:12:52 - The Dominance of Materialism in Western Science 00:16:23 - The Incompleteness of the Materialistic Worldview 00:19:32 - Psychic Experiences and Spiritual Practice 00:23:04 - The Noetic Potential and Deep Philosophical Implications of Psychic Functioning 00:26:04 - The Power of Fiction and Imagination in Paranormal Experiences 00:29:20 - Living in a Sliver of Reality 00:31:50 - Authorization as a Paranormal Ability 00:35:04 - The Importance of Personal Experience in Religious Understandings 00:37:39 - Coming to Terms with Religious Pluralism 00:40:46 - Mystics and cultural influence 00:44:31 - The Controversy of Near-Death Experiences 00:47:41 - The Unmappability of Our Gnostic Potential 00:51:06 - The Celebration of the Physical and Metaphysical 00:54:26 - Double Messages in Religious Symbolism 00:57:56 - The Power of the Imagination 01:01:16 - The Power of the Imagination 01:04:03 - The Power of Imagery and Archetypes 01:06:57 - Art as a Channel for Deeper Intelligence 01:09:52 - Whitley Strieber's Perspective on Abduction Events 01:13:13 - Science fiction as a machine version of spirituality 01:16:16 - Prophetic Synchronicities and Divine Play 01:19:15 - The Intelligence of Machines and Consciousness 01:21:51 - Heresy and Mysticism 01:24:33 - Finding Meaning in Our Work 01:27:31 - The Importance of Diverse Perspectives and Making Up Your Own Mind 01:30:42 - Envisioning the Future and Societal Phase Transitions 01:32:53 - Music

194. Connie Huebner Sep 24, 2013

Show notes

The defining moment of my life came when I was a 21-year-old college student. I had the undeniable experience that I am one with God, one with all that is. This experience has never left me. The rest of my life has been dedicated to going deeper into that experience and all its ramifications. As I looked deeply and honestly within my self, Divine qualities were revealed. First, Divine Light appeared, then the nurturing quality of Divine Love manifested. Other Divine qualities emerged. I discovered that these Divine qualities could be called upon to improve my daily life and the lives of my family and friends. As I worked with the Divine qualities, I began to receive guidance and knowledge from a Divine Presence. At first, it came from Jesus. Later, Mother God made her self known to me and offered a great wealth of Divine wisdom. In time I began working with people outside my own family. The situations and challenges they presented brought forth from me a depth of divine wisdom to guide and transform their lives. It is this Divine Knowledge that I want to bring to as many people as possible. I have developed a personal relationship with Divine Mother. I converse with Her all of the time. It is the most powerful, passionate and loving experience I have ever known. I want to help others develop this Divine Relationship. I have created simple tools and techniques to help you enter into your own very personal relationship with Divine Mother. I now live in Fairfield, Iowa with my husband. We have 2 children. I’m also an Ordained Minister. The verbal vibrational healing tools that I developed to get to know Divine Mother are called Transformational Prayer®. Since 1999 I have been teaching energy healing classes and giving private consultations in partnership with Divine Mother, bringing her transforming wisdom and guidance to thousands of people. divinemotheronline.net Transcript of this interview. Interview conducted 9/14/2013. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Connie Huebner: A Spiritual Journey Begins 00:04:02 - The Experience of Oneness 00:07:52 - Seeking Others with the Oneness Experience 00:12:31 - Meeting of Consciousness 00:17:19 - Experiencing the Oneness with Maharishi 00:21:56 - Yearning for a Personal Relationship with God 00:26:09 - The Search for God Within 00:29:58 - Searching for the Kingdom of Heaven 00:33:46 - Discovering the Power of Inner Light and Vibrational Tools 00:38:41 - Discovering the Divine Light 00:43:03 - Conversations with Jesus 00:48:04 - Resolving Disagreements and Finding Personal Peace 00:52:25 - Telling Light what to do 00:55:45 - Accessing Higher Consciousness and Vibrational Tools 01:00:01 - Softening and Moving Towards Unboundedness 01:04:07 - Paying Attention to the Subtle Levels 01:08:59 - Moving into the Heart 01:12:59 - Breathing into the Heart 01:15:49 - Awakening the True Self in the Heart 01:20:45 - Connecting with Divine Beings 01:24:30 - The Presence of Divine Mother 01:29:18 - Divine Mother's Message: Profound Love for Humanity 01:33:56 - Connecting with Divine Mother 01:38:38 - Connecting with Divine Mother 01:43:39 - The Connection with the Divine 01:47:37 - Staying Grounded and Practical 01:52:15 - Working for the Shift 01:56:40 - Healing Mother Earth 02:02:58 - The Power of Love in Evolution 02:08:20 - How to Connect with Divine Mother 02:11:48 - Podcast and Discussion Group

186. Tom Catton Aug 11, 2013

Show notes

Tom Catton has been in long-term recovery since October 20, 1971. His story appears in a twelve-step fellowship text with more than seven million copies in circulation around the world. Tom is invited to speak in the US and internationally several times a year at twelve-step conventions in front of audiences ranging from 500 to 10,000 people. He has been taking twelve-step meetings into the prison system in Hawaii since 1984. He has been active in service positions over the years, including serving on a committee that met for over three years to write a recovery text for a twelve-step fellowship. Tom is author of The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of the Awakening of a Spirit Tom is on the advisory board of the Buddhist Recovery Network, and is also trained in Tibetan singing bowl therapy. He leads a Buddhist recovery meditation group that meets twice a month in Hawaii. Trained in MBSR Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; also initiated in several schools of meditation and has practiced daily for 40 years. Tom's Facebook page. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview conducted 7/27/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Tom Catton: A Journey of Awakening 00:02:55 - Volunteering for Addiction, Becoming a Guide 00:06:15 - Addiction as a Gift 00:09:34 - The Possibilities of Expanded Consciousness 00:12:02 - Addiction and the Search for Fulfillment 00:15:01 - The Journey of Self-Discovery 00:18:11 - The Strange allure of addiction 00:20:36 - The Birth of the 12-Steps 00:23:25 - Seeking Something Different 00:26:06 - A Guided Journey to Recovery 00:28:29 - The Profound Intuition of a Wise Woman 00:31:23 - Following Intuition and Guidance 00:34:29 - Finding Guidance in Recovery and Meditation 00:37:29 - The Cessation of the Thought Process 00:39:58 - The Twelve Steps of Recovery 00:43:04 - Freedom from Suffering: Handing Over to a Higher Power 00:45:41 - Recovery and the Role of a Sponsor 00:47:54 - Enlightenment through Service 00:50:49 - Spreading Love in India 00:53:24 - Becoming a Conduit for Love 00:55:59 - Dark Nights of the Soul 00:58:43 - The Illusion of Self and the Planet's Need for Help 01:01:13 - The Bodhisattva's Vow and the Limitlessness of Enlightenment 01:04:20 - The Beauty of the 12 Steps and the Dharma 01:07:03 - Still Climbing the Ladders 01:09:38 - The Importance of Spiritual Practice in Daily Life 01:12:30 - Finding Strength in Weakness 01:15:12 - Positive Obsessions for Recovery and Meditation 01:18:00 - Learning to Write by Writing 01:20:29 - Concluding Remarks 01:22:57 - Upcoming Interview with Eric at my House

185. Moksha Mukti Aug 08, 2013

Show notes

This speaker known as Robin Pandey or being or energy whatever you want to call it, experienced something that is extraordinary in 2009 for an extended period of time, so after the experiencing or so-called awakening what is left here is Moksha Mukti. So, who is Moksha Mukti? It is a being, a natural being that is free from the attachments of all conditioning-collection since the beginning of man if such a thing occurred. So, why this Being is here? This being or energy or let’s just say speaker in terms to express in the language, is simply interested in expressing how it is functioning essentially, fundamentally and naturally and this functioning involves thoughts, feelings, emotions, lust anger, pain, suffering, love, hate, fear, and so on. This speaker sees these elements of life as illusion since they all arise from the one source and that is the Reality, and accepting the Reality is the path to experiencing extraordinary happiness, love, and peace, but that is not the real awakening or whatever everyone is seeking in the spiritual community. So, you may accept what this speaker is speaking or reject or stay in the neutral is not my concern. This speaker is simply singing a tune, or expressing its expressions. So, if someone is interested I will express this expression through speaking, writing, and so on in their presence, if not this speaker will continue expressing in on another modus operandi that is available. Books: Waves Metamorphosing into Revelation EVER PERPETUATING PRESENT MOMENT Website YouTube Channel Transcript of this interview Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/21/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Origin of the Name "Moksha Mukti" 00:04:05 - The Limitations of Thought Structure 00:07:21 - The repetition of thoughts and the usefulness of relative knowledge 00:10:57 - The Falsehood of Theories 00:14:34 - Recognizing Illusory Realities: Separateness 00:17:41 - The Interpretation of the Mind and the Illusory Nature of the Universe 00:20:16 - Beyond the Reality of Perception 00:23:16 - The Limitations of Words 00:25:35 - Unity and Intimacy with all Life 00:28:20 - The Illusion of Attachment 00:31:13 - The Painful Experience of Transformation 00:33:25 - The Correlation Between Spiritual Practice and Awakening 00:36:10 - The Real Enlightenment and Liberation 00:38:23 - Communicating Beyond Levels of Understanding 00:40:31 - Language of Spirituality 00:43:00 - Thought: The Dynamic Interaction of Energy 00:45:27 - From Linear to Dynamic Thought 00:48:04 - The Illusion of Something Other Than This 00:50:35 - Enlightenment without restrictions 00:53:10 - The Natural Expression of Thought 00:55:37 - The Illusion of Reality 00:58:08 - Desire for Material vs Spiritual Goals 01:00:54 - The Wave Function of Thought 01:03:24 - The Functioning of the Living Organism 01:05:50 - Enlightenment and the Company We Keep 01:08:16 - Practical Advice for Enlightenment 01:10:26 - Causal Relationships and Choosing Wisely 01:12:44 - Singing Our Own Tunes and Discovering the Truth 01:14:36 - The Garden of God: Embracing Diversity 01:16:17 - Conversation with Moksha Mukti 01:17:50 - Exploring the Website Features

109. Eli Jaxon-Bear Feb 07, 2012

Show notes

Eli Jaxon-Bear was born Elliot J. Zeldow in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947. His eighteen-year spiritual path started in 1971, when he was a federal fugitive during the Vietnam war. In 1978, Kalu Rinpoche appointed him the president of the first Kagyu dharma center in Marin County. In 1982, he was presented with a Zen Teaching Fan at ChoShoJi Zen Temple in Japan. After a search took him around the world and into many traditions and practices, his path and his search ended when he was pulled to India in 1990, where he met his final teacher, Sri H.W.L. Poonja. Confirming Eli's realization, his teacher sent him back into the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of self-realization. Eli infuses the teaching with his teacher’s living transmission of silence. He presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for ruthless self-inquiry and final realization of true freedom. He dedicates his life to passing on the transmission of his teacher. Eli currently meets people and teaches through the Leela Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal self-realization. He is the author of Sudden Awakening into Direct Realization, (New World Library), The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom, (Gangaji Foundation Press), and he is the editor of Wake Up and Roar: Satsang with H.W.L. Poonja, (Sounds True). Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 2/5/2012 2nd interview with Eli YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Illusory Medicine for Illusory Disease 00:03:34 - The Relevance of Meditation and Different Types of Teachers 00:06:39 - Awakening to Pure Consciousness 00:09:17 - Following the Mission, Searching for Enlightenment 00:11:51 - Meeting the Sufis in Nizamuddin and Lucknow 00:13:54 - The Search for Punja 00:15:52 - Discovering the Living Zen Master 00:17:33 - The Miracle of Waking Up 00:18:54 - The Concept of "I am Emptiness, I am Consciousness" 00:20:43 - Surrendering to Love 00:22:18 - The Sticking Point in Willingness 00:24:01 - Seeking the Truth and Surrendering to the Unknown 00:26:03 - The Difference Between Living as an Ego and Your True Self 00:28:02 - The False Identities of the Ego 00:30:17 - Fixation and Freedom in the Enneagram 00:32:04 - The Enneagram of Character Fixation 00:33:48 - The Sacred Use of LSD and Enneagram 00:35:25 - The Book "Sudden Awakening" and the Possibility of Awakening 00:37:19 - The Spread of Zen in Mainstream Culture 00:39:19 - The First Enlightenment and Individuation 00:41:08 - Disillusionment with Spiritual Teachers 00:42:51 - Being Authentic and Facing Judgment 00:44:53 - The Definition of Enlightenment 00:46:59 - The Trap of Egoic Madness 00:48:47 - The misuse of non-dual realization 00:50:29 - "Take the transmission, leave the rest" 00:52:16 - Living with Multiple Myeloma 00:53:56 - Facing Death and Regrets 00:55:50 - Ramana Maharshi's Function and Continuation after Death 00:58:07 - The Power of Awakening and Healing 00:59:51 - Interview with Eli Jackson Bair

108. Mariana Caplan Feb 05, 2012

Show notes

Mariana Caplan, PhD, MFT, RYT 500,  is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and the author of six books in the fields of psychology and spirituality, including Yoga & Psyche, the award-winning Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path, the seminal Halfway Up the Mountain: the Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment, and The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher. She is the founder of The Yoga & Psyche Method™ and The Yoga & Psyche Conference™. She has been teaching workshops and trainings at major retreat centers, yoga studios, and universities throughout the world since 1997, and since 2001 been an adjunct professor and developed large public programs at The California Institute of Integral Studies, and taught at Naropa University, John F. Kennedy University, and Sophia University. Website: marianacaplan.com Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 2/3/2012 Other BatGap events involving Mariana: Second BatGap interview with Mariana Caplan In Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2 In SAND Panel on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities | Also, Meeting of Founders and Members of the Association for Spiritual Integrity YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Mariana Caplan 00:02:26 - Credentials and Spiritual Journey 00:04:21 - My Spiritual Journey 00:06:32 - Falling in Love with My Teacher 00:08:33 - Falling in Love with the Teacher 00:10:04 - The Attachment to the Yogi 00:12:27 - The Spiritual Teacher's Degree of Awakening 00:15:17 - Being a Friend and Spiritual Psychologist 00:18:22 - Embracing the Paradox of Spiritual Teachers 00:21:19 - The Development of Multiple Lines 00:24:28 - Intimacy and Integration on the Spiritual Path 00:27:41 - The Dismantling of Illusions and Lines of Development 00:30:16 - The Nature of Conditioning and Insight 00:33:40 - Healing in Relationship 00:36:50 - Levels of Evolution and Enlightenment 00:39:51 - Meeting Yogi Ram Surat Kumar 00:43:20 - The Endless Potential of Non-Dual Realization 00:47:05 - The Prevalence of the Common Virus 00:50:17 - Learning from Claudio Naranjo 00:52:37 - Integration and Enlightenment 00:55:01 - The Softening of the Heart in the Path of Enlightenment 00:57:57 - The Softening of Perception and Love 01:01:28 - Reflecting on Enlightenment 01:04:05 - Evolution of Consciousness 01:06:33 - The Radiant Knowledge of God 01:08:32 - The Power of Student-Teacher Relationships 01:10:16 - "Bozos on This Bus" and Changing Perspectives 01:12:19 - The Value of Practice Even in the Absence of Self 01:14:45 - Ramana's Post-Enlightenment Years 01:16:59 - Psychotherapy and Yoga Integration 01:19:09 - Additional Information on the Website Save

38. Richard Schooping Sep 23, 2010

Show notes

I simply awoke. I suffered for more than 20 years with depression, fear, guilt, anger, judgment, confusion, a lack of connection and dis-ease. I lost friends and three lovers over 9 years to AIDS and then was diagnosed with cancer and AIDS in 2003 and thought that I was going to die. But upon introspection I realized that I was more than my thoughts because I was being aware of my thoughts. I realized also that I was more than birth and death. With this realization, all fears of being were absolved and a peace enveloped me that revealed that all is in divine order. I went through “the dark night of the soul”. And as layer upon layer of who I thought I was dissolved, I slowly became more and more self-aware. At one moment I remembered that I am more than any created form and so ultimately they have no true effect on me. Now I am here grateful to utilize the gifts of this body to express the one love from which all flowers. Life is not about something else or something other, it is what is happening now. And when our mind calms we then have eyes to "see". I am listening, singing, writing, sharing, and just playing and enjoying the blessings of each moment. Richard's Book, "From Suffering to Soaring" First live-action video for the song Be Here Now, by Richard Schooping Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 9/22/2010. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - From Suffering to Soaring Through God I Transcended AIDS 00:03:35 - The Burden of the World 00:07:21 - Losing everything and finding music 00:10:23 - From Research to Spiritual Awakening 00:13:30 - Vipassana and Self-Simplification 00:16:12 - The Mummy in the Infirmary 00:18:42 - The Ocean Becomes Conscious of Me 00:21:16 - Embracing Different Spiritual Practices 00:23:46 - Diversity and Intricacy of Life 00:26:11 - Becoming Light and Presence 00:28:09 - Letting go of Attachments 00:30:20 - Transition from Duality to Unity 00:32:06 - The Path of Awareness 00:34:04 - The Shift to a Spiritual Personality 00:36:33 - Finding Joy in Creative Expression 00:38:39 - Love and Relationships 00:40:10 - Resting in the Wholeness of Life 00:42:42 - Experiencing Emotions and Healing 00:44:48 - The Illusion of Creating Heaven 00:46:39 - Letting the Ocean Be 00:48:05 - The Nature of Simplicity and Awareness Awareness 00:50:19 - The Evolution of Communication 00:52:47 - The Simplicity of Life and Resonance 00:55:07 - The Act of Imagining Creates Reality 00:57:56 - Contentment and Awareness 01:00:17 - Allowing the Unfolding of Awareness 01:02:49 - Clarity and Realization of Truth 01:05:06 - Waves and Clinging 01:07:42 - The Dissolution and Unraveling of Beliefs 01:09:57 - Living a Simple Life 01:12:11 - Richard Schuping Interview Save

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