Buddha at the Gas Pump

Ananta grew up in London and left England aged 19, with the desire to live as a free being. This first expressed itself through travel and lead her to Asia in 1989 where she has lived ever since. Searching to find the Truth of herself she found her way to the Osho commune in Pune, India where she explored meditation and Self-awareness groups for more than 10 years, also working with people for several years in the healing fields. In 1994 she entered a two and half year period of silence in a Japanese prison. During this period True Freedom was realized. That which has always been Free, Full and Enough unto Itself! The Peace that is the ground of all experience. The Love that does not need an experience of Love. The happiness that is our True Nature without needing an experience of happiness....  revealed itSelf to ItSelf. Coming back into 'the world' in 1997, there followed a period of confusion as personality and drama began to reappear causing the search to go on. In 2000 she then found her way to Intensive Satsang with Dolano in Pune, where the confusion was cleared and no way to turn back from the clear recognition of 'Who Am I'. This naturally started the unfolding of the integration process where all personality issues come home in Truth. Where bound up life energy, held by beliefs and illusions, reappear to be met in the light, where transformation happens. Through her own Self-Realization, her main area of focus is Now facilitating, the simple direct sharing of the realization of our True Nature, through all that appears to play in the ordinariness of life itself. Among the expressions of same Self who have greatly influenced Ananta's way of sharing are the spiritual teachers Gangaji and Dolano who use the direct inquiry of "Who Am I?" passed down from Ramana Maharshi. Her site: ananta-kranti.com Interview recorded 12/11/2010 Quality is poor in places due to slow bandwidth in Thailand. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Awakening in a Japanese Prison 00:03:23 - The Strong Calling for Silence and Truth 00:06:40 - The Search for Freedom 00:10:05 - Searching for Meaning Within 00:13:16 - A Life-Changing Encounter with Osho 00:16:14 - Life Changes After Jail 00:19:13 - Carrying Baggage 00:22:10 - Solitary Confinement in Prison 00:25:22 - Working in Silence 00:27:53 - The Strength and Intensity in Japanese Discipline 00:30:29 - Surrender and the Shift 00:34:39 - The Ocean of Existence 00:38:27 - Integration into the Outside World 00:41:57 - The Journey of Self-Discovery in Thailand 00:45:33 - Shifting from Identification to "I am that" 00:49:34 - The Shift in Perception and Relationship Difficulties 00:53:37 - The Awakening and Integration Process 00:57:05 - The Question about Relationships and Freedom 01:00:44 - Sharing the Awakening Experience 01:05:10 - End of the "me" story and the beginning of awakening 01:08:31 - Surrender and Ego Death 01:11:19 - Balancing the Exclusion and Inclusion of the Personal 01:14:33 - Comfort with Paradox and Ambiguity 01:18:11 - Settling Down and Listening to the Body 01:24:45 - A Rich Experience of Being Able to Relate to Many Walks of Life 01:27:24 - Recognizing the Truth Within 01:29:37 - The Value of Ramana Maharshi 01:32:35 - The Shift in Yoga Practice and Spiritual Progress 01:35:09 - Closing Remarks 01:37:00 - Conclusion and Future Interviews Save

Scott Kiloby is an author and international speaker on mindfulness and addiction recovery. Scott is also the founder and director of the Kiloby Center for Recovery. After twenty years of addiction to drugs and alcohol, Scott began to develop Natural Rest for Addiction which has helped people all over the world confront the root of their addiction, anxiety, and depression. Scott was the COO of MyLife Recovery which held the patent on the naltrexone implant. Scott also developed an app that acts as an interface between pain management doctors and their patients to decrease the likelihood of addiction. The app also protects doctors legally from claims of negligence arising out of opiate overdoses. Originally from southern Indiana, Scott was an attorney for several years before becoming an author. He travels extensively across the United States and in Europe giving talks, seminars, and intensives. Along with his work at the Kiloby Center, Scott is also the director and co-owner of the Natural Rest House, a detox and residential addiction treatment center located in La Quinta, California. In addition to Natural Rest for Addiction: A Radical Approach to Recovery Through Mindfulness and Awareness, Scott is the author of the following books which can be found on Amazon: Living Realization: A Simple, Plain-English Guide to Non-Duality The Unfindable Inquiry: One Simple Tool to Overcome Feelings of Unworthiness and Find Inner Peace Reflections of the One Life: Daily Pointers to Enlightenment Doorway to Total Liberation: Conversations with What Is Love's Quiet Revolution: The End of the Spiritual Search Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 12/4/2010. 2nd interview with Scott 3rd interview with Scott YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Scott Kiloby on Non-Duality Teaching 00:04:45 - The Illusion of Separation 00:08:23 - Seeking the Present Moment 00:11:49 - Dissolving Thoughts, Finding Unity 00:16:43 - Gradual Awakening and Radical Shifts 00:21:53 - The Two Aspects of Our Experience 00:25:24 - The Difference Between Seeking and Exploring 00:29:32 - Cultivating non-conceptual experience and enjoying the world 00:33:38 - Finding Balance and Enhancing Life Experience 00:37:12 - The Progressive Stages of Development 00:40:17 - The Value of Diversity in Teaching Methods and Voices 00:43:10 - Voices of Wisdom from Around the World 00:46:38 - Deconstructing Neo-Advaita Concepts 00:49:57 - Finding Divinity in All Things 00:53:40 - The Grandeur and Significance of Life 00:57:50 - The Capacity to Love and Develop 01:00:59 - The Middle Way and Diverse Paths 01:03:43 - The Value of the Non-dual Perspective 01:06:54 - Embracing the Inner Fundamentalist 01:09:12 - Embracing Both Absolute and Relative Realities 01:12:26 - Mysticism in Different Religions 01:15:41 - Experiential Meditation and the Danger of Division 01:18:19 - Individual Approaches to Understanding Non-Duality 01:22:26 - The Compartmentalization of Experience 01:25:44 - Transition to the topic of addiction and the Natural Rest book 01:30:18 - Study and Law School while Battling Addiction 01:36:50 - Analyzing the Illusion of Manifestation 01:40:55 - The Temptation to Hang On 01:43:50 - Shadow work and the story of the self 01:46:26 - Tailored Dialogue to Individuals 01:49:19 - Conversation with Scott Kiloby Save

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Lobzang Tsetan is Abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, in southern India. He is a Tibetan Buddhist monk from Ladakh, India, who has lived and taught in the United States for more than fifteen years. He began his monastic life at age seven in Stok, his family village.  At age thirteen he joined the Stok Monastery to study and memorize Buddhist scriptures. In 1952, when he was sixteen years old, he walked with his father from Ladakh to Shigatse, Tibet, to enter the famous Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. The 800-mile trek took them over two months to complete. Khen Rinpoche Tsetan received his novice monk vows there and studied Buddhist philosophy at the monastery's Skilkhang College with many prominent Tibetan scholars. Once back in the village of his birth, he studied tantric practices and joined the School of Buddhist Philosophy in Choglamsar where he studied for seven years. Due to the fact that the Buddhist tradition in Ladakh is dependent on the Tibetan lineage of teachers to transmit and bestow higher Buddhist degrees, it was necessary for him to leave Ladakh again in 1970 in pursuit of the Geshe training. From 1974-1978 he taught high school in Ladakh. Then he met with a special invitation to come to the United States and teach at the first Tibetan Buddhist learning center in America, Labsum Shedrub Ling, in Washington, New Jersey. He went in hopes of learning English and completing his Geshe degree studies. He accomplished both, and in 1984 he returned to the Drepung Monastery for commencement. Since that time Khen Rinpoche Tsetan has been living and teaching in the United States from October to June and returning to Ladakh during the summer months to oversee activities at the Siddhartha School/Choskor Stok school he founded in 1996. While in the States, he has divided his time between Maine and New York City with additional teaching trips to Amhurst, MA, and other areas of the U.S.  His association with the Manjushri Center in Amherst has provided him with extensive teaching positions and lecturing opportunities at a number of schools including Smith, Bowdoin, Amherst, Hampshire, Drew, Maine College of Art, Bangor Theological Seminary, Phillips Exeter Academy, Deerfield Academy, and others. In 1996 shortly after founding the Siddhartha School in Stok, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, appointed then Geshe Tsetan to be the Abbot of the new Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in India. This was a great honor for him, and one that was humbly set aside so that he could devote himself completely to the Siddhartha School. The Dalai Lama gave his blessings and support. His title became Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Lobzang Tsetan, and he has assumed his new responsibilities, over-seeing the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in exile. Since summer 2005 he has worked ceaselessly to fulfill the charge of increasing the number of monks at Tashilhunpo, the poorest of the Tibetan monasteries in exile, and of raising the funds for their support. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/20/2010. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction of Ken Rinpoche Tsetan 00:03:37 - Ken Rinpoche Tsetan's Background 00:07:27 - The Christian Tradition and the Buddhist Perspective 00:10:58 - The Illusion of Absolute Existence 00:14:16 - The Analytical and Stabilization Meditation Ways 00:17:16 - Overcoming Anger through Love and Patience 00:20:27 - Removing Blame and Finding Peace through Meditation 00:23:06 - Overcoming the Illusion of Enemies and Friends in the Mind 00:26:41 - Letting Go of Attachments and Anger 00:30:01 - Finding Peace and Love in the World 00:33:09 - Changing Yourself Instead of the World 00:36:16 - Fulfilling Buddha's Wishes 00:39:51 - Attaining Nirvana and Becoming a Buddha 00:43:20 - Enlightenment and Liberation for All 00:47:18 - Evaluating Enlightenment Levels 00:51:07 - The True Master's Inner Development 00:55:31 - Developing Compassion and Wisdom 00:59:20 - Choosing the Right Teacher 01:00:57 - Continuous Interruptions 01:01:41 - Repeated "No" 01:02:25 - Rick's Refusal 01:03:09 - Rick's Rejection of Something 01:03:53 - Repetitive Denials 01:04:37 - Multiple Rejections 01:05:21 - Repeated "No" Responses 01:06:05 - Repeated No Responses 01:06:49 - Rick's Persistent "No" Response 01:07:33 - Repetitive Answering 00:00:00 - Rick's Repeated "No" 01:09:45 - Multiple "No's" from Rick

Dr. Gregory Tucker was a Clinical Psychologist who woke up when he read Wei Wu Wei's "Open Secret," one of eight books Terence Gray wrote between 1958 and 1974. The shift from the lie, right now is real, to the truth, right now is only a Mind generated dream, made him confront the fact "Psychotherapy" is not a people-based event, but only a dreamer-based event, in which the dream features all the problems the dreamer in the dream deals with in the process of defending the fiction it is 'the person' it portrays in the dream. Waking up occurs exactly as fast as the dreamer in the dream surrenders to the fact it can only be a dreamer in this dream, somewhere with that fact, and probably filling time defending the lie it is some kind of a person, and more likely than not, a less than okay person. Seeing 'the truth' prompted Greg to stop working with 'people' to work with the suffering dreamers endure defending the fiction they are people. He calls what he does, "The Recovery Process," which assists dreamers to identify that suffering is a function of defending a lie as if it is a fact. He has never looked back since that 'fateful' day in the dream. Interview recorded November 11, 2010. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:04:42 - The Nature of Enlightenment and the Evolution of Consciousness 00:10:22 - The Inevitable Growth of Consciousness 00:15:56 - The Perspective of Christ on Suffering 00:20:17 - The Intrigue of the Shift 00:23:58 - The Search for Truth and Reconnecting with Alignment 00:27:39 - The Truth Behind Impersonation and Amnesia 00:30:55 - The Paradox of Working with Invented Selves 00:34:34 - The Dilemma of Working with Clients 00:37:44 - Letting go of the lie of being a person in a dream 00:40:35 - The Dreaming Mind and the Illusion of Being a Person 00:43:52 - The Language of the Dream Mind 00:47:26 - Levels of Delusion and Enlightenment 00:50:50 - The Dreamer and the Dream 00:53:53 - The Illusion of Being a Person 00:57:26 - Using Suffering as Proof of Personhood 01:00:46 - The Relative Nature of Things 01:04:36 - The Levels of Reality 01:07:28 - The Nature of Mind and Consciousness 01:10:55 - Dissolving the Self 01:14:37 - Perspectives in Buddhism and Hinduism 01:18:27 - The Importance of Awakening and Enlightenment 01:22:11 - The Essence of Humor and Waking Up to the Dream 01:25:40 - Seeing Others as Dreamers 01:29:29 - Awakening Beyond the Dream 01:33:46 - Getting Out of Suffering and Articulating the Experience 01:37:40 - Playing the Part of a Loser 01:41:16 - The Fear of Truth in the Prison of Illusion 01:45:11 - Exploring Different Languages of Perception 01:48:36 - Hedging Bets and the End of Time 01:52:11 - Wrapping Up: Next Guest Announcement

Janet Sussman is a transformational musician, seminar leader, intuitive counselor, and published author. She has given concerts throughout the United States and has created two albums, Bridges and Subtle Bodies. She is known for her ability to use music to create a powerful process of spiritual journeying and awakening. She is also the author of Timeshift: The Experience of Dimensional Change and The Reality of Time, which has been praised by spiritual luminary Dr. Jean Houston as “in the nature of a revelation.” Janet is a specialist in the architecture of the subtle bodies. In her written and musical works, as well as her intuitive counseling, she transmits a consciousness awakening and an opening into celestial light. Students report experiences of unity, of merging with the other while maintaining the core value of the Self. Janet has developed a system of subtle energy balancing called Sunpoint™ which works to enhance the core identity of the individual and bring an experience of transcendent wholeness. Sunpoint can be practiced hands-on or as a long-distance healing methodology. This method can be transferred to individual practitioners for their own use and in the support of others. Janet also utilizes music as a means of relaxation and as a point of departure into a journeying process of the spirit. Her original keyboard improvisations and highly developed vocal skills bring the listener into direct, primary knowledge of the chakras (human energy centers), acting as a core indicator of blockages and anomalies stored in the field. Janet's loving, clear translation of subtle imagery opens the participant to a clear, insightful examination of their inner state. She specializes in researching the movement of energy through the heart chakra. She views this model in terms of "stations" through which primary energetic conduits transfer knowledge from one spiritual chamber of the heart to another. The emphasis is on opening the individual to a deeper experience of receiving from both personal and Divine sources of love. This can then be transferred to the "giving chamber" of the heart which governs the flow of energy to the environment. Website: http://www.timeportalpubs.com/ Interview recorded 11/12/2010 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:05:13 - Early Comprehension and Cognition 00:08:13 - Childhood and Giftedness 00:11:45 - Unusual Languages and Codes 00:15:12 - Challenging Childhood Experiences 00:17:58 - The Impact of a Wise Teacher 00:20:56 - Pouring Myself into Music and Creative Writing 00:24:02 - Early Inner Wisdom Experiences 00:27:26 - The Human Condition and Multiple Dimensions 00:31:01 - The Importance of Dimensionality 00:35:00 - The Interconnected Collective Consciousness 00:38:13 - Overcoming Skepticism and Proving Abilities 00:43:27 - The Paradox of Consciousness 00:48:19 - The Beauty and Impairment of Religious Notions 00:51:56 - The Presence of Advanced Beings in the Multiverse 00:56:18 - The Limitations of Suffering and the Pursuit of Happiness 00:59:16 - The Awakening of Different Shaktis 01:01:51 - The Importance of Getting Along and Letting Go of Judgments 01:05:26 - Cultural Imprinting and Personal Characteristics 01:10:06 - Characteristics of Enlightenment tribes 01:14:41 - The Beauty of Evolved Humans and Interdimensional Beings 01:18:34 - Interwovenness with Beings from Other Places 01:22:37 - The Universal Essence in Sentient Beings 01:27:01 - The Profoundness of Silence and Intelligence 01:31:01 - The Impact of Skeptics and Ignorance 01:34:20 - Being Fathomed by Love 01:38:33 - Living a Meaningful Life 01:43:54 - The Potentiality of Love 01:49:49 - The Challenge of Allowing Ourselves to Be Cared For 01:55:21 - The Heart Chakra and Multidimensional Consciousness 01:59:43 - A Lifetime of Original Development Save

Leslie Temple-Thurston is a teacher of enlightenment, who since 1988 has wholeheartedly dedicated her life to inspiring and guiding people towards reaching their spiritual awakening at this most important and pivotal moment in humanity’s evolution. Through her books, courses and audio recordings, Leslie has mentored thousands worldwide who are committed to awakening to higher states, guiding them to become conscious of the luminous core of enlightenment within themselves. Vision holder and founder of the non-profit organization CoreLight, Leslie and her partner since 1992, Brad Laughlin, developed CoreLight’s school of transformation, which offers live events and online enlightenment studies. To assist people in their awakening, Leslie pioneered a unique and powerful set of mental-emotional clearing techniques that help release the patterned behavioral states of the ego that block the ability to fulfill one’s potential. This simple yet potent clearing practice can be done alone in the privacy of home. It teaches us that the guru (teacher) is inside—not an outside authority. By examining and releasing the egoic patterning, we achieve higher states of consciousness. Leslie’s dedication to Spirit resulted in a two-year “cave experience,” which culminated in April 1988, when she experienced the dissolution of her old egoic identity and a profound awakening. With this came the gift of being able to share with others a transmission of grace, unconditional love and healing energy, known in the East as shakti, which has uplifting, enduring, and transformational effects on those who receive it. Now fully retired, Leslie’s transmission of shakti comes through her audio recordings, books, and sacred art—all of which are available on CoreLight’s website. Leslie is the author of two books: The Marriage of Spirit—Enlightened Living in Today’s World and Returning to Oneness—The Seven Keys of Ascension. Her extensive teachings are also available through her training courses and as audio recordings, which are available in English and Brazilian Portuguese. Leslie is the founder of the humanitarian aid organization, Seeds of Light, whose mission is to assist with the awakening of the Global Heart, which she perceives to be the interconnectedness of all life through tolerance, forgiveness, love and compassion. Seeds of Light offers services to South Africa’s marginalized communities, including AIDS orphans. Leslie lived in the United States for over 40 years and now resides fulltime in her beloved homeland of South Africa. Leslie’s site Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 10/26/2010. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Setting in Santa Fe, New Mexico 00:04:22 - Compassionate activism and spiritual awakening 00:11:19 - Apartheid and Reconciliation in South Africa 00:14:56 - Revisiting Spiritual Nature 00:17:34 - Intuitive Painting and the Etheric Body 00:19:57 - Painting in Samadhi 00:22:17 - Communication with Ascended Masters 00:24:16 - Communication with Ascended Masters 00:26:56 - Archangel Michael's Teachings and Transformation 00:29:32 - A Heart Opening Experience 00:33:54 - The Role of Guides in Meditation Journey 00:38:46 - TM Meditations and Life Changes 00:43:35 - Compromising Spiritual Motivations in a Marriage 00:48:29 - The Shifts in Perception 00:52:36 - The Everlasting Shifts in Consciousness 00:57:34 - The Vast Transcendental State 01:02:06 - Encountering the Elohim 01:07:31 - Luminosity and Spirit Walkers 01:11:22 - Duality and Non-Duality 01:15:06 - The Evolution of the Human Race 01:18:09 - The Illusion of the Fall 01:21:15 - Fluctuations and Delusions in the Pursuit of Change 01:25:24 - Altruistic Intentions in the Spiritual Journey 01:29:04 - Quoting Spiritual Teachers and Finding Inner Balance 01:32:18 - The Liberation of Dropping the Ego 01:35:56 - Living a Fully Human Life 01:39:04 - Concern for the World and Activism Projects 01:41:57 - Energetic Realignment and Impact 01:45:01 - Spiritual Teaching and Humanitarian Projects 01:47:29 - Connecting Consciousness to Global Changes 01:51:59 - Building Forts and the Importance of Love and Respect Save

Ishvara was born in 1945 in Missouri USA and raised a fundamentalist Christian. While involved in church ministry at a young age, he became frustrated with the limitations of restricted belief. He began a quest for truth that led him to explore the great scriptures of the world, but he continually found limitations and contradictions in the interpretations of the core truths. In 1987 Ishvara experienced a quantum leap in consciousness, a profound awakening. Ishvara merged with Life, seeing the universe, seeing love, knowing everything without any trace of doubt. Ishvara became aware of his true being and of the significance of his awakening: a new level of existence had taken birth in human form. Ishvara could not relate his experience to anything that was recorded in any book or scripture. Inherent in Ishvara’s awakening was a clear understanding of the tremendous conditions that prevent people from realizing their true nature and living their full potential. It became obvious to him that even spiritual teachings, systems and structures that were designed to bring liberation to the individual no longer served to bring forth the next evolutionary step for humanity. Ishvara’s message is one of radical transformation through letting go of conditional thinking and stepping into the direct experience of Life as it is, moment by moment. Through his awakening Ishvara found that his sole purpose is embodying this new possibility with every fiber of his being. Ishvara is available to people as a living example of what is possible for all of us. Ishvara lives in Albuquerque New Mexico. Through the nonprofit spiritual organization, Alaya, he quietly teaches a small group of students through talks and dialogues. He also leads retreats in Germany, which prove to be extraordinary events that propel individuals into an ever-deepening experience of what Ishvara calls the New Consciousness. Ishvara's two meditation CDs and a book are available via email or phone: 505-294-4911 Interview recorded 10/21/2010 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Small World Department of Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:57 - The Motivation Behind the Interviews 00:06:06 - The Mysterious Dream about Cows 00:08:22 - The Power of Knowing 00:10:51 - Discovering a Different Path 00:13:46 - Taking What You Need and Leaving the Rest 00:16:17 - The Partial Truth of Scriptures and Misleading Information 00:18:01 - A Breaking Point 00:19:46 - A Moment of Grace 00:21:51 - Shifting Language Patterns 00:23:17 - Understanding the Changes 00:25:28 - Authenticating the Space 00:28:03 - The Shift in Perspective and Connection 00:32:09 - Awakening and Shifting Identity 00:35:39 - The Cosmic Self and its Interpretations 00:37:54 - The Unity and Diversity of Cosmic Expression 00:40:55 - Embracing the Diversity of Life 00:43:52 - Embracing Paradox and Ambiguity 00:46:51 - Criticisms and Authority 00:48:50 - Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:50:44 - Embracing Change in Appearance 00:53:02 - Kundalini Awakening Experiences 00:55:48 - Physical Transformation and Health Changes 00:58:22 - Sudden Health Issues 01:00:45 - Balancing the Body and Spirit 01:03:17 - Finding Spiritual Clarity with Enlifement 01:06:00 - Spiritual Journey and Escaping Suffering 01:08:52 - Embracing Your True Self 01:13:18 - The Dance of Life and Creativity 01:17:07 - The Awakening Journey 01:20:02 - Upcoming Interviews and Back to Skype Save

Jackie O'Keeffe was raised in rural Ireland. Wanting to know about God she studied theology and music. After graduating in the 1980's, Jac found her studies had left her disillusioned and a non-believer. Turning her focus to issues of social inequality, she studied adult and community education, and began her career interweaving community development with the arts. In 1997, her life changed dramatically when her sixth sense awakened. Quite spontaneously, she was able to see chakras, energy fields and auras. Moreover, she could communicate with animals and with those who have passed away. A busy practice in healing work developed within a short time, with Jackie offering private sessions and residential retreats. She developed and delivered holistic programmes that focused on viewing depression as a spiritual awakening rather than a bio-chemical disorder. Using a variety of methodologies, her work had the primary focus of raising consciousness. Jackie continued for seven years as a spiritual teacher, before stopping her work in 2006 and leaving Ireland to deepen her own spiritual practice. Her personal quest led to that which is beyond the mind - a transcendence of dualistic thought. Jackie now lives in Ireland and India. She facilitates spiritual gatherings in question-and-answer format, offering clear pointers to spiritual seekers of truth. Jac's Site Interview summary and transcript Interview recorded 10/10/2010 Other BatGap episodes including Jac: Panel discussion at SAND conference with Jac O’Keeffe, Igor Kufayev and Francis Bennett Panel discussions on Ethics and Spiritual Teaching SAND Panel Discussion on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:04:32 - Questioning the Meaning of Life 00:07:12 - Exploring Different Paths 00:10:17 - Encountering Transparent Spirits 00:12:55 - Ghostly Encounters 00:15:20 - Exploring the Limits of Reality 00:17:45 - Indigenous Beings in the Woodlands 00:20:13 - Feeling Trapped and Seeking Help 00:22:52 - Connecting through Love 00:25:23 - A Divine Encounter and the Power of Love 00:27:50 - Meeting Master Jose and the Path to Spiritual Awakening 00:30:38 - Becoming a Ghostbuster 00:33:06 - Ghostbusting and Working on the Dead 00:36:06 - The Journey into the New Age 00:38:42 - Wild Experiences with Santo Daime and Ayahuasca 00:41:53 - The Unreality of Belief Systems 00:44:41 - The Myth of Existence 00:47:32 - Personal Healing and Transformation 00:50:13 - Communicating with Amma 00:53:08 - Seeking Silence and Light 00:55:57 - Discovering Yoga and Nonduality 00:58:50 - The Illusion of Individuality and the Movement of Energy 01:02:16 - The Concrete Manifestation of Pain 01:05:28 - The Breaking of the Mind 01:08:58 - Being Chosen by a Higher Intelligence 01:11:27 - Climbing the Mountain of Awakening 01:14:07 - Following the Next Step 01:17:15 - The Importance of Maturity in Spiritual Growth 01:19:44 - Letting Go of the Spiritual Path 01:22:15 - The Role of Spiritual Practices in Enlightenment 01:24:58 - Moving to Residentials

Bill Farber passed away in 2016. He practiced his Life Energy Alignment Processes for over 20 years. His work was internationally known due to his advanced distant healing and intuitive abilities. Bill helped people in all walks of life and of all levels of experience, His work facilitated healing, balance, and advancement of consciousness. He had the privilege of providing energy alignment to people facing challenging diseases such as cancer, MS, chronic fatigue, and depression. He also had particular expertise in working with business and human potential leaders in maximizing their effectiveness and raising their level of awareness during challenging times or circumstances. Bill was also a successful attorney and business executive in downtown Chicago. He was married since 1970 to Rona and had two adult children, Brandon and Tiffany. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded 10/6/2010 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Bill Farber and his Spiritual Journey 00:04:16 - The Decision to Change My Life 00:07:03 - The Power of Meditation and Energy Work 00:09:38 - The Life Energy Alignment Program 00:12:18 - Energy Healing and Connection 00:14:59 - leveraging energy work for healing 00:17:33 - The Experience of Detachment 00:20:16 - Shifts and Breakthroughs in Energy Work 00:22:33 - The Remarkable Experience of Energy 00:24:48 - Delayed Reactions and Hugging Marathons 00:27:02 - The Fluctuation of Individuality 00:29:42 - Firmly Established in the Present Moment 00:32:14 - The Infinite Range of Possibilities 00:35:20 - Finding Quiet in a Noisy World 00:37:34 - The Value of Deep Silence 00:40:08 - Amplifying the Evolutionary Energy 00:43:17 - Skepticism and Evidence 00:46:02 - Using Discretion in Energy Readings 00:48:20 - Intuitive Knowingness and Telepathy 00:50:27 - The Power of Energy Healing and Facilitating Transitions 00:53:27 - Being a Conduit for Energy 00:56:51 - Miracles and Energy Work 00:59:26 - The Power of Consciousness and Intent 01:02:31 - Offering Peaceful and Blissful Transitions 01:04:37 - A Powerful Healing Experience 01:06:37 - A Powerful Experience with Energy Work 01:09:22 - Empathy and Sensations 01:11:49 - Dealing with Physical Discomfort 01:14:30 - Exploring Physical Discomforts and Meditation 01:18:01 - Plans for Fairfield Conference 01:20:39 - Transitioning into Group Energy Work Save Save

Dana Sawyer was born in Jonesport, Maine in 1951. He was a full-time professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and an adjunct professor of Asian religions at the Bangor Theological Seminary. He is the author of numerous published papers and books, including Aldous Huxley: A Biography, which Laura Huxley described as, "Out of all the biographies written about Aldous, this is the only one he would have actually liked." Sawyer has been involved in fund-raising activities for the Siddhartha School Project in Stak, Ladakh, north India, for more than ten years and is currently vice-president of the Board of Trustees. This project has resulted in the construction of an elementary/ middle school for underprivileged Buddhist children that has been visited twice by the Dalai Lama, who holds it as a model for blending traditional and Western educational ideals. Much of his work for this project has involved translating at lectures for (and teaching with) the school’s founder, Geshe Lobzang Tsetan, who is currently the abbot of the Panchen Lama’s monastery in Mysore, India. Sawyer's interest in the phenomenon of Neo-Hindu and Buddhist groups in America led him to become a popular lecturer on topics of interest to these groups. He has taught at the Kripalu Center (Lenox, MA), the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (Barre, MA), the Vedanta Society of Southern California (Hollywood, CA), the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, and other such venues. This work has also brought him into contact with several interesting and important figures in this field, including Stanislav Grof, Andrew Harvey, Huston Smith, Laura Huxley, Stephen Cope, and Alex Grey. Sawyer has been to India eleven times, most recently while on sabbatical during the winter and spring of 2005, and has traveled extensively throughout the subcontinent: Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Japan. Related to academic work Sawyer has lectured at the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Banaras Hindu University, the University of Riga, Latvia, the Huntington Library, and at colleges and conferences throughout the United States (interview footage of Sawyer from the Riga conference was featured in a British documentary, “Brand New World,” on the dangers of consumer culture). In August, 2005, Sawyer was a participant in the by-invitation-only conference on “Government, Education, and Religion” at the Oxford Roundtable, Lincoln College, Oxford University. He is a member of two academic societies: the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy (SACP) and the International Aldous Huxley Society, centered at the University of Munster in Germany. Books: The Perennial Philosophy Reloaded: A Guide for the Mystically Inclined Aldous Huxley: A Biography Huston Smith: Wisdomkeeper: Living The World's Religions: The Authorized Biography of a 21st Century Spiritual Giant Website Other interviews: Dana Sawyer, with Jeffrey Kripal Dana Sawyer in Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2 Dana Sawyer on Huston Smith Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 9/29/2010 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:04:03 - The Effort to Alter Our Subjective Experience 00:08:02 - Embracing the Mystery 00:12:10 - The Realization of the Need for Growth 00:15:55 - Seeking Certainty in Knowledge 00:19:24 - Embracing the Mystery 00:23:12 - Shifting Perspectives and Cultural Interpretations 00:27:12 - Breaking the Shackles of Routine Work 00:30:55 - The Story of Heaven and Hell 00:34:23 - Embracing Multiple Perspectives 00:38:03 - The Spectrum of Spiritual Teachings 00:41:37 - The Exercising of Esoteric Teachings 00:45:19 - The Growth of Spiritual Interest and Maturity 00:49:11 - Falling into Each Other's Emptiness 00:52:38 - Cultural Misunderstandings in India 00:56:31 - The Mystery and Paradox of India 01:00:07 - Witnessing Astonishing Feats 01:03:44 - Snake Charmer Tricks and Authentic Spiritual Teachers 01:07:23 - The Power of Eye Contact and Samadhi 01:11:21 - The Infinite is Everywhere 01:15:12 - The Relationship between Enlightenment and Spiritual Maturity 01:19:15 - The Paradox of Growth and Presence 01:22:51 - The Disconnect Between Enlightenment and Human Development 01:26:23 - Bringing Enlightenment into Your Life 01:30:16 - The True Meaning of Tantra 01:34:15 - Naga Baba's and Stoned Sadhanas in India 01:38:05 - Enlightenment and Cultural Diversity 01:42:04 - The Sacredness of Compassion 01:46:11 - The Nature of Awakening and Enlightenment 01:50:09 - A Connection Through Language 01:53:22 - Where to Listen or Watch Buddha At The Gas Pump