Buddha at the Gas Pump

Judy Cohen is a former clinical psychologist, former serial entrepreneur, former depressed, anxious, anti-depressant-taking, suicidal despairer. She used to be a seeker of Self Improvement. She used to be a Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, and later a Certified Senior Facilitator-Trainer of the Living Inquiries. (** She's not certified in either method anymore.) She was desperate to feel better. Luckily, eventually, Judy came to see that the methods she was trained and certified in actually perpetuated, strengthened, the sense of self as damaged. Several awakening experiences happened. Contrary to popular myth, they didn’t put an end to unpleasant feelings. So all that seeking, the inquiry, the desperation to shift, was for… what, then? Judy finally realized she could give up seeking because… This. Is. It. As it is. And what could any teacher or technique give her that wasn’t already here, that she didn’t already have? She came to see that every experience- good, bad, happy, or sad- is an awakening. She knew to give up seeking because there was nothing more to get. She'd had it all along. Much more fun, this no-Judy-to-fix, nothing-to-seek existence. Though of course, she's also still here as Judy. Because human continues. And paradoxically…That's better. Website: irreverentmind.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 26, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:05:01 - The Work and its Effects 00:09:43 - Perception and language distortion 00:14:08 - Words and Communication 00:18:45 - The Perpetuation of Stories 00:23:11 - Appreciating the Present Moment 00:27:46 - The Miserable Dream World 00:32:40 - Understanding vs Realization in Spirituality 00:36:51 - Embracing Paradox and Ambiguity 00:41:26 - Triggers and the Unpredictability of Human Experience 00:45:51 - Accepting "this is it" 00:50:33 - The Importance of Attitude in Education 00:54:59 - Surrendering Control and Finding Motivation 00:59:41 - Accomplishment and Spiritual Development 01:04:11 - Keeping the Mind Busy 01:09:08 - Finding Inner Peace and Bliss 01:13:23 - The Limitations of Language 01:17:33 - Preferences and Consciousness 01:21:40 - The Nature of Consciousness 01:25:55 - The Frog Desires Water, The Physician Disease 01:29:38 - The Infinite Versions of Bliss 01:33:24 - The Limits of Language and Metaphor 01:37:24 - Finding Peace in Pain 01:40:44 - Dissolving the Mind's Roadblocks 01:44:41 - The Trap of Reinforcing the Sense of Self 01:48:03 - Finding Intrinsic Happiness 01:51:14 - Emulating Teachers and Gurus 01:54:30 - The Contradiction of Perception and Guidance 01:58:22 - Relaxing into Oneness 02:02:13 - The Importance of Getting Out of the Dream 02:05:19 - Sparking New Ideas

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian is a meditation teacher, an award-winning poet, writer, and the spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment—a Kriya Yoga Meditation Center with headquarters in San Jose, California. She has taught Kriya Yoga nationally and internationally for more than three decades and has received many service awards, including the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Promotion of Religious Pluralism. Ordained to teach in 1982 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, her message is “engaged enlightenment” – an invitation to live an awakened, creatively inspired, and fulfilled life, now. Along with her service as a meditation teacher and esteemed Yogacharya, Ellen Grace O’Brian is the Founder of Carry the Vision, a community nonviolence education project bringing meditation instruction to staff and children in schools, the prison population, and other segments of society. She is the founder and President of Meru Institute, providing healthy lifestyle education and leadership training in yoga studies, Ayurveda, and community service. She is host of The Yoga Hour, a weekly podcast with listeners in over 130 countries. Her latest book, The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga, was recently published by New World Library. Other books: The Moon Reminded Me A Single Blade of Grass: Finding the Sacred in Everyday Life One Heart Opening Sanctuary of Belonging Living for the Sake of the Soul Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 21, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Overview of the Guest 00:03:50 - The Connection Between Material Existence and Spiritual Life 00:07:32 - Finding a Happy Medium and Being Awake in the World 00:11:24 - Living in an Ashram vs. Awakening in the World 00:15:11 - Discovering Your Unique Path 00:19:12 - Discovering a Subtle Dharma 00:23:13 - The Importance of Homo Consciousness 00:26:53 - Exploring the Goal of Artha 00:31:07 - Ethics in Spiritual Communities 00:34:42 - Ahimsa and the Journey of Non-Stealing 00:38:52 - Changing Our Mind for Abundance 00:42:44 - The Power of Speech and Thought 00:46:44 - Divine Grace and the Mechanics of Life 00:50:48 - Receptivity to Opportunities 00:55:44 - The Beauty of Life and the Nature of Reality 00:59:58 - The Importance of Enjoyment in Living a Spiritually Conscious Life 01:04:06 - Finding Happiness and Bliss 01:08:00 - Unhooking from External Sources of Happiness 01:11:27 - Living Beyond Our Means and Stealing 01:15:21 - Awakening to Higher Consciousness 01:19:34 - Stages of Life and Dharma 01:23:10 - Serving without Attachment 01:27:29 - Finding Joy in the Present Moment 01:31:42 - Being an Ocean and the Middle Way 01:36:00 - The Evolutionary Crucible of Close Relationships 01:40:17 - Awakening and Self-Reflection 01:44:43 - The Mechanics of Yoga 01:48:23 - The Body and Karma 01:52:21 - Reincarnation and the Mind 01:56:18 - The Power of Faith and Belief in the Universe 02:00:29 - Keeping Your Attention on Interview Preparation

Myree Morsi (MA) is a spiritual and energetic healer, counselor and coach who specializes in supporting people with Kundalini, awakening and the embodiment of consciousness. Myree was psychic and naturally shamanic since early childhood. She began intensive spiritual practice in meditation and yoga as a teenager, which eventually heightened these abilities. She has a capacity to “see” the process of Kundalini Shakti in someone’s system and dedicated her gifts to healing others. From 2004 Myree began having deep insights into the nature of true self, amidst a wild Kundalini journey. Kundalini completed in 2009, leaving her with a profound shift in what she identified as her reference point, and access to constantly increasing levels of awareness. Since then, she has explored what it means to continually integrate vast consciousness into a physical and energetic system that had suffered extensive trauma and previously acute PTSD. The journey of awakening continues to deepen and expand endlessly. The most priceless gift has been a causeless joy. Myree’s special interest is in the intersection of trauma, Kundalini, awakening, and embodiment. Trauma presents specific challenges to the capacity of the physical and energetic systems to absorb consciousness and expand in both functional and stable ways. Myree is passionate about supporting people who walk such paths and brings a sense of humor, safety, and compassion to the places we get stuck because she has been in those places too, and unfolded them into freedom. She offers individual sessions, classes, and retreats. Myree is a bhakta, inspired by Amma, and also Adyashanti, Ramana, Gangaji and the quiet crones and wise folks she has met along the way. Website: myree.com.au YouTube Channel Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 12, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:05 - Gifts and Sensitivity in Childhood 00:09:06 - Trauma and Awakening 00:13:15 - Psychic Experiences and Past Life Recall 00:16:40 - Spiritual Journey and Ashram Life 00:19:59 - Awakening of Siddhis and Psychic Abilities 00:23:37 - Healing Past Life Trauma and Cleaning Up Past Agreements 00:27:08 - Cleaning up the Garbage 00:30:37 - A Journey to Another Dimension 00:33:49 - The Great Pyramid of Giza and Other Dimensions 00:37:55 - Cultivating the Body for Spiritual Experience 00:41:15 - Integration and Stabilization of Consciousness 00:45:26 - The Awakening Process and Everyday State of Being 00:49:46 - Experience of Spontaneous Kriyas during Kundalini Awakening 00:53:33 - The Physical Symptoms of Kundalini Awakening 00:56:33 - Completion of the Awakening Journey 01:00:17 - The Profound Awakening Experience 01:04:37 - The Shift of Awareness and Trauma Processing 01:09:20 - Catalyst for a Shift 01:13:31 - Rebirth and Spiritual Depth 01:17:32 - The Importance of Spiritual Visions 01:21:43 - The Journey to Becoming a Healer 01:25:11 - Surrendering into the Unknown 01:29:18 - Surrendering to the Divine Flow 01:33:14 - Trauma and the Awakening Process 01:37:00 - Kundalini and Trauma 01:40:07 - Trauma and the Importance of Safe Processing. 01:44:15 - Spontaneous Awakening 01:47:52 - Embracing Confusion and Transformation through Service 01:51:59 - Awakening Purpose and Climate Change in Australia 01:56:01 - Addressing Climate Change and Shifting Consciousness

Courtney began her path as a seeker at a young age, progressing to the point that these teachings began to flow through her, effortlessly and with complete love and joy, starting at age 16. In the beginning, the wisdom was received for her own evolution and understanding, but after a short time she was guided to share it with as many people as possible through a book. Teachings from God: Greeting Your Soul and Revealing the Divine Within has given Courtney the inspiration and tools to create the life that excites her, and more than anything she wants to inspire you to do the same. In addition to authoring Teachings from God, Courtney is a musician and leads Kirtan, and is also a qigong practitioner of 13 years, hoping to become a qigong master one day. Kirtan, also called Bhakti yoga (yoga of devotion) is a call-and-response style of yoga chanting that includes both the musicians and the audience. You can find her original music and live Kirtans on her YouTube channel. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 5, 2019. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to "Buddha at the Gas Pump" 00:05:26 - Using Visualization and Energy in Qigong 00:10:58 - An Encounter with Oneness 00:16:44 - Contemplating Our Existence and Connection to a Larger Whole 00:22:17 - Co-creation and Free Will 00:27:22 - Taking the Initiative in Consciousness Awakening 00:32:46 - The Healing Power of Music 00:37:01 - Brilliant Vocabulary and Co-authorship 00:40:52 - Channeling and Integration in Daily Life 00:44:24 - Connecting with Friends through Meditation 00:48:19 - Multi-dimensional Qualities of Reality 00:51:58 - Deepening Within Yourself 00:55:58 - The Integration of Spiritual and Human Experiences 01:00:10 - The Integration of Reality and the Evolution of Consciousness 01:04:14 - The Frustration of Traditional Education 01:08:16 - Following Your Intuition in Life 01:12:37 - Surrender and Transformation 01:16:45 - Acts of Service for a Bigger Universe 01:20:48 - Reeling in our humanness 01:24:40 - Accessing the Divine Nature 01:28:50 - Personal Soul Evolution 01:33:25 - The Story behind the Name "Hannah" 01:37:48 - Empowering Yourself on the Spiritual Journey 01:41:42 - Discovering Spiritual Insights 01:45:34 - Opening up to new experiences 01:49:23 - The Company You Keep 01:53:18 - Exploring Different Layers of Consciousness 01:57:15 - The Earth's Cycles & Collective Consciousness 02:01:26 - Raising our Vibration and Being a Lightworker 02:05:22 - Connecting with Your Soul 02:09:05 - Interview with Courtney Amundson

Ishtar (Thomas Howell) is a meditation teacher, Ishaya monk, gardener, writer, and intuitive astrologer. A sense of himself as Presence was a pronounced feature of his life until about age 7. At age 13, he was in a car accident that took his mother’s life, and initiated an NDE that brought about a profound experience of Samadhi that in the subsequent months he experienced right along with an intense process of grieving. After the Presence faded, he longed to return, resulting in an energetic spiritual search. At 17 he began a regimen of meditation practices and ascetic disciplines that included waking to cold showers at 3 AM, fasting, and 6 hours of daily meditation practice. Longing to find his path, he encountered a practice known as the Ishayas’ Ascension, an effortless and deeply pleasurable form of meditation, which he quickly recognized as the path for which he’d been searching. Several months after learning Ascension, he found himself living on the Oregon coast in a monastic environment dedicated to the practice. The ashram life brought about a rapid acceleration of growth, leading to ever more consistent experiences of Silence, in closed eyed meditation practice, while cooking in the community’s café, doing service work, and planting gardens. After going through a 6-month intensive Teacher Training program, that involved 12-16 hours of closed eyed meditation a day, he began teaching classes around the world, and living in various regional meditation centers around the world. Seeming, miracles, wild manifestations, witness consciousness, and celestial perception were frequent occurrences, as Awareness slowly but surely saturated more and more of life. In 2008, he left his monastic organization and then took an extended break from meditation teaching. The years lived outside the semi cloistered environment of the ashram were often challenging, but ultimately led to a more deeply anchored Presence. Subtle barriers fell, opening to the experience of the world as the Self. This process continues to unfold and expand. Since 2014, he has again been teaching Ascension and working as a spiritual guide, giving people a reliable practice with which to cultivate Awareness and assisting people in relaxing into Presence as a constantly lived experience. Since 2015 he has also been working as an intuitive Astrologer, with a primary focus on helping people align more completely with their soul’s purpose. More information can be found at these websites: ascension-meditation.com and awakenedlightastrology.com. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded October 30, 2018, in Sedona, Arizona YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:06:44 - Early Spiritual Experiences 00:12:06 - Dressing up as Sherlock Holmes for Psychic Investigations 00:16:16 - The Visitation of Spirits 00:21:02 - Transition to a Better Opportunity 00:26:09 - Childhood Moments of Stillness 00:31:23 - The Great Wound and Blessing 00:36:18 - The Car Crash and Revelation of Love 00:41:13 - Transcending Grief and Finding Presence 00:46:43 - The Journey to Meditation 00:51:03 - Meeting Guides and Mentors 00:56:21 - Small Town Stories 01:01:06 - Visions of an Ashram Room 01:05:16 - The Power of Meditation and Urgency in Life 01:09:43 - The Importance of Seizing the Moment 01:14:11 - Opening of the Heart in Meditation 01:19:09 - Enlightenment and the Workshop Experience 01:24:05 - A Surprising Opportunity in Oregon 01:28:30 - Clarity through visions and confirmations 01:32:57 - A Profound Experience in Switzerland 01:37:49 - Feeling Connected to Everything, Getting Kicked Out 01:42:27 - Leaving the Group, Growth, and Gratitude 01:46:35 - Spontaneous Manifestations and Awareness during Sleep 01:51:04 - A Surprising Rush of Customers 01:55:49 - Questioning the Organization 02:00:18 - The Illusion of Self-Obsession 02:04:24 - A New Path and Meeting My Wife 02:08:42 - Exploring the World of Subtle Perception 02:13:42 - The Subtle Realms and Multidimensional Experience 02:18:17 - Folklore and the Subtle Realms

Thomas Hübl is a modern mystic, spiritual teacher, author, and systems-thinker. His work integrates the essence of the great wisdom traditions, scientific knowledge, and his own personal experience. Thomas offers a unique approach to life as a ‘mystic in the marketplace’ and helps people to attain a deeper level of self-awareness and personal relationship and to transcend a ‘culture of the personal’ and a self-centered worldview. Through his work, people from all walks of life learn how to become a living expression of spirit and how to participate in ‘we cultures’ through an embodied inner and outer connection. His teachings combine transformation through the integration of trauma, somatic sensitization, advanced meditative practice, and a deepening understanding of cultural processes. Since 2004, Thomas’ leading-edge work has spread worldwide through workshops, multi-year training programs, and online courses. The non-profit ‘Celebrate Life Festival‘ brings together more than 1,200 people every year and has showcased a wide network of experts in various disciplines, through dialogue and exchange. In 2008 Thomas founded the ‘Academy of Inner Science’. This provided a framework for dialogue between the inner science of consciousness and the external scientific-academic exploration of life. Over the years Thomas has also organized several major healing events, aimed at healing the Holocaust’s cultural shadows. Thousands of Germans and Israelis have been brought together through these processes. In 2016 Thomas and his wife Yehudit founded the non-profit ‘Pocket Project‘, with the aim of exploring collective trauma and shadow work and integrating this through large-scale group processes. A global organization has been launched, intended to research and explore specific aspects of local traumatization. This applies both to past traumas and also to current conflict zones. Thomas was born in Austria in 1971 and now lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, with his wife, the Israeli artist Yehudit Sasportas and their daughter Eliya. Website: thomashuebl.com First BatGap interview with Thomas. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 27, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:40 - Spiritual Practice and Shadow Work 00:07:08 - The Importance of Supervision and Shadow Work 00:10:09 - The Expansion of Self Awareness 00:13:50 - The Crystallization of Shadow Language 00:17:06 - Healing Trauma and Developing Sensitivity 00:20:36 - Healing Generational Trauma 00:24:00 - Meditation and Trauma Healing 00:27:17 - The Path through the Fire 00:30:25 - The Absorbing Nature of the World 00:33:38 - Digesting Life Through Meditation 00:36:52 - Flowing with the Path of Least Action 00:39:58 - Understanding the Relationship Between Weakness and Trauma 00:43:31 - Trauma and Dysregulation in Addiction 00:46:44 - Trauma and the Nervous System 00:49:40 - The Collective Field and the Debt of Karma 00:53:26 - Trauma, Epigenetics, and Reincarnation 00:56:30 - The Interconnectedness of Reality 01:00:00 - Process Awareness and Symptom Analysis 01:03:04 - Unconscious Polarization 01:06:28 - Turbulence and the Awakening of Collective Consciousness 01:10:02 - The Interconnectedness of Pollution and Human Health 01:13:21 - The Earth's Immune System and the Spiritual Awakening 01:17:00 - The Fluidity of Life's Challenges and Solutions 01:20:20 - Inner and Outer Science 01:23:41 - Healing Spiritual Trauma 01:27:08 - Spiritual Trauma and Self-scrutiny 01:30:34 - The Beauty of Individuality and Non-Duality 01:34:08 - Living a Multidimensional Life 01:37:39 - The Power of Resonance and Thought-Provoking Conversations 01:40:43 - Dealing with Collective Trauma

With Jac O'Keeffe, Craig Holliday, Caverly Morgan, and Rick Archer Questioning whether higher consciousness and ethical behavior are tightly correlated. The founding of the Association for Spiritual Integrity (formerly the Association of Professional Spiritual Teachers). The attempt to formulate a code of ethics that might apply universally in the contemporary spiritual community and enliven an understanding of what may or may not be appropriate, giving students greater confidence in their own discernment and discrimination. Ancient traditions held the teacher beyond reproach and students surrendered their own will. This may have worked in monastic settings but generally does not work today. Preventative support so we’re not busy doing cleanup. Power hierarchies should not be an essential part of spiritual development and can lead to abuses. Spiritual awakening does not necessarily qualify a person to offer advice on relationships, finances, etc. Ethical training of some sort is integral to most honored traditions. The issue of sexism and patriarchy in spiritual organizations. Entering the teaching profession prematurely. All too often, when teachers are challenged on their behavior, they ignore the challenger or become defensive. How do we offer the possibility for redemption and atonement? Moving away from a culture of competition to one of cooperation. The importance of humility. The importance of teachers not identifying with their role and thinking that students’ devotion is about them. South Africa’s “Truth and Reconciliation” as a model. Discussion of this panel in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this discussion Recorded October 27, 2018 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Disconnect Between Higher States of Consciousness and Ethical Behavior 00:02:15 - Developing a Universal Code of Ethics 00:04:11 - Creating Ethical Standards for Spiritual Teachers 00:06:04 - The Purpose of Spirituality 00:08:05 - Redesigning the Future of Spirituality 00:10:46 - Healing and Support 00:12:55 - Education and Growth as a Community 00:14:36 - The Importance of Addressing Abusive Power 00:17:01 - Opening up to Questions and Collaboration 00:19:03 - The Usefulness of CPE for Spiritual Teachers 00:20:34 - The Importance of Boundaries and Power Dynamics in Communities 00:22:31 - The Importance of Ethical Development in Spiritual Practice 00:25:03 - The Healing Power of Community 00:27:06 - Cedar Barstow: The Right Use of Power in Spirituality 00:29:03 - Equal Gender Representation 00:31:41 - The prevalence of gender imbalance and abuse in the community 00:34:07 - Moving beyond collective conditioning 00:36:31 - The Perpetual Debate on Relationships and Ethics 00:38:41 - The Spiritual Aspect of Trauma 00:40:39 - The Deep Desire Within 00:42:28 - Empowering Students and Demanding Accountability 00:43:57 - Premature Immaculation 00:46:21 - Challenging Ethics in the Spiritual Community 00:48:01 - Addressing Apologies, Making Amends, and Atonement 00:50:14 - Creating a Culture of Accountability 00:52:14 - Moving towards a culture of cooperation 00:53:57 - The Importance of Humility in Learning 00:55:25 - The Importance of a Deeper Student-Teacher Relationship 00:57:34 - Abuse of Power in Teaching and Learning 00:59:10 - Mutual Healing and Reconciliation 01:01:34 - The Birth of Something Helpful

With Jac O'Keeffe, Craig Holliday, Caverly Morgan, and Rick Archer The Association for Spiritual Integrity does not have a moralistic, judgmental orientation. It’s a community endeavor. We don’t agree among ourselves on certain points. We’re trying to balance our subjective perspectives with standards that fit our contemporary culture. The Association for Spiritual Integrity does not have a moralistic, judgmental orientation. It’s a community endeavor. We don’t agree among ourselves on certain points. We’re trying to balance our subjective perspectives with standards that fit our contemporary culture. A key point of disagreement is the issue of teacher-student romantic/sexual relationships. None of us are rigid or adamant in our opinions. We’re trying to work it out. There are exceptions to every generality. In graduate school, psychotherapists are taught that it will never be appropriate for therapists and their clients to become partners. Relationships tend to be the most challenging aspect of people’s lives. These challenges shouldn’t bleed into a teacher’s teaching activities. When a teacher/student or therapist/client relationship transitions into romantic involvement, the potential for growth is undermined. Sometimes “divine compulsion” arises in your spiritual path, shattering your conception of appropriate behavior. The problem with teachers who haven’t transcended desire and explored their own shadow. There can be a huge disparity between the apparent enlightenment of a teacher and their behavior. Isolation and being closed to constructive criticism can be very dangerous for a teacher. If a teacher doesn’t have friends other than his students, he might want to ask why. If he doesn’t have regular relationships and is always on a pedestal, he won’t get real-world feedback. The culture is changing anyway. We’re just trying to give voice to values that are becoming lively in collective consciousness. There can be a lot of practice involved in having your actions be a reflection of your deepest understanding. Discussion of this panel in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this discussion Recorded October 26, 2018 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Panel Discussion Preparation 00:02:18 - Introduction of Panel Discussion and its Purpose 00:04:09 - The Fluidity of the Situation and the Need for Collaboration 00:05:42 - Discussing Regulation of Teacher-Student Relationships 00:07:13 - Teachers and romantic relationships with students 00:08:51 - The Importance of Boundaries in the Teacher-Student Relationship 00:10:02 - Messiness in Relationships and the Sangha 00:11:18 - The Importance of Boundaries in Therapeutic Relationships 00:12:27 - Breaking the Golden Rule 00:13:33 - Choosing God over my marriage 00:14:48 - The Journey of Teacher-Student Relationships 00:16:11 - Protecting Students from Teacher Misconduct 00:17:39 - Violation of Trust and its Consequences 00:19:01 - Projection into the Sangha 00:20:12 - Bringing the Conversation into the Light 00:21:24 - The Deception of Enlightened Teachers 00:22:29 - Building Accountability and Transparency 00:23:43 - The Power of Shared Accountability and Learning Together 00:24:57 - Reflections on Personal Growth 00:26:01 - Creating a Supportive Community 00:27:26 - Open Feedback and Accountability 00:28:33 - Dysfunction in Relationships and the Need for Community 00:29:31 - Coming together in support and solidarity 00:30:18 - Creating a new type of sangha 00:31:33 - The Importance of Continuous Learning and Growth 00:32:26 - Creating openness and transparency for genuine collaboration 00:33:38 - The Intractable Conversation 00:34:37 - The Importance of Ethics for Young Teachers 00:36:02 - Learning Boundaries and Working with Power 00:37:35 - The Gift of a Supportive Community 00:38:57 - Website Launch and Conclusion 00:40:13 - Music Introduction

David grew up on the SW coast of Canada. He began witnessing full time during a 6-month retreat in the mid-'70s then the lights came on and celestial perception began. It soon became clear that Self was awake within but had not woken up to Itself through this form yet. Self co-existed with an identified ego. Subtle perception continued to unfold in a myriad of ways. With a more outward stroke into career, marriage, and family, inner development continued but took a back seat to life's responsibilities. Then in 2005, much of the old life fell away and spirituality moved back to the foreground. After some feedback and darshan with Lorne Hoff, Self, at last, woke up to Itself here. Probably because of the long witnessing, this was quickly followed by a series of profound shifts in Being. (see my first BatGap interview) And then transcending Being into Brahman. In 2011, David was awarded a graduate degree in Vedic Science. In this interview, we had an extended preamble to touch on the earlier shifts, then we discussed the ParaBrahman shift, pure Divinity, and how embodied Divinity is waking up laws of nature. This process will help raise the presence of Divinity in consciousness. In the second part of the interview, we touched on the book Our Natural Potential describing the 7 stages of enlightenment, then explored some related topics. For over a decade, David has been blogging on a wide range of subjects related to unfolding enlightenment. Under the nickname Davidya, he has posted close to 2,000 articles. During the Science and Nonduality Conference in 2017, David gave a talk on the stages described in this interview. Website: davidya.ca Book: Our Natural Potential: Beyond Personal Development, The Stages of Enlightenment (Rick Archer wrote the Foreword.) Other BatGap shows with David: First BatGap interview. Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2 Panel Discussion: “Sudden or Gradual: Two Paths to Realization?” Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 25, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:44 - The Shift in Thinking 00:10:04 - Beings in the World Beyond Appearance 00:15:18 - Experiencing Different Perspectives 00:19:23 - Exploring Consciousness and God-Realization 00:23:53 - The Illusion of Consciousness 00:28:01 - Filling Up with Light and Profound Networkings 00:32:35 - Awakening of the Devas 00:36:36 - Devatas within the Cosmic Body 00:41:06 - The Role of Devatas in Manifestation 00:45:42 - The Complexity of Creation 00:49:54 - Awakening of the Devas 00:53:26 - Writing the Book about the Seven Stages of Enlightenment 00:58:10 - The Three Gunas and Awakening Flavors 01:03:14 - Different Perceptions of the World 01:07:43 - Questioning the Sense of Self 01:11:35 - Integration and Distinctions 01:15:48 - The Role of Maps in Understanding Human Experience 01:20:06 - The Vedas and Group Consciousness 01:24:40 - Perspectives on the Universe and Self-Exploration 01:29:13 - The Subtle Descent of the Chakras 01:34:00 - Awakening and the Role of the Divine 01:38:23 - Kundalini and Awakening 01:43:08 - Importance of Experience and Knowledge 01:48:28 - The Inner Guru and Clear Discrimination 01:53:07 - Embracing the Awakening Journey 01:57:42 - Different Stages of Consciousness Unfolding 02:03:16 - Perception of Refined Values and Divine Forms 02:07:38 - Understanding the Causes of Wars and Consequences 02:12:27 - Recognizing and Clearing the Surface Issues 02:17:20 - Upcoming Material Announcement

As the author of a book that was used to influence millions of voters in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election through social media disinformation campaigns (without his knowledge), Sean Webb probably knows the human mind as well as anyone can. From his work in logically modeling human emotions for the world of Artificial Emotional Intelligence, to his real-world practice as an author, speaker, and guide to helping individuals supercharge their minds and lives with the knowledge of how their mind works, Sean pushes the bleeding edge of mind sciences to the next level. The interesting part; Sean credits his knowledge to a conscious awakening he had 20 years ago which unfolded how the mind, the universe, and consciousness works both within and outside the human body. And science is proving him right. Over the last 20 years, Sean has become one of the world’s leading experts in how the human mind works, particularly in the area of human emotions, the driving force and motivation of all human actions globally. His work is used by universities and engineering firms to teach emotional intelligence, the foundations of artificial emotional intelligence and his discoveries have proved so effective, that his work is currently being turned into programs to address addiction management and the mitigation of PTSD after early amazing successes within those applications. As an alumnus of Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technologies Development Center, Sean has spent years solving complex systems problems for cutting edge technology and supercomputing companies. His latest complex system solve is associated with the mind; how to model mind processes, how to manipulate mind output, and how to use those disciplines to our collective human advantage. His heart lies in this last portion of the project; teaching individuals about our minds so as to understand the thought processes that steal our happiness and block our ability to enjoy life. He loves sharing the practical neuroscience of how to hack the mind to generate happiness from within without any strings attached, and without changing any of life’s external conditions. He has indeed discovered a new door into the deep mind manipulation, where only practiced meditation and psychedelics have been able to take us before. Sean has spoken at Science of Consciousness, Science and Nonduality, UNC, UGA, ASU, Emory, Georgia Tech, for numerous multinational corporations, and at NASA. Check out Sean’s work at MindHackingHappiness.com. Sean and his wife are licensed foster parents and are active in numerous children’s and animal charities. Books: Mind Hacking Happiness Volume I: The Quickest Way to Happiness and Controlling Your Mind Mind Hacking Happiness Volume II: Increasing Happiness and Finding Non-Dual Enlightenment Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded October 25, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:44 - The Beginnings of Meditation Experience 00:07:25 - The Ineffable Experience of Consciousness 00:10:23 - Transition to a Tree-Hugging Hippie 00:13:26 - Shutting off the Limbic System 00:16:33 - Transformations and Addiction Recovery 00:20:32 - The Journey to Happiness Through Zen 00:24:53 - The Shift in Perspective and Increased Efficiency 00:29:07 - Detaching from the Outcome 00:33:06 - The Well-spring of Happiness 00:41:05 - The Experience of Learning through Counting Apples and Hot Tubs 00:47:58 - The Marriage of Science and Spirituality 00:54:34 - The Role of Consciousness in Quantum Mechanics 00:58:53 - The Interaction Between Microtubules and Quantum Field 01:03:31 - The Role of Consciousness in Understanding Reality 01:07:22 - The All-Pervading Intelligence 01:11:54 - Consciousness as the Ground State of Creation 01:16:32 - Expanding the Sense of Self 01:20:23 - Understanding Negative Emotions 01:23:45 - Understanding and Turning Off Negative Thoughts 01:27:30 - Finding Silence amidst Physical Demands 01:30:38 - Understanding Anger and Reacting Proactively 01:34:53 - Understanding Anger and Self-Control 01:39:32 - Experiencing Your Own Mind 01:43:36 - Shifting Perspective to Meta-awareness 01:49:09 - Artificial Emotions and Perception Engines 01:55:03 - Supporting the Effort and Helping More Folks 01:58:08 - The Power of Communication Technologies and Spiritual Awakening 02:02:10 - The Earth's Immune System 02:05:17 - Alignment with Nature's Intelligence 02:07:00 - Music