Buddha at the Gas Pump

Proud to be born in India as a Hindu, I will be sad if I die merely a Hindu. Convinced very early in life that all boundaries are artificially created and tend to hinder the growth of the spirit, I ended up studying at post-doctoral level Physics, Philosophy, and Religion at various universities and later teaching as a professor in these fields. Wishing to correspond to the transformational teachings of several great spiritual luminaries, especially of Krishna, Buddha, Christ, and Patañjali and of present-day masters Krishnamurti and Gurdjieff, I am interested in the actual journey of self-transformation and experiencing the inevitable shifts of focus of energy along the way. Website: ravindra.ca Books: The Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism The Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Navigating the Battle of Life The Pilgrim Soul: A Path to the Sacred Transcending World Religions Heart Without Measure: Gurdjieff Work with Madame de Salzmann The Wisdom of Patañjali's Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide Science and the Sacred: Eternal Wisdom in a Changing World Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 2, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction: Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:56 - Radical Transformation in Spiritual Practice 00:10:39 - The Emphasis on Science and Technology in India 00:15:05 - Exploring Christianity in a Different Cultural Context 00:19:16 - The Role of Belief and Faith in Spiritual Development 00:23:48 - Truth is a Pathless Land 00:28:53 - Love and Compassion vs Intellectual Understanding 00:33:38 - The Significance of Uniqueness and Oneness 00:39:19 - Uniqueness and Oneness in Spiritual Traditions 00:44:43 - The Miraculous Orderliness of Creation 00:49:18 - The Expulsion of Lucifer from Heaven 00:54:34 - Inclusivity in Religion 00:59:45 - Temptations and Tests 01:04:24 - Seeking for What I Am 01:09:07 - The Journey of Self-Realization 01:13:37 - The Development of an Enlightened Person 01:18:12 - Kundalini Awakening and Subtle Energies 01:23:42 - The Importance of Self-Knowledge in Spiritual Growth 01:27:41 - The Shift in Perspective: From Having Questions to Being in Question 01:31:44 - The Eight Limbs of Yoga 01:35:57 - Being Breathed 01:40:40 - The Path to Self-Transformation 01:45:58 - The Purpose of Prakriti in Serving Purusha 01:49:47 - Conditioning and Impression 01:53:46 - Christ's Response on the Crucifixion 01:58:25 - The Need for the Right Instrument 02:03:03 - The Connectivity of Mycelium and Wondering About Astrology 02:07:15 - Remarkable People and Scientific Work 02:11:34 - Trouble with CIA and FBI suspicions 02:15:14 - Website and Future Events 02:17:45 - Swami Beyondananda's Farewell

Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.) considers his most sacred work to be learning how to be with his daughter and son, Alethea Aanya, and Kyah Jayden - and their mother, his wife, and "life-nectar", Ijeoma. "To learn the importance of insignificance" is the way he frames a desire to reacquaint himself with a world that is irretrievably entangled, preposterously alive, and completely partial. Bayo was born in 1983 into a Christian home, and to Yoruba parents in western Nigeria. Losing his diplomat father to a sudden heart complication, Bayo became a reclusive teenager, seeking to get to the "heart of the matter" as a response to his painful loss. He sought to apply himself to the extremes of his social conditioning, his faith, and his eventual training as a clinical psychologist - only to find that something else beyond articulation was tugging at his sleeves, wanting to be noticed. After meeting with traditional healers as part of his quest to understand trauma, mental wellbeing, and healing in new ways, his deep questions and concerns for decolonized landscapes congealed into a life devoted to exploring the nuances of a "magical" world "too promiscuous to fit neatly into our fondest notions of it." A fugitive to manicured disciplinarity in the academe, speaker, and proud diaper-changer, Bayo leads an earth-wide organization (The Emergence Network) as its Chief Curator and Director. The organization is set up for the re-calibration of our ability to respond to civilizational crisis - a project framed within a feminist ethos and inspired by indigenous cosmologies. He considers this a shared art - exploring the edges of the intelligible, dancing with posthumanist ideas, dabbling in the mysteries of quantum mechanics and the liberating sermon of an ecofeminism text, and talking with others about how to host a festival in Brazil - and part of his inner struggle to regain a sense of rootedness to his community. He also hosts a course (We Will Dance with Mountains) among other offerings. Bayo is visiting professor at Middlebury College, Vermont, and has taught in universities around the world (including Sonoma State University California, Simon Frasier University Vancouver, Schumacher College Devon, Harvard University, and Covenant University Nigeria – among others). He is a consultant with UNESCO, leading efforts for the Imagining Africa’s Future (IAF) project. He speaks and teaches about his experiences around the world, and then returns to his adopted home in Chennai, India - "where the occasional whiff of cow dung dancing in the air is another invitation to explore the vitality of a world that is never still and always surprising." Bayo has authored two books, ‘We Will Tell Our Own Story!: The Lions of Africa Speak!’ and ‘These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home’, and has penned forewords for many others. Websites: bayoakomolafe.net emergencenetwork.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 25, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:46 - The Times Are Urgent, Let Us Slow Down 00:08:42 - Slowing Down in Times of Urgency 00:12:36 - The Challenge of Thinking in Different Terms 00:16:10 - The Balance of Preciseness and Unboundedness 00:20:51 - Dancing with the Masquerade: Rediscovering Core Values 00:25:50 - The Evolution and Devolution of Ideas 00:29:05 - The complexity of the universe and the pieces of the puzzle 00:33:12 - Devolving and the Emerging Universe 00:37:16 - The All-Pervading Intelligence of God 00:41:19 - The Excess of Meaninglessness 00:44:27 - The Future as Creator 00:48:10 - The Beauty of Contrast and Difference 00:52:44 - Blind men feeling the elephant 00:56:28 - Embracing the Impermanence of Truth 01:00:57 - The Influence of Environment on Judicial Decisions 01:05:14 - The Color of a Triangle 01:09:23 - Panpsychism and Panentheism 01:13:40 - Variations of Non-Dualism and Multiple New Materialisms 01:17:15 - The Ongoingness of Materializations 01:20:59 - The Absurdity of Non-Dualism and Anticipation 01:24:29 - Futures Literacy: Noticing and Shifting Perspectives 01:28:08 - Post Activism: Slowing Down to Meet Other Bodies and Other Agencies 01:32:04 - The Recycling Ethics and Environmental Impact 01:35:24 - Imagining a More Beautiful World 01:38:58 - Aligning with the Flow of the Universe 01:43:29 - The Newtonian-Cartesian Paradigm and Harmony vs Disruption 01:48:07 - Understanding the Fundamentals of Creation and Consciousness 01:52:57 - The Story of the Trickster Tortoise 01:56:09 - The Tortoise and the Hidden Wisdom 01:59:34 - Reflections on the Current Time

An opinion leader and public speaker, Stephen G. Post, Ph.D. (University of Chicago, 1983) is the best-selling lead author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving. He has been quoted in more than 4,000 newspapers and magazines and featured on numerous television shows including The Daily Show. Described by Martin E.P. Seligman in Flourish as one of “the stars of positive psychology,” Post is a leader in research on the benefits of giving and on compassionate care in relation to improved patient outcomes and clinician well-being. He addressed the U.S. Congress on volunteerism and health, receiving the Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement. Post was co-recipient (2012) with Edmund D. Pellegrino MD of the Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in HealthCare from the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, and the Kama Book Award in Medical Humanities from World Literacy Canada (2008). His book The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease: Ethical Issues from Diagnosis to Dying was designated a “medical classic of the century” by the British Medical Journal (2009), which wrote, “Until this pioneering work was published in 1995 the ethical aspects of one of the most important illnesses of our aging populations were a neglected topic.” Post is a recipient of the Alzheimer’s Association's national distinguished service award “in recognition of personal and professional outreach to the Alzheimer’s Association Chapters on ethics issues important to people with Alzheimer’s and their families.” In 2021 Post published Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease (Hopkins). Co-Recipient of the 2019 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Professionalism Award for development the Professional Identity Formation curriculum of the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Post has taught at the University of Chicago Medical School, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (1988-2008), and at Stony Brook (2008-present), where he is Founding Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics. The Center was selected (2011) for special institutional excellence by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (AMA & AAMC accrediting body), the only humanities and ethics entity in American medical school history to receive this distinction. An elected member of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Royal Society of Medicine, London, Post is the author of 300 articles in journals such as Science, the New England Journal of Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. In 2003 Post was invited to join the Founding Fellows of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), based at Cambridge University. Founded in 2002, ISSR is the world’s preeminent learned society devoted to this intersection, with 200 Fellows from the sciences and humanities. In 2001 he founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, so named by philanthropist Sir John Templeton, who selected Post as the Institute’s President. A non-profit 501(c) 3 public charity that investigates kindness, giving, and spirituality, Post has written popularly on this topic in God and Love on Route 80: The Hidden Mystery of Human Connectedness. Websites: stephengpost.com unlimitedloveinstitute.org Email: post@stephengpost.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 18, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:14 - The Angel's Message in the Dream 00:10:04 - Adolescent Spirituality & the Meaning of Experiences 00:14:38 - Following a Dream 00:19:16 - Chasing Dreams in Nebraska 00:23:40 - A Life-Changing Encounter on the Ledge 00:28:26 - Exploring Comparative Spirituality and Religion 00:33:22 - Meeting Ken Kesey at Reed College 00:37:41 - The Bridge and the Phone Call 00:42:22 - The Power of Compassion and Kindness 00:47:31 - Theodicy and the Problem of Evil 00:52:32 - The Role of Parents in Modeling Kindness 00:57:18 - The oneness of the other 01:01:58 - The Perspective of Life as One Chapter 01:06:29 - Sensitivity of Alzheimer's patients to empathic qualities 01:10:53 - Honoring the Divine in Individuals with Disabilities 01:15:31 - The One Mind in the Universe 01:20:45 - The Plausibility of the Big Bang Theory and Open-Mindedness 01:25:24 - Selfless Service and the Expansion of the Heart 01:30:41 - The Experience of Beautiful Energy and Spiritual Nature 01:35:23 - Everyday Divine Interventions 01:39:54 - Synchronicity and the Carl Jung Story 01:44:40 - The Neurology of Helping Others 01:49:23 - Cultivating Compassion in Medical Education 01:53:52 - Cultivating Empathy and Compassion in Medical Students 01:58:17 - Benefits of Compassionate Care and the Role of Love 02:03:11 - The Power of Spiritual Experiences 02:08:08 - Spreading Unlimited Love Through Poetry 02:12:47 - Dreaming about the Future 02:17:01 - The Importance of Lightness of Being 02:21:28 - Interspirituality and the UN

HeatherAsh Amara is the Warrior Goddess Mama and creatrix of The Warrior Heart practice. She is dedicated to inspiring depth, creativity, and joy by sharing the most potent tools from a variety of world traditions. Raised in Southeast Asia, HeatherAsh has traveled the world from childhood and is continually inspired by the diversity and beauty of human expression and experience. She brings this open-hearted, inclusive worldview to her writings and teachings. HeatherAsh is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling: Warrior Goddess Training: Become the Woman You Are Meant to Be, Warrior Goddess Wisdom: Daily Inspiration for Women (Warrior Goddess Training), The Seven Secrets to Healthy, Happy Relationships (with don Miguel Ruiz Jr.), and Warrior Heart Practice Website: warriorgoddess.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded April 10, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:31 - Influences from the Toltec Tradition 00:04:41 - Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan Matus 00:06:55 - Exploring European Shamanism and Toltec Teachings 00:08:56 - The Coronavirus as a Catalyst for Change 00:11:00 - Reconnecting with Nature and the Cycles of Life and Death 00:13:05 - Holding the Beauty and Grief of Life 00:15:46 - Holding the Paradox and Chaos 00:19:30 - The Interconnection and Transformation of the World 00:24:31 - The Influence of the Toltec Tradition 00:29:09 - Traveling Between Worlds and Purifying Intent 00:33:56 - The Power of Impeccability and Responsibility 00:38:33 - Building Awareness and Recapitulation in Toltec Wisdom 00:43:08 - The Significance of Everyday Occurrences 00:47:56 - The Toltecs and Teotihuacan 00:53:02 - The Soul as the Drop in the Ocean 00:57:37 - Concocting Stories and Making Agreements 01:02:32 - Finding Peace and Joy in Life 01:07:47 - Embracing Stillness and Chaos in Life 01:12:37 - Parenting and Unconscious Agreements 01:17:39 - Separating Feelings from Stories 01:22:12 - Untangling the Story and Finding the Truth 01:26:41 - Practice of Self-Inquiry 01:31:07 - Working with the Chambers and Transformation 01:36:22 - Recognizing the Divine and Embracing our True Work 01:40:21 - Community Development and Tool Sharing 01:44:57 - Moving Beyond First Attention 01:49:37 - Recapitulation: Sorting and Letting Go of Energy Leakage 01:54:27 - Accessing and balancing different forms of energy 01:59:20 - Connecting with Your Feelings 02:05:27 - Learning more about HeatherAsh and upcoming programs

Meditation asks, “Who am I?” Therapy asks, “How do I heal and become happier?” Purpose work addresses the question, “Where do I belong in the ecology of life?” Purpose guiding breaks the spell of our default purposes of safety, security, comfort and outward success, and orients us towards our true purpose, which is to embody our unique calling within. When we all have the opportunity to live our calling, we can support our collective true purpose: to become co-creators of our species’ evolution. We may, thus, give birth to more beauty, truth, and goodness into the world. Jonathan Gustin, M.A, MFT, is the founder of Purpose Guides Institute. He guides people to find and embody their life’s purpose, as well as trains those who want to become Purpose Guides themselves. Jonathan has been a psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and Purpose Guide for over 20 years. He is an adjunct professor at JFK University and co-author of Purpose Rising: A Global Movement of Transformation and Meaning with Ken Wilber, Erwin Laszlo, and others. Website: purposeguides.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded April 3, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:07:24 - Early Interest in Enlightenment 00:14:49 - Discovering Your Deeper Purpose 00:19:34 - Finding Purpose in Your Work 00:23:26 - Finding Your Soul's Purpose 00:27:27 - Illumination through Different Roles and Identities 00:30:58 - The Power of Imagination and Soul Identity 00:34:33 - The Mysterious Nature of the Soul 00:38:17 - The Rootedness of Soul in Time and Place 00:42:11 - Regression Therapy and Life Between Lives 00:46:35 - Finding the Deepest Joy in Life 00:50:13 - Living your purpose in any circumstance 00:55:10 - The Tamp Down of Soul Upwelling 00:59:53 - Hitler's Twisted Purpose 01:04:06 - Finding the Sweet Spot 01:07:40 - Finding Purpose and Living Authentically 01:13:00 - Default Purpose and Finding Your Calling 01:17:00 - The Journey to Soul and Purpose 01:21:31 - The Avatar and the Earth Suit 01:25:25 - The Movement of Enlightenment 01:29:59 - The Book Club with Adya 01:34:03 - The Competing Commitments and Addictions of Purpose 01:37:28 - Living Your Purpose 01:41:27 - Living Your Soul's Purpose 01:45:00 - The Tsunami of Climate Change 01:48:33 - Climate Change as Spiritual Practice 01:52:55 - Practical Work and Finding Your Purpose 01:57:06 - The Journey of Personal Transformation 02:00:26 - Finding Your Core Purpose and Thriving 02:04:14 - Finding Safety and Expressing Concerns 02:07:13 - Conclusion and Farewell

Cynthia Jurs is a Tibetan Buddhist lama and a Dharmacharya in the Order of Interbeing of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh whose source of refuge and spiritual inspiration is Mother Earth; Gaia. In 1990, she made a life-changing pilgrimage to meet the hermit and meditation master, Kushok Mangden Charok Rinpoche, a 106-year-old lama living in a remote cave in Nepal from whom she received the practice of the Earth Treasure Vases when she asked him, “What can we do to bring healing and protection to the Earth?” For thirty years, Cynthia has been building a global community committed to planetary healing and collective awakening in partnership with elders and activists around the world. Cynthia teaches an innovative blend of engaged Buddhism and sacred activism through the Earth Treasure Vase Global Healing Project, the Open Way Sangha in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the international Gaia Mandala Community. Through her nonprofit, Alliance for the Earth, Cynthia has worked with former combatants and the women who stopped a war in Liberia, West Africa, to build peace, teaching mindfulness and co-founding the Peace Hut Alliance for Conflict Transformation. Cynthia’s book, Summoned by the Earth, is forthcoming. New website - GaiaMandala.net - the home for our global healing community with many practices, calls, courses and more ways to get involved in our work of global healing and collective awakening. Old Website: EarthTreasureVase.org Join the monthly Full Moon Earth Treasure Vase Global Healing Meditation here. This is a free call via Zoom. A recording is automatically sent out to registered participants. Monday Mindfulness Meditation, a weekly gathering via Zoom at 4 pm Pacific // 5 pm Mountain // 7 pm Eastern. As we shelter at home, we can meet this moment of collective crisis and opportunity with calm and clarity by cultivating a practice of calm abiding in mindfulness.  In this weekly 1.5-hour practice group, we will sit, walk and sit again—entering into the quiet space within and stopping to catch our breath, to center ourselves, to let go of worry and fear and reconnect with our true source of Being. At the end of our practice, there will be an opportunity for mindful sharing around the circle. Click here if you are interested in participating. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 28, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:45 - The Wisdom and Suffering of the Virus 00:09:00 - The Trim Tab Effect on Climate Change 00:12:38 - The Wisdom of the Dogon Elder 00:16:53 - Meeting the 106-year-old Lama 00:20:07 - Healing and Protection for the Earth 00:24:50 - The Power of Earth Treasure Vases 00:28:49 - The Power of Offering and Alchemy 00:33:32 - Becoming a Vessel for Healing and Protection 00:37:34 - Getting Out of Our Own Way 00:41:11 - Women's Peace Movement in Liberia 00:45:30 - The Ceremony and Burial 00:49:24 - From Soldier to Peace Builder in Liberia 00:53:10 - The Urgency of Addressing the Crisis in Congo 00:57:39 - A Symbolic Wedding: The Burial Ceremony 01:01:39 - The Power of Clay Pots and Tree Planting 01:04:57 - Distributing Treasure Vases to Sacred Places 01:09:31 - The Balance Between Masculine and Feminine Energies 01:14:24 - Healing Cultural Disruption and Oppression 01:19:44 - The Liberating Power of Reframing the Story of the Buddha 01:24:14 - A Blessing From the Wise Woman in the Cave 01:27:46 - The Earth as my Greatest Teacher 01:31:25 - Awakening to a New Evolutionary Turn 01:35:58 - Making Offerings and Establishing Relationships 01:41:21 - The Importance of Balance and Service 01:45:16 - The Practice of Service 01:48:21 - The Possibility of Something Different 01:52:06 - Stewarding the Vases 01:55:32 - Full Moon Meditation Announcement and Gaia Calling Course Information 01:58:19 - Closing Remarks and Contact Information 02:00:27 - Music Segment

Peter journeyed to India in 1970 and spent time with Ram Dass and his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, eventually traveling to the Himalayan foothills to live briefly with Gangotri Baba, a disciple of Babaji. He also had transcendent experiences with Anandamayi Ma and other saints. Later he traveled to Tibet and Egypt but did not find his true path until Sathya Sai Baba instructed him to meditate on the I AM—which leads to the True Self. Returning from the East, the Ascended Master Saint Germain materialized before him in Muir Woods near San Francisco and told him to go to Mount Shasta, where he would meet the teacher who would prepare him to work with the Masters in their quest to help humanity. This teacher was Pearl Dorris, a former assistant to Godfre Ray King, author of "Unveiled Mysteries". Vowing to accomplish the training that was offered, he went through years of instruction, initiation, and adventures at the hands of the Masters, who occasionally appeared in physical form. These adventures are described in his best-selling book, "Apprentice to the Masters: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Book II." He is working now under the direction of Saint Germain to bring the ancient teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on the nature of mind into the I AM Teachings of mastery. Books: Search for the Guru: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Part I Apprentice to the Masters: Adventures of a Western Mystic, Part II "I AM" Affirmations and the Secret of Their Effective Use I Am the Violet Tara: Goddess of Forgiveness and Freedom I AM the Living Christ: Teachings of Jesus It Is What It Is: Further Adventures of a Western Mystic Website: i-am-teachings.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 21, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Appreciation 00:03:22 - Satchidananda and the Twinkle in His Eyes 00:07:11 - A Dream with the Guru 00:10:38 - Lessons from Illness and Healing 00:14:10 - Meeting the Guru in Rishikesh 00:17:39 - Meeting Spinach Baba 00:21:38 - Seeking Answers from the Guru 00:25:31 - A Divine Encounter in Muir Woods 00:30:35 - A Mysterious Encounter 00:34:42 - Guidance from Within and Ascended Masters 00:38:48 - The Cloak of Invisibility and Higher Frequency Vibration 00:42:20 - Praying to Padmasambhava 00:46:05 - Going back to Mount Shasta 00:49:34 - The Many Incarnations of Saint Germain 00:53:12 - The Appearance of Saint Germain 00:56:44 - Creating Desired Things, The Pitfalls 01:00:39 - A Dream Leads to a Synchronistic Encounter 01:04:39 - Encounter with Saint Germain 01:08:13 - A Divine Encounter at the Restaurant 01:11:35 - Trusting Inner Guidance 01:14:48 - The Message of the Current Pandemic Crisis 01:18:49 - The Antidote for the Virus 01:22:40 - Practical Measures to Protect Against COVID-19 01:25:35 - Charging Water with Amethyst 01:29:08 - A Meeting with the Bliss Permeated Mother 01:33:55 - Divine Love and Unity with All 01:38:03 - Cooperation between Ascended Masters and Space Beings 01:41:07 - The Importance of Seva and Helping Others 01:44:17 - Exploring Personal Identity and Interacting with the Masters 01:47:18 - A Dream Encounter 01:59:41 - Farewell and Greetings

Clare Dubois is the founder and CEO of TreeSisters.org, a global women's movement spanning over 200 countries, that has collectively funded the planting of over 25 million trees. TreeSisters is a social change movement and a tropical reforestation organization working towards normalizing cultural reciprocity with nature. The aim of both Clare and TreeSisters is to make it as normal to give back to nature as it currently is to take nature for granted while supporting humanity in its transition from a consumer species to a restorer species. Before founding TreeSisters, Clare worked internationally for over two decades, coaching business leaders and facilitating group behavior change processes in multiple sectors. Known for her direct, catalytic energy, her inspirational speaking and her holistic approach to collective transformation, Clare is a walking invitation to anyone ready to step up and step in on behalf of the planet. Short, informative videos: "Waking Up" (mentioned by Clare in the interview) How Music Can Plant Trees Grow Your Own Forest You Are Alive For A Reason Clare's interview with IONS - LA Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded March 7, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Clare Dubois and TreeSisters.org 00:03:55 - Clare Dubois: An Invitation to Collective Transformation 00:06:18 - From Victim to Survivor 00:10:50 - Inauthentic Feminine Behavior and Patriarchy 00:15:11 - Stepping into Personal Responsibility 00:19:05 - The Consciousness of Nature and Our Relationship with Trees 00:23:14 - The Global Brain in the Forest 00:27:14 - The Shift in Consciousness and the Oneness of Nature 00:31:38 - The Sacredness of All Life 00:35:51 - The Sacred Seeds of Pure Sanity 00:40:02 - Connecting to Fullness and Generosity 00:43:45 - Witnessing the Rocky Mountain Forest Dying 00:47:55 - The Urgency of Awakening and Remembering Our Power 00:52:19 - Merging with the Natural World 00:56:51 - Awakening to the Sacredness of Nature 01:01:12 - The Sacredness of All Life 01:05:36 - A Leap of Faith in the Chasm 01:10:07 - Overcoming Limitations and Self-Realization 01:14:09 - The Death of Our Planet and the Age of Restoration 01:18:22 - The Story of the Seagull and the Ocean 01:22:38 - The Mother of Initiations 01:27:08 - Trees as Conduits for Energies from Different Planets 01:31:48 - Merging with Nature and Living in Intimacy 01:36:11 - Navigating through Class Five Rapids 01:40:08 - Embracing the Suffering 01:44:06 - Discovering Your Purpose in Life 01:48:47 - Self-liberation and Living a Meaningful Life 01:52:23 - The Perpetuation of Life and the Insanity of the Current System 01:56:13 - The Circulatory System of Gaia 02:00:15 - Creating a Thriving World 02:04:15 - Planting Trees for Restoration

Zaya Benazzo is a filmmaker from Bulgaria with degrees in engineering, environmental science, and film. For many years, she worked as an environmental activist in Holland and Bulgaria, and later produced and directed several award-winning documentaries in Europe and the United States. Maurizio Benazzo grew up in Italy, and in 1984 came to the United States on a ninety-eight-year-old sailing boat. He started working as an actor, model, and filmmaker, but his thirst for knowledge was only satisfied in 2001 upon encountering I Am That, the seminal work by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, while he was in India shooting the award-winning documentary Short Cut To Nirvana. Maurizio and Zaya merged their lifelong passions for science and mysticism when they met in 2007, and their first project together was filming the documentary Rays of the Absolute on the life and teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. This project sparked their next level of creation and collaboration: Science and Nonduality (SAND)—a global community inspired by the timeless wisdom traditions, informed by modern science, and grounded in direct experience. Book: On the Mystery of Being: Contemporary Insights on the Convergence of Science and Spirituality Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded February 29, 2020 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:05:16 - Finding Peace with Nisargadatta 00:09:53 - The Unraveling of a Familiar Story 00:13:35 - The Connection Between Trauma and Seeking Answers 00:17:24 - A Beautiful Movie about Nisargadatta 00:20:47 - The Birth of Science and Duality 00:24:23 - The Limitations of Knowledge and Understanding 00:27:49 - The Unity and Diversity of Existence 00:31:49 - Paradox and Ambiguity in Spiritual Maturity 00:36:08 - The Individual and the Ocean 00:40:23 - The Influence of Culture on Teaching 00:44:26 - Holding Conversations Lightly 00:47:23 - The Mystery of Life and Human Connectedness 00:52:10 - Meeting the Shadow and Unconscious Material 00:56:49 - The Dance of Therapy and Inquiry 01:01:18 - From the mind to the heart 01:05:51 - Observations on the Disembodiment of the Western World 01:10:14 - Spirituality and Social Inequality 01:14:06 - Trauma in Political Leaders 01:17:26 - Inclusion and Diversity in Spiritual Conversations 01:21:29 - Privilege and Diversity in Conversation 01:24:45 - The Inclusiveness of Spirituality 01:28:45 - The Necessity of Multi-dimensional Approaches to Life 01:32:19 - Meeting Yourself in Solitude 01:36:47 - Exploring Sexuality and Oneness 01:40:48 - Changing Ourselves and Creating Awareness 01:43:42 - The Future Direction of SAND Conference 01:46:55 - The Evolution of Teaching and the Dream of Trust and Deeper Listening 01:50:30 - The Admirable Effort of Personal Growth and Redemption 01:54:26 - Science and Nonduality Conference 01:57:28 - Plans for Future Meetings

Rev. Bill’s life has been a spiritual journey, spanning slightly over 7 decades. His whole life has been a mystical trip in search of gurus, the paranormal, and self-discovery. He has written about his many spiritually transformative experiences and “near-death-experiences” including supernatural events during his combat tour of duty in the Vietnam War. In his books, he has shared some incredible spiritual events that are beyond both common understanding or explanation. His autobiography “Warrior: A Spiritual Odyssey” takes us on a life quest for love, understanding, forgiveness, and enlightenment. His follow-up book “Alchemy of a Warrior's Heart" continues that mystical journey including four trips to India for even more profound experiences with holy men, miracles and his personal relationship with the Divine. What he knows for sure after all these years is that the only thing that is truly real is LOVE. He is an author, an award-winning poet, international motivational speaker, artist, film advisor, veteran advocate, a Vietnam War veteran (Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart Medal, 14 Air Medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, etc.). He has spoken around the world including Germany, England, Wales, Bolivia, and India. He has been involved with a dozen films and documentaries. (Such as: “In the Shadow of the Blade”- showed on the History Network and “The Art of Healing” shown on PBS TV) Rev. Bill has been on over 800 radio and TV shows over the last 18 years and has stories about his life featured in over a dozen books by other authors and in hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles. He has had articles in such diverse publications as “Parade Sunday Magazine” and “The Self-Realization Fellowship Magazine” as well as military magazines and new age magazines. His YouTube Channel has over 70 videos and had gotten over 550,000 views in its first 18 months. He speaks publicly about the need to forgive and power of love. His mission in life is to inspire others to seek the Divine and he does that through his personal stories of his own life experiences. He is a seeker but not just for himself. His “mission” is to allow others to experience his journey through his stories. He has had many near-death and near-death-like experiences and encounters with the supernatural. He is a friend to many - including famous celebrities and people in power positions in life but he treats everyone the same whether they are homeless or the President or a CEO. His beliefs are simple: There is but ONE GOD – and our only mission is to LOVE & SERVE ALL. Additional books by William “Rev. Bill” McDonald: A Spiritual Warrior's Journey: The Inspiring Life Story of a Mystical Warrior – 2003 Purple Hearts: Poetry of The Vietnam War – 2003 Sacred Eye: Poetry In Search Of The Divine – 2004 Bill's guru, Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath Bill's Website Bill's email Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview First BatGap interview with Bill McDonald Interview recorded February 22, 2020. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:09 - Sharing Pearls of Wisdom 00:07:14 - The Overwhelming Responsibility of Knowledge, Intuition, and Empathy 00:10:44 - The Power of Intuition and Belief Systems 00:14:51 - Believing Different 00:18:50 - The Importance of Time in the Material World 00:22:51 - The One Guru: God 00:26:36 - The Danger of Dangerous Spiritual Teachers 00:30:08 - The Inner Guru vs. Outer Guru 00:34:41 - The Importance of Having a Teacher 00:37:49 - Embracing Discomfort and Growth in Life 00:41:56 - Embracing Life's Challenges 00:45:57 - The Significance of Evolutionary Events 00:49:35 - Discovering and Manifesting Potential 00:53:03 - Mending Fences and Making Amends 00:56:15 - The Value of Living and Dead Gurus 01:00:02 - The Guru's Love and Presence 01:03:48 - Seeing God in All 01:07:02 - Being Present and Connected 01:10:41 - The Power of Now 01:14:42 - Learning through the "morphogenetic field" 01:18:09 - Manifestation through Free Will 01:21:23 - Cultivating and Retaining Faith in the Divine 01:24:36 - Plant Medicine and Personal Experiences 01:28:03 - Challenging Prejudices and Judgments 01:31:12 - The Change in Perspective 01:35:06 - The Pitfalls of Meditation and Psychedelics 01:38:32 - The Risks of Drug Use and the Importance of Meditation 01:42:42 - The Value of Personal Experience 01:46:25 - Manifesting a Loving Life 01:50:17 - Delight in Different Perspectives