Author Archives: Rick Archer

701. Kimberly Lafferty

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Kimberley Theresa Lafferty is a seasoned teacher-practitioner specializing in constructive adult developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. She completed over 12 years of intensive Indo Tibetan study including the required retreats. She leads both open and advanced adult educational cohorts aligning developmental psychology and Buddhist theory. Kimberley co-leads, with Terri O’Fallon, the penultimate Minds I year-long developmental course of Stages International. She is an active Board member for the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Kimberley is also a householder as a wife and mother, living in a remote valley of the North Cascades of North America which deeply impacts her worldview and practice.

Website: The Confluence Experience | Making sense of what doesn’t make sense

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded February 10, 2024

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction and Welcome
  • 00:03:33 – Finding Peace in the Forest
  • 00:06:27 – A Blissful Awakening
  • 00:11:15 – Deep Inner Resources and Spiritual Experiences
  • 00:15:10 – Connecting with our Ultimate Selves
  • 00:18:26 – The Wave and Ocean Metaphor
  • 00:23:24 – Diving into Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
  • 00:27:59 – Tantric Retreats and Solitary Meditation
  • 00:32:26 – Experiences on the Retreats with Vajrayogini
  • 00:35:33 – The Red Lady and the Retreat
  • 00:40:01 – The Lesson of Treating Practice Seriously
  • 00:44:18 – The Precious Gift of Tibetan Buddhism
  • 00:47:58 – Spirituality and Integration
  • 00:51:02 – Understanding the Intersection of Waking Up and Identity Change
  • 00:55:31 – The Evolution of Perception and Consciousness
  • 01:00:08 – Supporting Spiritual Teachers
  • 01:03:59 – Shadow Work and Holistic Development
  • 01:07:16 – The Integration of Wisdom and Compassion
  • 01:10:57 – Waves of Human Becoming and Non-Duality in Daily Life
  • 01:14:06 – Anomalous Experiences: Exploring the Extraordinary
  • 01:18:57 – Anomalous Experiences and Meaning Making
  • 01:23:49 – Anomalous Experiences and the Search for Answers
  • 01:28:03 – The Cautionary Use of Psychedelics and the Self
  • 01:32:01 – The Need for Spiritual Integrity among Teachers
  • 01:35:58 – The Preciousness of a Spiritual Life
  • 01:39:58 – Realizing Inner Bliss
  • 01:43:44 – Experiencing Fulfillment in Tantra
  • 01:47:41 – Finding Your Path in Spiritual Practice
  • 01:52:16 – The Role of Spiritual Psychotherapists
  • 01:56:28 – Strengthening Ourselves Psychologically and Spiritually
  • 02:00:00 – Continuing the Conversation with Kimberly

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700. Bob Davis

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After receiving his doctorate in the sensory neurosciences from The Ohio State University, Bob Davis, Ph.D., served as a professor for the State University of New York for over thirty years, where he conducted research in the behavioral and neurosensory sciences, taught, and held many high-level administrative roles. He published his research in over 60 articles in scholarly journals, and presented numerous lectures worldwide, which included invited lectures at Harvard, Cambridge, and Peking University. Bob was also awarded numerous grants by the National Science Foundation and The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to conduct research in sensory neuroscience.

Following retirement, Bob published several articles in the Journal of Scientific Exploration and Edge Science and presented lectures at national and international conferences on consciousness, spiritually transformative experiences, and unidentified aerial phenomena. Bob has also published three highly popular books:

More recently, he has turned his recent book, Unseen Forces, into a planned documentary entitled – The Consciousness Connection – with Emmy Award winner Dave Beaty of Dreamtime Entertainment and Wilson Hawthorne of Eyeland Telemedia.

Summary and Transcript of this interview

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Interview recorded February 3, 2024.

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:35 – Types and Evidence of Extraordinary Human Experiences
  • 00:08:03 – A Profound Shared Death Experience
  • 00:12:21 – A Spiritual Awakening and Kundalini Awakening
  • 00:15:53 – The Misdiagnosis of Spiritual Awakening
  • 00:19:27 – The Unstoppable Spread of Information
  • 00:23:58 – The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Understanding Consciousness
  • 00:27:49 – The Evidence of White Crows in DMT Experiences
  • 00:31:40 – Exploring Consciousness Beyond Traditional Science
  • 00:36:04 – The Relationship Between Science and Spirituality
  • 00:40:27 – Brain Development and Spiritual Transformation
  • 00:44:35 – Humans as Light Beings and Quantum Mechanics
  • 00:48:22 – Veridical Perceptions in Near-Death Experiences
  • 00:52:34 – Near-Death Experiences and Perception
  • 00:56:44 – Novel Interactions in the Brain
  • 01:01:02 – Consciousness and the Bohmian Paradigm Shift
  • 01:05:16 – Ego Dissolution and Positive After-Effects
  • 01:09:03 – Spiritual Practices and Physiological Treatments
  • 01:12:56 – Quantum Mechanics and Premonition
  • 01:16:55 – ESP and Autistic Savants
  • 01:21:20 – Photonic Emissions and Healing Abilities
  • 01:26:00 – The Power of Spiritual Practice
  • 01:29:26 – Personal Transformation and Spreading the Word
  • 01:32:32 – Transformation in Beliefs and Experiences
  • 01:36:00 – The Importance of Spiritual Development
  • 01:38:40 – Tapping into the Language of Nature
  • 01:42:11 – Conclusions about UFOs and their Spiritual Implications
  • 01:45:57 – The Mystery and Wonder of the Universe
  • 01:50:26 – The Long-Term Nature of Spiritual Development
  • 01:54:04 – The Power of Changing Perspectives

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699. Brad Laughlin & Anna Breytenbach

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Brad Laughlin is the author of Living with Enlightenment—A Journey of Love, which is about his 25-year life-partnership with Leslie Temple-Thurston, a teacher of enlightenment, and the profound spiritual transformation he experienced. With Leslie, he is co-author of two books, The Marriage of Spirit—Enlightened Living in Today’s World and Returning to Oneness—The Seven Keys of Ascension.

Brad is dedicated to finding innovative ways of helping people to awaken spiritually and to find love, joy and inspiration during these times of great change. Using ancient Truth teachings, yogic practices and spiritual psychology, he offers simple yet powerful practices for dissolving old, limiting ego structures that keep us trapped in negativity, pain and fear. Brad’s transformative events are based on the principles of integration and unity consciousness, which help us to know our own inner Divinity—who we truly are.

Brad and Leslie are co-founders of the nonprofits, CoreLight.org and Seeds of Light.org, CoreLight’s humanitarian arm, serving marginalized communities and AIDS orphans in South Africa. Brad has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University. He is an American by birth, considers himself a global citizen and lives in both South Africa and the United States.

Anna Breytenbach is an internationally acclaimed professional interspecies communicator with over 20 years’ experience. Native to South Africa and currently based in Europe, she mentors and consults globally. Her focus is exclusively with wild places and beings, facilitating peaceful interventions and greater understanding. This includes predator research, wilderness protection, anti-poaching assistance, reforestation initiatives, wildlife management and rehabilitation. She is currently taking a sabbatical from her usual teaching and public appearances to write a book.

Anna’s passion is raising awareness and advancing the relationships among human and nonhuman animals, on both the personal and spiritual levels. Her work is the subject of the documentary movie “The Animal Communicator”, watched by tens of millions of people (and a few of their pets), available on YouTube.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Summary and transcript of this interview

Interview recorded January 28, 2024

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:03:56 – Introduction and Background
  • 00:07:26 – From Cheetah Handler to Animal Communicator and Author
  • 00:11:55 – Following Your Inner Calling
  • 00:16:10 – Holding Space for Elephants
  • 00:20:35 – Collective Consciousness and Communication
  • 00:23:42 – The Collective Expressions of Consciousness and Earth Energies
  • 00:27:34 – The Joy of Whales Breaching
  • 00:31:16 – Rediscovering the Intelligence of Nature
  • 00:34:08 – The Importance of Functioning with Intelligence in Society
  • 00:38:08 – The Intelligence of Stones and Non-Moving Beings
  • 00:42:05 – Cruelty to Vegetables and Choosing Love for Animals
  • 00:47:06 – An Evergreen Online Course on Interspecies Communication
  • 00:51:36 – Valuing Different Paths in Life
  • 00:56:41 – Profound Mystical Experiences and the Search for Answers
  • 01:01:07 – The Ball of Light and Healing Energy
  • 01:05:42 – Transitioning into a Higher State
  • 01:11:02 – Pure Joy and Presence
  • 01:16:50 – Quantum Entanglement and Communication
  • 01:19:46 – Perception and the Importance of Clearing Ego Noise
  • 01:24:03 – Rethinking Human Love for Animals
  • 01:27:32 – Animals’ Compassion and Journey to Loving Humans
  • 01:31:00 – Communicating with Plants and the Tragedy of the Rabbits
  • 01:33:40 – The Oak Trees’ Compassion and Rabbit Friendships
  • 01:36:49 – The Sensitivity of an Enlightened Being
  • 01:40:21 – Animals in Distress and Disassociation
  • 01:43:43 – Dealing with Doubt in Animal Communication
  • 01:46:37 – The Possibility of Societal Collapse
  • 01:51:27 – Choosing Love and Connection
  • 01:55:50 – Promoting Email List and Featured Course
  • 01:59:18 – Gratitude for Teachers

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