420. Cynthia Bourgeault

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: cynthiabourgeault.org wisdomwayofknowing.org 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. Transcript of this interview. 2nd BatGap interview with Cynthia. Interview recorded Sept. 30, 2017 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 Save