Buddha at the Gas Pump

Colin was born in a staunch protestant family into the war-torn east end of London in the aftermath of WWII, where austerity and food-rationing were the norms. At the age of 11 he was sent to a Methodist boarding school and from there went to Sheffield University. So, by his early twenties finding himself in Earls Court, West London, in the late 60s when the ‘hippie revolution' was in full swing he was fully ready to break out of the narrow confines that had dogged his life up until then. He discovered the power of high dose LSD to break the barrier between the subconscious and conscious allowing decades of religious (and social) conditioning to pour out, leaving him feeling totally cleansed as if his brain had been truly washed! He also experimented with mescalin having read Aldous Huxley’s ‘The Doors of Perception’ and had many experiences which felt deeply spiritual in nature including ‘sitting’ above his body for hours and observing the world (and the body itself) from this vantage point. It was this that gave him glimpses as to what could be achieved by natural means which raised one’s consciousness to a ‘higher level’. He was reading Ouspensky at the time and could see that many of these experiences tallied with those that he described. He was fully convinced that Awakening was the purpose of life, but Ouspensky made the whole process sound so onerous that Colin decided to postpone the attempt and enjoy life while he was young and living in such a vibrant environment. About ten years later his wife Janet persuaded him to accompany her to a yoga class given by an ex-Jesuit priest. who inspired us by quoting passages from the Upanishads, Dhammapada, and other scriptures during the class. He also emphasized the importance of relaxation and meditation. There followed a few years of investigating various spiritual paths including a prolonged dalliance with the Brahma Kumaris (Raja Yoga) whose meditations were wonderful, but whose dogma he found very hard to take. They then moved into the country to start a pottery and immersed themselves in Satyananda Yoga, an organization that had no dogma but taught a wide range of yogic practices. They were both initiated into karma sannyas by Swami Satyananda and adopted a yogic lifestyle consisting of asanas, pranayama, yoga nidra, meditation, kirtan, and vegetarianism. During this time Colin was at a silent retreat when he happened to pick up a volume entitled The Gospel of Ramakrishna which introduced him to this amazing being who practiced many spiritual paths, within Hinduism and also Islam and Christianity, discovering that they all lead to the same result, and was then approached by many devotees from these various paths all of whom he was able to teach in their own path, whilst emphasizing the harmony of religions. After ten years of meditating on Ramakrishna, having been initiated by a nun of that order, he encountered a disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Gangaji, who said ‘Stop! Be still, you are already That’. The message being that the effort and search were masking that which is always present; all that was required was to ‘stop’ and see what is always here. After many years of struggle and effort this news came like a breath of fresh air and he glimpsed the essence, that undeniable ever-present reality. This was followed by a seven-day silent retreat, in 1996, which resulted in his first ‘Awakening’, and in an ecstasy that slowly faded over the following year. During this time, he began to be aware of the utter simplicity of the process, especially as it became more established through repeated self-inquiry. The realization that one is the Pure Awareness that underlies the whole of life, and in fact all things, became startlingly obvious; so much so that he became increasingly disillusioned by most spiritual writings which seemed to mystify this whole subject. This created the desire to put the matter in the simplest, most straightforward, way so that anyone could understand it … and through repeated inquiry (or investigation) ‘get it’. At the time he was writing the occasional article for his email group and it was the collection of these plus a few new ones that became his first book ‘Beyond the Separate Self’. He also completed an honours double-major degree in Comparative Religion and Philosophy and his honours thesis, which considered self-identity in the world’s major religions became the basis of his second book ‘Humanity – Our Place in The Universe’. Since then, answers to questions, interpretations of spiritual writings from all traditions, and new insights gained during meditation/contemplation have been compiled and published in another fourteen books. All of these are ‘stand-alone guides’ to Awakening as they all rely on the same ‘investigation into this moment of direct experience’ which is included in them all and is explained in full in each introduction. They have all also been converted into books of poems, one per chapter. For the full list visit Beyond Awakening Publications. You are all welcome to visit his Facebook page where he posts poems, new articles, and photos of nature taken in his natural environment of sub-tropical rainforest with ocean views. Finally, all are invited to join his email group by contacting him at colinj108@gmail.com. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded November 27, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:31 - Initial Interest in Spirituality 00:08:34 - Profound Shift in Perception 00:12:27 - Exploring Yoga and Meditation 00:16:12 - Exploring Spiritual Influences 00:20:11 - The Impact of Gangaji's Teachings 00:24:41 - The Importance of Prior Practice in Awakening 00:29:08 - The Awakening and Compassion 00:32:40 - Investigating the Three Elements of Experience 00:36:22 - The Three Elements of the Mind and Awareness 00:40:12 - The Properties of Presence 00:44:44 - The Field of Awareness and the Absolute 00:48:58 - Reversing Damage through Spiritual Practice 00:52:27 - Pure Awareness and Stilling the Mind 00:56:21 - Universal Awareness 01:00:06 - The Awareness of Electrons and Consciousness in the Universe 01:04:15 - All motion arises in stillness 01:09:12 - Incorporating Gyana Yoga into Daily Life 01:13:32 - The Mind's Purification and Moral Behavior 01:17:45 - Attention to Karma 01:21:42 - The Beauty of Hatha Yoga and Morality 01:25:44 - The Meaning of Love and Ego Death vs Spiritual Awakening 01:29:45 - Efficiency and the Elasticity of Time 01:33:50 - Providing Pointers to Getting Started 01:37:38 - The Method of Self-Inquiry 01:41:51 - The Practice of Awareness of Awareness 01:46:29 - Negating Thoughts and Sensations 01:50:37 - Living as an Instrument of That 01:55:22 - The Importance of Experience and Actualization 01:59:51 - Using Awareness to Relieve Pain 02:03:55 - Sorting It All Out

Rupert Sheldrake, PhD is a biologist and author of more than 85 scientific papers and 12 books, including Science Set Free and Science and Spiritual Practices. He was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge University, a Frank Know Fellow at Harvard, and a Research Fellow of the Royal Society. From 2005-2010 the Director of the Perrott-Warrick Project for research on unexplained human and animal abilities, funded by Trinity College, Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, Petaluma, California, and of Schumacher College in Devon, England. His website is sheldrake.org. Some of Rupert's books: Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative Experiences and Their Effects on Our Bodies, Brains, and Health Science Set Free: 10 Paths to New Discovery The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Memory of Nature Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: Fully Updated and Revised Transcript of this interview Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded November 20, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:14 - Morphic Fields and Morphic Resonance 00:06:30 - Controversy and Memory in Nature 00:09:48 - Morphic Resonance and Memory 00:12:47 - The Ultimate Morphic Field 00:16:02 - The Trinity Principle in Hinduism 00:19:09 - Levels of Consciousness and the Pervading Field 00:22:01 - The Subtle Body and the Dream Body 00:25:06 - Morphic Fields and Boundaries 00:28:14 - Promissory Materialism and the Wager 00:31:28 - The Unfathomable Complexity of the Universe 00:34:41 - The Belief in Science as a Faith 00:37:46 - The Potential of Analog Computing and the Rejection of Materialism 00:40:48 - The Materialistic Perspective on Spirituality 00:44:12 - Dismissing Dzogchen and the Arrogance of Atheism 00:47:13 - Accepting Your Own Experience 00:50:09 - The Fallacy of Winner-Takes-All Thinking and Scientific Fundamentalism 00:53:03 - The Tendency for "One True Path" Ideology in Religion 00:56:13 - The Phenomenon of Homogeneous Hydrogen 00:59:34 - The Divine Ordering Principles in Science and Spirituality 01:02:45 - The Impressive Buildings of Europe 01:06:09 - Exploring the Effects of Drugs on Consciousness 01:09:06 - Yin and Yang polarity in Taoist philosophy 01:12:27 - Morphic Resonance and Vibratory Patterns 01:15:34 - Father Bede Griffiths and the Ashram Experience 01:19:00 - Comparing Christian and Indian Traditions 01:22:20 - Morphic Resonance in Rituals and Pilgrimages 01:25:23 - Circumambulation in Different Religions 01:28:05 - The Consciousness of Nature and the Sun 01:31:20 - The concept of panentheism 01:34:11 - Interview Release Update

As a teenager, Steve Briggs met his guru at a meditation retreat in the Swiss Alps. After studying English Literature at the University of Arizona on a tennis scholarship, the author received an MBA and a Ph.D. in Vedic Studies and traveled internationally instructing thousands in the art of meditation. Steve is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), whom he met in India in 1996. He has been practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM) for the past 46 years and credits his guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, with showing him the path to enlightenment. Steve currently coaches the Maharishi School boys' tennis team. His players have won four state high school championships, including the 2014 triple crown. Steve has trained two national champions and a top 50 ATP professional tour player. In 1994, Steve Briggs was sent to India to teach TM to corporate executives. During his seven years in India, Steve traveled repeatedly to the high Himalaya where he encountered many yogis and sadhus. The author’s first book, India Mirror of Truth, was a popular memoir about his time in India. Steve's second book, The Tale of the Himalayan Yogis: The Nirvana Chronicles, is a novel set in India and Tibet. Website: stevebriggsauthor.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded September 24, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction with Rick Archer 00:04:56 - Tennis and the Zone 00:08:54 - The Search for an Advantage in Tennis 00:13:10 - The Role of Myelin in Performance 00:17:38 - The Beginning of Tennis 00:21:39 - Witnessing Consciousness & Athletes' Experiences 00:25:35 - Immersed in the World of Kali 00:29:51 - The Power of a Higher Vibration 00:33:41 - Perception Without the Senses 00:38:14 - Exploring Consciousness and Awakening 00:42:39 - The Meaning of the Mantra 00:47:19 - Devotion towards Higher Beings 00:51:49 - The Erosion of Fear and Emotional Discipline 00:56:10 - Shifting from Head to Heart 01:00:40 - Breathing Your Way to Enlightenment 01:04:55 - The Importance of Variety in Daily Life 01:09:02 - The Connection Between Emotions and Health 01:13:04 - The Importance of Checks and Balances 01:17:12 - The Dangers of Intense Spiritual Practices 01:21:21 - Meeting Babaji in Different Forms 01:25:27 - A Mysterious Encounter in Varanasi 01:29:26 - Encounters in the Himalayas 01:33:45 - Levitation and the Human Relationship to Laws of Nature 01:38:01 - Proper use of extraordinary abilities 01:41:57 - The Reality of Gurus and Ethics 01:46:25 - The correlation between higher states of consciousness and ethical behavior 01:50:21 - Trusting Your Inner Wisdom 01:54:34 - Feeding the Dogs and Learning Humility 01:58:38 - The Restless Devotee 02:02:53 - The Buddha Tradition and Feeding Tigers 02:07:09 - A Fellow Traveler on the Spiritual Path

A completely spontaneous, life-altering experience of satori or enlightenment shook Lesley Skylar’s world at about age 9 or 10. Everything, in every facet, shifted unimaginably - nothing was ever the same again. This set her on a life course dedicated to understanding, honoring and living what had been revealed. Lesley has spent years as a renunciate, living in ashrams and working deeply with direct teachings of enlightenment, in both the East and West. She has studied and practiced Zen Buddhism, Dzogchen and the Nonduality teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj. She has a Degree in Psychology, has counseled, and worked in numerous non-profit, peace and human rights endeavors. Lesley is a teacher of spiritual awakening. The approach and teaching she shares comes directly from her extensive experience and was developed and refined through her own realization. It is based on decades of integration and rigorous work with liberation teachings and realized teachers. Her teaching offers individual or small group guidance for awakening, and also focuses specifically on the post-awakening terrain. Many are confused or struggle after awakening as they don’t realize that awakening is a beginning – it is not stabilized and abiding, involves a coming and going of clarity and higher states, a persistent self-sense, and incomplete seeing or depth. She helps people to move beyond the initial phases of awakening, to clarify and resolve sticking points, subtle aspects of identification, shadow, unconscious beliefs and so on. This creates a deepening, integrating and embodying, which allows liberation and enlightened living to unfold. She has traveled extensively and lived in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. She is currently based in Vancouver, Canada. Lesley offers private sessions worldwide, via Skype/ online video or in person. Learn more about Lesley and her work: Website: lesleyskylar.com Facebook: facebook.com/lesley.skylar facebook.com/From.Awakening.To.True.Liberation Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded December 30, 2017. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - A Life-Altering Experience at Age 9 00:04:27 - A Deep Homecoming 00:08:02 - Leaving Everything behind 00:11:14 - A Life in Ashrams: Seeking Truth and Learning from Contradictions 00:14:58 - Personal Growth and Shadow Work 00:18:59 - The Magnification of Ego in Spiritual Contexts 00:22:20 - The Journey of Awakening and Deepening 00:25:58 - The Rockets Taking Off into Space 00:29:57 - Deep Purification and Holistic Transformation in Spiritual Practice 00:33:33 - Accessing Deeper States of Consciousness 00:37:40 - Living Outside the Bubble of the Self 00:41:30 - The Importance of Experience and Physiology in Spiritual Practice 00:44:46 - Surrendering to Your True Nature and Rewiring the Being 00:48:23 - The Importance of Coaching and Feedback in Practice 00:52:24 - The Joy of Practice and Self-Inquiry 00:56:10 - The Marvel of the Human Mind and Nervous System 01:00:35 - The Mystery of Being 01:05:22 - The Illusion of Selfhood 01:10:30 - The Illusion of Identity 01:15:01 - The Illusion of Self 01:19:51 - Questions from Tim in Canada 01:24:50 - Sticking around after enlightenment 01:30:00 - Expanding Awareness and Letting Go of Patterns 01:35:12 - Overcoming Boredom and Restlessness 01:39:59 - Resting in the Depth of the Ocean 01:45:04 - Overcoming the Egoic Patterning 01:49:10 - Practical Tips for Meditation 01:53:25 - The Clues in Your Point of View 01:58:27 - Engaging with Cosmic Intelligence 02:03:13 - Anyone Can Do It, Stick with It 02:07:42 - Ongoing Series: Explore the menus on batgap.com

Sheerly by Divine Grace, in 1971 Timothy woke up to nondual Reality, the Divine Reality or Self that is doing everything and being everybody. He has gratefully served ever since then as a simple “spiritual friend” (kalyana mitra) and since the 1980s as a satsang leader, counselor, healer, and author of over one hundred essays, as well as the book Women of Power & Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time and forthcoming books (The Liberating Zen Sourcebook, the enormous 2-volume India’s Sages, and other works). His website Enlightened-Spirituality.org is a major resource on spiritual awakening, nondual wisdom and nondual devotion, engaged spirituality, illustrious sages, and world religions, spiritual humor, and much more. After residing in the Santa Barbara region of the Great Dream from 1988 to mid-2016, Timothy and his wife Laura are residing in Vistancia, Arizona, for at least a year to be close to her family. Timothy continues to hold free satsangs and classes on a variety of spiritual topics and also sees clients for psychological counseling services. His basic message: Your unborn TRUE IDENTITY is already complete, whole, and full as Absolute Awareness-Aliveness, and by the Grace-full Power of this Supra-personal Reality the personal consciousness “instrument” can be suffused with all sorts of beautiful Divine virtues. Timothy's email address. Interview recorded 9/10/2016 Transcript of this interview First interview with Timothy Free downloadable audio recordings of Timothy's weekly satsangs YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:58 - Understanding the Meaning and Value of Life 00:10:06 - The Power of Personal Consciousnesses 00:15:26 - The Unity of Sages and Their Enjoyment of Differences 00:20:46 - The Non-Duality of Behavior 00:25:38 - Ramana Maharshi's Stubbornness 00:30:29 - Amma's Mystical Tendencies and Troubled Past 00:35:19 - The Odds of a Blind Turtle 00:40:57 - The Paradox of Unenlightenment 00:45:47 - The Seduction of Spiritual Cults 00:50:40 - Egalitarian Nature of Clear-Light Awareness and Transmission Models 00:55:26 - Non-dual devotion and the pitfalls of praise 01:00:08 - The Life of a Teacher 01:04:58 - The Presence of Divine Virtues 01:08:58 - The Racket of Lobbyists and Defense Contractors 01:12:36 - Absolute Language and Transcendence 01:16:41 - Souls and the Intrinsic Perfection 01:20:50 - The Divine Perfection in the Laws of Nature 01:24:51 - Innocent Souls and Complicated Conditioning 01:29:03 - Letting go of Seeking 01:33:11 - The Activities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas 01:37:25 - Unity in Diversity 01:41:22 - The Role of Consciousness in Animal Rights and Climate Change Awareness 01:45:26 - Letting Go of Samskaras 01:49:28 - Ramana's Enlightenment Journey 01:53:15 - The Value of Deep Dreamless Sleep 01:56:41 - The Three Gunas and Yogic States 02:00:41 - Awakening to Our True Absolute Host Nature 02:04:39 - The Gradual Cultivation of Buddha-like Qualities 02:08:27 - Owls Singing 02:12:04 - Music