Author Archives: Rick Archer

688. Bob Harwood

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Between the age of 20 and 40 I was consumed with a wide range of existential questions, but despite endless thinking and reading, I never found a single answer. Due to some business-related stress at the age of 40, I started a simple meditative exercise as a way to acquire some peace of mind, and within two weeks a major insight occurred that led to more meditative activities. Five months later a huge cosmic-consciousness event answered seven of my questions and catapulted me into a different reality. I then concluded that all answers were “within,” and for the next 15 years I went on silent meditation retreats with Christians, Buddhists, and Advaita groups during which all of my other questions got answered. Nevertheless, I still did not feel free. Then, a new question arose, “How is it possible to stay in a unity-conscious state of mind permanently rather than oscillating between a sense of selfhood and no-self?” In 1999, after a deep experience of gratitude on a solo hiking retreat, “the little guy in the head” (the sense of a personal “me”) totally vanished, and the result was freedom, contentment, and understanding.

Book: Pouring Concrete: A Zen Path to the Kingdom of God – Expanded Edition

Bob’s email

Transcript and summary of this interview

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Interview recorded August 19, 2023

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:04:43 – Questioning Beliefs and Exploring Existential Questions
00:08:25 – The Journey of Seeking Answers in Zen Philosophy
00:12:17 – The Shift in Perception
00:16:07 – A Reality Shift
00:19:54 – The End of the Construction Company
00:24:03 – Realization of the Incomprehensible
00:28:16 – Simple answers to Zen riddles
00:32:17 – Finding Freedom in the Middle of Responsibilities
00:35:50 – Questioning Selfhood and Freedom in the Mountains
00:38:59 – The Dissolution of the Sense of Self
00:42:30 – The True Self and Identity
00:46:00 – The Silence of the Mind
00:49:19 – Non-Abidance in the Mind
00:52:39 – The Kingdom of God Inside and Outside of You
00:55:59 – Shifting Attention Beyond the Mind
01:02:47 – The Benefits of Practice and Reconfiguration
01:06:16 – The Natural Inclination to Help Others
01:09:50 – The Depth of Awakening
01:13:12 – Falling Asleep During Meditation
01:16:26 – Realizing the Irrelevance of a Silent Mind
01:20:00 – Seeking Benefit in the Present Moment
01:23:32 – Intuition and the Home of All Knowledge
01:27:00 – Knowing and achieving specific things in life
01:30:50 – The Blissful State on the Deathbed
01:34:07 – Embracing the Unknowable Future
01:37:31 – The Universal Sound
01:40:44 – The Challenges of Maintaining Friendships
01:48:00 – Wrapping Up with Bob

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687. Carter Phipps

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Carter Phipps is the author of Evolutionaries and coauthor of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller Conscious Leadership with John Mackey and Steve McIntosh. He is co-founder of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, which addresses political polarization though focusing on the cultural roots of America’s challenges. He hosts the Thinking Ahead podcast and is a former award-winning journalist and executive editor of What Is Enlightenment? Magazine. His website is http://www.carterphipps.com.

Essay we discussed in the interview: Mysticism and Its Discontents: Does Spiritual Illumination Create its own Intrinsic Blindness?

Summary and Transcript and of this interview

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Interview recorded July 29, 2023

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:03:50 – The Paradox of Spiritual Teachers’ Behavior
  • 00:07:52 – The Subtleties of Enlightenment and the Dangers of Blind Spots
  • 00:11:24 – The Complications of Spiritual Awakening
  • 00:14:40 – Defining Enlightenment
  • 00:18:42 – Strengths and Weaknesses in Areas of Genius
  • 00:22:31 – The Transformative Power of Mystical Awakening
  • 00:26:15 – The Tradeoffs of Enlightenment
  • 00:29:31 – Levels of Reality and Integration
  • 00:35:06 – The Goal of Our Own Practice
  • 00:37:33 – Delusion in Deep Mystical Experience
  • 00:41:43 – The Path of Renunciation and Self-Brainwashing
  • 00:45:46 – The Complex Psychology of Seeking Enlightenment
  • 00:50:24 – The Evolution of Culture and Consciousness
  • 00:55:17 – The Dangers of Unhealthy Self-Doubt and Lack of Self-Criticism
  • 00:59:32 – The Delusion of Pure Motive
  • 01:03:22 – The Dangers of Spiritual Confidence
  • 01:08:15 – Blurring the Line between the Spiritual and Manifest World
  • 01:14:10 – The Interface between Science and Spirituality
  • 01:17:50 – The Tradition of Debate and Mythical Stories
  • 01:21:35 – The Power and Deception of Inner Intuition
  • 01:25:41 – The Relationship Between Enlightenment and Psychological Instability
  • 01:28:35 – Psychological Traces and Vulnerability to Mystical Experiences
  • 01:31:49 – Spiritual Breakthroughs and Psychological Breakdowns
  • 01:35:11 – The Role of Responsible Psychedelic Therapists
  • 01:39:44 – The Importance of Understanding Cultural Evolution and the Adjacent Possible
  • 01:45:18 – The Myth of the Perfect Enlightened Figure
  • 01:50:09 – The Importance of Understanding the Self-Structure
  • 01:55:00 – The Importance of Questioning Spiritual Myths and Beliefs
  • 01:59:38 – Being Discerning and Questioning
  • 02:07:06 – Future Teaching and Updates from Carter Phipps

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686. Dr. Etta D. Jackson

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Dr. Etta D. Jackson was born in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to the USA as a student in 1965. For twenty-five years she worked in education and retired in 1994 to travel. She has authored four books:

Audible.com versions:

She founded an international NGO non-profit organization, The Institute for Conscious Global Change (ICGC) in 2007 to assist the United Nations and Member States in eradicating extreme poverty through development. ICGC is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Etta holds a BA in Biology, MS degrees in Guidance and Counseling and in Administrative Leadership and Supervision. Etta holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. She has one daughter and one grandson.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group

Summary and Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded July 8, 2023

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:05:26 – Communicating with the Light
  • 00:10:30 – Receiving Instructions from the Light
  • 00:14:41 – Writing in London with the Golden Light
  • 00:18:55 – The Back Story of Dr. Whitworth
  • 00:23:57 – A Divine Encounter
  • 00:29:44 – The Divine Feminine Unveiled
  • 00:34:54 – Understanding Your Choice
  • 00:39:40 – Mysticism vs. Occultism
  • 00:45:03 – The Occult Knowledge of Ancient Religions
  • 00:49:50 – Transitioning into the Aquarian Age
  • 00:54:20 – The Authenticity of Experience and the Role of Older Souls in Guiding the Young
  • 00:58:34 – A Relationship Based on Mutual Respect
  • 01:03:33 – The Symbolism of the Journey to Jerusalem
  • 01:08:51 – The Journey of Knowledge and Experience
  • 01:14:00 – The Paradox of Good and Evil
  • 01:18:49 – The Purpose of the Earth Experiment
  • 01:24:23 – Embracing Change and Shifting Paths
  • 01:29:07 – Understanding the Power of the Mind
  • 01:33:59 – The Inner Lodge and the Role of Consciousness in Governance
  • 01:38:13 – Masonry and Divine Inspiration
  • 01:43:21 – Developing your Relationship with Yourself
  • 01:47:47 – Kneeling at the Feet of the Soul
  • 01:52:56 – Wrapping Up the Interview

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