Buddha at the Gas Pump

Rick Archer
Buddha at the Gas Pump Podcast

The implication of the title - Buddha at the Gas Pump - is that ordinary people are experiencing higher states of consciousness once thought to be rare and difficult to attain. People everywhere are undergoing a shift or awakening to their true nature. For some, this shift has been abrupt and dramatic. For others, it has been so gradual that they may not have realized it has occurred. Such shifts, or awakenings, are not new: Christ spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven within, Buddhists speak of Nirvana, Zen masters of Satori, Hindus of Moksha, but these traditions generally regard these states as rare and difficult to attain. Many people are therefore skeptical of claims of higher states of consciousness. They find it hard to believe that apparently ordinary friends and neighbors might be experiencing something extraordinary. Maybe they expect Enlightenment to look as remarkable on the outside as it is reputed to be on the inside. This show will attempt to dispel skepticism and misconceptions by week after week, allowing otherwise ordinary people to relate their experience of spiritual awakening. The terminology is tricky, because there are no universally agreed upon definitions to describe this experience. So please forgive us if we use some unfamiliar terms. We will try to clarify our definitions as we go along. Perhaps, after a while, those listening will become convinced that genuine and permanent spiritual awakenings are not just a pipe dream, but are real and are becoming relatively commonplace. These podcasts are the audio track of a weekly interview show which may be seen as videos on our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/buddhaatthegaspump). Also see the main site: https://batgap.com. For search purposes, I will add the following to this description - batgap, Buddha at the Gaspump, Buddah at the Gas Pump.

  1. 25 JUL

    711. John Audette

    John R. Audette is the author of “Loved by the Light: True Stories of Divine Intervention and Providence”. He earned a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, his professional career spans over three decades of senior executive positions in hospital and hospice administration and physician practice management, as well as the performing arts and public broadcasting. He contributed several scholarly chapters to various books by other authors about spiritually transformative experiences and non-local consciousness including works by Dr. Ervin Laszlo. He is also gratefully acknowledged in many other books on these subjects by various well-known authors whom he assisted dating back to 1974. His first work of fiction, a novel trilogy, will be published in 2025. John is the primary founder of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, Inc., (IANDS.org), with co-founders Raymond Moody, MD; Bruce Greyson, MD; Michael Sabom, MD; and Kenneth Ring, PhD. John now serves as CEO of Eternea, (eternea.org), which he co-founded with Eben Alexander, MD and Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D. He is also an honorably discharged veteran with over six years of voluntary service (both active and inactive duty) in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era. Website: AffirmingGod.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded July 7, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters:  00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump  00:04:46 - Edgar Mitchell and the Institute of Noetic Sciences  00:09:08 - Raymond's Integrity and a Missed Opportunity  00:12:45 - Validating Observations about the Nature of Reality  00:17:45 - The Ring of Destiny  00:20:22 - A Beautiful Near-Death Experience  00:24:02 - The Power of Nonsense  00:29:19 - The Meaning of Cigarettes and Traumatic Incidents  00:34:14 - The Lizard Beings  00:37:56 - Spiritualization of Material Life  00:41:58 - The Realization of True Divine Inspiration  00:46:14 - A Journey of Karma and Forgiveness  00:49:17 - The Realization of God's Existence and Transformation  00:54:14 - The Power of Experience and Spiritual Awakenings  00:57:45 - Wrestling with Chaos, Fear, and Confusion  01:01:31 - The God Void and Escaping Addiction to Heroin  01:05:51 - Moving Beyond Materialism  01:09:42 - The Eternea Concept  01:15:03 - The Purpose of All Religions  01:18:41 - Synerge with a GE and the Power of Cooperation  01:23:24 - Catalyzing a Global Spiritual Revolution  01:28:10 - Advancing Love and Light  01:31:54 - Emulating Saintliness  01:36:47 - The Continuum of Evil  01:41:27 - God's Reaction to Evil  01:44:32 - The Nature of Consciousness and Diversity  01:48:01 - Connectedness and Awareness  01:50:39 - The Role of Paradise and the Potential for a Perfect World  01:54:22 - The Power of Personal Epiphany and Transformation  01:57:15 - The Possibility of Publishing and Filming the Work

    1h 46m
  2. 11 JUL

    710. Viivi Jokela

    Viivi Jokela facilitates awakening in people who are inclined in that way. She had a spontaneous, deep awakening to true nature in 2022, followed by a strange and at times intense acclimation, which she refers to as no self realization or simply the natural state. Viivi communicates a direct approach to realization, grounded on experiential insight on the aspects of awakening. She invites you to inquire into and recognize the awe-striking immediate, inherently awake radiance of your own being and of all being. Website: sensingradiance.com In this interview, Viivi Jokela shares her journey of spiritual awakening and self-realization. She discusses her early life, her struggles with suffering and alienation, and her eventual deep awakening to her true nature in 2022. She describes the intense acclimation process she went through, which she refers to as no self-realization or the natural state. Viivi also talks about her experiences with a yoga school that turned out to be a cult, her powerful Kundalini awakening, and the subsequent purification process. Throughout the interview, she emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of experience and the difference between direct experience and mental interpretation. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded June 29, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters:  00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump  00:03:37 - Early Suffering and Alienation  00:07:22 - Finding Yoga in the Hospital  00:10:22 - The Powerful Kundalini Awakening  00:13:16 - The Journey of Purification  00:16:27 - Challenges after Kundalini Awakening  00:19:46 - Recommendation for Kundalini awakening practitioners  00:23:23 - Finding the Right Meditation Practice  00:26:55 - Defining Enlightenment and Liberation  00:30:16 - The Experience of Self  00:33:57 - Multi-Dimensionality of Life  00:37:16 - The Personal and Impersonal within a Larger Wholeness  00:40:18 - The Dance of Relative and Absolute  00:43:30 - Holding Multiple Perspectives Amid Conflicting Views  00:46:24 - Appreciating Different Perspectives  00:49:52 - Understanding the "I got it, I lost it" syndrome  00:53:22 - Extracting Instructions for Awakening  00:56:35 - The Beginner's Mind and Approaching with Curiosity  01:00:16 - Different Types of Meditation  01:03:58 - The Collapse of Fundamental Structures of Reality  01:07:38 - The Teacher and the Experience of Death  01:11:20 - Moments of Transcendence and Nothingness  01:14:34 - The Reality of the Deep Homecoming and Healing Through Realization  01:18:22 - The Disappearance of God  01:21:34 - Kundalini: The Most Powerful Energy  01:24:54 - The Relationship between Trauma and Relational Healing  01:28:34 - Dismissive Attitudes and Lack of Empathy  01:31:58 - The Contradictory Nature of the Experience  01:34:44 - The Importance of Having a Broad Perspective  01:38:40 - Exploring Aggression and Self-Respect  01:42:37 - Closing Remarks and Next Interview Preview

    1h 30m
  3. 26 JUN

    709. Philip Weber

    Philip Weber had a successful 35-year career as an executive in the hospitality industry. A member of Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship since 1999, Phil is known for his highly ecumenical outlook, holding a deep appreciation for many of the world’s spiritual traditions and teachings, and often affirming his Guru’s adage: “Truth is one, paths are many.” Currently retired and residing in Carlsbad, California, Phil prefers a quiet, contemplative life. He is not a spiritual teacher and has no online or social media presence. For Phil’s book announcements, please go to his editor’s website. Books: Grace Happens: An Awakening of Consciousness Reflections of Consciousness: Essays on the Journey of Awakening and the Nature of Reality To Contact Phil please go the "Connect" page of his editor's website. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview Interview recorded June 16, 2024. YouTube Video Chapters:  00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump  00:04:18 - The Joy of Helping Others  00:07:40 - The Birthright of Spiritual Awakening  00:11:10 - The Illusion of Point A and Point B  00:14:43 - The Journey of Awakening  00:19:15 - A Drunk on Energy: The Awakening  00:22:56 - Finding My Guru at Barnes and Noble  00:26:05 - The Infinite Possibilities of Awakening  00:29:22 - A Shift in Career Satisfaction and the Discovery of Wayne Dyer and Alan Watts  00:32:48 - Exploring Different Teachings  00:36:46 - Walking for Grounding and Safety  00:40:47 - Finding Help in Adyashanti's Talks  00:45:10 - Exploring Different Spiritual Paths  00:49:23 - Intensive Kriya Practice for Karma Mitigation  00:52:43 - The Fan Blades Stopping  00:56:30 - The Fulfillment of Awakening  01:00:42 - Awakening to Being Okay with What Is  01:04:35 - Not Letting Sports Ruin Your Day  01:08:30 - The Perfection of Suffering  01:12:31 - The Beauty of Life and Mystical Experiences  01:15:38 - Grateful Indifference and Mystical Experiences  01:20:02 - Profound Mystical Experience and Removal of an Astral Parasite  01:24:19 - Astral Entities and Energy Feeding  01:28:24 - The Glowing Orb of Energy  01:32:40 - Exploring Different Paths to Awakening  01:36:01 - The Short Path vs. Progress in Spiritual Growth  01:38:59 - Surrender and the Debate on Free Will  01:42:50 - Understanding God and Conscious Awareness  01:47:28 - A Conversation about Writing and Books  01:50:43 - The Changing Relationship with the Guru

    1h 35m
  4. 14 JUN

    708. A Conversation with Rick Archer of “Buddha at the Gas Pump”

    Since we have a gap in the schedule I thought I'd put up a recent video of Yvonne Kason of Spiritual Awakenings International (SAI) interviewing me. SAI is a non-profit worldwide network of individuals and groups who are interested in collaborating to raise awareness, network, and share personal experience relating to diverse types of Spiritually Transformative Experiences, to raise global spiritual awareness. From the description on their YouTube channel: "A Conversation with Rick Archer of Buddha at the Gas Pump" was presented to Spiritual Awakenings International on May 18, 2024. Rick Archer shares his personal spiritual journey from childhood, through the turbulent 1960's, his introduction to Transcendental Meditation, to the launch of his popular podcast on spirituality, Buddha at the Gas Pump. Rick shares his spiritual awakening story, starting with his complicated family life, learning to meditate in 1968, and his years as a Transcendental Meditation teacher. He describes his inspiration and motivation to start Buddha at the Gas Pump in 2009. He also shares insights and experiences he’s had while doing this now very popular spiritually focused podcast. Rick also talks about the importance of ethical behavior for spiritual leaders and the Association for Spiritual Integrity, which he helped found. Also, I was interviewed a few months ago by Amertat Cohn of Sunseed. He split it into three parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 And another recent interview by James Plath of the The Institute For Advanced Astonishment. Summary and transcript Interview recorded May 18, 2024

  5. 31 MAY

    707. Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati

    Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati Ph. D has dedicated her life to serving the Vedic tradition by teaching Advaita Vedanta. A Hindu monk who currently lives in Mumbai (India) she is a teacher, podcaster, writer, creator who points to the suffix -er in all the roles as the abiding Atma in all beings. She offers regular Vedanta courses (online), Vedanta – the river of wisdom weekly podcast, insightful videos, workshops and retreats in India and abroad. Her teachings range from the depth and breadth of self-mastery to self-discovery. She is the author of ‘You matter – Insights from Vedanta.’ Swamini ji teaches three core courses at Hindu University of America. She has a Ph. D in Philosophy and her thesis on the Role of Ishvara in Advaita Vedanta is due to be published soon as a book. She is a direct disciple of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, having studied Vedanta, Sanskrit and Vedic chanting at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in a residential, intensive three-year course in Coimbatore and Rishikesh, India. She studied with Swami Brahmavidananda for about twelve years while balancing her work commitments. Her last leadership role was as the Country Head (India) of an international organization which positively impacted the lives of 150,000 street children. She was formerly a psychologist. Website YouTube Channel Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview. Interview recorded May 21, 2024 YouTube Video Chapters:  00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump  00:04:24 - Questioning Hinduism and Childhood Rebellion  00:08:21 - Becoming a Monk for Guru and Grace  00:12:20 - Neo-Advaita and Traditional Advaita  00:16:23 - The Importance of Traditional Teachings in Vedanta  00:20:16 - Contextualizing Vedic Literature and Manusmriti  00:24:03 - Vedanta: The Sixth Means of Knowledge  00:28:06 - Vedanta as a Means of Knowledge  00:31:58 - The Scientific Approach and Spiritual Development  00:35:52 - Science's Damage and Universal Values  00:40:00 - The Nature of Maya Shakti  00:43:44 - The Nature of Brahman and Self-Discovery  00:47:38 - The Strange Pursuit of Seeking and Harmony with the World  00:51:26 - The Nature of Consciousness and Seeking  00:55:09 - The Stages of a Seeker  00:58:59 - Transformation from Seeker to Knower  01:02:50 - The Process of Chipping Away and Shedding Ignorance  01:06:34 - Direct vs Progressive Approaches in Vedanta  01:10:15 - Direct and Progressive Understanding of Vedanta  01:14:09 - The Five Sets of Relationships  01:17:54 - The Meaning and Process of Puja  01:21:51 - Understanding the Law of Karma  01:26:03 - Karma and Free Will  01:29:36 - Expanding and narrowing our range of free will  01:33:24 - The Legacy of the Tradition and the Role of a Spokesperson  01:37:16 - The Importance of Dharma in Spiritual Growth  01:41:12 - Aligning with Dharma  01:45:07 - The Mirror of Dharma  01:48:56 - Maintaining Discernment in Spiritual Teachings  01:52:24 - The Power Within Us  01:56:08 - Recognizing our Sacred connection to God

    1h 46m

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About

The implication of the title - Buddha at the Gas Pump - is that ordinary people are experiencing higher states of consciousness once thought to be rare and difficult to attain. People everywhere are undergoing a shift or awakening to their true nature. For some, this shift has been abrupt and dramatic. For others, it has been so gradual that they may not have realized it has occurred. Such shifts, or awakenings, are not new: Christ spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven within, Buddhists speak of Nirvana, Zen masters of Satori, Hindus of Moksha, but these traditions generally regard these states as rare and difficult to attain. Many people are therefore skeptical of claims of higher states of consciousness. They find it hard to believe that apparently ordinary friends and neighbors might be experiencing something extraordinary. Maybe they expect Enlightenment to look as remarkable on the outside as it is reputed to be on the inside. This show will attempt to dispel skepticism and misconceptions by week after week, allowing otherwise ordinary people to relate their experience of spiritual awakening. The terminology is tricky, because there are no universally agreed upon definitions to describe this experience. So please forgive us if we use some unfamiliar terms. We will try to clarify our definitions as we go along. Perhaps, after a while, those listening will become convinced that genuine and permanent spiritual awakenings are not just a pipe dream, but are real and are becoming relatively commonplace. These podcasts are the audio track of a weekly interview show which may be seen as videos on our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/buddhaatthegaspump). Also see the main site: https://batgap.com. For search purposes, I will add the following to this description - batgap, Buddha at the Gaspump, Buddah at the Gas Pump.

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