551. Elena Nezhinsky

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Rick Archer

Like many spiritual seekers, Elena Nezhinsky spent years meditating and studying spiritual writings and practices. Persistent inquiry into the nature of being and unknowable grace eventually culminated in a series of deep, awakening realizations. With uncompromising honesty, great humor, and a profound commitment to serving others, Elena shared her personal spiritual journey and the insights gleaned along the way in a book “Buddha on a Bull: A Practical Approach to Enlightenment“. As she puts it, “this is a book for everyone who is tired of seeking enlightenment, as I was.”

Elena is a co-creator of a method of awakening inquiry called Direct Pointing which continues to be profoundly helpful for thousands of people around the world. Elena holds M.S. in Engineering, she is professionally trained in Coaching, Human Design, and Family Constellations systems. She is a lifelong learner of Behavioral Psychology. A native of Ukraine, she lives in California now, where she continues to write and works as a Deep Transformation Mentor, guiding people to integrate and embody spiritual awakening.

Website: elenanezhinsky.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Previous BatGap interview with Elena (and Ilona Ciunaite)

Interview recorded May 23, 2020.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

550. Chris Beal

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Rick Archer

Chris Beal discovered Buddhism as an exchange student in Japan in the 1960s. Given her determination, she was sure she would succeed in getting enlightened. But enthusiasm doesn’t always guarantee success, and she went home disappointed, depressed and demoralized.

Thirteen years later, after a spontaneous awakening, she contacted the priest who had been her main teacher in Japan and began a six-year connection which deepened her understanding of what she had realized.

Meanwhile, she sought a spiritual path in the States but found nothing that spoke to her as deeply as her first teacher had until she met Adyashanti twenty years ago. After almost a decade of absorbing his teachings, she found the realization gradually deepening on its own.

Chris enjoys writing about spirituality and spiritual awakening. Her writing includes numerous published book reviews, author interviews, and articles, She is currently seeking publication of her novel, ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE FLESH, in which the main character’s dilemma reflects that of many seekers: How do you know which way will lead to the ultimate Truth when what you are seeking is not in the realm of imagining?

Chris’s Blogs:

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Interview recorded May 16, 2020

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

549. Donald Hoffman

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Rick Archer

Donald Hoffman received a Ph.D. from MIT and is a Professor of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He is an author of over 120 scientific papers and three books, including The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes. He received a Distinguished Scientific Award of the American Psychological Association for early career research, the Rustum Roy Award of The Chopra Foundation, and the Troland Research Award of the US National Academy of Sciences. His writing has appeared in Scientific American, New Scientist, LA Review of Books, and Edge, and his work has been featured in Wired, Quanta, The Atlantic, Ars Technica, National Public Radio, Discover Magazine, and Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. He has a TED Talk titled “Do we see reality as it is?”