Buddha at the Gas Pump

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642. Sebastián Blaksley, 2nd Interview Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

Sebastián Blaksley is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1968 he was 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. Sebastian enjoyed sport in his youth, particularly Rugby football, a game that a number of his family have a long involvement with in Argentina. 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 followed 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 undertook further studies in England. He held several highly responsible positions in well-known international corporations, living and working in the USA, England, China, and Panama. He then founded his own corporate consulting firm in Argentina which he led for over 10 years. He has willingly given the company he owned to employees who wanted to continue the business. 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 faith.” In 2013, he began to record messages from his mystical experiences. In 2016, he miraculously discovered the books comprising A Course of Love (“received” from Jesus by Mari Perron) and felt the call to devote himself to bringing the course to the Spanish-speaking world. More recently Sebastian receives, transcribes, and shares what the voice of Christ—the voice of love—mystically dictates to him. Most recently he has “received” an astonishing, and most beautiful and uplifting series of messages from Heaven resulting in the Choose Only Love series of seven books, the first of which was published in October, 2019. The seventh and final book was published in March 2022. Sebastian is living on a small island in the Tigre Delta waterways on the outskirts of Buenos Aires; overseeing the building of a retreat property called, at the suggestion of Mother Mary, the Refuge of Divine Love. People from around the world are warmly invited to spend time here in this tranquil and verdant haven covering some 23 secluded acres, to “live the books” in the company of Sebastian as a welcoming host. Sebastián is president of the nonprofit charity Fundación Amor Vivo, through which he shares A Course of Love, as well as the sublime channeled angelic messages which found their home in the Choose Only Love books and audios. The angels lovingly refer to him as “a pencil in the hands of God.” Websites: fundacionamorvivo.org Choose Only Love Books: Choose Only Love (7 book series) - English Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summaries and Transcripts of this interview: English Spanish Interview recorded April 10, 2022 First BatGap interview with Sebastián. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:37 - Receiving Messages from Celestial Beings 00:08:54 - Receiving Communications from God 00:13:27 - Universal Love and Recognition of Divine Beings 00:18:07 - Jesus' Appearance and Artistic Representations 00:22:22 - The Essence of Angelic Beings and Love 00:26:37 - Becoming One with God 00:31:04 - The Universal Connection and Divine Dialogue 00:35:13 - Making the Choice for Love 00:39:36 - Communication without Words 00:43:21 - The New Understanding of Prophets and the Second Advent 00:47:51 - The New Earthly Kingdom 00:51:46 - The Choice between Love and Fear in Times of Transformation 00:56:04 - Understanding the True Identity of Others 01:00:00 - Acting out of Love 01:04:16 - The Union of Mind and Heart 01:08:44 - Return to Unity with the Divine Source 01:13:10 - Remain in me, remain in peace 01:17:49 - The Interconnected Universe 01:21:52 - The Pale Blue Dot and Our Cosmic Existence 01:26:14 - Integrating our Humanity with our Divine Aspects 01:30:02 - The Role of Holy Spirit in Relation to Jesus, Mary, and Archangels 01:33:52 - Not participating in the chain of fear 01:37:46 - The Importance of Higher Consciousness 01:41:39 - Longing for Spiritual Awakening 01:45:20 - Achieving Inner Congruence 01:48:58 - The Debate and the Growing Love and Truth 01:53:11 - The Healing Power of Consciousness 01:57:28 - Unity with God and Consciousness after Death 02:01:36 - Near-Death Experiences and the Undying Nature of the Self 02:04:59 - Love in Action

639. Marc Leavitt Mar 26, 2022

Show notes

I was born 11-11-69 into a nonpracticing Jewish family where the subject of spirituality never came up. So when I discovered an intense spiritual yearning within myself at the age of nineteen, I was completely on my own. After graduating from Towson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Philosophy in 1994, I had become an avid practitioner of meditation and contemplation of the nature of Reality. As a solitary practitioner, I found my path to be an oscillation of understanding the Nondual view of Dzogchen and experiencing nonordinary events that expanded my understanding of the classic out-of-body experience, astral realm, and the Bardos. The first book of the Trilogy titled "Reality Explained" centers on the peak period of my spiritual journey just after returning home from a weeklong meditation retreat at the world-renowned ‘Monroe Institute’. I had been home less than a week after attending one of their advanced programs when without warning I began to have profound Visions while living out my day-to-day life. I could be taking a walk with my wife and daughter or going about my daily routine at work when I would find myself spontaneously thrust into a vastly more expansive perspective that placed my entire world in a wholly new context. These Visions were progressive in nature as they clearly and pointedly demonstrated the Grand Design of Reality. Some of these Visions were existentially devastating and some were downright terrifying, as they exposed the true nature of the ‘self’. Others were so blissful that they could only be tolerated for brief moments. Ultimately, they coalesced to reveal a model of Reality that is as elegant in its simplicity as it is mind-blowing in its implications. In the first book, I outline a play-by-play account of how four of these Visions shaped a new understanding regarding the true architecture of Reality and how this understanding resolves one of our greatest philosophical paradoxes, the relationship between mind and matter or God and the world. Given the universal nature of these experiences, you will be able to verify each truth for yourself. I wrote this book to demystify the subject of Spiritual Awakening. There are already many excellent books on this subject otherwise known as ‘Nondual Wisdom’ however, what I found to be missing was a book that chronicles the day to day, month to month, and year to year unfolding of the Self in detail. This book is a very personal account of an incredibly impersonal process broken down step by step and presented almost in slow motion. The reader is invited on a journey that chronicles each step along the path to Spiritual Awakening. The details of the climactic experience itself and the final understanding that results from undergoing such a radical and permanent shift in perspective is where I intend to lead you. It is also my hope that this book will serve to demonstrate how the experience of Spiritual Awakening is not something mythical or a fable belonging to some other time or place but an actual shift in perspective that is available right here and now to anyone that is curious enough to explore the true nature of ‘being’. I speak to you from the point of view that we are all sharing the human experience and when we explore the depths of our minds we find the same treasure awaits us all. The fact that I am a husband and a father with a full-time career stands as proof that you don’t have to choose between worldly life and Spiritual Awakening. Books (Reality Explained Trilogy: Enlightenment: Behind the Scenes Being, While Knowing That You Are Not: Surrendering to the sadness and madness of life A Triunistic Model of Reality: What It Is, Does and Emerges As Jed McKenna & The Suicide Letters: Our time together prior to the Invisible Guru Website: thisawarespace.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 20, 2022 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump conversation 00:04:32 - The Ordinariness of Experience 00:09:07 - Awareness and Encompassing 00:13:13 - The Balance of Lucidity and Dreaming 00:17:10 - The Illusory Nature of the Waking State 00:21:07 - Questioning the Nature of Existence 00:24:50 - Exploring the Mind and Tools: Monroe Institute, Hemi-sync, OBEs, Salvia, Lucid Dreaming 00:28:48 - Tibetan Buddhism and the Monroe Institute 00:32:36 - Experiencing the True Self 00:36:44 - The Nature of Oneness and Individuation 00:40:16 - Understanding Transactional Reality 00:44:01 - The Inseparability of Awareness and Space 00:48:17 - The Triune of Awareness: The Emergence of a Third Thing 00:52:43 - The Rainbow and the Oneness 00:56:38 - Longing for God and the Void Behind 01:00:51 - The Void and the Stickman 01:04:51 - Recognizing the Mind in Death and the Bardos 01:08:45 - The Concept of Awakening 01:12:27 - The Bodhisattva Vow and Sharing Enlightenment 01:15:59 - The Cycle of Desires and Fulfillment 01:19:49 - The Power of Desire 01:23:42 - Ruling the World or Training Our Minds 01:27:14 - The Ripple Effect of Desires 01:31:11 - Experiencing Everything at Once 01:35:11 - The Void and Potential Energy 01:39:27 - The Realness of Dzogchen and Buddhism 01:43:26 - The Essence and Awakening 01:47:19 - The Turmoil of Enlightenment and the Process of Purification 01:51:29 - The Liberation of Recognition 01:55:50 - The Importance of Seeing the Truth 01:59:33 - Appreciation for Rick

604. Ilia Delio Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

Ilia Delio, OSF holds the Josephine C. Connelly Chair in Christian Theology at Villanova University. Her area of research is Science and Religion with interests in artificial intelligence, evolution, quantum physics, and the import of these for Christian doctrine and life. She holds a doctorate in Pharmacology from Rutgers University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and a doctorate in Historical Theology from Fordham University. She is the author of over twenty books including Making All things New (Catholicity in an Evolving Universe), a finalist for the 2019 Michael Ramsey Prize and The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution, and the Power of Love, for which she won the 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award and a 2014 Catholic Press Association Book Award in Faith and Science. Her latest book is Re-Enchanting the Earth: Why AI Needs Religion. She is the founder of the Center for Christogenesis, an online educational resource for promoting the vision of Teilhard de Chardin and, more broadly, the integration of science and religion in the 21st century. Some of the main points discussed in this conversation. What is God? As we enter the mystery of God, language fails us, and the mystery grasps us all the more. The mystery of God is the same mystery at the heart of physics. There’s nothing outside the existence of God. God is existence itself. God’s love is so infinite that there is nothing in this creation that’s un-loveable or unloved by God. This is a finite creation. Wherever there are boundaries there is the possibility of suffering. Suffering and death are part of the life cycle. Reincarnation discussion. Are multiple incarnations sequential or simultaneous? A deep experience of the mystery of God supports the freedom to speculate, dream, and imagine. Science and religion need one another in order to fully understand the world. The necessity and drawbacks of specialization and the complexification of knowledge. If our hearts are grounded in holy mystery we become more fully God-like in our actions. Humanity won’t have a sustainable future unless we renew the deeper dimension in our lives. Cyborgs and transhumanism The mutually beneficial relationship between spiritual and material technologies. A profound spiritual transformation is underway. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s idea of a new religion of the earth, retaining the wisdom of the past but creating something new for the future. Wherever in the universe intelligent life exists, it will search for ultimate intelligence. Intelligent design The core energy of the universe – God - is love. The force that creates stars is the same force that manifests as love in humans. Love is the highest knowledge. In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love alone. Making love the lens through which we see all of life. “The more I am in union with another, the more I am in touch with myself because it’s the core of myself that’s in union.” What might the world be like if everyone were enlightened? Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 26, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:18 - The Scope of Topics to Be Discussed 00:05:49 - The Name of God and Absolute Mystery 00:08:11 - The Ineffable Mystery of God 00:11:27 - The Nature of Consciousness and God 00:14:50 - God as the Consciousness of Consciousness 00:18:04 - The Trinity and God's Creative Potential 00:21:45 - Realizing our Divine Potential 00:25:43 - The Mystery of Matter and God's Creative Activity 00:29:12 - Matter and Divine Activity 00:35:08 - The Beauty of Life and the Wholeness of Being 00:39:32 - Quantum Entanglement and Multiple Realms of Existence 00:44:23 - The Unity of Science and Religion 00:48:26 - The Tethering of Religion and Spirituality 00:53:05 - The Fragmentation of Knowledge and the Necessity for Spiritual Fulfillment 00:58:00 - Gods and Robots: The Intersection of Spirituality and Technology 01:01:27 - The Unhelpful Dynamic 01:08:20 - A New Type of Science in the Future 01:15:04 - The Allure of Transhumanism 01:18:40 - The Mixed Blessing of Technologies 01:21:53 - Technology and Spirituality 01:25:47 - The Technology of Spirituality 01:28:35 - A New Type of Collective Consciousness 01:32:30 - Creating a New Type of Religious Sensibility 01:36:13 - The Existence of Intelligent Life on Other Planets 01:40:10 - Rethinking Intelligent Design 01:47:35 - The Ultimate Reality of Love 01:53:28 - The Happiness Index and the Consciousness of Shared Being 01:56:58 - Imagining a World of Love 01:59:49 - The Health of the Planet

600. Anita Moorjani, 2nd Interview Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

Anita Moorjani is the New York Times bestselling author of What If This Is Heaven?: How Our Cultural Myths Prevent Us from Experiencing Heaven on Earth and Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing. A beloved international speaker, she lives in the United States with her husband, Danny, and has dedicated her life to empowering the minds and hearts of people with her story of courage and transformation. Anita was born in Singapore to Indian parents and grew up in Hong Kong speaking English, Cantonese, and an Indian dialect simultaneously. Prior to her near-death experience, she worked in the corporate world. Anita's website Anita's latest book: Sensitive Is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World Audio CD: Deep Meditation for Healing Previous BatGap interview with Anita. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 3, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:59 - Recognition of Deceased Loved Ones 00:09:37 - The Impact of the Near-Death Experience 00:14:06 - Choosing to Come Back from the Other Side 00:18:41 - Flipping Everything We've Ever Learned 00:23:16 - The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World 00:27:16 - The Spectrum of Caring 00:31:49 - The Importance of Self-Care and Empaths in Leadership 00:36:28 - Priorities and the Right to Kill 00:40:43 - The Role of Empathic Leaders 00:45:21 - Transforming Collective Consciousness Through Education 00:49:23 - Tapping into Inner Reservoir 00:53:05 - The Importance of Receiving 00:56:54 - The Benefits of Slowing Down and Recharging 01:01:00 - The Gift of Being an Empath 01:05:43 - The Nature of Being an Empath 01:09:58 - The Nature of Empaths and their Vulnerability 01:14:13 - The Vulnerability of Empaths to Physical Symptoms 01:18:57 - The Spectrum of Empathic Tendencies 01:23:05 - The Spiritual Awakening Journey and the Path to Enlightenment 01:27:34 - Inability to Say No 01:31:56 - Integrating a Spiritual Experience into Everyday Life 01:36:25 - Navigating the World with a Strong Connection to Your Higher Self 01:40:41 - The Two-Pronged Approach to Healthcare 01:44:37 - Creating a Life You Love 01:48:16 - The Tragic Loss of Rennie 01:52:27 - Repressed Ego and Self-Care in Spiritual Teachings 01:56:50 - Increasing Your Energy and Expanding Your Aura 02:01:10 - The Power of Expanding Energy 02:06:11 - Unity and Oneness with God

534. SAND Panel on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities Jan 29, 2020

Show notes

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

520. Dr. Miles Neale Oct 09, 2019

Show notes

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

416. Raphael Cushnir Sep 16, 2017

Show notes

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of six books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. In addition, he coaches individuals and couples, as well as organizations and their teams. Raphael’s own heart was opened by an experience of profound grief. Website: cushnir.com Books: The One Thing Holding You Back: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection Surfing Your Inner Sea: Essential Lessons for Lasting Serenity Setting Your Heart on Fire: Seven Invitations to Liberate Your Life How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment Unconditional Bliss: Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship Interview recorded September 3, 2017 Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:58 - The Emotional Realm and Awakening 00:09:43 - The Skepticism of Spiritual Teachers and Authenticity 00:14:42 - Genuine Humility and Blind Spots in Spiritual Teachers 00:19:36 - The Intersection of Psychology and Spirituality 00:24:25 - Honoring the depth of a container 00:29:37 - "Choosing Connection and Presence" 00:34:56 - The Need for Spiritual Crisis Support 00:39:41 - The Transition to Surrendering Control 00:44:27 - The Unpredictability of Kundalini Awakening 00:48:59 - Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 00:53:40 - Integration of Different Aspects of Being 00:57:40 - The Power of Integration 01:01:55 - The Heart Opening and Expansion of Consciousness 01:06:03 - Trusting Intuition and Being Open 01:09:59 - The Authentic Expression of Teachers 01:16:06 - The Container of the Self 01:18:03 - Strengthening the Ego and the Dance of Shiva and Shakti 01:22:11 - Techniques for Processing Trauma 01:26:12 - Emotions as Inner Touch 01:30:12 - Surfing Your Emotions 01:34:06 - Healing Through Practice 01:37:49 - Ramana Maharshi and the Radically Different Consciousness 01:41:48 - Embracing Resistance and Finding Freedom 01:45:49 - Neediness and Self-Identification 01:49:51 - The Value of Ongoing Support 01:53:40 - Growing in Ease and Acceptance 01:57:22 - The Sacred Journey of Seeking 02:01:10 - Following Your Curiosity and Trusting Your Heart 02:05:29 - Wrapping Up with Raphael Cushnir 02:09:10 - Sign up for the newsletter Save

235. Daniel Ingram Jun 16, 2014

Show notes

Daniel Ingram is the author of Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book, is one of the founders of the Dharma Overground, has been a speaker and interviewee on Buddhist Geeks, and practices Emergency Medicine as a physician. He is highly influenced by the practices of Mahasi Sayadaw, but his interest in the dharma is much more pragmatic than dogmatic and draws on a wide range of sources. Longer, more tongue-in-cheek bio: Daniel is an extroverted Gen X intellectual. He is known for his pronounced enthusiasm, lip-flapping, grandiosity, eccentricity, and calling people on their stuff and shadow sides regardless of whether or not this is helpful or even accurate. He is an arahant and has a solid mastery of the basic concentration states from the first jhana to Nirodha Samapatti, including the Pure Land Jhanas. He also has a solid knowledge of Buddhist theory and the texts, and because of these three areas of expertise considers himself a qualified teacher. He was also authorized and encouraged to teach by a lineaged abbot of the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. Website: The Dharma Overground Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded 6/7/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Daniel Ingram and his book 00:05:53 - Different Models of Awakening and Enlightenment 00:11:49 - The Importance of Being Present in all Aspects of Life 00:17:08 - The Serts Paradox and the Emptiness/Fullness Debate 00:22:33 - Vedic Tradition and Different Cognitive Abilities 00:28:02 - The Potential for Misdiagnosis and the Importance of Maps and Teachers 00:33:41 - The Danger of Diagnosing Friends and Family 00:39:30 - The Nature of Reality and Intuition 00:46:45 - The Importance of a Spiritual Renaissance 00:54:21 - The Power of Subtle Changes in Society and Technology 01:02:49 - Integrating Meditation into Religious Traditions 01:11:15 - Finding Balance and Wellness 01:15:35 - The Deepening Interest in Spirituality 01:19:48 - The Problem of Psychopaths and Power 01:24:54 - Selling Spirituality: The Challenges of Advertising Meditation 01:29:16 - Balancing Honesty and Salesmanship in the Spiritual Community 01:33:40 - The Persecution of Mystics 01:38:02 - Profound Experiences in Catholic Churches 01:42:25 - Perceiving Different Realms and Beings 01:45:54 - Enhancing Function and Mental States 01:48:33 - Luminous, intelligent entities 01:51:42 - Pragmatic and Experiential Perspectives on Supernatural Experiences 01:54:24 - Exploring stages of development and awakenings 01:57:57 - The Stages of Awakening 02:01:04 - Transformation and the Elimination of Rites and Rituals 02:05:20 - Dissolving the Sense of Self 02:10:00 - Questioning Enlightenment 02:13:55 - Embracing the Richness and Freshness of Life 02:18:02 - The Incredible Intelligence in the Universe 02:22:15 - The Wonder of Creation and Manifestation 02:25:26 - How to Support the Channel

233. Panel Discussion on Refined (“Celestial”) Perception Jun 03, 2014

Show notes

The iconography and texts of most spiritual traditions depict and describe realms of existence more subtle than ordinary sensory perception reveals. The most commonly portrayed phenomena are halos in paintings of saints. But in addition to this evidence of the human “subtle body”, the traditions are abundant with paintings and stories of subtle beings such as angels, gods, devas, demons, etc. Is this mere mythology or does it suggest that subtle perception is part of spiritual development? So far, the non-dual community has not discussed this at all. The New Age community has, but often in a fanciful way that the non-dual community has, perhaps wisely, chosen to eschew. Yet many who have had abiding awakenings that non-dual traditions predict and respect discover, in time, that subtle perception begins to dawn. They begin to perceive auras, angels, devas, and the like as routinely as most of us see other human beings. This panel discussion included five such people: Name Website Other Batgap Interviews Francis Bennett 8/4/2012, 4/21/2013* 10/26/2013*, 5/24/2014*, 10/23/2014*, 10/22/2015*, 10/21/2016, 10/25/2016* Harri Aalto harriaalto.com 3/22/2014, 7/19/2014, 11/12/2016 Kristin Kirk kristinkirk.com 11/2/2013, 10/22/2015* Ruffina Farrokh Anklesaria bestagainststress.com Facebook page Stan Kendz stankendz.com 12/2/2009 *Part of group discussion Transcript of this discussion Recorded 5/24/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Refined Perception 00:06:23 - Reluctance to Participate and Cultural Norms 00:10:34 - Personal Experiences with Spiritual Beings 00:14:07 - Experiencing Consciousness as Everything 00:19:11 - The Sublime Area of Consciousness 00:23:24 - A Life-changing Experience 00:26:59 - The Transformative Experience and Past Lives 00:31:09 - Past Lives and Reincarnations 00:35:40 - Enlivening the Shakti 00:40:12 - The Richness of an Enlightened World 00:45:05 - The Kingdom of Heaven Within Us 00:49:33 - The Golden Hue of Consciousness 00:53:14 - Shifting Consciousness and Expanded Self 00:57:05 - Releasing Beings through Meditation 01:00:25 - Aging and the Laws of Nature 01:04:19 - The Recognition of Love and Compassion 01:08:27 - The Expansion of Consciousness 01:11:20 - The Unfoldment of States of Consciousness 01:14:40 - Parallels in Maps of Consciousness 01:17:13 - The Vast Range of Possibilities in Consciousness 01:20:01 - Universal Phenomenon of Consciousness Growth 01:22:12 - Shifting Awareness and Refined Perception 01:24:34 - Celestial Perception and Spiritual Awakening 01:26:48 - Unfolding States of Awareness 01:29:50 - Overpowering Experiences and Support 01:33:43 - The Journey of Unfolding Consciousness and Surrender 01:38:28 - Surrender and Devotion in Spiritual Practice 01:43:07 - The Phenomenon of Channeling 01:47:23 - Experiences of Lord Vishnu and Celestial Levels 01:51:40 - The Celestial Levels of Consciousness 01:56:24 - Concluding Remarks Save

146. David Loy, with Igor Kufayev Nov 26, 2012

Show notes

David Robert Loy is a professor, writer, and Zen teacher in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition of Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is a prolific author, whose essays and books have been translated into many languages. His articles appear regularly in the pages of major journals such as Tikkun and Buddhist magazines including Tricycle, Turning Wheel, Shambhala Sun, and Buddhadharma, as well as in a variety of scholarly journals. Many of his writings, as well as audio and video talks and interviews, are available on the web. He is on the editorial or advisory boards of the journals Cultural Dynamics, Worldviews, Contemporary Buddhism, Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, and World Fellowship of Buddhists Review. He is also on the advisory boards of Buddhist Global Relief, the Clear View Project, Zen Peacemakers, and the Ernest Becker Foundation. David lectures nationally and internationally on various topics, focusing primarily on the encounter between Buddhism and modernity: what each can learn from the other. He is especially concerned about social and ecological issues. A popular recent lecture is “Healing Ecology: A Buddhist Perspective on the Eco-crisis”, which argues that there is an important parallel between what Buddhism says about our personal predicament and our collective predicament today in relation to the rest of the biosphere. Presently he is offering workshops on “Transforming Self, Transforming Society” and on his most recent book, The World Is Made of Stories. He also leads meditation retreats. (To find out about forthcoming lectures, workshops and retreats, please see the Schedule page.) Igor Kufayev was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In his childhood, he had many episodes associated with awakening. At the age of thirty-six, Igor underwent a radical transformation of consciousness which subsequently blossomed into spontaneous unfoldment of Grace. Website: igorkufayev.com YouTube Channel: Flowing Wakefulness Wikipedia Page Other BatGap events with Igor: Igor Kufayev with Jac O’Keeffe, and Francis Bennett Igor Kufayev, in Panel Discussion with John Hagelin and Mark McCooey Igor Kufayev, in Panel Discussion on Kashmir Shaivism Interview recorded 10/28/2012. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Outdoor Interview with David Loy and Igor Kufayev 00:02:36 - The Crisis of Climate Change and Extinction Events 00:04:20 - Non-duality and the Social World 00:05:57 - The Illusion of Separate Self 00:07:16 - The Compartmentalization of Awakening 00:08:34 - The Combination of Western and Eastern Ideals 00:10:14 - The Direction of Contemporary Non-Dual and Spiritual Circles 00:11:46 - The Power of Spiritual Action 00:13:11 - Waking up to Non-duality and Transforming Motivations 00:14:57 - Working on Both Inner Awakening and Social Activism 00:16:55 - Self-preoccupation on the spiritual path 00:18:50 - Molding Our Perception of the World 00:20:43 - The Reductionistic View of Objectification 00:22:51 - The Power of Perception 00:25:09 - The Impact of our Thoughts and Emotions on the Universe 00:26:58 - The Birth of a New Story 00:29:08 - The Delusion of Withdrawing from the World 00:31:02 - The Crisis of the Old Story 00:32:53 - Rationalizing Greed, Aggression, and Delusion 00:34:31 - Identifying with the Whole Cosmos 00:35:42 - The Capacity of the Human Being and its Connection to the Cosmos 00:36:43 - Everything is Consciousness 00:38:05 - Witnessing the Silent Tree 00:39:42 - God's Intelligent Orchestration 00:41:31 - The Principle of the Fulcrum 00:43:08 - The World that Exists and the World that Doesn't 00:44:28 - Creating a New World Through Conscious Perception 00:45:43 - The Delusion of Separate Self in American Life 00:47:20 - The Power of Controlling the Media and Collective Consciousness 00:48:46 - The Race Between Education and Catastrophe 00:49:59 - Wrapping Up the Interview Save

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