Buddha at the Gas Pump

Helané Wahbeh is the Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Wahbeh is clinically trained as a naturopathic physician and research trained with a Master of Clinical Research and two post-doctoral research fellowships. She has published on and spoken internationally about her studies on complementary and alternative medicine, mind-body medicine, stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder and their relationships to physiology, health, and healing. Her current research interests include healing stress and trauma, examining mechanisms of mind-body medicine, and rigorously studying extended human capacities. Dr. Wahbeh’s extensive meditation training includes the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a four-year Meditation Teacher Training with CoreLight, and a 19-year regular meditation practice. Books: Free To Be Me: A Journey of Transformation through Generational Healing Whole Body Radiance: The Secret to Successful Weight Loss Website Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded January 24, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:29 - The Genetic Predisposition to Phenomenal Experiences 00:08:22 - DNA and Channeling 00:12:12 - The Influence of Family on Spiritual Aptitudes 00:16:12 - Participate in our Research Studies 00:20:11 - Overcoming the Materialistic Worldview 00:24:32 - The Limitations of the Materialist Paradigm 00:28:47 - The Influence of Collective Consciousness 00:33:05 - The Mechanics of Collective Consciousness 00:37:18 - The Benefits of Channeling 00:41:32 - Navigating the Nuances of Channeling 00:46:23 - The Importance of Discernment in Spirituality 00:50:17 - The Replication Crisis in Science 00:54:40 - Exploring Alternative Methods for Study Analysis 00:58:54 - Telepathy and Out-of-Body Experiences 01:02:34 - Testing the Ability to See Subtle Beings 01:06:10 - Channeled Inspiration and Artistic Expression 01:10:02 - Ancient Texts and Higher Intelligence 01:14:22 - Contagion in Human Psychology and the Battle of Forces 01:19:06 - The Distraction of Conspiracy Theories 01:23:13 - The Shadow Within and Holding it with Equanimity 01:27:24 - Transmuting Dark Energy into Light 01:31:10 - Addressing Points about Spiritual Leaders and Conspiracy Theories 01:35:21 - The Spectrum of Conspiracy Theories 01:39:35 - Nuance and Open-mindedness 01:44:13 - Varying Levels of Channeling Entities 01:48:24 - The Characteristics of Channelers 01:52:11 - The Weakening Influence of Channeling on Mind-Body Coordination 01:56:16 - Authenticity of Channelers and Discernment 02:00:26 - The Entangled App and Influencing Random Numbers 02:04:05 - Signing up for IONS email list

Damo Mitchell has studied the martial, medical, and spiritual arts of Asia since the age of four. His studies have taken him across the planet in search of authentic masters. He is the technical director of the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts and teaches Nei Gong in various locations around the world. He specializes in uncovering and studying with rare alchemical and spiritual lineages linked to the tradition of Daoism. Books: A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong Four Dragons (Daoist Nei Gong) The Yellow Monkey Emperor’s Classic of Chinese Medicine Daoist Nei Gong: The Philosophical Art of Change Heavenly Streams: Meridian Theory in Nei Gong (Daoist Nei Gong) White Moon on the Mountain Peak (Daoist Nei Gong) Daoist Reflections from Scholar Sage (Daoist Nei Gong) Daoist Nei Gong for Women: The Art of the Lotus and the Moon Websites: lotusneigong.com damomitchell.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 16, 2021 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background of Damo Mitchell 00:05:38 - The Evolution of Taoism and Chinese History 00:10:41 - The Purpose of Qi Gong and Nei Gong 00:14:58 - Taoist Alchemy: Awakening and Immortality 00:19:10 - Cultural differences in Taoist teachings 00:23:18 - Misusing Tremendous Energy 00:27:22 - The Importance of Addressing Problems in Spiritual Traditions 00:31:25 - The Yin and Yang energy within the body 00:35:25 - The Erosion of Willpower through Habits and Mindset 00:39:33 - Transforming the Body and Siddhis in Neigong Practice 00:43:37 - The Pitfalls of Demonstrating Special Abilities 00:47:49 - Alchemy as a Path to Enlightenment and Health Improvement 00:51:45 - The Importance of Personal Motivation in Spiritual Practice 00:55:39 - The Love of the Art and Existential Crisis 00:59:42 - From Anti-Religious to Religious Orientation 01:03:33 - The Importance of Clear Definitions and Shared Language 01:07:28 - Psychological Development in Spiritual Growth 01:11:29 - Sports Visualization and its Application 01:15:28 - The Practice of Governing and Non-Governing 01:19:18 - Pedaling, Coasting, and Effort in Practice 01:23:10 - Explaining Non-Physical Energy to Atheists 01:27:11 - "Going ahead alone" 01:31:14 - Inadequacy and the Path of Enlightenment 01:35:26 - Building the Dan Tian 01:39:30 - Gaining Momentum in the West 01:43:42 - Therapeutic uses and the harm of recreational drug use 01:48:00 - Navigating the Path and Multiple Paths 01:51:50 - The Experience of Taking Auto-Suggestion 01:55:53 - Litmus Test and Handprints in Temples 02:00:00 - Benefits of the Courses: Transformation and Joy 02:04:03 - Studying Channeling and the Institute of Noetic Sciences

Dr. Daniel Brown has been a clinical and forensic psychologist for almost 50 years. He has been at Harvard Medical School for almost 40 years. He has been a student of, translator for, and meditation master in the Indo-Tibetan and Bon meditation tradition for almost 50 years. He has the only Western neuroscience study identifying the brain changes in the shift from ordinary mind to awakened mind. Books: Pointing Out the Great Way: The Stages of Meditation in the Mahamudra Tradition Transformations of Consciousness: Conventional and Contemplative Perspectives On Development (New Science Library) Self-Arising Three-fold Embodiment of Enlightenment: [of Bon Great Completion Meditation] Websites: pointingoutway.org drdanielpbrown.com mindonly.com attachmentproject.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded January 10, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:15 - The Universal Trouble of Relationships in East and West 00:09:11 - Morality and Enlightenment 00:13:18 - Realizations and Enlightenment 00:17:37 - Practicing Automatic Emptiness and Unbounded Wholeness 00:21:52 - The correlation between brain activity and subjective states 00:26:09 - Shifting the Basis of Operation 00:30:03 - The Speed of the Mind and Baseball Training 00:34:10 - The Indestructible Essence in Buddhism 00:38:14 - The Purification of the Body 00:42:12 - The Transformation into Rainbow Body 00:46:23 - The Desert Fathers' Teachings and Controversy 00:50:21 - The Seven Deadly Sins in Meditation 00:54:23 - Putting Realizations into Practice 00:58:40 - The True Test of Realization 01:02:29 - Differentiating Awakened Awareness from Ordinary Awareness 01:06:35 - The Ninth Stage of Concentration 01:10:43 - Training the Mind to Concentrate 01:14:42 - Realizing the Power of Non-Reactivity 01:18:35 - Alternative to Traditional Tibetan Preliminary Practices 01:22:42 - Balancing Enlightenment and Conduct 01:26:39 - Different Paths to Enlightenment 01:30:49 - Different Perspectives on Ultimate Reality 01:34:49 - The Dying Tradition of Cave and Hermitage Monks 01:39:10 - Concentration versus Effortlessness 01:43:03 - Deep Transformation of the Nervous System 01:46:47 - The Influence of Conspiracy Theories 01:51:02 - The Danger of Fragmentation and Isolation 01:55:14 - The Limitations of a Human Being 01:59:44 - The Influence of Suggestive Influence and Soundbites 02:03:58 - Conclusion and Farewell

David Lorimer, MA, PGCE, FRSA is a writer, lecturer, poet, and editor who is a Founder of Character Education Scotland, Programme Director of the Scientific and Medical Network, and former President of Wrekin Trust and the Swedenborg Society. He has also been editor of Paradigm Explorer since 1986 and completed his 100th issue in 2019. He was the instigator of the Beyond the Brain conference series and has co-ordinated the Mystics and Scientists conferences every year since the late 1980s. Originally a merchant banker then a teacher of philosophy and modern languages at Winchester College, he is the author and editor of over a dozen books including Radical Prince: The Practical Vision of the Prince of Wales. His new book of essays, A Quest for Wisdom comes out in March 2021. David is the originator of the Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Programmes, which has reached over 350,000 young people all over the world. David is also Chair of the Galileo Commission which seeks to widen the science of consciousness beyond a materialistic world view. Books: Resonant Mind: Life Review in the Near-Death Experience Radical Prince: The Practical Vision of the Prince of Wales Quest for Wisdom: Inspiring Purpose on the Path of Life Prophet for Our Times: The Life & Teachings of Peter Deunov In this conversation, we discuss whether consciousness fundamental or an epiphenomenon of brain functioning. If it is fundamental (our view), how can this become the accepted paradigm? If it did so, how would this change the world? Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded December 19, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:49 - Exploring Deep Human Experiences of Consciousness and Near-Death Experiences 00:11:13 - The Field Phenomenon of Consciousness 00:16:03 - Unpacking Ideas 00:20:36 - The Dominance of the Mechanistic Metaphor in Biology 00:25:18 - The Galileo Commission and the Fear of Challenging Paradigms 00:29:38 - The tension between the priest and the prophet 00:33:46 - The Hierarchy of Initiates in the Cathar Religion 00:38:32 - Understanding and Manipulation 00:42:53 - The Implications of a Materialistic Worldview 00:47:10 - Empathetic Resonance and Consciousness Awareness 00:51:50 - The Universal Self 00:56:33 - The Impact of Military Expenditure on the Economy and Infrastructure 01:00:55 - The Flourishing of Creativity and Diversity 01:05:16 - Upgrade Needed 01:10:06 - The correlation between the human mind and the universe 01:14:46 - The Importance of a Cultural Grounding in Education 01:19:19 - The Power of Personal Experience 01:23:30 - The Unseen Forces of Change 01:27:44 - The Influence of Meditation on Atmosphere 01:32:11 - The Subtle Atmosphere of a Sacred Place 01:36:29 - The Coarsening Effect of the Physical World 01:40:55 - The Nobel Prize Winner's Courage 01:45:18 - A Shift in Attitude and the Potential for Change 01:49:38 - Embracing Change and the Power of Imagination 01:53:54 - Manifestation of Ideas and Subtle Activism 01:58:43 - The Role of Covert Operations and Power Over People 02:03:25 - Rainmaking and the Power of Ceremony 02:08:02 - Natural Law and Consciousness 02:12:19 - The Closing Ceremony and Final Thoughts 02:17:09 - Conclusion and Thanks

International speaker, Master of Bio-Energetic Theory, and Quantum Field visionary, Dr. Sue Morter utilizes the embodiment of high-frequency energy patterns to activate full human potential. Through her seminars, retreats, and presentations, she illuminates the relationship of quantum science and energy medicine – elevating human consciousness into life mastery. Dr. Sue is the USA Today bestselling, #1 bestselling LA Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Energy Codes: The 7-Step System to Awaken Your Spirit, Heal Your Body, and Live Your Best Life. Through THE ENERGY CODES, Dr. Sue provides techniques to activate untapped energy and neurocircuitry in the body, empower hidden potential, and become one’s true, essential self. She is the founder and creator of the globally-taught coursework, The Energy Codes®, a multi-level body of work on Personal and Spiritual Development. Dr. Sue also created the BodyAwake® RYT 200 Certified Yoga Program and is co-creator of the Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.). She has served on professional licensing boards, providing guidance to health care practitioners on integrative approaches to healthcare leadership. Dr. Sue is also adjunct faculty at two medical schools at Michigan State University, an AAU school classified as one of the top 100 universities in the world. Dr. Sue is the host of Gaia TV’s Healing Matrix, and co-host of Your Year of Miracles lifestyle training. Dr. Sue is E-RYT 200 and E-RYT 500 certified in Yoga Instruction and was recently recognized for her outstanding achievements as an honored member of the Transformational Leadership Council. In addition to founding Morter HealthCenter in 1987, she is the founder and visionary of the Morter Institute for Bio-Energetics, an organization committed to teaching individuals self-healing techniques with an inner wisdom-based approach to life based on Quantum Science and higher consciousness. With three distinct schools representing the unification of mind, body, and spirit: the School of Energy Medicine, School of BodyAwake® Yoga, and School for Higher Consciousness and Personal Development – Dr. Sue provides tools and avenues to empower the global community to discover and embody a joyful, inspired life, lived from the true, Soulful Self. Website: drsuemorter.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded December 12, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:10 - Sharing Profound Experiences in Teaching 00:08:25 - The Discovery of Energy Fields 00:12:35 - Tapping into a Deeper Knowing 00:16:53 - The Continuity of Life 00:21:11 - Heart-Based Meditation 00:25:43 - Holding Teachers Accountable for Social Change 00:30:03 - The Importance of Integration and Embodiment 00:34:27 - Grounding and Embodiment 00:38:40 - Integrating Nature and Collaborating with Forces 00:42:28 - Dissolving into the Light 00:47:41 - The Shift in Perception and Dimensionality 00:51:51 - Finding Bliss and Grounding Energies 00:56:16 - Tapping into Infinite Energy 01:00:30 - The Energy Dissipated in Mental Activities 01:04:36 - Cosmic Desires Supported by the Cosmos 01:08:33 - Harnessing Connection with the Universe 01:12:56 - Embracing the Shift and Reevaluation of Life 01:17:09 - Awakening to a Greater Sense of Self 01:21:37 - Embracing the Invisible Realm and Revealing Hidden Gifts 01:26:08 - Choosing to Utilize Your Energies 01:30:07 - The Power of Vibrational Frequency  01:34:32 - Embracing Parts of Ourselves 01:39:00 - The Bus Stop Conversation 01:42:31 - Finding Self-Love through Adverse Circumstances 01:46:02 - Healing and Filtering Energy 01:50:02 - Distorted Biofield and Energy Flow 01:53:48 - Understanding the Language of the Soul 01:57:34 - Discovering the Power of Energy Codes 02:01:23 - The Birth of Level Three 02:05:07 - Interview with Sue Morter

A conversation with Derek Beres, Matthew Remski, and Julian Walker, the hosts of the Conspirituality Podcast website. As they describe it, their podcast is... A weekly study of converging right-wing conspiracy theories and faux-progressive wellness utopianism. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it. The term “conspirituality” first appeared in 2009 as the name of a Vancouver rap group that unironically dropped conspiracy keywords into beats calling for political awakening. In 2011, Charlotte Ward and David Voas used the term academically to analyze the growing overlap between the paranoid conspiracism of right-wingers and the New Age’s yearning for spiritual transformation. Derek Beres is a multi-faceted author, media expert, and movement instructor based in Los Angeles. He is the Head of Content Marketing and Community at Centered, as well as a columnist for Big Think and Psychedelic Spotlight. One-half of EarthRise SoundSystem, he also served as music supervisor for the breakthrough documentary, DMT: The Spirit Molecule. He is a co-host of the Conspirituality podcast. His new book, Hero's Dose: The Case for Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy, is out now. Matthew Remski is a cult survivor and researcher. His 2019 book, Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond, is the first systematic analysis of pervasive cultism in the modern yoga world. He researches and writes on abuse in spiritual movements here, as well as for publications like GEN by Medium and The Walrus. His current research is pivoting to look at cultic dynamics in conspirituality and eco-justice movements. He lives in Toronto with his partner and their two sons. Julian Walker grew up in Zimbabwe and South Africa and has lived in LA since 1990. He is fascinated with the intersections of yoga/meditation, psychology, science, and culture. He has written extensively on cults and gurus, spiritual bypass and quantum woo in New Age circles, trauma and the body, and neuroscience and somatic psychology informing the practice and teaching of yoga. His writing can be found on Elephant Journal, Medium, and in the 2011 book, 21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics, and Practice. He teaches yoga and runs teacher-training programs in and around LA. Julian is also a bodyworker and the ecstatic dance DJ/facilitator for his Dance Tribe events. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded December 5, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Conspiratuality 00:04:21 - Investigative study into institutional abuse in Ashtanga Yoga 00:08:09 - The Emergence of Conspirituality in the Yoga Community 00:11:49 - Paradigm Shift and Metaphysical Notions 00:15:02 - The Rise of Conspiracy Theories During Times of Crisis 00:18:51 - Envisioning a Different Future 00:22:28 - Influence of the Spiritual Community in the 60s and 70s 00:25:37 - Vulnerability to QAnon in the Wellness Space 00:30:00 - COVID Denialism and Financial Risk 00:33:39 - Critiquing Nootropic Supplements and Bro Science 00:36:52 - The Relationship Between Patterns and Dopamine 00:40:19 - The Value of Things 00:44:06 - The Wonderment in Creation 00:48:01 - Technological Expansion of Spiritual Bypassing 00:51:41 - Dealing with Loved Ones Believing in Conspiracy Theories 00:55:09 - Managing QAnon and Conspiracies in Families 00:58:58 - Collectivist Cultures and the Spread of QAnon 01:02:43 - The Intersection of Employment and Spirituality 01:06:15 - The Appeal of Incompetence and Manipulation 01:09:27 - The Influence of Alternative Media Platforms 01:13:10 - The Blurring of Facts and Truth in the New Age Community 01:16:51 - The Need for Regulation in the Yoga Industry 01:20:44 - The Need for Regulation in the Yoga Industry 01:24:01 - The Influence of Celebrities and Media Figures 01:27:52 - Monetizing Conspiracy Theories and the Addiction of Engagement 01:31:17 - Cultic Dynamics in Yoga and Buddhism Education 01:35:18 - The Importance of Citing Sources in New Age Spirituality 01:38:30 - The Poetry of the Unknown 01:42:29 - Understanding the Roots of Indoctrination and Compassionate Response 01:46:02 - The Power of Actions and Karma 01:49:41 - Continuing the Discussion

Ingrid Honkala, Ph.D., was born in Bogota, Colombia, where she grew up with her parents and three sisters. From the moment she drowned in a tank of cold water at the age of nearly three, Ingrid was aware of other dimensions of life than those most of us normally experience. She was also gifted with the wise input of “Beings of Light” who gave her invaluable insights and assistance as she faced the challenges of growing up, falling in love, and finding her professional destiny as a research scientist and oceanographer. Despite many hardships, she accomplished her dreams, becoming not just a successful marine scientist, world traveler, and mom, but also a mentor and a giver of light. Through her compelling life adventure that journeys from her native Colombia to Europe and her eventual home in the United States — and from a deadly war zone to underwater explorations and a NASA research center — Ingrid reveals how any human experience can be illumined from within. If we are willing to pay attention to subtle signals, take our intuition seriously, and forgive our most challenging difficulties, anyone can experience a brightly guided life. Throughout her life, Ingrid has been guided to meet and help many people on their journey to become aware of a deeper reality and reconnect with their inner wisdom. In her autobiography, A Brightly Guided Life: How a Scientist Learned to Hear her Inner Wisdom, Ingrid reveals how after having her Near Death Experience, the first glimpses of heaven were revealed to her and the doors that allow her to communicate with Beings of Light were opened. Since then a myriad of experiences that many could call mystical and perhaps impossible have crossed her path. However, the Beings of Light have made it clear to her that she is not here to convince anyone about anything but to be a giver of Light. To accomplish this purpose, she has been guided through an amazing journey of unimaginable challenges, awakenings, and miracles where along the way she became the vehicle to help others to rise up from some of the deepest states of hopelessness and bring them back to life. For all this she is eternally grateful and committed to continue awakening, growing, and serving the Light. Website: ingridhonkala.com Books and video: A Brightly Guided Life: How A Scientist Learned to Hear Her Inner Wisdom Una Vida Guiada En La Luz: Cómo Una Científica Aprendió a Escuchar Su Sabiduría Interior (Spanish Edition) Life to Afterlife: Death and Back Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded November 29, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump with Rick Archer 00:04:42 - The Incident with the Water Tank 00:09:16 - Remembering the Eternity of Who I Was 00:13:39 - Floating with Flowers 00:17:14 - Playing the Game of Going Places 00:20:33 - Connected to the Being of Light 00:23:44 - A Blast and a Vacuum 00:27:08 - The Bell and the Awakening 00:30:40 - Not Feeling Belonging, Anger, and Increased Abilities 00:34:14 - The Beginnings of Seeing Beings of Light 00:38:18 - Becoming a Being of Light 00:41:50 - The Importance of Names in Communication 00:45:51 - Profound Spiritual Awakening 00:49:12 - A Vision of My Future Job 00:52:25 - Interaction with Beings of Light and their Influence 00:55:49 - The Observer: Life Through Personal Experience 00:59:12 - The Challenges and Awakening 01:02:24 - Removing the Blocks and Shining the Light 01:06:12 - The Loss of Light and the Illusion of the World 01:10:17 - The Illusion of Truth and Appreciation 01:15:22 - The Symphony of Nature's Welcome 01:21:30 - Quieting the Mind and Connecting with Beings of Light 01:27:20 - The Importance of Acknowledging Near-Death Experiences 01:33:18 - The Power of Connection 01:39:36 - The Power of Connection and Unconditional Love 01:45:30 - A Life-Changing Robbery Experience 01:51:24 - A Probing Thought Turns into a State of Prayer 01:58:09 - Awakening and Integration 02:03:37 - Embracing Challenges as Opportunities for Growth 02:10:24 - Connecting with Inner Wisdom 02:16:44 - Creating a Community and Speaking Engagements

This interview was recorded on October 9, 2020, as part of an online conference on "Living and Dying" offered by the Science and Nonduality Conference. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His free weekly newsletter has 180,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial needs. His books have been published in 29 languages with 900,000 copies in English alone and include: Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, NPR, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. He loves wilderness and taking a break from emails. Website: rickhanson.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. First BatGap interview with Rick Hanson. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Welcome to "Dying and Living" 00:02:23 - Reflections on Equanimity and Love 00:04:06 - Visual Representation of a Message 00:05:38 - The Impermanence of Experience and the Search for Happiness 00:07:37 - Resting in Stillness with Meditation 00:09:38 - Cultivating Equanimity 00:11:24 - Understanding the Mind and Increasing Equanimity 00:13:04 - The Three Stages of Experience 00:14:51 - Managing Aversion 00:16:45 - Sensitizing to the Negative 00:18:24 - Cultivating Peaceful Abiding 00:20:03 - Dealing with the Good and the Bad 00:21:39 - The Pace of News and Events 00:23:06 - Cultivating Unbounded Awareness 00:25:03 - Shifting Perspectives: Egocentric and Allocentric Views 00:26:43 - Finding Beauty and Unboundedness 00:28:06 - Finding Joy in the Local 00:30:04 - The Importance of Living Well Locally 00:31:55 - Individual and Collective Consciousness 00:33:37 - The Connection Between Spirituality and Mental Stability 00:35:24 - Practicing Authenticity and Cutting through Spiritual Materialism 00:37:07 - The confluence of conspiracy theories and the spiritual community 00:39:04 - The Influence of Cults and the Importance of Reality 00:40:48 - Punishing Freeloaders and Promoting Truth 00:42:34 - The Difficulty of Knowing the Truth 00:44:22 - The Importance of Personal Character and Virtue 00:45:48 - The Proliferation of Craziness 00:47:18 - Supporting Institutions that Promote Truth 00:49:08 - Developing Discernment and Spiritual Enlightenment 00:51:13 - The Ephemeral Nature of Passing Phenomena 00:53:09 - Conclusion and Farewell

Dean Radin, PhD, is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and Associated Distinguished Professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He occasionally gives lectures in the Department of Psychology at Sonoma State University and has served on doctoral dissertation committees at Saybrook University and CIIS. His original career track as a concert violinist shifted into science after earning a BSEE degree in electrical engineering, magna cum laude with honors in physics, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and then an MS in electrical engineering and a PhD in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. For a decade he worked on advanced telecommunications R&D at AT&T Bell Laboratories and GTE Laboratories. For three decades he has been engaged in frontiers research on the nature of consciousness. Before joining the research staff at IONS in 2001, he held appointments at Princeton University, University of Edinburgh, University of Nevada, Interval Research Corporation, and SRI International. He is author or coauthor of hundreds of scientific, technical, and popular articles, three dozen book chapters, and three popular books including the award-winning and bestselling The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena (HarperOne, 1997), Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality (Simon & Schuster, 2006), a 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award, Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities (Random House, 2013), and Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe (Penguin Random House). These books have been translated into 14 foreign languages, so far. His technical articles have appeared in journals including Foundations of Physics and Physics Essays to Psychological Bulletin and Journal of Consciousness Studies; he was featured in a New York Times Magazine article; and he has appeared on dozens of television shows ranging from the BBC’s Horizon to PBS's Closer to Truth. He has given over 400 interviews and talks, including presentations at Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, Princeton, Virginia Tech, the Sorbonne, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Minnesota, for industries including Google, Johnson & Johnson, Rabobank, and for various government organizations including the US Navy, DARPA, and the National Academy of Sciences. In 2010, he spent a month lecturing in India as the National Visiting Professor of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, a program sponsored by India's Ministry of Human Resource Development. In 2013 and 2014, he gave invited lectures in Kuala Lumpur at the International Center for Leadership and Governance, an organization supported by the Central Bank of Malaysia. In 2015 he spoke at the Australian Leadership Retreat, a confidential program of briefings and discussions for Australian government, business, education, and military leaders. Website: deanradin.com Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcripts of this interview: English Italian Interview recorded November 15, 2020. First BatGap interview with Dean Radin. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Past Interviews 00:04:43 - Psychic Phenomena and Fiction 00:08:57 - Distortions in Perception 00:12:49 - Cultural Bias and Social Acknowledgement 00:16:24 - The Fundamentals of Consciousness 00:20:17 - Quantum Objects and Classical Physics 00:24:37 - Quantum Biology and the Brain 00:28:47 - Storing Information Locally or in the Cloud  00:32:57 - Resistance to Yoga in Schools 00:37:14 - The Limitations of Science and the Importance of Ancient Ideas 00:41:27 - The Value of Laboratory Experiments in Understanding the World 00:45:34 - The Transformative Power of Consciousness 00:49:25 - The Foundation of Consciousness and Knowledge 00:53:43 - The Possibilities of Knowing Everything 00:57:26 - The Continuation of Exploration and Adventure 01:01:22 - The Overlap of Magical Practice and Psychic Phenomena 01:05:20 - The Study of Consciousness 01:09:34 - The Limitations of Knowledge 01:13:29 - The Allure of Magic and Fiction 01:17:53 - The Genetic Difference in Psychic Abilities 01:21:51 - Biomarkers and the Effect of Psychedelics 01:26:01 - Evolution and the Future of Homo Sapiens 01:29:58 - E.T. Channeling and Verification 01:33:58 - Levitation and Miraculous Abilities 01:38:04 - The Authenticity of D.D. Home's Mediumship 01:41:49 - The Power of Collective Consciousness 01:45:42 - The Role of Intervention in Consciousness Experimentation 01:49:55 - Power and Responsibility 01:53:50 - Natural Talents and Extraordinary Abilities in the Population 01:57:51 - The Movement Towards an Esoteric Worldview 02:01:54 - Finding Meaning and Purpose in the Universe

Swami Sarvapriyananda has been Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York since January 2017. He was a Nagral Fellow at Harvard Divinity School during the 2019-20 academic year. Prior to this, he served as assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California for 13 months. Swami joined the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1994 and received Sannyas in 2004. Before coming to serve in the US, he served as an acharya (teacher) of the monastic probationers’ training center at Belur Math in West Bengal, India (the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa). He has served the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities including being the Vice Principal of the Deoghar Vidyapith Higher Secondary School, Principal of the Shikshana Mandira Teacher Education College at Belur Math, and the first Registrar of the Vivekananda University at Belur Math. This conversation hosted by the Association for Spiritual Integrity explores the profound interconnections between ethics and Advaita Vedanta. An ethical life is foundational to the spiritual quest, a non-negotiable sine qua non to any real spiritual development. One can be good without being particularly “spiritual”, but there is no spirituality without goodness. But it is also true that ethics are a consequence of nonduality. For as long as thinkers have pondered ethics, they have searched for a foundation, a grounding, for ethics. Why should one be good and do good? The various answers thinkers have come up with through the ages – utilitarianism, deontology, and so forth – have all been found seriously wanting. Nonduality claims to provide a deep foundation for ethics. In this talk and Q&A, Swami Sarvapriyananda explores the philosophical and practical, as well as the individual and social dimensions of ethics in nondual spirituality. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this webinar. Recorded September 28, 2020 First BatGap interview with Swami Sarvapriyananda YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Association for Spiritual Integrity and Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:30 - The Importance of an Ethical Life in Spiritual Development 00:06:24 - Models of Enlightenment in Buddhism 00:09:16 - Ethics as the Foundation of Spirituality 00:12:11 - Spiritual Practices: Uparati, Titiksha, Samadhana, Shraddha 00:15:01 - Qualifications for Spiritual Life in Advaita Vedanta 00:17:54 - Oneness and Ignorance 00:20:46 - The Foundation of Ethics in Advaita Vedanta 00:24:02 - The Ethical Dilemma of Torture 00:26:42 - The Choice in Ethical Dilemmas 00:29:36 - The Problem of Ethics 00:32:26 - Ethics and Human Nature 00:35:24 - The Implication of Equality in Advaita Vedanta 00:38:28 - Ethics Rooted in Spiritual Nature 00:41:12 - The Ethics of Advaita Vedanta 00:44:10 - The Importance of Having a Set of Rules 00:46:55 - The Power of Self-Realization 00:50:00 - Caring for Others as Spiritual Practice 00:52:55 - Anecdote about Swami Shivananda and a Critical Visitor 00:56:02 - The Fullness of Advaita Vedanta and the Three Perspectives 00:59:03 - The Balance of Knowledge and Practice in Spiritual Life 01:01:55 - Training the Elephant 01:04:39 - Unethical behavior among spiritual teachers 01:07:26 - The Collective Guilt Complex 01:10:00 - Letting Go of Guilt and Repentance in Advaita Vedanta 01:12:59 - The Application of Advaita Vedanta to Human Reality 01:15:39 - Facing Suffering and Uncertainty 01:18:25 - The Challenge of Unethical Behavior in the Spiritual Community 01:21:24 - Independence in Advaita Vedanta 01:24:23 - Staying Grounded in the Presence of a Sangha 01:26:58 - Closing Remarks