Buddha At The Gas Pump

Noah Samarkand (formerly, and referred to in the interview as Choboji) was a truth seeker from an early age. His approach has been one of meditation and creativity; uniting the relative and the ultimate truths. After many years of seeking he had an awakening experience that left him in constant awe of the world, and in a state of 'not-knowing'. While this was exceptional, something remained incomplete until he met his master Mevlana Mooji. Noah preferred to remain alone and anonymous. Any teachings or Satsangs were private one-on-one sessions, but after many requests to write and teach he wrote his first book Melody and Silence: The Selfish Bodhisattva and began public Satsangs. Integrating one's inner truth and living in the world is an important aspect of Noah's work. He is currently setting up a theatre company, studying drama, writing plays and running workshops in acting and performance. 'It is important to make one's life a dance or a work of art. To be fluid enough to be silent as a still lake, and

Ian Wolstenholme is an ordinary man who randomly awakened to the realized space in 1969. The assimilation of this process continues to this day, Ian was not transformed into a god or bestowed with remarkable powers. His consciousness was expanded to include the viewpoint from which the human condition could be examined and revealed to be as it is. Ian came to see the extent of our conditioning and the way in which this set of meanings govern life as it is lived. The massive false interpretations continue to be implanted as beliefs into the personalities of every being alive today. Realized space is freedom from belief and meaning and provides a mature acceptance of what is. This is not an easy place to live. Ian's book: Emotional Hostage: Negotiate Your Freedom Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 2/2/2013 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Awakening to Realized Space 00:03:29 - The Spectacular Event 00:06:12 - Fabrication of C

Ilie Cioara was an enlightened mystic who did not belong to any lineage or tradition of awakening. Jerry Katz describes his writings: “This work stands independently of ancient traditions, well known sages, and the current nonduality scene. That is refreshing. Ilie Cioara's works are among the finest books on nondual consciousness.“ Like Ramana Maharshi, Krishnamurti, and Eckhart Tolle, his is a simple message of discovering our inner divine nature through the silence of the mind. His original writings in 16 books describe the experience of meditation and enlightenment, as well as the practice of “Self-knowing” using all-encompassing Attention. Born in 1916, Cioara lived his life in almost complete isolation in Eastern Europe, in a communist country, completely oblivious of nonduality, zen etc. Originally a Christian mystic, he practiced a mantra for over 20 years. One day, he felt an intuitive impulse to drop the mantra, and just practice the silence of the mind, by listening to the noises on the street,

Fr. Thomas Keating was a founding member and the spiritual guide of Contemplative Outreach, LTD. He served on Contemplative Outreach's Board of Trustees since the organization's beginning. Fr. Keating was one of the principal architects and teachers of the Christian contemplative prayer movement and, in many ways, Contemplative Outreach is a manifestation of his longtime desire to contribute to the recovery of the contemplative dimension of Christianity. Fr. Keating's interest in contemplative prayer began during his freshman year at Yale University in 1940 when he became aware of the Church's history and of the writings of Christian mystics. Prompted by these studies and time spent in prayer and meditation, he experienced a profound realization that, on a spiritual level, the Scriptures call people to a personal relationship with God. Fr. Keating took this call to heart. He transferred to Fordham University in New York and, while waiting to be drafted for service in World War II, he received a deferment to

Dr. Kurt Johnson has worked in science and spirituality for over 40 years.  This dual career in science and spirituality is detailed at WIKIPEDIA.  In spirituality, Kurt is co-author of the recently published book The Coming Interspiritual Age, with David Robert Ord, the Editorial Director of Namaste Publishing (publishers of such spiritual teachers as Eckhart Tolle and Michael Brown). As a New Release, the book has been in Amazon’s Top Ten in Spirituality. Kurt was originally a Christian monk and founded, with Br. Wayne Teasdale and others, the InterSpiritual Dialogue Association for discussion of contemplative experience across traditions. Ordained in three spiritual traditions, he works also with The Contemplative Alliance and Integral Communities. In science, Kurt is the co-author of the best-selling Nabokov's Blues: The Scientific Odyssey of a Literary Genius, with Steve Coates of The New York Times, which was a Top Ten Book in science in 2000. Kurt’s PhD is in evolution, ecology, systematics and compa

In this second interview, we discuss yoga and psychology, among other topics. Mariana Caplan, PhD, MFT, RYT 500, 
is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and the author of six books in the fields of psychology and spirituality, including Yoga & Psyche, the award-winning Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path, the seminal Halfway Up the Mountain: the Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment, and The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher. She is the founder of The Yoga & Psyche Method™ and The Yoga & Psyche Conference™. She has been teaching workshops and trainings at major retreat centers, yoga studios, and universities throughout the world since 1997, and since 2001 been an adjunct professor and developed large public programs at The California Institute of Integral Studies, and taught at Naropa University, John F. Kennedy University, and Sophia University. Website: marianacaplan.com Other BatGap events involving Mariana 1st Mariana Caplan interview

At the age of 4 or 5 I was already feeling puzzled and confused by human behavior. At the age of 11, due to the discovery of the identity of my real mother, I lost respect and credibility for human culture and there arose in me an urge to understand the unreasonable behavior of humans. The search for truth started in the streets and I went through multiple phases: drugs, alcohol, religion, shamanism, spiritism, politics, revolution and spirituality. I didn’t find anything there but brief moments of tranquility - nothing permanent and tangible that could be called THE TRUTH - so I decided to find the truth for my self by my self. But I couldn’t, so I surrendered. And there and then I realized there is nothing to understand. In an instant, the clarity of this truth was there in such an obvious way and interpreted intellectually in this way: the one that perceives, the act of perceiving and what is perceived are one and the same. Separation simply does not exist. There is nothing to understand or to attain.

Mandi Solk lives in the town of Huddersfield in Yorkshire, England, UK. Mandi teaches Self-Enquiry based on the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and following in the footsteps of Papaji and Mooji and is dedicated to guiding all who are drawn to Truth to the recognition of who they truly are - FREE right now! She has written a book: ‘The Joy of No Self’, endorsed by Scott Kiloby and Jeff Foster, and she will soon be working on another, which will focus on Self-Enquiry.  On her website, you can book individual Skype sessions with her or arrange for her to lead Satsangs in your area. Mandi's book: The Joy of No Self Website: nonduality-mandi.blogspot.com Interview recorded 12/15/2012 First interview with Mandi. Transcript of this interview Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - A Change of Perspective and the Power of Self-Inquiry 00:03:14 - Liberation Through Self-Inquiry 00:07:11 - The Missing Joy in Non-duality 00:11:10 - Seeing Through the

Anita was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and doctors told her family she was just hours away from death. It was at this point that she “crossed over” and then returned again into this world with a clearer understanding of her life and purpose on earth. This understanding subsequently led to a total recovery of her health. Anita was born in Singapore of Indian parents, moved to Hong Kong at the age of two, and has lived in Hong Kong most of her life. Because of her background and British education, she is multilingual and, from the age of two, grew up speaking English, Cantonese and two Indian dialects simultaneously, and later learned French at school. She had been working in the corporate field for many years before being diagnosed with cancer in April of 2002. Her fascinating and moving near-death experience in early 2006 has tremendously changed her perspective on life. Her work is now ingrained with the depths and insights she gained while in the other realm. She works on the premise that our inner wor

J. Stewart Dixon is an awakening/enlightenment adviser, author, and blogger. Born in 1969, J. Stewart Dixon spent most of his adult life seeking spiritual awakening/enlightenment in the company of some of the world’s preeminent spiritual luminaries, including Adi Da, Gangaji, Satyam Nadeen, Andrew Cohen, Arjuna Ardagh, Michael Regan, Solane’, Ram Dass, Saniel Bonder, Eli Jaxon-Bear, A. Ramana, Mooji, Francis Lucille, Yogi Bhajan, Robert Monroe, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, and Ammachi. His own awakening process began in 2004 and concluded in 2010. Websites, Books, Services: 21 Days: A nuts & bolts blue-collar memoir/guide of nondual Advaita spiritual awakening/enlightenment for beginners: An account of extraordinary magic amidst ordinary life | An easy-to-read description of authentic awakening, free of religious, spiritual, philosophical, or psychological jargon: What is it like when you have a family to care for and a business to run, when you're AWAKE? What is it like when you're visiting your parents, y

Tom Crockett is an ordained minister and spiritual counselor. He is a teacher, lecturer, and student in the Pachakuti Mesa Shamanic tradition, as well as in Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, and Depth Psychology. He has worked as a spiritual counselor for over fifteen years. Tom has worked with indigenous healers in Mexico and North America and studied core shamanism through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. He is a Reiki practitioner and has studied bioenergetic healing with Mietek Wirkus. In 2001, he completed an apprenticeship in Paqo Wachu (Peruvian Shamanism) under the guidance of shaman and ceremonialist, Don Oscar Miro-Quesada. Tom has led and cofacilitated retreats in Oaxaca and Mexico City, Mexico, under the auspices of the Institute for Depth Psychology. Tom has made an intensive study of dreamwork, especially as a tool for spiritual growth. He has been a featured presenter at the Association for the Study of Dreams International Conferences since 1998 and was an invited presenter to the Conference on

Mark Landau, Founder of L&F, The Love and Forgiveness Meditation, has written seven books on meditation, healing, evolution, politics, sex, fantasy, and saving our world, one musical play, and many songs. He does healing work and meditation instruction and lives in Santa Fe. You can find out more about Mark Landau at mark-landau.com. Books: A New American Evolution: To Save Our World End the Fight What We Can Do The Love and Forgiveness Meditation I Love You and Forgive You: A True Self-Healing Tool and the Life Around It Archetypes, Election, Evolution And he welcomes friendship on Facebook. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/22/2012. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Personal Background 00:06:47 - Spiritual Awakening and Cancer Journey 00:12:00 - A Journey with LSD and Spiritual Experiences 00:16:28 - Rediscovering Transcendental Meditation 00:20:16 - Seeing Golden Circles of Lig

Francis Lucille is a spiritual teacher of the tradition of Advaita Vedanta (non-duality). He became a disciple of Jean Klein, a French Advaita teacher whom he met in 1975. This was the beginning of a close association that lasted until the death of his friend and spiritual master in 1998. Jean Klein's own guru, "Panditji" Rao, whom he met in India in the nineteen-fifties, was a college professor in Bangalore who taught Sanskrit and belonged to a lineage of traditional Advaita Vedanta teachers. www.francislucille.com. Interview recorded 10/29/2012 Transcript of this interview. Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Francis Lucille 00:02:54 - The Impossibility of Proving Consciousness 00:05:58 - The Belief in Limited Consciousness and its Revolt 00:08:51 - The Search for Truth 00:11:26 - The Reality of Consciousness 00:14:08 - The Reality of Consciousness 00:16:30 - Discrimination between the perceiver and the perc

David Robert Loy is a professor, writer, and Zen teacher in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition of Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is a prolific author, whose essays and books have been translated into many languages. His articles appear regularly in the pages of major journals such as Tikkun and Buddhist magazines including Tricycle, Turning Wheel, Shambhala Sun, and Buddhadharma, as well as in a variety of scholarly journals. Many of his writings, as well as audio and video talks and interviews, are available on the web. He is on the editorial or advisory boards of the journals Cultural Dynamics, Worldviews, Contemporary Buddhism, Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, and World Fellowship of Buddhists Review. He is also on the advisory boards of Buddhist Global Relief, the Clear View Project, Zen Peacemakers, and the Ernest Becker Foundation. David lectures nationally and internationally on various topics, focusing primarily on the encounter between Buddhism and modernity: what each can learn from the other. He is especi

Mehrdad Mizani was born in the southern part of Iran, moved to Teheran in his childhood, finishing his schooling and graduating from the Teheran Music Conservatory with a focus in Bassoon and Piano.  He traveled extensively throughout Iran and moved to England in 1974 to further his musical studies, playing with orchestras and bands throughout several countries.  In his travels through Iran and Europe, he discovered religions, philosophies and psychology.  In 1985, he moved to the US with his family, continually seeking out experiences that gave him increased insight into the human situation.  After coming to understand the importance of self-realization, and the dynamics of the emotional relationship between people, he began writing songs together with a friend, Kate Tsubata, to express those realizations and experiences.  The culmination of his lifelong search was the realization of the element of heart as the essence of all things.  In concerts and public speaking, he has shared this message of self-discov

Arjuna Ardagh is an awakening coach, writer and public speaker, who also trains others to become facilitators of awakening.  He is the author of seven books, including the 2005 #1 National Bestseller The Translucent Revolution, which was featured in “O” magazine. His new book Better than Sex is the complete introduction to Awakening Coaching.  His novel The Last Laugh will be republished by Hay House in spring 2013. He is also the creator of several online courses, including Living Awakening, and The Deeper Love. Ardagh has been a keynote speaker at conferences all over the world, including the International Conference on Business and Consciousness, the “No Mind” Festival,” the Whole Life Expo (in 5 cities), the Integral Spiritual Experience Conference, and the Omega Institute annual conference. He has appeared on TV, on the radio and in print media in seventeen countries.  He is a member of the Transformational Leadership Council. Arjuna was educated in England, at Kings School, Canterbury, and later at Ca

Christine Wushke is a certified yoga and meditation teacher living in Okotoks Alberta Canada. In addition to teaching yoga and meditation classes, Christine is also a massage therapist who incorporates a holistic approach to healing the body, mind, and spirit of each individual. Christine has been studying the field of energy healing for 20 years and finds the approach to healing a sacred journey of discovery on many levels, both physically as well as spiritually. Her life, since the age of six, has seen a set of classical spiritual encounters and experiences which have inspired her to shine light on the deeper aspects of life as a fully conscious Divine-Human being. She recently wrote a book called ‘Freedom is your Nature:’ a practical guide to transformation, which delves into the ancient yogic teachings of awakening in a down to earth language easy to follow by any reader. To read more of Christine’s spiritual writing and mystical poetry go to http://freelyhuman.com. Videos (Free on Amazon Prime): Ea

It is said that out of a thousand beings who become enlightened, only one becomes a master who is able to individually guide others out of the complexities of their personal illusions. Eliza Mada Dalian is one such rare being. Affectionately known as Mada, she brings an evolutionary approach to health, personal transformation, and enlightenment. Mada is a modern-day mystic, spiritual guide, internationally acclaimed master healer, seven-time award-winning best-selling author of "In Search of the Miraculous: Healing into Consciousness," creator of "No-Yes Active Meditation" CDs, and "Transcending the Fear of Death and the Unknown" guided meditation. She is also the founder of the evolutionary "Dalian Method for Health and Consciousness" - a groundbreaking self-healing method that helps you identify and permanently erase the causes of energetic blocks, fear, and pain from the body's cellular memory, transforming ailments into health and self-empowered consciousness. Mada's own quest for truth began at age five

 Rafael Stoneman continues to study the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi and is the founder of A.H. Nonprofit, which has three key programs that focus on alleviating homelessness: Alternative Housing, Addiction Help, and Anger Hotline. A.H. Nonprofit: 501c3 Tax Exempt EIN: 90-0450329 MISSION STATEMENT: "A.H. Nonprofit provides services to to people who are in need, feeling lost, challenged by practical living needs, or facing spiritual crisis, as well as being an aide for people focused on a life of self-inquiry, surrender, or devotion." Interview recorded 10/7/2012 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Raphael Stoneman 00:02:28 - From Darkness to Acting and Identity 00:04:56 - Losing the Function of Being 00:07:46 - From Manual Labor to Self-Realization 00:10:02 - The Bhagavad Gita in the Army 00:11:43 - Training Ground for Breaking Free 00:13:31 - Trauma in Combat and Boot Camp 00:15:06 - A Pilgrimage to Ramana Ashram 00:16:57 - Creative tendencies and personal

Stuart Perrin, an American spiritual master of Kundalini Yoga who has been quietly teaching small groups of students around the world for the last thirty-nine years, and is a direct disciple of Swami Rudrananda, more commonly known as Rudi. Stuart studied six years with Rudi. In 1973, Rudi died in an airplane crash and Stuart was one of three survivors. Stuart Perrin was born August 10, 1942 in the Bronx, New York. The first child and only son of Sylvia and Michael Perrin, he began his spiritual quest at the age of sixteen. Sitting at his father’s deathbed, he was shocked and awakened to a simple reality. “Why,” he asked himself, “is it the first time I’ve seen my father in such a profound state of inner peace? Why did he have to wait till the last moments of his life to be filled with so much love and serenity?” Stuart realized he’d have to find someone to train him in deep meditation practice. His search for a spiritual teacher took him to Europe, Africa, Mexico and all over the United States. Stuart spen