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Buddha at the Gas Pump

Buddha at the Gas Pump
Author: Rick Archer
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Copyright © by Rick Archer, 2010-2025
Description
The implication of the title - Buddha at the Gas Pump - is that ordinary people are experiencing higher states of consciousness once thought to be rare and difficult to attain.
People everywhere are undergoing a shift or awakening to their true nature. For some, this shift has been abrupt and dramatic. For others, it has been so gradual that they may not have realized it has occurred.
Such shifts, or awakenings, are not new: Christ spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven within, Buddhists speak of Nirvana, Zen masters of Satori, Hindus of Moksha, but these traditions generally regard these states as rare and difficult to attain.
Many people are therefore skeptical of claims of higher states of consciousness. They find it hard to believe that apparently ordinary friends and neighbors might be experiencing something extraordinary. Maybe they expect Enlightenment to look as remarkable on the outside as it is reputed to be on the inside.
This show will attempt to dispel skepticism and misconceptions by week after week, allowing otherwise ordinary people to relate their experience of spiritual awakening. The terminology is tricky, because there are no universally agreed upon definitions to describe this experience. So please forgive us if we use some unfamiliar terms. We will try to clarify our definitions as we go along.
Perhaps, after a while, those listening will become convinced that genuine and permanent spiritual awakenings are not just a pipe dream, but are real and are becoming relatively commonplace.
These podcasts are the audio track of a weekly interview show which may be seen as videos on our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/buddhaatthegaspump). Also see the main site: http://batgap.com.
For search purposes, I will add the following to this description - batgap, Buddha at the Gaspump, Buddah at the Gas Pump.
People everywhere are undergoing a shift or awakening to their true nature. For some, this shift has been abrupt and dramatic. For others, it has been so gradual that they may not have realized it has occurred.
Such shifts, or awakenings, are not new: Christ spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven within, Buddhists speak of Nirvana, Zen masters of Satori, Hindus of Moksha, but these traditions generally regard these states as rare and difficult to attain.
Many people are therefore skeptical of claims of higher states of consciousness. They find it hard to believe that apparently ordinary friends and neighbors might be experiencing something extraordinary. Maybe they expect Enlightenment to look as remarkable on the outside as it is reputed to be on the inside.
This show will attempt to dispel skepticism and misconceptions by week after week, allowing otherwise ordinary people to relate their experience of spiritual awakening. The terminology is tricky, because there are no universally agreed upon definitions to describe this experience. So please forgive us if we use some unfamiliar terms. We will try to clarify our definitions as we go along.
Perhaps, after a while, those listening will become convinced that genuine and permanent spiritual awakenings are not just a pipe dream, but are real and are becoming relatively commonplace.
These podcasts are the audio track of a weekly interview show which may be seen as videos on our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/buddhaatthegaspump). Also see the main site: http://batgap.com.
For search purposes, I will add the following to this description - batgap, Buddha at the Gaspump, Buddah at the Gas Pump.
674 Episodes
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Swami Padmanabha is a Gaudiya Vaishnava monk, scholar, and spiritual teacher known for his eloquent synthesis of devotion, unconditional love, and contemplative theology. A prolific author and global speaker, he has written hundreds of articles and three books—translated into various languages—which have been widely praised by academics, practitioners, and general readers alike.
He is the founder of the Tadatmya Alliance and hosts The Free Radical Podcast, where he engages voices from diverse traditions in heartfelt dialogue. Fluent in English and Spanish, Swami regularly lectures at universities, spiritual communities, and interfaith gatherings around the world. His writings and teachings are cherished for their intellectual richness, poetic insight, and transformative clarity.
For over twenty-five years, Swami Padmanabha has traveled extensively, mentoring others and leading retreats, while drawing inspiration from the wisdom of his many guides. His talks and seminars are freely accessible at swamipadmanabha.com, inviting listeners into a space of thoughtful inquiry, inner stillness, and sacred relationship.
Books:
Inherent or Inherited? Bhakti in the Jiva According to Gaudiya Vedanta
Radical Personalism: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion
Evolution in Divine Love: The Eternal Becoming of God, Soul, and Matter
Websites:
swamipadmanabha.com
tadatmya.org
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded August 24, 2025
Michael Bradford has been involved in research into Kundalini and consciousness for more than 45 years. In 1977 he traveled to India where he spent six years serving as a volunteer for the Central Institute for Kundalini Research, founded and directed by the late Pandit Gopi Krishna, the noted authority on Kundalini.
Michael has been a board member of the Institute for Consciousness Research (I.C.R.) since it was founded in the 1990’s, and has been Director of Publications during this time. In 2015, he also became a board member of the Emerging Sciences Foundation (E.S.F.). He was also a founding member of the Kundalini Research Network (K.R.N.) and served as joint coordinator for the organization from 1993 to 1995.
In 2014, Michael retired from a career in the IT consulting field, and since then he has been working to make Gopi Krishna’s theories more widely known, and to encourage research into Kundalini and consciousness.
Michael can be contacted at newparadigm246@gmail.com
Books:
Consciousness: The New Paradigm by Michael Bradford
Gopi Krishna-A biography: Kundalini, Consciousness and Our Evolution to Enlightenment by Teri Degler
Living with Kundalini - the Autobiography of Gopi Krishna by Gopi Krishna
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded August 16, 2025
While expanding his education and eventually working at a number or companies as an HF engineer, Dan's first love was always spiritual exploration. In 2011, after a number of years of trial and error refining the process of self inquiry into deep self investigation, there came an undeniable recognition that he was not a separate self. Simply no one at all. There was only the selfless THIS, "aware existence". This became his permanent condition.
Soon after, (from a certain perspective), Dan left a successful corporate position and his old life, following an intuited impulse to be in a more free, natural and creative circumstance. He now lives with his wife Victoria in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, loving nature, exploring various forms of artistic expression and guiding others to awakening.
Website: deepselfinvestigation.com
Book: Deep Self Investigation: A Modern Guide to Awakening
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded July 19, 2025
Savita is a spiritual teacher, mentor, embodiment facilitator and healer.
She experienced a profound shift in consciousness after great tragedy, followed by years of further spiritual openings, mystical experiences and her own deep healing.
She meets people with generosity, humour and grounded practicality. Providing a safe space for them to open to their own divine light and inner wisdom.
Website: savita.com.au
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded July 6, 2025
Aedamar Kirrane - Mystical Awakening & Divine Love
Former barrister turned philosopher and writer, Aedamar Kirrane experienced a spontaneous mystical awakening that began in 2015 and continues to unfold. Unable to find any support or understanding within her own Christian tradition she embarked on a deep enquiry to understand the inner dynamics and telos of awakening. She came to believe in life as an original blessing rather than the doctrine of original sin that she thinks has destroyed our sense of ourselves as sacred beings.
Her spiritual autobiography is Light on Fire: Waking Up to Divine Love, published 2021. Through ongoing reflection and curiosity she has developed her own threefold mystical cosmology that understands creation in the pattern of exodus and return; that recognises all of life as sacred, described through the concept of panentheism; and that the purpose of human life is deification or the return to our divine state while still in human form.
All this is set within the context of the Great Awakening we are living through now, of which the human experience is a micro version. She has come to recognise that spontaneity is characteristic of the human experience of an evolutionary shift in consciousness. Aedamar's awakening is mediated through her mystical and spiritual writing and she recognises sacred writing as its own spiritual path that she calls The Via Scriptoria.
Aedamar's visions are published on aedamarkirrane.com. She blogs at The New Scriptorium.
Aedamar will be opening a wisdom school called "The Mystical Birth of the True Self" in September. It will be a nine month programme to support awakening to our inner divinity. If you would like to be notified when it is formally announced please visit her website to sign up for her newsletter or sign up here.
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded June 21, 2025
Jurgen Ziewe is not a teacher in the traditional sense, but a witness—one who has journeyed beyond the boundaries of self into the vast stillness of unity consciousness. For over five decades, his life has unfolded as an ongoing exploration of multidimensional reality, shaped by a profound meditation practice and spontaneous Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs) that opened the doorway to a deeper truth.
A moment of unexpected clarity during an ordinary breakfast catalyzed Jurgen’s first direct experience beyond the body—an event that would transform his life and initiate hundreds of journeys into higher realms. What he discovered was not theory, but a living presence—structured, luminous, and more real than waking life.
Rather than building an identity around these experiences, Jurgen surrendered ever more deeply into stillness. His work, including the acclaimed books Multidimensional Man, Vistas of Infinity, and The Ten Minute Moment, offers not just insight but transmission—a quiet resonance that awakens something remembered but long forgotten.
Audiences often speak of his presence as calming, expansive, and strangely familiar. His seminars and talks evoke deep shifts—not through persuasion, but through the palpable stillness from which he speaks.
A renowned illustrator by profession, Jurgen now brings his inner visions to life using cutting-edge virtual reality and AI, offering immersive glimpses into realities beyond the senses.
He offers no dogma, only a clear, ego-free reflection of the vast peace and joy available when the self dissolves into unity. His life is not a performance, but a quiet act of service—a transmission from stillness to stillness.
Books:
Multidimensional Man (2008)
Vistas of Infinity (2015),
The Ten Minute Moment
Explorations in Consciousness: A New Approach to Out-of-Body Experiences
The Phase: Shattering the Illusion of Reality
New Territories
Elysium Unveiled: A Visual Odyssey of Life Eternal
Websites:
multidimensionalman.com
Some of Jurgen’s “multidimensional” artwork
Virtual reality videos
Celestial-Song – Angel of the Earth – A new virtual reality project between Jurgen and composer Craig Pruess
Jurgen’s commercial art
Videos:
About Elysium Unveiled - A Visual Journey through Life Eternal
A video of the final chapter of Jurgen's book “Multidimensional Man” "which illustrates better than the words in my book the entry into Unity consciousness during an Out-of-body experience."
"A spontaneous entry into unity consciousness after I recovered from a cancer operation in 2011"
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
First BatGap interview with Jurgen
Summary and transcript of this interview.
Interview recorded June 7, 2025
Diarmuid O'Murchu, a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, is a social psychologist whose early working life had been in social ministry, predominantly in London, UK. In more recent years he has worked as a workshop leader and group facilitator, conducting programmes on Adult Faith Development across several countries. He is a widely read author, with many of his books listed on this webpage. Now as a retired missionary, he lives in Dublin, Ireland.
Books:
When the Disciple Comes of Age: Christian Identity in the Twenty-first Century
Doing Theology in an Evolutionary Way
Divine Radiance in Human Evolution
Ecological Spirituality
Website: diarmuidomurchu.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded May 17, 2025
Julie Seido Nelson is a transmitted teacher (Sensei) in the Maezumi Roshi Zen lineage. Her home Zen community is the Greater Boston Zen Center, a sangha which has experienced three major upheavals due to teacher arrogance and abuses of power over the last several years. She is also a teacher at the Great Plains Zen Center in Monroe, Wisconsin, and has written for Buddhist audiences in Tricycle magazine and on her blog.
Having begun Zen practice in 2004, she has found it to be of immense value. She is deeply saddened when people, either in addition to or instead of realizing the benefits, suffer great harm.
When not reflecting writing about Zen, she sometimes writes and give talks based on her pre-retirement academic work as a feminist and ecological economist. She enjoys visiting her two children and two grandchildren and enjoying the New England outdoors.
Books:
Practicing Safe Zen: Navigating the Pitfalls on the Road to Liberation (Monkfish, 2025)
Amazon
Indie Pubs
Economics for Humans (University of Chicago Press, 2nd ed. 2018)
Website: julieanelson.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded May 11, 2025
Stephan Martin is an astronomer, educator, and author who has taught astronomy, physics, and consciousness studies at colleges, universities, and learning centers across the US for over thirty years. He is currently Director of the Deeptime Leadership Program at the Deeptime Network, where he helps develop and facilitate transformative and innovative leadership programs that support a flourishing future that works for all. Steve is active in leading workshops, lectures, and experiences that bring insights and wisdom from the cosmos down to Earth and everyday life. His first book Cosmic Conversations is a multidisciplinary approach to exploring the universe through the lenses of science, spirituality and culture, and his second book Living a Cosmic Life helps people navigate crisis and change from a cosmic evolutionary perspective. You can find more about him at: cosmicconversations.org and dtnetwork.org.
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded April 25, 2025
Mary Mueller Shutan is a spiritual healer, teacher, and author. She is the author of
The Spiritual Awakening Guide: Kundalini, Psychic Abilities, and the Conditioned Layers of Reality
Managing Psychic Abilities: A Real World Guide for the Highly Sensitive Person
Shadow Work for the Soul: Seeing Beauty in the Dark
The Body Deva: Working with the Spiritual Consciousness of the Body
Working with Kundalini: An Experiential Guide to the Process of Awakening
The Shamanic Workbook series, and
The Complete Cord Course: Working with Cords through Energy Work and Shamanic Healing
She combines her extensive education with her personal meditative practices and direct revelation of the spirit world. She has been serving her community as a spiritual healer and teacher since 2004.
Website: maryshutan.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Full interview, edited for readability
Interview recorded April 5, 2025
Diane Hennacy Powell, M.D. is the chief scientist involved in The Telepathy Tapes, a podcast about non-speaking autistic children who are extraordinarily telepathic.
"In a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism—individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated. These silent communicators possess gifts that defy conventional understanding, from telepathy to otherworldly perceptions, challenging the limits of what we believe to be real. For years, their parents and teachers have quietly witnessed these remarkable abilities, knowing that the time to share their truth would eventually come. But now, as the evidence mounts, the time has come to reveal what has been hidden in plain sight.
This groundbreaking series challenges everything we think we know about communication and the human mind, inviting viewers to step into a reality where the impossible is not only possible but happening every day. Through emotional stories and undeniable evidence, The Telepathy Tapes offers a fresh perspective on the profound connections that exist beyond words. Traveling with neuroscientist Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, witnessing mind-boggling telepathy tests and forging deeply intimate relationships with families around the globe, host Ky Dickens invites you to contemplate the world through the eyes of those who speak without words. Prepare to be captivated, challenged, and ultimately transformed as the series shines a light on the untold capabilities of those who have been underestimated for far too long."
Dr. Powell 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 launched by Deepak Chopra.
Website: drdianehennacy.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
First BatGap interview with Dr. Powell
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded March 23, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Fascinating Anecdote of Precognition
00:03:15 The Rise of the Telepathy Tapes Podcast
00:05:48 Impact of Telepathy Tapes on Community
00:08:39 Telepathy and Consciousness in Pre-Verbal Babies
00:12:29 Psychic Communication in Babies and Autistic Children
00:16:12 Non-Verbal Communication in Animals
00:19:28 Unique Traffic Culture in Iran
00:22:49 Exploring Telepathy among Children
00:25:35 The Phenomenon of Psychic Fields in Lucid Dreaming
00:28:15 Elon Musk's Patent on Telepathy and Its Implications
00:31:36 Paradigm Shifts and Materialism
00:35:31 The Role of Consciousness in Physics and Reality Co-Creation
00:38:40 Remote Viewing and Military Research
00:42:25 Social Benefits of the Hill
Dr. Neil Schuitevoerder, a clinical and organizational psychologist, has been doing spiritual practices for 50 years. He's no longer interested in his ego's story, so here's the story of his soul's evolution: He had early instruction in how to use a pendulum, which led to the opening of his intuitive knowing, which has continued to expand into higher stages. His intense meditation practices in his 20s led to illness, and he was guided to return to a householder life as husband and father. He continued practices in mystical Judaism, then turned to Vedanta, kundalini, and other Hindu practices. With a kundalini master, and with the Diamond Approach technique of Inquiry, he opened the higher chakras and began to experience states of unity and nonduality, first with a near object, such as a tree, then with a far object, such as the galaxy. Slowly, the dualities of self/other, near/far, past/future, dissolved, and his knowing expanded to include the distant past, his past lives, his rebirth in this lifetime, and his ability to travel in subtle bodies to the subtle planes, including conversing with the deceased. His mind emptied out, then his body became empty, containing the whole galaxy, a nondual body. Then his astral body emptied out, and he no longer "traveled" but was united with the subtle mental and causal planes, all within him. The state of bliss is always accessible. The local identity of Neil remains when he functions in the world, as he lives in dual and nondual levels of awareness simultaneously.
Neil's has a podcast with his wife, Connie Zweig, about his ongoing awakening and what it's like to live in the world in advanced levels of consciousness -- Dr. Neil's Spiritual Awakening to Nonduality. It posts on Apple, Spotify, and all platforms.
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded March 15, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Different Levels of Perception
00:02:35 Soul's Evolution and Spiritual Practices
00:06:23 Journey of Consciousness and Skepticism
00:10:27 Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences
00:13:59 Exploring Consciousness and Cosmic Manifestation
00:17:19 Extraordinary Abilities in Blind Individuals
00:21:08 Understanding Freedom and Non-Attachment
00:25:32 The Importance of Moral Development in Spiritual Growth
00:30:46 Exploring Multidimensional Consciousness
00:34:03 Exploring the Buddhic Plane and Astral Projection
00:38:55 Understanding Subtle Body Layers and Incarnation Process
00:42:07 Exploring Reincarnation and Astral Realms
00:46:36 Exploring the Universe and Spiritual Liberation
00:51:36 The Nature of True Governance according to Lao Tzu
00:54:01 The Role of Ego in Daily Life
00:57:52 Understanding the Reduction of Thoughts and Ego
01:02:11 Understanding A.H. Almas's Protocol
01:06:05 Telepathic Abilities and Humanity's Shift
01:11:09 The Coexistence of Creation and Destruction Forces
01:15:21 The Cosmic Perspective: Our Place in the Universe
01:19:38 Energy Healing and Silent Therapy
01:23:35 Do Microbes Have Souls and Their Evolutionary Journey
01:27:50 Chakras and the Evolution of Consciousness
01:31:00 Understanding Chakras and Energy Centers
01:34:55 Exploring Spiritual Evolution and Incarnation
01:38:52 Understanding Shadow Material and Spiritual Bypassing
01:43:09 The Importance of Spiritual Community and Marriage
01:47:18 Embracing Pain Through Meditation
01:51:31 Exploring the Connection Between Consciousness and the Body-Heart
01:55:45 Exploring the Concept of the Vajra Body
01:58:30 Upcoming Interview with Diane Hennessey Powell on Telepathy Tapes
Although Lisa worked as a chemical engineer, spirituality always was the priority in her life. In 2009, at a silent retreat, her thought-based identity dropped away, and she saw only the single flow of benevolence in all that is.
When some of those thoughts returned a few weeks later (less convincing than before), there also came a deep curiosity to inquire into those thoughts. She developed many tools to return to a lived experience of the deeper knowing. Both of her books share these tools. All that is is a vibrant expression erupting from a single full emptiness.
Website: experiencingthetrueself.com
Books:
An Unprincipled Life: Living from the Unknown
Living Awake: 20 Techniques to End "I Got It; I Lost It"
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded January 26, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump Series
00:04:27 Early Childhood Spiritual Insights
00:08:09 Exploring the Astral Body and Embodiment
00:11:15 Understanding the Koshas: Layers of Existence
00:15:16 Discovering Inner Strength Through Adversity
00:19:44 The Journey of Pure Intelligence and Self-Rediscovery
00:23:47 Understanding the Mind: A Sense Organ analogy
00:27:56 Discovering the Root of Aliveness in Spiritual Practice
00:31:05 Embracing Life's Uncertainties and Letting Go of Control
00:34:18 Understanding Impermanence in Awakening
00:38:12 Embracing Flexibility in Life's Demands
00:42:34 Understanding Life's Impetus
00:47:11 Parenting Lessons from Calvin and Hobbes
00:51:44 Spiritual Principles in Dire Situations
00:55:33 The Power of Positivity and Human Kindness
00:58:56 Choosing Challenging Lifetimes for Wisdom
01:02:29 Exploring Past Life Memories
01:06:48 Concept of Past Lives and Dimensions
01:11:42 Finding Positivity in Adversity: Lessons from Prisoners
01:17:00 The Illusion of Shoulds and Self-Realization
01:20:57 The Balance of Opposing Forces and Human Nature
01:25:15 Experiencing Wisdom in a Different Realm
01:29:49 Understanding Malignant Narcissism in Leadership
01:33:25 Embracing Life's Harmony and Challenges
01:36:44 The Role of Creativity and Connection in Environmental Action
01:40:16 Climate Change and Thwaites Glacier Threat
01:42:32 Embracing Inner Wisdom vs. Scientific Method
01:46:06 Integrating Science with Inner Wisdom
01:50:29 Embracing Personal Growth and Self-Reflection
01:55:24 Political Perspectives and Third Party Hopes
01:59:09 Embracing Open Dialogue and Challenging Ideas
Born and raised in San Diego, CA, and currently residing in Carlsbad, CA, Eli Recht is a licensed psychotherapist (LMFT), EMDR clinician, spiritual counselor, editor, and teacher of Self-realization.
In 2020, Eli experienced a falling away of ego identity and an awakening to the true nature of Reality. As a result, Eli has dedicated his life to service – to help alleviate suffering, cultivate connection, guide people through the often-confusing journey of Life, and invite others to recognize our shared unconditioned essence.
Eli’s specialty is blending contemporary psychological knowledge with timeless spiritual wisdom and advocating for the integration of these two disciplines.
Website: elirecht.com
Books (Editor and Foreword):
Grace Happens: An Awakening of Consciousness
Reflections of Consciousness: Essays on the Journey of Awakening and the Nature of Reality
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded January 11, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump Series
00:03:56 Discovering Spiritual Insights through "Buddha at the Gas Pump"
00:09:14 Discovering Eastern Thought at Deer Park Monastery
00:15:21 Exploring Higher States of Consciousness Through Music
00:19:32 The Challenges of Kriya Yoga Practice
00:24:04 Struggles with Kriya Yoga and Finding Purpose
00:28:25 Journey to Emotional and Psychological Healing
00:33:16 Understanding Kundalini Activation and Its Effects
00:38:00 Discovering My Higher Self
00:41:31 Differentiating Awakening from Psychosis
00:45:44 The Path of Perseverance and Enlightenment
00:49:48 Realization of Oneness and Unity
00:54:33 The Importance of Service Post-Awakening
01:00:47 Understanding the Transition from Ego-Identification to Ego-Transcendence
01:04:41 The Influence of Meher Baba and the Journey to Self-Realization
01:09:36 Embracing a Different Memory Post-Awakening
01:13:03 Navigating Non-Doership and Embodiment
01:18:00 Understanding the Ego and Brahman
01:21:01 Rocket Ship as a Metaphor for Awakening
01:25:44 Understanding Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening
01:30:48 Illuminating the Ego: Pre and Post Awakening
01:35:40 Challenges of Kundalini Awakening
01:39:29 The Relationship Between Ego and Self-Realization
01:44:19 Navigating the Role of a Spiritual Teacher
01:49:30 The Role of Spirituality in Addressing Mental Illness
01:53:13 Humanity's Journey Through Suffering to Awakening
01:58:20 The Role of Donations in Spiritual Endeavors
02:02:07 Vision for a Peaceful Humanity
02:06:18 Exploring Life's Big Questions: Meaning, Reality, and Participation
02:10:52 Embracing the Present Moment: The Power of What over Why
02:16:25 Upcoming Interview with Lisa Carrillo
After a 14-year Meditation Journey, Philip experientially realized the nature of the True Self which referred to itself as Infinite Silence.
In his former life, Philip was a Chartered Civil Engineer and Operating Group Director of a large business. In 2000 in response to dreaming about work on a skiing holiday Philip began Meditation. Ultimately, this led him to leave his old world behind in 2009 at the height of his career to focus on a deep inner calling.
Since 2014 he has shared the gift of Self Realization with the world in ways led by Meditative Insight through direct experience of the Infinite Silence Meditation, Spiritual Inquiry, Infinite Touch and via his website and other outlets. His style is simple, compassionate and offers exquisite clarity. His sharing is all based on direct experience, is not rooted in any tradition and is ideal for the present era. Unexpectedly, Philip was both inspired and invited to offer events in person in the UK, Iceland, Greece (Corfu and Crete) and Amsterdam and globally online.
Philip lives near the small but very beautiful Cathedral City of Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. With his Wife Sue, they have created a purpose-built Meditation space for events. He light-heartedly calls it the Universal Studio!
Because of the misunderstandings and spiritual blocks that can be associated with them he has never been a fan of labels people have called him, including Guru, Teacher, and Master. Recently (late 2021) in meditation it was made clear the term Western Mystic was to be used. Whilst the ‘Western’ term is, in truth, superfluous the intention that was made clear was to draw out the fact that his sharing is all rooted in direct experience and is he is not ‘schooled’ in Eastern Teachings. Experience has shown that this has made the material accessible to a broad audience. His message focuses on helping people recognize, inquire into, and experience the absolute simplicity and power of the Infinite Silence that is our true essence.
Website - includes:
A link to a free Meditations Site
Many free resources
An Online Retreat in your own time for a nominal donation
The Living Soul, Self Realisation App - A Self Realisation Community and Resource Library including a Community Zoom Calls and Retreat. Access via the App stores and for more detailed information visit Philip’s Website here.
Insight Timer App - over 50 free Tracks - Includes a freely available LiveStream Self Realisation Programme with accompanying Infinite Silence Meditations (0.25 hours to 1.5 hours).
YouTube Channel - Over 250 videos including many Live Streams, Short Insights and Shorts
Podcast - Nothing Special with Philip Wade: Over 60 Episodes on many Self Realisation topics on all major platforms.
LinkedIn - More recent addition (called for from the Silence) with a series of ‘journeys’ posts to invite people to explore.
Facebook
Instagram - A vast array of insights, articles, videos and quotes.
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and Transcript of this interview
Interview recorded May 4, 2024.
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Background
00:03:30 - Discovering the Benefits of Meditation
00:08:23 - The Birth of the Open Source Spheres Meditation
00:12:35 - The Experiential Realisation of Infinite Silence
00:15:12 - Intuition and Meditation
00:18:52 - Trusting Intuition and the Source of Wisdom
00:23:34 - The Spheres of Light-Formation
00:28:18 - The Multi-dimensional Nature of the Hiranyagarbha Sphere
00:33:33 - The Purpose of Creation
00:37:42 - The Gateway Location and the Infinite I
00:41:05 - Experiencing the Phenomena of Being through Silence
00:44:09 - Exploring Infinite Silence and Meditative Experiences
00:47:46 - Snapping into Expansion and Infinite Touch
00:51:50 - Childhood and Life Experiences
Tanis Helliwell has seen higher realms and spoken with Masters, angels and elementals since childhood. Walking in many worlds, she led tours to sacred sites for two decades, was a management consultant working for over 30 years, and founded the International Institute for Transformation specializing in spiritual transformation in 2000.
A true mystic who has worked with Masters in higher realms since childhood, her gift is assisting others to develop a soul-infused personal life in harmony with spiritual laws. Her knowledge and understanding of other worlds and spiritual realms can be found in some of her most popular books:
Summer with the Leprechauns,
The Leprechaun’s Story,
HYBRIDS: So you think you are human,
The High Beings of Hawaii,
The Dragon's Tale, and
Good Morning Henry: An In-Depth Journey With the Body Intelligence.
Website: tanishelliwell.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded December 16.
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Tanis Helliwell and Her Mystical Experiences
00:05:06 Yogananda's Astral Universe Exploration
00:09:55 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality
00:13:25 Navigating Spiritual Breakthroughs in Modern Life
00:17:29 Ken Wilber's Lines of Development Explained
00:21:34 Evolution of Souls: From Microbes to Humans
00:26:07 Canadian Identity and Its Global Influence
00:30:21 Interacting with Human Frequencies
00:35:14 Exploring Universal Reality and Intuition
00:38:38 Overcoming Past Life Traumas and Societal Norms Shifts
00:42:18 The Impact of Collective Consciousness
00:46:40 Exploring Human-Elemental Hybrids
00:49:47 Introduction to Elementals and Their Longevity
00:54:15 The Mythical Origins of Dragons and Mermaids
00:58:01 Near-Death Experience and Spiritual Awakening
01:01:29 Notable Figures as Elves in Mythology
01:04:54 Understanding Star Beings and Their Qualities
01:09:08 The Role of Elementals in Universal Orchestration
01:13:16 The Rise in Earth's Frequency and Cosmic Energies
01:16:56 Aligning with Higher Consciousness and Personal Responsibility
01:20:53 Seeds of Change and Global Consciousness
01:25:15 The Power of Frequency and Personal Transformation
01:28:42 Understanding the Role of Dragons in Higher Consciousness
01:33:29 Encounter with a Dragon in the Forest
01:37:48 Understanding Brahman and Totality in Vedic Literature
01:41:47 The Story of the Old Chinese Farmer
01:45:17 The Legacy of Rudolf Steiner
01:49:45 The Importance of Ethics in Spirituality
01:53:25 The Importance of Critical Thinking and Discernment
01:57:50 Understanding Hybrids and Unique Identities
01:59:52 Raising Your Frequency through Magical Worlds
Efrat Shokef, Ph.D., is a mother to three spiritually aware teens. A daughter, wife, sister, writer, teacher, cosmic journeyer, a shamanic energy healing practitioner working primarily with children, teens, parents, and families, and the Author of The Promise We Made: Three Universal Soul Promises We Made to Our Children – Near Death Experience and the Parenting Teachings It Invites.
Efrat was severely injured in a car crash and experienced a profound near-death experience (NDE) when her three daughters were all still younger than four. Her journey of physical recovery, the integration of her NDE, and, at the same time, her inability to participate in the caretaking of her daughters sent her on a quest to the essence of motherhood. What makes us our child(ren)’s parent beyond the doing? A quest and insights she shared in her book, and on her website.
Efrat believes that when parents know/remember that they are more than their physical bodies or their confused, wounded emotions, they can recognize the luminosity of their child(ren). When we all accept that we are on a journey of growth, we can mirror the possibility of this Earthly journey to the children in our lives.
When we walk our essence and connect to who we are at our core, we can see that same luminosity in everyone, beyond gender, race, ethnicity, or age. Respecting all others, including our children— dependent humans, yet also powerful, experienced souls—becomes a way of life.
Explore articles and resources for Spiritually Aware Families and Contact Efrat through her website: https://efratshokef.com/
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded December 8, 2024.
For over 30 years, Georgette Star, MA, D.Min, has dedicated her life to empowering adults and youth to live soul-embodied, joyful, and purposeful lives. An intuitive Soul Stream Life Coach & Mentor, and Method trainer, her own deep quest for Self-Realization informs all aspects of her work. Finding joy in sharing this journey with others and a calling to contribute to the greater good inspired her to found the Life Blessing Institute (LBI).
This transformational learning community is designed to guide individuals on the journey of human potential, spiritual awakening, and actualization of their soul’s agenda. Through LBI, Georgette developed a variety of programs, including Maiden Spirit & Peace Warriors Youth Programs, Individual and Community Rites of Passage Celebrations and the Soul Stream Method Practitioner Training.
Currently Georgette is also working on a documentary film titled The Woman’s Rite. The film examines the challenges of ageism faced by women (and all genders) and explores how these limitations can be transformed through creative expression, conscious rites-of-passage and spiritual awakening. It highlights the opportunity for women to step into empowered, vibrant, and respected elderhood, offering their wisdom, creativity, light, and love to a world that deeply needs their contributions.
Georgette holds a Master’s degree from the Naropa Institute and a Doctorate of Ministry from the University of Creation Spirituality. Using her life experience, education and an array of natural abilities, Georgette actively pursues contributing to humankind however she can. In addition to her professional work, she cherishes being a mom, grandmother, artist, forest dweller and daughter of Mother Earth. She also finds joy in creating collaboratively with others and sharing the spiritual journey of awakening with her friends and colleagues.
Website links:
The Life Blessing Institute (LBI)
The Woman’s Rite documentary project
Click here to contact Georgette if you are interested in her Soul Stream Life Map Readings and include the word “BatGap” in the message field.
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded October 27, 2024
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:51 Georgette Star: Wisdom and Creativity for a Needy World
00:07:28 Spiritual Awakening for Ordinary People
00:11:17 Embracing Categories in Spiritual Journeys
00:15:00 Embracing Uncertainty and the Free Fall of Life
00:17:59 Embracing Paradox and Spiritual Maturity
00:22:17 Can Society Transition Without Collapse?
00:26:08 Discovering Meaning in Spiritual Practice
00:30:43 Women’s Rights Documentary Project
00:34:32 The Visionary Origins of the Project
00:38:51 The Journey from Idea to Film
00:43:27 Reflecting on Life’s Journey and Self-Discovery
00:47:42 Childhood Mystical Experiences
00:51:34 Early Meditation Experiences and Visionary Insights
00:55:11 Meditation vs. Drug Use: Finding Natural Bliss
00:59:18 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs about Aging and Activity
01:03:54 Benefits of Pickleball and Meditation for Seniors
01:07:49 Creating Maiden Spirit: Empowering Young Girls
01:11:31 The Dark Side of Technology and Its Impact on Young Girls
01:15:44 Overcoming the Fear of Death with Spirituality
01:19:51 Transition from Scientist to Mystic
01:23:20 A Traumatic Car Accident and Its Impact
01:26:55 Timelessness in Self-Identity
01:30:06 Discovering the Concept of Original Blessing with Matthew Fox
01:34:47 Introduction to Soulstream Life Maps
01:38:40 Understanding Karmic Learning Pathways
01:42:00 The Role of Vedic Astrology in Naming
01:45:54 The Ripple Effect of Personal Growth
01:50:16 The Importance of Consciousness in Global Change
Dr. Edi Bilimoria was born in India and educated at the universities of London, Sussex, and Oxford. He presents an unusual blend of experience in the fields of science, arts, and philosophy.
Professionally, Edi is an award-winning engineer and consultant to the petrochemical, oil and gas, transport, and construction industries. He has been Project Manager and Head of Design for major innovative projects such as the Channel Tunnel, London Underground systems, petrochemical plants and offshore installations. He also worked in safety and environmental engineering for several Royal Navy projects, including the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier and the fleet of Offshore Patrol Vessels.
A student of the perennial philosophy for over half a century, Edi has given courses and lectured extensively in the UK, and internationally. He has organized and chaired conferences with the object of encouraging discourse on the different, but overlapping, roles of science, religion, and practical philosophy. Edi has published extensively in the fields of science, engineering, and the esoteric philosophy. "Unfolding Consciousness" has received recognition with the 2022 Grand Prize Award from the Scientific and Medical Network. Edi's earlier work, "The Snake and the Rope" is also an award winner.
Website: edibilimoria.com
Summary and transcript of this interview
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded October 12, 2024
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:02:50 The Intersection of Science, Spirituality, and Philosophy
00:06:22 The Evolution of Scientific Thought
00:10:10 Understanding the Levels of Science and Consciousness
00:14:20 The Limits of Intellect and Wisdom of Great Thinkers
00:18:45 Meditation, Psychedelics, and Brain Perception
00:23:13 The Brain as a Transmitter-Receiver
00:26:51 Misunderstanding Isaac Newton’s Philosophy
00:30:49 Is the Sun Alive? Examining Unconventional Definitions of Life
00:34:13 The Incredible Complexity of Human Cells
00:37:39 Debunking the Infinite Monkey Theorem
00:41:40 Materialism and Its Role in Science
00:44:42 The Potential of Science and Spirituality Working Together
00:49:12 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality
00:53:04 The Science of the Human Eye: Discoveries and Design
00:56:44 The Debate on Intelligent Design and Evolution
01:00:09 The Interplay of Spirit and Matter in Evolution
01:04:36 Evolution as a Spiritual Journey
01:08:30 The Monad and the Journey to Divinity
01:12:12 The Absurdity of Freezing Bodies and Understanding Reincarnation
01:15:01 Exploring the Distinction Between Ethics and Morality
01:17:56 The Spiritual Essence of Matter
01:21:17 Understanding Karma: The Puzzle Piece of the Universe
01:24:08 Understanding Karma and Spiritual Evolution
01:27:56 Personal Spiritual Journey: Overcoming Life Challenges
01:31:14 Understanding Karma and Rising to Bodhisattva
01:34:42 Themes of the Book: Mystery Teachings
01:37:06 The Myth of Bacchus and Human Duality
01:40:45 Understanding the Supreme Consciousness and the Kabbalah
01:44:56 David Bohm and the Unity Elephant in Science
01:48:13 Building a Body of Wisdom Through Interlocking Insights
Kim Sheridan is an award-winning author, naturopath, entrepreneur, and more. Her focus includes animals, the afterlife, health, the environment, veganism, and all topics related to compassion for humans and animals alike. She is a highly respected expert on life after death for animals, and much of her time is devoted to rescuing animals, caring for them, and providing hospice care for elderly animals making their transition to spirit.
Kim is the author of Animals and the Afterlife and the founder of Compassion Circle, a non-profit organization with a mission to expand the circle of compassion to all beings. Compassion Circle is comprised of animal rescue, animal sanctuary, and a line of nutritional products for animals, all proceeds of which help fund the rescue and sanctuary.
Kim has been listed in 2,000 Notable American Women, Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals, and Great Minds of the 21st Century. Her goal is to help make the world a better place, to provide comfort to those grieving the loss of a beloved animal, and to be a voice for the voiceless, teaching compassion and respect for all living beings.
Website: animalsandtheafterlife.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded September 30, 2024
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:04:15 Life's Mission and Early Connection to Animals
00:07:32 Mystical Experiences and Auras
00:11:32 Finding Peace with Loss
00:15:20 The Value of Immortality Discussed
00:18:26 The Gift of Animal Communicators
00:22:07 Debating the Afterlife with an Atheist
00:25:29 The Case for Intelligent Design
00:28:43 The Spiritual Connection with Animals
00:32:21 Ethical Considerations of Consuming Different Life Forms
00:36:27 Animal and Human Visitations After Passing
00:38:27 Understanding Animal Communication and Grief
00:42:17 The Role of Compassion in Spiritual Teachings
00:45:52 The Possibility of Animals Returning in Another Form
00:49:08 The Debate on Souls and Animals in Religion
00:52:41 The Soul's Higher Self and Astral Realms
00:56:18 The Concept of Group Souls in Nature
00:59:19 The Continuation of Love Beyond Loss
01:02:17 Tribute to June: The Rat That Inspired a Journey
01:05:01 Ghostly Encounters with Deceased Pets
01:08:45 Embracing Mystical Experiences
01:12:14 The Importance of Open-Mindedness in Science
01:15:25 Scientists and Believers: Bridging the Gap
01:19:37 Messages from Animals through Professional Mediums
01:21:59 Communicating with Animals and Nature
01:24:48 Experiencing Pet Communication
01:27:51 Profound Contact Dreams
01:31:16 Investigating Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP)
01:34:25 Werner Von Braun on Spiritual Continuity
01:37:41 Full Circle: The Author's Journey and Ending Reflections
01:41:10 Safe Driving Tips and Personal Experiences
Thanks Rick for your years of commitment to these i terviews. I find David Thomas' episode right up their, he is bebbling over, it's so infectious (one hopes) 😁
Good healer
Beautiful weekly practice, day one, feeling, two seeing, three smelling, tasting, hearing, sensing, being.
...so many delicious, gentle, accessible, and profound pearls of wisdom in this interview!
I loved this interview! it was really refreshing to hear an "ordinary" awakening person again! Those interviews have all been my favorites, I think!
it's an interesting subject, but it's frustrating that Tim doesn't give the same space to Lisa as Lisa does for Tim. it's very obvious that Tim doesn't understand what Lisa is trying to say. instead, Tim tries to explain his perspective as an unintended defense of not understanding..
Really great program! Rick is always so lighthearted and engaging with every guest, and offers the perfect blend of curiosity, experience, knowledge, and humor to keep the conversations moving along. I’ve learned so much from BATGAP...thanks!