Buddha at the Gas Pump

Colin was born in a staunch protestant family into the war-torn east end of London in the aftermath of WWII, where austerity and food-rationing were the norms. At the age of 11 he was sent to a Methodist boarding school and from there went to Sheffield University. So, by his early twenties finding himself in Earls Court, West London, in the late 60s when the ‘hippie revolution' was in full swing he was fully ready to break out of the narrow confines that had dogged his life up until then. He discovered the power of high dose LSD to break the barrier between the subconscious and conscious allowing decades of religious (and social) conditioning to pour out, leaving him feeling totally cleansed as if his brain had been truly washed!  He also experimented with mescalin having read Aldous Huxley’s ‘The Doors of Perception’ and had many experiences which felt deeply spiritual in nature including ‘sitting’ above his body for hours and observing the world (and the body itself) from this vantage point. It was this that gave him glimpses as to what could be achieved by natural means which raised one’s consciousness to a ‘higher level’. He was reading Ouspensky at the time and could see that many of these experiences tallied with those that he described. He was fully convinced that Awakening was the purpose of life, but Ouspensky made the whole process sound so onerous that Colin decided to postpone the attempt and enjoy life while he was young and living in such a vibrant environment. About ten years later his wife Janet persuaded him to accompany her to a yoga class given by an ex-Jesuit priest. who inspired us by quoting passages from the Upanishads, Dhammapada, and other scriptures during the class. He also emphasized the importance of relaxation and meditation.  There followed a few years of investigating various spiritual paths including a prolonged dalliance with the Brahma Kumaris (Raja Yoga) whose meditations were wonderful, but whose dogma he found very hard to take. They then moved into the country to start a pottery and immersed themselves in Satyananda Yoga, an organization that had no dogma but taught a wide range of yogic practices. They were both initiated into karma sannyas by Swami Satyananda and adopted a yogic lifestyle consisting of asanas, pranayama, yoga nidra, meditation, kirtan, and vegetarianism. During this time Colin was at a silent retreat when he happened to pick up a volume entitled The Gospel of Ramakrishna which introduced him to this amazing being who practiced many spiritual paths, within Hinduism and also Islam and Christianity, discovering that they all lead to the same result, and was then approached by many devotees from these various paths all of whom he was able to teach in their own path, whilst emphasizing the harmony of religions. After ten years of meditating on Ramakrishna, having been initiated by a nun of that order, he encountered a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Gangaji, who said ‘Stop! Be still, you are already That’.  The message being that the effort and search were masking that which is always present; all that was required was to ‘stop’ and see what is always here.  After many years of struggle and effort this news came like a breath of fresh air and he glimpsed the essence, that undeniable ever-present reality.  This was followed by a seven-day silent retreat, in 1996, which resulted in his first ‘Awakening’, and in an ecstasy that slowly faded over the following year. During this time, he began to be aware of the utter simplicity of the process, especially as it became more established through repeated self-inquiry. The realization that one is the Pure Awareness that underlies the whole of life, and in fact all things, became startlingly obvious; so much so that he became increasingly disillusioned by most spiritual writings which seemed to mystify this whole subject. This created the desire to put the matter in the simplest, most straightforward,

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years, as a practitioner, teacher, and author. He trained as a Transcendental Meditation teacher with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1970 and later became an ordained Interfaith Minister and spiritual counselor. As a public speaker and workshop leader, he has lectured and taught at major venues throughout the U.S. and India. As a professional writer, his articles and blogs have appeared in numerous print and online publications, and he has authored or co-authored more than 25 books, including an upcoming novel and such celebrated nonfiction as: The Intuitive Edge: Understanding Intuition and Applying it in Everyday Life; Roadsigns: On the Spiritual Path--Living at the Heart of Paradox; the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the West; the seminal biography The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru; and his latest book, the timely Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage. He has produced e-courses for Spirituality & Practice and has taught many online courses, most recently, The Yoga of Intuition and Creativity, Four Pathways to the Divine, How Hindu Dharma Transformed the West, and the forthcoming An Immersive Exploration of the Iconic “Autobiography of a Yogi.” His special 12-part series, Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times, for Unity Online Radio, features interviews with well-known spiritual teachers. He is currently working on two nonfiction books and a sequel to his novel. In addition, he blogs regularly on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health, cohosts the popular Spirit Matters podcast and YouTube channel and leads American Veda Tours to India. He serves on the board of the Association for Spiritual Integrity. His website is PhilipGoldberg.com. Interview recorded November 21, 2021. First BatGap interview with Phil. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:51 - Reminiscing with Uncle Phil 00:05:11 - Introduction to Philip Goldberg and his work 00:07:49 - Yogananda's Biography and Autobiography 00:11:24 - Filling the Gaps in Yogananda's Story 00:15:17 - The Rise of Yogananda and Amma 00:19:08 - Mission-Driven Yogis and the Challenges They Faced 00:23:07 - Returning to India: The Journey of a Monk 00:27:37 - Arguments about Yogananda's Alleged Affairs 00:31:05 - The Human Story of Yogananda 00:33:46 - The Indomitable Will of Yogananda 00:37:58 - Yogananda's Spiritual Pursuit and Visions 00:41:58 - Miracles and Wonders in Autobiography of a Yogi 00:46:49 - The Purpose of Miracles and Wonders 00:51:01 - Troubled by Lack of Recognition 00:56:03 - Balancing Consciousness and Action 01:00:35 - The Importance of Service in Spiritual Practice 01:03:28 - Acts of Service in Spiritual Practice 01:07:18 - The Service of Gurus and Spirituality 01:11:19 - The Last Night of the Guru 01:15:28 - Yoga, Cultural Appropriation, and Perennial Philosophy 01:18:58 - Universal Spiritual Experiences 01:24:59 - Transformative Experiences and Global Implications 01:30:00 - The Challenges of Society and the Potential of Consciousness 01:37:09 - Broadening Your Perspective in Spirituality 01:42:22 - The Pragmatic Approach to Spirituality 01:46:47 - Temptations and Fine-tuning the Path 01:51:27 - The Importance of Discernment and Viveka 01:54:42 - Yogananda and Dream Experiences 01:56:53 - The Association for Spiritual Integrity

Babaji Bob Kindler is the Spiritual Director of the Sarada Ramakrishna Vivekananda (SRV) Associations since 1993 with teaching centers on the Big Island of Hawaii and Portland, Oregon, USA. Babaji teaches Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya, and other philosophical systems of Truth with an emphasis on learning to live a divine life and the attainment of direct spiritual experience.  He holds a twin spiritual heritage via initiation into the Ramakrishna lineage (Vedanta) and Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism.  Editor of Nectar of Non-Dual Truth, A Journal of Universal Religious and Philosophical Teachings, he is also the author of over a dozen books on spiritual topics, including Dissolving the Mindstream A Quintessential Yoga Vasishtha Twenty-Four Aspects of Mother Kali Footfalls of the Indian Rishis: Charting the Timeless Wisdom of Mother India Babaji’s spiritual discourses can be found on YouTube, Livestream, and on the official SRV Associations website. Online and residential retreats are listed here. Email subscription and site index. “Our path is mainly a blend of Advaita and Shaktism, with our devotion to Sri Ramakrishna making it Universal, and inclusive of all religions.” Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded November 13, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Babaji Bob Kindler 00:04:43 - Babaji's Spiritual Discourses on YouTube 00:09:17 - Devotion to Shakti in Tantra and Kashmir Shaivism 00:14:03 - The Function of Maya 00:18:42 - Awakening from the Dream 00:22:42 - The Dangers of Jumping to Spiritual Enlightenment 00:26:54 - The Bliss of Meditation 00:30:55 - The State of Advaita Non-Duality 00:35:15 - The Field of All Possibilities 00:39:24 - Reincarnation and the Doctrine of Karma 00:43:24 - Remembering Atman and Buddha Nature 00:47:32 - Duality and Transcendence in Humanity 00:51:37 - The Value of Studying Secular Subjects 00:55:34 - Nonviolence and Money-making 00:59:40 - Kingdoms of Heaven and the Mind 01:03:49 - The Gods Within Us 01:07:56 - Different Levels of Consciousness and the Non-Dual Path 01:11:51 - Direct Path to Enlightenment 01:16:10 - The Forgetfulness of Ignorance and the Cyclic Nature of Time 01:20:09 - The Illusion of Change 01:24:09 - The Nature of Enlightenment 01:28:10 - Following Your Own Calling 01:31:52 - Realizing the Atman, the wasted life, and the refinement of the mind 01:35:35 - The Guru-Disciple Relationship 01:39:48 - The Qualification and Criterion for Sacred Sound 01:43:52 - The Universality of Religions and Swami Vivekananda 01:48:24 - Realizing the Inner Being and Inter-Religious Gatherings 01:52:23 - Deluding Pairs of Opposites and Rising Above 01:57:15 - Dharma and Morality 02:01:16 - Exploring the Cell of Knowledge 02:05:13 - Wrapping Up and Upcoming Interviews

Rhonda Byrne is the creator of The Secret, a documentary film that swept the world in 2006, changing millions of lives and igniting a global movement. Her follow-up book, also entitled The Secret, became a worldwide bestseller, translated into more than 50 languages. Rhonda has since released another five bestselling books covering such topics as the power of love, gratitude, the law of attraction, and the hero’s journey to success. Her latest and most important book to date, The Greatest Secret, is a quantum leap that takes the reader beyond the material and helps them discover who they truly are. Rhonda also served as a producer on the inspirational 2020 family movie, The Secret: Dare to Dream, based on her book The Secret. The film stars Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas, and Jerry O’Connell. For more information on Rhonda and her work, visit thesecret.tv. Rhonda holds live Q&As from time to time on Facebook and Instagram. Past ones are archived here. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded November 6, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:03 - The Power of Dreams and Discovering Purpose 00:08:24 - The Difficult Year and Opening the Mind 00:12:34 - The Journey of Making "The Secret" and Going Against the Norm 00:16:44 - Breaking the Limits of the Mind 00:20:08 - The End of the Search and the Awakening 00:24:20 - The Search Comes to an End 00:28:43 - The Adventure Continues 00:33:09 - Different Perspectives on the Path 00:37:07 - Encouraging seekers to go to the third level 00:41:02 - The Perceptiveness of a Teacher 00:44:48 - The Refinement of Consciousness 00:49:14 - The Fallibility of Investing in a Teacher 00:53:57 - The Teacher and The Wonder 00:57:57 - The Great Resignation and Questioning Society 01:02:11 - Using the Law of Attraction After Awakening 01:07:06 - Manifestation and the Power of Desires 01:11:00 - The Mechanics of Divine Timing 01:15:27 - Becoming a Hollow Bamboo 01:20:23 - The Power of a Settled Mind 01:24:30 - Discovering the Presence Within 01:29:11 - The Main Problem: Dog Pee 01:34:02 - The Power of Meditation and Mindfulness 01:38:28 - Letting Go and the Power of Non-Resistance 01:42:47 - Overcoming Mind Thoughts 01:46:59 - The Attachment to Desire 01:51:11 - The Fleeting Nature of Happiness 01:55:12 - Happiness as the Ultimate Purpose 01:58:58 - The Impact of Teachers on the Journey 02:03:17 - Global Enlightenment through Communication 02:06:52 - Thank you for having me

Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a retired therapist, co-author of Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature and Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life, author of Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality, and a novel, A Moth to the Flame: The Story of the Great Sufi Poet Rumi. Her new book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends shadow-work into late life and teaches aging as a spiritual practice. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for 50 years. She is a wife and grandmother and was initiated as an Elder by Sage-ing International in 2017. After investing in all these roles, she is practicing the shift from role to soul. Website: conniezweig.com Email: conniezweig@gmail.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded October 22, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:59 - The Different Stages of My Life 00:07:38 - The Already Enlightened Governors of the Age of Enlightenment 00:10:58 - The Urgency of Enlightenment 00:14:30 - Understanding Enlightenment and Charismatic Teachers 00:17:46 - Spiritual Development at Every Stage of Life 00:21:21 - Transition in Identity 00:25:10 - Late Life Identity Crisis 00:29:38 - The Challenge of Finding Time for Everything 00:33:07 - The Unconscious and the Shadow in Conscious Aging Movement 00:37:25 - Witnessing and Shadow Work 00:40:54 - The Contents of Consciousness Spilled Out 00:44:35 - The Importance of Awareness and Mortality 00:48:43 - Ageism and Shifting Identity 00:52:50 - The Inner Work of Aging 00:56:42 - Unfinished Spiritual Business 01:00:44 - Unfinished Business in the Spiritual Journey 01:05:12 - Finding Guidance in Inner Work 01:08:56 - The Shift from Hero to Elder 01:13:06 - Finding Refuge in Spiritual Practice 01:16:49 - Completing the Ego Story 01:21:17 - The Orientation Towards Life and Death 01:24:32 - The Importance of Discernment on the Spiritual Path 01:28:24 - Cultivating Self-awareness for Contribution to the Common Good 01:32:25 - Improving the Level of Consciousness 01:36:13 - Preventing Mental Decline and Memory Loss 01:40:03 - Astonishing Moments in Deathbed Experiences 01:44:03 - Awakening Practices and Life Completion 01:47:32 - Expanding the Frame of Reference 01:51:05 - The Soul's Longing for Transcendence 01:54:36 - Farewell to Rick Archer

Stephen Wright works as a spiritual director and trustee for the Sacred Space Foundation (SSF). Before this, he had a long and distinguished nursing career in the National Health Service and academia, the Royal College of Nursing, and as a consultant to the WHO. He gathered a few glittering prizes along the way. Then his personal and professional life took an about-turn over 35 years ago through a series of life-changing spiritual experiences. Consequently, he developed an interest in spiritual matters and the connection with wellbeing, and cofounded the SSF, to support those in spiritual crisis. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Cumbria in 2013 for his work connecting spirituality and health. Three books explore the nature of healing relationships: Therapeutic Touch: Theory and Practice; Sacred Space: Right Relationship and Spirituality in Healthcare; and Reflections on Spirituality and Health. Coming Home: Notes for the Journey is a personal and scholarly account of spiritual awakening and support. A new documentary from the Sacred Space Foundation: Fugue for a Spiritual Life Stephen has received significant development in spirituality and spiritual direction in the presence of several renowned spiritual teachers, most especially his mentor Ram Dass, at the Interfaith Seminary, and in the depth of his relationship with his fellow trustee and SSF cofounder Jean Sayre-Adams. He works with individuals seeking spiritual guidance and organizations developing the practice of healing, spiritual care, conflict resolution, staff support, compassion, and leadership. He is a supporter of and an activist in several environmental movements. As an ordained interfaith minister, he brings a rich experience of spiritual practice from many faiths to his work, as well as being a member of the Iona Community. He is a trustee of TheWEL, a charity based in Scotland offering groundbreaking approaches to wellbeing. With the support of the Diocese of Carlisle (in 2021 he was made a member of the Synod), Stephen established the St. Kentigern School for Contemplatives in 2018. His other recently published works include Burnout: a spiritual crisis: from stress to transformation; Contemplation: words and silence for the Way Home; The Kentigern Way: A life and Lakeland pilgrimage; A Grasmere pilgrimage; Heartfullness: The Way of Contemplation: 12 steps to freedom, awakening and the Beloved completes a quartet of related books on spiritual awakening and is a deep, experiential ‘course’ in liberation from addiction to the ego-self, opening to the way of contemplation, and becoming receptive to the Beloved and a path of service. He lives with his partner in the English Lake District, deepening service and spiritual practice, participating in his local church community, taking care of his organic garden, and enjoying grandfatherhood. Summary Transcript of this interview. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded October 16, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and State of the Industry Update 00:04:25 - Reflections on receiving an honor 00:08:12 - Spiritual Crisis and Burnout 00:11:49 - A Spiritual Shift in Society 00:15:32 - The Pandemic as a Forced Spiritual Retreat 00:19:21 - Discovering the Inner Dimension 00:27:39 - Immunocompromised by Fear 00:31:58 - The Contemplative Way and Healing the World 00:35:12 - Finding your Path of Service in the World 00:39:01 - The Opening of the Heart 00:42:48 - Tapping into the Ground of Being 00:46:25 - Connecting and Integrating Levels of Reality 00:49:28 - Awakening and Service in the World 00:52:57 - Life-changing Spiritual Experiences 00:56:30 - Profound Personal Presence 01:00:08 - Shifting through Mental Blockages 01:03:55 - Creating a Mystical Experience 01:07:54 - The Shift in Perspective and Permanent Cha...

Lucy was raised in a low socioeconomic household and neighborhood, by a young single mother in New Zealand in the early 1980s. The lack of resources available in childhood resulted in a shrinking of her outer world to what she thought of –  years later - as a kind of welfare-child ashram. Within the home, and outside of it, there were few distractions or ability to go anywhere else, and significant trauma – all forcing her to go within to what she thought of as “the deep stillness and light inside” to rest, find nourishment, solace, and strength. At 19 she experienced her first shift, seeing through the personality, and subtle perceptions revealing themselves. She never thought much of it, there had already been so much light inside, and she was so thrilled to be in the world finally so she simply went on with living. Lucy spent 15 years in Europe and New Zealand working for international humanitarian aid agencies. On return to NZ at age 31, she suddenly became extremely ill.  For six months, she was mostly bedridden. Doctors, both natural and traditional, could not find the source of the illness. Over the next few years, she had to work to earn an income but there was no strength for much else. The pain in her body was ever-present, and the fear of not knowing if this was her life forever now, was sometimes crippling. She was forced to exist in a kind of in-between world again - of much aloneness and silence, aside from work. After a few years of significant illness, she recovered strength enough to live a semi-normal life. But any time she tried to do too much, she was knocked back into illness. By 35 she was in a leadership role at a non-profit, married, with a baby on the way, just surviving day-to-day with the pressure on her physical body. On becoming a mother, she was plunged into a level of blackness that was completely shocking and previously unknown. For more than two years she descended into complete separation and couldn’t hear the guidance that had always accompanied her in her life. For the first time ever she couldn’t feel God. In 2018, after more than two years of immense struggle, an unexplainable and absolute surrender took place within, in a moment, as her two-year-old cried and reached for her. Within two months she had left the career she loved to rest in what she thought of as silence. For around a year and a half, she couldn't do much else. Lucy had never been exposed to spirituality, nor did she know anything about its concepts or traditions. She thought meditation was for “those hippy people.” Because there had been no conscious spiritual search, she had no context for what was happening. Often it was so beautiful and joyful – she didn’t need to know. There was an innate sense of trust and recognition that went beyond what needed to be seen or understood with the mind. When the need to understand did arise - some online searches helped a little, but often it all felt overwhelming, and she preferred sitting in silence to hear from within. Guidance and teaching were always present and given through hearing and images. Despite this, when particularly strange things would occur the need for the mind to understand would return. One night in 2019, before sleep, in heartfelt prayer she asked for help to cut through all the online noise and finally really grasp what was going on. There was a felt sense of need for community. As she was awakening in the morning, she heard the words “Buddha at the Gas Pump”. Lucy says, "I was stumped. I had no idea what that meant, but Googled it and found BatGap. As a result, my life has changed. Over the years BatGap has supported me deeply in the process – nurturing trust and allowing everything to unfold as it wants to." From then until now, Lucy has been called over and over into deeper surrender. She has had further shifts and many clearings. Her career of 15 years, husband/partner of 16 years, many friends, and her home – all things she loved dearly - have fallen...

Thom Krystofiak holds a B.A. from Harvard (magna cum laude) and an M.A. from Cambridge University, where he was a Knox Fellow. A trained teacher of Transcendental Meditation, he joined an intentional community in Fairfield, Iowa in 1983, where he and his wife continue to live. There he encountered a cornucopia of spiritual seekers. A rigorous and thoroughgoing skeptic surrounded by ready believers, he has developed unique perspectives on the eternal yet ever-new contest of doubt versus belief. Website: krystofiak.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded October 2, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introducing Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:49 - Extraordinary Beliefs and Skepticism 00:09:04 - Nurturing Skepticism and Exploring Extraordinary Beliefs 00:13:31 - Dangerous Beliefs and their Implications 00:17:42 - Strange Beliefs and the Link to Spirituality 00:21:57 - The Spectrum of Belief 00:26:25 - Perceiving the Unseen 00:30:36 - The Complementarity of Science and Spirituality 00:35:00 - Spiritual Experiences and Remarkable Coincidences 00:38:57 - Exploring Extraordinary Beliefs 00:43:39 - Encouragement of the Irrational 00:47:56 - The Allure of Hidden Knowledge 00:51:58 - The Manipulation of Beliefs by Powerful Industries 00:56:20 - Bucking science and climate denial 01:00:02 - Einstein's View on God 01:03:53 - The Nature of Consciousness and Embodied State 01:08:30 - Recognizing the Essential Nature 01:13:13 - The Profoundness of Self-Realization 01:17:14 - The Nature of Consciousness 01:21:16 - The Value of Skepticism and Certainty 01:25:32 - Anecdotes of Out-of-Body Experiences during Surgery 01:29:26 - Unexplained Phenomena at Dinner 01:33:12 - The Connection between Fascination with the Paranormal and Social Issues 01:37:26 - The Seductive Power of Claims About Truth 01:41:22 - Peer-Reviewed Science vs. Scientist Claims 01:45:16 - The Importance of Scientific Consensus 01:49:42 - The Consensus of Spiritual Experiences 01:54:04 - The Motivation and Benefits of Spiritual Practices 01:58:03 - The Cognition of Deeper Mechanics of Nature 02:01:48 - Yogic Flying and Levitation 02:05:53 - The Positive Reception of the Book

Lynne Twist is the founder of the Soul of Money Institute and author of the best-selling, award-winning books: "The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life”, and Living a Committed Life: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger Than Yourself Over the past 40 years, Lynne has worked with over 100,000 people in 50 countries in the arenas of fundraising with integrity, conscious philanthropy, strategic visioning, and having a healthy relationship with money. Her clients include Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, the International Unity Church, Charles Schwab, United Way, The National Black Theater of Harlem, Harvard University, and others. A sought-after speaker, she has presented for the United Nations Beijing Women’s Conference, State of the World Forum, Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Governor’s Conference on California Women, among others. A recognized global visionary, Ms. Twist has been an advisor to the Desmond Tutu Foundation, and The Nobel Women’s Initiative. Lynne is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the "Woman of Distinction" award from the United Nations. Lynne is a co-founder of The Pachamama Alliance — a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture.  In addition, Lynne serves on a number of nonprofit boards including the Fetzer Institute, The Institute of Noetic Sciences, Bioneers, Conscious Capitalism, and Women’s Earth Alliance. From working with Mother Teresa in Calcutta to the refugee camps in Ethiopia and the threatened rainforests of the Amazon, Lynne’s on-the-ground work has brought her a deep understanding of the social tapestry of the world and the historical landscape of the times we are living in. Websites: soulofmoney.org pachamama.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 28, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:25 - Being an Instrument of Something Larger than Yourself 00:06:29 - Listening to the Power of the Amazon 00:09:38 - Journey with the Mayan Shaman 00:13:19 - Faces in the Forest 00:16:28 - A Mysterious Encounter in Ecuador 00:19:28 - The Mysterious Faces in the Rainforest 00:22:28 - Connection and Communication 00:25:18 - The Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor People 00:28:14 - The Pandemic as an Announcement 00:31:29 - The Caterpillar's Transformation 00:34:43 - Transforming the Brown Caterpillar into an Exquisite Butterfly 00:37:37 - The Prophecy of the Bird of Humanity 00:40:50 - Rise of the Feminine Values 00:44:20 - A Kinder Gentler World 00:47:44 - Humanity's Threshold 00:50:27 - The Paradigm of Enough 00:53:36 - The Source of The Hunger  Project 00:56:27 - Transformation in Business and Society 00:59:44 - Paying Attention to Progress 01:02:50 - Taking Action in Your Community 01:05:48 - The Scarcity Mindset and Inequality 01:08:53 - Shifting the Mindset and Building Caring Communities 01:11:45 - The Two Branches of Gratitude 01:14:54 - Turning Attention to What You Have 01:17:58 - Finding Fulfillment and Overcoming Scarcity 01:21:05 - Amending the Constitution 01:24:04 - Miracles and Progress in Our Lifetime 01:26:50 - Connecting with the Spirit World 01:30:10 - Mountains, Sun, Earth, and Everything: The Interconnectedness of Life 01:33:04 - Enriching Conversations with Lynne Twist

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