Buddha At The Gas Pump

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Ph.D. is a Sufi teacher and author. Born in London he moved to Northern California in 1991 and founded the Golden Sufi Center, (goldensufi.org). In recent years the focus of his writing and teaching has been on spiritual responsibility in our present time of global crisis, and an awakening global consciousness of oneness (workingwithoneness.org) (Working with Oneness). More recently he has written about the feminine (The Return of the Feminine and the World Soul), and the emerging subject of Spiritual Ecology (emergencemagazine.org) He has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on Super Soul Sunday and featured on the Global Spirit Series shown on PBS. His most recent book is Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth. Much of this interview focused on the topic of that book. Other books: Darkening of the Light: Witnessing the End of an Era Fragments of a Love Story: Reflections on the Life of a Mystic Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism Sufism: The Transformation of th

Kiran Trace is an internationally known spiritual teacher and author. She died of massive spontaneous awakening into her true nature, then eight years later, and at the encouragement of Moni Vangolen, Thomas Stubbs, Adyashanti, and others, she began to talk and teach. Because she spontaneously awoke, with no prior spiritual background, orientation or understanding, she is known for her unique point of view. Folks often call her teachings “fresh” because she doesn't have any spiritual language or point to any lineage. She sees primarily from vast stillness and embodies "the world" from an "inside-outside" point of view.  Seeing the coding of the universe in order to see the universe, it’s very “matrix” like. Visit more of her works and teachings at kirantrace.com, or visit her YouTube channel. Interview recorded 11/2/2013 Transcript of this interview. Kiran's 2nd Batgap interview. Kiran Trace in Batgap Panel at Sofia U. Part 1 | Part 2 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube

Laurie Moore, LMFT, CHT, Ph.D. offers human sessions and readings as well as animal readings in person, by phone, and by Skype. Dr. Laurie Moore’s website. From Dr. Laurie Moore: We think the world exists in frozen ways.  “She is kind. The teacher is the real deal. Today is warm. My husband is the best.” However, everything is changing. Your motives, your teacher’s motives, your loved one’s motives are all in flux. The only opportunity you have is to return to the essence of peace now and to make your choices within the contexts in which you are operating now. All our attempts to sum up spirituality into concepts are false safety, ways to feel secure, and ideas with which to label our identities. These will all dissipate a moment later. I was an activist from age 7 on. With surging love in my heart, I set up social change and social service movements at school and learning programs in the neighborhood. I appeared on the capitol steps with a petition to ban aerosols presented to Congress Man Gilbert Gude a

Deepak Chopra, MD, serves as the Founder and Chairman of the Board for The Chopra Foundation. As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Deepak Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of more than seventy-five books with twenty-one New York Times best sellers in both fiction and non-fiction, his works have been published in more than thirty-five languages. Chopra’s medical training is in internal medicine and endocrinology and he is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. He serves as the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Founder of The Chopra Well on YouTube, Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, Columbia University,  Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization and board of directors, HESA. 

At the 2013 Science and Non-Duality Conference in San Jose, I moderated a panel with Igor Kufayev, Jac O'Keeffe, and Francis Bennett as participants. We decided to videotape a discussion the night before in which we could develop and refine what we would discuss in the conference presentation. We had begun doing that in a hotel meeting room, when we were informed that due to contractual agreements between conference organizers and the hotel, the room had to be vacated and locked. So we took our discussion outside where it became a much more informal dialog. It was taped on an iPhone, with background music for the first several minutes, jets flying overhead, etc. So the audio quality isn't ideal, but many in the audience which gathered felt it was a very useful discussion which deserved a wider audience. So I'm posting it here, in audio only. Here's the published abstract of the panel discussion. This "pre-panel" discussion covers a lot more ground: Is Awakening, as it’s commonly understood, merely the reali

Jerry Freeman has been practicing Transcendental Meditation, the advanced techniques of TM, and the TM Sidhis program beginning shortly before turning nineteen, over 40 years ago. He was trained by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation the following year, lived for some years in the semi-monastic program Maharishi founded, and has continued to study Maharishi’s teachings to this day. He writes about Maharishi’s insights into the development of higher major states of consciousness, as they relate to today’s discussions of Advaita, Vedanta, awakening, Self-realization and enlightenment. He is presently working on a book on this subject, tentatively titled: The Enlightenment Puzzle: what everyone should know about awakening. In the book’s introduction, he states, “What I have to say here is not my own invention. … What I will say here is not an official presentation of Maharishi’s teaching, as it includes numerous observations and conclusions that are my own. However, the great insight

David Godman has lived in India since 1976, mostly in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He spent his time there studying and practicing the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. His anthology of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings, Be As You Are, is probably the most widely read book on Sri Ramana’s teachings. During his fourteen-year stay at Ramanasramam (1978-92), he managed the ashram’s library, cataloged its archives, and recorded the stories and experiences of devotees who had had direct contact with Sri Ramana. David is the authorized biographer of two devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Lakshmana Swamy and Papaji) who realized the Self in Sri Ramana’s presence and who later went on to become gurus themselves. He has written and published several other books that contain first-person accounts of devotees who moved closely with Sri Ramana Maharshi and who were transformed by his power and presence. In collaboration with two Tamil scholars, T. V. Venkatasubramanian and Robert Butler, he translated and edited several Tamil

Swami Khecaranatha has been teaching Kundalini Sadhana since 1972. With a mastery etched from five decades of inner practice and selfless service, he is an authentic adept of Tantric Shaivism and an initiated carrier in the Shakti Transmission Lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda and Swami Rudrananda (Rudi). Khecaranatha is the spiritual leader of Heart of Consciousness, which is based at Nityakash, his retreat center on Maui, Hawaii. Swami Khecaranatha was not born to privilege or in a spiritual environment, but to an American family in circumstances comparable to those of most of his readers. While living in an ashram for thirty years he also held several “real-world” jobs, including that of CEO of a multimillion-dollar publishing/consulting business. This personal experience has strengthened Swami Khecaranatha's conviction that it is possible to live fully in the world while developing and maintaining one's conscious connection with the Divinity within. From this platform, he is able to discuss spiritual growth

Peter Francis Dziuban (pronounced Joobin) is a writer and speaker on awareness and spirituality. His first book, Consciousness Is All: Now Life Is Completely New, has helped thousands enjoy greater happiness, freedom, and clarity in Life. Peter has just completed his second book, Simply Notice: Clear Awareness Is the Key To Happiness, Love and Freedom. Simply Notice is intended to be a series of books, designed to make the deeper points of Awareness clear and accessible to the general public. Peter's work benefits so many because it is not tied to any one teaching or religion. He has studied this field for over 40 years, since attending the University of Notre Dame; he also worked many years in corporate America. Now residing in Arizona, Peter enjoys the outdoors. Peter is available for workshops, webinars, and consultations. Please visit: consciousnessisall.com. Transcript of this interview Interview conducted 9/28/2013 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters:

The defining moment of my life came when I was a 21 yr old college student. I had the undeniable experience that I am one with God, one with all that is. This experience has never left me. The rest of my life has been dedicated to going deeper into that experience and all its ramifications. I started a quest which I called my search for the Kingdom of Heaven. This was an inward search, a research into my self. As I looked deeply and honestly within my self, Divine qualities were revealed. First, Divine Light appeared, then the nurturing quality of Divine Love manifested. Other Divine qualities emerged. I discovered that these Divine qualities could be called upon to improve my daily life and the lives of my family and friends. As I worked with the Divine qualities, I began to receive guidance and knowledge from a Divine Presence. At first, it came from Jesus. Later, Mother God made her self known to me and offered a great wealth of Divine wisdom. In time I began working with people outside my own family. T

Catherine Ingram is an international dharma teacher with communities in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Since 1992 she has led Dharma Dialogues, which are public events that focus on directing awareness toward greater wellbeing in an ethical and happy life. Catherine also leads numerous silent retreats each year in conjunction with Dharma Dialogues. She is president of Living Dharma, an educational non-profit organization founded in 1995. Catherine has been the subject of numerous print, television, and radio interviews and is included in several anthologies about teachers in the west. A former journalist specializing in issues of consciousness and activism, Catherine Ingram is the author of two books of nonfiction, which are published in numerous languages: In the Footsteps of Gandhi: Conversations with Spiritual Social Activists (Parallax Press, 1990) and Passionate Presence: Seven Qualities of Awakened Awareness (Penguin Putnam, 2003); and one novel, A Crack in Everything (Diamond Books, 2006). Over a f

Kosi is a spiritual teacher and author who offers a simple invitation to stop and discover the freedom that you are. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech and had a successful career in computer software sales, but was surprised that her financial success offered no lasting happiness or fulfillment and her spiritual search began in 1996. In June of 2001, after spending time with several of the world's most renowned spiritual teachers and traditions, she reached a point of profound disillusionment and prayed for an enlightened master. Fourteen days later in she was introduced to Gangaji and the life-changing teaching of Ramana Maharshi. Kosi immediately recognized Gangaji as the master she prayed for and with Gangaji's sublime guidance and support, she realized the freedom of being—indescribable happiness and fulfillment. Since her very first meeting with Gangaji, Kosi felt that she was her true and final teacher, but this unexpectedly changed with the mysterious appearance of her Holiness Sri Amma Karunamayi

Thomas Hübl is a modern mystic, spiritual teacher, author, and systems-thinker. His work integrates the essence of the great wisdom traditions, scientific knowledge, and his own personal experience.  Thomas offers a unique approach to life as a 'mystic in the marketplace' and helps people to attain a deeper level of self-awareness and personal relationship and to transcend a 'culture of the personal' and a self-centered worldview. Through his work, people from all walks of life learn how to become a living expression of spirit and how to participate in 'we cultures' through an embodied inner and outer connection. His teachings combine transformation through the integration of trauma, somatic sensitization, advanced meditative practice, and a deepening understanding of cultural processes.  Since 2004, Thomas' leading-edge work has spread worldwide through workshops, multi-year training programs, and online courses. The non-profit 'Celebrate Life Festival' brings together more than 1,200 people every year and

Between 1976 and 1985 Michael James studied the teachings of Sri Ramana under the clear guidance of one of his foremost disciples, Sri Sadhu Om. Together they translated into English all the original Tamil writings of Sri Ramana, and also Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of Guru's Sayings) (the most profound, comprehensive, and reliable collection of the sayings of Sri Ramana, recorded in 1255 Tamil verses composed by Sri Muruganar, with an additional 42 verses composed by Sri Ramana) and various works of Sri Sadhu Om such as A Light on the Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Essence of Spiritual Practice Michael’s principal interest is the philosophy and practice of self-investigation (ātma-vicāra, ‘self-inquiry’) as taught by Sri Ramana, and he has written a detailed book on this subject: Happiness and the Art of Being: An introduction to the philosophy and practice of the spiritual teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana (Second Edition). Michael's website Transcript of this interview Chinese tra

Eric Isen has undergraduate degrees from Harvard University, the University of Paris, France and a Masters Degree in Spiritual Development from Maharishi European Research University. He spent 35 years as a Vedic Monk in the Transcendental Meditation Movement and has been totally focused on spiritual growth for himself and the world for over 45 years. He is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and medical intuitive by profession and has been passionately involved in the Oneness Movement since 2005. He was initiated as a Oneness Meditator in the Oneness Temple in May of 2012. In December 2012, through the Divine Grace of Sri AmmaBhagavan, Eric was blessed with Awakening. Websites: ayurvedicintuitive.com Livestream Facebook Transcript of this interview. Interview conducted 8/10/2013 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Interview with Eric Isen 00:05:09 - Adventures and Peak Experiences 00:09:34 - The Story of the Incarnat

Tom Catton has been in long-term recovery since October 20, 1971. His story appears in a twelve-step fellowship text with more than seven million copies in circulation around the world. Tom is invited to speak in the US and internationally several times a year at twelve-step conventions in front of audiences ranging from 500 to 10,000 people. He has been taking twelve-step meetings into the prison system in Hawaii since 1984. He has been active in service positions over the years, including serving on a committee that met for over three years to write a recovery text for a twelve-step fellowship. Tom is author of The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of the Awakening of a Spirit Tom is on the advisory board of the Buddhist Recovery Network, and is also trained in Tibetan singing bowl therapy. He leads a Buddhist recovery meditation group that meets twice a month in Hawaii. Trained in MBSR Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; also initiated in several schools of meditation and has practiced daily for 40 years. Tom's

This speaker known as Robin Pandey or being or energy whatever you want to call it, experienced something that is extraordinary in 2009 for an extended period of time, so after the experiencing or so-called awakening what is left here is Moksha Mukti.  So, who is Moksha Mukti?  It is a being, a natural being that is free from the attachments of all conditioning-collection since the beginning of man if such a thing occurred.   So, why this Being is here?  This being or energy or let’s just say speaker in terms to express in the language, is simply interested in expressing how it is functioning essentially, fundamentally and naturally and this functioning involves thoughts, feelings, emotions, lust anger, pain, suffering, love, hate, fear, and so on.   This speaker sees these elements of life as illusion since they all arise from the one source and that is the Reality, and accepting the Reality is the path to experiencing extraordinary happiness, love, and peace, but that is not the real awakening or whatever e

In Who’s Driving the Dreambus? filmmakers Boris and Claire Jansch go on a personal journey to unravel what it means to be alive. This radical and challenging documentary ventures into the heart of the mystery of identity, flipping the idea of spiritual endeavor on its head, revealing a message so profound and yet so simple that it might just end the search. Who’s Driving the Dreambus? LIVE was a two-day conference held in London in August 2013. This is a conversation with two of the speakers at that conference. Tim Freke is the standup philosopher – a concept he developed from the ancient idea of a philosopher as a traveling ‘spiritual entertainer’ who transformed people’s consciousness. He is pioneering an accessible new way to experience a profound spiritual awakening, which fully embraces our tender, vulnerable, flawed humanity. He has spent his life exploring the awakened state he often simply calls the ‘mystery experience’ and is able to guide others directly to it. Other interviews with Tim here, her

Biographies seem to be of intense interest to many folks. It is not clear what purpose they serve, positive or negative, but as others include them, here is one. It is important to remember that a biography is only one version of the story, always remembered incorrectly, even if the intent is “total” honesty. Recent brain studies have shown that the brain modifies long-term memories and that they are not what was actually recorded by the mind, which was already highly subjective and selective. It is in the third person as it really didn’t happen to “me”. The author was raised in a devout Methodist home and through early adolescence was involved in religious affairs, giving annual religious talks. From early adolescence until his late twenties, he went through a secular life with marriage, two children, undergraduate school, military service, and then graduate school. Following a near-death experience in the military, he became intent on deeply exploring what was possible to bring understanding to life, to

~Love always returns for itself. Nothing is left behind, and when the return is done here, it continues to unite itself as others, because it is seen that there are no others.~ A lifelong spiritual explorer, Susanne Marie offers teachings in support of freedom, meeting in sacred mutuality, and celebrating our common essence of Love and Unity with all life. Her work is transformational and empowering, as she points to the remembering of That which we have always been, allowing truth to become ever more conscious of Itself through a human life. Susanne, the parent of two teenagers, lives in Northern California and works with individuals and groups, offering spiritual mentoring to those who feel called to work with her. She is available for Skype and phone sessions as well as open to invitations to share with groups. “Life is our ultimate teacher. While it’s true that being stripped naked of imagination by life’s challenging lessons can be a difficult pill to swallow, it’s equally true that it can be a major c