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All I ever did was emphatically declare, “I want to know God, NOW!”  It wasn’t long before I was fast-tracked into a reality I didn’t know existed, an inner world full of extraordinary gifts and ultimately liberation of the mind.  I’d stumbled upon a pamphlet that outlines a formula to regenerate one’s human race consciousness to Divine Consciousness, like a reboot, by calling forth into one’s mind higher, more universally aligned modes of Being.  That pamphlet became my bible, my book of living, and thru contemplative practice expanded the I AM presence within, attracting that which is stable, immutable Principle into my self-consciousness.  The art of surrender as put forth by Ramana Maharshi played a huge role along the way, although at the time I had little clue who he was. The regeneration occurred in February 2016, followed by three full years of Bliss, a state of Consciousness I am convinced is that of a newborn.  I wallowed in that cocoon, integrating the expansion that I sometimes felt might never end!!! until the desire emerged to step back out into the world.  A two-year investigation of kundalini life energy, universal consciousness, and fractal/plasma physics has continued my evolving perception and experiences.  The real fun has truly begun, my book of living has become my Book of Life! Lisa's Facebook page Books mentioned during the interview: From Existence to Life - account of Lisa's experience mentioned in the interview. Mind’s Silent Partner, Dr. James Porter Mills (free PDF) James Porter Mills Collection Three Books: From Existence to Life: The Science of Self Consciousness; Mind’s Silent Partner; A New Order of Meditation (The Esoteric Collection) (physical books) The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi Holy Spirit's Interpretation of the New Testament: A Course in Understanding and Acceptance - Regina Dawn Akers The Teachings of Inner Ramana - Regina Dawn Akers Healing; the Handbook: Life-changing guide for practitioners or for self-healing - Ken Graydon The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine, Second Edition Book Review:  The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine, Len Wisneski & Lucy Anderson Main points discussed: Initial awakening occurred after three years of intense contemplation and desire to know God. Holographic and telepathic encounter with Ramana Maharshi. Three-year blissful contemplation on the "Omniscient, infinite and eternal nature". The bliss eclipsed human emotions such as fear and animosity. The bliss subsided as the awakening became more integrated. Most people don’t relate God and ‘consciousness’. Shift from fear to divine love. Heart-brain coherence ended 20-year problem with heart palpitations. Recognizing that consciousness is primal and not a product of the brain accelerates our evolution. The importance of balancing experience and understanding. Your higher self knows everything about you and knows what is best for you. No such thing as coincidence. ‘There is no bridge between here and here, we are all that is, we are sovereign beings.’ Six main points: Update your science. Understand the non-solid nature of physical matter. Set your Intention. “I want to know God.” “I want to know my Creator.” “I want to Awaken.” “I want to Embody only Truth.” Claim your True Identity. Recognize and assert your Divine Origin, your Universal Nature! Give in, give over, completely give way to your Creator! Focus your attention on your intention! Do not sway. Be a rock, do not roll. Unwavering. The power of attention. Self-healing comes from the omnipresent nature of our consciousness. Discussion of the pineal gland. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded April 10, 2021. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Ameeta was born and raised in Mumbai India and recalls two predominant family themes which influenced her formative years: intellectual curiosity and devotion to God. She was educated and conditioned to aspire to conventional success, which pursuit dominated the first three decades of her life. She consciously experienced the first stirrings of her deepest yearning following the cancer diagnosis and subsequent death of her father in 1999. Questions opened up in her like "What is life?", "What is death?", and "What is going on?". From then on, Life orchestrated a series of events and experiences which placed her and nurtured her, on an overt spiritual journey. The major influences along the way were Ken Wilber, Byron Katie, and Adyashanti. It was with Adya that she finally found what she was looking for, in terms of his spiritual guidance which has always resonated in her being, in terms of his living example which continues to inspire her, and most especially in terms of what those two brought alive and online within her. What she now sees clearly is that it was the Heart Sutra teaching of Emptiness is Form and Form is Emptiness, which is the meta-story of her life and existence. In 2017 she received her Soul name of Moving Mountain in Taos. And this opened a new facet on her journey, where she experienced deep communion with Nature and a tangible connection with Goddess. Ameeta’s path has been gradual and studded with many life-altering realizations, which illuminated her self-knowledge, and which continue to translate into how she lives and relates in the world. She likes to say she is eternally a work-in-progress. Over the years she has been sharing her experience with small groups and coaching spiritual seekers one on one. Now she is called to share her message more broadly through Moving Mountain Academy. Main points discussed: Ameeta’s background and spiritual path, including her irresistible shift from businesswoman to spiritual seeker. Ken Wilber’s influence in reconciling the battle between her spiritual and intellectual lives. Adyashanti’s influence. Healthy and unhealthy teacher/student devotional relationships. Primordial fear and its falling away. Having a teacher ‘carry the present being awareness’ until one is ready to hold it for oneself. Teachers are ‘custodians of what the student has not yet recognized’. Ameeta’s relationship with Taos mountain and how it helped her recognize the spiritual progress she had made. Embodying what had been realized. The underlying direction of Ameeta’s journey: form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Different paths enrich one other and contribute to the whole. We "stand on the shoulders" of past spiritual pioneers. The value of ancient traditions and innovative modern ones. Spirituality vis-à-vis formal religious systems. Direct vs. progressive paths. Fear of life and embodiment. Individuals are more powerful than they realize, and choices more consequential. The significance of spirituality in dealing with the world’s problems. Listening to opposing viewpoints is a way to test one's realization. Love and empathy for humanity. The importance of closeness to nature. The universe is talking to us. A fundamental shift in consciousness is happening now in the world, without which, attempting to solve problems on the level of symptoms would fail. Presenting spirituality in ordinary language. Depression, anxiety, addiction, etc. are cries for help. People know there’s something deeper and are dissatisfied with surface values. Ameeta’s program to help people experience that there is something much vaster than the thinking mind. The mind-body system is a portal to unboundedness. Including but transcending rationality. Understanding can help us recognize previously unrecognized experiential shifts. The importance of and distinction between knowledge and experience.

Richard Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, non-dual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time. Podcast: Another Name for Every Thing A few of Fr. Rohr's 30+ books: The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe Every Thing Is Sacred: 40 Practices and Reflections on the Universal Christ The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer Main points discussed in this conversation: The universal Christ and the personal Jesus. Our environmental destruction reveals our failure to realize God’s omnipresence. Tribal vs. universal religion. Christians are known for protecting life before birth, but not after. Process Theology: Consciousness is evolving in its capacity to be received and embodied. We only have metaphors to describe God – e.g. God is light. There was never one notion of God in the old testament or new testament. Jesus is often depicted as a punisher rather than the compassionate man that he was. Order, Disorder, and Reorder – all three are necessary for the universe to exist. Embracing polarities and paradox. God as the Great Allower – free will. Aligning with God’s will. The Universal Christ – the synthesis of Richard’s 50+ ministry. Transactional vs. transformational religion. The meaning of Jesus dying for our sins. Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity but to change the mind of humanity about God. The importance of restorative vs. retributive justice. The Apostles’ creed. Infinite love can never give up on anything it created. Fundamentally, we’re all connected, so we all share each other’s sins and virtues to some degree. The fall had to happen for us to freely choose the good. Nonduality is more explicit in eastern religions but is also in Christianity. Universities teach us knowledge but not wisdom. Great love and great suffering are the universal paths of transformation. If you avoid them, you will never be wise. We need to love something more than ourselves. We start with a stone, a plant, an animal, and work our way up to God. Suffering accompanies love, but without love, there are things you will never know. The meaning of the crucifixion, in terms of solidarity. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded March 27, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

A Jewish practitioner of Perennial Wisdom, Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award–winning author of over thirty-six books on religion and spirituality. He received rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and holds a PH.D. in religion from Union Graduate School. A rabbinic chaplain with the USAF for 3 years, a congregational rabbi for 20, and a professor of religious studies for 10, Rabbi Rami currently co-directs the One River Foundation, is a Contributing Editor at Spirituality and Health magazine, and hosts the magazine’s bi-weekly podcast, Essential Conversations with Rabbi Rami. Website: rabbirami.com Books: Recovery―The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice (The Art of Spiritual Living) Holy Rascals: Advice for Spiritual Revolutionaries Perennial Wisdom for the Spiritually Independent: Sacred Teachings―Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) The World Wisdom Bible: A New Testament for a Global Spirituality Surrendered―The Sacred Art: Shattering the Illusion of Control and Falling into Grace with Twelve-Step Spirituality (The Art of Spiritual Living) Some points discussed in this interview: Rabbi Rami’s spiritual journey through superficial Judaism through various traditions to a deep mystical Judaism. Humanity’s transition from matriarchy to patriarchy is the root cause of most of our problems. A collapse of norms is coming. Will it be mindful or mindless? Widespread spiritual practice will help the best outcome to manifest. Escape to another planet, to the transcendent, to heaven is not the answer. We need a balance between transcendence and immanence. The 10 ox herding pictures. Social justice work without a spiritual practice can be draining and ego-driven. Fundamentalist misinterpretations of Scripture. Perennial wisdom is a 4-fold teaching at the heart of all religions. As consciousness expands, personal shadows are illuminated and must be dealt with. Non-dual Judaism is a very rich religion. Tribal Judaism is ‘craziness’. Religions take advantage of people’s fear of death. Emo Phillips - Golden Gate Bridge skit Different perspectives on reincarnation. Out-of-body experiences suggest the existence of a subtle body. Metaphor: the brain as a radio receiver. Body, heart, mind, soul, spirit – We need to develop practices on each of those dimensions. Rami’s mystical experiences, including instruction from the Divine Mother. From a relative perspective, there are separate beings, but ultimately, it’s all God. Discussion on food addiction. Holy Rascals introduce mystical elements not necessarily welcomed by mainstream religion. Administrators are always threatened by the mystics. Perhaps in the coming years experiential, mystical religions rather than dead ones will predominate. The dead ones are rapidly losing membership. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded March 14, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Theresa Cheung was born into a family of spiritualists. She has a Masters degree from Kings College, Cambridge, and has written numerous bestselling dream, angel, afterlife, ritual, and spiritual titles and Encyclopedias, including two Sunday Times top 10 bestsellers. She has been a guest on Russell Brand's Under the Skin and Coast to Coast AM and featured in numerous newspapers and media. Main points discussed: Theresa’s bio and background Movies can be a powerful means of popularizing spiritual knowledge. Supernatural experiences are part of the human experiences. We should not idolize those who have them but investigate the possibility of having them ourselves. Dreams inspire interest in spirituality. The pandemic “lockdown dream phenomenon”. “Dreams are your intuition, your internal therapist” The inner guide is switched off in the modern busy world, but the pandemic switched it back on. Night visions and how they may be much more than dreams. Lucid dreaming Confronting difficulties in dreams can prepare one to deal with difficult situations in waking life. Theresa’s investigation of mediumship. Discussion of cults and the importance of spiritual integrity. The importance of humility on the spiritual path. We’re all ordinary people who have extraordinary experiences from time to time. Everyone’s path is unique. It can be tempting to follow a teacher and intoxicating to amass followers. An extensive discussion of angels. The importance of kindness and caring for others. The importance of a scientific approach to spirituality. The importance of open-mindedness and not knowing all the answers. When someone dies, there is a relationship in spirit not limited by space and time. Heaven on earth. The life we live here determines the quality of the afterlife. The importance of forgiveness. Theresa mentions that ‘forgiveness’ is somewhat neglected in contemporary spirituality. Relationships with animals. The importance of curiosity. A few of Theresa's books: The Truth about Angels: Decoding the secret world and language of the afterlife The Dream Dictionary from A to Z Dream Decoder: 60 Cards to Unlock your Unconscious (Interpret Archetypal Symbols from your Dreams) 21 Rituals to Change Your Life: Daily Practices to Bring Greater Inner Peace and Happiness The Premonition Code: The Science of Precognition, How Sensing the Future Can Change Your Life The Afterlife is Real Website: theresacheung.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded March 6, 2021. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Raymond Schumann is a fifth-generation carpenter with a high school education. A Roman Catholic upbringing left him sexually repressed. Adolescence left him a Soldier of Christ gone AWOL. In his twenties, he learned about dissociative disorder. The theory explained much. Help was not thick on the ground and ripe in the pod. Not in those days. A shrink who claimed to treat multiple personalities endangered his career. Schumann was on his own. He named the self who thwarted his desires Holdfast. Schumann knew spiritual consciousness was essential to healing. That only made things worse. He’d watched guru after roshi disgrace themselves. There was nothing to trust there. The more he sought healing, the worse Holdfast trashed him. Eventually, Schumann was desperate enough to say, “This has to get better. I don’t care what it costs. This has to get better.” At that instant, he suffered a Kundalini awakening. Never trust a Goddess. She opened the door to a year of hell. A year leading to ego death. A year leading to nondual awareness. Things only got worse from there. If you would like to contact Raymond, here's his email address. Interview recorded February 28, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Bruce Greyson, M.D., is the Chester F. Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences and Director Emeritus of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia. He was one of the founders of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, and for 27 years edited the Journal of Near-Death Studies. Dr. Greyson majored in psychology at Cornell University, received his medical degree from the SUNY Upstate Medical College, and completed his psychiatric residency at the University of Virginia. He practiced and taught psychiatry at the University of Michigan and the University of Connecticut, where he was Clinical Chief of Psychiatry, before returning to the University of Virginia 25 years ago. Dr. Greyson’s research for the past four decades has focused on the aftereffects and implications of near-death experiences. He is co-editor of The Near-Death Experience: Problems, Prospects, Perspectives, co-author of Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century, and author of After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond. Website: brucegreyson.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded February 26, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Sebene Selassie is a teacher, author, and speaker who explores the themes of belonging and identity through meditation, creativity, and spirituality. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Washington DC, she began studying Buddhism 30 years ago as an undergraduate at McGill University where she majored in Comparative Religious Studies. She has an MA from the New School where she focused on race and cultural studies. For over 20 years, she worked with children, youth, and families nationally and internationally for small and large not-for-profits. Now she teaches classes, workshops, and retreats regularly and is one of the most popular teachers on the Ten Percent Happier app. Sebene is a three-time cancer survivor of Stage III and IV breast cancer. Her first book "You Belong: A Call for Connection" is published by HarperOne. Main points discussed: The importance of belonging and cultural/genetic heritage. The positive, relatable tone of Sebene’s book, You Belong. Trusting the sacredness of life vs. clashing with reality. Surrendering to the mystery that’s beyond our logical comprehension. We are not separate, and we are not the same. Living the paradox of unity and diversity. The importance of integrating absolute and relative. There’s a delusion of separation at the heart of all political and social divisions. ‘Unlearning’ that delusion is where the spiritual path starts. Those who enjoyed embodied presence since childhood may be less effective in teaching others than those who needed to achieve it. Marginalized people often have a broader and more holistic perspective on the world. Healing “epistemicide” – colonialism’s destruction of ancient knowledge. Modern mindfulness practice sometimes dismisses the deeper dimensions of its ancient roots. Everything is sacred. Technology is not the enemy. Benefiting from the best of ancient and modern knowledge. The pandemic may be the first time in history where we are all experiencing the same situation globally. The importance of discernment on the spiritual path, particularly in this time of conspiracy theories, polarization, and pandemic. The importance of community and dangers of isolation. Increased interest in meditation and spirituality during the pandemic. The authenticity, clarity, love, and spirituality of the younger generation. A discussion of Catherine Ingram’s Facing Extinction article. The leverage of technologies of consciousness, including ritual and ceremony. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Remaining curious and open. Ground yourself, know yourself, connect to the moment. Seeing parts of ourselves we don’t like. Meeting whatever comes up with kindness and compassion. Any motivation for starting on the spiritual path is a ‘good’ one. Other reasons will follow. Contemplating the beauty and mystery of nature. “Love yourself” could be the motto for the whole book. Detailed discussion mindfulness and its historical origins. Sebene’s “Elements Practice”: earth, water, fire, air. The importance of intimacy and imagination. Helping heal kids with emotional trauma. Trauma-sensitive mindfulness. Taking care of one’s self so as to care for others more effectively An invitation for white people to learn more about other cultures and identities. For mature spiritual development, we need to illumine our blind spots. Website: sebeneselassie.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded February 14, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Cynthia Bourgeault is a modern-day mystic, Episcopal priest, and theologian. For thirty years she worked closely with Fr. Thomas Keating as a student, editor, and colleague and has taught and written extensively on Centering Prayer. She is a core faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation and founding director of an international network of Wisdom Schools. In addition to her work on Centering Prayer, she is the author of numerous other books on the Christian Mystical and Wisdom tradition, including The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind--A New Perspective on Christ and His Message, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity, and her most recent, Eye of the Heart: A Spiritual Journey into the Imaginal Realm. Websites: cynthiabourgeault.org northeastwisdom.org wisdomwayofknowing.org Other Books: The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three: Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity Love is Stronger than Death: The Mystical Union of Two Souls Main points discussed in this interview: The Imaginal Realm is an objective reality belonging to the spectrums of consciousness within the Great Chain of Being which transcend, surround, and penetrate the denser realities. “Imaginal” does not mean “imaginary”. Heaven and Hell represent opposites on the spectrum of consciousness which runs from freedom and connectedness on one end to constriction and alienation on the other. Both are experienced here, too. Our important task is to become cosmic servants integrated into earthly reality. Our work done in this realm feeds and informs the subtler realms which then process it and pour it back into our realm so that all realms evolve as a single reality. The Kingdom of Heaven can be interpreted as seeing ourselves as wormholes that act as portals into the wholeness of the cosmic matrix. Encountering the Kingdom of God opens us up to the holistic nature of reality that informs and invites us to walk within the congruity of our individual will and the will of the Wholeness that seeks to become manifest. Developing discernment requires equanimity and open-heartedness grounded in humility so that the ego doesn’t take the lead by creating roles that toxify and stagnate the path towards love and understanding. Remaining teachable while being willing to risk self-exploration is essential to balanced development. Creation is God’s way of communicating Love that gives, receives, sees, and is seen. This relational field has as its telos the eternal generation of diversity held together and protected by Love. The great work is to fully show up in the laboratory of our lives and awaken into higher stages of consciousness. We courageously and graciously accept the presence of “tough grace” which comes to us packaged as apparent obstacles and even suffering. From the depth of humility and spiritual maturity, we learn how to appreciate pinnacle spiritual states without getting attached to them. Our emotional transactions have an energetic signature. We can learn how to “sniff the odor” of the energy in events, places, the dynamic between people, and even in concepts and ideas. This “sniffing” is an encounter with the Imaginal Realms. We are in the birth canal of the collective emergence into the integral but the labor is difficult due to divisions between the “structures of consciousness.” We need to honor and re-engage with the magical and the mythical, ritual, the spirit of repentance, a lifestyle of moderation, and heart-centered living in order to create the spaciousness needed for global metanoia. Jesus came to “line the anguish [of our human experience] with love.” The entire cosmos, from the dense to the subtle, is set up to experience burning restlessness—which becomes the driveshaft propelling the ...

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. Main points discussed: Tapping into the imaginal realms, the subtle realms, through the “heart-eyes.” The chakras of the Logos, God, are densities. Densities are different bandwidths of consciousness. Nature of the Infinite Creator as sentient Love, or Logos. Diversification within the Holographic Universe allows the Infinite Creator to experience Itself, infinitely. Christianity’s need to move into the mystical and nondual Consciousness is measured through degrees of knowing we are one with all, with God, and are God experiencing creation. Brief descriptions of God’s chakras (“densities”). Pantheism AND Panentheism are both true. Third density’s veil-of-forgetting leads to development of faith, notions such as “Original Sin,” and more intense experiences for third-density humans. The novel idea of “finity” against the backdrop of infinity is a way for the Infinite Creator to experience Itself. Many people have incarnated to be midwives to help birth Earth’s 4th. Shift into 4th density is a gradual process that includes an ever-increasing number of 3rd/4th densities double-bodied people. Some of Doug’s background: 1) dual master's program at Boston College in clinical social work and pastoral ministry, 2) childhood UFO encounter, 3) alcohol recovery leads to greater self-insight, 4) mystical experience in 2013 of Om Mani Padme Hum and the golden dew, 5) Law of One material (lawofone.info) and Daskalos material (researchersoftruth.org) Brief description of Wanderers: humble servants from 4th, 5th, or 6th density who incarnate in 3rd density to aid. Jesus as a Wanderer had a unique mission known as the Jesus Event. The greatest service as an awakening being is to embrace the full plenum of God disguised as our life and ordinary things. Nothing “up there” that is not fully present “down here.” Triune nature of the Infinite Creator: Transcendent to all things, Incarnated as all things,

Helané Wahbeh is the Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Wahbeh is clinically trained as a naturopathic physician and research trained with a Master of Clinical Research and two post-doctoral research fellowships. She has published on and spoken internationally about her studies on complementary and alternative medicine, mind-body medicine, stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder and their relationships to physiology, health, and healing. Her current research interests include healing stress and trauma, examining mechanisms of mind-body medicine, and rigorously studying extended human capacities. Dr. Wahbeh’s extensive meditation training includes the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher Training by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a four-year Meditation Teacher Training with CoreLight, and a 19-year regular meditation practice. Books: Free To Be Me: A Journey of Transformation through Generational Healing Whole Body Radiance: The Secret to Successful Weight Loss Website Topics discussed: A broad definition of channeling. Do psychic and similar abilities run in families? Nature vs. nurture. Does the utilization of “junk” or non-coding DNA result in the unfoldment of abilities such as channeling? Helping people find their Noetic Signature. Everybody has the capacity to channel and many have done so without knowing it. We are undergoing a paradigm shift. Abundant evidence challenges the materialist worldview and is shifting the predominant paradigm to an understanding that consciousness extends beyond the brain. This is important because it better explains our reality. The implication of non-local consciousness is that we are all connected and part of a greater whole. This understanding radically changes our behavior and our influence on the world. The influence of major events on collective consciousness as detected by random number generators (RNG’s). The ancient history of channeling. The respect traditional cultures had for channelers (shamans, medicine men, etc.) Degrees of authenticity among channelers and degrees of positivity and usefulness among the entities they channel. Looking to external sources for wisdom vs. looking within. The importance of discernment. Whether subjective, spiritual experiences can be studied as scientifically as the physical phenomena hard sciences study. The currently existing tools of material science are unable to evaluate subtle realities. IONS is developing new ways to measure these realities using the scientific method. Plans to study the legitimacy of out of body experiences and perception of subtle beings. Whether great artistic and scientific achievements are sometimes channeled. People knowing or doing things far beyond what their education and training should have made possible. The capabilities of autistic savants. Higher intelligences interfacing with humanity to transmit wisdom. Could major shifts in collective consciousness (Nazism, QAnon) be mass channelings of powerful negative entities? The question of evil. Can Artificial Intelligence become conscious? Could anxiety or mental health issues result from involuntary ‘channeling’ of negative influences? Conspiracy theories. Striking a balance between closed-mindedness and willingness to consider unconventional possibilities. Those committed to mainstream thinking, such as in medicine, often refuse to consider alternative ideas, such as naturopathic medicine. We need to eschew black and white, dogmatic thinking and be more open-minded, curious, and inquisitive. Being able to face uncertainty and discomfort without taking refuge in false certainty. Does greater spiritual maturity enable one to channel more evolved intelligences? Helané’s personal channeling experiences.

Damo Mitchell has studied the martial, medical, and spiritual arts of Asia since the age of four. His studies have taken him across the planet in search of authentic masters. He is the technical director of the Lotus Nei Gong School of Daoist Arts and teaches Nei Gong in various locations around the world. He specializes in uncovering and studying with rare alchemical and spiritual lineages linked to the tradition of Daoism. Books: A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong Four Dragons (Daoist Nei Gong) The Yellow Monkey Emperor’s Classic of Chinese Medicine Daoist Nei Gong: The Philosophical Art of Change Heavenly Streams: Meridian Theory in Nei Gong (Daoist Nei Gong) White Moon on the Mountain Peak (Daoist Nei Gong) Daoist Reflections from Scholar Sage (Daoist Nei Gong) Daoist Nei Gong for Women: The Art of the Lotus and the Moon Websites: lotusneigong.com damomitchell.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded January 16, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Dr. Daniel Brown has been a clinical and forensic psychologist for almost 50 years. He has been at Harvard Medical School for almost 40 years. He has been a student of, translator for, and meditation master in the Indo-Tibetan and Bon meditation tradition for almost 50 years. He has the only Western neuroscience study identifying the brain changes in the shift from ordinary mind to awakened mind. Books: Pointing Out the Great Way: The Stages of Meditation in the Mahamudra Tradition Transformations of Consciousness: Conventional and Contemplative Perspectives On Development (New Science Library) Self-Arising Three-fold Embodiment of Enlightenment: [of Bon Great Completion Meditation] Websites: pointingoutway.org drdanielpbrown.com mindonly.com attachmentproject.com Main points discussed in this interview: Whether enlightenment is correlated with ethical behavior. Enlightenment is a holistic development, where all lines of development have flourished. An explanation of the four clouds of the Heart Sutra. Establishing neurophysiological correlates of enlightenment. What does it mean to see the world as sacred? Development of multiple bodies serving different functions simultaneously (as a result of enlightenment). Has the Dalai Lama done this? A baseball player who trained by having tennis balls fired in a batting cage at 200mph. A discussion of the relative speeds of thinking, attention, and awareness. Is there a personal self or entity which reincarnates? An enlightened person can choose an incarnation rather than being mandated to a particular life by existing “memory traces”. Detailed discussion on the rainbow body and relics found in the cremation ashes of enlightened beings who have mastered rainbow bodies. The potential pitfalls of silent retreats. Not mistaking preliminary stages for more advanced stages. The only true test of realization is conduct, how you live your life, and how you treat other people. Witnessing The difference between ordinary and awakened awareness. Integrating awakened awareness into all other activity. Stages in the development of concentration. The process of releasing memory traces. What practices are good for a beginner? Eligibility requirements for different stages of instruction. Discussion of the Padmasambhava quote, “Although my awareness is as vast as the sky, my attention to karma is as fine as a grain of barley flour.” The importance of continuing vigilance after enlightenment. Do enlightened people all experience a universal, ultimate reality in the same way, or do different spiritual paths and personal tendencies result in enlightenment being different for different people? Can you do anything to get to non-doing? Conspiracies and cult mentality. The importance of cultivating discernment on the spiritual path. The importance of enlightened leaders. Can they be effective without an enlightened populace? Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded January 10, 2021 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

David Lorimer, MA, PGCE, FRSA is a writer, lecturer, poet, and editor who is a Founder of Character Education Scotland, Programme Director of the Scientific and Medical Network, and former President of Wrekin Trust and the Swedenborg Society. He has also been editor of Paradigm Explorer since 1986 and completed his 100th issue in 2019. He was the instigator of the Beyond the Brain conference series and has co-ordinated the Mystics and Scientists conferences every year since the late 1980s. Originally a merchant banker then a teacher of philosophy and modern languages at Winchester College, he is the author and editor of over a dozen books including Radical Prince: The Practical Vision of the Prince of Wales. His new book of essays, A Quest for Wisdom comes out in March 2021. David is the originator of the Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Programmes, which has reached over 350,000 young people all over the world. David is also Chair of the Galileo Commission which seeks the widen the science of consciousness beyond a materialistic world view. Books: Resonant Mind: Life Review in the Near-Death Experience Radical Prince: The Practical Vision of the Prince of Wales Quest for Wisdom: Inspiring Purpose on the Path of Life Prophet for Our Times: The Life & Teachings of Peter Deunov In this conversation, we discuss whether consciousness fundamental or an epiphenomenon of brain functioning. If it is fundamental (our view), how can this become the accepted paradigm? If it did so, how would this change the world? Topics covered include: Does the brain produce consciousness or do the brain and everything else emerge from consciousness? What does the research say? How do NDEs help answer this question? If consciousness is a fundamental field, is it intelligent – a ‘transcendental universal mind’? How did the scientific assumption that consciousness arises from matter become predominant? How did the Church retard scientific progress? The Galileo Commission – so named because just as Galileo’s critics refused to look through his telescope, modern scientists refuse to look at evidence suggesting that consciousness is fundamental. Scientists are often unaware of the broader assumptions underpinning their work. Historical tension between religious mystics and administrators. If the primacy of consciousness were widely understood and experienced, we would realize our essential oneness. This would transform politics and all other fields of human endeavor. Lacking this knowledge and experience, people, corporations, and politics tend to be ‘excessively individualistic’ - placing self-interest before the good of the whole. This includes short-sightedness, denying or ignoring slow-moving catastrophes such as climate change. Quantum physics undermined materialism a century ago, but other sciences such as biology have maintained it. Mind and matter emerge from a deeper reality – a coherent field that can be accessed through mystical experience. Discussion on the importance of experiential understanding of consciousness in education and opposition from religious fundamentalists. In most cases, paradigm shifts start with a creative minority (5%) and gradually grow to become the norm. Humanity is now too clever to survive without wisdom. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded December 19, 2020 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

International speaker, Master of Bio-Energetic Theory, and Quantum Field visionary, Dr. Sue Morter utilizes the embodiment of high-frequency energy patterns to activate full human potential. Through her seminars, retreats, and presentations, she illuminates the relationship of quantum science and energy medicine – elevating human consciousness into life mastery. Dr. Sue is the USA Today bestselling, #1 bestselling LA Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Energy Codes: The 7-Step System to Awaken Your Spirit, Heal Your Body, and Live Your Best Life. Through THE ENERGY CODES, Dr. Sue provides techniques to activate untapped energy and neurocircuitry in the body, empower hidden potential, and become one’s true, essential self. She is the founder and creator of the globally-taught coursework, The Energy Codes®, a multi-level body of work on Personal and Spiritual Development. Dr. Sue also created the BodyAwake® RYT 200 Certified Yoga Program and is co-creator of the Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.). She has served on professional licensing boards, providing guidance to health care practitioners on integrative approaches to healthcare leadership. Dr. Sue is also adjunct faculty at two medical schools at Michigan State University, an AAU school classified as one of the top 100 universities in the world. Dr. Sue is the host of Gaia TV’s Healing Matrix, and co-host of Your Year of Miracles lifestyle training. Dr. Sue is E-RYT 200 and E-RYT 500 certified in Yoga Instruction and was recently recognized for her outstanding achievements as an honored member of the Transformational Leadership Council. In addition to founding Morter HealthCenter in 1987, she is the founder and visionary of the Morter Institute for Bio-Energetics, an organization committed to teaching individuals self-healing techniques with an inner wisdom-based approach to life based on Quantum Science and higher consciousness. With three distinct schools representing the unification of mind, body, and spirit: the School of Energy Medicine, School of BodyAwake® Yoga, and School for Higher Consciousness and Personal Development – Dr. Sue provides tools and avenues to empower the global community to discover and embody a joyful, inspired life, lived from the true, Soulful Self. Website: drsuemorter.com Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

A conversation with the hosts of the Conspirituality Podcast website. As they describe it, their podcast is... A weekly study of converging right-wing conspiracy theories and faux-progressive wellness utopianism. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon. As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia. Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it. The term “conspirituality” first appeared in 2009 as the name of a Vancouver rap group that unironically dropped conspiracy keywords into beats calling for political awakening. In 2011, Charlotte Ward and David Voas used the term academically to analyze the growing overlap between the paranoid conspiracism of right-wingers and the New Age’s yearning for spiritual transformation. Derek Beres is a multi-faceted author, media expert, and movement instructor based in Los Angeles. He is the Head of Content Marketing and Community at Centered, as well as a columnist for Big Think and Psychedelic Spotlight. One-half of EarthRise SoundSystem, he also served as music supervisor for the breakthrough documentary, DMT: The Spirit Molecule. He is a co-host of the Conspirituality podcast. His new book, Hero's Dose: The Case for Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy, is out now. Matthew Remski is a cult survivor and researcher. His 2019 book, Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond, is the first systematic analysis of pervasive cultism in the modern yoga world. He researches and writes on abuse in spiritual movements here, as well as for publications like GEN by Medium and The Walrus. His current research is pivoting to look at cultic dynamics in conspirituality and eco-justice movements. He lives in Toronto with his partner and their two sons. Julian Walker grew up in Zimbabwe and South Africa and has lived in LA since 1990. He is fascinated with the intersections of yoga/meditation, psychology, science, and culture. He has written extensively on cults and gurus, spiritual bypass and quantum woo in New Age circles, trauma and the body, and neuroscience and somatic psychology informing the practice and teaching of yoga. His writing can be found on Elephant Journal, Medium,  Freedom Becomes You, and in the 2011 book, 21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics, and Practice. He teaches yoga and runs teacher-training programs in and around LA. Julian is also a bodyworker and the ecstatic dance DJ/facilitator for his Dance Tribe events. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded December 5, 2020. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Ingrid Honkala, Ph.D., was born in Bogota, Colombia, where she grew up with her parents and three sisters. From the moment she drowned in a tank of cold water at the age of nearly three, Ingrid was aware of other dimensions of life than those most of us normally experience. She was also gifted with the wise input of “Beings of Light” who gave her invaluable insights and assistance as she faced the challenges of growing up, falling in love, and finding her professional destiny as a research scientist and oceanographer. Despite many hardships, she accomplished her dreams, becoming not just a successful marine scientist, world traveler, and mom, but also a mentor and a giver of light. Through her compelling life adventure that journeys from her native Colombia to Europe and her eventual home in the United States — and from a deadly war zone to underwater explorations and a NASA research center — Ingrid reveals how any human experience can be illumined from within. If we are willing to pay attention to subtle signals, take our intuition seriously, and forgive our most challenging difficulties, anyone can experience a brightly guided life. Throughout her life, Ingrid has been guided to meet and help many people on their journey to become aware of a deeper reality and reconnect with their inner wisdom. In her autobiography, A Brightly Guided Life: How a Scientist Learned to Hear her Inner Wisdom, Ingrid reveals how after having her Near Death Experience, the first glimpses of heaven were revealed to her and the doors that allow her to communicate with Beings of Light were opened. Since then a myriad of experiences that many could call mystical and perhaps impossible have crossed her path. However, the Beings of Light have made it clear to her that she is not here to convince anyone about anything but to be a giver of Light. To accomplish this purpose, she has been guided through an amazing journey of unimaginable challenges, awakenings, and miracles where along the way she became the vehicle to help others to rise up from some of the deepest states of hopelessness and bring them back to life. For all this she is eternally grateful and committed to continue awakening, growing, and serving the Light. Website: ingridhonkala.com Books and video: A Brightly Guided Life: How A Scientist Learned to Hear Her Inner Wisdom Una Vida Guiada En La Luz: Cómo Una Científica Aprendió a Escuchar Su Sabiduría Interior (Spanish Edition) Life to Afterlife: Death and Back Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded November 29, 2020. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

This interview was recorded on October 9, 2020, as part of an online conference on "Living and Dying" offered by the Science and Nonduality Conference. The conference has finished, but you may sign up to access all of its content. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His free weekly newsletter has 180,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial needs. His books have been published in 29 languages with 900,000 copies in English alone and include: Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, NPR, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. He loves wilderness and taking a break from emails. Website: rickhanson.net Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. First BatGap interview with Rick Hanson. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Dean Radin, PhD, is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and Associated Distinguished Professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He occasionally gives lectures in the Department of Psychology at Sonoma State University and has served on doctoral dissertation committees at Saybrook University and CIIS. His original career track as a concert violinist shifted into science after earning a BSEE degree in electrical engineering, magna cum laude with honors in physics, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and then an MS in electrical engineering and a PhD in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. For a decade he worked on advanced telecommunications R&D at AT&T Bell Laboratories and GTE Laboratories. For three decades he has been engaged in frontiers research on the nature of consciousness. Before joining the research staff at IONS in 2001, he held appointments at Princeton University, University of Edinburgh, University of Nevada, Interval Research Corporation, and SRI International. He is author or coauthor of hundreds of scientific, technical, and popular articles, three dozen book chapters, and three popular books including the award-winning and bestselling The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena (HarperOne, 1997), Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality (Simon & Schuster, 2006), a 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award, Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities (Random House, 2013), and Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe (Penguin Random House). These books have been translated into 14 foreign languages, so far. His technical articles have appeared in journals including Foundations of Physics and Physics Essays to Psychological Bulletin and Journal of Consciousness Studies; he was featured in a New York Times Magazine article; and he has appeared on dozens of television shows ranging from the BBC’s Horizon to PBS's Closer to Truth. He has given over 400 interviews and talks, including presentations at Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, Princeton, Virginia Tech, the Sorbonne, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Minnesota, for industries including Google, Johnson & Johnson, Rabobank, and for various government organizations including the US Navy, DARPA, and the National Academy of Sciences. In 2010, he spent a month lecturing in India as the National Visiting Professor of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, a program sponsored by India's Ministry of Human Resource Development. In 2013 and 2014, he gave invited lectures in Kuala Lumpur at the International Center for Leadership and Governance, an organization supported by the Central Bank of Malaysia. In 2015 he spoke at the Australian Leadership Retreat, a confidential program of briefings and discussions for Australian government, business, education, and military leaders. Website: deanradin.com Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded November 15, 2020. First BatGap interview with Dean Radin. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

Swami Sarvapriyananda has been Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York since January 2017. He was a Nagral Fellow at Harvard Divinity School during the 2019-20 academic year. Prior to this, he served as assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California for 13 months. Swami joined the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1994 and received Sannyas in 2004. Before coming to serve in the US, he served as an acharya (teacher) of the monastic probationers’ training center at Belur Math in West Bengal, India (the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa). He has served the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities including being the Vice Principal of the Deoghar Vidyapith Higher Secondary School, Principal of the Shikshana Mandira Teacher Education College at Belur Math, and the first Registrar of the Vivekananda University at Belur Math. This conversation hosted by the Association for Spiritual Integrity explores the profound interconnections between ethics and Advaita Vedanta. An ethical life is foundational to the spiritual quest, a non-negotiable sine qua non to any real spiritual development. One can be good without being particularly “spiritual”, but there is no spirituality without goodness. But it is also true that ethics are a consequence of nonduality. For as long as thinkers have pondered ethics, they have searched for a foundation, a grounding, for ethics. Why should one be good and do good? The various answers thinkers have come up with through the ages – utilitarianism, deontology, and so forth – have all been found seriously wanting. Nonduality claims to provide a deep foundation for ethics. In this talk and Q&A, Swami Sarvapriyananda explores the philosophical and practical, as well as the individual and social dimensions of ethics in nondual spirituality. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Recorded September 28, 2020 First BatGap interview with Swami Sarvapriyananda Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.