Tenzin Priyadarshi is the Founding President and CEO of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a non-partisan collaborative think tank focused on interdisciplinary research and programs related to the development of human and global ethics. Born in India, he entered a Buddhist monastery under his own volition at the age of ten. He studied traditional Indo-Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism and was ordained by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, who is his spiritual mentor. While receiving traditional Buddhist training he also had a secular education. He completed graduate studies in Comparative Philosophy of Religion at Harvard in 2003.
His keen interest in inter-religious conversation led to meetings with Popes John Paul II and Benedict, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and other religious leaders. He is also the Founding Director and President of the Prajnopaya Institute and Foundation, which offers innovative health, education and social welfare programs worldwide. He is also a member of the MIT Board of Chaplains and serves as the Buddhist Chaplain to the Institute, lectures internationally on a variety of subjects, and serves on the Board of several academic, humanitarian, and religious organizations. Learn more about Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi here: https://imonk.org/bio

Tenzin Priyadarshi Interview

Robert - Thurman - Interview

Sadhguru is a mystic, philanthropist, author (his books include Inner Engineering and Death: An Inside Story), public speaker, and highly respected spiritual teacher with thousands of students around the world. His non-profit Isha Foundation, which has large centers in India and the US, offers a variety yogic teachings and conducts social and community development projects globally. This program, Sadhguru’s second appearance on Spirit Matters, is a special one: Phil was invited to interview Sadhguru on the publication of his latest book, Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny. The Isha Foundation gave us permission to post it on the podcast and YouTube channel. We spoke for more than an hour about Sadhguru’s perspective on the important and often misunderstood teachings about karma. Learn more about Sadhguru here: https://www.innerengineering.com/online/blog/sadhguru?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5JSLBhCxARIsAHgO2Se6oVa-6uTpulSD6FvDQTJavTOH4EBMmx9CzzZ7zIUreNHImr0ZmY0aAqsMEALw_wcB and Isha Foundation here: www.ishafoundation.org/us/

Sadhguru Interview - Oct2021

Willa Blythe Baker, Ph.D. is the Founder of Natural Dharma Fellowship in Boston, and its retreat center, Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, in Springfield, New Hampshire. She was authorized as a dharma teacher and lineage holder of Tibetan Buddhism after twelve years of monastic training and two consecutive three-year retreats. Willa completed a doctorate at Harvard University, and was Visiting Lecturer in Buddhist Ministry from 2013 to 2017. Her articles and translations have appeared in Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, Buddhadharma, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Tibet Journal, and other periodicals and anthologies. Her books include The Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Work; Everyday Dharma: Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You; Essence of Ambrosia; and her latest, The Wakeful Body: Somatic Mindfulness as a Path to Freedom. At present, she writes, teaches, guides meditation retreats, and develops curricula for people interested in cultivating a deep meditation practice in daily life. We spoke about her remarkable path and insights drawn from her new book about the wisdom of the body. Learn more about Willa Blythe Baker here: https://naturaldharma.org/

Willa Blythe Baker Interview

Dean Sluyter is the award-winning author of several books, including Natural Meditation, Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies, Fear Less, and his latest, The Dharma Bum’s Guide to Western Literature: Finding Nirvana in the Classics. A grateful student of Eastern and Western sages in several traditions, Dean has taught natural approaches to meditation and awakening since 1970. He gives talks, workshops, and retreats throughout the United States and beyond, from Ivy League colleges to maximum-security prisons. His media appearances have included National Public Radio, The New York Times, Coast to Coast AM, The Dr. Oz Show, and O, The Oprah Magazine. He is known for conveying authentic teachings in forms that are relaxed, accessible, and down-to-earth. In this, his fourth appearance on Spirit Matters, we spoke about his latest book, and his knack of finding deep spiritual lessons in unlikely places, like certain pages in the books we were assigned in high school and college. Learn more about Dean Sluyter here: https://deansluyter.com/about-dean/

Dean Sluyter

Paul Roach 2 Discussion

Paul John Roach is a longtime Unity minister and host of the weekly show World Spirituality on Unity Online Radio. A native of Wales and a graduate of Jesus College, Oxford University, he has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and a postgraduate degree in education from the University of Wales. Paul was ordained by Unity in 1988 and served as the senior minister at Unity of Fort Worth, Texas, from 1988 to 2018. He has served the Unity movement on several boards and teams, including the board of Unity World Headquarters, and has written for Unity Magazine and other publications. Paul has traveled extensively throughout the world, including a journey to India in 1976, about which he is currently writing a book. In this, his second visit to Spirit Matters, we focused on his new book, Unity and World Religions. We spoke about what Paul calls “the golden thread” that runs through all religious traditions—what scholars call the Perennial Philosophy. Learn more about Paul John Roach here: https://www.pauljohnroach.com/about/

Paul Roach 2 Interview

Paul Muller-Ortega, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized meditation teacher, and a highly respected academic scholar in the field of Indian Religion and Hindu Tantra. A long-time student of the Kashmir Shaiva tradition with a PhD from the University of California, Paul is the founder of Blue Throat Yoga. He is devoted to teaching students how to access their truest Self, and to offering the knowledge base to understand and support that experience. He has led hundreds of meditation retreats, offered a vast array of study courses, translated and provided commentary on many of the most inspired sacred texts of the Śaiva-Śākta tradition, and has personally trained over 40 ācāryas as Authorized Teachers of Neelakantha Meditation. After teaching for 25 years at Michigan State and the University of Rochester, Paul left academia in 2009 to teach about the Shaiva tradition to a wider audience. We spoke about the origins, precepts, practices, and under appreciated influence of Kashmir Shaivism. Learn more about Paul Muller-Ortega here. http://www.bluethroatyoga.com/about/about-paul/

Paul Muller - Ortega 2 Interview

Stephen Cope Discussion

Arthur Aghajanian Discussion

Anneke Lucas is an author, speaker, advocate for child sex trafficking victims, and creator of the Unconditional Model, a mindfulness modality. Her work is based on the personal experience of a 30-year healing journey after surviving being sold by her family as a child sex slave to a pedophile network. Her healing through psychotherapy, writing, yoga and meditation were synthesized during a decade of service with incarcerated populations and with survivors of sex trafficking inside and outside of prisons. Sharing her own healing shaped her message for personal and global evolution through the Unconditional Model. On this, her second visit to Spirit Matters, we spoke about Anneke’s gripping new book, Quest for Love: Memoir of a Child Sex Slave, and the surprising way her harrowing journey led to profound spiritual gifts. As she puts it, “Heinous suffering can unlock hidden spiritual treasures of transcendence and unconditional love. Learn more about Anneke Lucas here: https://annekelucas.com/

Anneke Lucas Interview 2

Spirit Matters continues its brief hiatus. Meanwhile, here is another offering from the special series of interviews Phil did for Unity Online Radio in the spring of 2021, under the title of his book Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times. In this episode, "Living in the Heart with Sally Kempton," the longtime spiritual teacher and author of "Meditation for the Love of It" shares yogic wisdom for building resilience; finding meaning in upsets; developing the inner witness; and integrating the energy centers of the mind, heart, and belly.

Sally Kempton - Unity Online Radio Episode

Jim Blake is the CEO of Unity World Headquarters, the nonprofit organization that oversees the facilities of Unity, which helps people of all faiths and cultures apply positive spiritual principles in their daily lives. He previously served Unity as chief information officer and vice president of operations, and has held numerous executive positions in the corporate world, including as Director of Customer Operations for one company and as Vice President of Products and Technology for another. Jim has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a masters of Divinity degree. He was ordained as a Unity minister in 2021. He is also the author of The Zen Executive: Gems of Wisdom for Enlightened Leadership. We spoke about ways to ground effective management and leadership in spiritual principles. Learn more about Jim Blake here and Unity here.

Jim Blake Interview

Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 40 years. Mark has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, his numerous award-winning books—including The Book of Awakening, More Together Than Alone, and Drinking from the River of Light—have been translated into over twenty languages. Mark has appeared several times on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday program. In 2016 he was named one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People by Watkins: MindBodySpirit, and was chosen as one of OWN’s SuperSoul 100. Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and offers readings, lectures, and retreats internationally. In this, his third visit to Spirit Matters, we spoke about the subject of his timely new book, Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity. Learn more about Mark Nepo here: https://marknepo.com/about_bio.php.

Mark Nepo Interview 3

Acharya Shunya is the first female head of a 2,000-year-old spiritual lineage from northern India. An award-winning and internationally renowned spiritual teacher, scholar of Advaita (nondual) Vedanta, and a classically-trained master of Yoga and Ayurveda, she is the founder of The Awakened Self Foundation and the nonprofit Vedika Global, Inc., platforms that empower, educate, and inspire a global community of students through online courses, workshops, and retreats. Acharya demystifies and contextualizes sacred concepts for modern life through her podcast, Shadow to Self, and her books—Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom: A Complete Prescription to Optimize Your Health, Prevent Disease, Live with Vitality and Joy; Sovereign Self: Claim your Inner Joy and Freedom with the Empowering Wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita (the subject of her previous visit to Spirit Matters); and her latest, Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman's Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful. We spoke about her new book, and how women and men can use the symbolism, practices, and energy associated with principle goddesses in their lives. Learn more about Acharya Shunya here: www.AcharyaShunya.com.

Acharya Shunya Interview 2

Robert A. Jonas, is an author, musician, environmental activist, and retreat leader, and the founder and director of the Empty Bell, a contemplative sanctuary in Northampton, MA, with an emphasis on Buddhist-Christian dialogue and the arts. A Christian in the Carmelite tradition, he has also received spiritual formation with Buddhist teachers. He is a student of Suizen, the Japanese shakuhachi bamboo flute (his shakuhachi album “Blowing Bamboo” is available on iTunes), a member of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies and the Eckhart Society, and past board member of the Kestrel Land Trust and the Henri Nouwen Society. He is a Visiting Lecturer at the Northwind Seminary, and author of several books and articles including The Essential Henri Nouwen and Rebecca: A Father’s Journey from Grief to Gratitude. His new book, My Dear Far-Nearness: The Holy Trinity as Spiritual Practice, is an exploration of the Holy Trinity as three dimensions of spiritual awareness rather than dogma or doctrine. In this, his second visit to Spirit Matters, we focused on his new book and his provocative interpretation and application of the Trinitarian concept. Learn more about Robert Jonas here: http://emptybell.org/.

Robert A. Jonas Interview 2

Stephen G. Post is the founding director of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, and the founding director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York. A public speaker and an opinion leader in medicine, Alzheimer research, and religion, he has promoted the idea of “give and live better” across the globe. Dr. Post is the bestselling author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Happier, Healthier Life by the Simple Act of Giving. Another book, God and Love on Route 80, is a meditation on the meaning of life and the importance of spirituality. His latest, Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer's Disease, is about caring for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease. We spoke about his own path, consciousness, and the surprising philosophical and metaphysical implications of research on Alzheimers. Learn more about Stephen Post here: https://stephengpost.com/stephen-g-post-bio.php.

Stephen Post Interview 2

Machiel Klerk is a social entrepreneur, a licensed mental health therapist, an international speaker, and a dream worker. Trained as a Jungian psychologist and an expert in the spiritual and therapeutic value of dreams, he has traveled the world studying the healing and dream technologies of many cultures, especially in Africa where he was born. He’s the founder of the Jung Society of Utah and of Jung Platform, an online teaching organization. His new book is Dream Guidance: Connecting to the Soul Through Dream Incubation. We spoke about his background, his book, and the spiritual insights and guidance that can be gleaned from dreams. Learn more about Machiel Klerk here: https://machielklerk.com/about-me/.

Machiel Klerk Interview

Henry Yampolsky is a lawyer, a mediator, an educator, a public speaker, and an author. He serves as the Assistant Director for Education, Outreach, and Conflict Resolution at Virginia Tech's Office for Equity and Accessibility and teaches conflict resolution, mediation, and peace building through the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. Henry has worked on many complex conflicts and has taught and lectured around the world. He’s also a yogi and a master-level instructor of Sattva Yoga, having been trained in Rishikesh, India. He’s also the author of a new book, Dis-Solving Conflict from Within: An Inner Path for Conflict Transformation. A native of Kyiv, Ukraine, Henry currently resides in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. We spoke about his new book, spiritual development as a vital aspect of handling conflict effectively, why he speaks of “conflict transformation” rather than “resolution,” and much more. Learn more about Henry Yampolsky here: https://www.livingpeaceinstitute.com/#about

Henry Yampolsky Interview

Paul J. Mills is Professor of Public Health and Family Medicine and the Director of the Center of Excellence for Research and Training in Integrative Health. A clinical researcher with a focus on integrative medicine and spiritual practice, his former positions include: President of the American Psychosomatic Medicine Society, Chief of Behavioral Medicine at the University of California San Diego, Director of Research at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and editor of several professional journals. He has more than 400 scientific publications in the fields of pharmacology, oncology, cardiology, psychoneuroimmunology, behavioral medicine, and integrative health. His work has been featured in Time magazine, The New York Times, National Public Radio, and many other sources. He has presented at hundreds of conferences and workshops around the world, including at the United Nations. And he is the author of the intriguing new book, Science, Being, & Becoming: The Spiritual Lives of Scientists. We spoke about that book, the historic tension between science and spirituality, and what he learned interviewing scientists about their spiritual experiences. Learn more about Paul Mills here: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/paul.mills

Paul J. Mills Interview 2

This is the Spirit Matters Grand Finale. Dennis and Phil reminisce about their seven years and reflect on the 300 or so interviews they've conducted about spirituality with teachers, leaders, scholars, scientists and experts of various kinds - all wise and all happy to share their insights and guidance. They share what they've learned from the experience and their gratitude to everyone who helped along the way. And they announced that Phil will be carrying the Spirit Matters banner solo on a new platform: mindbodyspirit.fm.

Dennis and Phil -- The Grand Finale

Sadhguru is a mystic, philanthropist, author and spiritual teacher. His non-profit Isha Foundation has large centers in India and the US and offers yoga teachings and various social and community development programs throughout the world. We spoke about the spiritual experience that led to his work, the nature and content of his Inner Engineering programs and other fascinating philosophical and practical subjects.

Sadhguru Interview

Dr. Joe Dispenza is a scientist, teacher and lecturer who draws on findings
from neuroscience and quantum physics to help people heal illness and enjoy
more fulfilled and happy lives. He has been invited to speak in more than 27
countries on six continents, educating thousands of people on how to re-wire
their brains and re-condition their bodies to make lasting changes. He
offers a variety of online courses and tele-classes, and he teaches
workshops in the U.S. and abroad. As a researcher, Dr. Joe explores the
science behind spontaneous remissions and self-healing, and has recently
partnered with other scientists to perform extensive research on the effects
of meditation. His bestselling books include Breaking the Habit of Being
Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One and You Are the
Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter. We spoke about his path from tragic
disability to healing to his intriguing research and teaching, as well as
the results and implications of his findings.

Dr. Joe Dispenza Interview

Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri), D.Litt is a Vedic teacher and translator, trained in the fields of Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology. He is the author of more than forty books published in twenty languages worldwide and serves as director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies (www.vedanet.com). In 2015 he was the first western Yoga/Ayurveda teacher to receive the prestigious Padma Bhushan award from the president of India, for “service to the nation of a high order.” He was recently granted a special National Eminence Award by the South Indian Education Society (SIES) of the Kanchi Sankaracharya Math. Learn more about David Frawley (Vamadeva) here: https://vedanet.com/about-2/about-acharya-david-frawley-pandit-vamadeva-shastri/

Dr David Frawley (Vamadeva).interview

Swami Vidyadhishananda Discussion

His Holiness Swami Vidyadhishananda is a traditional Vedic monk of the Giri monastic order. He hails from Himalayan lineages known for their combination of sagely scholarship and Nath yogic practices. A yogi, mystic and a scholar, he was chosen as the Head of Mission in the West on behalf of his Monastic Council and was awarded the degree of Mahā-maho-pādhyāy (Great Ordained Teacher) by the university system in India for his scholarly and meditative interpretation of Sanskrit literature. As the founding monk of the Hansavedas Sangha and the US-based Self Enquiry Life Fellowship, he seamlessly integrates Vedanta, Samkhya and Yoga, and he initiates sincere seekers into Himalayan meditation techniques. We spoke about his lineage and the work in India and the West to which he has dedicated his life. Learn more about Swami Vidyadhishananda and his work here: www.hansavedas.org

Swami Vidyadhishananda Interview

John Andrews is a physician, trained in the US and UK, who specialized in
internal medicine before studying meeting the spiritual teacher Osho
(formerly Bhagvan Shree Rajneesh) and exploring meditation as a basis for
holistic approaches to well-being.  He was Osho's personal physician, taking
care of his body for many years including his final days.  He currently
gives courses on meditation at the OSHO International Meditation Resort in
Pune, India, one of the world's largest personal growth and meditation
centers.  We spoke about his unique background; Osho's teaching methods and
personality, and the growing acceptance of meditation by the scientific
community and the general public.  Learn more about Osho here:
http://www.osho.com/

John Andrews Interview On 2016 - 05 - 13 At 11.05

Joan Shivarpita Harrigan, Ph.D. is the director of Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care—USA, and the author of Kundalini Vidya: The Science of Spiritual Transformation and the forthcoming Stories of Spiritual Transformation: The Fulfillment of Kundalini Process. She has practiced, studied, and taught Raja Yoga and Advaita Vedanta for over thirty years. Upon being initiated as a monastic in the Shankaracharya tradition in 1987, she was tutored in Traditional Kundalini Science by Swami Chandrasekharanand Saraswati of Rishikesh, holder of the lineage. In 2004, she was authorized to provide the services and teachings of the lineage in North America and the UK. Learn more about Joan Shivarpati Harrigan here: http://kundalinicare.com/pkyc-directors/

Joan Harrigan interview

Mariana Caplan is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and the author of numerous magazine articles and six books in the fields of psychology and spirituality, including Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path, Halfway Up the Mountain: the Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment and The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher. The founder of The Yoga & Psyche Method and The Yoga & Psyche Conference, she teaches workshops and trainings at major retreat centers, yoga studios, and universities throughout the world and has been an adjunct professor at The California Institute of Integral Studies since 2001. She has also taught at Naropa, JFK, and Sophia Universities. In her psychotherapy, Dr. Caplan incorporates traditional and alternative approaches including: psychodynamic, gestalt, cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic, and dialectical behavioral therapy.  Learn more about Mariana Caplan here: http://www.realspirituality.com/

Mariana Caplan interview

Neelam has been leading satsang (sitting in truth) internationally since 1996. A native of Poland, now living in New Mexico, she is a direct disciple of H.W.L. Poonja (“Papaji”), who was, in turn, a devotee of the legendary Sri Ramana Maharshi. Neelam first sat with Papaji in the early 1990’s in Lucknow, India, where she herself awakened to the Truth of Presence as her own true nature, through Papaji’s process of Spiritual Inquiry. A skilled group facilitator with a degree in Theater Arts and fluent in four languages, she invites students into the same recognition of truth that her Papaji transmitted to her. She has taught in North America, Europe and India, currently leads satsangs, weekend retreats, intensives and long-term programs for those who wish to dive into “the fire of truth.” We spoke about her path, her awakening and her ongoing work. Learn more about Neelam here: http://neelam.org/

Neelam interview

Brother Prafullananda has been a monk of the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) monastic community since 1983. Born in North Carolina and raised in Gainesville, Florida, he earned undergraduate and Masters degrees in music education and performance from Lawrence University in Wisconsin and Florida State University, respectively.  Brother Prafullananda—whose name means “Bliss through cheerfulness”—is the minister in charge of the SRF San Diego Temple. He has served in SRF’s Publications and Editorial Departments and currently speaks on Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings throughout the world.
<image006.jpg>Brother Tyagananda ("Bliss through Inner Renunciation") has been an SRF monk since 1987.  Born in a small city north of Rome, Italy, he began practicing yoga in his early teens and was a student of the SRF Lessons by the time he was seventeen. He studied at the Catholic University of Milan before becoming an SRF monk. Brother Tyagananda is co-supervisor of SRF’s Center Department, which oversees the operations of over 600 meditation centers and groups around the world. He also serves as Assistant Minister-in-Charge at the SRF Fullerton Temple, leads guided meditation for beginners at Los Angeles-area temples, and lectures on Yogananda’s teachings in North America and Europe.

Brothers Tyaganada - Prafullananda-

Daaji interview

phil.goldberg42

Stephan Bodian

Stephan Bodian offers webinars, retreats, videos, books, and spiritual counseling that make profound spiritual teachings and practices accessible to a global audience. His ground-breaking guidebook Meditation for Dummies helped bring mindfulness to the mainstream, and Wake Up Now offered a road map of the journey to spiritual awakening. His other books include Timeless Visions, Healing Voices and Everyday Mindfulness. He was editor-in-chief of Yoga Journal for 10 years, and his articles on meditation, spirituality, and health have appeared in various magazines. A licensed psychotherapist, Stephan has been a pioneer in the integration of Eastern wisdom and Western psychology. He blends compassionate self-inquiry, nondual insight, and transformational techniques, offering a “direct approach” to self-realization that bypasses deliberate practices and points directly to our very own awakened awareness. We spoke about all of that and more. Learn more about Stephan Bodian here: stephanbodian.org

Stephan Bodian Interview

The spiritual landscape has never been more diverse, more eclectic, more individualized or more internally focused.  Spirit matters, and in our open-source world, matters of the spirit are complex and endlessly fascinating.  The Spirit Matters podcast aims to help listeners make sense of it all.

Spirit Matters Talk

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