257. Panel Discussion on Kashmir Shaivism with Sally Kempton, Igor Kufayev, and Menas Kafatos

Sally KemptonSally Kempton is a deeply practiced teacher of meditation and spiritual philosophy, and the author of the books Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti: as well as the audio course Doorways to the Infinite, recently put out by Sounds True. A former swami in the Saraswati order of India, she has been practicing and teaching devotional contemplative tantra for more than 40 years. Her teaching is powerfully sourced in the eastern meditative traditions of yoga and Kashmir Shaivism, yet highly contemporary in her focus on evolutionary practice. She offers a powerful transmission of meditative experience.

Books:

Website: sallykempton.com

Menas KafatosDr. Menas Kafatos is The Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics and Director of Excellence at Chapman University. He received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. After postdoctoral work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined George Mason University and was University Professor of Interdisciplinary Sciences there from 1984-2008.  He has authored and co-authored numerous books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe, and Principles of Integrative Science.  He is a recipient of the Rustum Roy Award from the Chopra Foundation, which “honors individuals whose devotion and commitment to their passion for finding answers in their field is matched only by their commitment to humanity” and the IEEE Orange County Chapter – Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award.  He has been interviewed numerous times by national and international TV networks, newspapers and radio programs.

Books:

BatGap interview with Menas

Igor KufayevAn artist and healer by nature, Igor has been sharing his revelations into the essence of Being since 2002. His approach, in the form of intimate gatherings, silent transmissions and private correspondence, is based on spontaneous and intuitive insight which allows him to empathize with uniqueness of each individual conditioning.

Igor Kufayev was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In his childhood, he had many episodes associated with awakening. At the age of thirty-six, Igor underwent a radical transformation of consciousness which subsequently blossomed into spontaneous unfoldment of Grace.

Since April 2011, Igor and his family have been based in Costa Rica. He continues working with those who require guidance using various forms of communication.

Other BatGap events with Igor:

Transcript of this discussion

Discussion recorded 10/24/2014

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Exploring the Ultimate Reality in Kashmir Shaivism
  • 00:03:04 – Non-dual contemplative devotional tantra
  • 00:06:43 – Mathematics and Universal Consciousness
  • 00:09:40 – The Veiling Principle in Shaivism and Quantum Physics
  • 00:12:45 – The Limitation of Words and Perception
  • 00:15:23 – The Veiling of Maya and the Principle of Vibration
  • 00:17:53 – The Quantum Science of Consciousness
  • 00:20:05 – The Continuum of the Quantum Field
  • 00:22:29 – The Veiling Power of Language
  • 00:24:53 – The Rhythmic Movement of Wholeness
  • 00:27:03 – The Physical World Explanation of Subtle Realities in Physics
  • 00:28:51 – Questions and Explanations
  • 00:31:04 – One Mind, One Reality
  • 00:32:49 – Levels of Sound from Para to Vicari
  • 00:35:12 – The Unapologetic View of Indian Spirituality
  • 00:38:12 – The Golden Age and the Loss of Language
  • 00:41:00 – Exploring Subtle Experiences and Personal Truth
  • 00:44:46 – The Self-Recursive Oneness and Shiva-Shakti
  • 00:48:18 – The Primacy of Individual Consciousness in Shaivism
  • 00:51:25 – The Fabric of Consciousness in Kashmir Shaivism
  • 00:55:06 – Levels of Consciousness in Shaivism
  • 00:58:18 – The Steerings of Consciousness
  • 01:01:21 – The Levels of Manifestation
  • 01:04:43 – Experiential Illustration of a Primordial Energy
  • 01:08:05 – The Divinity in Nature and Scientists’ Views on God
  • 01:11:07 – The Divine Intelligence within Everything
  • 01:14:20 – The Devastating Realization
  • 01:17:23 – The Humble Realization
  • 01:20:33 – The Sanskrit terms for consciousness
  • 01:22:55 – The Role of Shakti in Spiritual Awakening

247. Sally Kempton

Sally KemptonSally Kempton is a deeply practiced teacher of meditation and spiritual philosophy, and the author of the books Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti: as well as the audio course Doorways to the Infinite, recently put out by Sounds True.. A former swami in the Saraswati order of India, she has been practicing and teaching devotional contemplative tantra for more than 40 years. Her teaching is powerfully sourced in the eastern meditative traditions of yoga and Kashmir Shaivism, yet highly contemporary in her focus on evolutionary practice. She offers a powerful transmission of meditative experience.

Books:

Website: sallykempton.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded 8/23/2014

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:02:21 – Awakening Kundalini and Applying Esoteric Wisdom
  • 00:04:05 – Initiations and Retreats in Ancient Cultures
  • 00:05:32 – The Experience of Retreat During Lockdown
  • 00:07:15 – The Power of Retreat and Inner Reflection
  • 00:08:56 – Global Initiation and the Power of Practice
  • 00:10:55 – Awakening and Spiritual Transformation amidst Crisis
  • 00:12:38 – Consequences of our actions
  • 00:14:39 – The Power of a Clarified Mind
  • 00:16:25 – Samskara, Vasanas, and Pragnya
  • 00:18:09 – Karl Marx’s Analysis of Capitalism
  • 00:20:12 – The History of Conspiracy Theories and Real Consequences
  • 00:21:46 – The Power of Ritambhara Pragyan
  • 00:24:00 – Discerning Truth from Bullshit
  • 00:25:53 – Hidden Spiritual Realities and Conspiracy Theories
  • 00:27:33 – Clarifying Your Intelligence and Discernment
  • 00:29:35 – Lingering Delusions and Finding Truth
  • 00:31:34 – Seeking truth moment-to-moment
  • 00:33:21 – Maintaining Clarity and Friendships
  • 00:35:02 – Embodied Ascension and God’s Will
  • 00:36:34 – Discerning our Callings and Obligations
  • 00:38:30 – Motivation during the pandemic
  • 00:40:04 – The Subtler Levels of Creation
  • 00:41:59 – Tension and Forces in the Universe
  • 00:43:54 – The Non-dual Shaiva Perspective
  • 00:45:55 – Tapping into Grace and Consciousness
  • 00:47:34 – Enriching Positive Forces in Creation
  • 00:49:19 – The Universal Form of Self-Help
  • 00:51:17 – Settling the Mind and Connecting to the Breath
  • 00:53:21 – Taking care of yourself during difficult times
  • 00:54:58 – The Accumulation of Benefits in Meditation
  • 00:56:13 – Wrap Up and Thanks

222. Menas Kafatos

Menas KafatosDr. Menas Kafatos is The Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics and Director of Excellence at Chapman University. He received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. After postdoctoral work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined George Mason University and was University Professor of Interdisciplinary Sciences there from 1984-2008.  He has authored and co-authored numerous books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe, and Principles of Integrative Science.  He is a recipient of the Rustum Roy Award from the Chopra Foundation, which “honors individuals whose devotion and commitment to their passion for finding answers in their field is matched only by their commitment to humanity” and the IEEE Orange County Chapter – Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award.  He has been interviewed numerous times by national and international TV networks, newspapers and radio programs.

Books:

Transcript of this interview

Interview conducted 3/15/2014

Menas Kafatos, in Panel Discussion on Kashmir Shaivism

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction: Menas Kefatos and his research interests
  • 00:04:03 – The Nature of Consciousness
  • 00:08:33 – The Nature of Emptiness and Conscious Awareness
  • 00:13:09 – Complementarity: Physics and Mysticism
  • 00:17:32 – Perception of the Self in Others
  • 00:22:02 – The Play of Universal Consciousness
  • 00:25:50 – Transformation after Death
  • 00:29:39 – The Collapse of the Quantum World
  • 00:33:43 – Division and Complementarity
  • 00:37:38 – The Evolution of Consciousness and Complementarity
  • 00:41:46 – The Play of Existence
  • 00:45:46 – Consciousness and the Hard Problem
  • 00:49:53 – The Observer and the Act of Observation
  • 00:53:53 – The Conscious Universe
  • 00:57:45 – Quantum Principles Applicable to Everyday Life
  • 01:00:48 – The Principle of Complementarity
  • 01:04:14 – Non-locality and complementarity
  • 01:08:21 – Non-locality and the Infinitely Correlated Nature of Creation
  • 01:11:32 – The Interconnectedness of Principles
  • 01:14:53 – The Emergence of the Pauli Exclusion Principle
  • 01:18:50 – The Awareness of Atoms and Electron Interaction
  • 01:22:48 – Unity in Diversity and the Bigger Picture
  • 01:26:28 – The Conscious Universe and Universal Intelligence
  • 01:30:12 – The Meaning and Purpose of Life
  • 01:34:01 – Consciousness and the Clockwork Universe
  • 01:37:23 – The Many Perspectives of Reality
  • 01:40:57 – The Psi Phenomenon and Scientific Research
  • 01:43:57 – The Debate on Climate Change and Global Warming
  • 01:47:29 – Catastrophic Implications and Irreversible Damage
  • 01:50:07 – The Conflict Between Environmentalism and Fossil Fuel Industry
  • 01:52:45 – The Intelligent Universe