Eva Natanya is Co-Founder and Resident Teacher at the Center for Contemplative Research at Miyo Samten Ling.

A scholar of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, Christian theology, and comparative religion, Dr. Natanya has served in many capacities as a spiritual teacher, academic lecturer, translator, and editor of Tibetan texts, writer, and retreat leader. Following a nine-year career as a professional ballet dancer with both the New York City Ballet and the Royal Ballet of England, she earned an MA in Christian Systematic Theology at the Graduate Theological Union and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. Her dissertation examined the complex interactions of Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Abhidharma teachings as they underlie the Vajrayāna philosophy of Je Tsongkhapa. She has worked closely with Dr. B. Alan Wallace on his translations for several books, including Open Mind: View and Meditation in the Lineage of Lerab Lingpa and Fathoming the Mind: Inquiry and Insight in Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence, and has co-taught meditation retreats with Dr. Wallace around the world. In a Christian context, she co-authored Living Resurrected Lives: What It Means and Why It Matters with Veronica Mary Rolf. She has spent more than three years in solitary meditation retreat, and remains in residence at Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, Colorado, guiding fellow retreatants in the details of contemplative training. Her website is: evanatanya.com.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded August 21, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:05:22 - Mystical Longing and Spiritual Quest

00:09:59 - The Discipline and Demands of Rehearsal and Performance

00:14:11 - Transition to Deep Education and Meditation

00:18:22 - Preparation for Solitary Retreat

00:23:26 - Challenges of Long-term Retreat Practice

00:27:50 - The connection between mind and pr??ic system

00:32:00 - Sensations of Pr??a and the Inner Body

00:36:14 - The Dangers of Kundalini and Inner-body Practices

00:40:35 - The Proper Meditation Posture and Settling the Mind

00:45:25 - The Process of Settling the Mind

00:49:54 - Integrating Meditation with Daily Life

00:54:20 - The Depths of Loving-Kindness

00:58:30 - Meditation and the Transformation of Worldview

01:02:51 - The Notion of a Person as a Temporary Conglomerate

01:08:02 - The karmic cause of suffering and purification possibilities

01:12:21 - Reincarnation and Hypotheses of Past Lives

01:16:16 - Dream Lives and Illusion of Self

01:20:56 - Pratityasamutpada and the Two Realities

01:25:34 - The Illusory Nature of Things

01:29:51 - The Trinity in Christian Theology and Buddhism

01:35:06 - The Divine Light and Celestial Perception

01:39:40 - The Manifestation of Divinity in Every Little Thing

01:44:55 - The True Nature and Buddha Nature

01:50:25 - The transcendence of death in different cultures

01:55:27 - The Vastness of Awareness in Buddhism

01:59:28 - Finding a Path and Authentic Teachers

02:04:15 - Authenticity and Discernment in Choosing a Teacher

02:08:53 - Unconventional Behavior in the Name of Crazy Wisdom

02:13:19 - The Concept of Enlightenment

02:17:51 - Taking a Step towards Enlightenment

Peter Russell is a leading thinker on consciousness and contemporary spirituality. He coined the term "global brain" with his 1980s bestseller of the same name in which he predicted the Internet and the impact it would have on humanity. His new book, Letting Go of Nothing: Relax Your Mind and Discover the Wonder of Your True Nature, is published this August. He is the author of ten other books, including Waking Up in Time: Finding Inner Peace in Times of Accelerating Change and From Science to God: A Physicist’s Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness.

He studied theoretical physics, experimental psychology, and computer science at the University of Cambridge, and pioneered the introduction of personal growth programs to corporations, running courses for senior management on creativity, stress management, and sustainable development.

His mission is to distill the essential wisdom on human consciousness found in the world’s various spiritual traditions and to disseminate their teachings on self-liberation in contemporary and compelling ways.

Peter's website: peterrussell.com

Peter's YouTube channel

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

First BatGap interview with Peter.

Interview recorded August 14, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:04:22 - Exploring Intelligent Design and Nature's Orchestration

00:07:34 - The Release of Letting Go

00:11:19 - Letting Go of Attachments through Body Awareness

00:16:56 - The Fundamental Motivation

00:21:56 - The Search for Inner Peace

00:26:06 - The Natural Mind

00:31:36 - Falling and Finding Contentment

00:41:50 - Distractions and Inner Quietness

00:47:37 - The Limitations of Books on the Spiritual Path

00:51:40 - Starting with Simple Meditation Techniques

00:55:08 - The Effects of Technological Acceleration

00:58:24 - The Innovative Power of Humans

01:01:18 - The Potential Limits of Technological Acceleration

01:04:20 - The Unsustainability of our Civilization

01:07:09 - Understanding the Trajectory

01:10:03 - The Importance of Becoming Better Human Beings

01:13:14 - The Importance of Confidence and Speculation

01:16:11 - The Power of Now

01:19:01 - The Two Aspects of Emotions

01:22:12 - Letting Go and Moving On

01:25:19 - The Doer and the Divine

01:29:07 - Synchronicity and Nature's Favor

01:32:37 - Attuning to Divine Intelligence

01:36:11 - The Natural Tendency of the Mind

01:39:32 - Letting Go: The Essence of Forgiveness

01:42:31 - Letting go of Judgments and Grievances

01:45:46 - The Vicious Circle of Attack and Defense

01:48:55 - The Power of Apologizing and Being Kind

01:52:01 - Mindfulness of Being Webinars

01:54:41 - Reflecting on the Talk with Peter

Julie Beischel, Ph.D., is the co-founder and Director of Research at the Windbridge Research Center. She received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology with a minor in Microbiology and Immunology. Her current research mainly focuses on mediums: individuals who experience communication with the deceased. Dr. Beischel has published research examining mediums’ accuracy and their experiences, psychology, and physiology, and the potential therapeutic application of mediumship readings during bereavement. Her research interests also include spontaneous, facilitated, assisted, and requested after-death communication experiences. She lives in Arizona with her husband and research partner, Mark Boccuzzi, and their two dogs.

Books:

Investigating Mediums: A Windbridge Institute Collection

Among Mediums: A Scientist's Quest for Answers

Meaningful Messages: Making the Most of Your Mediumship Reading

From the Mouths of Mediums Vol. 1: Experiencing Communication (From the Mouths of Mediums: Conversations with Windbridge Certified Research Mediums)

Website: windbridge.org

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded August 7, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:02:42 - The Afterlife and Mediumship

00:05:08 - Exploring Mediumship and the Afterlife

00:07:24 - Fear of Death and Its Impact on Psychology and Worldviews

00:09:53 - Investigating Medium Readings

00:12:31 - Medium Screening and Certification Procedure

00:15:37 - Disproving the Hypothesis of Medium Fraudulent Behavior

00:18:33 - Mediumship and Psychic Abilities

00:21:16 - Paradigms and Scientific Closed-Mindedness

00:26:37 - The Limitations of Medium Abilities

00:32:35 - Psychic Abilities and Predicting the Future

00:35:40 - The Continuation of Consciousness After Death

00:38:54 - The Possibility of an Afterlife

00:41:59 - Communication with Deceased Spirits

00:45:04 - The Five People Involved in the Protocol

00:47:58 - Autoimmune Diseases and Mediumship

00:51:01 - The Connection Between Mediumship and Autoimmune Diseases

00:54:06 - Different Levels of Trance Consciousness in Mediumship

00:57:10 - Physical Mediumship and Table Tipping

01:00:25 - Emotional Impact of Animal Loss

01:03:49 - Normalizing After-Death Communication Experiences

01:09:16 - Incorporating Afterlife Beliefs into Mental Health Practices

01:13:36 - The Fascination with Non-Local Consciousness

01:16:23 - The interconnectedness of the universe

01:19:10 - Quality of Life over Quantity of Days

01:21:48 - Terminal Lucidity and Mediumship

01:24:30 - Alleviating Suffering through Mediumship

01:28:14 - Studying Mediumship in its Natural Environment

01:31:13 - Peer-reviewed papers and replication difficulties

01:33:57 - Mediumship Readings and Being Open-Minded

01:36:10 - Farewell and Thanks

Dr. Jim Tucker is the Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. He is Director of the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, where he is continuing the work of Ian Stevenson with children who report memories of previous lives. He is the author of Before: Children's Memories of Previous Lives, a new 2-in-1 edition of his books Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives and Return to Life: Extraordinary Cases of Children Who Remember Past Lives, which together have been translated into twenty languages.

Websites:

jimbtucker.com

Division of Perceptual Studies

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded July 31, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:02:48 - Motivation for Research

00:05:44 - Challenging the Physical Understanding of Reality

00:10:10 - The Evolution of Spiritual Beings

00:14:57 - The Middle Ages and Beliefs

00:22:17 - The Fascinating Case of James Houston

00:25:50 - Paradigm Shift and Understanding the Deeper Nature of Reality

00:29:37 - The Value of Consciousness and Past Life Memories

00:34:09 - Hypnotic Regression and Past Lives Experiences

00:38:17 - Reincarnation stories and choosing parents

00:43:14 - Children's Memories of Past and Future Lives

00:47:06 - Indicators of Past Life Skills

00:50:24 - Birthmarks and Reincarnation

00:53:56 - The Five Sheaths in Sanskrit Tradition

00:57:10 - Hypnotic Regression and Dr. Brian Weiss's Work

01:00:11 - The Potential for Harm and Benefit in Past Life Research

01:03:21 - Disincarnate Entities and Incarnation

01:06:35 - Recent Lives and Intact Memories

01:09:22 - Unfinished Business and Emotional Ties

01:11:59 - Skepticism and Debating Past Life Cases

01:15:08 - Unusual Behaviors in Children with Past Life Memories

01:18:13 - Impact of Past Lives on Gender Development

01:21:25 - Reincarnation and Transmigration across Species

01:24:13 - The Possibility of Consciousness on Other Planets

01:27:51 - The Hollywood Case and Past Life Memories

01:31:21 - Verifying Ryan's Statements and the Impacts of Past Life Memories

01:34:54 - Possibilities of Past Lives and Sequential Reincarnation

01:38:16 - The Malleability of Time

01:41:39 - The Pursuit of Inner Happiness

01:45:56 - A Potential Shift Ahead

01:48:11 - Next episode preview and introduction

This interview centered around Sadhvi's new book, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation.

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Ph.D. is a renowned spiritual leader, author, and motivational speaker based in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Los Angeles and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji has been ordained into the sacred order of Sanyas by her guru HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and has been living at Parmarth Niketan Ashram for the past twenty-five years. She is the Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; president of Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation that runs free schools, vocational training programs, and empowerment programs; and director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh—which has been covered in Time, CNN, the New York Times and other prestigious publications and has been addressed by both the Prime Minister and Vice President of India. She serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and on the steering committees of the International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) and the Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty, a campaign by the United Nations and World Bank. She was also the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. She oversees a variety of humanitarian projects, teaches meditation, lectures, writes, counsels individuals and families, and serves as a unique female voice of spiritual leadership throughout India and the world.

Websites:

Sadhviji.org (personal site)

Sadhviji's TED talk

@SadhviBhagawatiSaraswati (Sadhviji's Facebook page with announcements of events, videos, etc.)

@ParmarthNiketan (Parmarth's Facebook page where they stream Sadhviji's satsangs live daily when she is in town.)

Youtube channel with all of the videos of Sadhviji's lectures (and also a lot of other good stuff...)

Twitter: @SadhviBhagawati

Book: Vegetarianism: For Our Bodies, Our Minds, Our Souls & Our Planet

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

First BatGap interview with Sadhvi.

Interview recorded July 25, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:03:30 - Honesty and Humaneness in Spiritual Awakening

00:07:49 - Bridging the Gap: Hollywood to the Himalayas

00:11:38 - The Shift in Perception

00:15:15 - A Sudden Knowing in Rishikesh

00:19:19 - A Profound Spiritual Experience on the Banks of Ganga

00:23:52 - Swarg Ashram: The Heavenly Abode

00:27:41 - The Beauty of Being Non-Verbal

00:31:29 - Living in the Deepest Level of Awareness

00:34:52 - Shame and Authenticity

00:38:01 - The Humility of an Enlightened Master

00:41:14 - The Qualities of the Guru

00:44:41 - The Light of the Guru

00:48:02 - The Garden and its Animals

00:51:03 - The Story of the Sleeves and the Cat

00:54:17 - Emptying the Cup and Finding the Guru

00:57:46 - Overcoming Unconscious Patterns with Mindfulness

01:01:24 - Being Present in Daily Life

01:04:39 - Productivity in Moments of Freedom

01:07:10 - The Experience of Grace without Spiritual Practice

01:10:43 - A Transformational Experience

01:14:11 - Renunciation and Transformation

01:17:36 - The Biological Urge for a Baby

01:21:01 - The Journey of Forgiveness

01:24:25 - The Power of Forgiveness

01:27:47 - The Stain on Our Hearts

01:30:53 - Letting Go with Forgiveness

01:34:05 - Understanding Dis-ease and Harm towards Others

01:37:10 - The Transformation and Healing Journey

01:40:39 - Sharing and Appreciation

01:43:26 - The Spiritual Path

Stephan Bodian is a teacher in the nondual wisdom tradition of Zen, Dzogchen, and Advaita Vedanta and the founder and director of the annual School for Awakening, an intensive six-month program of exploration and study. His offerings are noted for their humor, warmth, spontaneity, and intimacy and combine direct pointers, lively dialogues, silent sitting, and guided self-inquiry. He’s the author of several books, including Wake Up Now: A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening and Beyond Mindfulness: The Direct Approach to Lasting Peace, Happiness, and Love.

Stephan spent a decade practicing Zen intensively as a monk but left the monastery because he sensed that the rigorous practice of meditation was obscuring the truth he was seeking. After studying Dzogchen for several years, he met his guru, Jean Klein, a European teacher of Advaita Vedanta, who told him to stop meditating and instead discover the meditator. Shortly after meeting Jean, he had a profound awakening to his true identity as timeless presence. After Jean’s death, Stephan met Adyashanti, and in 2001 Adya gave him Dharma transmission and invited him to teach.

Trained as a psychotherapist, Stephan also offers individual spiritual counseling and mentoring sessions to people throughout the world. His approach blends direct, experiential, nondual wisdom with the insights of Western psychology to support students in realizing who they really are while inquiring into the stories and patterns of thinking and behaving that continue to cause suffering.

Website: stephanbodian.org

Other books:

Meditation For Dummies, w/Audio CD (Also available in various languages.)

Timeless Visions, Healing Voices: Conversations with Men & Women of the Spirit

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

First BatGap interview with Stephan.

Interview recorded July 11, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:05:20 - A Shift in the Locus of Identity

00:10:00 - The Vastness and Dream States

00:15:05 - Roshi's Uninhibited Behavior and the Fall of the Center

00:20:18 - Bodhidharma's Precepts and Acting in Integrity

00:25:13 - The Ugly Truth and Confrontational Behavior

00:30:15 - Dealing with the Shadow and Integrity

00:35:01 - Narcissism in Spiritual Teachers and the Direct Path

00:39:53 - Awakening and the Role of the Teacher

00:44:51 - The Role of Teachers and the Need for Discernment

00:49:48 - The Impressionability of the Mind

00:54:19 - The Interface Between Science and Spirituality

00:57:59 - The Direct Meeting and Potential for Transmission

01:01:23 - The Pitfalls of Spiritual Teachers and Sex

01:05:31 - Boundary-crossing and predatory behavior

01:09:01 - Spiritual Teachers and Dark Triad Qualities

01:12:56 - The Importance of Care in Spiritual Evolution

01:16:34 - Relationships and Higher Callings

01:19:59 - The Literary Invention of Crazy Wisdom

01:23:47 - Compassionate Being and True Crazy Wisdom

01:27:12 - Starting a New University

01:30:43 - The Strange Fit Between Narcissists and Spiritual Teachers

01:34:16 - Embracing Human Relationships

01:37:51 - Giving Power Away and Seeking Enlightenment

01:41:49 - Being Your Own Authority

01:45:11 - The Horse and the Whip

01:48:28 - Different Spiritual Teachers and their Teachings

01:51:57 - The True Guru Within

01:55:49 - The Awakening Journey

01:59:32 - The Role of a Spiritual Teacher

02:03:10 - School for Awakening

Stephen C. Meyer received his Ph.D. in the philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge. A former geophysicist and college professor, he now directs Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. Meyer is author of the New York Times bestseller Darwin's Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design and Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design, a (London) Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year. In 2004, Meyer ignited a firestorm of media and scientific controversy when a biology journal at the Smithsonian Institution published his peer-reviewed scientific article advancing intelligent design. Meyer has been featured on national television and radio programs, including The Jim Lehrer News Hour, CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, Good Morning America, Nightline, FOX News Live, Paula Zahn Now (CNN), and the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS. He has also been featured in two New York Times front-page stories and has garnered attention in other top national media.

Latest Book: Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe

Website: stephencmeyer.org

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded July 9, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:03:42 - Introduction to Stephen's Work and Book

00:07:28 - The Intelligent Cause of DNA Information

00:10:29 - The Complexity of Natural Processes and Intelligent Design

00:13:23 - The Fine-tuning of the Laws of Physics

00:16:31 - The Fine-tuned Universe and Intelligent Design

00:19:38 - The Multiverse Hypothesis and Fine-Tuning

00:22:29 - Fine-tuning and Intelligent Agency

00:25:52 - The Shift from Religion to Materialism

00:29:04 - Different Views on the Nature of God

00:32:14 - Exploring Different Philosophical Conceptions

00:35:12 - The Power of Divine Agency

00:38:28 - God's Imminence and Transcendence

00:42:10 - Theistic and Pantheistic Versions of Eastern Religions

00:45:46 - Waves on the Ocean of Intelligence

00:49:59 - The Importance of Intelligent Design

00:54:57 - The Search for Meaning and Existence

01:02:02 - Storing and Reconstituting Information

01:07:28 - Near-Death Experiences and the Survival of the Soul

01:14:29 - The Existence of God through Logical Reasoning and Personal Experience

01:21:19 - The Combination of Rationality and Empiricism

01:26:45 - The Scientific Attitude in Spirituality

01:31:33 - The Role of Faith in Knowledge and Science

01:36:08 - Belief in the Unseen: Quarks, Electrons, and God

01:39:53 - Miracles and the Laws of Nature

01:46:20 - Intelligent Design and Limited Creative Power

01:52:28 - Mathematical Platonism and the Applicability of Maths to the Physical World

01:58:50 - Evaluation of Pantheism and Advaita

02:03:13 - The Challenges of Teaching Intelligent Design in Public Schools

02:08:52 - Belief in Intelligent Design across different religions

02:14:16 - Links to Stephen's Books and Audible Availability

Chelan Harkin has been channeling ecstatic poetry for years and has now published two books in the past seven months, Susceptible to Light and Let Us Dance!: The Stumble and Whirl With The Beloved. Her publishing journey has been mystical and transformational and filled with "prayer experiments" gone right. Chelan has regularly been compared to the great mystic poets, Rumi, Hafiz, and Rilke. She lives in a geographically spectacular region of Washington State, The Columbia Gorge, with her husband and two small children. In her poetry and in her life, Chelan continually invites the fumbling, suffering parts of our nature and our divinity to meet for tea in the heart, to have a great laugh, and share a big hug.

Website: chelanharkin.com

Facebook page

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded July 3, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:04:59 - Connecting with Hafez: Inspiring Poetry and Publishing Success

00:09:55 - The Spontaneous Poem

00:14:14 - The Feeling of a Coming Poem

00:17:55 - Unleashing Our Inner Genius

00:21:48 - The Birth of Creativity

00:26:12 - Healing through Hypnotherapy

00:30:33 - Reframing and Reclaiming "I'm Too Much"

00:35:15 - Inspiration from Night Walks

00:39:32 - The Humility of Relationships

00:43:15 - The Worst Thing We Ever Did

00:47:36 - Opening Up to Vulnerability

00:52:09 - The Strength in Sensitivity

00:56:56 - The Essence of Infinity and Connection

01:01:11 - A Serendipitous Connection with Daniel

01:05:35 - Summoning Poetry with Hafez

01:09:32 - Chelan's Spiritual Upbringing

01:13:31 - A Sacred Experience in Bahala's Prison Cell

01:17:04 - Chelan's Aneurysm Journey

01:20:33 - The Impact of Diet and Social Media on Channeling Abilities

01:24:39 - The Thirst for Intellectual Knowledge

01:28:52 - The Potency of Embodied Spirituality

01:33:28 - The Power of Prayer

01:37:34 - Finding Joy in Work

01:41:18 - The God Who Made the Octopus

01:45:28 - The Cosmic Wallop and Cosmic Timing

01:49:19 - Discovering the Poet Within

01:52:33 - The Power of Language

01:56:21 - Living an Authentic Truth

01:59:41 - Openness to Opportunities

02:03:11 - Farewell and Good Wishes

Ilia Delio, OSF holds the Josephine C. Connelly Chair in Christian Theology at Villanova University. Her area of research is Science and Religion with interests in artificial intelligence, evolution, quantum physics, and the import of these for Christian doctrine and life. She holds a doctorate in Pharmacology from Rutgers University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and a doctorate in Historical Theology from Fordham University. She is the author of over twenty books including Making All things New (Catholicity in an Evolving Universe), a finalist for the 2019 Michael Ramsey Prize and The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution, and the Power of Love, for which she won the 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award and a 2014 Catholic Press Association Book Award in Faith and Science. Her latest book is Re-Enchanting the Earth: Why AI Needs Religion. She is the founder of the Center for Christogenesis, an online educational resource for promoting the vision of Teilhard de Chardin and, more broadly, the integration of science and religion in the 21st century.

Some of the main points discussed in this conversation.

What is God?

As we enter the mystery of God, language fails us, and the mystery grasps us all the more.

The mystery of God is the same mystery at the heart of physics.

There’s nothing outside the existence of God. God is existence itself.

God’s love is so infinite that there is nothing in this creation that’s un-loveable or unloved by God.

This is a finite creation. Wherever there are boundaries there is the possibility of suffering.  Suffering and death are part of the life cycle.

Reincarnation discussion. Are multiple incarnations sequential or simultaneous?

A deep experience of the mystery of God supports the freedom to speculate, dream, and imagine.

Science and religion need one another in order to fully understand the world.

The necessity and drawbacks of specialization and the complexification of knowledge.

If our hearts are grounded in holy mystery we become more fully God-like in our actions.

Humanity won’t have a sustainable future unless we renew the deeper dimension in our lives.

Cyborgs and transhumanism

The mutually beneficial relationship between spiritual and material technologies.

A profound spiritual transformation is underway.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s idea of a new religion of the earth, retaining the wisdom of the past but creating something new for the future.

Wherever in the universe intelligent life exists, it will search for ultimate intelligence.

Intelligent design

The core energy of the universe – God - is love. The force that creates stars is the same force that manifests as love in humans.

Love is the highest knowledge. In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love alone.

Making love the lens through which we see all of life.

“The more I am in union with another, the more I am in touch with myself because it’s the core of myself that’s in union.”

What might the world be like if everyone were enlightened?

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded June 26, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:03:18 - The Scope of Topics to Be Discussed

00:05:49 - The Name of God and Absolute Mystery

00:08:11 - The Ineffable Mystery of God

00:11:27 - The Nature of Consciousness and God

00:14:50 - God as the Consciousness of Consciousness

00:18:04 - The Trinity and God's Creative Potential

00:21:45 - Realizing our Divine Potential

00:25:43 - The Mystery of Matter and God's Creative Activity

00:29:12 - Matter and Divine Activity

00:35:08 - The Beauty of Life and the Wholeness of Being

00:39:32 - Quantum Entanglement and Multiple Realms of Existence

00:44:23 - The Unity of Science and Religion

From her teenage years onwards Tara has been deeply interested in personal growth and self-development and has dedicated her life to this quest.

Tara holds an M.A. in Education and has post-graduate qualifications in gestalt therapy, body awareness therapy, and transpersonal therapy. She is a fully qualified and licensed psychotherapist and counselor. Tara has worked as a drug counselor, counselor for adolescents, and general psychotherapist since 1988.

Tara has been a dedicated Buddhist practitioner since 1986. In 1997 she received encouragement from her Buddhist teacher Rigdzin Shikpo to teach meditation to others. In 2002 her Buddhist teacher Venerable Garchen Rinpoche also encouraged her to teach.

Tara has since taught ongoing meditation groups and combines Buddhist wisdom and her experience in counseling when assisting her clients with their personal growth, self-development, and improvement.

Since 2011 Tara has specialized in helping people suffering from kundalini syndrome.

Tara is the author of several self-help books. She has been featured in numerous publications and has appeared on various radio and television shows in Europe and the US. Tara is a regular contributor to beliefnet.com.

Tara (born 1960) lives in the beautiful countryside of Devon in England where she also works in her private counseling (Skype) practice together with her husband Nigel. In her free time, Tara loves to walk in nature, visit old-fashioned English tea rooms, and lavish many hours of work on her flower garden.

Websites

taraspringett.com

kundalinisymptoms.com

Books

Healing Kundalini Symptoms: Proven Techniques That Really Work

Enlightenment Through the Path of Kundalini: A Guide to a Positive Spiritual Awakening and Overcoming Kundalini Syndrome

Spiritual Joy: The Buddhist Dzogchen Path to Enlightenment

Advanced Manifesting - Tibetan Buddhist Secrets for Fulfilling Your Dreams

Higher-Consciousness Healing: Discover Your Personal Healing-Symbols to Solve All Your Problems

Soulmate Relationships: How to find, keep and understand your perfect partner

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded June 19, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

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

00:04:41 - Managing Negative Emotions and Scary Energy Movements

00:09:08 - The Process of Kundalini Awakening and Kriyas

00:13:32 - Storing Traumas in the Body

00:18:08 - The Correlation Between Chinese Medicine and Subtle Body

00:22:26 - Four Levels of Spiritual Practice

00:26:59 - The Experience of Being the Deity

00:31:26 - The Levels of Development in Dzogchen Teaching

00:35:24 - Working with the Chakras for Awakening Kundalini

00:39:21 - Speaking the Truth with Diplomacy

00:43:37 - Kundalini Awakening and Clearing Deep-Seated Issues

00:48:03 - Becoming a Deity in Tibetan Buddhism

00:52:21 - Contradictions in Buddhist Teachings

00:56:55 - Coexistence of Mental Health and Kundalini Symptoms

01:01:45 - The Relationship between Kundalini Awakening and Mental Disorders

01:06:28 - The Dangers of Kundalini Awakening via Drugs

01:10:27 - Deflected Kundalini Rising and its Consequences

01:14:52 - Kundalini awakening and its accessibility through the internet

01:19:15 - The Starting Point: Kundalini Awakening

01:23:26 - Signs of Progress in Meditation

01:27:47 - The Evolution of Relationships and the Tantric Relationship

01:32:18 - Managing Sensitivity

01:36:47 - Pacing Yourself in the Enlightenment Process

01:41:19 - Dzogrim and the Fusion of Control, Surrender, and Love

01:45:30 - Balancing Judgment and Acceptance

01:49:31 - Balancing Bliss States and Family Life

01:53:50 - The Health Benefits of Kundalini Awakening

01:58:06 - Kundalini Awakening and Prophetic Dreams