Buddha at the Gas Pump

Chris Niebauer earned his Ph.D. in cognitive neuropsychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in the differences between the left and right sides of the human brain. He is the author of No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology Is Catching Up to Buddhism and The No Self, No Problem Workbook: Exercises & Practices from Neuropsychology and Buddhism to Help You Lose Your Mind. He was a professor at a state university in Pennsylvania for 22 years, where he taught courses on consciousness, mindfulness, left- and right-brain differences, and artificial intelligence. Website: chrisniebauerphd.com YouTube Channel Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded June 3, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:06:21 - Disappointment with Daniel Dennett's book on consciousness 00:11:55 - The Value of Intelligence and Happiness 00:17:39 - The Dominance of Language in Reality 00:23:31 - Breaking the Cycle of Mental Excitation 00:29:04 - Non-Thinking Forms of Consciousness 00:34:24 - The Power of Numbers and Abstractions 00:40:01 - Observing the Interpreter and Letting Go of Intrusive Thoughts 00:45:55 - The Need for a Tiny Shift 00:51:17 - The Inventive Storytelling of the Left Brain 00:57:17 - Holistic Development of the Brain 01:02:52 - The Playfulness of Debates and the Power of Music 01:08:41 - The Nature of Skepticism and Strange Beliefs 01:14:25 - The Shift to Right Brain Awareness 01:19:53 - The Left Brain on Trial 01:25:32 - Individual Paths and Categorization 01:31:05 - Liberation and the Illusion of Self 01:36:54 - The Paradox of the Soul and Individuality 01:43:02 - Embracing Paradoxes 01:48:22 - The Connection between Light and Consciousness 01:53:31 - The Role of Faith in Materialism and Consciousness Studies 01:58:37 - The Inadequacy of Neuroscience 02:03:46 - The Limitations of Understanding and Balance in Life

Jeff Carreira is a meditation teacher, mystical philosopher and author who works with a growing number of people throughout the world. As a teacher, he offers retreats and courses guiding individuals in a form of meditation he refers to as The Art of Conscious Contentment. Through this simple and effective technique, he has led thousands of people in a journey beyond the confines of fear and self-concern into the expansive liberated awareness that is our true home. As a philosopher, Jeff is interested in defining a new way of being in the world that will move us from our current paradigm of separation and isolation into an emerging paradigm of unity and wholeness. In his books and lectures, he explores revolutionary ideas in the domains of spirituality, consciousness, and human development. He creates courses and programs that encourage people to question their most foundational experience of reality until previously held assumptions fall away leaving space for a dramatically new understanding to emerge. Jeff is passionate about the potential ideas have to shape how we perceive reality and how we live together. His enthusiasm for learning is infectious, and he has taught at colleges and universities throughout the world. Jeff is the author of numerous books including: The Path of Spiritual Breakthrough: From Awakening to Cosmic Awareness American Awakening: Evolutionary Spirituality, Non-Duality, and Free Thinking in the Tradition of American Philosophy Philosophy Is Not a Luxury: Four Reasons to Start Thinking About How You Think The Soul of a New Self: Embracing the Future of Being Human Paradigm Shifting: Guiding Evolution from the Inside The Art of Conscious Contentment Website: jeffcarreira.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 20, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:05:24 - Discovering Conscious Contentment 00:11:12 - The Influence of Past Experiences 00:18:53 - The Bright, Clear Awareness 00:26:00 - The End of Seeking: Letting Go and Contentment 00:32:29 - Letting go in Meditation 00:40:10 - Overcoming Sleepiness in Meditation 00:45:28 - Lucid Dreaming and Spiritual Experience 00:49:39 - Interpreting Spiritual Experiences 00:54:07 - The Role of Interpretation in Spiritual Progress 01:00:44 - Exploring New Paths and Spiritual Growth 01:04:51 - P.D. Ospensky and Cosmic Consciousness 01:10:53 - Embracing Creative Expression 01:16:32 - Expressing Ourselves and Taking a Break 01:21:24 - "Partners on the Spiritual Path" 01:29:07 - The Effects of "Crazy Wisdom" Teaching 01:34:21 - The End of an Experiment 01:38:12 - Transparency and Spiritual Integrity 01:41:57 - The Intensity of Spiritual Practice 01:46:09 - Spiritual Experiences and Seeking Alone in the Mountains 01:49:01 - Embracing the Opportunities in Your Circumstances 01:54:02 - The Middle Realms of Being 01:58:23 - The Importance of Non-Dual Awakening & the Advaita Tradition 02:02:10 - Higher Realms of the Soul

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard trained and published neuroanatomist who is now affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology. In 1996 she experienced a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain causing her to lose the ability to walk, talk, read, write or recall any of her life. Her memoir, My Stroke of Insight, documenting her experience with stroke and eight-year recovery spent 63 weeks on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. Her most recent 2021 book is WHOLE BRAIN LIVING: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life. Dr. Taylor is a dynamic teacher and public speaker who loves educating all age groups, academic levels, as well as corporations about the beauty of our human brain and how we can work with ourself to live a more peaceful life. In 2008 she gave the first TED talk that ever went viral on the Internet, which now has well over 28.5 million views. Also in 2008, Dr. Taylor was chosen as one of TIME Magazine's “100 Most Influential People in the World” and was the premiere guest on Oprah Winfrey’s “Soul Series” web-cast. Website: drjilltaylor.com Dr. Taylor's "My Stroke of Insight" TED talk Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded May 14, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:33 - The Evolutionary Goal of Humanity 00:11:07 - The Experience of the Present Moment 00:17:04 - Developing the Whole Brain 00:23:18 - Understanding the Dynamics of Relationships 00:28:43 - Understanding Character Two and Emotional Pain 00:33:33 - Understanding the Little Character Two 00:38:03 - The Richness of Human Emotions 00:42:05 - Autism and Brain Circuitry 00:47:10 - The Potential Risks of Whole Brain Living and Psychedelics 00:52:44 - Exploring the Options for Bipolar Disorder and PTSD 00:59:58 - The Beauty of Humor 01:07:06 - The Interface of Individuality and Universality 01:16:07 - Bringing Balance and Meaning Into Life 01:25:16 - The Differences in Perception and Information Processing 01:32:07 - The Absurdity of Language and Consciousness 01:37:18 - The Value Structure of Character Four 01:44:01 - Changing the Model of Enlightenment 01:48:18 - The Existence of Free Will 01:53:44 - The Subtle Work of Cells and Neuronal Networks 01:59:21 - The 90-Second Rule & Addiction in the Brain 02:04:19 - Exploring Selective Mutism and Addiction 02:11:27 - Dealing with Fear of the Future and Worry 02:17:51 - Farewell and Thank You

Cynthia Sue Larson is the best-selling author of several books including Quantum Jumps, Reality Shifts, High Energy Money, and most recently, The Mandela Effect and its Society: Awakening from ME to WE. Cynthia has a degree in physics from UC Berkeley, an MBA degree, a Doctor of Divinity, and a second degree black belt in Kuk Sool Won. Cynthia is founder of RealityShifters, first president of the International Mandela Effect Conference, managing director of Foundations of Mind, and creator and host of Living the Quantum Dream podcast. She has been featured in numerous shows including Gaia, the History Channel, Coast to Coast AM, One World with Deepak Chopra, and BBC. Cynthia reminds us to ask in every situation, "How good can it get?" Subscribe to her free monthly ezine at: realityshifters.com. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 23, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:09:42 - The Quantum Superposition 00:15:04 - The Mandela Effect and Kidney Placement 00:20:01 - Exploring Different Realities 00:24:28 - Perception in Shamanic Cultures 00:31:00 - The Double Slit Experiment: Particle vs. Wave 00:38:12 - Discerning the Real from the Unreal 00:44:18 - The Power of Changing Perspectives and Overcoming Fear 00:50:46 - Discerning the Truth 00:55:09 - Spontaneous Vanishing Bottle 00:59:12 - Time Dilation and Time Curves 01:07:20 - Meditation's Growing Popularity 01:12:28 - The Rain Experiment with Mom 01:17:03 - The Power of Collective Consciousness 01:22:51 - Unexplained Phenomena 01:26:47 - Pre-birth Existence and Difficult Choices 01:29:29 - The Garden and the Fire 01:33:40 - The Openness to Experience "How Good Can It Get?" 01:38:49 - Levels of Consciousness and Sentient AI Systems 01:43:29 - The Importance of Surprise and Rediscovering Basic Truths 01:49:28 - "Rev Humanism" and the Future of Human Evolution 01:53:31 - Recognizing our Connectedness and Empathy 01:57:07 - Observing Thoughts for a Positive Mindset 02:00:04 - A Fun and Informative Conversation

Daniel Stone is a follower of Meher Baba. He came to Meher Baba in 1972 after a period of spiritual search that led him to travel overland to India in search of a master. While there he found and received an awakening with Neem Karoli Baba, who then inwardly guided him to Meher Baba, who Daniel recognized and accepted as his master. Meher Baba is widely known and regarded my many throughout the world as the Avatar of our current age, as God in human form, and as a source of spiritual guidance and awakening for all who approach him. Since becoming a follower of Baba, Daniel has been actively engaged in sharing about Baba’s teachings and life-work through talks, publications, radio programs, video programs, and music. He serves on the board of directors for the Meher Spiritual Center, the major center for Meher Baba in the West, and has consulted extensively for Baba groups around the world. Videos: Journey in Consciousness - A 7-part series that provides an overview of the teachings and life-work of Avatar Meher Baba. God in Human Form “Avatar Meher Baba: Highlights of His Life and Work” Meher Baba ~ Human Side Of God Books: God Speaks, by Meher Baba (Meher Baba’s cosmology)* Discourses, by Meher Baba (Teachings about the spiritual life)* The Silent Messenger, by Tom and Dorothy Hopkinson (an easily accessible overview of Meher Baba’s life and his teachings) The God Man: The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of his Silence and Spiritual Teaching * Digital copies can be downloaded for free at https://avatarmeherbabatrust.org/online-library/ Websites: Meher Spiritual Center in S. Carolina Journey in Consciousness In his professional life, Daniel is a strategic organizational consultant, providing assistance to a wide variety of organizations including the Centers for Disease Control, the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and many others. He lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with his wife, two cats and a grand-dog. Daniel is also a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle where he co-leads a group focused on helping achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a recording musician, whose first CD of songs dedicated to Meher Baba is entitled “Decorate With Song”. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 16, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:06:30 - Meeting Neem Karoli Baba 00:15:18 - Introduction and Background: Meher Baba's Early Life 00:21:37 - The Wanderings and Encounters 00:26:34 - The Role of the Avatar 00:32:28 - The Concept of an Avatar 00:37:59 - The Limitations of Human and Divine Capabilities 00:43:24 - Meher Baba and His Ability to Make Contact with Multiple Beings Simultaneously 00:50:06 - The Male Form of the Avatar 00:56:49 - A Life of Hopelessness and Helplessness 01:05:34 - Earning Trust Before Obedience 01:13:07 - Baba's Silence and Communication 01:20:15 - Accessing Higher Levels of Consciousness 01:25:21 - The Fourth Layer of the Heart and Divine Guidance 01:31:11 - Revitalization of Sufism and World Religions 01:36:10 - The Miracles and Love of Meher Baba 01:39:55 - Insightful Film and Atheism of Zeffirelli 01:44:48 - The Masts and their Spiritual States 01:50:08 - The Ripple Effect of Baba's Work 01:56:45 - Awakening All Over the World 02:04:01 - The Role of the Master in Eliminating Sanskaras 02:08:38 - The Journey of the Soul and Higher Planes 02:15:13 - Finding Me Inside Your Heart 02:19:51 - Links and Resources

With Mark Gober and Doug Scott. Mark Gober is the author of "An End to Upside Down Thinking" (2018), which won the IPPY award for best science book of the year. He is also the author of "An End to Upside Down Living" (2020), "An End to Upside Down Liberty" (2021), "An End to Upside Down Contact" (2022), and "An End to the Upside Down Reset" (2023); and he is the host of the podcast series "Where Is My Mind?" (2019). Additionally, he serves on the boards of Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell’s Institute of Noetic Sciences and the School of Wholeness and Enlightenment. Previously, Gober was a partner at Sherpa Technology Group in Silicon Valley and worked as an investment banking analyst with UBS in New York. He has been named one of IAM’s Strategy 300: The World’s Leading Intellectual Property Strategists. Gober graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where he wrote an award-winning thesis on Daniel Kahneman’s Nobel Prize–winning “Prospect Theory” and was elected a captain of Princeton’s Division I tennis team. Previous BatGap interview with Mark Doug Scott, LCSW, works as a mental health counselor in his private practice in Dallas, Texas.  After graduating from college in 1997, he served as an international volunteer for two years in Bluefields, Nicaragua. This intense experience changed his life and he returned to the US to pursue graduate studies in clinical social work and pastoral ministry at Boston College. The nexus of spirituality and psychology have always intrigued Doug since childhood and he brings this sensibility to his counseling practice. Doug grew up Catholic and was always drawn to the mystical lineage within this belief system.  He had experiences with Jesus, Mary, and angels at an early age. He was also secretly attracted to all things paranormal and would spend many hours reading topics such as reincarnation, ufology, OBE’s, NDE’s, ghosts, ESP, pyramids, and other areas. One evening in 2013, he felt a presence that invited him to listen to a Buddhist chant, which came as a surprise since, at that time, he had not explored other faith systems. He was guided to listen to Om Mani Padme Hum and as the chant unfolded, Doug saw a golden dew overshadow him and activate him in a way that was new.  This marked the next chapter in Doug’s life. A few months later, Doug was led to the Law of One material and immediately saw that it provided the clearest, most undistorted, exploration of the Perennial Philosophy that he’d ever come across. It also cast a wide net to include all of the paranormal things that intrigued him and made it possible for him to put all of the different threads in his life together in one seamless garment. Since 2015, Doug has written a blog (cosmicchrist.net) that explores the synthesis of the Law of One material with mystical Christianity and psychology.  He sees his vocation in this lifetime as a bridge-builder between conventional concepts and cosmic metaphysics to help people who seek clarity, normalization, and validation for their own journeys. Previous BatGap interview with Doug Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded March 26, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:40 - From Curiosity to Writing Books on Consciousness 00:08:51 - Past Lives on Other Planets 00:13:10 - Childhood Encounter with UFOs 00:20:09 - Compelling UFO Sightings Throughout History 00:25:56 - The UFO Phenomenon and Spiritual Seeking 00:31:36 - The Agenda of Beings in the Spirit World 00:36:09 - The Evolution of Alien Abduction Experiences 00:39:32 - Alien Intervention at Nuclear Sites and Their Agenda 00:45:03 - Polarity and Progression in Higher Densities 00:52:06 - Causality and Mutual Influence in Higher Realms 00:59:05 - The Veil of Forgetting and the Choice of Path 01:05:03 - Speculation on Alien Species and Agendas 01:12:43 - The Connection Between Memory and Perception 01:20:33 - DMT and Accessing Alternate Realms 01:25:31 - The Vedic Cosmology: 14 Worlds 01:29:21 - Unity and Separation 01:33:33 - Disclosure and the Importance of Concrete Proof 01:39:50 - The Difference Between Third and Fourth Density 01:45:58 - Connecting with Cosmic Intelligence 01:50:23 - Embracing the Positive Path Together 01:55:09 - Abrupt Shifts in Collective Consciousness 01:59:28 - The Importance of Holistic Development 02:02:25 - Introduction to an Indian Master

Emelie has been working fulltime since 1995 with empathic communication with other species, non-hierarchal riding and handling of horses, alternative treatments such as acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal medicine. She has published three books on these subjects. She runs a school with mainly horses and other species for empathic interbeing. This school is a farm that is a sanctuary for around 170 animals of different species - not to mention plants and surrounding nature. Books: All the King's Horses - if you wish to purchase a copy, email Emelie. Zander och Tiden (Swedish) Website: friendsofmio.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded March 5, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Emelie Cajsdotter and her work with animals 00:06:47 - An Invisible Wall Removed 00:12:33 - The Gap Between Personal Gain and Common Reality 00:18:23 - The Visionary Potential of Horses 00:24:35 - The Struggle Between the Ego and the Soul 00:30:18 - The Love for Existence 00:36:25 - Ego and the Dehumanization of Others 00:42:31 - The Spiritual Path and the Cycle of Life 00:48:31 - The Balance of Life and Death 00:54:22 - The Experience of Being a Mosquito 01:00:14 - The Journey to Enlightenment 01:06:04 - Conversations with Animals 01:11:59 - Communication with Plants 01:18:03 - Transitioning to an Enlightened Society 01:24:11 - The Birth and Rebirth of the Individual 01:30:35 - The Journey of Life and Death 01:36:33 - Cultivating Compassion and Connection with Animals 01:42:23 - The Longing of Those Who Cannot Come 01:48:09 - Creating a Non-Judgmental and Safe Environment 01:54:15 - Giving and Receiving in Artistic Work 02:00:12 - The Circular Nature of Life and Reincarnation 02:05:25 - Reaching out for Help in Difficult Times 02:10:28 - Conversations with Animals and the Power of Influence

Fr. Seán ÓLaoire was born in Ireland and earned a B.Sc. degree (major in Mathematics) from the National University of Ireland. Ordained a catholic priest in 1972, he spent 14 years working in Kenya. He is multi-lingual and has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology; he is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice. He is co-founder and the Spiritual Director of a non-denominational community called “Companions on the Journey” based in Palo Alto. He is the author of five books and co-author of a sixth: “Ukweli ni Nini?” (What is truth?) – written and published in Swahili in 1983 “Spirits in Spacesuits - A Manual for Everyday Mystics”- published in 2003 “Souls on Safari” - published in 2006 - Translated into German in 2007 “A Sensible God” – published in 2008 “Why? What Your Life Is Telling You about Who You Are and Why You’re Here” - published in 2013 (with Matthew McKay, PhD and Ralph Metzner, PhD) - Translated into Korean in 2015 “Setting God Free: Moving Beyond the Caricature We’ve Created in Our Own Image” - published in 2021 Summary and transcript of this interview Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded February 25, 2023 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump. Mythology and ‘Thin Places’  00:06:40 - The Wisdom of Proverbs in Different Cultures 00.09:00 Trying to domesticate God  00:12:16 - The Cycle of Knowledge and Ignorance 00:17:39 - The Disadvantages of Incarnation 00.23:20 Transformation of Consciousness  00:23:46 - Ineffective Structures and People's Transformation 00:29:20 - The Rural Electrification Scheme in Ireland 00:34:51 - The Invitation to Self-Transcendence 00:40:08 - The Complexity of Existence 00.41:15 Karma and Pre-conception Contracts  00:45:44 - Pulling Life Over the Cliff 00:51:22 - The Purpose of Incarnations 00:56:54 - Understanding Karma and Destiny 01:00:45 The Science of Spirituality  01:02:47 - Reincarnation in Christianity 01:08:15 - The Three Axes of Spiritual Awareness and Metrics in Spirituality 01:14:12 - The Constraints of the Scientific Method 01:20:35 - The merge of science and spirituality 01:26:15 The Global Awakening  01:26:24 - Awakening to Powerful Spiritual Experiences 01:31:56 - Confrontation and the 80:20 Rule in Spiritual Teachings 01:37:49 - The Types of Civilizations and Our Current State 01:43:41 - The Role of Healing Modalities in Personal Growth 01:43:54 Healing Trauma  01:49:43 - The End of Reincarnation? 01:55:22 - Separating from Narcissists 01:56:34 The Trifurcation of Homo Sapiens Sapiens 02:00:41 - Forming Community and Overcoming Superiority 02:06:17 - The Unity of All Life 02:12:18 - Communicating with Animals

There have always been three deep interests that have informed my life; and those are art, spirituality, and psychotherapy which all tend to reflect each other. I have been an artist since my childhood, had spiritual experiences since I was 6, and my interest in psychology began at twelve when I started reading psychology books. There were some experiences during my childhood which indicated an opening for spiritual awareness. The first was when I was walking to school, when I was 6, and I realized that I was in this body. The second happened many times when several light beings would sit on my bed and talk to me, before I went to sleep. Their energy was very distinct. I could feel the weight of them on my bed. My spiritual journey actively began when I was 19 and began doing TM. After TM I had a few other spiritual teachers and many spiritual openings, or awakenings, throughout my life. The last most significant experience, which was several years ago, was when I was taking a walk and I heard a voice inside of me say “it’s time”. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I thought it might become clear by connecting with the group of light beings. When I did, an energy began to flow through me. I soon got another message that this was not just for me, it was to share with others. This led me to gather a few people together to meditate, and with whom to share this energy. I had no idea if anyone else would feel the flow of energy, but they did. My meetings with people have evolved into a sharing of wisdom and energy that flows from this spaciousness, which is the Boundless. The importance of this sharing is that it helps all of us shift into the consciousness of the One, or Infinite, or Boundless. This is a small step away from knowing that we are the Boundless. As we move through the world as the Boundless, there is a ripple effect. Sharing this shift in frequency facilitates, an expansion in human consciousness; where more people know that we are all One. Through an energetic transmission, people are guided to take their next step on their spiritual journey. I have been a psychotherapist for about 40 years, during this time I have been trained and/or certified in several modalities including: Transpersonal Hypnotherapy through the Michael Newton Institute, Hypnotherapy through the Ericksonian School. I am the founder of the Enneagram School of Awakening, which is accredited by The International Enneagram Association. I call what I do Transpersonal Psychotherapy because I help people work through personal limiting patterns, as well as guiding them to open to their true nature, which is beyond the personal. I have written two books Boundless - Experiential description of stepping into the boundless, and my journey to the Boundless; and From the Heart of Boundless – discussions and teachings about obstacles and issues that might get in the way of connecting to the Boundless. Websites: Boundless Art The Enneagram School Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 4, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:26 - Childhood Memories and Unknown Experiences 00:08:42 - Interaction with Subtle Beings 00:12:53 - The Journey of Meditation and Spirituality 00:16:59 - Opening to Subtle Dimensions 00:21:48 - A Phase of Iconoclasm 00:26:45 - Relearning the Enneagram and Awakening Experiences 00:31:37 - Feeling the Energy of Each Type 00:36:43 - The Enneagram and Living a Transcendent Life 00:40:46 - Reconnecting with the Energy of Light Beings 00:45:32 - Exploring Past Lives and Life Between Lives 00:50:43 - The Awakening and In-Depth Exploration 00:55:36 - Sharing the Frequency 01:00:05 - Accessing Information in an Expanded State 01:05:20 - Out of focus and in focus 01:09:32 - The Beauty of the Present Moment 01:13:38 - The Boundlessness of Is-ness and Letting Go of Identity 01:18:47 - Limiting Beliefs and Identity 01:23:54 - Short-term Practices for Facilitating the Process of Awakening 01:28:09 - Shift into the Boundless 01:32:24 - The Art of Surrender 01:36:41 - Retreats and Self-Talk Diagnosis 01:41:01 - Kundalini Awakening and Its Effects 01:45:13 - Conversation about Asheville and TM Center

Born in London, Dr. Churchill's interest in psycho-spiritual development, Integral theory, Contemplative studies, Western Esotericism, and Mahayana Buddhism began in his adolescence,. During this time, John received the esoteric Planetary Dharma transmissions that would in time unfold as his contribution to a planetary fourth turning teaching. Dr. Churchill spent 15 years training and teaching “Great Seal” meditation in an Indo-Tibetan Mahayana lineage under the mentorship of the late senior Western teacher, translator, respected author, and clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel P. Brown. He is also a founding member of the Integral Institute led by esteemed Transpersonal/Integral philosopher, Ken Wilber. John has received advanced training in: attachment therapy, hypnosis, positive psychology for peak performance, and the “Pointing Out” style of Mahamudra meditation. For the last 25 years, John has developed a a Fourth Turning Planetary Dharma practice which includes the somatically based contemplative practice path; Embodying the Open Ground, that integrates psychodynamic healing, adult development and meditation. John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from William James College, and is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Married to his partner, Nicole since 2000, they are Co-Founders of Samadhi Integral, and Co-Directors of Karuna Mandala. Book: Becoming Buddha: Buddhist Contemplative Psychology in a Western Context Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded January 29, 2023. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:37 - The Different Dimensions of Mind and Cross-training the Mind 00:11:07 - The Path of the Bodhisattva 00:17:12 - Meeting the Needs of a Different Population 00:22:54 - Developing a Contemplative System in the West 00:27:53 - Examining Components and Creativity in Meditation Practices 00:33:32 - Understanding Different Types of Spiritual Practices 00:39:15 - Transcending Sacred Technologies Through Collaboration 00:44:40 - Allowing Our Natural Tendency to Unfold 00:50:08 - Describing the Experience of Brahman 00:55:41 - Gaia as a Multidimensional Being 01:01:41 - Perspectives and Metacognition 01:07:26 - Exploring the Fundamental Nature of Reality 01:12:26 - The Next Stage of Human Development 01:18:12 - Education and Spiritual Development 01:23:03 - Tiered Levels of Cognition and Development 01:28:02 - The Four-Year Contemplative Education 01:32:05 - The Plant Dimension 01:33:19 - The Sacred Tradition of Herbal Medicine 01:38:25 - Thoreau's Belief in Building Foundations 01:44:05 - A New Contemplative System with Psychedelics 01:49:43 - Legalization of Marijuana and Psilocybin 01:55:20 - Personal Experiences with the Law 02:00:07 - The Significance of a Skull Symbol 02:04:57 - Personal Connection and Future Meetup