Ram Dass on Opening to Death | Here and Now Ep. 288

Challenging the idea that struggle and conflict are a necessary part of life, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan Anderson explore a different way of living.

To start at the beginning of this 18-part dialogue on consciousness, spirituality and navigating life with J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson: https://youtu.be/rcn0gXWv9UU

This time on Freedom from the Known, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson discuss:
- What it truly means to live and face the profound mystery of death
- Discovering the meaning of existence through awareness of the present moment
- Ways that people attempt to escape from the monotony of daily routine 
- How to meet the ‘battle of life’ with clarity and compassion
- The highest form of education: teaching that there is a way of living without conflict
- Being aware of the correct uses of thought and knowledge
- The destructive, negative energy that is created through conflict and battle
- Considering how love can exist in a world filled with inner and outer battle 
- Digging deeper into the reality of consciousness, beyond definitions

“If you could, as a professor, teacher, parent, point this out, the impracticality of the way we are living, the destructiveness of it, the utter indifference to the earth. We are destroying everything we touch. And, to point out a way of living in which there’s no conflict. That seems to me is the function of the highest form of education.” – J. Krishnamurti

This talk was originally recorded in 1974 at San Diego State University and curated by the Krishnamurti Foundation of America

About J. Krishnamurti:
For nearly six decades until his passing in 1986 at the age of ninety, Jiddu Krishnamurti traversed the globe, delivering spontaneous and captivating discourses to large audiences. Krishnamurti assumed the role of an investigator rather than an authority figure, encouraging individuals to question assumptions and explore the depths of their consciousness. His extensive body of work, estimated at over 100 million words, spans more than six decades of relentless inquiry and dialogue. His teachings, compiled in numerous books and translated into multiple languages, continue to inspire seekers worldwide, inviting them to embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and understanding. J. Krishnamurti’s legacy endures as a guiding light, offering timeless wisdom for those who dare to challenge conventional thinking and explore the complexities of existence.

About Dr. Allan W. Anderson:
Dr. Allan Anderson was a poet, author, Professor Emeritus, beloved teacher, scholar of the Oracular Tradition, and a gifted religious linguist. He helped to form the Department of Religious Studies at San Diego State College in 1969. Dr. Anderson later became chair of that department, specializing in Eastern Religions, until his retirement in 1985.

J. Krishnamurti: A Different Way of Living - Freedom From the Known Podcast Ep. 13

Through teachings on non-duality and the illusion of separateness, RamDev explains how true healing comes from recognizing our inherent wholeness.

Ep. 129 - Healing Everything

Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi share uplifting spiritual wisdom on how inner climate change shapes outer climate healing, the environment, and the future of humanity.

Ep. 307 – Inner Climate Change with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi

For episode 271, Sharon sits down with poet, author and Zen master Henry Shukman. 

After a spontaneous spiritual awakening at the age of 19, Henry embarked on a long journey of healing and deeper awakening through meditation. Since then, he has been leading a growing number of practitioners in Europe and the US. He is the Spiritual Director Emeritus of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Henry has also created the app, The Way, and is the author of several books, including his latest 2024 release, “Original Love.” This is Henry’s first appearance on the podcast.

In this conversation, Sharon and Henry speak about:
- Henry’s challenges in early life
- Discovering Zen teachings
- Henry’s new book, Original Love
- Mindfulness, Support, Absorption, Awakening
- Original Love versus Original Sin
- Mental health in spiritual practice
- The power of community and connection
- Henry’s meditation app, The Way
- How to microdose lovingkindness
 
The episode closes with Henry leading a guided meditation. You can learn more about Henry’s books and teachings on his website right here. You can also learn about his app, The Way, right here.

Original Love with Henry Shukman & Sharon Salzberg – Metta Hour – Ep. 271

Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman explores how trusting in the dharma and in ourselves leads to a more peaceful, present life.

Ep. 228 - Trust in Dharma, Trust Yourself with Trudy Goodman

Holding gratitude for the ways Mother Earth supports all beings, Spiritual Healer Taita Pacha Kanchay describes the indigenous mission to be a voice for the land. 

This time on The Four Sacred Gifts, Anita and Taita Pacha Kanchay chat about :
- The profound indigenous connection to Mother Earth and the wisdom of listening to her deeply
- Healing the planet by embracing unity and recognizing all beings as brothers and sisters
- How to transform the world through indigenous systems of knowledge 
- The sacred power of indigenous ceremonies and honoring our ancestors with reverence
- Opening your heart and mind in order to spread goodness in the world
- The practice of forgiveness—releasing resentment and anger to free ourselves from negative energy
- Living in harmony with the Earth and understanding why indigenous wisdom endures through generations
- Gratitude for Mother Earth’s gifts and the importance of living in reciprocity
- Listening to nature as a way to remember our deep interconnectedness with all life

“This is the time when indigenous tribes need to guide and share the wisdom of our Mother Earth because us as indigenous tribes, we have the mission to be the voices of the lands.” –Taita Pacha Kanchay

About Taita Pacha Kanchay: 
Taita Pacha Kanchay is a healer whose ancestral name means "the sun-glint that penetrates the earth." As a Yanakuna Yachak, also known as a "spiritual authority," Pacha has devoted his life to studying and practicing the spiritual traditions passed down by his ancestors and elders.Today, he serves as a speaker and the Coordinator of the Great National Council of Indigenous Elders in Colombia (ONIC), representing a remarkable alliance of 115 tribes. He is also a representative of the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network, a United Nations Delegate, and an activist for Indigenous Sovereignty and environmental justice. A carrier of the sacred medicine of Yagé (Ayahuasca), Pacha's driving purpose is to exemplify and share the knowledge of coexistence in harmony with Mother Earth's spirit and wisdom. Affectionately known as “the healer of the healers” in Colombia, he offers healing on every level—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Pacha's transformative work inspires individuals worldwide to embrace the interconnectedness of all beings and rediscover their innate connection to nature and tap into the endless wellspring of wisdom that resides within. 

You can reach him at malkupachakanchay@hotmail.com. 

Voices of the Land with Taita Pacha Kanchay & Dr. Anita Sanchez | The Four Sacred Gifts - Ep. 15

Carried by a discourse on The Heart Sutra, teacher and author Susan Piver joins Raghu to explore the truth of emptiness.

This week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Susan chat about:
- Practicing The Heart Sutra with only one syllable: ahh
- The truth of emptiness through recitation of non-truths 
- Understanding emptiness as bliss, not as voidness
- The commitment to self interest that many westerners experience
- Releasing the ego as the first step towards embracing emptiness 
- Being both empty and luminous at the same time
- Thinking of emptiness as complete interconnection and fullness
- Susan’s psychedelic experience: staying in the present, being in the womb of bliss
- The six transcendent actions and how they all spring from generosity 
- Check out this free, downloadable translation of The Heart Sutra from Plum Village

About Susan Piver:
Susan Piver has an international reputation as an exceptionally skillful meditation teacher. She teaches workshops and speaks on mindfulness, innovation, communication, relationships, and creativity. Susan has been a student of Buddhism since 1995, graduated from a Buddhist seminary in 2004, and was authorized to teach meditation in 2005. In 2012, she founded The Open Heart Project, the world’s largest online-only meditation center. Susan is also a New York Times bestselling author. Her most recent book, Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart Sutra, is now available. You can keep up with Susan on Instagram.

“You’re empty of separate existence. Your parents, their parents, their parents, if someone ate a different sandwich a thousand years ago, you wouldn’t be here. Emptiness could just as easily be called fullness, completely connected.” –Susan Piver

The Truth of Emptiness with Susan Piver & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling – Ep. 616

Celebrating the release of There Is No Other, a new book of teachings from Ram Dass' lectures, Parvati Markus and Raghu Markus listen to and reflect on some of the material used in its creation. 

This special episode of Here and Now celebrates the new book, There Is No Other, a collection of teachings taken from Ram Dass’ lectures. In these times, Ram Dass’ teachings on wholeness and unity are more needed than ever. 

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox: https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/

We begin with a clip of Ram Dass exploring the mindset of “us versus them.” Who exactly is us? Who is them? Raghu and Parvati reflect on how this clip is central to the theme of There Is No Other.

The next clip features Ram Dass talking about the balance of heart and mind. Sharing a powerful real-life example, he explores how we cut ourselves off when we veil our hearts. Raghu and Parvati share how the book is about walking a path to harmony and wholeness.

The third clip finds Ram Dass examining Ramana Maharshi’s concept of “God, Guru, Self,” and how we can begin to appreciate that the Spirit is everywhere. Raghu and Parvati discuss how Ram Dass' new book speaks to this really important moment in our lives.
We end with a brief clip of Ram Dass talking about the path of love. “Finally,” he says, “you become an environment, a vibratory rate…” 

“So the mind, if it gets too strong, out of balance with the heart, shuts down all the information that the heart can give. It cuts you off from your wisdom, really. You don’t even see all the stuff. I mean, you and I are simultaneously existing on so many planes of reality, but because of the power of our minds, we keep limiting which realities are real, and the rest of it we either treat as error or we don’t even notice. It’s so deeply unconscious, we just don’t even notice all the rest of us, of ourselves.” – Ram Dass

About Ram Dass:
Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him.

There Is No Other, Ram Dass New Book Release with Parvati & Raghu Markus | Here & Now Ep. 289

Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi explore ‘inner climate change,’ guiding us through meditation and reflection on transforming the world by becoming the Tree of Enlightenment.

Ep. 308 – Becoming the Tree of Enlightenment with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi

Through soulful insights on detaching from the ego and expanding the heart, Krishna Das reminds us that surrender is not defeat, it’s the deepest devotion to God.

Ep. 186 – Bowing at the Feet of God

Buddhist teacher David Nichtern explains that making friends with the mind and internal world is the first step to relating better with the people around us.

Ep. 229 - Making Friends with the Mind, David Nichtern LIVE from the Ram Dass Summer Mountain Retreat

Merging art, science, and spirit, authors and intellectuals Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross illuminate why creativity is essential for humanity.

In this episode of Mindrolling, Raghu, Susan, and Ivy explore:
- Redefining art as any medium that allows someone to express themselves
- Learning to see the world with fresh eyes and creative curiosity
- The powerful reflection: has there ever been a time when the arts have personally affected you?
- Resonance and vibration as the center of the universe 
- Music as a pathway to experience oneness with all things
- The miracle of neuroplasticity—rewiring the brain and making new pathways
- Confronting ourselves with a new piece of art or doing a new arts practice 
- Play through art: letting go of any preconceived outcome and simply playing with ideas and concepts
- Why change requires time, patience, and habitual practice 
- Remembering that art in ancient cultures was highly valued and integrated into daily life
- The aesthetic mindset and walking through the world with attention to beauty in every detail

About Susan Magsamen:
Susan Magsamen is the founder and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she is a faculty member. She is also the co-director of the NeuroArts Blueprint. Susan works with both the public and private sectors using arts and culture evidence-based approaches in areas including health, child development, education, workforce innovation, rehabilitation and social equity.

“It’s personal; it could be crocheting for her, gardening for somebody else, it could be I’m a collager, we’re all talking about personalized medicine and precision medicine, and the arts are probably the most personalized medicine that there is.” –Susan Magsamen 

About Ivy Ross:
Ivy Ross is the Vice President of Design for hardware product area at Google, where she leads a team that has won over 225 design awards. She is a National Endowment for Arts grant recipient and was ninth on Fast Company's list of the one hundred Most Creative People in Business in 2019. Ross believes that the intersection of arts and sciences is where the most engaging and creative ideas are found.

“I think we’ve been focusing on productivity and efficiency and pushing these arts aside as a ‘nice to have’, not as an imperative to our health and wellness. Through the work on this book with Susan, learning more about the physiology of how we are wired to receive the sensorial nature of life, it’s no wonder when we deprive ourselves of that, why we’re in the state we’re in.” –Ivy Ross 

Your Brain On Art with Susan Magsamen, Ivy Ross and Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Ep. 617

Responding to a variety of dharma questions on meditation, effort, and impermanence, Joseph Goldstein explores the mystery of consciousness.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein responds to questions on:
- The benefits of doing walking meditation versus traditional seated meditation
- Cutting through our conceptual overlay and simply having raw experiences
- Passive voice construction: removing the self as subject when narrating the world around us
- Changing “let it go” to “let it be” when we are struggling to let go
- Being in the flow of changing experiences, the natural arising and passing away of all things
- The fine line of wholesome energy/effort versus striving and struggling
- Realizing the emptiness of thoughts and the suffering they bring to us
- The first experience of nirvana, ‘the zero’, and uprooting the view of self

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“This is the mystery of consciousness. There’s nothing there tangible to find; no color, no form, it can’t be found. Yet, the knowing is happening. It’s this union of emptiness and knowing.” –Joseph Goldstein

Joseph Goldstein On The Mystery of Consciousness | Insight Hour Ep. 254

Ram Dass talks about finding a balance between emptiness and compassion, then answers questions from the audience, including on how to deal with fear around current events. 

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox: https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/

This episode of Here and Now comes from a weekend workshop Ram Dass held in San Jose, CA, in May of 1992, not long after the LA riots took place. 

Ram Dass begins by discussing how it can be difficult to find a balance between the plane of emptiness and the plane of compassion. He talks about the paradox of seeing suffering as grace and still working to ease the suffering of those around us. 

Ram Dass takes questions from the audience, including about seeing synchronicities, practicing compassion with people who are hard to love, whether consciousness survives death, and how to best honor the guru.   

The final question is about dealing with fear related to current events, particularly the LA riots that had just happened in 1992. Ram Dass gives an abbreviated version of his lecture on “Riding the Waves of Change,” talking about how the art form is to be part of that in the universe which can handle change without being reactive to the fear by cultivating the parts in yourself that are not afraid. 

“So we’re talking about the balance between emptiness and compassion. We’re talking about the balance between control with the mind and boundless love with the heart. I’m just giving you the balances or tensions that you and I, as human species, play with. We’re dealing with the tensions between ourselves as separate entities, with ego structures and bodies and so on, and ourselves as part of one thing that has no separateness at all.” – Ram Dass

About Ram Dass:
Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

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Ram Dass On The Balance Between Emptiness and Compassion | Here & Now Ep. 290 - https://youtu.be/373SwUX64s4

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Ram Dass On The Balance Between Emptiness and Compassion | Here & Now Ep. 290

Blending creativity, business, and parenthood, Jonathan and Miya Eden join David Nichtern to discuss bringing stories to life through animation.

In this episode, David, Jonathan and Miya explore:
- How Jonathan and Miya met and became both personal and creative collaborators
- The process of animating and creating content for Pengwee and Ruby 
- Animating meditative processes and a modified story of the Buddha
- The impact of Miya’s late grandmother on her life and creative process 
- A special hello from Arthur, Miya and Jonathan’s young son
- How to hold space for career development, creative pursuits, and being a parent
- The business side of creative work and dealing with finances, problem-solving, etc.
- Why creativity and bringing entertainment to others is so important to Jonathan

About Jonathan and Miya Eden:
With a degree in Character Animation from the California Institute of Arts (CalArts 2012) Jonathan Eden has over a decade of rich experience in the field of Animation. Working currently as an Animator for Comedy Central's Emmy-winning South Park, Jonathan has a history of prestigious work from large networks which include Disney, Hasbro, and HBO; as well as animating projects for the New York Times, Thom Browne, and Cubcoats. Miya, a professional dancer, choreographer, and director, came together with Jonathan to help create quality animation content for Strawberry Moons Media. You can learn more about Jonathan and Miya’s other creative projects, HERE at Nobody Couple Studios.

“For me, creativity is about expressing yourself and your unique view and doing it in a way that can bring either joy or entertainment to others. Seeing people react to something I’ve animated or a drawing is a great feeling, it’s something you’ve uniquely created with your perspective that no one else can do.” –Jonathan Eden

About David Nichtern:
David Nichtern, founder of Dharma Moon, is a senior Buddhist teacher who has been practicing and teaching meditation for over 40 years. He was one of the initial American students of renowned meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and studied closely with him soon after his arrival in the United States in 1970. He is also a business consultant with companies creating a variety of offerings, integrating meditation in a larger health and well-being context. David is also a multiple Grammy-nominated and Emmy Award-winning musician. 

David’s journey has crisscrossed with the Maharaji/Ram Dass sangha for decades. He has produced multiple Krishna Das albums and frequently joins the Bhaktettes live on guitar. He considers himself to be a first cousin and an honorary member of the Bhakti community.

Bringing Stories to Life with Animator-Producers Jonathan and Miya Eden | CSM Podcast Ep. 60

Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi explore how facing suffering with love can awaken the courage to heal our world.

Ep. 309 – Love Binds All Things: What We Can Do to Help the World with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi

Raghu sits down with clinical psychologist and meditation teacher Dr. Tucker Peck to explore the meeting point of dharma and psychotherapy.

In this episode of Mindrolling, Raghu and Tucker discuss:
- Tucker’s first mind-altering meditative experience on the beach
- Including the dharma in psychotherapy and Tucker’s work in meditation as a therapeutic modality
- How Tucker developed a relationship with Sharon Salzberg and learned mindfulness techniques from her
- The eccentric story of Grandma Allegra: enlightenment, humor, and being in love with the world 
- The question of psychedelics—are they ‘necessary’ for elevating consciousness?
- Working with the mind and the difference between content and process 
- The pros and cons of the ego and why we need to first know ourselves -before dissolving the self
- The Elephant Path, a nine-step practice for building concentration, insight, and awakened awareness

“For all of us heavily repressed westerners, one of the effects of meditation is to show you what you’re feeling.” –Tucker Peck, Ph.D.

About Tucker Peck, Ph.D.:
Dr. Tucker Peck is a meditation teacher, clinical psychologist, and bestselling author of Sanity and Sainthood.  His specialties include working with advanced meditators and using meditation to help those suffering from psychological disorders.  He hosts the podcast Teaching Meditation. Tucker began formal training in meditation in 2005 and has studied with, among other teachers, Sharon Salzberg and Upasaka Culadasa.Tucker received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Brown University, and he received his Masters and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the College of Science at the University of Arizona. Tucker is a published author on the scientific study of meditation, focusing on how meditation affects the brain. He is a former faculty member of both the University of Arizona Department of Psychology and College of Medicine, and he is the founder and former Director of Palo Santo Psychotherapy & Wellness.  He is the founder, treasurer, and past president of the Open Dharma Foundation, which provides scholarships to meditation retreats, and for four years served as the president of the Tucson Community Meditation Center.  Keep up with Tucker and his upcoming retreats HERE.

“The trouble is, the ego is trying to protect you from threats and it is very, very unclear on what does and doesn’t constitute a threat. It tends to think any sort of emotion constitutes a threat, any sort of insight into how the mind or perceptual system works is more than you can handle, so what you want is to slowly get to know yourself.” –Tucker Peck, Ph.D.


Integrating Meditation and Psychotherapy with Tucker Peck, Ph.D. & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Ep.619

RamDev shares how to make every moment a living prayer, carrying the essence of mantra and devotion into both the sacred and the mundane. 

This week on Healing at the Edge, RamDev explores:
- RamDev’s personal struggles with integrating practice into his daily life
- Bringing heartfulness into mundane activities as a form of ceaseless prayer/practice
- Practicing out of richness, abundance, and adequacy, rather than out of need, separation, and inadequacy 
- Making connectedness ongoing and constant, rather than something we struggle to find
- The compelling story of Raghu Markus and an answered prayer from Maharaj-ji
- Prayers of adoration, rejoicing, and gratitude 
- Receiving direction and guidance through our prayers
- ‘Good pain’, aka, the pain of being released and of tension going away
- Trusting in the divine and surrendering in each moment 

“Every moment is open to one of these kinds of prayer. How much can we trust integrating a prayerful attitude, heartfelt surrender to the divine into each moment, whether it’s a moment of gratitude, grief, intercession, thanksgiving, so many different possibilities.” –RamDev 

About Dale Borglum:
RamDev Dale Borglum founded and directed the Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the first residential facility in the United States to support conscious dying. He has been the Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project in Santa Fe and since 1986 in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the co­author with Ram Dass, Daniel Goleman and Dwarka Bonner of Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook, Bantam Books and has taught meditation since 1974.

RamDev offers lectures and workshops on the topics of meditation, healing, spiritual support for those with life ­threatening illness, and on caregiving as spiritual practice. He has a doctorate degree from Stanford University. RamDev’s passion is the healing of our individual and collective fear of death so that we may be free.

How to Make Prayer And Mantra Constant with RamDev | Healing at the Edge Ep. 130

Connecting to the timelessness of the present moment, Gil Fronsdal offers practical steps towards the only source of true happiness: contentment.

This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal explores:
- Seeing the timeless present through photographs 
- Enjoying the preciousness of our limited time here on earth 
- How corporate, capitalist America prefers people who are discontent
- What the Buddha said about the vital importance of contentment 
- How many desires often dissipate on their own if you ride them out
- The ways in which desire alienates us from ourselves 
- The embodied quality of contentment and being in touch with ourselves
- Freedom in the Buddhist sense: freedom ‘from’ rather than freedom ‘to do’
- Cultivating contentment by valuing it and seeing it as an important part of life
- Activities which encourage contentment versus remaining frantic
- Facing discontentment head-on so that it does not drive us 
- This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.

“Contentment is a falling away of anxiety, restlessness, reaching forward, fear, being fragmented, and disconnected. It is a kind of settling. If we’re driven by desires, fears, preoccupations, or fantasies, often our energy, our center of attention, is upwelling in an unhealthy way. As we are contented, we feel the settling down, settling down into the center of gravity.” –Gil Fronsdal 

About Gil Fronsdal:
Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma.



Contentment On The Buddhist Path with Gil Fronsdal | BHNN Guest Podcast - Ep. 232

Speaking across the decades from the 1960s to the 2010s, Ram Dass shares stories about his mother and father, and explores what it means to honor our parents and incarnation. 

This episode of Here and Now is a compilation of Ram Dass discussing what it means to honor our parents and our incarnation. 

We begin in 1969 at the family farm in New Hampshire. Ram Dass talks about how most of our efforts to help other people are simply high drama. He tells a story about wanting to speak with his mother about dying when she was going through that process, but she had to be the one to open the door to the conversation.

The next stop is the 1970s at the Abode of the Message in New Lebanon, New York. Ram Dass explores how part of the spiritual journey is about honoring incarnation and honoring our parents. He shares stories about spending time with his father, and how moments of intimacy between them were born of Ram Dass not trying to be someone special anymore.  

We move on to a 1985 Seva benefit in San Rafael, California. Ram Dass discusses moving back home at 50 to care for his aging father. He then tells the story of being called home from a meditation retreat to help his sick stepmother, and a moment of anger he felt towards his guru about what was happening.

Up next is a trip to the 1990s at the Conscious Aging Retreat in Clearwater, Florida. Ram Dass responds to a question about helping a child awaken. He talks about how you have to become somebody before you become nobody, and recalls a memory where he and his mother overcame their roles of parent and child for a brief moment.

Finally, we end with a conversation between Ram Dass and John Welshons on Maui in 2011. Ram Dass tells the story of a meditation retreat that turned into a therapy group, which triggered a memory from when he was a young child and his mother was holding him down during a temper tantrum. Ram Dass tries to reconcile this memory with the moment when his guru told him his mother is a very high soul. 

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.

“Now, I’ve done this, being with my father once a month now, for several years, because I said to myself, ‘Look, you have to honor your incarnation. And one of the aspects of your incarnation is that you are your father’s son.’ And even though, on some level, that seems kind of funny, it happens to be part of what it’s about. Just like I have to honor the fact that I am an American. I have to pay my taxes. I have to do a lot of stuff. And this is one of the things, I must honor it. And then I have to figure out—what does it mean to honor it? What does it mean to honor it? What does it mean to honor parents?” – Ram Dass

About Ram Dass:
Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

Ram Dass on Honoring Parents and Incarnation Ram Dass | Here & Now Ep. 291, Across the Decades

Defining the nature of Bodhicitta, Joseph Goldstein explains that enlightenment is inevitable when compassion and emptiness coexist.

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein thoughtfully articulates:
- Bodhicitta: the heart-mind of awakening and working for the benefit of all beings
- Living in the world while still remembering the truth of non-self and impermanence
- The beauty of selflessness embodied through Dipa Ma’s life and teachings
- Regularly reflecting on impermanence as both a reality check and a spiritual practice
- The nature of the mind as intrinsically empty and naturally radiant 
- Coming out of our mind-drama and entering into the empty luminosity of the present moment 
- Compassionate responsiveness to the needs of others
- Forgiveness as one of the most profound ways to respond with open-hearted compassion

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“This responsiveness is compassion, not as a meditative stance, but rather it is the responsiveness of an open heart, of an open mind. It can show itself, this compassionate responsiveness, in so many different ways. It can manifest very beautifully as forgiveness.” –Joseph Goldstein 

Buddhist Teachings on Emptiness, Luminosity & Responsiveness w/ Joseph Goldstein | Insight Hour 255

Raghu Markus and Psychoanalyst Dr. Jeffrey Rubin unpack how mindfulness, empathy, and self-understanding connect the worlds of Buddhism and Western therapy.

In this Mindrolling episode, Raghu and Dr. Rubin discuss:

- Jeffrey’s traditional upbringing and the unexpected spiritual experience he had during a basketball game
- Key parallels between Western psychotherapy and Buddhist wisdom
- How “hovering attention” and mindfulness support both therapists and clients
- Identifying pure presence in numerous activities, from chanting to sports and beyond 
- The marriage of Buddha and Freud: moment-to-moment non-judgmental, non-interfering presence 
- Why some Buddhist practitioners can be “one with experience” but struggle to articulate what that truly means
- Viewing our symptoms as beautiful gateways to transformation rather than obstacles
- Putting practice into everyday life and helping people truly live differently
- Empathetically understanding those we disagree with 
- Becoming open to feedback and growth instead of shutting down new ideas 
- The ways in which we maladaptively try to cure ourselves 
- What real, sustainable transformation actually looks like in practice

About Dr. Jeffrey B. Rubin:
Dr. Rubin practices psychoanalysis and psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy and teaches meditation in New York City and Bedford Hills, New York. Widely regarded as a leading integrator of the Western psychotherapeutic and Eastern meditative traditions, Dr. Rubin created Meditative Psychotherapy based on decades of study, teaching and helping people to flourish. Dr. Rubin is the author of six books and numerous publications. He has taught at universities, psychoanalytic institutes and Buddhist and yoga centers. Dr. Rubin lectures in the US and has given workshops at the UN, the Esalen Institute, the Open Center and the 92nd Street Y. His pioneering approach to psychotherapy and Buddhism has been featured in The New York Times Magazine.​ Sign up HERE for a workshop on self-transformation with Dr. Rubin

“I call it the marriage of Buddha and Freud. It’s any practice that cultivates moment-to-moment, non-judgmental, non-interfering presence. That can be qigong, prayer, or Sufi dancing. I don’t want the audience to think it has to be Buddhist; it can be many things. It just happens to be very well done in Buddhism. It’s any sincere path that will help you focus, concentrate, have more self-compassion and compassion for others.” –Dr. Jeffrey B. Rubin

Where Psychotherapy Meets Buddhism with Dr. Jeffrey B. Rubin & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Ep. 621

Offering listeners a way to live life fully, Trudy Goodman explores how to overcome the brain's negative bias by inclining the mind toward appreciation. 

In this episode, Trudy Goodman gives a lecture on:
- The mind’s tendency to view things negatively 
- How evolutionary wiring shapes what we notice and what we miss
- A powerful teaching from loved ones at the end of life: do all things with joy
- Remembering that our heart is inclined toward that which we pay attention to
- How micro-moments of mindfulness accumulate into lasting transformation
- Building new neural pathways through steady, repeated practice
- Living fully with both joy and difficulty instead of moving into denial
- Ensuring that we do not overlook that which will grow our spiritual wealth
- Realizing that both our feelings about a situation and the situation itself do not really matter
- Why the Buddha wanted us to look deeply at our suffering and to question it
- Taking in the goodness of your very own being

This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.

About Trudy Goodman:
Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com

“This took me so long to understand in my practice: that what I think about what’s happening doesn’t matter. Actually, what’s happening doesn’t even matter. All that matters is do we know it? Can we be with it without being hard on ourselves, shaming ourselves, blaming somebody else? All that matters is our quality of attention to it.” –Trudy Goodman

Live It Up with Trudy Goodman | BHNN Guest Podcast Ep. 233

Discussing humanity’s deep fear of death, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson analyze how freedom arises when we understand the inseparable connection of life and death.

To start at the beginning of this 18-part dialogue on consciousness, spirituality and navigating life with J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson: https://youtu.be/rcn0gXWv9UU

This time on Freedom from the Known, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson discuss:
- The fear and avoidance of death that most human beings experience
- Freeing the mind from fear and understanding death as something beautiful
- Our many human theories about death and the afterlife 
- Considering what actual dies outside of the organism 
- The radical relation of birth and death 
- The futility of ceaselessly analyzing the content of the mind
- How humans have attempted to sell immortality 
- The destructibility of all man-made creations and concepts
- Understanding that living, love, and death are one thing

This talk was originally recorded in 1974 at San Diego State University and curated by the Krishnamurti Foundation of America

“Unless the mind frees itself from fear, there is no possibility of understanding the extraordinary beauty, strength, and vitality of death.” –J. Krishnamurti

About J. Krishnamurti:
For nearly six decades until his passing in 1986 at the age of ninety, Jiddu Krishnamurti traversed the globe, delivering spontaneous and captivating discourses to large audiences. Krishnamurti assumed the role of an investigator rather than an authority figure, encouraging individuals to question assumptions and explore the depths of their consciousness. His extensive body of work, estimated at over 100 million words, spans more than six decades of relentless inquiry and dialogue. His teachings, compiled in numerous books and translated into multiple languages, continue to inspire seekers worldwide, inviting them to embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and understanding. J. Krishnamurti’s legacy endures as a guiding light, offering timeless wisdom for those who dare to challenge conventional thinking and explore the complexities of existence.

About Dr. Allan W. Anderson:
Dr. Allan Anderson was a poet, author, Professor Emeritus, beloved teacher, scholar of the Oracular Tradition, and a gifted religious linguist. He helped to form the Department of Religious Studies at San Diego State College in 1969. Dr. Anderson later became chair of that department, specializing in Eastern Religions, until his retirement in 1985.

J. Krishnamurti on the Vitality of Death | Freedom From the Known Podcast Ep. 14

Celebrating the release of There Is No Other, a new book of teachings from Ram Dass’ lectures, Parvati Markus and Raghu Markus listen to and reflect on some of the material used in its creation.

This special episode of Mindrolling celebrates the new book, There Is No Other, a collection of teachings taken from Ram Dass’ lectures. In these times, Ram Dass’ teachings on wholeness and unity are more needed than ever.

We begin with a clip of Ram Dass exploring the mindset of “us versus them.” Who exactly is us? Who is them? Raghu and Parvati reflect on how this clip is central to the theme of There Is No Other.

The next clip features Ram Dass talking about the balance of heart and mind. Sharing a powerful real-life example, he explores how we cut ourselves off when we veil our hearts. Raghu and Parvati share how the book is about walking a path to harmony and wholeness.

The third clip finds Ram Dass examining Ramana Maharshi’s concept of “God, Guru, Self,” and how we can begin to appreciate that the Spirit is everywhere. Parvati and Raghu discuss how Ram Dass’ new book speaks to this really important moment in our lives.

We end with a brief clip of Ram Dass talking about the path of love. “Finally,” he says, “you become an environment, a vibratory rate…”

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.

“So the mind, if it gets too strong, out of balance with the heart, shuts down all the information that the heart can give. It cuts you off from your wisdom, really. You don’t even see all the stuff. I mean, you and I are simultaneously existing on so many planes of reality, but because of the power of our minds, we keep limiting which realities are real, and the rest of it we either treat as error or we don’t even notice. It’s so deeply unconscious, we just don’t even notice all the rest of us, of ourselves.” – Ram Dass

There Is No Other, New Ram Dass Book Release with Parvati & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Ep. 622

Speaking to a room full of Buddhists and psychotherapists, Ram Dass explores the impact that Eastern traditions have had on his life and his extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human. 
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 
The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox: https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 
This episode of Here and Now comes from the keynote address Ram Dass gave at the 2nd Annual Buddhism & Psychotherapy Conference in 1987, which was sponsored by the Karma Kagyu Institute. 

Ram Dass begins by outlining his connection with the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism, sharing stories of his time with Trungpa Rinpoche. He then gives a brief recap of his journey in life and how he was eventually drawn towards Eastern writings and teachings.

Ram Dass talks about embracing Buddhist practices and his spiral path of bouncing back and forth between being in retreat and being in the marketplace of life. He explores how his work with dying people helped him embrace the extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human.

Sharing a story about Kalu Rinpoche, another friend in the Kagyu line, Ram Dass discusses honoring compassion and the different levels at which we can do service in the world. He wraps things up by saying, “I cannot conceivably repay the debt that I feel to the Eastern traditions for having introduced me to myself.”

“And I see that as an extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human. It’s interesting that more of the letters I’ve gotten in the past year have said to me, ‘Thank you for being human.’ Isn’t that bizarre? I mean, I’ve spent 25 years trying to be divine, and people write and thank me for being human. I mean, that just seems like a bizarre paradox to me.” – Ram Dass

About Ram Dass:
Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

Ram Dass: Coming Home to Being Human | Here & Now Ep. 292

Celebrating the release of his new book of his favorite stories, All In This Together, Jack shares wise tales on living with integrity, presence, stillness, and generosity.

Ep. 311 – All In This Together Series #2- Stories of Meaning, Presence, and Living with Integrity

Exploring embodiment and self-realization, RamDev takes listeners on a journey through the four paths of yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jñāna Yoga, and Raja Yoga.

Ep. 131 - The Four Paths of Yoga

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. 

We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox: https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/

This episode of Here and Now comes from an event at Spirit Rock Meditation Center on July 31, 2000. 

Ram Dass begins by exploring how Shiva is the aspect of God that rules over change. He talks about changing our self-concept from identification with our egos to identification with our souls. Devotional chanting, or kirtan, is one way to work on transforming ourselves. 

Speaking about merging with the Beloved, Ram Dass shares how his relationship with his guru evolved after Neem Karoli Baba left his body. He talks about the place of joy that exists inside all of us. That’s the yum-yum place.

Jai Uttal takes over and leads a rousing kirtan to connect us all to that yum-yum place. He begins by explaining the chant: “Sita Ram, Sita Ram, Sita Ram, Jai Sita Ram. Sita, the infinite Goddess. Ram, the infinite God. Jai or Jaya, praise or victory.”

About Jai Uttal:
Jai Uttal is a Grammy-nominated sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist. Having traveled extensively in India, he met many great saints and singers, and Bhakti Yoga became his personal path. Jai has been leading, teaching, and performing kirtan around the world for nearly 50 years. He creates a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices. Kirtan Camp with Jai Uttal starts on January 25, 2026. 

About Ram Dass:
Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

“You know those cherries, chocolate-covered cherries? They’re like hard on the outside, but they’re soft and yum, yum, yum inside. We are just chocolate-covered cherries. That’s all we are. And that yum, yum, yum, yum, that’s the joy, that’s the bhakti. Yum, yum, yum, yum. Because we meet each other in the yum-yum place.” – Ram Dass

Ram Dass: Where Souls Meet, With Kirtan by Jai Uttal | Here & Now Ep. 293

In a moment when the world feels uncertain, Jack sits down with Anne Lamott and Tami Simon for an intimate, deeply human conversation about stories of the heart—how they soften us, unite us, and remind us of our own beauty.

Ep. 312 – All In This Together Series #3- Reminding You of Your Own Beauty with Anne Lamott and Tami Simon

Anne Lamott, Raghu Markus, and RamDev reveal that letting go of how life should be opens the door to compassion, healing, and contentment with reality.
This Dharma Session was recorded at the December 2025 Ram Dass Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat. Learn about upcoming community events HERE.
https://youtu.be/rtmAlpns62A
This week on Mindrolling, Raghu, Anne, and RamDev hold a talk on:
- Standing in presence with change and impermanence
- Ram Dass’ eye-opening story of a farmer and his son 
- How investing in that which changes leads to suffering
- Collective healing through all the grief in the world 
- The negative emotions that arise when we resist change
- Creating an intimate, compassionate relationship with the sense of loss
- Anne’s experiences of radicalizing change in her own life
- Wise Hope: taking leaps of faith and hoping that things will work out as they should

About Anne Lamott:
Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.

“It's very hard to be human here; it's scary. I feel like Cindy-Lou Who sometimes, like this tiny little being. ‘Be still my heart and wait without hope’–what I hope is that things will sort out the way they should for the common welfare.” - Anne Lamott

About RamDev:

RamDev Dale Borglum is the founder and Executive Director of The Living/Dying Project. He is a pioneer in the conscious dying movement and has worked directly with thousands of people with life-threatening illness and their families for over 30 years. In 1981, Dale founded the first residential facility for people who wished to die consciously in the United States, The Dying Center. He has taught and lectured extensively on the topics of spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, on caregiving as a spiritual practice, and on healing at the edge, the edge of illness, of death, of loss, of crisis. Check out RamDev’s podcast, Healing at the Edge, on the Be Here Now Network.

Learn more about The Living/Dying Project at livingdying.org

“When we’re in the heart, it gives us the possibility of being with grief and change in a way that leads to healing. There is a profoundly wonderful line by Rumi where he says ‘grief is the garden of compassion.” –RamDev

Love Amidst Impermanence with Anne Lamott and RamDev & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Podcast Ep. 625

With embodied loving awareness, Dr. Sará King invites us into ancestral intelligence, shadow healing, and remembering our living connection to our lineage.

This recording is from our 2nd Annual Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain Retreat in Boone, North Carolina. 

This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Dr. Sará King explores:
- Ancestral intelligence and the collective nervous system as an interdependent web of being
- The concept of ‘Beloved Community’ and what it feels like to embody loving awareness
- Meeting the pain, grief, and responsibility of climate change with compassion
- Coming into contact with our shadows and healing our ancestral bloodline
- Recognizing that our ancestors are truly present with us, guiding us in the here and now
- Breathwork and grounding to reconnect with earth
- Sending metta to those around us and to our ancestors
- Shifting our neural connections and transforming our hearts through practice

Grab a copy of the book that Dr. King reads from: In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens

About Dr. Sará King:
Dr. Sará King is a Mother, a neuroscientist, political and learning scientist, medical anthropologist, social entrepreneur, public speaker, and certified yoga and meditation instructor. She is an internationally recognized thought leader in the interdisciplinary field that examines the relationship between complementary alternative medicine, social justice, art, and mindfulness from the perspective of neuroscience. Keep up with Dr. King on Instagram.

“So many of us have lineages of complexity. I hold both ancestors who were oppressors as well as the oppressed inside of my body, so I can practice with this integration of loving presence and shadow every time that I connect to my embodiment.” –Dr. Sará King

Exploring Ancestral Intelligence with Dr. Sará King | BHNN Guest Podcast Ep. 236

Outlining the absurdity of religion, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson explore the man-made quality of God across all cultures. 

To start at the beginning of this 18-part dialogue on consciousness, spirituality and navigating life with J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson: https://youtu.be/rcn0gXWv9UU

In this episode, J. Krishnamurti and Dr. Allan W. Anderson explore:
- How religion has lost its substance and become ‘utterly meaningless’ 
- The problem with worshipping man-made concepts of God
- The sense of security that people seek through religion
- Our attachment to religion and the panic experienced when we question it
- Why the mind demands more experiences
- Despair and loneliness: the reasons we accept religion’s authority over our lives
- Freedom, intelligence, and reasoning as central to real spirituality 
- The absurdity of ‘gurus’ and being influenced entirely by another human being 

This talk was originally recorded in 1974 at San Diego State University and curated by the Krishnamurti Foundation of America

About J. Krishnamurti:

For nearly six decades until his passing in 1986 at the age of ninety, Jiddu Krishnamurti traversed the globe, delivering spontaneous and captivating discourses to large audiences. Krishnamurti assumed the role of an investigator rather than an authority figure, encouraging individuals to question assumptions and explore the depths of their consciousness. His extensive body of work, estimated at over 100 million words, spans more than six decades of relentless inquiry and dialogue. His teachings, compiled in numerous books and translated into multiple languages, continue to inspire seekers worldwide, inviting them to embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and understanding. J. Krishnamurti’s legacy endures as a guiding light, offering timeless wisdom for those who dare to challenge conventional thinking and explore the complexities of existence.

About Dr. Allan W. Anderson:

Dr. Allan Anderson was a poet, author, Professor Emeritus, beloved teacher, scholar of the Oracular Tradition, and a gifted religious linguist. He helped to form the Department of Religious Studies at San Diego State College in 1969. Dr. Anderson later became chair of that department, specializing in Eastern Religions, until his retirement in 1985.

Photo by Frances McCann Courtesy Krishnamurti Foundations 1977

“It begins there, the desire for human beings to find something more than what thought has put together. Not being able to find anything, they romanticize it, they create symbols, and that's called religion—which has absolutely nothing to do with behavior, with our daily life. So, seeing all of this, both in the West and the East, Islam, Buddhism, it is the same principle of worshipping an image in which they have created. It is the human mind which has created the image. They are worshipping themselves." –J. Krishnamurti

J. Krishnamurti: The Gods We Have Invented | Freedom From the Known Ep. 15

For episode 276, we are continuing a new series on the Metta Hour, centered on kids, in honor of Sharon’s first children’s book, Kind Karl, released on December 9th! 

Written with Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness. 

In this podcast series, Sharon speaks with educators, caregivers, and researchers about the ways meditation, mindfulness, and lovingkindness can impact children of all ages and the family systems that support them. 

For the fifth episode of the series, Sharon speaks with Sumi Loundon Kim. Sumi is the Buddhist chaplain at Yale University. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, she is the founding teacher of Buddhist Families of Durham (NC). She is the author of  Blue Jean Buddha; The Buddha’s Apprentices; Sitting Together and of the children's book Goodnight Love: A Bedtime Meditation Story. 

In this conversation, Sumi and Sharon speak about:
- Sumi’s early life in Zen community
- Sumi’s first visit to IMS at age 16
- The value of spiritual practice during adolescence 
- Teaching meditation to kids through song
- Benefits of group practice for parents and kids
- Working with the five senses
- Implicit learning, leading by example
- Nurturing kindness in self-talk
- Creating a home as a sanctuary
- Designated device-free family time
- Meditation for college students
- Social connection promoting self-regulation
- Psychological fluency 
- A bedtime meditation for kids: “Goodnight Love”

Metta Hour Kid's Series: Sumi Loundon Kim & Sharon Salzberg | Ep. 276

In this music-filled re-release, Raghu Markus is joined by spiritual musician Jai Uttal to chat about opening our hearts through the magnitude of melodies.

Get your copy of All In This Together, the latest book from Jack Kornfield!  Let this new book be your guide, as Jack reveals how to navigate our human experience with wisdom and care. Inside you’ll find a beautiful collection of stories, inspiration for conflict resolution, and powerful teachings on healing, justice, and human kindness—anchored in the teachings of the Buddha and poetry from luminary voices like Mary Oliver. Click here to learn more: https://jackkornfield.com/all-in-this-together-stories-and-teachings-for-loving-each-other-and-our-world/

In this episode, Raghu and Jai Uttal discuss:
- The formation of melodic structures and how music is as boundless as an ocean
- Letting go of the idea that we must master an instrument in order to create music
- Getting into the flow of devotional music and honoring God through our presence rather than perfection
- The friendship between Jai Uttal and Ram Dass and Jai’s journey to India
- The Baul’s of Bengal and mystical, spontaneous verse
- Jai’s single, Holy Mad Men, inspired by Bengali-style music
- More Bengali-influenced music by The Band
- The dotara, an Indian folk instrument Jai frequently uses
- Musical creation as the legacy of satsang and a path to continued connection
- Check out Ali Akbar Khan to hear some classical Indian Ragas and the sarod instrument that Raghu and Jai discuss.

About Jai Uttal:
Jai Uttal is a Grammy-nominated sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist. Having traveled extensively in India, he met many great saints and singers and Bhakti Yoga became his personal path. Jai has been leading, teaching, and performing kirtan around the world for nearly 50 years. He creates a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices.

“Music is way more vast than any one human person can understand.” –Jai Uttal

Mindrolling Revisited: The Magnitude of Melodies w/ Jai Uttal & Raghu Markus | Mindrolling Ep. 626

In this talk from the 1980s, Ram Dass explores different forms of yoga—hatha, dhyan, jnana, bhakti, tantra, and more—and answers questions from the audience. 

This episode of Here and Now comes from an event in Irvine, CA, called “Living Consciously in the 1980s.” 

Ram Dass talks about how it’s only when we realize we aren’t who we think we are that the journey of awakening begins. Fortunately, there is help along this path in the various types of yoga, or methods for coming into the One.

Ram Dass explores different forms of yoga, including hatha yoga (energy), dhyan yoga (meditation), jnana yoga (wisdom), bhakti yoga (devotion), and tantric yoga (senses). He says we should work with whichever form calls to us, or we can be a “chicken soup eclectic” like he is. 
Finally, Ram Dass answers some questions from the audience. He talks about intuition, the darkness that comes before spiritual growth, social identities, dealing with attachment to your child’s predicament, and more.

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.

About Ram Dass:

Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

“What I’m saying to you is, which yoga is appropriate for any human being, only that human being can figure out. And you can only figure it out by trying and testing and looking and quieting your heart and opening. One of you, it will be perfect for you to study and read holy book and Vedic tracts and things. For someone else, it’ll be absolutely perfect to start to work with the energy. For someone else, it’ll be perfect to do tantra. And it is not better or worse. These are merely different strategies. And some you will be sort of like I am, sort of like a chicken soup eclectic. And I do sort of play with all of these at a kind of superficial level.” – Ram Dass

Ram Dass on the Different Forms of Yoga | Here & Now Podcast Ep. 294

As we fully enter the winter season, Jack reflects on the ancient meaning of solstice—the standing still—and what becomes possible when we allow ourselves to pause. In a world shaped by speed, grief, and uncertainty, he invites us into stillness as a sacred act.

Ep. 313 – Winter’s Sacred Pause: Standing Still in a Turning World

Anita Sanchez and Joannah Tindongan have a soulful conversation on Ifugao wisdom, ancestral lineage, and keeping traditional culture alive in the modern world.

Ep. 17 - Carrying the Lineage with Joannah Tindongan

Longtime friends David Silver and Raghu Markus discuss Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and the legacy of Dzogchen maintained by his four sons.

Grab a copy of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s memoirs, Blazing Splendor, for a deeper look into his magnificent life: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Blazing-Splendor/Tulku-Urgyen-Rinpoche/9781614298434

This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and David have a discussion about:
- The life and teachings of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, one of the greatest  Dzogchen meditation masters of the 20th century
- Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s sons and how they continue to spread Dzogchen wisdom to the West
- Core principles of Dzogchen philosophy, including the nature of mind and nondual awareness
- Understanding cognitive emptiness and the illusion of a solid identity
- Why contemplating death and impermanence can be a path to liberation
- Working consciously with loss and mortality before the end of life
- Not falling into the trap of believing this life is permanent
- Viewing dreams and meditation as parallel practices for awakening
- The patience and discipline required to form new spiritual habits
- Living fully while recognizing the inevitability of death
- Learn about dealing with the bardo of dying in the book In Love with the World by  Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche or hop into The Bardo Guidebook by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

“Urgyen and his sons and all Dzogchen people believe that dreaming is as important as meditating. Dreams are fluid, anything can happen in a dream. You can fly, you can walk through a wall. What Mingyur says is that is the perfect analogy for life itself; life is as fluid and as transparent as that dream, but we don’t know it because we think it’s solid because we can’t put our finger through our hand.” –David Silver

About David Silver:
David Silver is the former co-host of the Mindrolling podcast. He is a filmmaker and director, most recently coming out with Brilliant Disguise. Brilliant Disguise tells the unique story of a group of inspired Western spiritual seekers from the 60s, who in meeting the great American teacher, Ram Dass, followed him to India to meet his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, familiarly known as Maharaj-ji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaj-ji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. Silver’s #1 charting MGM/UA/Warners film, “The Compleat Beatles” is the critically acclaimed biopic movie about history’s most famous band. The term ‘rockumentary’ was first applied to this two-hour movie. Rolling Stone recently described the film as a “masterwork.” Silver’s Warner Brothers’ feature film, “No Nukes” also started the whole trend of music/activism feature documentaries.

The Extraordinary Family of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche with David Silver | Mindrolling Podcast Ep. 627

Ram Dass illuminates the trap that many of us fall into as we grow up - which is the idea that we are our thoughts.

The more accurate view would be, "I am and I think.”

Thinking is a power that we have - “Intellect is a great servant but a lousy master.”

Most of us live almost entirely within the projections of our thinking mind.

Intellect is only one way of knowing the world, but the intuitive mind and heart is a more profound way of "knowing" the universe than the analytic intellectual linear mind.

The more you think inwardly and self reflect, the more you become an object to yourself until the whole universe is made up of objects.

We need to change the relative power positions of "intellect" and “intuition" so that we develop greater balance and freedom to grow on the spiritual path.

Ram Dass Here And Now - Ep. 93 - The Thinking Mind

A welcome explanation of what it truly means to seek refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Likening refuge to the Buddhist concept of ‘Bright Faith’, Sharon describes the power of possibility in keeping our spirits alive and moving. When our sense of limitation shifts from an absolute truth to a simple mental construct, we begin to see the light beneath the door. In revolutionizing our relationship to ourselves we affirm our own ability to bring faith, hope, and understanding to any situation. 

Sharon Salzberg - Metta Hour - Ep. 34 - Taking Refuge

Raghu is joined by Frank Osteseski, a Buddhist teacher and guiding light for people who are facing the death and dying process.

Raghu talks about his recent experience with the transition of his close friend Jyoti and it how it was like being at the very precipice of awakening when he sat with her as she was slipping through the Bardos.

Frank describes being with someone who is dying as an opportunity to let go of our of all preconceived notions and to use the transparency and rawness of that experience to bring ourselves into the moment.

Frank encourages everyone not to wait to tell our near and dear that we love them, and practicing for the eventual transition is something to consider sooner than later.



Mindrolling - Ep. 152 - Talking Transitions with Frank Ostaseski

In this talk, Jack Kornfield shares wisdom on the quality of mindful loving awareness that brings both healing and liberation.

Jack Kornfield – Heart Wisdom -  Ep. 90 – Healing Through Loving Awareness

In the wake of the tragic shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, Dr. Omid Safi shares a reflection on responding to chaos with compassion and love.

Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 10 – Finding Compassion Amid Chaos

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