Gail Brenner, Ph.D. is a psychologist, author, speaker, and lover of the nondual teaching with a fire that burns brightly. She is an expert in healing from early trauma and brings to this work years of experience with individuals and groups. Her work lovingly illuminates our everyday humanness with the deepest spiritual truths, and she is known for creating the safe space needed for inner exploration.

Gail has special expertise working with older adults and their families in the transitions of aging, death, and dying. She was an assistant clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco where she trained physicians and maintained a clinical practice. She has published numerous professional articles on coping with stress and chronic medical illness and is the author of the award-winning The End of Self-Help: Discovering Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life and Suffering Is Optional: A Spiritual Guide to Freedom from Self-Judgment and Feelings of Inadequacy. She loves exploring different cultures through international volunteering.

First BatGap interview with Gail

Website: gailbrenner.com

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded January 16, 2022.

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
• 00:03:53 – Personal and Professional Growth
• 00:07:54 – Tapping into the Beyond
• 00:11:40 – The Release of Old Patterns and Conditioning
• 00:15:33 – Embracing Openness and Compassion
• 00:19:00 – Exploring the Nature of True Self and the Overshadowing of Experience
• 00:22:41 – The Separation of Identity
• 00:26:00 – The Impact of Unmet Needs and Coping Strategies
• 00:29:37 – The Healing Power of Meditation
• 00:33:11 – The Healing Power of Meditation
• 00:36:39 – The Power of Attention
• 00:40:07 – The Importance of Paying Attention and Self-Scrutiny
• 00:43:38 – Numbing out to avoid discomfort
• 00:47:15 – Investigating conditioned patterns and healing trauma
• 00:50:54 – The Neurophysiology of Trauma and Healing
• 00:55:13 – Tools for Relaxation and Rest
• 00:58:32 – Inner Awakening and House Cleaning
• 01:02:09 – The Recognition of Timeless Being
• 01:06:01 – Healing and Growth in a Nurturing Environment
• 01:09:27 – Living in Bigger Questions and Non-Duality
• 01:12:28 – Letting go of control and being present
• 01:15:38 – Listening Deeply and Bringing Compassion
• 01:19:30 – Being Present with What Arises
• 01:22:57 – Working with Unworthiness Issues
• 01:27:05 – The Power of Being with Emotions
• 01:30:51 – Beyond Limitations and Identification
• 01:34:48 – The Profoundness of Being Together in Unity
• 01:38:19 – Contemplating People
• 01:41:58 – Finding Meaning and Satisfaction in Life
• 01:45:28 – Going Deeper and Discovering Meaning
• 01:49:00 – Thank you for Listening

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John J. Prendergast, Ph.D., is the author of

• The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence and
• In Touch: How to Tune in to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself.

He is a retired adjunct professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a licensed psychotherapist.

He studied for many years with the European Advaita master, Jean Klein, as well as with Adyashanti. He was invited to share the dharma by Dorothy Hunt.

He offers retreats in the U.S. and Europe, as well as online.

Website: ListeningFromSilence.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

First BatGap Interview with John

Interview recorded November 23, 2019

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction and Background
• 00:03:49 – Following the Subtle Impulses
• 00:07:19 – Mysterious Encounters with Wise Teachers
• 00:11:02 – The Wisdom of Not Knowing
• 00:14:24 – Crossing the Barrier of Fear
• 00:18:08 – The Head, Heart, Gut Structure
• 00:21:46 – The complexity of human nature and awakening
• 00:25:45 – The Polarity of Change and Fixing
• 00:29:35 – Balancing Act and Spiritual Maturity
• 00:33:24 – Trusting the Process of Balance
• 00:37:29 – The Seeker and the Sought, a Paradoxical Teaching
• 00:40:40 – Finding Your Dharma
• 00:44:11 – The Shift and the Capacity for Empathy
• 00:47:52 – The Capacity of the Heart to Bear Collective Suffering
• 00:51:44 – Moving with Love and Being of Service
• 00:55:19 – Living in Deep Integrity with our Heart
• 00:59:04 – The Influence of Teachers
• 01:02:07 – The Importance of Teachers in Spiritual Awakening
• 01:05:03 – Discovering Inner Resonance
• 01:09:09 – Opening Communication with the Body
• 01:12:46 – Non-phenomenal completion and the refinement of the instrument
• 01:16:29 – Leaning into Deep Sadness
• 01:20:28 – The Heart’s Upwelling and Sharing the Love
• 01:24:15 – The Wisdom of the Body
• 01:27:52 – The Power of Beliefs in Creating Noise
• 01:31:29 – Identifying Core Subconscious Beliefs
• 01:34:49 – The Tendency for Darkness in Human Nature
• 01:38:28 – Acting without being married to the principle of fairness
• 01:42:04 – The Power of Self-Acceptance and Transformation
• 01:49:20 – Interviews with Regular Joes

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Kate Gustin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her education from Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley; and has worked in a variety of settings over the past twenty-five years as a mental health practitioner: outpatient psychiatry, community mental health clinics, VA Hospital, college counseling services, and currently in private practice. Gustin integrates the science of positive psychology into her psychotherapy, teaching, and consultation, and leads classes and trainings for students, patients, and health care professionals.

Book: The No-Self Help Book: Forty Reasons to Get Over Your Self and Find Peace of Mind

Websites:

• kategustin.net
• no-selfhelp.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 25, 2019

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
• 00:03:54 – The Influence of Eastern Thought
• 00:07:58 – Spiritual Practice and Influences
• 00:12:05 – Choosing Where to Rest Your Attention
• 00:15:50 – The Importance of Regular Practice
• 00:19:32 – The Levels of Self Concept
• 00:23:18 – The Development of Self-awareness: From Ahamkara to Brahman Consciousness
• 00:27:03 – Connection and Accessing Inner Resources
• 00:30:35 – The Illusion of Self
• 00:34:09 – Shifting Perspectives: From Self to No-Self
• 00:38:05 – The Irrelevance of Self-Esteem
• 00:41:53 – The Shift in Culture and Paradigm
• 00:45:42 – The Erosion of Self
• 00:49:12 – The Illusion of Self and the Effort to Protect It
• 00:53:04 – The Self as a Thief
• 00:56:45 – The Longing for Self
• 01:00:28 – The Influence of Past Experiences on the Present Moment
• 01:04:05 – Processing Traumatic Experiences in Therapy
• 01:07:55 – Life as an Instrument of Wisdom
• 01:12:00 – The Fading Self-Referencing Narrative
• 01:15:40 – Detaching from Self and Suffering
• 01:19:31 – Letting go of attachment to opinions
• 01:23:08 – Disidentifying from Beliefs and Building Understanding
• 01:26:37 – Infusing Collective Consciousness
• 01:30:21 – The Illusion of Self
• 01:34:19 – Near-Death Experiences and the Beauty of Death
• 01:38:20 – The Shift Towards a More Unified Reality
• 01:42:04 – A Glimpse of Possibilities
• 01:45:49 – The Importance of Digging Deeper
• 01:49:37 – Cultivating Compassion and Empathy
• 01:53:29 – Workshops and Website Updates

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