A.I. and the Bartholomew Material

Picture created by AI-based art generator artbreeder.com with the command “Depict a colorful pile of cassette tapes falling from a mountain”.

At first glance, putting together the concept of artificial intelligence (A.I.) with the Bartholomew material might seem a litte odd. However, as you will see, this combination is both logical and promising.

The problem

One of the main challenges one faces with the Bartholomew material is the sheer volume of teachings left by Bartholomew and Mary-Margaret Moore. The five published books provide a solid glimpse into this vast collection, but listening to the tapes reveals there is much more. This raises the question: where should one start? Is there even a clear beginning and end? The titles given to many of the tapes give an indication of what’s inside, but since they usually refer only to the first segment, no one knows what else is there unless one listens to them in full. All of them.

Long-term solution

Ideally, even a simple search engine limited to the site BartholomewMaterial.com should be enough for anyone to quiz its contents and return with a handful of links related to the search topic. But for that approach to work well, the transcripts of all the tapes need to be added to the site, and we are still far from that long-term goal since only a handful of transcripts have been posted so far. What to do in the meantime?

Interim solution

As luck would have it, I was having a conversation with Rick Archer, the creator and manager of the Batgap.com web site. “Batgap” stands for “Buddha At The Gas Pump”, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that even “enlightened” or “awakened” people need to put gas in their car, together with myriads of other chores, like everyone else. Another famous reference to this concept is the Zen saying “Before enlightenement, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water”.

Rick has done an incredible job over the years of interviewing more than 700 (and counting) people who have had spiritual experiences of one kind or another, all of which are available to listen for free on his site and his YouTube channel. You could spend the next two years literally listening to one every day and not be done (assuming you don’t awaken in the meantime). It’s a very rich treasure trove of spiritual material for anyone interested in this field, and an amazing service to humanity.

When I shared my quandary with Rick—how to navigate the vast amount of Bartholomew material, most of which hasn’t been transcribed yet—he suggested that maybe it could be integrated into his new “Bot” project. What is that? It’s a fascinating attempt to compile various sources of spiritual material into one extensive database, allowing users to ask any question they want and receive responses from multiple or more narrowly selected sources.

But what about the Bartholomew audio material that hasn’t been posted or transcribed yet? No problem, Rick assured me. He has the tools to create automated transcripts at high speed. And so he did. In a matter of days, he added the entire corpus of Bartholomew material from all the tapes (excluding private sessions for Mary-Margaret and Justin Moore) to his database. Quite an amazing feat. The results cannot be added to the BartholomewMaterial.com site as is since it needs to be edited for accuracy and readability, but for the A.I. search engine, it is good enough.

How does it work, and does it work?

Only time will tell, but initial queries yielded encouraging results. You decide:

1. Go to tinyurl.com/askthebatgapbot (you may want to bookmark that page in order to be able to get back to it easily later). Note that you will initially be asked to fill out a form to be granted access.

2. At the bottom of the page, ask your question. If you want responses based on all the sources contained in the BatGap database, don’t mention Bartholomew, but if you are interested in what he says about your question, start with “what does Bartholomew say about…” or “according to Bartholomew…”.

I tried it with the following question: “How does Bartholomew explain how one can go from unconscious Awareness to conscious Awareness?”.

And this was the response:

“Bartholomew often speaks to the journey from unconscious awareness to conscious awareness as a process of graduating and awakening. Imagine your awareness like an iceberg: initially, only the tip is visible above the surface. As you grow and explore spiritually, more of the iceberg emerges from the depths, revealing the vastness of your true nature.

Here are some key points that Bartholomew might emphasize:

1. **Mindfulness and Presence**:
- Begin with cultivating mindfulness in everyday activities. This can be as simple as being fully present while washing dishes or taking a walk.
- When you bring your attention fully to the present moment, you shift from autopilot (unconscious awareness) to deliberate engagement (conscious awareness).

2. **Self-Inquiry**:
- Engage in self-inquiry practices such as asking, "Who am I?" or "What is aware right now?"
- This helps to peel back the layers of conditioned thoughts and beliefs, leading to a deeper recognition of your true self beyond the mind.

3. **Meditation**:
- Regular meditation practice allows you to quiet the mind and become more attuned to subtler aspects of your being.
- Through meditation, you can access states of stillness and peace, fostering a deeper connection to conscious awareness.

4. **Embracing Emotions**:
- Acknowledge and feel your emotions fully without judgment. This acceptance allows you to move through emotional blockages that keep you in unconscious patterns.
- By becoming aware of your emotional landscape, you cultivate a greater sense of presence.

5. **Awareness of the Unseen**:
- Bartholomew often speaks of becoming aware of the unseen, the mysterious, and the unnameable aspects of existence.
- This involves expanding your perception to include not just the physical and mental, but also the spiritual dimensions of life.

6. **Simplicity and Daily Practices**:
- Engage in simple daily practices that anchor you in awareness, such as breathwork, gratitude journaling, or mindful eating.
- These practices can act as gentle reminders to return to a state of conscious awareness throughout the day.

7. **Patience and Compassion**:
- Be patient with yourself. The journey from unconscious to conscious awareness is not a linear path but an unfolding process.
- Cultivate compassion for yourself during moments of unconsciousness, knowing that each moment is an opportunity for awakening.

Bartholomew's teachings remind us that this journey is not a one-time event but a continuous deepening into the ever-expanding realm of awareness. It's about becoming more attuned to the subtle currents of consciousness that run through all aspects of life.

Not bad for a start, but the bot doesn’t stop there. It also suggest follow-up questions, such as:

1. What specific meditation practices can help deepen my conscious awareness?
2. How can I better integrate self-inquiry into my daily life?
3. What are some signs that indicate I am moving from unconscious to conscious awareness?
4. Can you share any personal experiences or stories about deepening awareness?
5. How do I deal with setbacks or moments when I feel disconnected from conscious awareness?
6. Are there any books or resources that delve deeper into these concepts?

And “actionable” steps, such as:

1. Set aside time each day for mindfulness practices and meditation.
2. Start a journal to document your experiences and insights as you explore conscious awareness.
3. Seek out community or spiritual groups that support practices of mindfulness and self-inquiry.
4. Experiment with different forms of meditation to find what resonates best with you.
5. Remember to be gentle with yourself and embrace the journey with curiosity and compassion.

If anything, it’s worth a try. This AI is still in its early phase, which means that it will improve over time and is likely to facilitate more research for anyone interested in the Bartholomew material. We owe a massive thank you to Rick Archer for his generosity and willingness to develop this project. Have fun!

Feedback welcome.