Mary Mueller Shutan is a spiritual healer, teacher, and author. She is the author of

The Spiritual Awakening Guide: Kundalini, Psychic Abilities, and the Conditioned Layers of Reality

Managing Psychic Abilities: A Real World Guide for the Highly Sensitive Person

Shadow Work for the Soul: Seeing Beauty in the Dark

The Body Deva: Working with the Spiritual Consciousness of the Body

Working with Kundalini: An Experiential Guide to the Process of Awakening

The Shamanic Workbook series, and

The Complete Cord Course: Working with Cords through Energy Work and Shamanic Healing

She combines her extensive education with her personal meditative practices and direct revelation of the spirit world. She has been serving her community as a spiritual healer and teacher since 2004.

Website: maryshutan.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Interview recorded April 5, 2025

Diane Hennacy Powell, M.D. is the chief scientist involved in The Telepathy Tapes, a podcast about non-speaking autistic children who are extraordinarily telepathic.

"In a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism—individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated. These silent communicators possess gifts that defy conventional understanding, from telepathy to otherworldly perceptions, challenging the limits of what we believe to be real. For years, their parents and teachers have quietly witnessed these remarkable abilities, knowing that the time to share their truth would eventually come. But now, as the evidence mounts, the time has come to reveal what has been hidden in plain sight.

This groundbreaking series challenges everything we think we know about communication and the human mind, inviting viewers to step into a reality where the impossible is not only possible but happening every day. Through emotional stories and undeniable evidence, The Telepathy Tapes offers a fresh perspective on the profound connections that exist beyond words. Traveling with neuroscientist Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, witnessing mind-boggling telepathy tests and forging deeply intimate relationships with families around the globe, host Ky Dickens invites you to contemplate the world through the eyes of those who speak without words. Prepare to be captivated, challenged, and ultimately transformed as the series shines a light on the untold capabilities of those who have been underestimated for far too long."

Dr. Powell is a Johns Hopkins-trained psychiatrist, therapist, neuroscientist, and public speaker. She develops multidisciplinary theories towards understanding psychological anomalies, such as savant skills and verified accounts of spacetime navigation. Her current research focuses on controlled testing of autistic savants and children reported to be telepathic and/or precognitive by their caregivers.

Dr. Powell has been on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, a member of a think tank on human consciousness at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, and Director of Research for the John E. Mack Institute. Her investigation into the neurocorrelates of ESP is discussed in her 2008 book The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena, and in Seriously Strange: Thinking Anew about Psychical Experiences.

Dr. Powell is also an expert on PTSD and created the psychiatry program for Survivors of Torture, International in San Diego, California. She was the principal author of IONS The 2007 Shift Report: Evidence of a World Transforming and a contributing author to Beyond Forgiveness: Reflections on Atonement, the 2014 Campus Book of the Year at Indiana University. She is also a participant in the #NeverAlone movement for suicide prevention launched by Deepak Chopra.

Website: drdianehennacy.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

First BatGap interview with Dr. Powell

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded March 23, 2025

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 Fascinating Anecdote of Precognition  

 00:03:15 The Rise of the Telepathy Tapes Podcast

 00:05:48 Impact of Telepathy Tapes on Community

 00:08:39 Telepathy and Consciousness in Pre-Verbal Babies

 00:12:29 Psychic Communication in Babies and Autistic Children

 00:16:12 Non-Verbal Communication in Animals  

 00:19:28 Unique Traffic Culture in Iran  

 00:22:49 Exploring Telepathy among Children  

 00:25:35 The Phenomenon of Psychic Fields in Lucid Dreaming  

 00:28:15 Elon Musk's Patent on Telepathy and Its Implications

 00:31:36 Paradigm Shifts and Materialism

 00:35:31 The Role of Consciousness in Physics and Reality Co-Creation

 00:38:40 Remote Viewing and Military Research  

 00:42:25 Social Benefits of the Hill

Dr. Neil Schuitevoerder, a clinical and organizational psychologist, has been doing spiritual practices for 50 years. He's no longer interested in his ego's story, so here's the story of his soul's evolution: He had early instruction in how to use a pendulum, which led to the opening of his intuitive knowing, which has continued to expand into higher stages. His intense meditation practices in his 20s led to illness, and he was guided to return to a householder life as husband and father. He continued practices in mystical Judaism, then turned to Vedanta, kundalini, and other Hindu practices. With a kundalini master, and with the Diamond Approach technique of Inquiry, he opened the higher chakras and began to experience states of unity and nonduality, first with a near object, such as a tree, then with a far object, such as the galaxy. Slowly, the dualities of self/other, near/far, past/future, dissolved, and his knowing expanded to include the distant past, his past lives, his rebirth in this lifetime, and his ability to travel in subtle bodies to the subtle planes, including conversing with the deceased. His mind emptied out, then his body became empty, containing the whole galaxy, a nondual body. Then his astral body emptied out, and he no longer "traveled" but was united with the subtle mental and causal planes, all within him. The state of bliss is always accessible. The local identity of Neil remains when he functions in the world, as he lives in dual and nondual levels of awareness simultaneously.

Neil's has a podcast with his wife, Connie Zweig, about his ongoing awakening and what it's like to live in the world in advanced levels of consciousness -- Dr. Neil's Spiritual Awakening to Nonduality. It posts on Apple, Spotify, and all platforms.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded March 15, 2025

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 Different Levels of Perception

 00:02:35 Soul's Evolution and Spiritual Practices

 00:06:23 Journey of Consciousness and Skepticism  

 00:10:27 Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences

 00:13:59 Exploring Consciousness and Cosmic Manifestation

 00:17:19 Extraordinary Abilities in Blind Individuals  

 00:21:08 Understanding Freedom and Non-Attachment

 00:25:32 The Importance of Moral Development in Spiritual Growth  

 00:30:46 Exploring Multidimensional Consciousness  

 00:34:03 Exploring the Buddhic Plane and Astral Projection

 00:38:55 Understanding Subtle Body Layers and Incarnation Process

 00:42:07 Exploring Reincarnation and Astral Realms  

 00:46:36 Exploring the Universe and Spiritual Liberation  

 00:51:36 The Nature of True Governance according to Lao Tzu

 00:54:01 The Role of Ego in Daily Life

 00:57:52 Understanding the Reduction of Thoughts and Ego  

 01:02:11 Understanding A.H. Almas's Protocol  

 01:06:05 Telepathic Abilities and Humanity's Shift  

 01:11:09 The Coexistence of Creation and Destruction Forces

 01:15:21 The Cosmic Perspective: Our Place in the Universe

 01:19:38 Energy Healing and Silent Therapy

 01:23:35 Do Microbes Have Souls and Their Evolutionary Journey

 01:27:50 Chakras and the Evolution of Consciousness

 01:31:00 Understanding Chakras and Energy Centers  

 01:34:55 Exploring Spiritual Evolution and Incarnation

 01:38:52 Understanding Shadow Material and Spiritual Bypassing  

 01:43:09 The Importance of Spiritual Community and Marriage

 01:47:18 Embracing Pain Through Meditation

 01:51:31 Exploring the Connection Between Consciousness and the Body-Heart

 01:55:45 Exploring the Concept of the Vajra Body

 01:58:30 Upcoming Interview with Diane Hennessey Powell on Telepathy Tapes



Jim Grove is a lifelong practitioner of yogic meditation who grew up in a small logging town on the West Coast of Canada. At age thirteen, he was introduced to a teacher who was one of the few ministers directly ordained by Paramahansa Yogananda during his lifetime, Mother Yogacharya M. Hamilton of Seattle. A series of early transcendental experiences convinced him to commit himself to continued yogic practice under her tutelage. His recent memoir, A Curious Spiritual Journey, recounts some of the prominent experiences that have arisen from his practice over four decades, starting from early adolescence, in the interests of providing some insight into the often unpredictable process of spiritual unfoldment. He likes to speak plainly about spiritual experience and practice, avoiding the vague, abstract, and sometimes inflated language used in much spiritual and new age writing. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Website: jimgrove.ca

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded February 15, 2025

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 Jim Grove's Journey in Yogic Meditation  

 00:03:42 Editing a Manuscript: From 80,000 to 55,000 Words

 00:07:23 Discovering a Life-Changing Teacher  

 00:11:24 A Humorous Encounter at Denny's  

 00:16:23 Spiritual Awakening and Motivation Changes

 00:21:30 The Ripple Effect of Everyday Actions

 00:25:47 Mariana Kaplan's Global Soccer Mission  

 00:30:15 The Importance of Spiritual Integrity and Ethical Conduct

 00:34:29 The Importance of Integrity in Organizations and Community

 00:38:25 Cultural Ethics vs. Universal Values

 00:42:13 The Importance of Humility and Kindness in Life

 00:47:09 Leadership Dynamics and Corporate Culture  

 00:51:16 The Purpose of Suffering and Spiritual Growth

 00:55:51 Embracing Mortality in Tibetan Buddhism

 00:59:10 Exploring Shamanic Practices and Cross-Cultural Spirituality  

 01:03:24 Exploring the Life and Teachings of Joel Goldsmith

 01:06:55 Joel Goldsmith and Spiritual Anecdotes  

 01:10:33 Exploring Multiverse and Other Dimensions

 01:14:40 The Role of Specialists in Reincarnation Research  

 01:18:30 Exploring Past Life Regressions and Reincarnation  

 01:23:25 Vision of Furry Boots with Curly Toes  

 01:27:52 Healing Through Past Life Regression

 01:31:46 Balancing Depth and Breadth in Personal Growth

 01:36:04 Exploring Kundalini Activation and Spiritual Growth  

 01:40:49 The Metaphor of the Ring: Ego and Humility Lessons from Tolkien

 01:45:52 The Concept of Humility in Spiritual Teachings  

 01:49:50 The Spiritual Lessons of the Prodigal Son and Christ's Doubt

 01:54:11 Career Shift: From Private Sector to Provincial Government

 01:59:06 Embracing Change and Trusting the Universe

 02:03:47 Instilling Inner Guidance in Children

 02:07:44 Future of Humanity: Transitions and Endgames

Although Lisa worked as a chemical engineer, spirituality always was the priority in her life. In 2009, at a silent retreat, her thought-based identity dropped away, and she saw only the single flow of benevolence in all that is.

When some of those thoughts returned a few weeks later (less convincing than before), there also came a deep curiosity to inquire into those thoughts. She developed many tools to return to a lived experience of the deeper knowing. Both of her books share these tools. All that is is a vibrant expression erupting from a single full emptiness.

Website: experiencingthetrueself.com

Books:

An Unprincipled Life: Living from the Unknown

Living Awake: 20 Techniques to End "I Got It; I Lost It"

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded January 26, 2025

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

 00:04:27 Early Childhood Spiritual Insights  

 00:08:09 Exploring the Astral Body and Embodiment  

 00:11:15 Understanding the Koshas: Layers of Existence  

 00:15:16 Discovering Inner Strength Through Adversity  

 00:19:44 The Journey of Pure Intelligence and Self-Rediscovery

 00:23:47 Understanding the Mind: A Sense Organ analogy  

 00:27:56 Discovering the Root of Aliveness in Spiritual Practice

 00:31:05 Embracing Life's Uncertainties and Letting Go of Control

 00:34:18 Understanding Impermanence in Awakening

 00:38:12 Embracing Flexibility in Life's Demands  

 00:42:34 Understanding Life's Impetus  

 00:47:11 Parenting Lessons from Calvin and Hobbes  

 00:51:44 Spiritual Principles in Dire Situations  

 00:55:33 The Power of Positivity and Human Kindness

 00:58:56 Choosing Challenging Lifetimes for Wisdom  

 01:02:29 Exploring Past Life Memories  

 01:06:48 Concept of Past Lives and Dimensions

 01:11:42 Finding Positivity in Adversity: Lessons from Prisoners

 01:17:00 The Illusion of Shoulds and Self-Realization  

 01:20:57 The Balance of Opposing Forces and Human Nature  

 01:25:15 Experiencing Wisdom in a Different Realm  

 01:29:49 Understanding Malignant Narcissism in Leadership  

 01:33:25 Embracing Life's Harmony and Challenges  

 01:36:44 The Role of Creativity and Connection in Environmental Action

 01:40:16 Climate Change and Thwaites Glacier Threat  

 01:42:32 Embracing Inner Wisdom vs. Scientific Method

 01:46:06 Integrating Science with Inner Wisdom  

 01:50:29 Embracing Personal Growth and Self-Reflection  

 01:55:24 Political Perspectives and Third Party Hopes

 01:59:09 Embracing Open Dialogue and Challenging Ideas

Born and raised in San Diego, CA, and currently residing in Carlsbad, CA, Eli Recht is a licensed psychotherapist (LMFT), EMDR clinician, spiritual counselor, editor, and teacher of Self-realization.

In 2020, Eli experienced a falling away of ego identity and an awakening to the true nature of Reality. As a result, Eli has dedicated his life to service – to help alleviate suffering, cultivate connection, guide people through the often-confusing journey of Life, and invite others to recognize our shared unconditioned essence.

Eli’s specialty is blending contemporary psychological knowledge with timeless spiritual wisdom and advocating for the integration of these two disciplines.

Website: elirecht.com

Books (Editor and Foreword):

Grace Happens: An Awakening of Consciousness

Reflections of Consciousness: Essays on the Journey of Awakening and the Nature of Reality

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded January 11, 2025

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

 00:03:56 Discovering Spiritual Insights through "Buddha at the Gas Pump"

 00:09:14 Discovering Eastern Thought at Deer Park Monastery  

 00:15:21 Exploring Higher States of Consciousness Through Music  

 00:19:32 The Challenges of Kriya Yoga Practice

 00:24:04 Struggles with Kriya Yoga and Finding Purpose

 00:28:25 Journey to Emotional and Psychological Healing  

 00:33:16 Understanding Kundalini Activation and Its Effects

 00:38:00 Discovering My Higher Self  

 00:41:31 Differentiating Awakening from Psychosis  

 00:45:44 The Path of Perseverance and Enlightenment  

 00:49:48 Realization of Oneness and Unity

 00:54:33 The Importance of Service Post-Awakening  

 01:00:47 Understanding the Transition from Ego-Identification to Ego-Transcendence  

 01:04:41 The Influence of Meher Baba and the Journey to Self-Realization

 01:09:36 Embracing a Different Memory Post-Awakening

 01:13:03 Navigating Non-Doership and Embodiment  

 01:18:00 Understanding the Ego and Brahman  

 01:21:01 Rocket Ship as a Metaphor for Awakening  

 01:25:44 Understanding Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening  

 01:30:48 Illuminating the Ego: Pre and Post Awakening  

 01:35:40 Challenges of Kundalini Awakening  

 01:39:29 The Relationship Between Ego and Self-Realization

 01:44:19 Navigating the Role of a Spiritual Teacher

 01:49:30 The Role of Spirituality in Addressing Mental Illness

 01:53:13 Humanity's Journey Through Suffering to Awakening

 01:58:20 The Role of Donations in Spiritual Endeavors  

 02:02:07 Vision for a Peaceful Humanity  

 02:06:18 Exploring Life's Big Questions: Meaning, Reality, and Participation

 02:10:52 Embracing the Present Moment: The Power of What over Why  

 02:16:25 Upcoming Interview with Lisa Carrillo

Tanis Helliwell has seen higher realms and spoken with Masters, angels and elementals since childhood. Walking in many worlds, she led tours to sacred sites for two decades, was a management consultant working for over 30 years, and founded the International Institute for Transformation specializing in spiritual transformation in 2000.

A true mystic who has worked with Masters in higher realms since childhood, her gift is assisting others to develop a soul-infused personal life in harmony with spiritual laws. Her knowledge and understanding of other worlds and spiritual realms can be found in some of her most popular books:

Summer with the Leprechauns,

The Leprechaun’s Story,

HYBRIDS: So you think you are human,

The High Beings of Hawaii,

The Dragon's Tale, and

Good Morning Henry: An In-Depth Journey With the Body Intelligence.

Website: tanishelliwell.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded December 16.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction to Tanis Helliwell and Her Mystical Experiences  

 00:05:06 Yogananda's Astral Universe Exploration  

 00:09:55 The Intersection of Science and Spirituality

 00:13:25 Navigating Spiritual Breakthroughs in Modern Life

 00:17:29 Ken Wilber's Lines of Development Explained  

 00:21:34 Evolution of Souls: From Microbes to Humans

 00:26:07 Canadian Identity and Its Global Influence

 00:30:21 Interacting with Human Frequencies  

 00:35:14 Exploring Universal Reality and Intuition

 00:38:38 Overcoming Past Life Traumas and Societal Norms Shifts

 00:42:18 The Impact of Collective Consciousness  

 00:46:40 Exploring Human-Elemental Hybrids  

 00:49:47 Introduction to Elementals and Their Longevity  

 00:54:15 The Mythical Origins of Dragons and Mermaids  

 00:58:01 Near-Death Experience and Spiritual Awakening   

 01:01:29 Notable Figures as Elves in Mythology

 01:04:54 Understanding Star Beings and Their Qualities

 01:09:08 The Role of Elementals in Universal Orchestration  

 01:13:16 The Rise in Earth's Frequency and Cosmic Energies

 01:16:56 Aligning with Higher Consciousness and Personal Responsibility

 01:20:53 Seeds of Change and Global Consciousness  

 01:25:15 The Power of Frequency and Personal Transformation  

 01:28:42 Understanding the Role of Dragons in Higher Consciousness  

 01:33:29 Encounter with a Dragon in the Forest  

 01:37:48 Understanding Brahman and Totality in Vedic Literature

 01:41:47 The Story of the Old Chinese Farmer  

 01:45:17 The Legacy of Rudolf Steiner  

 01:49:45 The Importance of Ethics in Spirituality  

 01:53:25 The Importance of Critical Thinking and Discernment

 01:57:50 Understanding Hybrids and Unique Identities

 01:59:52 Raising Your Frequency through Magical Worlds

Tanis Helliwell has seen higher realms and spoken with Masters, angels and elementals since childhood. Walking in many worlds, she led tours to sacred sites for two decades, was a management consultant working for over 30 years, and founded the International Institute for Transformation specializing in spiritual transformation in 2000.

A true mystic who has worked with Masters in higher realms since childhood, her gift is assisting others to develop a soul-infused personal life in harmony with spiritual laws. Her knowledge and understanding of other worlds and spiritual realms can be found in some of her most popular books:

Summer with the Leprechauns,

The Leprechaun’s Story,

HYBRIDS: So you think you are human,

The High Beings of Hawaii,

The Dragon's Tale, and

Good Morning Henry: An In-Depth Journey With the Body Intelligence.

Website: tanishelliwell.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded December 16.

Efrat Shokef, Ph.D., is a mother to three spiritually aware teens. A daughter, wife, sister, writer, teacher, cosmic journeyer, a shamanic energy healing practitioner working primarily with children, teens, parents, and families, and the Author of The Promise We Made: Three Universal Soul Promises We Made to Our Children – Near Death Experience and the Parenting Teachings It Invites.

Efrat was severely injured in a car crash and experienced a profound near-death experience (NDE) when her three daughters were all still younger than four. Her journey of physical recovery, the integration of her NDE, and, at the same time, her inability to participate in the caretaking of her daughters sent her on a quest to the essence of motherhood. What makes us our child(ren)’s parent beyond the doing? A quest and insights she shared in her book, and on her website.

Efrat believes that when parents know/remember that they are more than their physical bodies or their confused, wounded emotions, they can recognize the luminosity of their child(ren). When we all accept that we are on a journey of growth, we can mirror the possibility of this Earthly journey to the children in our lives.

When we walk our essence and connect to who we are at our core, we can see that same luminosity in everyone, beyond gender, race, ethnicity, or age. Respecting all others, including our children— dependent humans, yet also powerful, experienced souls—becomes a way of life.

Explore articles and resources for Spiritually Aware Families and Contact Efrat through her website: https://efratshokef.com/

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Interview recorded December 8, 2024.

Born in Kenya, and of Indian ancestry, Riyaz came to North America when he was ten years old (growing up in Canada, and then moving to the United States as an adult). Each of these lands, peoples, and cultures has informed and shaped his expression and sensibilities. He is a product of both East and West.

Most of his adult life has been devoted to the study and practice of both psychotherapy and spirituality. And both of these disciplines have been integral to a path of healing and awakening. Professionally, his life’s work has been to bring together Eastern wisdom with Western science and psychology in a synergistic alliance.

After 26 years of mainly practicing as a psychotherapist, and many years of teaching and supervising students and interns in a transpersonally oriented graduate school (CIIS in San Francisco), he has shifted his work in a more explicitly spiritual direction. He now leads individuals and groups in spiritual work through groups, and day-long and multi-day retreats.

In April 2023, he received dharma transmission and the blessing of his teacher, Adyashanti.

Website: riyazmotan.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded November 26, 2024

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 Embracing Vulnerability in Teaching  

 00:03:24 Transition to Spiritual Teaching  

 00:06:25 The Unexpected Lung Cancer Diagnosis

 00:10:10 Embracing Life’s Challenges as Spiritual Lessons

 00:13:24 Philosophy of Evolution and Suffering  

 00:17:23 Embracing Mortality and Living Fully

 00:20:23 Wisdom from Sri Ramakrishna: Always Be Learning

 00:23:25 Navigating Cancer Treatment Challenges

 00:26:34 Embracing Alternative Healing Methods  

 00:29:41 Embracing Non-Western Healing Approaches  

 00:33:01 The Profound Experience of Near-Death and Out-of-Body Events   

 00:36:32 Personal Transformations Through Marriage  

 00:40:30 Embracing Earthly Spirituality

 00:45:53 The Impact of Spirituality as an Escape Mechanism

 00:49:46 Cultivating Presence for Emotional Healing

 00:53:54 The Power of Group Consciousness

 00:57:45 The Toll of Being a Spiritual Teacher  

 01:01:07 Embracing Vulnerability in Teaching

 01:05:08 The Evolution of Spiritual Teaching Methodologies

 01:08:57 Evolution of Teacher-Student Dynamics in Education  

 01:12:51 Importance of Preparatory Spiritual Practices  

 01:16:26 Lack of Spiritual Development and Global Issues

 01:19:34 Humanity’s Crisis and Opportunity for Change  

 01:22:26 Awakening of a New Consciousness

 01:26:27 Exploring Neurodivergence and Enhanced Perception

 01:30:28 Transformative Power of Psychedelics and Nature  

 01:33:46 Ayahuasca Experience: A Catalyst for Awakening  

 01:36:57 Spiritual Awakening through Nature and Retreats  

 01:40:52 Exploring the Hero Dose: Insights from Adyashanti  

 01:43:41 Transition from One-to-One Work to Spiritual Mentoring

 01:47:33 Upcoming Guests and Spiritual Experiences