Category Archives: Academic Spiritual Scholars

618. Thom Krystofiak

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Thom Krystofiak holds a B.A. from Harvard (magna cum laude) and an M.A. from Cambridge University, where he was a Knox Fellow. A trained teacher of Transcendental Meditation, he joined an intentional community in Fairfield, Iowa in 1983, where he and his wife continue to live. There he encountered a cornucopia of spiritual seekers. A rigorous and thoroughgoing skeptic surrounded by ready believers, he has developed unique perspectives on the eternal yet ever-new contest of doubt versus belief.

Website: krystofiak.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded October 2, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introducing Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:04:49 – Extraordinary Beliefs and Skepticism
  • 00:09:04 – Nurturing Skepticism and Exploring Extraordinary Beliefs
  • 00:13:31 – Dangerous Beliefs and their Implications
  • 00:17:42 – Strange Beliefs and the Link to Spirituality
  • 00:21:57 – The Spectrum of Belief
  • 00:26:25 – Perceiving the Unseen
  • 00:30:36 – The Complementarity of Science and Spirituality
  • 00:35:00 – Spiritual Experiences and Remarkable Coincidences
  • 00:38:57 – Exploring Extraordinary Beliefs
  • 00:43:39 – Encouragement of the Irrational
  • 00:47:56 – The Allure of Hidden Knowledge
  • 00:51:58 – The Manipulation of Beliefs by Powerful Industries
  • 00:56:20 – Bucking science and climate denial
  • 01:00:02 – Einstein’s View on God
  • 01:03:53 – The Nature of Consciousness and Embodied State
  • 01:08:30 – Recognizing the Essential Nature
  • 01:13:13 – The Profoundness of Self-Realization
  • 01:17:14 – The Nature of Consciousness
  • 01:21:16 – The Value of Skepticism and Certainty
  • 01:25:32 – Anecdotes of Out-of-Body Experiences during Surgery
  • 01:29:26 – Unexplained Phenomena at Dinner
  • 01:33:12 – The Connection between Fascination with the Paranormal and Social Issues
  • 01:37:26 – The Seductive Power of Claims About Truth
  • 01:41:22 – Peer-Reviewed Science vs. Scientist Claims
  • 01:45:16 – The Importance of Scientific Consensus
  • 01:49:42 – The Consensus of Spiritual Experiences
  • 01:54:04 – The Motivation and Benefits of Spiritual Practices
  • 01:58:03 – The Cognition of Deeper Mechanics of Nature
  • 02:01:48 – Yogic Flying and Levitation
  • 02:05:53 – The Positive Reception of the Book

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596. Richard Tarnas

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Richard Tarnas is a professor of psychology and cultural history at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he founded the graduate program in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness. He teaches courses in the history of ideas, archetypal studies, depth psychology, and religious evolution. He frequently lectures on archetypal studies and depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and was formerly the director of programs and education at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. He is the author of The Passion of the Western Mind, a history of the Western world view from the ancient Greek to the postmodern widely used in universities. His second book, Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View, received the Book of the Year Prize from the Scientific and Medical Network and is the basis for the upcoming documentary series The Changing of the Gods. He is a past president of the International Transpersonal Association and served on the Board of Governors for the C. G. Jung Institute of San Francisco.

Website: cosmosandpsyche.com

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded April 25, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction and Welcome to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:03:51 – Distribution of Film and Book Corrections
  • 00:07:28 – The Playful Dimension of Consciousness
  • 00:11:25 – The Tension Between Creativity and Order
  • 00:15:07 – Resistance to new ideas and materialism in science
  • 00:19:26 – The Liberation of Humankind and the Disenchantment of the Cosmos
  • 00:24:00 – The Transformation of the Renaissance
  • 00:29:01 – The Power of Initiatory Rites and Transformation
  • 00:33:10 – The Acceleration of History
  • 00:37:40 – The Unfolding Process and the Initiation Ritual
  • 00:41:48 – The Perinatal Dimension of Psychological Transformation
  • 00:45:43 – Everything Breathes Together
  • 00:50:09 – The symbolic meaning of the planets in astrology
  • 00:54:13 – The Mysterious Unitive Connection between Humans and the Cosmos
  • 00:58:52 – The Cosmic Intelligence of the Universe
  • 01:03:09 – Kinship with All Beings
  • 01:07:22 – Transformation through Meditation
  • 01:10:40 – Connecting with the Whole
  • 01:14:18 – Immersion in the World of Each Interviewee
  • 01:17:35 – The Transformative Power of Immersion in Deep Ideas
  • 01:21:01 – Cultivating Similar Capacities in Oneself
  • 01:24:35 – Questions about Astrology from a Sceptic
  • 01:28:16 – The Numinous Universe
  • 01:32:57 – Astrology and the Intelligent Cosmos
  • 01:37:11 – The Existence of Subtle Bodies and Intelligent Entities
  • 01:40:57 – Astrology and Psychedelic Therapy
  • 01:44:59 – Archetypal astrology and the human psyche
  • 01:49:14 – Living on Different Planets
  • 01:53:11 – Planetary Alignments and Evolutionary Pressures
  • 01:58:01 – Cultivating Hope for the Future.
  • 02:01:44 – Guest Announcement for Next Week

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590. Theresa Cheung

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Theresa Cheung was born into a family of spiritualists. She has a Masters degree from Kings College, Cambridge, and has written numerous bestselling dream, angel, afterlife, ritual, and spiritual titles and Encyclopedias, including two Sunday Times top 10 bestsellers. She has been a guest on Russell Brand’s Under the Skin and Coast to Coast AM and featured in numerous newspapers and media.

A few of Theresa’s books:

Website: theresacheung.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded March 6, 2021.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:05:10 – Spirituality as a Scientific Enterprise
  • 00:09:31 – Scientists and the Paranormal
  • 00:14:03 – Pushing the Boundaries: Science vs Spirituality
  • 00:18:26 – The Awakening of Dreaming and the Lockdown Dream Phenomenon
  • 00:23:03 – The Profoundness of Dreams
  • 00:27:32 – Interpreting Symbolic Dreams
  • 00:32:03 – The Power of Lucid Dreaming
  • 00:36:25 – The Fourth State of Consciousness
  • 00:41:03 – The Power of Dreams
  • 00:44:30 – In Your Dreams Podcast
  • 00:48:25 – Emphasizing the Ordinary
  • 00:52:03 – Exploring Mediumship
  • 00:55:53 – The Danger of Following False Gurus
  • 00:59:51 – The Intoxicating Need to Follow and Be Told What to Do
  • 01:03:25 – The Existence of Unseen Realms and Angels
  • 01:07:16 – Angels Within
  • 01:11:02 – The Return to Self-Love
  • 01:14:36 – Perception of Angels and Spiritual Equality
  • 01:18:22 – The Practice of Meditation
  • 01:22:15 – Inner and Outer Alignment
  • 01:26:17 – The Importance of Asking Questions and Growth through Open-Mindedness
  • 01:29:50 – The Mystery of Life
  • 01:33:42 – The Peaceful Release of Death
  • 01:37:44 – Life Review and Forgiveness
  • 01:41:22 – The Power of Forgiveness and Psychic Cats
  • 01:45:14 – Laughed at for Believing in Psychic Abilities
  • 01:49:24 – Entertaining Conversations and Recommendations
  • 01:53:06 – The Seductive Power of Belonging
  • 01:57:03 – From Goofballs to Spiritual Interviews

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