Buddha at the Gas Pump

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744. Christina Guimond Dec 09, 2025

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Christina Guimond has always been oriented toward the mysterious, even from early childhood. She grew up in a Catholic family in Nova Scotia, Canada, and later settled in Montreal, where she married and raised four children. When her youngest was ten, a long-dormant curiosity about the nature of existence began to take centre stage. On the 8th day of a Vipassana retreat in 2001, Christina had an awakening that deeply shifted her understanding of self and reality. What followed was fourteen years of dedicated daily meditation and numerous silent retreats within the S.N. Goenka Vipassana tradition. In 2015, a 2nd awakening unfolded—this time bringing a deeper dissolution of personal identity. Around this period, she began studying with Gary Weber, with whom she worked closely until he retired from teaching in 2019. Those years were marked by intense transformation, awakening the body, healing the nervous system, working with attachments, belief, and shadow. In 2017, two further openings occurred. The first was a non-medical NDE - a profound experience of God—an overwhelming sense of divine presence and infinite love. A month later came an even more radical realization: the complete disappearance of self and world into a primal void. It was an encounter with absolute emptiness—an unconditioned reality beneath all phenomena. In that vast nothingness, only an indescribably sublime, subtle awareness was present. Nothing was manifest, yet it was clear this “nothing” held the potential for everything—a living, dynamic void, like a field of infinite possibilities before form appears. In 2022, Christina began working with Angelo DiLullo, M.D., whose guidance led to the final falling away of the remaining identity structure. What remains is a natural, effortless functioning—life living itself. The integration of that realization continues to unfold. Following the invitation and suggestion of Angelo Dilullo, she has been teaching and guiding others through the awakening. Website: christinaguimond.com Mentioned during the interview: Interview with Angelo Dilullo PAPAJI - Consciousness Alone Is Kevin Schanilec's method for working with reactivity. A Heart Blown Open: The Life & Practice of Zen Master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi by Keith Martin-Smith Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Transcript of this interview Interview recorded December 6, 2025

688. Bob Harwood Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Between the age of 20 and 40 I was consumed with a wide range of existential questions, but despite endless thinking and reading, I never found a single answer. Due to some business-related stress at the age of 40, I started a simple meditative exercise as a way to acquire some peace of mind, and within two weeks a major insight occurred that led to more meditative activities. Five months later a huge cosmic-consciousness event answered seven of my questions and catapulted me into a different reality. I then concluded that all answers were "within," and for the next 15 years I went on silent meditation retreats with Christians, Buddhists, and Advaita groups during which all of my other questions got answered. Nevertheless, I still did not feel free. Then, a new question arose, "How is it possible to stay in a unity-conscious state of mind permanently rather than oscillating between a sense of selfhood and no-self?" In 1999, after a deep experience of gratitude on a solo hiking retreat, "the little guy in the head" (the sense of a personal "me") totally vanished, and the result was freedom, contentment, and understanding. Book: Pouring Concrete: A Zen Path to the Kingdom of God – Expanded Edition Bob's email Transcript and summary of this interview Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded August 19, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump00:04:43 - Questioning Beliefs and Exploring Existential Questions00:08:25 - The Journey of Seeking Answers in Zen Philosophy00:12:17 - The Shift in Perception00:16:07 - A Reality Shift00:19:54 - The End of the Construction Company00:24:03 - Realization of the Incomprehensible00:28:16 - Simple answers to Zen riddles00:32:17 - Finding Freedom in the Middle of Responsibilities00:35:50 - Questioning Selfhood and Freedom in the Mountains00:38:59 - The Dissolution of the Sense of Self00:42:30 - The True Self and Identity00:46:00 - The Silence of the Mind00:49:19 - Non-Abidance in the Mind00:52:39 - The Kingdom of God Inside and Outside of You00:55:59 - Shifting Attention Beyond the Mind01:02:47 - The Benefits of Practice and Reconfiguration01:06:16 - The Natural Inclination to Help Others01:09:50 - The Depth of Awakening01:13:12 - Falling Asleep During Meditation01:16:26 - Realizing the Irrelevance of a Silent Mind01:20:00 - Seeking Benefit in the Present Moment01:23:32 - Intuition and the Home of All Knowledge01:27:00 - Knowing and achieving specific things in life01:30:50 - The Blissful State on the Deathbed01:34:07 - Embracing the Unknowable Future01:37:31 - The Universal Sound01:40:44 - The Challenges of Maintaining Friendships01:48:00 - Wrapping Up with Bob

631. Ed Kelly Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

EDWARD F. KELLY is currently a Professor in the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the University of Virginia. He received his Ph.D. in psycholinguistics and cognitive science from Harvard in 1971, and spent the next 15-plus years working mainly in parapsychology, initially at J. B. Rhine’s Institute for Parapsychology, then for ten years through the Department of Electrical Engineering at Duke, and finally through a private research institute in Chapel Hill. Between 1988 and 2002 he worked with a large neuroscience group at UNC-Chapel Hill, mainly carrying out EEG and fMRI studies of human somatosensory cortical adaptation to natural tactile stimuli. He returned full-time to psychical research in 2002, serving as lead author of Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century (2007), Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality (2015), and Consciousness Unbound: Liberating Mind from the Tyranny of Materialism - (2021), all published by Rowman & Littlefield. He is now returning to his central long-term research interest – the application of modern functional neuroimaging methods to intensive psychophysiological studies of psi and ASCs in exceptional subjects. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded January 22, 2022. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:31 - Overhauling Our Worldview 00:08:31 - The Center for Theory and Research at Esalen 00:12:46 - Anomalies in Conventional Ideas 00:16:49 - Mrs. Piper and the Existence of PSI Phenomena 00:21:00 - Maternal Impression Cases and Vivid Imagination 00:24:59 - Intense and Transformative Experiences 00:28:57 - The Astonishing Abilities of Child Prodigies 00:33:19 - The Neglect of Mystical Experiences in Contemporary Science 00:37:40 - Alfred North Whitehead's Metaphysics and Process Philosophy 00:42:17 - Jung and Pauli's Interaction 00:47:04 - Secondary Personalities and Centers of Consciousness 00:51:21 - The Presence of God in All Things 00:55:55 - Differences between Myers and Jung 01:00:35 - The Changing Culture and Challenges to Physicalist Viewpoint 01:04:52 - The Effect of Psilocybin on Brain Activity 01:09:02 - The Connection Between Consciousness and Global Issues 01:13:25 - Enriching Consciousness and the Whole Field 01:17:36 - The Introverted Mystical Experience 01:22:04 - Exploring Mystical and Psi Phenomena 01:26:22 - The Nature of Reality and Consciousness 01:30:35 - Mystical experiences and scientific justification 01:35:16 - The Stealth Worldview of Evolutionary Pantheism 01:39:47 - The Intersection of Science and Mysticism 01:44:21 - Incorporating Quantum Mechanics in the Study of Consciousness 01:49:06 - Marvels of Functioning Atoms and the Intelligence Factor 01:53:38 - Tapping into our Full Potential 01:57:36 - ESP Performance and EEG Methods 02:02:11 - Levitation and the Laws of Nature 02:06:10 - Levitation and Mystical Ecstasy 02:10:06 - Additional Topics Covered

616. Nancy Rynes Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

Nancy Rynes is an inspirational speaker, artist, and author of "Awakenings from the Light: 12 Life Lessons from a Near Death Experience", "Messages from Heaven", and "Walking in the Light: A Daily Guidebook for Enhancing Peace, Love, and Connection", books detailing the lessons she learned from two near-death experiences (NDEs). She is a spiritual explorer, making the path to a peace-filled life clearer for seekers all over the world. Nancy is also a leading voice for bringing eternal, spiritual wisdom into our lives on Earth, developing our heart-centered intuition, and living a life of inspired creativity. Known for her fun, lighthearted, girl-next-door demeanor, Nancy loves teaching others how to live a more purposeful, joyful, creative, and spiritually-inspired life. For more information on Nancy and her current classes, workshops, and events, see NancyRynes.com. Her artwork is available at: NancyRynesStudio.com. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 18, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to "Awakenings from the Light" with Nancy Rynes 00:03:59 - Transition from Atheism to Open-Mindedness in Science 00:08:08 - The Quantum Effects on the Macro Scale 00:13:16 - Consciousness is Fundamental and Non-Duality 00:18:19 - In the Path of an Oncoming Vehicle 00:22:20 - The Accident and Out-of-Body Experience 00:27:36 - Consciousness outside of the body 00:32:18 - A Brush with Death 00:36:52 - A Beautiful Meadow in the Mountains 00:40:47 - Meeting my Spiritual Guide 00:45:14 - Spiritual Growth Through Hard Knocks 00:51:11 - The Impact of Words and Actions 00:56:35 - The Spiritual Echo of Words and Actions 01:01:29 - Embracing Self-Love and Love for the Earth 01:05:13 - Individual Lessons Learned 01:08:37 - Communication with the Other Side 01:12:08 - Remembering Under Anesthesia 01:16:24 - The Intersection of Science and Spirituality 01:20:25 - Trusting Your Intuition 01:23:55 - A Connection with the Past 01:27:28 - A Supernatural Encounter 01:30:44 - The Sound of Interconnectedness 01:33:58 - The Unearthly Beauty of Music 01:37:34 - Seeing the Energy in Nature 01:43:07 - Feeling Disconnected and Finding Connection with Spirits 01:47:35 - A Spooky Encounter 01:51:12 - Memories of Other Lives 01:55:09 - Gratitude, Love, and Appreciation 01:59:25 - Letting Go of Negativity and Moving On 02:03:23 - A Positive Change 02:05:48 - Indigenous Tribes and Environmental Preservation

561. Andrew Hewson Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

Andrew Hewson is a contemporary spiritual teacher whose focus is on the realization of the Presence of Divinity as one’s fundamental Source and Self. Emphasizing transcendence as a process that can not only be undergone in the midst of daily living but even facilitated by it, Andrew speaks from the experiential reality of having been carried by the Grace of total transformation in the context of daily life. Growing up in the Southeastern United States, Andrew’s childhood was characterized by a state of lightness, freedom, and underlying connection. This effortless Way of Being was taken as an unspoken given until an intense qualitative shift took place in his early teens. The condition which once prevailed progressively became replaced by an acute sense of separation, limitation, and lack, leaving little room for functional participation in the common activities of human life. With this radical drop into apparent fragmentation, Andrew began to seek relief wherever possible. This seeking eventually led to the discovery of altered states of consciousness through the use of alcohol and drugs which quickly spiraled into the pits of despair. After years of unsuccessfully attempting to live from such a constricted sense of identity, Andrew found himself in a medical isolation jail cell facing 30 years in prison. It was there, in the midst of absolute hopelessness and despair, that the Grace of Surrender shone forth, bringing about a profound shift in Consciousness. This transformation revealed a Still, Silent Presence, or Field, Divine in Its Nature, and ignited a fire for spiritual evolution. With a natural and impersonal application, Andrew was given to prayer, meditation, and spontaneous investigation into the nature of identity. The process of Transcendence took place in the day-to-day ebb and flow of human life, culminating in the replacement of the sense of a personal, separate self with the Infinite Context of Divinity. This Reality has since lived and loved while engaged in the common activities of the human experience, serving wherever possible while still finding space for silent reflection in Nature and tasting the Infinite expansion of further refinement. The role of speaking and teaching is not something that was decided upon at a given point in time but is rather a spontaneous and uncontainable expression of the Love that prevails in the condition from which the words emerge. Andrew speaks effortlessly by the grace of Divinity and gives all Glory to the One that abides in the Hearts of All. He also lectures on the evolution of conscious experiencing and the application of this understanding in areas of human suffering such as addiction, mental illness, and eating disorders. Andrew currently resides in Western North Carolina with his wife and partner Elle Hewson where they are working together with devoted friends to be of greater service to those who have been called to Truth, Love, and the fulfillment of Our Highest potential. Website: nondual-devotion.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded July 25, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:07 - Addiction and Shift in Identity 00:08:00 - Spiritual Bypassing and Accountability 00:11:50 - Shifting from Dominance of Content and Form 00:15:33 - Moments of Deep Connection and Fragmentation 00:19:47 - Finding the Presence of God in Unexpected Places 00:22:49 - Past Life Development and Spiritual Continuum 00:26:30 - The Grace of Revelation 00:30:38 - The Emergence of Conscious Awareness 00:34:54 - The Full Spectrum of Development 00:38:42 - The Masculine and Feminine Aspects of Consciousness 00:43:23 - Devotion as an impetus to self-realization 00:48:07 - Devotion to truth and the transmission of light 00:52:40 - The Play of Divinity and the "Why" Question 00:57:01 - The Need for Support in Exploring Dark and Challenging Aspects 01:01:05 - The Blossoming Forth of Potential 01:05:58 - Moving from Seeking to Devotion 01:10:34 - The Sprouting of Possibilities 01:14:46 - The Four Pillars of Observation and Understanding 01:19:05 - The Dynamics of Silent Seeing and Pure Awareness 01:23:54 - The Hidden Potential of the Self 01:27:56 - Perception of Essential Nature 01:32:34 - The Kybalion and the Mind-Blowing Universe 01:36:36 - Transmutation and the Blossoming of Divinity 01:40:12 - Resolving the Split in Spiritual Identity 01:43:52 - Transmutation and Field of Attention 01:47:13 - Divine Displacement and the Four Pillars 01:50:13 - Quotes on Awareness and Impeccability 01:53:42 - The Blessing of Failure 01:57:34 - The Power of Divinity Revealed 02:00:45 - Farewell and Gratitude

535. Diane Hennacy Powell Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

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

205. Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Nov 18, 2013

Show notes

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Ph.D. is a Sufi teacher and author. Born in London he moved to Northern California in 1991 and founded the Golden Sufi Center, (goldensufi.org). In recent years the focus of his writing and teaching has been on spiritual responsibility in our present time of global crisis, and an awakening global consciousness of oneness (workingwithoneness.org) (Working with Oneness). More recently he has written about the feminine (The Return of the Feminine and the World Soul), and the emerging subject of Spiritual Ecology (emergencemagazine.org) He has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on Super Soul Sunday and featured on the Global Spirit Series shown on PBS. His most recent book is Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth. Much of this interview focused on the topic of that book. Other books: Darkening of the Light: Witnessing the End of an Era Fragments of a Love Story: Reflections on the Life of a Mystic Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart Alchemy of Light: Working with the Primal Energies of Life Love Is a Fire: The Sufi's Mystical Journey Home Catching the Thread: Sufism, Dreamwork, and Jungian Psychology Spiritual Power: How It Works The Signs of God The Face Before I Was Born: A Spiritual Autobiography The Bond with the Beloved: The Inner Relationship of the Lover and the Beloved Travelling the Path of Love: Sayings of Sufi Masters Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/10/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Llewellyn Vaughan- Lee and his work 00:02:23 - The Key to a Different World 00:04:57 - The Beginning of My Spiritual Journey 00:07:04 - The beginning of my spiritual journey above Mrs. Tweedie 00:08:53 - The Decision to Go to America 00:10:37 - Spiritual Freedom in California 00:12:37 - Learning from a Spiritual Teacher 00:14:52 - A State of Pure Light and Bliss 00:16:32 - Oneness and Shattered Ego 00:18:48 - Reconstituting the ego around a different center of consciousness 00:20:58 - "Abiding after Passing Away" 00:23:44 - The Compilation of Essays 00:26:47 - Our Responsibility Towards Creation 00:29:41 - Becoming Responsible spiritual citizens of the world 00:32:09 - The Next Step: Servanthood 00:34:18 - The Contribution of Spiritual People 00:36:25 - The Listening of the Heart 00:38:13 - The Forgotten Spiritual Body of the Earth 00:40:23 - Sustainability and the Responsibility to Creation 00:42:48 - The Great Chain of Being and the Ecological Crisis 00:45:13 - The Quest for the Grail 00:48:19 - The Awakening and Service to the Whole 00:48:41 - Keeping Integrity Amidst Commercialization 00:50:50 - Embracing the responsibility of awakening 00:53:00 - Connecting through the Web of Light 00:55:11 - Beneficial and Less Beneficial Forces in the World 00:57:22 - Censored from an Awareness of Inner Beings 00:59:29 - The Inclusiveness of Oneness 01:01:32 - Prayer for the Earth and Spiritual Intimacy 01:03:55 - A Connection between People and the World 01:06:10 - Music

183. Gary Weber Jul 15, 2013

Show notes

The author was raised in a devout Methodist home and through early adolescence was involved in religious affairs, giving annual religious talks. From early adolescence until his late twenties, he went through a secular life with marriage, two children, undergraduate school, military service, and then graduate school. Following a near-death experience in the military, he became intent on deeply exploring what was possible to bring understanding to life, to personally experience “enlightenment”, and to end the mental turmoil and suffering he experienced and saw in those around him. One day, reading what turned out to be a famous Zen poem that he had happened upon “by accident”, the normal world fell away and he was in a state never before experienced and beyond any context, he knew. After some time the state passed, but he was left with a burning desire to return to whatever it was that he had experienced. He went deeply into Zen meditation, and then various yogas, first so that he could sit for longer periods and then to work with the body to further inquiry. This process continued for over 25 years through a series of jobs in different industrial companies eventually reaching the senior executive level of a major company with 1000 folk, 4 research laboratories and a budget of $260M; children were raised, went off to college, etc. During this time, there were many experiences and “enlightenments”, but nothing that was lasting, that really touched the core of reality or that ended the suffering brought about by thought. One day, after having consciously surrendered every attachment, and given up completely on being able to reach the final understanding “by his efforts”, doing an asana done thousands of times before, a complete shift in consciousness occurred in which self-referential thought fell away and all that happened, happened in stillness and presence. He realized that he was not this body, nor these thoughts, but the undying consciousness behind them. He saw that everything was perfect as it was and that all was somehow within him, and that simultaneously everything was God. This shift was so complete and radical that he soon left his executive position, did many silent retreats and visits to Zen masters, and yoga teachers in the U.S. and India to confirm and deepen his understanding. To further test his understanding, and to see if it was possible to function successfully from an awakened state, he took other complex, high responsibility, upper-level management positions in fields in which he had no previous experience, and was successful. Since then, he has taught, authored two books, a blog, several articles, numerous videos, interviews, and presentations on nonduality and neuroscience at various conferences and universities. He has been a subject and/or collaborator in cognitive neuroscience and meditation studies at Baumann Institute, IONS, CSNSC, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Penn State. Books: Happiness Beyond Thought: A Practical Guide to Awakening Dancing Beyond Thought: Bhagavad Gita Verses and Dialogues on Awakening Website: Awakening Beyond Thought Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/13/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:05:44 - Pursuing self-inquiry 00:09:37 - The Importance of Practice and Change 00:12:46 - Letting Go of Attachments 00:16:39 - The Presence of Stillness 00:20:41 - Levels of Thought and Mind 00:26:15 - Nipping Thoughts in the Bud 00:30:58 - The Wise Know that I do Nothing at All 00:35:30 - "The Emptiness Dance" and Recognizing the Dance 00:39:21 - Letting Go of Attachments 00:43:33 - Being Present for Others 00:48:31 - The Mistake of the Intellect and Surrendering to the Divine Dance 00:53:38 - The Sweetness of Empty Fullness 00:57:40 - Reconnecting with the Infinite 01:02:14 - The Sweet Space Within Us 01:06:34 - The Importance of Practice and Training 01:10:13 - The Importance of Practice 01:13:29 - The Importance of Sustained Non-Dual Experience 01:16:40 - The Benefits of Meditation Practice and Endless Enlargement 01:20:41 - The Beauty and Power of Sanskrit Chanting 01:24:46 - The Brain's Capacity for Development and Exploration 01:28:20 - Conversations with Spiritual Masters 01:31:50 - Not having control over the fruits of action 01:35:01 - Collaborating with Scientists on Meditation Research 01:38:21 - Defining Awakening in a Secular and Scientific Way 01:42:16 - The Ultimate Scientific Tool: The Nervous System 01:46:31 - Changing Consciousnesss with Psychedelics 01:49:54 - Fulfillment of Desires and Letting Go 01:53:06 - Serendipitous Moments of Life's Confirmation 01:56:28 - The Power of Desire and Attention 02:00:02 - Closing Music

167. Amoda Maa Apr 01, 2013

Show notes

Amoda Maa is a contemporary spiritual teacher, author, and speaker. After years of spiritual seeking, meditation, and immersion in psychospiritual practices, an experience of the dark night of the soul led her to a profound inner awakening. Then, after a long period of integration, she began speaking from silence in small gatherings. Today she offers meetings and retreats, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and events, attracting spiritual seekers and people looking for peace and fulfillment in an increasingly chaotic world. Her teachings are free of religion and tradition, and she brings to them a deep understanding of the human journey, born out of her own experience. She is the author of Radical Awakening (originally released as How to Find God in Everything) and Change Your Life, Change Your World: Ten Spiritual Lessons for a New Way of Being and Living. Both books were written shortly after her awakening and before she began to speak in public. Her new book Embodied Enlightenment — written 15 years after her awakening — is based on the many conversations at the cutting edge of spiritual inquiry in her meetings with people from all around the world, and addresses many of the questions relevant to today’s seeker. It has been acclaimed as “a beautiful and precious gift to an emerging new humanity.” Amoda lives with her husband and beloved, Kavi, in California. Website: amodamaa.com Amoda Maa in panel discussion: Birthing Radiant Being into Our Humanity Second interview with Amoda Maa Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 3/23/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Amoda Maa Jeevan 00:04:53 - Childhood Dreams and Academic Struggles 00:07:37 - The Loss and Opening of Self 00:11:47 - Surrendering to Life and Opening to Love 00:16:09 - A Dark Night of the Soul 00:20:10 - Embracing the Darkness and Gratitude 00:25:17 - The Birth of the Christ Consciousness 00:28:30 - The Essence of the Experience 00:32:08 - Finding My Path 00:35:22 - Awakening and Enlightenment 00:39:13 - The Capacity to Accept and the Misunderstanding 00:43:13 - The Potential of Suffering as a Doorway 00:46:45 - Awakening to the Divine Co-Creative Force 00:49:33 - Embracing the Dark and Painful Parts Within Ourselves 00:53:01 - The Cycle of Abuse and Re-Triggering 00:56:35 - Accepting and Processing Harmful Situations 00:59:54 - Investigating Vulnerability and Fear 01:03:43 - Facing the Abyss: The Power of Present Awareness 01:07:20 - The Importance of Reminding and Supporting Each Other 01:10:28 - The Paradox of Meditation Practice 01:13:40 - Authenticity and Continuous Unfoldment 01:17:09 - The Concept of God and Awakeness 01:20:01 - The Profound Intelligence in Creation 01:23:54 - Seeing the God in Everything 01:27:20 - The Evolution of Awakening and Embodiment of Enlightenment 01:30:14 - The Contradiction of "Nothing New Under the Sun" and "Only a New Seed can Yield a New Crop" 01:33:28 - Embracing the Body and the World 01:36:26 - The Teachings of the Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother 01:39:40 - The Paradox of Optimism 01:43:20 - The Transition and Contribution of Spiritual Teachers 01:46:06 - Links and Contact Info Save Save Save Save Save

50. Ananta Kranti Dec 13, 2010

Show notes

Ananta grew up in London and left England aged 19, with the desire to live as a free being. This first expressed itself through travel and lead her to Asia in 1989 where she has lived ever since. Searching to find the Truth of herself she found her way to the Osho commune in Pune, India where she explored meditation and Self-awareness groups for more than 10 years, also working with people for several years in the healing fields. In 1994 she entered a two and half year period of silence in a Japanese prison. During this period True Freedom was realized. That which has always been Free, Full and Enough unto Itself! The Peace that is the ground of all experience. The Love that does not need an experience of Love. The happiness that is our True Nature without needing an experience of happiness.... revealed itSelf to ItSelf. Coming back into 'the world' in 1997, there followed a period of confusion as personality and drama began to reappear causing the search to go on. In 2000 she then found her way to Intensive Satsang with Dolano in Pune, where the confusion was cleared and no way to turn back from the clear recognition of 'Who Am I'. This naturally started the unfolding of the integration process where all personality issues come home in Truth. Where bound up life energy, held by beliefs and illusions, reappear to be met in the light, where transformation happens. Through her own Self-Realization, her main area of focus is Now facilitating, the simple direct sharing of the realization of our True Nature, through all that appears to play in the ordinariness of life itself. Among the expressions of same Self who have greatly influenced Ananta's way of sharing are the spiritual teachers Gangaji and Dolano who use the direct inquiry of "Who Am I?" passed down from Ramana Maharshi. Her site: ananta-kranti.com Interview recorded 12/11/2010 Quality is poor in places due to slow bandwidth in Thailand. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Awakening in a Japanese Prison 00:03:23 - The Strong Calling for Silence and Truth 00:06:40 - The Search for Freedom 00:10:05 - Searching for Meaning Within 00:13:16 - A Life-Changing Encounter with Osho 00:16:14 - Life Changes After Jail 00:19:13 - Carrying Baggage 00:22:10 - Solitary Confinement in Prison 00:25:22 - Working in Silence 00:27:53 - The Strength and Intensity in Japanese Discipline 00:30:29 - Surrender and the Shift 00:34:39 - The Ocean of Existence 00:38:27 - Integration into the Outside World 00:41:57 - The Journey of Self-Discovery in Thailand 00:45:33 - Shifting from Identification to "I am that" 00:49:34 - The Shift in Perception and Relationship Difficulties 00:53:37 - The Awakening and Integration Process 00:57:05 - The Question about Relationships and Freedom 01:00:44 - Sharing the Awakening Experience 01:05:10 - End of the "me" story and the beginning of awakening 01:08:31 - Surrender and Ego Death 01:11:19 - Balancing the Exclusion and Inclusion of the Personal 01:14:33 - Comfort with Paradox and Ambiguity 01:18:11 - Settling Down and Listening to the Body 01:24:45 - A Rich Experience of Being Able to Relate to Many Walks of Life 01:27:24 - Recognizing the Truth Within 01:29:37 - The Value of Ramana Maharshi 01:32:35 - The Shift in Yoga Practice and Spiritual Progress 01:35:09 - Closing Remarks 01:37:00 - Conclusion and Future Interviews Save

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