Anita Moorjani is the New York Times bestselling author of What If This Is Heaven?: How Our Cultural Myths Prevent Us from Experiencing Heaven on Earth and Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing. A beloved international speaker, she lives in the United States with her husband, Danny, and has dedicated her life to empowering the minds and hearts of people with her story of courage and transformation. Anita was born in Singapore to Indian parents and grew up in Hong Kong speaking English, Cantonese, and an Indian dialect simultaneously. Prior to her near-death experience, she worked in the corporate world.

Anita's website

Anita's latest book: Sensitive Is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World

Audio CD: Deep Meditation for Healing

Previous BatGap interview with Anita.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded June 3, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:04:59 - Recognition of Deceased Loved Ones

00:09:37 - The Impact of the Near-Death Experience

00:14:06 - Choosing to Come Back from the Other Side

00:18:41 - Flipping Everything We've Ever Learned

00:23:16 - The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World

00:27:16 - The Spectrum of Caring

00:31:49 - The Importance of Self-Care and Empaths in Leadership

00:36:28 - Priorities and the Right to Kill

00:40:43 - The Role of Empathic Leaders

00:45:21 - Transforming Collective Consciousness Through Education

00:49:23 - Tapping into Inner Reservoir

00:53:05 - The Importance of Receiving

00:56:54 - The Benefits of Slowing Down and Recharging

01:01:00 - The Gift of Being an Empath

01:05:43 - The Nature of Being an Empath

01:09:58 - The Nature of Empaths and their Vulnerability

01:14:13 - The Vulnerability of Empaths to Physical Symptoms

01:18:57 - The Spectrum of Empathic Tendencies

01:23:05 - The Spiritual Awakening Journey and the Path to Enlightenment

01:27:34 - Inability to Say No

01:31:56 - Integrating a Spiritual Experience into Everyday Life

01:36:25 - Navigating the World with a Strong Connection to Your Higher Self

01:40:41 - The Two-Pronged Approach to Healthcare

01:44:37 - Creating a Life You Love

01:48:16 - The Tragic Loss of Rennie

01:52:27 - Repressed Ego and Self-Care in Spiritual Teachings

01:56:50 - Increasing Your Energy and Expanding Your Aura

02:01:10 - The Power of Expanding Energy

02:06:11 - Unity and Oneness with God

Stephen Cope is the Scholar Emeritus at the renowned Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He is the author of many best-selling books on the topic of yoga and meditation. For over thirty years, his interest has been in bringing important but esoteric yoga scriptures to the mainstream, including, most recently, the two-thousand-year-old spiritual classic called The Bhagavad Gita, or "The Song of God." His new book on The Gita, entitled The Dharma of Difficult Times, will be released later this year.

Books:

The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling (Discussed in this interview)

Yoga and the Quest for the True Self

The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker's Guide to Extraordinary Living

Deep Human Connection: Why We Need It More than Anything Else

Website: stephencope.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 29, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:04:14 - The Definition of Dharma and Its Connection with the Common Good

00:07:48 - The concept of dharma and its impact on individuals, families, and society

00:11:13 - Higher Beings and Our Relationship with Them

00:14:48 - Discovering the Dharma

00:18:11 - The Importance of Underrating Oneself

00:21:42 - Everything is Already Okay

00:25:04 - The Effects of Meditation on Young Musicians

00:28:37 - The Contemplative Tradition's View on Mastery

00:31:55 - Finding Your Dharma

00:35:14 - Finding Your Duty

00:38:40 - Finding Fulfillment in Your Dharma

00:42:21 - Finding the Open Door

00:45:57 - Fulfilling your Dharma and making a significant impact

00:49:16 - Listening for the Call of the Times

00:53:05 - Beethoven's Dedication to his Gift

00:56:43 - The Practice of Letting Go

01:00:17 - The Self's behavior and suffering leading to enlightenment

01:03:46 - Gandhi's View on Violence and War

01:07:17 - Exceptions to Oppression

01:10:40 - Living Unknown

01:14:22 - The Mystery of Sacrifice and Dharma

01:17:43 - The Period of Certitude and Doubt

01:20:59 - The Conflict of the Heart and Mind

01:24:33 - All is Brahman

01:27:54 - The Power of Taking Risks and Committing

01:31:17 - Support from Higher Intelligence

01:35:00 - The Fruition and Importance of Ethical Practice

01:38:12 - Finding Fulfillment through Balance and Wisdom

01:41:37 - The Impact of Concentration Levels on Book Publishing

01:45:12 - Schedule Change: Lawrence Freeman - Work with the Dalai Lama

Born and brought up in Mumbai, Gautam faced one challenge after another fairly early in life. He remarks, “As a result, I grew up before my time.” Having to cope with the loss of his father at the young age of 14 gave rise to questions related to death, insecurity, and survival, which would affect most children faced with a similar loss.

At the turn of the millennium (December 1999), Gautam’s inherent but latent spiritual inclination surfaced through a series of synchronistic events. Following his mother’s example, he started attending a course in Brahma Vidya (Knowledge of Brahman) based on a system of ancient Tibetan breathing exercises. This course was conducted by his mother’s guru, Justice Dudhat of the High Court of Mumbai.

Around this time, Gautam diversified into publishing by setting up Yogi Impressions, primarily to publish his mother Santosh’s book on her spiritual awakening. Santosh Ma’s journey of awakening spanned three years, from 1996 to 1999. Although there was no desire or ambition to publish any other book besides this one, destiny had charted a new course for him, as he was soon to discover.

In November 1999, Gautam met Eckhart Tolle, the best-selling spiritual author of The Power of Now, in Hong Kong, while holidaying with his sister Nikki who worked there at the time. He had several interactions with this spiritual teacher over the next few years, courtesy of Nikki and her friends’ proximity to Eckhart, which led to his publishing company bringing out the Indian edition of The Power of Now. Eckhart had said that publishing would be the start of ‘an adventure’ for Gautam, and so it turned out to be.

It was at Nikki’s urging that Gautam met the Advaita sage, Ramesh Balsekar, in February 2000. Some of her friends were flying down from a distant country just to meet this modern sage who lived a mere 20-minute drive away from Gautam’s home. Having no conscious interest in the subject, he tagged along one Sunday morning to Ramesh’s residence in Mumbai. On his next visit when Ramesh saw him, he asked Gautam: “Isn’t this the second consecutive Sunday you have come? Be careful young man… this will become your Sunday church!” Little then did he know that he would keep visiting Ramesh over the next nine years to attend his satsangs.

During these years, Gautam worked closely with Ramesh assisting him with the editing and publishing of some of his books. In later years, Ramesh encouraged Gautam to write especially after reading an article Gautam had written for India’s leading spiritual magazine on the occasion of Ramesh’s 90th birthday in 2007. It was this gentle nudge that eventually led to Gautam writing his first book based on Ramesh’s teaching – Pointers from Ramesh Balsekar.

Since then, Gautam has authored five more books. He is quite perplexed himself at this ‘happening’ as he had no intention of becoming a writer. “At least one doesn’t have to look hard for a publisher,” he adds with a smile. His books have been translated into Russian, German, Spanish, Hindi, and Marathi..

Website: gautamsachdeva.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 15, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:04:57 - A Chance Meeting That Changed My Life

00:09:19 - The Search for Peace of Mind

00:13:55 - Control over Action and Results

00:18:19 - Averting Danger in Life

00:22:33 - Layers of Reality

00:26:51 - The Beauty of Unseen Perspectives

00:31:00 - The Threefold Structure of Creation

00:34:41 - The Pragmatic Approach to Challenges

00:39:17 - Acceptance and Karma

00:44:05 - The Goal is All Along the Path

00:48:08 - The Pitfall of Inaction

00:51:28 - Rowing gently along the stream

00:55:50 - The Quality of Witnessing

01:00:10 - Kundalini Experiences and Validation

01:03:38 - Meditation and Nisargadatta Maharaj

01:07:22 - The Power of Wiggle Room and Grace

01:11:55 - The Healing Power of Animals

01:15:28 - The Natural Outcome of the Thinking Mind

01:19:44 - The Beauty of Silence

01:23:40 - Respect for Life and Compassion for All Living Beings

01:27:10 - The Value of All Life

01:30:44 - Life as an Ongoing Surprise Test

01:35:01 - The Power of Being in the Presence of a Sage

01:38:50 - The Age of Truth

01:42:37 - Fear and Duality in Spiritual Thought

01:46:50 - The Funny Driver in a Rental Car

01:50:54 - Finding Peace of Mind

01:54:46 - Awakening the Unconditioned Mind

01:58:22 - Gratitude for Whatever Is

02:03:06 - Farewell and Gratitude

Sufi mystic and visionary Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri is an enlightened spiritual master. His life and works serve as a reminder that spirituality is a science and an art vitally relevant to our times. Shaykh Fadhlalla grew up in an environment where religious scholars, as well as Sufi and mystics, were part of his formative experience. His love and understanding of the universality of the Qur'anic message have imbued him with respect for other religions and spiritual paths.

Websites:

shaykhfadhlallahaeri.com

zahrapublications.pub

Books mentioned during the interview:

Son of Karbala: The Spiritual Journey of an Iraqi Muslim

Sufi Encounters: Sharing the Wisdom of Enlightened Sufis

Spectrum of Reality: Sufi Insights

The Garden of Meaning

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 1, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

00:03:45 - The Curiosity of a Child

00:07:51 - The Dichotomy of Earthly and Spiritual Desires

00:11:57 - The Inner and Outer Self

00:15:55 - Preparation for Infinite Life

00:19:44 - The Filter of the Brain

00:23:28 - The Shift into a Higher Consciousness

00:27:16 - The Progress of Consciousness

00:30:58 - The Influence of Consciousness on Animals

00:34:36 - Awakening to the Higher Within

00:38:38 - Reverencing the Divine Light within us

00:42:15 - Learning from a Spiritual Teacher

00:46:01 - Celebration of the Soul's Journey Beyond

00:49:57 - The Decline of Fundamentalism and the Rise of Universal Spirituality

00:53:48 - The Emergence of Spirituality and Technology

00:57:27 - The State of the Garden Within Me

01:01:22 - Losing the small self

01:05:07 - Living a Full Life without Denial

01:08:58 - The Cosmic Justification for Suffering

01:12:31 - Wealth Distribution and the Future

01:15:53 - The Value of Suffering

01:19:12 - The story of the scorpion and the saint

01:22:48 - Liberation and Freedom

01:26:42 - Inner Freedom and Liberation

01:30:22 - Inner Freedom and Reconciliation

01:34:04 - Creating a Community in Messina, Texas

01:37:35 - Books and Connections with Shaykh

01:41:19 - Trusting the Cloud and the Aversion to Institutionalizing Things

01:44:43 - The Essence Within Us

01:48:06 - The Outer and Inner Self

01:51:48 - Awakening to the High Treasure

Richard Tarnas is a professor of psychology and cultural history at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he founded the graduate program in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness. He teaches courses in the history of ideas, archetypal studies, depth psychology, and religious evolution. He frequently lectures on archetypal studies and depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and was formerly the director of programs and education at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. He is the author of The Passion of the Western Mind, a history of the Western world view from the ancient Greek to the postmodern widely used in universities. His second book, Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View, received the Book of the Year Prize from the Scientific and Medical Network and is the basis for the upcoming documentary series The Changing of the Gods. He is a past president of the International Transpersonal Association and served on the Board of Governors for the C. G. Jung Institute of San Francisco.

Website: cosmosandpsyche.com

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded April 25, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:03:51 - Distribution of Film and Book Corrections

00:07:28 - The Playful Dimension of Consciousness

00:11:25 - The Tension Between Creativity and Order

00:15:07 - Resistance to new ideas and materialism in science

00:19:26 - The Liberation of Humankind and the Disenchantment of the Cosmos

00:24:00 - The Transformation of the Renaissance

00:29:01 - The Power of Initiatory Rites and Transformation

00:33:10 - The Acceleration of History

00:37:40 - The Unfolding Process and the Initiation Ritual

00:41:48 - The Perinatal Dimension of Psychological Transformation

00:45:43 - Everything Breathes Together

00:50:09 - The symbolic meaning of the planets in astrology

00:54:13 - The Mysterious Unitive Connection between Humans and the Cosmos

00:58:52 - The Cosmic Intelligence of the Universe

01:03:09 - Kinship with All Beings

01:07:22 - Transformation through Meditation

01:10:40 - Connecting with the Whole

01:14:18 - Immersion in the World of Each Interviewee

01:17:35 - The Transformative Power of Immersion in Deep Ideas

01:21:01 - Cultivating Similar Capacities in Oneself

01:24:35 - Questions about Astrology from a Sceptic

01:28:16 - The Numinous Universe

01:32:57 - Astrology and the Intelligent Cosmos

01:37:11 - The Existence of Subtle Bodies and Intelligent Entities

01:40:57 - Astrology and Psychedelic Therapy

01:44:59 - Archetypal astrology and the human psyche

01:49:14 - Living on Different Planets

01:53:11 - Planetary Alignments and Evolutionary Pressures

01:58:01 - Cultivating Hope for the Future.

02:01:44 - Guest Announcement for Next Week

Academic neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander III, whose career includes decades as a physician and associate professor at Harvard Medical School and revered teaching hospitals, was once staunchly committed to the materialist world view -- the belief that the physical world is all that exists. His scientific belief system was altered by a 2008 transcendental near-death experience (NDE) in which a bacterial infection severely damaged his brain as he fell into a week-long coma during which he experienced an odyssey into another realm. Despite a bleak medical prognosis, Dr. Alexander awoke to make an inexplicable return to full health. He has since become a pioneering scientist and modern thought leader in the emerging science that acknowledges the primacy of consciousness in the universe, he is the author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife, The Map of Heaven: How Science, Religion, and Ordinary People Are Proving the Afterlife, and Living in a Mindful Universe: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Heart of Consciousness.

Website: ebenalexander.com

More detailed bio.

Karen Newell is an author and specialist in personal development with a diverse body of work that rests upon the foundation of heart-centered consciousness. As an innovator in the emerging field of brainwave entrainment audio meditation, Karen empowers others in their journeys of self-discovery by demonstrating how to connect to inner guidance, achieve inspiration, improve wellness and develop intuition. She is co-founder of Sacred Acoustics, and co-author with Eben Alexander III, M.D. of Living in a Mindful Universe.

More detailed bio.

Website shared by Eben and Karen: innersanctumcenter.com

Twice-monthly webinars mentioned during the interview.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded April 17, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:04:17 Ebens NDE

00:14:57 Cycling through layers of frequencies/

00:16:00 Mantras/sounds/binaural beats

00:18:03 Life reviews

00:23:57 We’re more than physical body

00:26:48 Reincarnation

00:30:53 Death bed visions

00:34:43 Exploration of strata or realms

00:36:32 Paradigm shift and the world

00:45:54 Science

00:53:39 Sam Harris and free will

00:56:03 Dreams

00:56:37 Assumptions

01:00:58 Materialists

01:00:58 Scientist mind change when they are dying

01:05:56 Memory

01:12:23 Akashic record field

01:16:27 Evolution of consciousness

01:18:45 Cyclical nature

01:26:21 Eben and a golden age of transformation

01:29:27 Karen brings up healing crisis

01:30:39 Eben- on oneness

01:35:13 Discernment

01:44:31 Questions from viewers

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

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded April 10, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:06:16 - An Unexpected Experience

00:11:52 - Telepathic Communication with Ramana Maharshi

00:17:20 - Three years of contemplation and Kundalini energy struggles

00:22:47 - Surrendering to the Kundalini Energy

00:28:08 - Bliss and the Falling Away

00:33:43 - Bliss and Detachment

00:38:02 - The Journey to Understanding Consciousness

00:42:03 - The Importance of Evidence and Religion in Consciousness Transformation

00:45:54 - Consciousness Regeneration and the Kundalini Awakening

00:50:07 - Living in Fear

00:54:46 - Heart-Brain Coherence and Universal Cosmic Coherence

00:58:54 - Understanding our True Nature and Well-being

01:02:58 - The Power of Understanding and Experience

01:06:59 - Binaural Beats and Spiritual Practice

01:10:58 - The Power of Consciousness

01:14:36 - Striving for Pure Intention

01:18:07 - Kundalini Energy and its Activation

01:22:05 - Tapping into the Power of Kundalini

01:25:56 - Organizing Zoom Meetings and Sharing on Facebook

01:29:49 - Claiming your true identity as infinite and eternal

01:33:46 - Claiming Your True Identity

01:37:33 - The Power of Self-Inquiry

01:41:35 - Words of Wisdom from Nisargadatta

01:45:37 - Surrendering to the Divine Consciousness

01:49:26 - The Importance of Meditation

01:53:21 - The Evolution of Yoga and Contemplation

01:57:18 - The Concept of Conscious Immortality

02:01:13 - Regeneration of Consciousness and Self-Healing

02:05:33 - The Importance of the Pineal Gland and Integrative Medicine

02:09:05 - Conclusion and Next Guests

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.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded April 3, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:04:42 - Spiritual influences in India

00:08:32 - A U-turn in My Career

00:12:24 - An Interview with Adya

00:16:30 - Letting go of fear

00:20:30 - The Journey of Being Prepared

00:24:33 - The Shift in Sovereignty during Enlightenment

00:28:29 - Recognition of Sovereignty and Shifts

00:32:27 - The Journey Towards Embodiment

00:36:51 - Embracing Emptiness and Form

00:40:53 - Fullness and Emptiness

00:45:10 - The Merge of Inner and Outer Realms

00:49:19 - Innovation and Integration in Spirituality

00:53:16 - The Developmental Process of Awakening

00:57:25 - The layers of fear that exist within us

01:01:17 - Fear of Life and Its Implications

01:05:26 - The Power of Saying Yes and No

01:09:51 - Hating the Other Side

01:14:16 - Life's Experiment in Human Form

01:18:36 - A Shift in Consciousness

01:22:32 - A Yearning for Deep Spiritual Connection

01:26:38 - Connecting with our True Potential

01:30:45 - Going Beyond Rationality

01:34:49 - The Integration of Experience

01:38:45 - The correlation between health and spirituality

01:42:50 - The Flow of Life and Individual Sovereignty

01:46:45 - Exploring Science and Spirituality

01:50:58 - The Marvelous Opportunity of Boundaries and Boundlessness

01:54:46 - Moving Mountain Academy

01:57:59 - Thanks to the Volunteers

02:00:50 - Music

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

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded March 27, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:02:10 - The Vast Universe and the Universal Christ

00:04:02 - Jesus and the Universal Concept of the Christ

00:06:22 - The Cosmic Notion of Christ

00:08:33 - A New Cosmology and Universalizing Jesus' Message

00:10:49 - The Small Box of Religion

00:12:54 - The Marvel of Intelligence and Creativity

00:14:53 - Caring for Creation and Social Justice

00:16:54 - Saving the Worms

00:18:55 - Changing Notions of God

00:21:12 - The Exclusionary Nature of Theology

00:23:18 - The Journey from Order to Re-order

00:25:41 - Embracing Polarities and Diversities

00:28:05 - The breadth of freedom and social order

00:30:00 - Love God and Do What You Want

00:32:15 - The Changing Grand Canyon

00:34:20 - The Multifaceted Nature of Causality

00:36:39 - The "Father Wound" and the Atonement

00:38:50 - The Transformation of Religion

00:40:46 - The Healing Environment of the Prison System

00:42:09 - The Loneliness and Cutthroat Nature of Prison Life

00:43:36 - The Communion of Saints

00:45:22 - The Interconnectedness of Humanity and Collective Consciousness

00:46:55 - The Fall and Autonomy

00:48:33 - The Fall and the Wounded Condition

00:50:02 - The Happy Fault and the Rediscovery of Non-Duality

00:51:36 - Great Love and Great Suffering

00:53:19 - The Power of Love and Suffering

00:54:53 - Jesus's justice strategy

00:56:29 - Solidarity vs Sacrifice

00:58:19 - Dipping into the Ocean of Richard Rohr

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)

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded March 14, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:03:06 - Introductions and Background

00:05:41 - Transitioning to Buddhism and Zen Rabbi

00:08:31 - The Resurrection of the Mother and the Collapse of Civilization

00:12:30 - Three Scenarios for the Future

00:16:06 - Shifting Consciousness and the Fourth Alternative

00:19:40 - The Hugging Saint, Amma

00:22:36 - Mistaken Identity

00:26:22 - The Life-Changing Power of Meditation

00:29:55 - The Delicate Balance of Humility and Spiritual Practice

00:36:09 - The Yearning for God

00:40:13 - The Four Points of Awakening in Judaism

00:44:12 - The Fallibility of Teachers and Their Teachings

00:47:28 - Spirituality and the Behavior of Spiritual Teachers

00:51:52 - The Tribal Jingoism of Judaism

00:56:16 - Facing the Fear of Death

01:01:42 - Perspectives on Reincarnation

01:05:59 - The Ego and Reincarnation

01:09:44 - The Limitations of Perception and Consciousness

01:13:28 - Out-of-Body Experiences and the Survival of Consciousness

01:16:26 - The Essence of Spiritual Development

01:20:10 - Developing Practices on all Dimensions

01:24:07 - Experiencing Divine Mother Manifestations

01:28:03 - Communing with Lady Wisdom (Chochma)

01:33:14 - The Essential Non-Duality

01:37:40 - Shifting modes of functioning and integration

01:42:59 - The Allure of Salt, Sugar, and Fat

01:47:49 - Holy Rascals and Mystics of History

01:53:47 - Embracing the Dark Side of Consciousness

01:58:51 - Embracing the Dark Side

02:02:26 - Farewell and Thanks