Buddha at the Gas Pump

Kimberley Theresa Lafferty is a seasoned teacher-practitioner specializing in constructive adult developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. She completed over 12 years of intensive Indo Tibetan study including the required retreats. She leads both open and advanced adult educational cohorts aligning developmental psychology and Buddhist theory. Kimberley co-leads, with Terri O’Fallon, the penultimate Minds I year-long developmental course of Stages International. She is an active Board member for the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Kimberley is also a householder as a wife and mother, living in a remote valley of the North Cascades of North America which deeply impacts her worldview and practice. Website: The Confluence Experience | Making sense of what doesn't make sense Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 10, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 00:03:33 - Finding Peace in the Forest 00:06:27 - A Blissful Awakening 00:11:15 - Deep Inner Resources and Spiritual Experiences 00:15:10 - Connecting with our Ultimate Selves 00:18:26 - The Wave and Ocean Metaphor 00:23:24 - Diving into Indo-Tibetan Buddhism 00:27:59 - Tantric Retreats and Solitary Meditation 00:32:26 - Experiences on the Retreats with Vajrayogini 00:35:33 - The Red Lady and the Retreat 00:40:01 - The Lesson of Treating Practice Seriously 00:44:18 - The Precious Gift of Tibetan Buddhism 00:47:58 - Spirituality and Integration 00:51:02 - Understanding the Intersection of Waking Up and Identity Change 00:55:31 - The Evolution of Perception and Consciousness 01:00:08 - Supporting Spiritual Teachers 01:03:59 - Shadow Work and Holistic Development 01:07:16 - The Integration of Wisdom and Compassion 01:10:57 - Waves of Human Becoming and Non-Duality in Daily Life 01:14:06 - Anomalous Experiences: Exploring the Extraordinary 01:18:57 - Anomalous Experiences and Meaning Making 01:23:49 - Anomalous Experiences and the Search for Answers 01:28:03 - The Cautionary Use of Psychedelics and the Self 01:32:01 - The Need for Spiritual Integrity among Teachers 01:35:58 - The Preciousness of a Spiritual Life 01:39:58 - Realizing Inner Bliss 01:43:44 - Experiencing Fulfillment in Tantra 01:47:41 - Finding Your Path in Spiritual Practice 01:52:16 - The Role of Spiritual Psychotherapists 01:56:28 - Strengthening Ourselves Psychologically and Spiritually 02:00:00 - Continuing the Conversation with Kimberly

After receiving his doctorate in the sensory neurosciences from The Ohio State University, Bob Davis, Ph.D., served as a professor for the State University of New York for over thirty years, where he conducted research in the behavioral and neurosensory sciences, taught, and held many high-level administrative roles. He published his research in over 60 articles in scholarly journals, and presented numerous lectures worldwide, which included invited lectures at Harvard, Cambridge, and Peking University. Bob was also awarded numerous grants by the National Science Foundation and The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to conduct research in sensory neuroscience. Following retirement, Bob published several articles in the Journal of Scientific Exploration and Edge Science and presented lectures at national and international conferences on consciousness, spiritually transformative experiences, and unidentified aerial phenomena. Bob has also published three highly popular books: The UFO Phenomenon: Should I Believe? Life after Death: An Analysis of the Evidence, and, Unseen Forces: The Integration of Science, Reality and You. More recently, he has turned his recent book, Unseen Forces, into a planned documentary entitled - The Consciousness Connection - with Emmy Award winner Dave Beaty of Dreamtime Entertainment and Wilson Hawthorne of Eyeland Telemedia. Website: bobdavisspeaks.com Bob Davis is an administrator of the Facebook Site called: The Consciousness Connection Facebook group. Bob's email Bob says, "If you'd like to learn more about the film project or consciousness in general, please subscribe to the Consciousness Connection YouTube channel. Summary and Transcript of this interview Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded February 3, 2024. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:35 - Types and Evidence of Extraordinary Human Experiences 00:08:03 - A Profound Shared Death Experience 00:12:21 - A Spiritual Awakening and Kundalini Awakening 00:15:53 - The Misdiagnosis of Spiritual Awakening 00:19:27 - The Unstoppable Spread of Information 00:23:58 - The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Understanding Consciousness 00:27:49 - The Evidence of White Crows in DMT Experiences 00:31:40 - Exploring Consciousness Beyond Traditional Science 00:36:04 - The Relationship Between Science and Spirituality 00:40:27 - Brain Development and Spiritual Transformation 00:44:35 - Humans as Light Beings and Quantum Mechanics 00:48:22 - Veridical Perceptions in Near-Death Experiences 00:52:34 - Near-Death Experiences and Perception 00:56:44 - Novel Interactions in the Brain 01:01:02 - Consciousness and the Bohmian Paradigm Shift 01:05:16 - Ego Dissolution and Positive After-Effects 01:09:03 - Spiritual Practices and Physiological Treatments 01:12:56 - Quantum Mechanics and Premonition 01:16:55 - ESP and Autistic Savants 01:21:20 - Photonic Emissions and Healing Abilities 01:26:00 - The Power of Spiritual Practice 01:29:26 - Personal Transformation and Spreading the Word 01:32:32 - Transformation in Beliefs and Experiences 01:36:00 - The Importance of Spiritual Development 01:38:40 - Tapping into the Language of Nature 01:42:11 - Conclusions about UFOs and their Spiritual Implications 01:45:57 - The Mystery and Wonder of the Universe 01:50:26 - The Long-Term Nature of Spiritual Development 01:54:04 - The Power of Changing Perspectives

Brad Laughlin is the author of Living with Enlightenment—A Journey of Love, which is about his 25-year life-partnership with Leslie Temple-Thurston, a teacher of enlightenment, and the profound spiritual transformation he experienced. With Leslie, he is co-author of two books, The Marriage of Spirit—Enlightened Living in Today’s World and Returning to Oneness—The Seven Keys of Ascension. Brad is dedicated to finding innovative ways of helping people to awaken spiritually and to find love, joy and inspiration during these times of great change. Using ancient Truth teachings, yogic practices and spiritual psychology, he offers simple yet powerful practices for dissolving old, limiting ego structures that keep us trapped in negativity, pain and fear. Brad’s transformative events are based on the principles of integration and unity consciousness, which help us to know our own inner Divinity—who we truly are. Brad and Leslie are co-founders of the nonprofits, CoreLight.org and Seeds of Light.org, CoreLight’s humanitarian arm, serving marginalized communities and AIDS orphans in South Africa. Brad has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University. He is an American by birth, considers himself a global citizen and lives in both South Africa and the United States. Anna Breytenbach is an internationally acclaimed professional interspecies communicator with over 20 years’ experience. Native to South Africa and currently based in Europe, she mentors and consults globally. Her focus is exclusively with wild places and beings, facilitating peaceful interventions and greater understanding. This includes predator research, wilderness protection, anti-poaching assistance, reforestation initiatives, wildlife management and rehabilitation. She is currently taking a sabbatical from her usual teaching and public appearances to write a book. Anna’s passion is raising awareness and advancing the relationships among human and nonhuman animals, on both the personal and spiritual levels. Her work is the subject of the documentary movie "The Animal Communicator”, watched by tens of millions of people (and a few of their pets), available on YouTube. Anna's website: The Animal Communicator | AnimalSpirit YouTube Channel Anna's first BatGap interview Brad and Anna’s online course is For the Love of Animals—A Call to the Heart Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 28, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:56 - Introduction and Background 00:07:26 - From Cheetah Handler to Animal Communicator and Author 00:11:55 - Following Your Inner Calling 00:16:10 - Holding Space for Elephants 00:20:35 - Collective Consciousness and Communication 00:23:42 - The Collective Expressions of Consciousness and Earth Energies 00:27:34 - The Joy of Whales Breaching 00:31:16 - Rediscovering the Intelligence of Nature 00:34:08 - The Importance of Functioning with Intelligence in Society 00:38:08 - The Intelligence of Stones and Non-Moving Beings 00:42:05 - Cruelty to Vegetables and Choosing Love for Animals 00:47:06 - An Evergreen Online Course on Interspecies Communication 00:51:36 - Valuing Different Paths in Life 00:56:41 - Profound Mystical Experiences and the Search for Answers 01:01:07 - The Ball of Light and Healing Energy 01:05:42 - Transitioning into a Higher State 01:11:02 - Pure Joy and Presence 01:16:50 - Quantum Entanglement and Communication 01:19:46 - Perception and the Importance of Clearing Ego Noise 01:24:03 - Rethinking Human Love for Animals 01:27:32 - Animals' Compassion and Journey to Loving Humans 01:31:00 - Communicating with Plants and the Tragedy of the Rabbits 01:33:40 - The Oak Trees' Compassion and Rabbit Friendships 01:36:49 - The Sensitivity of an Enlightened Being

Swami Medhananda is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order and an academic philosopher, currently serving as Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy at the Vedanta Society of Southern California in Hollywood. He is also the Hindu Chaplain at both UCLA and the University of Southern California. He is Section Editor for the International Journal of Hindu Studies (Springer), overseeing submissions in Hindu and Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Religion. From 2010 to 2021, he was Associate Professor and Head of the Program in Philosophy at the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute in Belur Math, West Bengal. He received his PhD in 2009 from the University of California at Berkeley, where he specialized in German aesthetics. He was also a Fulbright Scholar at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2006–7) and a Visiting Student at Oxford University (2000–1). His current research focuses on global philosophy of religion, the epistemology of mystical experience, cosmopsychism, Indian scriptural hermeneutics, and Vedāntic philosophical traditions, especially the philosophies of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo. He is the author of three books: Swami Vivekananda’s Vedāntic Cosmopolitanism (Oxford University Press, 2022), Infinite Paths to Infinite Reality: Sri Ramakrishna and Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Religion (Oxford University Press, 2018), and The Dialectics of Aesthetic Agency: Revaluating German Aesthetics from Kant to Adorno (Bloomsbury, 2013). He is the editor of The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Vedānta (2020) and co-editor, with Benedikt Paul Göcke, of Panentheism in Indian and Western Thought: Cosmopolitan Interventions (Routledge, 2023). He is also the editor of two special issues of the International Journal of Hindu Studies, one on “Swami Vivekananda as a Cosmopolitan Thinker” (2023) and one on “Vedāntic Theodicies” (2021). He has published over thirty articles in leading academic journals. He is currently working on two book projects: Karma and Rebirth in Hinduism (Cambridge University Press, under contract) and An All-Embracing Oneness: Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Advaita and the Legacy of Sri Ramakrishna (Oxford University Press, under contract). Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded January 22, 2024. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:04 - Agnostic to Swami: My Spiritual Journey 00:09:28 - Conversations with an Atheist and Finding Common Ground 00:13:36 - The experience of mystics and the standards of proof 00:17:49 - The Pissed-off Response to Vedanta 00:22:01 - Anecdote about Eligibility in Advaita Vedanta 00:26:13 - Shankara's understanding of Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya 00:30:16 - Different Paths to Realizing the Divine 00:34:00 - Contradictions in Shankara's writings 00:37:57 - The Vijnani's Perspective and the Colorful Chameleon 00:41:51 - Different Perspectives in Vedanta 00:45:59 - The Benefits of Science and Spirituality 00:50:07 - Embracing Christianity in Vedanta 00:54:30 - Shakti and the Manifestation of the World 00:58:16 - Manifestation of Brahman in the World 01:02:02 - The Validity of Personal Perception 01:05:22 - Epistemic Principles: Credulity and Perceptual Testimony 01:09:05 - The Importance of Critical Thinking on the Spiritual Path 01:12:45 - The Problem with Neo-Advaitins 01:16:54 - Panentheism and Spiritual Practice 01:21:02 - Vijnana Vedanta and the Path to Liberation 01:24:59 - Embracing the Dual Nature of God 01:29:27 - Ramakrishna's First-Line Response to the Problem of Evil 00:01:32 - The Doctrine of Karma and Rebirth 01:36:34 - The Challenge of God's Attributes 01:40:04 - Dissolving the Problem of Evil 01:44:58 - Gaudapada's doctrine of Ajatavada and the Difference between Jnani and Vijnani

David Doyle lives on the water in the island city of Alameda in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, their teenage son, and Merlin, a rambunctious Rat Terrier. At an early age he set upon a spiritual path and soon put down the books and turned inward. David’s path has been by most standards a very traditional inner practice, starting with Hatha Yoga and quickly moving to Raja Yoga. Meditation was his main practice, with asanas as an adjunct to meditation. Early on in his spiritual practice a teacher said that if you master the basics of yoga, and if you practice in earnest, all will unfold – everything you need will come to you. David took this to heart, beginning a life-long practice that for the most part was a solitary journey. At 20 years old his third eye opened in a dramatic unfolding, and from there came the never-ending gift of insight and abilities including: clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairaudience, precognition, telepathy and more. Some years later David joined the Berkeley Psychic Institute during its heyday and befriended the founder, Dr. Lewis S Bostwick, whom he considers to be his first great spiritual teacher, and friend. He spent over a decade with this group and at its many (at the time) institutes and thousands of students and teachers. In 2012, David came to an abiding awakening, and since that time, many changes have taken place in an ongoing process of daily and weekly energetic and auspicious unfoldings, many of which have left him nearly incapacitated. Since awakening, David has also become an adept Qi Gong Master under the guidance of Grand Master Shi Yong Yao, formerly an elite teacher-monk at the Northern Shaolin Temple in China. Additionally, many siddhis have developed as byproducts along The Way as well as a massive kundalini awakening and other extraordinary happenings. Now, with ten years having passed since awakening, David is ready to share experiences from his fifty+ year journey with a wider audience. He created Monk with Family, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to the householder, but inclusive of anyone for whom The Way is their life’s focus. David leads a weekly Satsang open to all those interested, and is available for speaking engagements and other spiritual events. David A. Doyle: Inventor, entrepreneur, manufacturer, publisher, sailor, skier, burning man (burner), householder. Founder: Monk with Family Website Founding member of Shaolin Master Qi Gong, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to sharing the teachings of Master Yao. David is registered in China as the: Deputy Director of the U.S. Regional Department of Shaolin Fohanmen. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded December 30, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:04:34 - Introduction to Monk with Family and David's Spiritual Journey 00:09:27 - The Serious Effects of Kundalini 00:14:08 - The Wall in Meditation 00:17:38 - Types of Meditation and Overcoming Resistance 00:22:14 - Meditation Tips: Finding the Center of the Head 00:26:49 - Proper Posture and Alignment in Meditation 00:30:03 - Energy Flying in Meditation Space 00:34:49 - Skiing in Cold Weather with a Surprising Warmth 00:38:48 - Tummo Practice and Yogis in Nepal 00:42:58 - The Bizarre Experience 00:47:01 - Telepathic Communication and Kundalini Experiences 00:51:01 - The Kundalini Experience 00:55:00 - Profound Spiritual Experiences 01:00:22 - The Unawareness of Our Own Abilities 01:03:35 - Energetic Phenomena and Thought Forms 01:06:45 - A Fortunate Tire Blowout and Unexpected Help 01:11:27 - The Spiritual Warrior and Negative Entities 01:16:56 - Dealing with the Demonic 01:20:42 - Unleashing Unnatural Abilities 01:25:54 - The Faint Remains of Ignorance 01:30:37 - The Changing Landscape of Work and Invention 01:34:27 - Women's Liberation Movement

After dying of a heart attack on the doorstep of a hospital in 2006 and being brought back to life, Mary knew it was time to write about her lifetime of astonishing mystical experiences which began with a visitation from the mystic Jesus in 1984 during a defining life crisis. It was then that Jesus spoke seven revelations: on forgiveness, judgment, the bible, weight problems, disease, aging and the ego. A few years later in 1986 Mary met a monk who initiated her into deeper states of consciousness and in 1988 she experienced the highest state of awareness, self-realization, and received the message that divinity awaits all mankind. A few months following her transformative experience of self-realization, Mary was given a spontaneous experience of her own death while meditating on a bench inside a lobby where she worked at MIT. From that moment she no longer feared death. A number of years later during a health challenge Mary had a experience of nature’s healing law of “like cures like” after being introduced to the consciousness-based system of homeopathic medicine, resolving areas in her consciousness that held the root of disease brought on by traumatic events in her early years. She enjoys lecturing on these topics and sharing the truth of our divinity and letting go of the false notion of death by embracing our eternal nature. She shares how consciousness is all and why it is so important to embrace consciousness-based medicine to heal our physical, emotional and mental bodies by restoring our consciousness to harmony. As humanity awakens to itself through the upheavals of our times, this book will serve as a testimony to what is possible for humanity as the old paradigms fall away and new paradigms arise. This book will bring comfort to the seeker who wants to know their true Self and to answer the questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Does death truly exist? Is self-realization truly possible? If you want to connect with Mary personally, please consider booking a Conversation with Mary. Website: Mary Terhune | Awakening Now To Our Higher Consciousness Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump interview with Mary Terhune 00:04:14 - The Mystical Encounter at the Window 00:08:23 - Inner Awakening and Forgiveness 00:11:04 - Past Lives and Spiritual Path 00:14:19 - The Misuse of Mystics' Words in the Bible 00:18:37 - The Impact of Stuck Emotions on Health and Disease 00:23:30 - The Experience of Love and Envy 00:26:48 - Seeking a Context for Enlightenment 00:30:05 - The Awakening and Reunion 00:34:24 - Meeting the Monk and the Path of Love 00:37:38 - Clearing Out Karmic Relationships 00:42:02 - Being Nourished by the Light 00:45:33 - Kundalini Awakening and Divine Realization 00:47:34 - Reclaiming our divinity 00:50:09 - The Natural State of Being 00:54:41 - Agony of Separation and the State of Bliss 00:59:25 - Out-of-body experience and return to the physical body 01:04:10 - The Veil Between Here and There 01:08:12 - The End of Experience after Realizing Brahman 01:12:10 - The State of Divinity and the Space Between Thoughts 01:14:30 - Living in the World, but Not of the World 01:17:52 - The Death of the Egoic Structure 01:20:51 - Near-Death Experience and Miraculous Recovery 01:24:38 - Seeking a Spiritual Teacher 01:27:34 - Interacting from a State of Oneness 01:30:53 - Turia: A Continuum of Consciousness 01:35:27 - Uncovering the Mother Loss 01:40:03 - Healing with Homeopathic Medicine 01:44:04 - The History and Suppression of Homeopathic Medicine 01:47:57 - The Precipice of Something Huge 01:51:06 - Farewell and Gratitude

 Scott Hiegel lives in La Quinta, CA and runs a business consulting and investment banking business called Solquest. He has a BBA from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from UCLA. He’s been a former CPA, CFA, Vice President of Corporate Finance, and entrepreneur. He enjoys writing and talking about his experiences with Kundalini, and his lifelong roller coaster and, at times, perilous search for inner peace, the Divine, Love, and higher consciousness. Through speaking, outreach, film, poetry, and other creative expression, his goal is to entertain and inform people about the gifts and profound importance of Gopi Krishna's work, Kundalini, higher states of consciousness, and Love. Scott has written two books: "Reaching Heaven on Earth: A Soul’s Journey Home", in which he shares his personal story and mystical poetry, and "Love’s Design: Reaching Heaven on Earth", which he co-authored with Christopher Wrigley. In this book they share their unique expressions of love, hope, and knowledge through an exchange of 12 poetic verses. Scott's interests include visiting museums and historical sites, traveling, listening to holiday music and oldies, and watching movies. He enjoys sports, hiking, and attending 12-step meetings. He loves reading books about spirituality and the inspirational people who have helped make the world a better place. Summary and transcript of this interview Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded November 18, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:49 - Regular People with Extraordinary Potential 00:09:04 - Enlightenment and Inner Fulfillment 00:12:45 - Childhood Dreams and Shyness 00:18:32 - Descending into Hell, Exile to the Desert, and the Dark Night of the Soul 00:21:42 - Surrender and Transformation 00:25:13 - Letting go of Attachment to Achieve Spiritual Progress 00:29:34 - Working Hard Spiritually 00:34:42 - The Inner Voice and Purity of the Body 00:39:42 - The Law of Evolution and the Path of Healthy Evolution 00:43:27 - The Awakening and Transformation 00:47:34 - Purifying Energy and Spiritual Practices 00:50:25 - Spiritual and Paranormal Experiences 00:54:17 - Time and Space Disappear 00:57:11 - Unfolding of Latent Faculties and Spiritual Experiences 01:02:00 - Connecting through Vulnerability 01:05:10 - "Living with Kundalini, the Autobiography of Gopi Krishna" discovery 01:09:31 - Distorted Evolution and the Need for Change 01:13:46 - Societal Collapse and the Evolution of Consciousness 01:17:47 - The New Science of Consciousness Evolution 01:21:37 - Exploring Higher Levels of Beauty and Consciousness 01:24:49 - The Vastness of the Universe 01:30:36 - The Power of Consciousness On the Next State of Consciousness 01:34:31 - The Shift in the Perception of the Universe 01:38:28 - The Influence of Spielberg and Lucas 01:42:40 - Joy and Connection with Others 01:45:30 - Titanic Presence and Deeper Connection to Inner Voice 01:49:32 - Eagle with a Thousand Heads 01:53:49 - Expanding Consciousness and Freedom from Fear 01:56:40 - Quotes on Love and Fulfillment 01:59:52 - Starting the tasks

Dr. Yvonne Kason MD, MEd, CCFP, FCFP, is the President and Co-Founder of Spiritual Awakenings International and the Past-President of IANDS (2019-2020). Dr. Kason is the person who in 1994 first coined the phrase “Spiritually Transformative Experiences” or “STEs”. She is also the Group-Leader and Co-Founder of Toronto Awakenings Sharing Group. Dr. Kason has had 5 Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), 2 in her childhood and 3 in her adult life, as well as multiple Spiritually Transformative Experiences (STEs) of many kinds. Dr. Kason is a retired family physician and MD-psychotherapist, previously on faculty at the University of Toronto, and an internationally renowned medical expert on NDEs, Kundalini Awakening, and other STEs. In 1990, Dr. Kason was the first Canadian medical doctor to specialize her medical practice in the research and counseling of patients with diverse types of STEs. She has over 40 years’ experience counseling STE Experiencers. She co-founded the Kundalini Research Network in 1990, was the Chair of the Kundalini Research Network’s Questionnaire research project, results published in Explore, July 2020. She co-founded the Spirituality in Health-Care Network in 2000. Dr. Kason has six published books, her most recent, Soul Lessons from the Light: How Spiritually Transformative Experiences Changed My Life (December 2022) and Touched by the Light: Exploring Spiritually Transformative Experiences (2019). She has made hundreds of professional presentations, has given scores of media interviews, and is in demand as a keynote speaker. Websites: dryvonnekason.com spiritualawakeningsinternational.org torontoawakenings.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded November 5, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:58 - Yvonne's Near-death Experiences and Past Lives 00:06:43 - Childhood Near-Death Experience and Flying 00:10:37 - Near-Death Experience in a Car Accident 00:14:50 - Seeing Ghosts and Near-Death Experiences 00:18:44 - A Powerful Meditation Experience 00:23:21 - Meeting Gopi Krishna and the Revelation of Kundalini Awakening 00:27:39 - Different Experiences of Awakening 00:31:57 - Psychiatric illnesses and spiritual awakening 00:35:53 - Balanced Approach to Spiritual Awakening 00:40:30 - The Harrowing Plane Crash Experience 00:44:29 - The Voice's Guidance and Ignoring it 00:49:06 - Experiencing Infinite Intelligence 00:52:44 - The Miraculous Rescue 00:56:28 - Transformative Aftereffects of a Near-Death Experience 01:00:36 - Clairvoyant Experiences and the Truth-O-Meter 01:04:37 - Advocate for Experiencers of Kundalini and Spiritual Transformation 01:09:06 - Spiritual Awakenings International and the Global Awakening 01:12:51 - The Concept of Peace and Harmony in Warfare and Defense 01:15:55 - Judicious use of drugs in Kundalini awakening 01:20:33 - Premonitions and Near-Death Experiences 01:24:54 - A Benevolent Being in an Unusual Posture 01:29:41 - The Shift in Spiritual Goals 01:33:22 - Deepening and Exploring 01:37:42 - Crossing Over and the Realm of Light 01:41:23 - A Profound Awakening: Remembering Past Lives and Understanding Interconnectedness 01:46:21 - Perceiving the Complexity of Time 01:50:12 - A Miracle Healing Journey 01:54:45 - Never give up hope 01:58:00 - Collaborating with Beings for Reincarnation 02:00:46 - Coughing Fits and Goodbyes

Renowned scholar Jem Bendell discusses the breakdown of modern societies due to environmental change. He criticizes the manipulation of climate change data and explores the concept of collective consciousness. The podcast also delves into the complexity of the human nervous system and the possibility of a future conscious species. They discuss the potential collapse and its aftermath, the idea of living hope-free, and the importance of empathy and practicing self-love. The concept of oceanic consciousness and mindfulness are explored as well.

Ruth E. Kastner earned her M.S. in Physics and Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Maryland. Since that time, she has taught widely and conducted research in Foundations of Physics, particularly in interpretations of quantum theory. She was one of three winners of the 2021 Alumni Research Award at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is the author of 3 books: The Transactional Interpretation of Quantum Theory: The Reality of Possibility (Cambridge University Press, 2012; 2nd edition just published, 2022), Understanding Our Unseen Reality: Solving Quantum Riddles (Imperial College Press, 2015); and Adventures In Quantumland: Exploring Our Unseen Reality (World Scientific, 2019). She has presented talks and interviews throughout the world and in video recordings on the interpretational challenges of quantum theory, and has a blog at transactionalinterpretation.org. She is also a dedicated yoga practitioner and received her 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Instructor Certification in February, 2020. Website: ruthekastner.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Transcript and summary of this interview Interview recorded October 21, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:03 - The Importance of Physical Fitness and Yoga 00:08:00 - Discovering the Transactional Interpretation 00:11:58 - The Connection between Consciousness and Spirituality 00:16:28 - The Yin-Yang Nature of Quantum Theory 00:21:50 - The Reality of Quantum Possibilities 00:26:08 - The Blind Men and the Elephant 00:29:38 - The Measurement Problem and Consciousness 00:36:21 - The Orthodox Position on Dark Matter and Dark Energy 00:41:10 - Events and the Illusion of Space-Time 00:44:08 - The Analogy of Enlightenment and the Game of Life 00:47:10 - The Shimmering Intelligence in Every Particle of Creation 00:53:15 - Pathology and the Neglect of Yin 00:55:34 - The Taboo of Passivity and Eastern Wisdom 00:58:00 - The Debate on Free Will 01:00:39 - The Ad hoc Nature of the Feynman Propagator 01:01:21 - The Flatland Analogy 01:04:48 - Mr. Flatland and the Sphere 01:08:16 - The Controversy Surrounding the Term "Consciousness" 01:11:50 - Volition and Symmetry Breaking in Nature 01:15:01 - The Relationality of Charged Particles 01:18:22 - Understanding outcomes in the transactional picture 01:21:52 - Mastery over the Laws of Nature 01:24:56 - The Holographic Principle and its Significance 01:29:23 - Quantum Theory and the Physical World 01:33:25 - The Power and Limitations of Physical Science 01:43:30 - The Interconnectedness of String Theory 01:49:12 - The Flow of Time and Phenomena 01:54:24 - The Cosmos: Conscious Being or Product of Chance and Necessity