Episodit

  • Sharing inspiration from the monk Thomas Merton, James Finley explains what he has learned about God, healing, and mystical paths.

    Grab James Finley’s Memoir, The Healing Path, HERE

    This week, James and Raghu have a deep conversation about: 

    How James discovered a connection to God through Thomas MertonJames’ time living in the Abbey of Gethsemani immediately after high schoolThe resonance that happens between awakened peopleThe secret, safe place that God can commune with usNever forgetting what we learn from dark timesHaving empathy for others through our own sufferingSeeing children as our mentorsBecoming an act of acceptance for the unexplainable mysteryThe healing stories in the gospels

    About James Finley:

    James Finley is an author, clinical psychologist, and spiritual director. He is one of the core faculty members of the Center for Action and Contemplation (with Richard Rohr) and is host of the CAC podcast “Turning to the Mystics.” A former novice under Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, he is the author of the classic book Merton’s Palace of Nowhere: A Search for God through Awareness of the True Self. A leading figure in the integration of psychology and spiritual direction, he has led workshops and retreats around the country.

    “Often, when the terror is overtaking us, it isn’t until later that we reflect on it. We realize it isn’t that it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t just terrible. That precisely because it got so dark I was able to see a light shining in the darkness that had come in looking for me, or it was there all along and I didn’t know it.”– James Finley

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Turning to Celtic wisdom, author and teacher John Philip Newell chats with Raghu about reconnecting to our home, Mother Earth.

    Pick up your copy of John’s new book, The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home, HERE.

    This week, John and Raghu get into: 

    John’s upbringing and being drawn to the natural worldThe Celtic lineage and having awareness for the sacredness of natureKnowing that wisdom resides deep within us, not outside of usSeeing the universe as an expression of the divineWhat we can learn from native traditionsA radical new beginning through humility and relation to earth and one anotherAddressing the divine in one another and in every life formBreaking cycles of war and repetitionThe contributions of Carl Jung on the collective and individual unconsciousMerging Eastern and Western traditions

    Check out The Marriage of East and West to learn more about the topics John and Raghu reference

    About John Philip Newell:

    John Philip Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being. In 2016 he began the Earth & Soul initiative and teaches regularly in the United States and Canada as well as leading international pilgrimage weeks on Iona in the Western Isles of Scotland. His PhD is from the University of Edinburgh and he has authored over fifteen books, including his award-winning publication, Sacred Earth Sacred Soul, which was the 2022 Gold Winner of the Nautilus Book Award for Spirituality and Religious Thought of the West. His new book, also with HarperOne (and published in the UK by Wild Goose), is The Great Search (August 2024), in which he looks at the great spiritual yearnings of humanity today in the context of the decline of religion as we have known it.

    Join senior meditation teachers David Nichtern and Rebecca D’Onofrio for a free online discussion on the path of developing one's own meditation practice and supporting others who wish to explore this transformative path. 

    Register for free today: The Journey of Becoming a Meditation Teacher | Sep. 19th @ 6:00pm ET

    “For me, it was the introduction to Celtic wisdom that awakened me to knowing that wisdom is deep within us and the divine is at the very heart of our beings. We don’t have to somehow invoke or implore a distance presence.” – John Philip Newell

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Puuttuva jakso?

    Paina tästä ja päivitä feedi.

  • Connecting the inner world and the outer world, physicist Federico Faggin reveals his work studying the physics of spirituality.

    Follow this link to order your copy of Federico's book: Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers and Human Nature

    This episode of Mindrolling with Federico and Raghu includes these topics: 

    Federico's life growing up in ItalyNeuroscience and studying consciousnessHow physical feelings come from electrical processes in the brainConnecting spirituality and physicsConsidering if a computer could be programmed for consciousnessFaggin's experience recognizing the inner love that comes out of usHow quantum physics proves the interconnection within the universeFederico's perspective on freewill and determinism in our livesGoing beyond what science has doneThe limited freedom we have while incarnatedPredicting our behavior and how our consciousness is watching allGrace and the unpredictability of free willThe divine mystery and why it will never be resolved

    About Federico Faggin:

    Federico Faggin is an Italian-American physicist, engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He led the 4004 project and the design group during the first five years of Intel's microprocessor effort. Federico Faggin is one of the greatest luminaries of high technology alive today; his work underlies the modern world's entire information technology. His new book, Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers and Human Nature, was just published in May of 2024.

    “I eventually ended up deciding that I was going to spend the rest of my life studying consciousness and trying to connect spirituality and physics. In other worlds, connect the other inner world of experience and meaning with the outer world of symbols and matter in space and time.” – Federico Faggin

    Join senior meditation teachers David Nichtern and Rebecca D’Onofrio for a free online discussion on the path of developing one's own meditation practice and supporting others who wish to explore this transformative path. 

    Register for free today: The Journey of Becoming a Meditation Teacher | Sep. 19th @ 6:00pm ET

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Focusing on curiosity, patience, and self-compassion, Cortland Dahl joins Raghu to go over his new book, A Meditator's Guide to Buddhism.

    This week, Cortland and Raghu discuss: 

    The mystical practice of making aspirationsTuning into ourselves and trusting ourselvesLearning through our relationshipsRecognizing that the next Buddha is the sanghaNurturing sparks of inspiration through practiceHow meeting teachers helps us realize our own inner depthWhy curiosity can move us along the spiritual pathPatience, creating space, and being vs. doingSelf-compassion in a world of chaos and uncertaintyDiscomfort as a zone of growthExpanding our motivations for doing our practiceSeeing the awakened nature in everyone and everything

    Pick up a copy of A Meditator's Guide to Buddhism HERE

    About Cortland Dahl:

    Cortland Dahl is a Buddhist scholar and translator, author, meditation teacher, and a collaborator on various scientific studies. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Buddhist Studies, he lived for eight years in India and Nepal, where he spent long periods in solitary retreat in the Himalayan foothills and taught courses on Buddhism, meditation, and Tibetan language at Kathmandu University’s Center for Buddhist Studies and at the Tergar Institute, which he co-founded in 2007. He went on to study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was mentored by the renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson and received a Ph.D. in Mind, Brain, and Contemplative Science, the first ever degree of its kind awarded by the university. Cortland's current work focuses on studying the psychological and neural mechanisms of different families of meditation practice. He is also the creator of the Healthy Minds program, a well-being training program that integrates insights from scientific research with a comprehensive path of contemplative training. Keep up with Cortland HERE or check out his books HERE.

    “We have no clue of this depth and richness that is inside of us. How we stumble through life completely oblivious to these amazing qualities of mind and somehow we just haven’t learned to see it. Then, you meet a teacher and it gets cracked open a little bit and you start getting a glimpse just by being in their orbit.” – Cortland Dahl

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • This week's Mindrolling is a collection of some of the best moments from Raghu’s interviews with mindfulness and metta experts Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg.

    In this special episode:

    Clip 1 (Ep. 65): Raghu and Joseph explore the foundations of mindfulness, the influence of habits, and how everything hinges on the tip of motivation. Clip 2 (Ep. 44): Raghu and Sharon discuss metta practice and practical ways to connect with others through loving-kindness. Clip 3 (Ep. 224): Raghu and Joseph delve into the realities of mindfulness and how the craving for becoming can hijack our meditation practice. Clip 4 (Ep. 225): Raghu and Sharon touch on the Eightfold Path, the balance of equanimity and effort, and the universal truth of starting over. Clip 5 (Ep. 457): Joseph leads a meditation on awareness, beautifully punctuated with a haiku poem.

    “And we can suffuse the whole field of mindfulness with the feeling of loving-kindness. Friendliness towards our own experience and well-wishing for all others. May all beings be at peace.” – Joseph Goldstein

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • David Silver and Raghu sit down for a conversation about maintaining equanimity in the face of multiple humanitarian and ecological crises around the world.

    Join comedian Duncan Trussell and Buddhist teacher David Nichtern on September 3rd for a free online talk: Imposter Syndrom & Teaching Meditation

    This week, David and Raghu discuss: 

    The divided state of our countryDealing with negative emotions like depression and lonelinessAdjusting our internal behavior in order to help others and ourselvesLooking to spiritual practitioners for answers and guidanceThe current political landscape of our worldThe necessity of having both wisdom and compassionRemaining equanimous in the face of global crisesBeing aware of spiritual materialismWhy a sitting meditation practice is integral for self-understandingOvercoming the afflictions and distortions of the mindSending loving kindness to all corners of our heartsTransforming ourselves to make the world a better place

    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.

    “We are overwhelmed in so many different ways. This, everybody, is the first thing to do. Many people will say ‘I find it difficult. My mind wanders. I can’t really meditate.’ It’s called practice. You start with 3 minutes, you go to 5, 10, 15, 20. You do it because this overwhelm is absolutely untenable for us without some practice.” – Raghu Markus

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Using modern tools to support inner transformation, ServiceSpace founder Nipun Mehta offers innovative solutions for turning artificial intelligence into collective heart intelligence.

    Learn more about ServiceSpace’s unique model of organizing small acts of service at servicespace.org.

    In this episode, Nipun and Raghu chat about: 

    Nipun’s upbringing and finding the infinity behind each momentLiving a life of serviceUsing artificial intelligence for inner transformation and the emergence of compassionFear of AI versus it’s potential positive usesCollective heart Intelligence versus today’s artificial intelligenceTaking care of others as others take care of youNipun and his wife’s pilgrimage through IndiaLooking at what we can do to offer kindness to the worldBeing sustainable through being relatedThe physical and emotional rewards of being generousShifting from transaction into relationship

    About Nipun Mehta:

    Nipun Mehta is the founder of ServiceSpace (formerly CharityFocus), an incubator of projects that works at the intersection of volunteerism, technology, and the gift economy. What started as an experiment with four friends in Silicon Valley has now grown to a global ecosystem of over 400,000 members that has delivered millions of dollars in service for free. Mehta has received many awards, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service, the President’s Volunteer Service Award, and Wavy Gravy’s Humanitarian award. He serves on the advisory boards of the Seva Foundation, the Dalai Lama Foundation, and the Greater Good Science Center. Check out some of Nipun’s TedTalks HERE and HERE.

    “Can we bring in this vision, this intention, this possibility? Can our modern tools support our inner transformation, which then can out of a heart of service flow out into the world through a very different design pattern?” – Nipun Mehta

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Discussing her new book, Ordinary Mysticism, Mirabai Starr breaks free from religious institutions and shares heart-opening mystical wisdom.

    Mirabai’s upcoming book, Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground, will be released in September 2024. Preorder your copy HERE!

    This time on Mindrolling, Mirabai and Raghu converse about: 

    How beginner’s mind and humility help us cope with the worldOur capacity to feel the pain of the world as our superpowerThe dark night of the soul and Saint John of the CrossMirabai’s loss of her daughter and the transformational power of sufferingThe broken, open heart and expanding our heart to contain grief and realityBeing with ‘what is’ – as an act of devotion and loveReligious ‘polyamory’ and intimate encounters with numerous spiritual traditionsMirabai’s baptism and dedication to peace in the Middle EastWhy mystical experiences do not need to happen in the container of religion

    About Mirabai Starr:

    Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialogue. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Check out her many books and learn more at MirabaiStarr.com.

    “Often, organized institutionalized religious spaces and belief systems (this is my belief) can be an obstacle, an impediment to an actual mystical experience, if by mystical experience we mean an experience of intimacy with the sacred as love.” – Mirabai Starr

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Author and artist Scott Snibbe visits Mindrolling to teach listeners how to train the mind for long-lasting happiness.

    Get your copy of Scott’s book, How to Train a Happy Mind: A Skeptic’s Path to Enlightenment, HERE.

    This week on Mindrolling, Scott and Raghu discuss: 

    How being in tune with reality leads to happinessScott’s childhood and sensing the feeling of infinitySelfishness/self-centeredness as an antagonist to joyHappiness through cherishing othersAnalytical meditation and filling your mindRemembering how precious every day isStabilizing the mind through meditation to be less reactiveConnecting with ourselves first thing in the morningHow cell phones externally define our world and lead to unhappinessLooking at who we are beneath our thoughts, feelings, and personalitySmall shifts in our daily lives such as smilingEmbodying human rights in our thoughts and behavior

    About Scott Snibbe:

    Scott Snibbe is an interactive media artist, author, entrepreneur, and meditation instructor who hosts the Skeptic’s Path to Enlightenment meditation podcast. His first book, How to Train a Happy Mind, was released in 2024. Keep up with Scott on his website.

    “The Buddhist view on happiness is really the reality view on happiness. The better word might be satisfaction, contentment, or well-being. It is not the temporary things like having an ice-cream cone, or a nice walk, or someone kiss-you, which are all lovely. That’s a pleasure. It doesn’t last. Happiness really can be long-lasting.” – Scott Snibbe

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Jamie Kilstein returns to the Mindrolling Podcast!

    In this episode, Jamie speaks with Raghu about finding an appreciation for all faiths and shares how exploring different religions led him to Jesus.

    Jamie and Raghu talk about: 

    Oppression within organized religionJamie’s experience with psychedelics and Ram DassZen as the atheism of religionMaharaj-ji and incorporating multiple religionsHow music connects us to religionBeing led to Jesus ChristThe importance of Sangha and connecting to the communitySeeing the beauty in all faiths rather than being restrictiveHow Jesus set us free for freedom

    Recommendation from this episode: Jazz Musician Bill Evans

    About Jamie Kilstein:

    Jamie Alexander Kilstein is an American writer, radio host, and stand-up comic. He hosts the podcast, Trauma Bonding, with his wife Alex. Keep up with Jamie on his Instagram or on his website.

    “I think you find the right spiritual group or people who can connect with you and can laugh so hard that you can feel God, people who can hold you accountable, that is really important with spirituality.” – Jamie Kilstein

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Author and Medium Paul Selig shares transformational wisdom from divine messengers and chats with Raghu about what our world could be like.

    Paul’s third book in The Manifestation Trilogy, A World Made New, will be out in September 2024. Preorder HERE!

    This week on Mindrolling, Paul and Raghu converse about: 

    Paul’s journey of becoming and the split between the perceived self and the real selfWorking with energy and understanding phenomenaDivine guides and how they present to PaulPaul’s connection to Ram Dass and his vision of the Ram Dass house in HawaiiMediumship and sensing Ram Dass and Maharaj-ji in the spirit realmIdentity and the structure of realityKnowing the divine self and aligning with it as a demonstration of our true natureChanneling messages from the divine

    About Paul Selig:

    Paul Selig is an author and medium who is considered to be one of the foremost spiritual channels working today. In his breakthrough works of channeled literature, Selig has recorded an extraordinary program for personal and planetary evolution as humankind awakens to its own divine nature. Paul offers channeled workshops internationally and serves on the faculty of The Omega Institute, The Kripalu Center and the Esalen Institute. Also a noted educator, he served on the faculty of NYU for over 25 years and directed the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Goddard College. He lives in Maui where he maintains a private practice as an intuitive and conducts frequent live-stream seminars. Check out Paul’s numerous books HERE and preorder your copy of the upcoming A World Made New, Paul’s third book in The Manifestation Trilogy.

    “Who you put in darkness calls you to that darkness. It’s all co-residence. So, if you can see the divine in someone or something you’re actually lifting it. They say what you bless blesses you in return.” – Paul Selig

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Writer and meditation teacher, Henry Shukman, joins Raghu to discuss his forthcoming book, Original Love, and how love is the true foundation of our life.

    In this episode of Mindrolling, Henry and Raghu journey through: 

    Henry’s background, travels, and witnessing joy among those without materialistic richesRecognizing how we are a part of everything in the universeHow meditation helped Henry stop limping through lifeTranscendental meditation and being religious about our practiceAcknowledging our suppressed emotions and working through them with the help of therapyHenry’s time as a trombonist in London calypso bandsTaking on an altruistic perspective to improve your lifeHow meditation does so much more than mitigate stressThe early Buddhist view of mindfulnessInterrupting our constant mental commentary by focusing on bodily sensationsThe experiential reality of unity, emptiness, and boundlessnessBreaking open our hearts through any religion or experienceTapping into unconditional love for ourselves and others

    About Henry Shukman:

    Henry Shukman is an English meditation teacher, Zen master, poet and author. Shukman teaches mindfulness and awakening practices. To learn more about his offerings, check out his website HERE. Shukman’s new book, Original Love, is coming out on July 9th and can be ordered HERE.

    Check out The Way app for guided meditations from Henry Shukman

    “Each of us is that very jewel that’s a boundless, loving oneness. We don’t need to be some sort of special person to find it.” – Henry Shukman

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Activist and mountaineer, Wasfia Nazreen, has an expansive talk with Raghu about her trek up the K2 peak and finding inner strength.

    This time on Mindrolling, Wasfia and Raghu explore: 

    Connecting to Mother EarthHow abandonment taught Wasfia that education was her pathway to freedomHow moving to Georgia gave Wasfia a deep connection to the culture of the American SouthThe Tonglen meditation technique and taking away the pain of othersHow Wasfia was magnetized to Tibetan BuddhismWasfia’s journeys as a mountain climber and the healing power of climbingRevering mountains as the home of Gods and GoddessesDead Zones and trekking up dangerous summitsWasfia’s connection to the Dalai Lama and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

    About Wasfia Nazreen:

    Wasfia Nazreen is best known for being the only Bangladeshi and first Bengali in the world to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of every continent. She is also the only woman to hold the simultaneous titles of National Geographic Explorer & Adventurer. An outspoken activist since her late teens, her passion has always been driven by causes close to her heart. A human-rights activist, an environmentalist, a writer, educator, pilot, and producer – Wasfia wears many hats, all of which are grounded in strong foundations of meditation and self-realization practices. Learn more about her and follow her many adventures on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

    “Ultimately, we are our own teachers, we are our own gurus, and we’re all here on our own individual karmic path, and what are we doing with it?” – Wasfia Nazreen

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • OG Mindroller David Silver reunites with Raghu to discuss the themes of consciousness and spirituality that lie at the heart of Hermann Hesse's literary work.

    This week on Mindrolling, David Silver connects with Raghu over: 

    Inspiration from Hermann HesseThe book Siddhartha and embarking on a spiritual searchDescents into decadence and an attachment to the material worldEmbracing everything that is in front of usComparing lessons from Ram Dass and Hermann HesseThe inevitability of sufferingHow World War II likely influenced Hesse’s understanding of suffering and isolationLiving on more than one plane of consciousnessThe book Steppenwolf and Carl Jung’s conceptualization of the shadowFear and owning up to ourselvesRaghu’s experience at the Garchen Buddhist InstituteThe problem with media and accessing constant informationAssuming an altruistic perspective

    Learn more about Herman Hesse HERE and check out The Marginalian HERE

    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 Maharaji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. K.C. Tewari—in the guise of a headmaster of a boys school in the foothills of the Himalayas—was secretly a High Yogi, frequently able to go into altered states of trance, known as Samadhi, at any moment.

    “Hesse’s novels created for me a world that I aspired to but didn’t understand in any way at that time, in the sixties. It just fitted in with the flashes of wisdom that would come with an acid trip.” – David Silver

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Discussing her memoir, Lotus Girl, Helen Tworkov and Raghu talk about spiritual quests and experiencing a deeper reality.

    Get your copy of Lotus Girl HERE

    In this episode, Helen and Raghu talk about: 

    Growing up with tyrannical parentsHow the iconic photo of Thich Quang Duc changed Helen’s lifeBeing orientated to Asia through Psychedelics, out-of-body meditation experiences, and equanimityRaghu’s altered state through the music of John ColtraneHow trying to understand her family lead Helen on a quest for realityHelen’s friendship with Charles MingusStories of the Dalai LamaHolding suffering without letting it define youOur capacity to feel many emotions at the same timeBeing accepting of whatever is in front of you in the moment

    “At the time, I had no understanding that that kind of break with reality could be an entry into a deeper reality that was very true.” – Helen Tworkov

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Reflecting on Gandhi’s principles, Raghu and Perry Garfinkel discuss sainthood, imperfection, and continued service to others.

    Get your copy of Perry’s book, Becoming Gandhi, HERE

    This time on Mindrolling, Perry and Raghu talk about: 

    Bob Dylan, Jazz, and music as a portalPerry’s journey to India looking for Neem Karoli BabaFollowing the footsteps of Mahatma GandhiHow sainthood does not mean you are enlightenedPolarized views of Gandhi and controversy based on gender, race, etc.Acting out empathy in compassionate waysThe six principles of truth, vegetarianism, non-violence, simplicity, faith, and celibacyRe-introducing Gandhi to the next generationSeparating the idea of faith from any rigid religious dogmaTrusting our own unique experiences

    About Perry Garfinkel:

    Perry Garfinkel is an author and has been a contributor to the New York Times since 1986, specializing in travel and cultural trends. A veteran journalist who has covered the overlap of East and West for more than thirty years for many major publications, he has been falling on and off the meditation cushion for just as long. He lives on Martha’s Vineyard. Visit him on his website and check out his book offerings HERE.

    “My message in my book is that you do not have to become Gandhi, ridiculously disciplined. But, if you just turn the dial down or up in certain areas, life is about trying to improve yourself.” – Perry Garfinkel

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Discussing his memoir, Down for the Cause, Bruce “Badri” Margolin talks with Raghu about his work in drug reform and meeting Ram Dass, Tim Leary, and Neem Karoli Baba.

    Grab your copy of Down for the Cause HERE

    This week on Mindrolling, Bruce and Raghu talk about: 

    What propelled Bruce on his journey as a lawyerBruce’s first marijuana defense caseThe Campaign to Abolition Marijuana Prohibition (C.A.M.P.)When Bruce received Be Here Now from his therapistBruce’s travels through Greece, Ethiopia, India and moreHow Bruce met Ram Dass and Neem Karoli Baba in IndiaReadjusting to the western worldBruce’s work in defending Tim Leary’s case

    About Bruce Margolin:

    Bruce Margolin is an American criminal defense attorney who specializes in marijuana and drug laws. Bruce defended Timothy Leary and is renowned for his work in Marijuana decriminalization. Since 1973, Bruce has served as the executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). He is also the writer of the Margolin Guide to Marijuana Law and Down for the Cause. Follow Bruce on Instagram.

    “Bruce has had the blessing to take such a huge role in helping change one of the most draconian laws that has been in existence.” – Raghu Markus

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Reflecting on spirituality and synchronicity, Dr. Lisa Miller talks with Raghu about the capacity to have an awakened mind and heart.

    Get your copy of Dr. Miller’s book, The Awakened Brain, HERE

    This time on Mindrolling, Dr. Lisa and Raghu talk about: 

    Dr. Miller’s synchronistic connection with Ram DassIdentifying threads of lived, spiritual human life in clinical psychologyBeing born with the capacity to awakenCultivating our relationship to the transcendentThe difference between a spiritual experience and a fully integrated spiritual lifeAn awakened heart and mind as a protective factor against despairThe mental health epidemic in our countryTrust and moments of unconditional loveRadical love on Dr. Lisa’s journey to parenthoodHow suffering brings us closer to God

    About Dr. Lisa Miller:

    Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is Professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Columbia University, Teachers College, where she founded the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology. She is also the Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality and Founder and Former Co-Editor of the APA journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice. Dr Miller is the books The Awakened Brain and The Spiritual Child. Learn more about Dr. Miller on her website.

    "No matter what religion we are born with or not born with, we are all born with a natural capacity in our brain to be in a transcendent relationship, number one, and number two, to feel power and love and guidance of that transcendent relationship as we turn towards one another.” – Dr. Lisa Miller

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • RamDev, host of Healing at the Edge podcast, joins Raghu for a conversation on compassion and openness of the heart.

    This week on Mindrolling, RamDev and Raghu discuss:

    RamDev’s background in mathematics and recognizing patternsHow people in the West are not as embodied as in the EastThe first three chakras of fear, guilt, and shamePsychedelics and other dimensions of realityGoing beyond separatenessCompassion and non-dual practicesTaming the monkey-mindSub ek and quantum entanglementStories about Maharaj-ji’s mystical existenceHope for the future and allowing our hearts to be vulnerableA meditation around inclusivity through compassion

    About 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

    “In Buddhism, they say that when the mind is totally awakened, naturally arising compassionate activity occurs. You don’t have to try to be compassionate, you are compassion. Compassion is not even an emotion, it’s a state of openness of the heart in relationship to suffering.” – RamDev

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • Tracy Cochran and Raghu talk about living our way to wisdom and being at home in ourselves through presence.

    Subtitles for this episode are available on YouTube: Click Here

    In this episode, Tracy and Raghu chat about:

    Living our way to wisdomThe knowledge that the world offers usRam Dass and Fierce GraceTracy’s experience being attackedBeing seen with eyes of love and compassionThe power of forgivenessHeartfulness and living within the truest parts of ourselvesCourage and the willingness to be open

    About Tracy Cochran:

    Tracy Cochran is a writer and meditation teacher. She is the author of Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself, which is available on the Shambhala Publications website and on Amazon. She is the editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that draws on the world’s cultural and wisdom traditions to explore the questions that all humans share. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Psychology Today, O Magazine, New York Magazine, Boston Review, and in many book anthologies and podcasts. Learn more about Tracy on her website.

    Get your copy of Tracy’s book, Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself, HERE

    “We have to live our way to wisdom…The world offers us so much, but it’s something we live our way into. We live our own stories, our own challenges.” – Tracy Cochran

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.