The Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, Ph.D., is an Episcopal priest, teacher, writer, and internationally acclaimed retreat leader. A student of Fr. Thomas Keating, Bruno Barnhart, Beatrice Bruteau, and the Gurdjieff Work, she has made her mark exploring Wisdom Christianity and the often overlooked lineage of Christian nonduality. Founding Director of the Contemplative Society in Victoria BC and the Aspen Wisdom School, she now serves as one of the core faculty, together with Richard Rohr, OFM, and James Finley, of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM. When not teaching internationally, she resides in her seaside hermitage on Eagle Island, Maine.
Websites:
Books:
- Eye of the Heart: A Spiritual Journey into the Imaginal Realm
- The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice
- The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind–A New Perspective on Christ and His Message
- The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity
- Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening
- The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three: Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity
- Love is Stronger than Death: The Mystical Union of Two Souls
Discussion of this interview in the Batgap Community Facebook Group.
2nd BatGap interview with Cynthia.
Interview recorded Sept. 30, 2017
Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:04:50 – Religious Thought and Spiritual Questions
- 00:09:22 – The Consciousness of Jesus and Its Distortion
- 00:13:47 – Finding the Right Path and Listening to the Heart of Hearts
- 00:18:09 – A Journey Towards Self-Discovery
- 00:23:02 – Three Centered Awareness and the Criticism of Divided Attention
- 00:27:25 – Witnessing and the Gurdjieff Work
- 00:32:07 – The Origins of Centering Prayer
- 00:36:46 – Origins of Centering Prayer
- 00:41:14 – Understanding Katha Fatik and Apophatic Prayer
- 00:45:51 – Surrender into Silence
- 00:50:06 – The Natural Process of Thoughts Emerging
- 00:54:28 – The Influence of a Book on Meditation
- 00:58:39 – Deepening the Sense of Connectedness
- 01:03:29 – Deep inspiration and insight
- 01:07:41 – The Importance of All Sacred Traditions
- 01:12:02 – Reincarnation and Remembering Past Lives
- 01:17:01 – Thought-form climates and responsible manifestation
- 01:21:41 – The Purpose of Meditation
- 01:26:00 – The Importance of a Healthy Neurophysiology and Overcoming Fear
- 01:30:48 – The Limitless Nature of Divine Love
- 01:35:27 – Levels of Consciousness and Non-Duality
- 01:40:28 – The Non-dual Level of Christianity
- 01:45:17 – Non-duality and the Living Experience
- 01:49:58 – Embracing Technology and Skillful Action
- 01:54:42 – Devotion and the Heart
- 01:59:14 – The Embodied Heart
- 02:04:12 – The Heart as Mediator between the Individual and the Universal
- 02:08:50 – Letting go and returning the heart to its pure state
- 02:13:37 – The Fear of Falling and Being Human
- 02:17:49 – Concluding Remarks and Next Guest
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