Ram Das Batchelder was born in Pennsylvania in 1961, had a spiritual awakening in his early twenties, and has spent most of the last 25 years in India as a devotee of Amma, the “hugging saint.” He has written four children’s books, which have been translated into several European languages, and also a novel in rhyming verse, three full-length plays, and 40 original songs. In 2012, he and his wife, Tarini Ma, wrote and co-taught a university course on Hinduism in Venezuela. He has given numerous talks and workshops about various aspects of spirituality in many locations around the world. He and his wife are currently offering 5-star tours of the sacred cities of India, to both Spanish and English-speaking groups.

“Rising in Love: My Wild and Crazy Ride to Here and Now, with Amma, the Hugging Saint,” tells the story of Ram Das Batchelder’s powerful marijuana-fuelled spiritual awakening in America (which included meeting an angel), his two-year struggle with delusion and addiction, his subsequent renunciation of drugs, and his eventual discovery of Amma (the living Guru known in the West as “the Hugging Saint”). The narrative then covers the 27 amazing years he has spent in quest of Enlightenment as Amma’s devotee, most of that time in India. It is a story of profound healing from drug addiction and despair into a joyfully fulfilled life, and is, therefore, a ray of hope for all who suffer from addiction or mental illness of one kind or another. The book is a suspenseful psychological thriller, “a real page-turner” (as more than one reviewer has said), yet there is so much humor in the narrative that it reads like a comedic novel. It describes his struggles with dysentery and sexual desire during his first several years at Amma’s ashram and also includes descriptions of numerous miracles he has witnessed, a vision of Krishna, and the steady progression of his meditation, which has culminated recently in states of samadhi. It also discusses how the author left Amma’s ashram for a six-year period, visited numerous other Gurus, and then returned, with a fiancée, and was married by Amma in 2001. One chapter is dedicated to the difficulties he and his wife have faced in their marriage, and the beautiful healing Amma has given them as a couple. There is also a section about the Asian Tsunami, which occurred when they were in Amma’s ashram; hundreds were killed in the surrounding area. “Rising in Love” will appeal to anyone interested in spirituality, Enlightenment, Hinduism, Saints or Gurus, as well as psychology, psychotherapy, angels or Jesus.

Website: rising-inlove.org

Other books:

• You Are The King- A Parable For Amma’s Children
• Sathyaram Discovers the Mother of All

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded 1/17/2015

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Ram Dass and Amma
• 00:04:17 – The Divine Hug
• 00:07:32 – The Divine Hug and Humanitarian Work
• 00:10:54 – A Divine Presence in Disguise
• 00:14:09 – Amma: The Embodiment of Divine Mother
• 00:17:30 – The Divine Mother Incarnate
• 00:20:44 – Comparing Amma with Lord Krishna
• 00:23:50 – Cultivating Personalities
• 00:26:58 – Bliss and Peace in the Ashram
• 00:30:19 – The Evolution of Meditation Journey
• 00:33:49 – Opening up into pure being
• 00:37:06 – The Dissolution of the Ego
• 00:40:14 – The Profound Experience of Sitting with a Saint
• 00:43:29 – A Global Celebrity and a Source of Charity
• 00:46:49 – Reaching out to Alleviate Suffering
• 00:49:48 – Serving the Suffering with Compassion
• 00:52:55 – Amma’s Selfless Service
• 00:56:05 – Amma’s Omniscience
• 00:59:36 – Epiphanies and Divine Encounters
• 01:06:24 – The Beginning of the Spiritual Path
• 01:09:44 – The Revelation of Alma’s Identity as God
• 01:12:57 – Struggles with Relationships and Celibacy
• 01:16:05 – Reflections on Past Wrong Actions
• 01:19:15 – Celibacy and Determination
• 01:22:21 – Transition back to a normal married life
• 01:25:34 – Overcoming Difficulties in Marriage
• 01:28:52 – Amma’s Divine Intervention
• 01:32:08 – Return to Amma and Charity Donation
• 01:35:17 – Organizing Tours and Contact Information
• 01:38:41 – Farewell and Thank You

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Mirabai Devi is an international spiritual teacher, facilitator for healer, author, and the founder of the Mirabai Devi Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to her mission of raising world consciousness through the awakening and healing of humanity.

Mirabai Devi is a new paradigm spiritual teacher. Her teachings emphasize the importance of spiritual practice for self-realization, combined with a commitment to personal growth. She recognizes the importance of people working through their patterns and issues by means of self-reflection with the aim of becoming impeccable. As a conduit for the Divine Feminine, Mirabai’s approach is receptive and inclusive, rather than dogmatic. She favors interaction, rather than hierarchy. More…

Website: mirabaidevi.org

Books & CDs:

• Samadhi: Essence of the Divine
• Golden Light
• Ishta Devata: Divine Form
• Forgiveness

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded 9/21/2014

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
• 00:02:15 – The Power of Consciousness in Fairfield
• 00:04:12 – Detoxing and Releasing Negativity during Light Transmission
• 00:06:22 – Returning to the Divine Light
• 00:08:17 – Remembering the State of Oneness
• 00:09:59 – Discovering the Realms of Light and Darkness
• 00:11:28 – Exploring Other Realms and Dimensions
• 00:12:52 – The Dimensions Within
• 00:14:20 – Traveling Between Dimensions
• 00:16:06 – Levels of Reality and the Illusion of the World
• 00:17:57 – Childhood Experiences and Suppression
• 00:19:57 – Shutting Down and Waking Up Again
• 00:22:28 – The Longing for the Beloved
• 00:25:08 – Seeking Enlightenment in India
• 00:27:20 – The Longing for God
• 00:29:19 – Meeting the Celestial Being and Awakening
• 00:33:08 – Learning to Function in Different Realms
• 00:34:57 – Burning and Purging in the Spiritual Awakening Journey
• 00:36:47 – Immersion into Everything
• 00:38:45 – The Integration of the Cosmic Self
• 00:40:20 – Amma, the Hugging Saint and Inner Masters
• 00:42:12 – Upgrading the Nervous System for Higher Frequencies of Light
• 00:44:14 – The Gift of Instantaneous Healing and Forgiveness Prayers
• 00:46:47 – The Purpose and Techniques of Prayer
• 00:49:40 – The Range of Spiritual Development
• 00:55:34 – The Need for Transformation
• 01:02:43 – Prophecy and the Path of Change
• 01:06:04 – The Light Within and Making a Difference
• 01:09:18 – Focusing on Love and Inner Transformation
• 01:11:46 – The Presence of Enlightenment

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Miranda Macpherson is a spiritual teacher, counselor, and author of ‘Boundless love’. Known for her depth of presence and refined capacity as a guide into direct experience of the sacred, Miranda teaches and transmits a powerful synthesis of self-inquiry, depth psychology, devotion, and meditation. Inspired by Ramana Maharshi, A Course in Miracles, and extensive study into the world’s wisdom traditions, Miranda has over twenty years of teaching experience internationally. In 1996 she founded the groundbreaking ‘Interfaith Foundation’ in London, and during her 10 years as spiritual director, she trained and ordained over 600 ministers and spiritual counselors. She is now based in the San Fransisco Bay Area, and leads retreats and ongoing programs internationally for those wanting to substantially deepen their practice. Miranda offers an integrated and feminine approach to non-dual realization oriented at facilitating direct spiritual experience while providing a practical foundation for authentic transformation. Her clarity and love offer a deep holding in which to rest undefended in the present, taste deeper levels of consciousness and discover how to embody wisdom in daily life.

Books:

• The Way of Grace – The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation (Book)
• Boundless Love: Transforming Your Life with Grace and Inspiration

CDs:

• The Way of Grace – The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation (CD)
• Meditations on Boundless Love
• ‘The Heart of Being’ – Mantra CD
• ‘Awakening the Soul’ – Meditation CD

Website: http://mirandamacpherson.com

• Second BatGap interview with Miranda.
• Miranda in SAND Panel Discussion on Sexual Misconduct, Money, Power, Trauma & Ethics in Spiritual Communities

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Interview recorded 12/21/2013

Transcript of this interview.

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Miranda Macpherson
• 00:03:04 – The Presence of God and Confusion with Religion
• 00:05:53 – Awakening to Boundless Love
• 00:09:03 – Formative Awakening and Spiritual Evolution
• 00:11:42 – The Interaction of the Soul with the Universe
• 00:14:43 – Soulful Spiritual Development and Healing Wounds
• 00:17:40 – Serving the Unchurched People
• 00:20:28 – An Encounter with Ramana Maharshi
• 00:24:12 – The Process of Integration and Identity Transformation
• 00:27:10 – Standing on the Edge of the Void
• 00:29:37 – Integration and Cultivating Trust
• 00:32:39 – Trusting the Beneficent Force
• 00:35:32 – Awakening in the Midst of Everyday Life
• 00:38:29 – The Elements of Devotion and Embodiment Practices
• 00:41:17 – Cultivating the Virtues
• 00:44:23 – The Power of Curiosity and Open-Mindedness
• 00:47:23 – Non-attack and the Ego
• 00:50:13 – Disengaging from the Ego
• 00:52:51 – The Ego as a Form of Thievery and Compassion
• 00:55:28 – The Relationship between Ultimate Reality and the Relative
• 00:57:57 – The Fullness and Diversity of Experience
• 01:00:21 – Walking with Great Suffering
• 01:03:19 – Genuine Spiritual Practice and Personal Choice
• 01:05:59 – The Importance of Spiritual Practice
• 01:08:28 – Gentle Effort and Mantras as a Way of Being
• 01:11:03 – Awareness during sleep and expanded perception
• 01:13:25 – Nectar-like Experiences in the Wilderness and the Presence of Deities
• 01:16:13 – A Nuanced Understanding of Possibilities
• 01:18:56 – Connections and Collaborations
• 01:21:14 – Building a Strong Foundation for Realization
• 01:23:45 – Where to Find More Content

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