Science, Awe, and the Divine

With Sally Kempton, Igor Kufayev, and Menas Kafatos. Sally Kempton is a deeply practiced teacher of meditation and spiritual philosophy, and the author of the books Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti: as well as the audio course Doorways to the Infinite, recently put out by Sounds True. A former swami in the Saraswati order of India, she has been practicing and teaching devotional contemplative tantra for more than 40 years. Her teaching is powerfully sourced in the eastern meditative traditions of yoga and Kashmir Shaivism, yet highly contemporary in her focus on evolutionary practice. She offers a powerful transmission of meditative experience. Books: Meditation for the Love of It Beginning Meditation Meditation for the Love of It Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga Shakti Meditations Doorways to the Infinite: The Art and Practice of Tantric Meditation (audio program) Website: sallykempton.com 1st BatGap interview with Sally 2nd BatGap interview with Sally Dr. Menas Kafatos is The Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics and Director of Excellence at Chapman University. He received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. After postdoctoral work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined George Mason University and was University Professor of Interdisciplinary Sciences there from 1984-2008.  He has authored and co-authored numerous books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe, and Principles of Integrative Science.  He is a recipient of the Rustum Roy Award from the Chopra Foundation, which “honors individuals whose devotion and commitment to their passion for finding answers in their field is matched only by their commitment to humanity” and the IEEE Orange County Chapter – Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award.  He has been interviewed numerous times by national and international TV networks, newspapers and radio programs. Bio Wikipedia page Books: The Non-Local Universe: The New Physics and Matters of the Mind The Conscious Universe: Parts and Wholes in Physical Reality Looking In, Seeing Out: Consciousness and Cosmos BatGap interview with Menas 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. Since April 2011, Igor and his family have been based in Costa Rica. He continues working with those who require guidance using various forms of communication. Website: igorkufayev.com Wikipedia page YouTube Channel: Flowing Wakefulness Other BatGap events with Igor: Igor Kufayev with David Loy Igor Kufayev with Jac O’Keeffe, and Francis Bennett Igor Kufayev, in Panel Discussion with John Hagelin and Mark McCooey Transcript of this discussion Discussion recorded 10/24/2014 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Exploring the Ultimate Reality in Kashmir Shaivism 00:03:04 - Non-dual contemplative devotional tantra 00:06:43 - Mathematics and Universal Consciousness 00:09:40 - The Veiling Principle in Shaivism and Quantum Physics 00:12:45 - The Limitation of Words and Perception 00:15:23 - The Veiling of Maya and the Principle of Vibration 00:17:53 - The Quantum Science of Consciousness 00:20:05 - The Continuum of the Quantum Field 00:22:29 - The Veiling Power of Language 00:24:53 - The Rhythmic Movement of Wholeness 00:27:03 - The Physical World Explanation of Subtle Realities in Physics 00:28:51 - Questions and Explanations 00:31:04 - One Mind, One Reality 00:32:49 - Levels of Sound from Para to Vicari 00:35:12 - The Unapologetic View of Indian Spirituality 00:38:12 - The Golden Age and the Loss of Language 00:41:00 - Exploring Subtle Experiences and Personal Truth 00:44:46 - The Self-Recursive Oneness and Shiva-Shakti 00:48:18 - The Primacy of Individual Consciousness in Shaivism 00:51:25 - The Fabric of Consciousness in Kashmir Shaivism 00:55:06 - Levels of Consciousness in Shaivism 00:58:18 - The Steerings of Consciousness 01:01:21 - The Levels of Manifestation 01:04:43 - Experiential Illustration of a Primordial Energy 01:08:05 - The Divinity in Nature and Scientists' Views on God 01:11:07 - The Divine Intelligence within Everything 01:14:20 - The Devastating Realization 01:17:23 - The Humble Realization 01:20:33 - The Sanskrit terms for consciousness 01:22:55 - The Role of Shakti in Spiritual Awakening