589. Raymond Schumann

Raymond SchumannRaymond Schumann is a fifth-generation carpenter with a high school education. A Roman Catholic upbringing left him sexually repressed. Adolescence left him a Soldier of Christ gone AWOL.

In his twenties, he learned about dissociative disorder. The theory explained much. Help was not thick on the ground and ripe in the pod. Not in those days. A shrink who claimed to treat multiple personalities endangered his career. Schumann was on his own. He named the self who thwarted his desires Holdfast.

Schumann knew spiritual consciousness was essential to healing. That only made things worse. He’d watched guru after roshi disgrace themselves. There was nothing to trust there. The more he sought healing, the worse Holdfast trashed him.

Eventually, Schumann was desperate enough to say, “This has to get better. I don’t care what it costs. This has to get better.” At that instant, he suffered a Kundalini awakening. Never trust a Goddess. She opened the door to a year of hell. A year leading to ego death. A year leading to nondual awareness.

Things only got worse from there.

If you would like to contact Raymond, here’s his email address.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded February 28, 2021

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:02:46 – The Self and Spiritual Consciousness
  • 00:05:20 – Exploring Spiritual Interests in Youth
  • 00:08:29 – The Self that Thwarted Desires
  • 00:12:35 – The Impact of Kundalini Awakening on Daily Life
  • 00:17:07 – Naming the Inner Drives “Holdfast”
  • 00:21:35 – The Wrecking Ball of Kundalini
  • 00:27:27 – Losing the Ego and Sense of Self
  • 00:32:18 – The localized quality of experience and the ego construction
  • 00:36:35 – The Role of Language in Human Existence
  • 00:41:06 – The Evolution and Development of Ego
  • 00:45:43 – The Complexity of the Ego and Ego Death
  • 00:51:52 – The experience of self-recognition
  • 00:56:25 – Liberation from Ego Holons
  • 01:02:41 – Lack of Free Will
  • 01:07:01 – First Do No Harm and Meeting Swami Muktananda
  • 01:10:35 – Variables and the Flow of Shakti
  • 01:13:39 – Meeting Bubastis
  • 01:16:20 – The Cat with Psychic Inflation
  • 01:19:10 – The Wisdom Download and Preparation
  • 01:22:36 – Understanding the Clue
  • 01:25:55 – The Risks of Playing with Powers
  • 01:29:24 – The Chakra System and Ego Death
  • 01:33:50 – The Importance of Writing Things Down
  • 01:37:08 – The Power of Journaling and Meditation
  • 01:41:30 – The Torture of Holdfast
  • 01:45:30 – The Presence of God in Our Lives
  • 01:48:39 – The meaning of “beyond the PALE”
  • 01:53:53 – The Potential Impact of Spiritual Awakening and Transformation
  • 01:58:18 – Closing Remarks and Contact Information
  • 02:00:46 – Farewell and Thank You

556. George Middleton

George MiddletonBorn in Wales, I emigrated with my parents and 4 siblings to NZ in 1962. Educated in Wellington completing an honours degree in philosophy and teacher training. Taught in a variety of special education positions until retiring. Politically active in teachers’ union, Labour Party, and the Greens.

My wife is Sue Middleton (Emeritus Prof Education), our only child daughter Kate is married with 3 sons. She founded the Reading Revolution charity in NZ.

I worked with Men’s groups, used various psychotherapy modalities, including doing a year of Primal Therapy in Los Angeles which led to more formal trading in Gestalt Therapy that precipitated ongoing profound experiences and transformations that ignited pilgrimage journeys to India and Bhutan. Also, involvement in Vipassana and other meditation methods confirmed the nature of the processes that have overtaken me and delivered me into the sacred world. Concepts such as Karma, transcendence, synchronicity, reincarnation, rebirth, pure consciousness energy, and indigenous encounters have led to an understanding of the truth power of myth and ancient truths.

No website or books.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded June 20, 2020

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Winter Solstice and Synchronicity
  • 00:04:54 – The Miracle of Birth
  • 00:09:51 – Childhood Reflections on Belief in God
  • 00:13:16 – An Interesting Family History
  • 00:17:43 – The War and its Impact on Personal Experiences
  • 00:21:58 – Pentecostalist Christian and Casting Out Demons
  • 00:26:08 – Primal Therapy and Rastafarian Influence
  • 00:30:08 – Bob Marley’s Influence on Indigenous Culture
  • 00:34:43 – Abuse of Power and Vulnerability in Therapy
  • 00:39:12 – Personal Growth and Therapy Journey
  • 00:44:10 – Breathing and Therapy Session
  • 00:48:04 – Stopping Breathing and Going into Samadhi
  • 00:52:05 – A Peculiar Year
  • 00:57:28 – A Heightened State of Well-being
  • 01:02:41 – The Story of Nachiketas in the Katha Upanishad
  • 01:07:49 – The Earth as our Witness
  • 01:13:24 – The Uniting of Shiva and Shakti in Consciousness
  • 01:18:24 – The Relationship Between Science and Consciousness
  • 01:23:42 – Balancing Scientific Exploration and Earthly Problems
  • 01:28:06 – Establishing Awareness in Being
  • 01:32:37 – The Importance of Experiential Spirituality
  • 01:36:48 – Understanding the Meaning of Grace
  • 01:41:06 – The Myth of Kali and Shiva
  • 01:45:15 – The Mountain of Shiva and the Energy of Ganesha’s Head
  • 01:49:43 – Life Living You
  • 01:54:51 – Experience during Spiritual Practice
  • 02:01:59 – Living in Pure Consciousness
  • 02:03:56 – Inner Light and Moonlit Night
  • 02:07:44 – The Normality of Spiritual Experiences
  • 02:11:35 – Balancing the Yin and Yang
  • 02:15:28 – Conversation about New Zealand and future visit

539. Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo

Zaya & Maurizio BenazzoZaya 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

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded February 29, 2020

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

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