
Buddha at the Gas Pump
Conversations with spiritually awakening people.
Latest episodes

Jun 30, 2025 • 1h 58min
733. Aedamar Kirrane
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
Interview recorded June 21, 2025

Jun 17, 2025 • 2h 24min
732. Jurgen Ziewe 2
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
Interview recorded June 7, 2025

Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 38min
731. Diarmuid O’Murchu
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
Interview recorded May 17, 2025

May 20, 2025 • 2h 8min
730. Julie Nelson
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
Interview recorded May 11, 2025

4 snips
May 4, 2025 • 2h
729. Stephan Martin
Stephan Martin, an astronomer and educator with a passion for consciousness studies, dives deep into the cosmic narrative that shapes our existence. He discusses the importance of perspective in facing personal challenges and explores the interconnectedness of life through the lens of the Deep Time Network. Martin highlights the dynamic nature of the universe, linking scientific discoveries with spiritual growth. The conversation also examines how embracing adversity can catalyze personal and collective transformation, urging listeners to foster a deeper connection with the cosmos.

Apr 19, 2025 • 2h 2min
728. Mary Shutan
Mary Mueller Shutan, a spiritual healer and teacher with nearly two decades of experience, shares her insights on navigating the complexities of spiritual awakening. She discusses her transformative kundalini journey, the significance of shadow work for personal growth, and the paramount importance of body awareness during spiritual experiences. Mary warns against spiritual bypassing and emphasizes the need for community support. The conversation is rich with wisdom on integrating spiritual practices into daily life, fostering emotional intelligence, and confronting the shadows within ourselves for true healing.

Apr 5, 2025 • 1h 39min
727. Diane Hennacy Powell 2nd Interview
Diane Hennacy Powell, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist from Johns Hopkins, discusses her groundbreaking work in The Telepathy Tapes. She explores the profound abilities of non-speaking autistic children, who defy conventional understanding with their telepathic talents. Powell shares fascinating anecdotes, including the extraordinary case of a girl overcoming autism to master complex math. She also examines the interconnectedness of consciousness, highlighting how advancements in technology could reshape our understanding of human cognition and communication.

Mar 21, 2025 • 1h 39min
726. Dr. Neil Schuitevoerder
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

Feb 20, 2025 • 1h 38min
725. Jim Grove
Jim Grove is a lifelong practitioner of yogic meditation who grew up in a small logging town on the West Coast of Canada. At age thirteen, he was introduced to a teacher who was one of the few ministers directly ordained by Paramahansa Yogananda during his lifetime, Mother Yogacharya M. Hamilton of Seattle. A series of early transcendental experiences convinced him to commit himself to continued yogic practice under her tutelage. His recent memoir, A Curious Spiritual Journey, recounts some of the prominent experiences that have arisen from his practice over four decades, starting from early adolescence, in the interests of providing some insight into the often unpredictable process of spiritual unfoldment. He likes to speak plainly about spiritual experience and practice, avoiding the vague, abstract, and sometimes inflated language used in much spiritual and new age writing. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Website: jimgrove.ca
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded February 15, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
00:00:00 Jim Grove's Journey in Yogic Meditation
00:03:42 Editing a Manuscript: From 80,000 to 55,000 Words
00:07:23 Discovering a Life-Changing Teacher
00:11:24 A Humorous Encounter at Denny's
00:16:23 Spiritual Awakening and Motivation Changes
00:21:30 The Ripple Effect of Everyday Actions
00:25:47 Mariana Kaplan's Global Soccer Mission
00:30:15 The Importance of Spiritual Integrity and Ethical Conduct
00:34:29 The Importance of Integrity in Organizations and Community
00:38:25 Cultural Ethics vs. Universal Values
00:42:13 The Importance of Humility and Kindness in Life
00:47:09 Leadership Dynamics and Corporate Culture
00:51:16 The Purpose of Suffering and Spiritual Growth
00:55:51 Embracing Mortality in Tibetan Buddhism
00:59:10 Exploring Shamanic Practices and Cross-Cultural Spirituality
01:03:24 Exploring the Life and Teachings of Joel Goldsmith
01:06:55 Joel Goldsmith and Spiritual Anecdotes
01:10:33 Exploring Multiverse and Other Dimensions
01:14:40 The Role of Specialists in Reincarnation Research
01:18:30 Exploring Past Life Regressions and Reincarnation
01:23:25 Vision of Furry Boots with Curly Toes
01:27:52 Healing Through Past Life Regression
01:31:46 Balancing Depth and Breadth in Personal Growth
01:36:04 Exploring Kundalini Activation and Spiritual Growth
01:40:49 The Metaphor of the Ring: Ego and Humility Lessons from Tolkien
01:45:52 The Concept of Humility in Spiritual Teachings
01:49:50 The Spiritual Lessons of the Prodigal Son and Christ's Doubt
01:54:11 Career Shift: From Private Sector to Provincial Government
01:59:06 Embracing Change and Trusting the Universe
02:03:47 Instilling Inner Guidance in Children
02:07:44 Future of Humanity: Transitions and Endgames

Feb 5, 2025 • 1h 44min
724. Lisa Carrillo
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