Buddha at the Gas Pump

From an early age I recall a natural inquisitiveness towards the nature and mechanics of all sorts of things. I was constantly observing and theorizing. Fortunately, throughout life, the denser and more persistent forms of suffering were not something I was particularly familiar with. Life unfolded quite smoothly on an inner and outer level. Although there was already a strong spiritual bent, it wasn't until my late twenties that life introduced the notion of enlightenment and the underlying non-dual nature of life. When this happened all the cells in my body shouted ‘yes’ and there was an unexplainable faith that trusted what had been read. From that point, everything else faded into insignificance next to the quest that had been ignited. This was the beginning of a wonderful phase which spontaneously started some 15 years back and spanning 5 years miraculously didn't stop until what was initially pointed at became lived on an unwavering basis. What was most amazing about the process was that from very early on the concept that everything is a 'happening' and not 'my doing' was introduced – that everything is unfolding exactly as it is meant to, not according to my will but according to God's Will. This notion immediately resonated deeply and in a short time the ingrained contrary beliefs dissolved and the conviction flowered into an experiential way of being that so perfectly embodied this pointer. This magically intricate process unfolded with this heart attitude present throughout, making it known directly to be a divinely orchestrated plan delivering everything that was needed in exactly the right proportions and at exactly the right time. I have been known to say "that if any of this process was actually up to 'me', I would have messed it up on day one!". And yet the paradox, but not contradiction, is that it was Roger who was the one contemplating, reading, meditating and so forth. From then I had a deep experiential conviction that everything in life happens the same way "according to God's Will" from the beginning of time to the end of time. This deepened and led to a radical insight about the nature of Source in its most primordial. From here the underlying oneness of life became obvious far more than just intellectually and an unbroken connection to Source was established from where peace of heart in daily living stems. I always speak from my own direct experience, however many who knew the great teachings of my beloved Guru Sri Ramesh Balsekar will recognize the content often comes through in much the same vein as what he shared with seekers for more than 25 years in Mumbai, India. Jai Ramesh Guru. The teachings of Jesus, A Course in Miracles, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi, among others, were all precious gifts which were instrumental in what happened. Humbled and in gratitude I bow. Website: rogercastillo.org YouTube Channel Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 8/20/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:01 - Recognizing the Paradox of Life 00:08:09 - The Experience of Duality and Oneness 00:13:14 - The Three Simultaneously True Levels of Non-Dual Reality 00:17:24 - Smooth Life and Intense Teachings 00:21:38 - Practical Daily Living and Approaching Enlightenment 00:26:12 - A Magical Process of Insight and Contemplation 00:30:38 - Degrees of Spiritual Maturity and Reincarnation 00:35:15 - The Existence of Self 00:40:01 - The Deepening of Understanding in Daily Life 00:45:08 - Certainty about Death 00:49:32 - Life Carrying On 00:54:21 - Life after Death 00:58:23 - The Non-Physicality of Reality 01:03:33 - Surrendering to the Divine's Instruction 01:08:28 - Different Teachings for Different Levels of Development 01:12:57 - Understanding the Evolution of Relationship to Thoughts 01:17:55 - Consciousness and Creativity 01:22:19 - Understanding the Experience of Life 01:27:13 - Finding Peace and Happiness in Daily Living 01:31:17 - The Attitude of Non-Doership 01:34:27 - The Diminishment of Personal Doership 01:39:27 - Witnessing and Non-Doership 01:43:47 - Understanding Witnessing and Integration 01:47:55 - The Influence of Genes and Conditioning 01:52:08 - Acting according to your level of consciousness 01:56:49 - Living without a sense of personal doership 02:01:25 - Dissolving the Sense of Personal Doership 02:05:40 - The Manifestation of Duality and the Nature of Poverty 02:10:25 - Finding a Teacher and Allowing Life to Flow 02:14:53 - Conclusion & Thank You

Anette Carlström is an internationally recognized speaker, author and teacher in development in consciousness living in Helsingborg, Sweden. Her focus and specialty is guiding the individual and in groups toward finding your inner compass to discover your full potential and true nature. Anette also has a strong presence in chanting Sacred Mantras, offering mantra concerts as well as having recorded several CD's carrying the transmission of Divine Grace through the Oneness Blessing, easily accessed by simply listening. She is the author of two acclaimed books. In her first – From the Heart - Discovering and Living the Oneness Blessing– she shares her bumpy journey of conscious Awakening and natural transformation as well as answering sensitive and profound questions. Her second book – Namaste, Awakening The Power of Presence is a road map and extraordinary guide, exploring the sacred truths that are hidden in our everyday life. It is filled with wonderful guided meditations and anecdotal stories. Each word of her books permeates the reader into the Power of Presence. Anette is Founder of Diamond Life Foundation, an alternative health practice and meditation center in southern Sweden, where she gives weekly programs, courses and guided meditations as well as giving Cranio Sacral Treatments. Since 2003 she has been traveling around Europe and the World sharing her story, teaching and singing. When she chants and speaks, there is a natural transfer of Grace that is received either in person or over the phone. She is initiated to give the Oneness Meditation (OM) which is a Sacred Transmission of energies that accelerate Awakening to the Intelligence of the Heart. She offers on-line Oneness Meditations every Tuesday evening Swedish time on her free Livestream channel. Website: anettecarlstrom.com YouTube channel Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 8/13/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to "Buddha at the Gas Pump" with Annette Karlström 00:04:12 - The Longing for Uniting with the Presence Within 00:08:30 - A Life-Changing Experience in Hollywood 00:12:51 - Pursuing Acting and Singing in Hollywood 00:17:12 - Finding Fulfillment in Chanting and Meditation 00:21:12 - The Darkest Before the Dawn 00:26:02 - Meeting with Light Beings 00:29:57 - Profound Shift in Consciousness 00:34:07 - A Life-Turning Event 00:38:28 - Meeting Inner Suffering 00:42:54 - Meeting Inner Suffering 00:46:50 - Discovering the Magic Key 00:51:04 - Starting with something simple 00:55:10 - The Energy Transfer Moment 00:59:25 - Profound Shift in Consciousness 01:03:22 - Seeking Help from a Doctor 01:07:21 - The Power of Antaryamin 01:11:30 - The process and effectiveness of Diksha 01:15:53 - The Three Components of Deeksha 01:19:50 - The Magic Temple with No Pillars 01:23:43 - Staying at Shambhala and the Oneness University 01:27:37 - Mystical Experiences in Campus 3 01:31:45 - Levels of Awakening 01:35:33 - Levels of Consciousness and Processing the Suffering of Humanity 01:39:23 - Experiencing the Suffering of the World 01:43:42 - Enjoying the Ride and Awakening to Divine Consciousness 01:47:57 - The Groundswell of Awakening 01:51:46 - Connecting with Your Inner Self 01:55:24 - The Importance of Regular Practice 02:00:30 - Chant of Gratitude 02:05:16 - Exploring the Menus on BatGap

Adam Chacksfield is a nondual spiritual teacher whose retreats and private sessions are known for their transformative power and love-saturated depth. He devotedly serves the alive field of awareness as it unfolds, reveals, and liberates, rather than any fixed philosophy. Adam first turned toward spirituality and meditation after a series of profound psychedelic-assisted openings led him to experience the truth that lies beyond all philosophies. At age 33 he left his career as a university professor of political theory to devote his life to spiritual unfolding. For a few years, Adam struggled to try and piece together all the apparently contradictory teachings and practices. These efforts decisively fell away when he came across the nondual teaching of Peter Fenner, and realized the openness that can never be captured in words and requires no practice. Adam started inviting his friends to do nondual inquiry with him and was amazed by the ease with which the direct experience of openness could be shared. In 2010, with Peter Fenner's encouragement and support, Adam started to publicly share with groups and individuals. Since then, his teaching has been profoundly influenced by the opportunity to soak in Jeannie Zandi's heart-centered and full-bodied transmission. Adam now shares the direct experience of the heart and mind falling open. In this effortless opening, the suffering involved in resisting feelings and believing thoughts spontaneously releases. The natural abundance of joy, peace, wisdom, and love becomes apparent and available. Heart-centered, gentle, and direct, Adam offers a path straight into the truth of who we are. In addition to leading retreats in North America and Europe, Adam meets with individuals, and is the creator of “Falling Open,” a four-month online course. He is also the founder of the Center for Nondual Awareness, a supportive community for those called to share nonduality. Website: adamchacksfield.com Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded 8/6/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:01 - A Conversation with David Shapiro 00:07:31 - Recognizing Different Preferences 00:11:04 - The Profound Psychedelic Experience 00:14:54 - Embracing the Mystery 00:19:19 - Contemplating the Wonder of Creation 00:22:52 - Softening and Gentleness in Healing Trauma 00:26:51 - Opening to Difficult Feelings 00:30:31 - The Diversity of Spiritual Practices 00:33:46 - Allowing Things to Unfold Naturally 00:37:19 - The Capacity of the Heart 00:40:51 - Running away from feelings 00:44:25 - The Dark Side of Practice 00:47:53 - Layers of Sensitivity and the Movement of the Heart 00:51:29 - Trusting our own unfolding 00:54:51 - The Buddha's Lifelong Spiritual Practice 00:58:40 - Healing Shame and Violence 01:02:35 - Healing Incorrigible Behavior 01:06:40 - The Depth and Beauty of Here 01:10:22 - Exploring Psychedelics and Spirituality 01:14:12 - The Sweetness of Vulnerability 01:18:37 - Opening up to Grasping in Meditation 01:22:13 - Fear and the Mind-Body Connection 01:25:46 - Exploring the Experience of Reality 01:29:48 - Acclimatization to Openness 01:33:45 - Letting Awareness Do Its Work 01:37:31 - Opening Up to Body Intelligence 01:41:25 - Embracing Our Emotional Wounds 01:45:16 - The Evolution of Emotional Sensitivity 01:49:42 - Settling into the Heart of Things 01:53:27 - Emotional Intensity and Self-Love

My childhood world was one of abuse, repression, and terror. This is what I believed the world was about. Until, from the depths of my despair, I began searching for a new way. My conscious spiritual journey began when I was called as a young adult, determined to find new life and freedom from this limited world, to a higher quest for the Truth of myself. I studied many forms of spiritual practice, including Buddhism, Native American, Judaism, and others, and soon became aware that the Source of All Life is within all traditions. Approximately 15 years ago, I entered into a deep Shamanic/healing Path centered in the heart of Brazil. I remained fully committed and dedicated to my journey in this form for eight years, healing most of the false ideas that I carried through all of my lifetimes. After this, I was called to enter a several year retreat. During this time I was guided to enter fully into the teaching of A Course in Miracles. I received the transmission completely through my heart and guided by my prayers, intention and deep devotion to being healed of all that held me prisoner in this temporary illusion, my heart completely melted and I awakened to the Truth of All Love. Since my awakening, I have dedicated my life to guide, with radical gentleness and complete devotion, all beloveds who have a deep desire to come home easily and gently. Chris Celine is an awakened spiritual Mystic and guide to many beloveds seeking a gentle way home. A powerful healer and seer, Chris Celine transmits the love of God in profound and life-altering ways. Her pure love can be received in every cell. She is a living example of the Love of God manifesting on earth and walks in this world as a reminder that everything can be healed and transformed into Love. Website: awakened-heart.org YouTube Channel Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/30/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:02:46 - The Gentle Teachings of Chris 00:06:19 - Finding Healing and Purpose 00:09:53 - Past Lives and Patterns 00:12:59 - Stabilizing Energy Fields and Using Them with Love 00:16:07 - Picking Up on Subtle Stuff 00:18:50 - The Eternal Spirit 00:22:15 - The Universe's Response to Seeking Help 00:25:38 - The Camouflage of Ego and the Search for Truth 00:28:52 - The Wisdom of Love's Healing Journey 00:31:49 - Equality in the Divine Mother's Aspects 00:35:07 - The Teachings of Unexpected Encounters 00:38:12 - Embracing the Divine Love of the Universe 00:42:58 - The Liberation of Grief 00:46:24 - The Healing Power of Love 00:49:48 - The Healing Power of Faith 00:53:01 - Awakening through relinquishment 00:55:57 - The Little Willingness 00:58:56 - Surrendering Attachment for Freedom 01:01:50 - A Journey with Shamans and Entheogens 01:05:07 - The Fear of Being Alone and the Discovery of Love Within 01:08:15 - Surrender and Obedience 01:11:02 - Stepping into the Solitary Truth Within 01:13:49 - Awakening to the Truth of Love 01:17:04 - Presence and Love 01:20:35 - The Experience of Pain and Sensation 01:23:31 - The Power of Remembering 01:26:42 - Learning to Love and Kindness 01:29:12 - The Awakening of the Saintly Nature 01:31:14 - Finding Chris's Website 01:33:19 - Music Transition

I had my first conscious spiritual awakening aged 18. Everything was seen to be one, the sense of personal self fell away and I had a deep sense that I truly was not the limited being that I commonly took myself to be. This experience was short-lived and further fueled my seeking. I wanted to try to re-experience it. I think because this experience happened in the context of reading a book, I subsequently developed a voracious appetite for reading spiritual texts. I read books on everything such as on Buddhism, Zen, Taoism, Mystic Christianity, Vedanta, Dzogchen, and the core texts of each, as well as many self-help and new-age type books. I also had a keen interest in science and mathematics and my studies took me along this route in school, eventually leading me to study medicine and become a doctor. I later got married and now have two amazing and lovely children. Alongside my studies, career and home life, the spiritual seeking continued for 15-20 years. Now the sense of a ‘me’ living a life and the dissatisfaction that fueled my spiritual seeking have both disappeared, leaving behind an ordinary life ‘being lived’ or living itself. I call it Freedom. Tom is a medical doctor who lives in London UK with his wife and 2 children. He holds regular meetings in London and on Skype to share this wonderful teaching with anyone who is interested. To learn more about him and his teachings see www.tomdas.com. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded July 23, 2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Support 00:06:25 - Teenage Interest in Spirituality 00:11:25 - The Relationship between Spirituality and Science 00:17:06 - Awakening and Freedom 00:21:58 - The Fourth State: Turiya 00:26:10 - The Fourth State 00:29:57 - The Continuum of Awareness and the Notion of Doership 00:33:48 - Transformation in His Presence 00:38:05 - Skepticism vs Cynicism in Spiritual Teachings 00:43:27 - Subjective Experience and Suffering in Spirituality 00:48:36 - The Nature of Hypotheses and Possibilities 00:51:46 - The Blurred Lines of Different Functionalities 00:56:09 - The Illusion of Duality and Non-Duality 01:02:39 - The Illusion of Individual Self or Doer 01:08:12 - The Interpretation of Life's Experiences 01:11:32 - Difficulty of Expressing Experiences in Words 01:15:25 - The Complexity of Spiritual Teachings 01:19:07 - The Progression of Enlightenment 01:22:35 - The Potential of Each Individual 01:25:28 - The Concept of the Universal Doer 01:29:18 - The Concept of Self in Eastern Traditions 01:32:46 - Different Ways of Transmitting Knowledge 01:39:15 - The Importance of Developing Clarity 01:43:52 - Understanding the Vasanas 01:47:48 - Devotion and Appreciation 01:51:48 - The World is Brahman 01:56:18 - Realizing Brahman 01:59:27 - The Value of Teaching 02:02:36 - The Key to Experience 02:05:44 - The Balance of Knowledge and Experience 02:10:11 - Music

Richard C. Miller, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, author, researcher, yogic scholar, and spiritual teacher who, for the past 46 years has devoted his life to integrating western psychology and neuroscience with the ancient nondual wisdom teachings of Yoga, Tantra, Advaita, Taoism, and Buddhism. Richard is the founding president of the Integrative Restoration Institute, co-founder of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, founding editor of the peer-reviewed International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and a founding member and past president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology. Author of iRest Meditation: Restorative Practices for Health, Healing and Well Being iRest Yoga Nidra Immersion - An 8-Week Intensive to Accelerate Mind-Body Healing & Spiritual Awakening Yoga Nidra: The Art of Deep Relaxation Richard also serves as a research consultant studying the meditation protocol he’s developed (Integrative Restoration ~ iRest Meditation), a modern adaptation of an ancient yogic form of meditation, researching its efficacy on health, healing, and well-being with diverse populations that include active-duty soldiers, veterans, women rescued from human trafficking, youth and college students, seniors, the homeless, and the incarcerated, with issues such as sleep disorders, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, chemical dependency, and anxiety, as well as research on iRest’s efficacy for enhancing resiliency, well-being, and compassion. Richard leads international training and meditation retreats on the integration of enlightened living into daily life. For information visit irest.org. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/16/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:40 - The Illusion of Destroying the Ego 00:11:22 - The Terrifying Search for Self 00:16:59 - The Liberation of Thoughts 00:22:30 - The Four Phases of Waking Up 00:28:30 - The Constant Evolution of the Human Experience 00:34:17 - Rediscovering Your Inner Compass 00:40:05 - From Line on Stone to Line on Air 00:46:20 - Discovering Wholeness Through Yoga Nidra 00:52:09 - Nourishing the Feeling of Being 00:57:43 - Penetrating the Five Koshas 01:03:37 - Relief from Fear and Obstacles 01:07:54 - The Wonderment of Doubt 01:12:11 - The Availability of Insight and Creativity in Meditation 01:16:23 - Psychology of the Battlefield 01:20:38 - Awakening of self-awareness and the sense of being 01:25:10 - Falling in Love with Everything You Meet 01:29:26 - Awakening and the Potential for Transformation 01:33:59 - Redeeming the Potential for Growth 01:38:14 - Setting Boundaries and Containment 01:42:53 - Letting Go of Mental Thoughts 01:47:14 - Working with Opposites and Taking Perspective 01:52:01 - Acting in Harmony with the Universe 01:56:34 - Developing Inner Peace and Equanimity 02:01:28 - The Paradox of Boundaried and Unboundaried Presence 02:05:55 - Embracing Our Humanness 02:10:24 - The Mystery of Existence, Relaxing and Letting Be 02:15:14 - Backsliding and the Pain of Old Conditioning 02:19:42 - Immersing in Being and Setting Intentions 02:24:27 - Going beyond structures and teachings in meditation practice Save

“The spiritual journey does not consist in gaining what a person does not have, but in dissipation of ignorance concerning himself and life, and the growth of understanding which begins with spiritual awakening. To find God is to come to one’s own self.” - Avatar Meher Baba. No longer the person with its conditioning and history, here now there is only this and the overall feeling is “I don’t mind.” No fear, no push, a great emptiness that is also a rich and all-pervading fullness. Here there is silence, peace and an exquisite sense of joy. Here it feels so light there is no distance, ‘marinating in the self.’ It is as if nothing is happening here yet happening graciously unfolds. To look back at the dream, the necessary mistaken identity, it seemed like so much happened. Personhood was such psychological suffering. Separation, a feverish, fearful struggle, always restless, dissatisfied, looking outside for love and fulfillment. Now peace, and love reside here. I have spent thirty years with Avatar Meher Baba in deep devotion. Baba has administered his kiss and his kick, expertly unraveling the ego identity. Longing for the truth and with nothing more to express in this life, I knew I was going to die, not sure if it was the body or the ego, I completely surrendered. Shortly after, whilst watching Mooji on the net, he pointed, and I said with total conviction, “I am That”. In that recognition I hysterically and uncontrollably laughed for hours. When I could hardly breathe from the laughter and I asked God to help me, the laughter only escalated. The funniest thing, the divine joke was that I knew I had always been that. I love Meher Baba and Mooji - the brightest reflections of the true self I know. It is quiet here as I experience the bliss and love of the self. Book: Hot Flush Dark Cave: One Woman’s Spiritual Transformation Through Menopause Website: awakeningthroughthebody.com.au Facebook page: Awakening Through the Body Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/9/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:34 - Surrendering to the Truth 00:06:44 - The Sentience of the Universe and Implore for a Response 00:10:03 - Nature as a Religion 00:13:38 - Discovering Meher Baba, Marriage, and Spiritual Seeking 00:16:34 - Falling in Love and Visiting Meher Baba 00:19:28 - Overwhelming Love in Baba's Tomb 00:23:19 - The Strange Experience at Baba's Tomb 00:26:18 - The Accumulation of Suffering 00:29:37 - The Desperate Longing for Change 00:33:42 - The Development of the Heart 00:37:32 - Appreciating the Beauty of Life 00:40:49 - Maharishi's Example of Appreciating God's Creation 00:44:08 - Initiation and Transformation 00:47:50 - Revisiting Past Lives 00:51:21 - The Liberation of Guilt and Baggage 00:54:37 - The Transmission of Energy and Awareness 00:58:01 - Divine Encounters and Spirit Guides 01:01:10 - Healing Experiences and Subtle Spheres 01:04:03 - Passing Messages 01:06:32 - The Chariot of Our Life 01:10:00 - Healing Traumatic Experiences 01:13:39 - The Deep Release 01:17:10 - The Experience of Chronic Fatigue and Pain 01:20:44 - Releasing Fear through Shaking 01:24:05 - The Self in All Beings and Nature 01:27:53 - The Paradox of Devotion and Non-Duality 01:31:39 - The Beginning of the Involution 01:35:07 - Final Words and the TRE Practice 01:38:04 - Setting up a Nature Retreat 01:40:24 - Conclusion and Next week's episode Save

David Godman has lived in India since 1976, mostly in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He spent his time there studying and practicing the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. His anthology of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings, Be As You Are, is probably the most widely read book on Sri Ramana’s teachings. During his fourteen-year stay at Ramanasramam (1978-92), he managed the ashram’s library, cataloged its archives, and recorded the stories and experiences of devotees who had had direct contact with Sri Ramana. David is the authorized biographer of two devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Lakshmana Swamy and Papaji) who realized the Self in Sri Ramana’s presence and who later went on to become gurus themselves. He has written and published several other books that contain first-person accounts of devotees who moved closely with Sri Ramana Maharshi and who were transformed by his power and presence. In collaboration with two Tamil scholars, T. V. Venkatasubramanian and Robert Butler, he translated and edited several Tamil texts including two authoritative collections of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings that were originally recorded in Tamil verse. The three of them also joined forces to bring out Sorupa Saram, a translation of a text in which a 15th century Tamil saint and Guru, Sorupananda, speaks authoritatively of his experience of the Self. Earlier this year David and T. V. Venkatasubramanian completed a new book that will be entitled The Shining of my Lord. It will contain translations of Tamil verses by Muruganar, an enlightened devotee of Ramana Maharshi who wrote thousands of verses in which he praised his Guru, spoke of his own liberated state, and thanked Sri Ramana for bestowing it on him. It will be published later this year. In the 1970s David frequented Nisargadatta Maharaj’s satsangs in Mumbai. In the 1980s he was a regular visitor to the ashram of Lakshmana Swamy and Saradamma in Andhra Pradesh. When they moved to Tiruvannamalai in the early 1990s, he helped them to establish and landscape their new property at the foot of Arunachala, the holy mountain where Sri Ramana Maharshi spent all his adult life. For four years in the 1990s, he lived with Papaji in Lucknow and ended up writing or editing five books about him. David Godman is married to Miri Albahari, a philosophy lecturer who teaches in Perth, Australia. He is based in India, but nowadays spends part of the year with Miri in Australia. Last year David released a series of twenty-seven films on Youtube in which he spoke about Ramana Maharshi, the places where he stayed, his devotees, and his teachings. The series contains about fifteen hours of talks about Sri Ramana and can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8hGc9OaVmFXOZDbRB3eP55FQtG1wKLNr Books: Be As You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Compass) No mind, I am the self: The lives and teachings of Sri Lakshmana Swamy and Mathru Sri Sarada Living By the Words of Bhagavan Papaji: Interviews Nothing Ever Happened (three volumes): a 1,200-page biography of H. W. L. Poonja, also known as ‘Papaji’. Annamalai Swami Final Talks- teaching dialogues between Annamalai Swami and visitors to his ashram, recorded in the last six months of his life. The Power of the Presence -Transforming Encounters with Sri Ramana (Vol1) (three volumes): chapter-long accounts by devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi that record their experiences of living with and being transformed him. The Power of the Presence (Part Two) The Power of the Presence (Part Three) Padamalai: Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi: Recorded by Muruganar Ramana Puranam- an edited and annotated 540-line poem that was jointly composed by Ramana Maharshi and Muruganar. The Fire of Freedom, Satsang with Papaji (The Fire of Freedom, Volume 1)- dialogues between Papaji and visitors that took place in his Lucknow home in 1991. Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of Guru's Sayings)- a translation of 1,254 verses, recorded in Tamil by Muruganar, that record Ramana Maharshi’s teachings. Website:  www.davidgodman.org Blog:   http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com YouTube channel First BatGap interview with David Transcripts of this interview: English Czech French Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group In this interview, David Godman speaks of Robert Adams, whom he never met. He makes some remarkable claims based upon Robert’s own account of his life, including years he claimed to have spent with Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj. It now appears extremely unlikely that Robert Adams ever met either, and that other claims David Godman repeats are highly improbable. Please see this article for details. David Godman has since taken down the YouTube talk he gave on Robert Adams. Interview recorded 6/26/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha At The Gas Pump with Rick Archer 00:05:34 - The Extraordinary Journey of Maurice Frydman 00:10:28 - Finding Ramana in Tiruvannamalai 00:15:16 - Maurice Frydman: An Extraordinary Man of Action 00:20:01 - Maurice's Last Days and his Hidden Talents 00:24:50 - The Maurice and Nisargadatta Book Project 00:29:10 - Maurice's Self-Governance Project 00:33:28 - Maurice's Bold Actions 00:37:48 - A Karma Yogi with a Dual Strand 00:42:08 - Gandhi's Spiritual State 00:47:22 - Parallel Lives of Social Uplift and Transcendence 00:51:57 - Manifestation of Ramana's Appearance 00:57:31 - The Vision of Ramana and the Connection with David Godman 01:02:27 - Composing Tamil Poetry with Bhagavan 01:07:49 - Bhagavan's Thorough Copy Editing 01:13:42 - Seek out the Blessing of Others 01:19:19 - The Concepts of Kartrutva and Kartavya 01:25:08 - The Existence of Gods or Entities 01:30:25 - Feeling the Pain of Others 01:35:17 - Mysterious Visitors on Bhagavan's Birthday 01:39:42 - Conviction in the Presence of God 01:44:10 - Anecdotes about Papaji 01:49:10 - The Power of Meditation and Introversion 01:53:26 - The Mathematics Test and the Experience of God 01:58:58 - Ramana's Teachings From Experience 02:04:09 - The Power of Teachers and Lineage 02:08:44 - Accessing the Guru's Power through Words 02:13:31 - The Guru's High Standards 02:18:04 - Ramana Maharshi's Unusual Habits 02:22:35 - Ramana's Retelling of Miraculous Stories 02:26:56 - Stirring up bliss and intoxication

Jurgen Ziewe has been following a strict regime of meditation since 1969. In 1973, after a six-month stint of intensive meditation for up to five hours a day, he decided to abandon the practice completely, being disappointed with the lack of progress and some negative side effects. Then one day out of the blue, at breakfast, he spontaneously experienced a total dissociation from his body and entered a state of what he described as one of absolute clarity. After this he continued his meditation practice, but now paying homage to the experience with more humility than before. He directly attributes the spontaneous Out-of-body experiences that followed for the next forty years, to this powerful experience of consciousness singularity. Jurgen has spent hundreds of hours, mostly in a super waking awareness in these out-of-body states, which frequently lasted several hours at a time. He soon mapped out what he considered to be the multidimensional reality man inhabits after physical death. On one of these non-physical excursions he was met by a Chinese Master who put him through an intensive training process in order for him to reach much higher states of consciousness. In 1980, on one of these OBE journeys, he was taken once more into a state of absolute clarity. This and other significant experiences were chronicled in his diaries and later published in his books, "Multidimensional Man" in 2008 and "Vistas of Infinity" in 2015, by which time he had experienced another singularity event on a solitary mountain retreat, later published in his book, “The Ten Minute Moment”. Jurgen sees himself as a reporter, not as a teacher. His down-to-earth narrative has attracted the attention from the science community and he has recently contributed a chapter to a science publication entitled, “Consciousness Beyond the Body: Evidence and Reflections” by Alexander de Foe, where he explores the nature of nonphysical consciousness, in collaboration with other experiencers. In his working life Jurgen Ziewe is a sought after commercial illustrator with a global clientele. Using the latest CG technology of the film industry has allowed him to document his experiences in alternate realities in a very visual format. His graphic testimonies have been likened to those of Swedenborg and his accounts of the higher spiritual realms give a vivid insight into the infinite strata of human consciousness which is rarely reported in such depth and detail. Websites: multidimensionalman.com Some of Jurgen's "multidimensional" artwork Virtual reality videos Celestial-Song - Angel of the Earth - A new virtual reality project between Jurgen and composer Craig Pruess Jurgen's commercial art Other Books: Explorations in Consciousness: A New Approach to Out-of-Body Experiences The Phase: Shattering the Illusion of Reality New Territories Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. Interview conducted 6/11/2016 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview June 17, 2016 00:04:05 - An Unexpected Experience in Meditation 00:08:59 - Waves of Ecstasy and Out-of-Body Experiences 00:14:13 - Starting the Journey of Out-of-Body Experiences 00:18:56 - A Recall Experience and the Abyss of Reality 00:24:04 - Conquering Fear and Finding Freedom 00:29:45 - The Shift in Identification 00:33:45 - Out-of-Body Experiences and Higher Consciousness 00:37:40 - Breaking through the Ceilings 00:42:31 - The Fascination of the Inner Worlds 00:47:19 - Accessing the Universal Mind through Out-of-Body Experiences 00:51:43 - The Importance of Vedanta and the Multi-Dimensionality of Life 00:56:08 - Living in the Whole Spectrum of Consciousness 01:00:48 - Moving from Individuality to Service 01:05:24 - The Continuation of Reality After Death 01:09:27 - Mapping the Realities of the Universe 01:13:33 - Thought Forms and Collective Consciousness 01:17:45 - Consensus Reality in Out-of-Body States 01:22:02 - A New Experience of Higher Realms 01:26:37 - A Multidimensional Universe with Populated Planets 01:30:36 - Traveling Through Time 01:34:35 - Transported Back in Time 01:39:07 - The Evolved State of Creation 01:43:47 - The Universe as the Center of Perception 01:48:32 - Familiar Ground and Fresh Experiences 01:52:51 - The Essence of Bliss in This Dimension 01:57:11 - Addiction to Reality and the Attraction Fading 02:01:32 - Dealing with Fixations and Bodily Identification 02:05:52 - Embracing Reality and Finding Inner Aspect 02:10:43 - A Glimpse of a Positive Future 02:15:15 - Being vigilant and nurturing growth

Bernardo Kastrup has a Ph.D. in computer engineering with specializations in artificial intelligence and reconfigurable computing. He has worked as a scientist in some of the world's foremost research laboratories, including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the "Casimir Effect" of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Bernardo has authored many scientific papers and philosophy books. His three most recent books are: More Than Allegory, Brief Peeks Beyond, and Why Materialism Is Baloney. He has also been an entrepreneur and founder of a successful high-tech start-up. Next to a managerial position in the high-tech industry, Bernardo maintains a philosophy blog, a video interview series, and continues to develop his ideas about the nature of reality. He has lived and worked in four different countries across continents, currently residing in the Netherlands. Books: Why Materialism Is Baloney: How True Skeptics Know There Is No Death and Fathom Answers to life, the Universe, and Everything Meaning in Absurdity: What bizarre phenomena can tell us about the nature of reality Dreamed Up Reality: Diving into the Mind to Uncover the Astonishing Hidden Tale of Nature Rationalist Spirituality: An exploration of the meaning of life and existence informed by logic and science More Than Allegory: On Religious Myth, Truth And Belief Important article: The Physicalist Worldview as Neurotic Ego-Defense Mechanism Website: bernardokastrup.com Youtube Channel Transcript of this interview First Batgap interview with Bernardo. Interview recorded June 4, 2016. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to the interview 00:04:45 - The Spectrum of Religious Myths 00:09:10 - The Mythical Bridge between Perception and Meaning 00:13:22 - The Misinterpretation of Vedanta and the Significance of Myths 00:17:31 - Creator Deity and the Dream of Existence 00:21:41 - Myths as Contemplation of Transcendent Truths 00:25:57 - The Beginner's Mind and the Contemplative Atmosphere 00:30:22 - The Symbolism in Religious Myths 00:35:15 - The Richness of a Life Informed by Religious Myth 00:39:40 - Judging Reality and Symbolism 00:43:56 - Lucid Dreaming and the Exploration of Reality 00:48:09 - The Role of Myth in Science 00:52:23 - The Ultimate Scientific Instrument 00:56:34 - The Marriage of Science and Philosophy 01:00:50 - The Negative Influence of Religious Institutions 01:05:09 - The History of Intermediaries and the Need for Experience 01:09:33 - Belief in the Power of Science 01:14:12 - The Trouble with Science Interpretation 01:18:29 - Psychological Gain and the Search for Meaning 01:22:37 - The Games Scientists Play 01:26:42 - Surrender and collaboration between science and spirituality 01:31:03 - Deity Yoga in Tibetan Buddhism and its relation to Advaita Vedanta 01:35:00 - The Search for Meaning and the Play of Archetypes 01:38:25 - The Mystery and Magic of Life 01:41:44 - The Complementarity of Intellect and Realization 01:45:20 - The Hub and the Spokes 01:48:36 - Perspectives on the Nature of Reality 01:52:19 - The Qualities of Experience 01:55:33 - Overcoming Existential Angst 02:01:59 - Leaving them wanting more 02:02:38 - Website Features