Be Here Now Network

Turning back time to 2018, we revisit a conversation between Dr. Thurman and Raghu Markus about facing reality, transforming our reactivity, and understanding karma. You can help continue Dr. Thurman’s life’s work to preserve Tibetan culture. Visit Tibet House to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/tibethouseus In this episode, Robert Thurman and Raghu explore: - Buddhism as a realistic approach to understanding reality - The projections and stories we tell ourselves every day - Working with fear and judgment in meditation - Entering the gaps of mental reactivity - Karma: an intentional action with evolutionary consequences - The relationship between self-awareness and the direction of our karma - Buddhist perspectives on rebirth and reincarnation - The distinction between unconscious rebirth and consciously choosing to return - Neem Karoli Baba and the experience of living completely in reality The intimate connection between absolute reality and unconditional love About Dr. Robert Thurman: Robert Thurman (1941-2026) was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated many books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University before retiring in June 2019. He held the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West. After education at Phillips Exeter and Harvard, he studied Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism for almost thirty years as a personal student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He wrote both scholarly and popular books and lectured widely all over the world. As President of the American Institute for Buddhist Studies, he convened the First Inner Science Conference with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Amherst College in 1984. He was also a founding trustee of Tibet House New York. Check out his most recent book Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life. Robert Thurman made many appearances on our network, and he is greatly missed. "Being realistic is the best approach because the better you understand reality, the happier you will be. The less you understand it, the more unnecessary trouble you will put yourself through. That’s why when people ask what Buddhism is, I tell them that Buddhism is realism.” –Robert Thurman

Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin of the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order, explores how she has cultivated community and diversity through interfaith dialogue, spiritual practice, and a commitment to making Buddhist teachings accessible while honoring tradition. This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PathsofPractice This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin and Vincent chat about: - Being grateful for the good in our lives - Finding support in spiritual community - The emotional process of shaving one’s head for the priesthood - Being a female in a male-dominated spiritual world - Creating community and diversity in Houston, Texas - Working to make Buddhist teachings accessible while preserving the - integrity of traditions - Addressing trauma in the prison system and learning how to support each other - Hope for the future and finding common ground in the intersection of faith traditions - The great change that naturally arises from a dedication to practice - Lessons from the Lotus Sutra on respect - Finding the purpose and benefit in all that happens to us About Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin: Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin, stands as a beacon of pioneering spirit, being the first American woman and the first of African Japanese descent to attain full ordination as a Nichiren priest. She holds the esteemed position of bishop for the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order of North America, the first woman and Westerner to do so. Her guidance emanates from Houston, where she leads as the principal teacher of Myoken-ji Temple. She is among the few westerners, specifically one of three, to undertake and complete the rigorous Aragyo [ascetic practice] at Saijo Inari in Okayama, Japan. Passionate about bringing Buddhism beyond temple walls, Myokei Shonin actively supports three prison sanghas within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system. Her interfaith endeavors have seen her as a Fellow with Interfaith America, championing dialogue between Buddhists and Muslims in incarceration. Her roles extend to being a board member of Lion’s Roar Magazine and Dharma Relief 2: Healing Racial Trauma. She's actively engaged in programs such as Healing Warrior Hearts, Texas for Heroes, The Gathering, and the International Western Dharma Teachers Gathering. Beyond these, her contributions span across various socio-religious platforms, underlining her commitment to spreading compassionate teachings. As a writer, her voice echoes through publications in Lion’s Roar and Tricycle magazines, and she has made notable contributions to The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five Centuries of Awakened Women. “Everything about us is perfect, whole, and complete for the path that we’re walking. It may be horrible, some of the things that have happened to us, but they’re a preparation for us to walk the path in the way we need to walk it. We have to be able to look at everything that happens to us as a benefit. There is a purpose to this happening to us. We can be a gateway for others to walk a better path for themselves. We are perfectly gifted by the experiences we have had.” –Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies.

Joseph Goldstein holds two meanings of Nibbana in equal reverence: unconditioned, unformed awareness and a transcendent state in which the mind is free from all defilements. This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein reveals: - The Thai forest tradition of Buddhism - Nibbana: Unconditioned awareness or transcendent awareness? - The unconditioned mind and the power of zero - Enlightenment and a mind that is free of defilements - The analogy of ‘seeing the moon’ rather than the finger that points to it - Why the experience of Nibbana is so important - Seeing the intimate connection between wisdom and compassion - The concept of nonself and our lives as constantly changing phenomena - The dance between pleasure and suffering Check out this episode’s companion essay, Reflections on Nibbana, by Joseph Goldstein “One meaning of Nibbana is this unconditioned, unborn, unformed reality. The other meaning of Nibbana refers to the mind that has been freed of defilements—the mind that is free of greed, hatred, and delusion. We could describe the state of a fully enlightened being in which these defilements have been uprooted as Nibbana.” –Joseph Goldstein

Live from the 2024 Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain Retreat, Krishna Das leads a soul-stirring kirtan and shares heartfelt stories about Maharaj-ji. This week on Pilgrim Heart, enjoy Krishna Das’s full kirtan set from our 2024 Summer Mountain Retreat: - Sita Ram - Baba Hanuman - Maha Mantra - Ma Durga - And more! Interested in attending a retreat? Join us in Hawaii this December for the Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat featuring Krishna Das, Jack Kornfield, Mirabai Starr, and many others! “I was summoned from the back of the temple where we westerners spent most of our time, banished to inner darkness. All I did was distribute the prasad. I would give out this water, the nectar from the feet of the Goddess. The temple was right next to Maharaj-ji’s room. I’d be sitting there blah all day, and for some reason I would look up and he’d be peeking at me through the window. The minute I’d look up, he’d close the window. He did it everyday. It was so funny.” –Krishna Das About Krishna Das: Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Grammy nominee Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das – known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD – has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time. His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Krishna Das now travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and wonderful stories of his life, of Maharaji-ji, of his life on the Path and discusses bringing chanting into our lives through retreats and workshops. To date, KD has released 15 well-received albums, most recently Trust in the Heart released in October 2017.

Beloved teacher, coach and author George Mumford returns to the Metta Hour for episode 294 to talk about the 2nd edition release of his book, The Mindful Athlete. George Mumford a.k.a. The Performance Whisperer, is a globally recognized speaker, teacher, and pioneer in sports psychology and performance. Since 1989, he’s been honing his groundbreaking performance and mindfulness techniques with people from locker rooms to boardrooms, Yale to jail — as Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ to winning eight NBA Championships, helping Michael Jordan transform his leadership, and teaching Kobe Bryant to “just be.” George’s work incorporates principles based in positive psychology, mindfulness, philosophy, neuroscience, the recovery movement, group and organizational dynamics, and spiritual traditions from around the world. This is his third appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast. In this conversation, George and Sharon speak about: • The second edition of The Mindful Athlete • George’s three-fold training • Debunking mindfulness myths • Mindfulness versus right mindfulness • The Five Superpowers • How George adapts teachings • Compassion’s role in peak performance • Dissolution of ego for team success • Why George reads a book-a-day • Circular learning style • Ajahn Sumedho’s wisdom • The resilience of the NY Knicks • Finding our enthusiasm • How effort creates energy • The episode closes with a guided meditation from George

From Kali and Krishna to Christ, Dakota Wint explores archetypes of the divine and what emerges when we turn our attention toward the deepest mysteries of the universe. This time on The Flower Heads Show, Dakota explores: - Kali: The feminine face of time and impermanence - Krishna and Kali as the divine son and mother - Similarities between Hindu and Judeo-Christian stories - Focusing our attention on the mystery of the universe - Spiritual practice as the only way to become free - Seeing fierce compassion within Ma Kali “You would think this is some kind of demon or something, no, this is Kali. She looks like this because this is the face of time. Everything you love is gonna go away—it’s going to be chewed apart. It’s going to be blood dripping from the teeth of Kali. It looks scary because it’s meant to scare you into seeing the truth. It’s the wrath of a mother when you’re misbehaving.” —Dakota Wint

Joined by long-time friends Nina Rao, Krishna Das, and Sunanda Markus, Mirabai Bush shares stories from her memoir Almost Home. Pick up your copy of Almost Home over on the Ram Dass Shop today: https://shop.ramdass.org/products/almost-home?_pos=1&_sid=a45931431&_ss=r This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Mirabai, Nina, Krishna Das, and Sunanda discuss: - Mirabai’s catholic upbringing and working to understand her place in the world - How Mirabai became the only woman to work on the Saturn Apollo project - Mirabai’s meditation studies with Goenka - When Krishna Das, Mirabai, and Sunanda met Maharaj-ji - Learning about the grace in suffering - Knowing that love is real and available to us all “That hard childhood creates that longing for belonging; with Maharaj-ji I felt like at last I belonged—in this moment, in this body, in this world, because I was so totally loved. He changed my idea of what this life could be. I had such a small idea of who we could be in this world, and it just became vastly expanded with him.” –Mirabai Bush About Mirabai Bush: Mirabai is an author, social entrepreneur, teacher, and spiritual leader. She is recognized for her pioneering role in integrating mindfulness and contemplative practices into secular sectors of American life, including business, higher education, law, and social activism. Mirabai’s contributions include co-founding influential organizations such as the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and the Seva Foundation and co-developing Google’s Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. She is also a longtime board member of the Love Serve Remember Foundation. Her latest book, Almost Home, is a memoir published in 2025. About Nina Rao: Nina Rao is a devotional singer. She tours with Krishna Das, playing cymbals, singing, and acting as his business manager. Nina has two of her own albums, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts” and “Anubhav”. Nina regularly leads kirtan, workshops, and retreats in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York and beyond. Together with Chandra and Genevieve Walker, Nina operates the 21 Taras Collective. About Krishna Das: Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Grammy nominee Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Krishna Das now travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and wonderful stories of his life, of Maharaji-ji, of his life on the Path and discusses bringing chanting into our lives through retreats and workshops. To date, KD has released 15 well-received albums, most recently Trust in the Heart released in October 2017. About Sunanda Markus: Currently the finance and operations director for the Love Serve Remember Foundation, Sunanda spent decades as the finance director of a small publishing company, while also being involved in the field of contemplative studies. She spent a dozen years as the program coordinator for the Academic Program of the Center for Contemplative Mind, and then managed the grants program for the Mind & Life Institute.

Tommy Rosen, Gagan Levy, and Raghu Markus explore addiction and the everyday choices that shape recovery and a meaningful life. This time on Mindrolling, Tommy, Gagan and Raghu explore: - Growing up in a home filled with anxiety and developing a sense that something is always wrong - How oftentimes addiction comes from seeking relief and homeostasis - Distraction and Procrastination as forms of addiction - Ram Dass’s approach to working with habits of the mind - Facing the long, dark night of the soul - The ‘nitty-gritty’ of how we choose to live our lives - The five core tenets of Tommy’s program, ‘Recovery 2.0’ - How working the 12-steps guarantees a spiritual experience - Tending to the needs of mind, body, and soul “You have to tend to the needs of the body. Your diet is an inside job—it’s critically important. You have to learn the secrets of the breath—the breath will help you become more clear about your inner-world experience. And, ultimately, you need to develop a meditative practice. These are the things that have to be there in order to recover your true freedom and your true self.” –Tommy Rosen About Tommy Rosen: Tommy Rosen is the founder and host of the Recovery 2.0: Beyond Addiction Online Conference and presents workshops annually at Esalen, Omega, and Kripalu. One of the pioneers in the burgeoning field of Yoga and Recovery, he holds advanced certifications in both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga and has 20 years of recovery from acute drug addiction. Tommy and his wife, noted yoga instructor, Kia Miller, live in Venice, California, where they teach yoga and grow organic vegetables in their backyard. Check out Tommy’s upcoming retreats and his book, Recovery 2.0. “In recovery circles, we see a lot of people who struggle for a lifetime. They aren’t going to implode their life like we did, but if you asked any human being, do you want to ‘get through life’ or do you really want to seize this day and realise yourself, your heart’s desires and dreams, everyone would say ‘of course I do’. Well, maybe you have to change the ways that you’re facing a 24-hour period of time.” –Tommy Rosen About Gagan Levy: Gagan Levy is the Founder/CEO of Guru, an award-winning creative agency dedicated to serving purpose-driven movements, brands, and organizations. They work with impactful brands like Patagonia, Traditional Medicinals, Nalgene, Non-GMO, The Organic Alliance, Bring Change to Mind and many natural products brands, including EO / Everyone Products, OM Mushroom Superfoods, and REBBL. Gagan also serves as Chief Evangelist at MAHA Global, a platform focused on helping businesses adapt to stakeholder needs using data-driven reputation intelligence. As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, Gagan leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just, and prosperous for all. Gagan Levy is also a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation.

Celebrating Sylvia Boorstein’s 90th birthday, Jack and Sylvia reflect on 49 years of friendship, meditation, and Dharma practice—and how awakening ultimately expresses itself through kindness, connection, and a willingness to stay amazed.

Founder of Shambhala Publications, Samuel Bercholz, reflects on a lifetime of dharma and encourages us to challenge our often distorted perceptions of reality. This time on the CSM podcast, Samuel and David explore: - Samuel’s new book, Rude Awakenings: An Unconventional Guide to the Buddhist Path - Shaking up our concepts of reality and social phenomena - Working with our addictions and habits - The unpredictability and spontaneous manifestations of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche - Learning how to walk the Bodhisattva path - Intergenerational dharma and having an enlightened family - Practical Buddhism and simply being ‘dharmic and decent’ - How Buddhism has traveled from East to West About Samuel Bercholz: Sam Bercholz is the founder of Shambhala Publications, one of the leading independent publishers of Buddhist and Eastern spiritual literature. He started the company in Berkeley in the late 1960s and later moved it to Boulder, Colorado, where it grew into a major publishing house for authors like Chögyam Trungpa and Pema Chödrön. A senior teacher in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, Bercholz studied closely with both Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, who empowered him to teach dharma. He has taught Buddhist philosophy and meditation across North America, Europe, and Australasia for over forty years, and is also the author of the new book, Rude Awakenings: An Unconventional Guide to the Buddhist Path. “The way I perceive and most humans perceive is 180 degrees from the way things actually are. For the most part, we live in a fantasy world of make believe and we believe it.” –Samuel Bercholz

UN-recognized climate solutionist Bodhi Patil deep dives into the wisdom of the ocean, which connects all living things and carries the story of our creation. This time on The Four Sacred Gifts, Anita and Bodhi explore: - Exploring the depths of the ocean - Water as a sacred gift connecting all life forms - Remembering how to care for the planet we are a part of - Seeing the past, present, and future via the ocean - Considering how we connect to the ocean individually - Blending coastal indigenous knowledge with science and technology - The matriarchal species of the ocean - How the ocean is what makes our planet so special - Ensuring the prosperity of coastal communities and ecosystems - Teaching young people about interconnectedness and becoming a steward “Life emerged from the ocean and we have a sacred responsibility to steward the ocean. One of the many sacred gifts of our planet is water; water is connected through all life forms.” –Bodhi Patil About Bodhi Patil: Bhodi Patil is a UN-recognized, award-winning GenZ ocean-climate “solutionist”, the co-creator of Ocean Uprise and the founder of InnerLight. He is a recent Masters of Management dual degree graduate with a BA in Environment and Sustainability from the University of British Columbia. He has been featured on CNN, TEDx, United Nations Web TV, Forbes, Apple, and many international media outlets for improving ocean & human health. His life mission is to help a generation discover their InnerLight (Strong Body, Calm Mind, Vibrant Spirit) and, in doing so, become ocean guardians. Through InnerLight, he aims to prove that young and Indigenous people have an outsized benefit in protecting the ocean and boost investment accordingly. Utilizing next-gen education tools as a catalyst for ocean impact is key to his life’s mission. Bodhi just screened The Sea Keepers, a documentary about an Indigenous community in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, rebuilding their connection to the ocean. He's fired up about getting this message out to the planet and creating real educational resources around it. If you're interested in the ocean, Indigenous knowledge, or impact storytelling, check it out!

Melvin McLeod, editor of Lion’s Roar, shares his new vision of mindfulness as a complete way of living, from cultivating concentration and awareness to understanding our place in the universe. Check out Melvin’s podcast series, The Complete Path of Mindfulness, where he talks with leaders in the field about a groundbreaking new advance in mindfulness practice. Melvin and his guests explore mindfulness as not only a helpful meditation technique, but as a complete, transformative path of life. Watch here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@lionsroaronline⁩ This time on Mindrolling, Melvin and Raghu explore: - Looking into what this life and universe is all about - Leading happier and more meaningful lives - Seeing mindfulness as a complete path of life - Melvin’s four identified keys of mindfulness - Inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most important spiritual teachers of this age - Developing the power of concentration - Following a path without adopting a formal religion - Recognizing our deep, intimate connection with all things - Investigating the nature of awareness - Taming the mind and the RAIN method taught by Tara Brach - Be Here Now: Inhabiting the moment with loving-awareness - Melvin’s interview with Joanna Macy, renowned Buddhist thinker, environmental activist, and author About Melvin McLeod: Melvin McLeod is the editor-at-large of Lion's Roar, the largest media organization in the English language devoted to Buddhist meditation and mindfulness, and co-founder of Mindful magazine. He has been practicing for more than 40 years and is a well-known and respected authority on mindfulness and meditation. His ground-breaking teaching on the Complete Path of Mindfulness has been praised by leaders in the field as an important advance in how mindfulness is defined and practiced. Check out his new book to learn more about this innovative work: With a Single Breath: The Complete Path of Mindfulness. “When mindfulness is seen not simply as a helpful meditation technique but as a complete path of life, it can offer the same powerful tools for personal and societal transformation traditionally only offered by religion in an evidence-driven, common-sense format, for all of those people who are not especially interested in following a capital ‘R’ religious path.” –Melvin McLeod

Alan Watts reveals the harmony of embracing our human role while also recognizing that we are the entire cosmos. This series is brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization and Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation. Visit Alan Watts Organization online for full talks from Alan Watts. This time on the Being in the Way podcast, Alan Watts discusses: - Remembering our inherent oneness with all things - Living on two levels at once: the relative world and the ultimate reality - Understanding life as a “controlled accident” and learning to play our social roles on demand - Pretending not to notice the fundamental light of existence - Seeing life’s most serious predicaments as part of a cosmic game - Recognizing how our fascination with details can cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture - Engaging fully in the game of life while recognizing our true nature "Deep down, who are you? That’s the thing that’s been forgotten. That’s the underside of the tapestry, the thing that’s been left out because what we are carefully taught to ignore is that every one of us, fundamentally, deep, deep inside, is an act of, function of, performance of, manifestation of the works, the whole blinking cosmos with all its galaxies.” –Alan Watts

The Buddha taught a path of awakened living, but how does that manifest in today’s world of constant connectivity and widespread suffering? How do we keep our hearts open without being defined or hardened by the pain that surrounds us, whether personal, collective, or historical? How do we navigate the paradox of holding both pain and joy, without mistaking suffering for punishment or personal failure? Can we infuse our compassion with wisdom and perspective to find the agency to take meaningful action in our communities? In her new series, Engaged Compassion, Sharon delves into these questions and more, engaging in candid conversations with a diverse group of teachers, activists, and changemakers. For the ninth and final episode in the series, Sharon speaks with Shelly Tygielski. Philanthropist and social activist Shelly Tygielski has been hailed by individuals ranging from President Joe Biden to Arianna Huffington and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn to Maria Shriver. She is the founder of the global, grassroots mutual aid organization, Pandemic of Love and the co-founder of Partners in Kind, a purpose in production equity fund that invests in projects that focus on social impact in entertainment. Her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets, including CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times and Washington Post. A Garrison Institute Fellow, Shelly has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful.org and teaches self-care and resilience at organizations and to audiences around the world. She is also the author of several books, “Sit Down to Rise Up” and “How We Ended Racism.” This is her second appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast. In this conversation, Shelly and Sharon speak about: • What motivated Shelly to get her PH.D. • The definition of Mutual Aid • Mutual Aid across history • Peter Kropotkin’s view of society • Cooperation vs competition in society • Thriving interspecies ecosystems • How Shelly’s practice has evolved over time • Finding a balance in our compassion • Prioritizing self-care in engaged compassion • How Shelly has let go of her caregiving guilt • The signs that burnout is lurking • Seeing resentment as a signal flare • Shelly’s advice to change-makers • Activism with our own sustainability in mind • Asking for help before falling into burnout • Joy is not an abandonment of responsibility • How Shelly finds joy in nature and with music

Ayelet Polonsky explores the power of manifestation, how consciousness shapes reality, and what psychedelics and Kabbalah can teach us about becoming conscious co-creators of our lives. This time on Set & Setting, Madison and Ayelet discuss: - The power of manifestation and co-creating with the creator - Tapping into a dimension that transcends physical reality - Awakening the dormant parts of the brain - How our consciousness has an impact on our reality - Realizing that time is a social construct - What does it mean to live with a ‘manifestation mindset’? - Experiencing ourselves as consciousness, as God - Taking wisdom from Kabbalah - Reflecting back on the dark times we have overcome - Feeling out our deepest desires in a conscious, embodied way About Ayelet Polonsky: Creator of The Manifestation Method, Ayelet Polonsky is a skilled, passionate and trauma-informed facilitator in the world of manifestation and healing. After graduating New York University, her journey into the heart of healing led her to the Amazon jungles of Peru, where she immersed herself in the shamanic traditions of the Shipibo tribe. After deepening her connection with plant medicine and holistic healing in Peru, Ayelet immersed herself in six years of profound training in India under the guidance of Enlightened Masters, as well as attended Kumbh Mela. Her journey then led her to her ancestral homeland of Israel, where she spent eight years studying and teaching Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah, and became known as the number one Kabbalistic Manifestation expert. Ayelet now lives on the East Coast with her husband and two children.Her expertise has been recognized by top publications like Mind Body Green, Elephant Journal, Glamour Magazine, as well as Fox News, NBC, and CBS News. Keep up with Ayelet on Instagram. “When you listen to that voice of intuition, that deep knowing, your external reality reorganizes itself to meet you there, to support you, to guide you.” –Ayelet Polonsky

Reflecting on a lifetime of practice, Joseph Goldstein explores how an intimate investigation of suffering can open the doorway to liberation. In this week’s episode, Joseph and David explore: - Joseph’s spiritual lineage and tying the concept of bodhicitta to his motivation for practice - The inseparability of compassion and emptiness - Holding an intense interest in whatever we are experiencing - A tip from Joseph: ‘Don’t waste your suffering’ - The mental energy it takes to investigate our suffering - Teaching from the heart of Buddhist suttas - ‘Tuning in’ to the gratitude channel and thanking the universe for the blessings of our lives - Utilizing Ram Dass’s concept of ‘how can I help?’ as the north star of life “When my mind is distressed in some way or other, it piques my interest. I want to understand what the cause of the suffering is. That’s a little different than enduring it until we get to a happier place; it’s using the suffering as fuel and as the impotence to investigate.” –Joseph Goldstein About Joseph Goldstein: Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and loving-kindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where he is one of the organization’s guiding teachers. In 1989, together with several other teachers and students of insight meditation, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Check out Joseph’s Insight Hour podcast on the Be Here Now Network channel here on Soundcloud and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeHereNowNetwork

Dr. Robert Svoboda explores genuine Kundalini awakening, spiritual delusion, and why regularly returning to the basics of spiritual practice is essential. Visit Dr. Svoboda online for monthly Q&As and biweekly writing on the Vedic sciences, plus occasional courses not available elsewhere! You can also study with Dr. Svoboda and learn about Ayurveda, Jyotisha, the Devatas, and Spiritual Practice. For multiple courses, lifetime access to materials and more, check out Dr. Svoboda’s Spiritual Practice Bundle. In this episode of Living with Reality, Dr. Svoboda explores: - Kundalini energy and connecting to supreme reality - How to tell if one is genuinely having a Kundalini Awakening - Insufficient grounding and the ‘Balloon Without a String” metaphor - The capacity to channel and hold onto shakti - How the middle of the spiritual path can be more dangerous than the beginning - Becoming scattered, bewildered, and dispersed - Aligning yourself with whatever you are devoted to - How delusions can get magnified by kundalini - Going back to the basics of practice About Dr. Robert Svoboda: Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training, he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books, including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 to 1983. In the years since 1986, Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending an average of three months per year in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra, and allied subjects in locales across the world. Join Dr. Svoboda’s courses, watch the latest video in Dr. Svoboda’s 5 Minutes series on Youtube and follow Dr. Svoboda on Facebook and Instagram for updates, events, and new content. You can also check out www.drsvoboda.com “Genuine awakening makes you more human and not less human, more capable of being in relationship with ordinary humans, more capable of genuinely showing affection to them and receiving affection from them. It is the real test of being able to deal with Kundalini that you can be ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. If you’re a balloon without a string, you’re going to go way off into the stratosphere or you’re going to pop.” –Dr. Svoboda

Holistic healer Erik Harris explores the benefits of natural medicine and how it can support healing across mind, body, and spirit. This time on The Indie Spiritualist podcast, Chris and Erik chat about: - Perspectives from both alternative and Western medicine - Erik’s first experience with energy work and alternative healing - Overcoming emotional and physical pain - Inspiration from A Course in Miracles - Healing in mind, body, and spirit - Getting to the root cause of what is causing us pain - Chris’s own journey with neurodivergence - Honoring the part of us that questions things - The relativity of being ‘better’ - Connecting to plants, trees, and mushrooms About Erik Harris: Erik is a holistic healer dedicated to helping people with chronic pain and illness uncover the root causes of imbalance and create sustainable paths toward wellness. His own healing journey through spinal injuries, digestive issues, and Lyme disease led him to explore natural medicine, herbalism, Chinese medicine, energy healing, and other holistic modalities. He completed a five-year apprenticeship with Dr. Ming Wu and graduated from the Connecticut Institute of Herbal Studies in Chinese Herbology. With over 10 years of experience, Erik is a certified Qi Gong Instructor, Chinese Herbalist, Tui Na Therapist, Medicinal Aromatherapist, Auriculo-therapist, Reiki Therapist, and Tong Ren Therapist. He integrates these practices with his background in psychology to support the connection between body, mind, and spirit. Erik’s mission is to empower others with practical tools and personalized holistic approaches that help them take an active role in their own healing and wellness. “Listen to people when they tell you what’s going on. There are all sorts of mystery illnesses and chronic conditions. Chronic conditions are at an all-time high. You would be surprised how many people you know are dealing with something. Give them a little grace and try to support them. If you haven’t had it, you don’t understand, but try to listen, try to be there.” –Erik Harris

Challenging our perceptions of reality, Samuel Bercholz and Raghu discuss loosening the ego’s grip through meditation and opening to the humor beneath it all. You can pre-order Samuel’s upcoming book, Rude Awakenings: An Unconventional Guide to the Buddhist Path This time on Mindrolling, Samuel and Raghu explore: - Dipping a toe into all religions and learning how to meditate - The humble beginnings of Shambhala Publications - Addictions to ego and so-called reality - Witnessing the beautiful emptiness within Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche - How Ram Dass moved within many different spiritual circles - Entering the mind of Buddha through meditation - Stepping out of the bureaucracy of ego - Not being too serious / blending love and humor About Samuel Bercholz: Sam Bercholz is a senior teacher in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of Shambhala Publications. He was a close disciple of Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and was empowered by them to teach and given the title Acharya (religious instructor). He has taught extensively in North America, Europe, and Australasia. He was particularly empowered by Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche to teach from A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar. “What I’ve learned through Buddhist practice and being with great teachers is that the fixed ideas of reality and viewing the world were 180 degrees off. We experience things exactly backwards. Our habit of reality is so skewed that it makes all perceptions backwards. We choose our realities, and we become addicted to keeping that reality going.” –Samuel Bercholz

From nature’s patterns to the creative process, filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg explores how beauty, awe, and wonder can help us truly “be here now.” This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Louie and Jackie explore: - Becoming a creative conduit and aligning with the vibrations of the universe - The movement from reaction, to judgment, to feeling, to devotion, to love - Opening our minds and hearts to experience beauty, wonder, and awe - Redefining the concept of beauty across cultures - Witnessing interconnectedness through presence - Louie’s time-lapse cinematography and Moving Art - Sharing the sacred energy of rhythms, patterns, and colors - Staying present while creating “If beauty activities you and you go to wonder and awe, that means it makes you present. There you are, amazed by something and one with it, you finally become present, which is really the goal of most practices and certainly the essence of ‘be here now.” –Louie Schwartzberg About Louie Schwartzberg: Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer recognized as a pioneer of high-end time-lapse cinematography. Schwartzberg explores the connections between humans and the subtleties of nature and the environment. He directed the 2019 film, Fantastic Fungi, and the 2014 Netflix series, Moving Art. Schwartzberg's recent theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film, Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker, and the documentary Wings of Life for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep. About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves.

Exploring the gifts hidden within our most difficult emotions, Jack Kornfield shares how anger, judgment, and despair can be transformed into compassion, courage, and selfless service.

Including a guided meditation, RamDev offers practical steps to deal with the chaos of the world in a mindful, nonresistant way. This time on Healing at the Edge, RamDev outlines: - Mindful stress and improving our well-being - Finding a sense of presence while the world appears to be crumbling around us - Working with collective trauma through embodied mindfulness - Being with what is going on right now without resistance - Feeling an emotion without wondering why we are experiencing it - Dropping into meditation, creating a revolution of the heart "How can we deal with all these things going on that seem to be out of control and yet find a sense of presence and calmness in this crumbling world?” –RamDev About RamDev 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 co-author 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 meditation, healing, spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, and caregiving as spiritual practice. He has a doctoral degree from Stanford University. RamDev’s passion is the healing of our individual and collective fear of death so that we may be free. Learn more about RamDev’s work via the Living/Dying Project and follow him on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok.

Take a trip up and down the subway stairs with Ram Dass as he explores the seven chakras, why this moment in history is ripe for fourth chakra work, and how he escaped the mainline reality trip. This episode is supported by Omega Institute. Like the Be Here Now Network, Omega believes that personal transformation can change the world—one heart at a time. Discover immersive retreats, workshops, and gatherings in New York's Hudson Valley. Learn more at https://www.eomega.org/ This episode of Here and Now is from a retreat at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, in June 1976. Check back soon for the conclusion of this talk. Ram Dass begins with a story of how a trip to the subway provided him with a useful metaphor for the spiritual path. He explores the seven chakras to help us understand who incarnates on this physical plane. Ram Dass digs into why primarily first, second, and third chakra people incarnate onto this plane. He talks about why the conditions that exist in society at this moment make it appropriate for beings with fourth chakra work to take birth. Ram Dass talks about escaping from the mainline reality trip and how the age of technology impacted people’s perception of reality. He touches on rebellion, revolution, evolution, and the state of the mystical experience in America. 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 “My experience was primarily that I was on the mainline of reality, and that there were all these kind of weird trips on either side, but that I, as a super scientist, rational mind, power, control, house full of antiques, my airplane, my motorcycle, gratification, more and more sex, more better food, more power, more intellect, I was doing the mainline reality trip. And I was hired to tell everybody else what reality was, okay, that’s what a Harvard professor does. And there was no doubt in my mind at all that that’s what reality was, alright, until I took psilocybin.” – Ram Dass

Explaining the South African Philosophy of Ubuntu, traditional healer John Lockley discusses ancestral connection and the wisdom of our collective human story. In this episode, John and Raghu explore: - Giving thanks to our biological ancestors - Reconciling with ancestors who may have done bad deeds - Calling in the names of our ancestors as a path to honoring all of our human relations - John’s experience being raised through Apartheid in South Africa - How Nelson Mandela spread the teachings of Ubuntu - Connecting to our dreams to connect to our humanity and our ancestors - The circle of Ubuntu and realizing that we are all equal - Humility as the foundation of any spiritual practice - A guided ancestral practice from John About John Lockley: John Lockley began his journey as a young medic drafted into the South African military. He then trained under Zen master Su Bong from South Korea, and returned to post-Apartheid South Africa to spend 10 years in apprenticeship with MaMngwevu, a medicine woman from the Xhosa tribe. His remarkable journey through the constraints of Apartheid is a testament to the human spirit, and to the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. Find out more about John’s work and learn more about his numerous upcoming events, retreats, and other offerings at JohnLockley.com. “Wherever you are, whatever you’re experiencing, know that you’re a child of nature, a child of the great one.” –John Lockley

Gil Fronsdal explores how Vipassana practice helps us embrace change and release attachment, transforming the way we experience ourselves and the world. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal shares: - Change as the heart of Vipassana practice - Delusions of permanence and having an ‘upside down’ perception of reality - The freedom in holding things more lightly - The juxtaposition of perfection with room for improvement - Breaking down our attachment to the way things are supposed to be - Being challenged in the dharma and questioning our identity - Individual culture versus collective culture - Watching thoughts arise and pass away - The problem with retrospective thinking - This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed 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. “People tend to see permanence in what is impermanent. They tend to find self in what is not self. They tend to find happiness in things that are not really that happy. The path of practice is to perceive things in a way that things aren’t distorted. The task of mindfulness practice is to break through distortions so we can see more directly.” –Gil Fronsdal

The Buddha taught a path of awakened living, but how does that manifest in today’s world of constant connectivity and widespread suffering? How do we keep our hearts open without being defined or hardened by the pain that surrounds us, whether personal, collective, or historical? How do we navigate the paradox of holding both pain and joy, without mistaking suffering for punishment or personal failure? Can we infuse our compassion with wisdom and perspective to find the agency to take meaningful action in our communities? In her new series, Engaged Compassion, Sharon delves into these questions and more, engaging in candid conversations with a diverse group of teachers, activists, and changemakers. For the eighth episode in the series, Sharon speaks with Rev. Paul Raushenbush. This is his first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast. Rev. Raushenbush is President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. An ordained Baptist minister, Rev. Raushenbush is a longtime interfaith leader and renowned advocate for civil rights and religious freedom. Rev. Raushenbush has published two books and contributed essays to several volumes on faith in public life. He also hosts the weekly podcast and radio show “The State of Belief,” in partnership with Religion News Service. In this conversation, Sharon and Paul speak about: • How Rev. Raushenbush came to service • The Social Gospel • Rev. Raushenbush’s interfaith family • How spiritual practice can fuel activism • Insisting on joy in moments of great sorrow • Embodying the future we hope for now • Rev. Raushenbush’s POV that we are all neighbors • Figuring out how to help • What inspired this Engaged Compassion series • How art can be resistance • Where Rev. Raushenbush turns for inspiration • The work of Interfaith Alliance • The possibilities of lovingkindness • Rev. Raushenbush’s husband’s new book, “Good Morning Moon” Related Metta Hour Episodes Episode 281: The first episode of the Engaged Compassion Series with Jerry Colonna, released in March of 2026.

Enjoy this descent into the heartspace where Krishna Das connects us to our true nature of pure awareness and unity with God. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das explores: - Different translations of the Ramayana - Bhakti and repetition of the name as one of the easiest paths to follow - Descending deeply into the mind and heart - How Maharaj-ji instructed Krishna Das to wear red - Union with god alongside worldly enjoyments - Remembering to orient ourselves to our true nature - Watching the breath, separating breathing from awareness of breathing “The eye receives information from the outside world. But, the eye has no consciousness—it’s a physical thing. What has consciousness is our true nature, which is aware of all the sense input that comes in. Who we truly are underneath all our thoughts, emotions, objects of experience, we are that awareness.” –Krishna Das About Krishna Das: Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Grammy nominee Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das – known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD – has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time. His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Krishna Das now travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and wonderful stories of his life, of Maharaji-ji, of his life on the Path and discusses bringing chanting into our lives through retreats and workshops. To date, KD has released 15 well-received albums, most recently Trust in the Heart released in October 2017.

Philosopher-artist and psychotherapist Todd Fink joins Raghu to trace the threads that connect art, science, and mysticism. This time on Mindrolling, Todd and Raghu chat about: - Diving into mysticism and how every part contains the whole - Quantum physics and the observer effect - Impermanence and seeing the eternal in all things - Sacred friction and ‘irritating the status quo’ - Abhaya: shedding the illusion and revealing fearlessness - How Maharaj-ji led people to both Bhakti Yoga and Buddhism - The inseparability of love and discriminating wisdom - Trust, sincerity, and courage in practice About Todd Fink: Along with his brother E. Fink, Todd co-founded the acclaimed music group The Giving Tree Band. He’s had an album reach the Top 40 on the Americana Radio Charts, and the Kind Mind podcast has been a top show globally in the categories of philosophy and self-help. An Ivy League-trained licensed psychotherapist, he also holds certifications in addiction counseling and mindfulness meditation teaching. He earned a BA in psychology from Georgetown University and MS in Advanced Clinical Social Work from Columbia University. In addition to 25+ years of professional mental health work with diverse populations, his academic expertise and research include international welfare, psychedelic practice, advocacy, psychopathology, and more. A lifelong student of meditation, Todd works fervently to help guide individuals, organizations, and communities toward ecological balance, well-being, and peace. “Love isn’t what we get or what we lost, but really that’s what we are. Same with meditation—meditation isn’t something we do. Meditation is what we are. When we sit, when we chant, or when we pray, it gives us a chance to strip away the pretenses.” –Todd Fink

In a culture that values productivity over wellness, lawyer and teacher Gullu Singh explores how to navigate stress and high-pressure careers with mindfulness. This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PathsofPractice This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gullu and Vincent chat about: - Living in Los Angeles during times of unrest - The power of awareness and befriending our emotions - The RAIN technique, a 4-step mindfulness practice for difficult emotions - How lawyers and other professionals in high-stakes fields can benefit from mindfulness - Shifting our society and creating a culture of wellness versus productivity - The importance of making the space to maintain your practice - Gullu’s auspicious experiences with Jack Kornfield & Spirit Rock - Finding your own voice and playing your “music” out in the world About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. About Gullu Singh: Gulwinder “Gullu” Singh is a mindfulness and Dharma teacher who also practices corporate real estate law. Although he was exposed to meditation as a child, he found his own practice after law school when he found himself working at high-powered law firms where the job was extremely stressful. Gullu completed the four-year Spirit Rock Meditation Center Teacher Training Program and qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Gullu is core faculty in the Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training, the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioner Program, and a mentor for the Sounds True Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. He is also a core teacher and board member for Sacred Mountain Sangha, a senior teacher at InsightLA, and a member of the guiding teacher’s council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Gullu is deeply inspired to share meditation as an antidote to stress, a path to well-being, and a way to inject more sanity, compassion, and wisdom into this world. “I don’t think we as human animals were designed for the kind of professions that we’ve created where people work 14-16 hours a day on stop. We end up being in a state of constant adrenaline which has all kinds of negative health impacts.” –Gullu Singh

Reflecting on Spirit Rock's new stupa, Jack Kornfield shares how sacred places help us remember the timeless awareness, compassion, and freedom at the heart of our being.

Joseph Goldstein reveals how Nibbana differs from blissful meditation states and why true liberation lies beyond every conditioned experience. This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses: - How Nibbana has made its way into Western culture - Expectation and striving versus having a healthy goal - Having an aspiration and direction for our practice - Using equanimity to differentiate beautiful experiences from true glimpses of Nibbana - The Abhidhamma and understanding the factors of mind which color our consciousness - The experience of Nibbana as the experience of zero, the stilling of all formations - How Nibbana uproots the defilements in stages Check out this episode’s companion essay, Reflections on Nibbana, by Joseph Goldstein “Even exalted states of mind or great powers of mind do not imply purification of mind. That is the particular power of Nibbana.” –Joseph Goldstein

Honoring both psychological and spiritual work, Trudy Goodman explores how she built resilience through years of dharma practice.

Multimedia storyteller Aaron Ableman explores how listening to our hearts can help us uncover our unique gifts and create a more conscious world.

Ram Dass explores playing your part on all of the stages that life presents, then answers questions about the significance of dreams, preventing detachment from turning into laziness, dealing with burnout in institutional structures, and more. This episode is supported by Omega Institute. Like the Be Here Now Network, Omega believes that personal transformation can change the world—one heart at a time. Discover immersive retreats, workshops, and gatherings in New York's Hudson Valley. Learn more: eomega.org 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 is from a retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, on June 21st, 1986. Ram Dass begins with an exploration of how we all have unique, but equally important, parts to play on all of the different stages that life has to offer. The quieter we get, the more we can hear the appropriateness of the parts we play. Ram Dass transitions to question and answer time, responding to inquiries about the significance of dreams, the tension between inner work and our outer lives, and how we can prevent detachment from turning into laziness. Ram Dass wraps things up by answering questions about dealing with the pain of family and friends who don’t want to join us on the spiritual path, bringing spiritual truths into spaces that don’t traditionally allow them, and facing burnout in institutional structures such as government. “And each time you let go of your somebody-ness, you can hear more clearly your everybody-ness, or your part in the everybody-ness of it all. More and more, you just want to play your part; it’s nothing special. It’s just nothing special anymore.” – Ram Dass

Author and teacher Oneika Mays joins Sharon for episode 291 of the Metta Hour podcast. For over a decade, Oneika has brought yoga and mindfulness practices to people who have felt left out, judged, and alone— from correctional facilities to retreat centers, from Columbia Law School to Lincoln Center. She is the author of “Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation,” released by HarperOne in March of 2026, and the co-host of You Good? Podcast with Pamela Stokes Eggleston. This is her first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast. In this conversation, Oneika and Sharon speak about: • How Oneika’s spiritual journey began • Training with teacher, Kimberly Brown • Metta’s impact on Oneika’s existing practice • The challenges of metta for the neutral person • Working at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility • Oneika’s new book, “Sit With Me” • The importance of forgiveness • What inspired Oneika’s new book • Loving people doesn’t necessarily mean liking them • Lovingkindness for oneself as a starting point • Working with the difficult person • The gift of grieving what’s broken • Navigating life within harmful systems • Teaching lovingkindness in prison • The NY Knicks and Collective Effervescence Additional Resources The episode closes with a guided lovingkindness meditation from Oneika with added visualization. You can learn more about Oneika’s work right here and get a copy of her new book, “Sit With Me,” right here. Related Metta Hour Episodes Episode 212: Kimberly Brown’s interview as part of our Mental Health Series released in 2023.

Jackie Dobrinska speaks with devotional musician Benjy Wertheimer about dharmic shifts, discovering how our unique gifts can evolve into deeper forms of selfless service. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Benjy and Jackie explore: - Benjy’s unconventional journey from music and technology to spiritual service - The idea of a “dharmic shift” and how life can redirect our path - Ram Dass’s influence on Benjy’s music and spiritual calling - Using our unique gifts in service of something larger than ourselves - Walt Whitman’s shift from poet to Civil War nurse - Deep practice as a form of service and connection - Balancing personal gifts with humility and non-attachment - Listening, finding common ground, and navigating disagreement - Grief, anger, self-care, and “healing the healer” - Service as an evolving practice of love and compassion “The Dharmic shift that I went through from that point, somebody who was maybe helping a lot of people with computer systems, and I was maybe pretty good at it, but I never would have been great because my heart wasn't there, was suddenly called into service with music and with the practice of kirtan, using whatever gifts I could bring to honor something bigger than myself.” –Benjy Wertheimer About Benjy Wertheimer: Benjy Wertheimer is an award-winning devotional musician, composer, vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist equally accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar, and keyboards. Benjy’s connection to Ram Dass predates his birth. His father, Professor Michael Wertheimer, was Richard Alpert’s Masters Thesis adviser at Wesleyan in the early 1950s. Some half a century later, Benjy joined Ram Dass and Krishna Das in Berkeley for a joint program in 2002, and since 2003 Benjy - along with his wife Heather - has often provided music and kirtan for Ram Dass pilgrimages and retreats in Maui. Keep up with Benjy on Instagram. About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves.

From subterranean spirits to the awakening of Kundalini, Dr. Svoboda explores the hidden currents connecting the worlds of nature, spirit, and consciousness.

Gagan Levy, founder/CEO of Guru, explores how to integrate the eight limbs of yoga into business and leadership practices. Grab a copy of Gagan’s book, Start Your Own Damn Cult, A Founder's Field Guide, for a practical and actionable framework for building from coherence, holding power without unraveling, and winning without wrecking yourself, your team, or the planet. Find your copy online or on the Kindle app. This week on Mindrolling, Gagan and Raghu discuss: - Bhakti Yoga and sitting in moments of joy - Incorporating spirituality into business - Gagan’s first meeting with Ram Dass - Integrating the eight limbs of yoga into leadership - How authenticity beats perfection every single time - Gagan’s explanation of the ‘integrity inventory’ - Hanuman as a helpful reminder of the aspirational self About Gagan Levy: Gagan Levy is the Founder/CEO of Guru, an award-winning creative agency dedicated to serving purpose-driven movements, brands, and organizations. They work with impactful brands like Patagonia, Traditional Medicinals, Nalgene, Non-GMO, The Organic Alliance, Bring Change to Mind and many natural products brands, including EO / Everyone Products, OM Mushroom Superfoods, and REBBL. Gagan also serves as Chief Evangelist at MAHA Global, a platform focused on helping businesses adapt to stakeholder needs using data-driven reputation intelligence. As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, Gagan leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just, and prosperous for all. Gagan Levy is also a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation. “I am so committed on my individual level to my practice to be a better father, a better partner, better human, but I haven’t integrated the eight limbs into my leadership. What could that mean? What could that look like?” –Gagan Levy

With compassion and presence, Trudy Goodman teaches listeners how to bear the unbearable through our own willingness to hold it. In this episode, Trudy Goodman offers her perspective on: - Learning to be present and okay with our strong emotions - Recognizing our emotions as the first step in working with them - Allowing difficult emotions without being swept away - Surrounding our pain with compassion - Noticing the bodily sensations that arise with strong emotions - Self-regulation and soothing the startled heart - The powerful statement “it’s like this” - Merging with the world of intuitive wisdom This was recorded at Spirit Rock and 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. “By allowing reality to be as it is, since it is that way anyways, we’re making a relationship with it that’s based on clarity. It is a paradox that I think most therapists know, that by allowing something and accepting something and even by positively connoting what needs to change, not struggling with it, surrounding it with metta and compassion, we actually stop our war with reality. When we stop resisting what’s true, we aren’t fixating on it, and it’s free to move and change. This is called radical acceptance.” –Trudy Goodman

Palestinian peace activist Sami Awad explores how all cultures and contexts can embrace Christ-consciousness and create a more peaceful, loving world. Check out Sami’s book,The Sacred Awakening: Reclaiming Christ Consciousness This week on Set & Setting, Madison and Sami discuss: - What it means to be anointed - Rediscovering Jesus and the concept of loving thy neighbor - Christ-consciousness spirituality - How patriarchy creates dualism and an us vs. them mentality - The depths of sacred activism - Neem Karoli Baba’s connection to Christ-consciousness - The intersection of Christ-consciousness with psychedelic-consciousness - Holding compassion even for our enemies - How Jesus was a disruptor for the greater awakening About Sami Awad: Sami Awad is a Palestinian activist, author, coach, and facilitator. He is Co-Director of Nonviolence International and author of the Sacred Awakening, a book that invites readers to embody a radical path to liberation, justice, and peace. Raised in and currently living in Bethlehem, occupied Palestine, Sami has lived his life at the intersection of spirituality, justice, and nonviolent resistance. He brings lived experience with occupation and spiritual reflection to invite us to resist injustice, embody courageous love, and embrace a deeper way of living in the face of colonialism. Learn more on Sami’s website. “We are living in what now I define as the prevailing consciousness, the consciousness of separation, fear, ego, hierarchy, patriarchy, us vs. them, competition, comparison, violence, that we live in our personal and collective lives, and there is another way of living consciously. It is the bigger umbrella that encompasses all culture, content, context.” –Sami Awad

RamDev takes listeners through the three faces of the heart, each of which serves a different, necessary purpose and combines into nondual awareness. This time on Healing at the Edge, RamDev chats about: - What Maharaj-ji said about being in the heart - How the heart center stabilizes presence - Starting practice as human, and standing up as divine - The left, relational heart: feeling, devotion, intimacy, grief, longing - The right side of the heart and the arising of witness consciousness - Nondualism and combining wisdom with warmth - The greatest medicine for the fear of death “If we only live in the left side of the heart, devotion can become too emotional. The feeling becomes the practice instead of the doorway to deeper qualities of the heart. Grief, if we are only in the left side of the heart, can loop, can continue without metabolizing. The heart can stay open, but it’s not grounded. The practitioner gets blown away by the emotions of daily life.” –RamDev About RamDev 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 co-author 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 meditation, healing, spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, and 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.

Celebrating Spirit Rock's new stupa and 40 years of practice, Jack Kornfield reflects on spiritual community, resilience in times of suffering, and the timeless wisdom that helps us meet life with an awakened heart.

In this exploration of relationships and awakening from the illusion of separateness, Ram Dass talks about looking behind the veil of individual differences and coming to a place where you are love itself. This episode is supported by Omega Institute. Like the Be Here Now Network, Omega believes that personal transformation can change the world—one heart at a time. Discover immersive retreats, workshops, and gatherings in New York's Hudson Valley. Visit the link in the comments to learn more. This episode of Here and Now is the conclusion of a talk Ram Dass gave at the LA Whole Life Expo on February 18, 1989. Don’t miss the first part of this talk, available on YouTube, Episode 307 Being in Other Planes of Reality: https://youtu.be/Cohgd9_q0NU Ram Dass explores how settling into other planes of reality helps us deal with the immense suffering on this plane of reality. He talks about awakening out of the illusion of separateness and seeing your life as a curriculum. This includes seeing your relationships as part of the curriculum for coming to God. Ram Dass dives into the subject of relationships and how everyone is God in drag. Ultimately, you only meet God. Sharing some classic stories, Ram Dass talks about how relationships are a way to delight in the play of form. He explores moving away from the deprivation model of love into a place where, ultimately, you are love itself. “And you shift gears; you no longer try to collect love. You just are in love with everybody. ‘In love’ is the last stop on the train of dualism before you enter into Nibbana, where you become love, and you are no longer experiencing the experience of loving. You are love. And that is inevitable and irrevocable.” – Ram Dass 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.

Sharing meaningful stories from a life of practice, Gil Fronsdal chats about the impact of spiritual community, simplicity, and generosity. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal outlines: - Honesty, communication, and understanding as an alternative to LSD - The impact of reading Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, and going to the San Francisco Zen Center - The importance of doing spiritual practice with other people and finding community - Finding freedom within simplicity and generosity - The practice of working through fear and becoming relaxed - Gil’s mindful founding of the Insight Meditation Center, balancing the commercial forces of society - How growing up in wartime inspired Gil’s interest in nonviolence and civil disobedience 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. This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed “When I went to the Zen center, people didn’t participate; they didn’t pick up the cues and act accordingly. They became a mirror for me, and I said, ‘This is fantastic’, to be able to see myself clearly through other people. I wanted that mirroring to be seen. In that time of living at Zen Center, I am very confident that I couldn’t have practiced as much as I have done over the years without the support of the community that I was with.” –Gil Fronsdal

Selfless Service in Action | Krishna Das' Pilgrim Heart Podcast Ep. 194 by Be Here Now Network

Duncan Trussell joins Raghu Markus and Kelly Rego for a heartfelt conversation on Ram Dass’s enduring legacy and the auspicious experiences that brought the Be Here Now Network team together. In this episode, Duncan, Raghu, & Kelly discuss: - Duncan’s introduction to Ram Dass: swimming, playing, and seeing the light again - How Ram Dass helped Duncan process the loss of his mother - Spreading Ram Dass’s love and legacy through the Be Here Now Network - How the universe guides us right to where we need to be - Moving through a dark night of the soul - The lasting love we have for those we have lost - The profound generosity of giving our full attention to another About Duncan Trussell: Duncan Trussell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His popular podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, has been downloaded over 25 million times and is known for its blend of humor, fringe ideas, eclectic guests, and great interviews. The DTFH is the foundation for Duncan’s Netflix animated series, The Midnight Gospel, which he co-created with Pendleton Ward in 2020. “At the time, I was living in a roach motel. Literally roaches everywhere, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, super depressed. I would just lie on this mattress listening to Ram Dass; it was really helping a lot. LA can be so lonely and weird. On the website, it said you can arrange these phone calls with Ram Das—I signed up. All of a sudden, Ram Dass is on the screen...beaming out from Hawaii into this garbage apartment” –Duncan Trussell About Kelly Rego: Kelly Rego is an Integrated Marketing & Media Specialist. An Emerson College alumni, Kelly has over 15 years experience of facilitating projects into reality. She has worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer with women’s groups and dairy cooperatives in Costa Rica, a media strategist and buyer in New York City, and has produced a full-length documentary. Kelly is the Marketing Director for Ram Dass’s Love Serve Remember Foundation, as well as the project manager of Be Here Now Network, a podcast network dedicated to spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth. About Raghu Markus: Raghu Markus spent 18 months in India with Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. He has been involved in music and transformational media since the early 1970s, when he was program director of CKGM-FM in Montreal. In 1974, he collaborated with Ram Dass on the box set Love Serve Remember. In 1990, he launched Triloka Records, which established itself as a critical leader in the development of world music. For 17 years, Triloka was home to such artists as Krishna Das, Hugh Masekela, Walela, Jai Uttal and transformational media projects that featured Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, and Les Nubians. Raghu lives in Ojai, California, and is the Executive Director of the Love Serve Remember Foundation. In 2016, he co-founded the Be Here Now Network, where he hosts the Ram Dass Here & Now podcast, as well as his own Mindrolling podcast. He is the producer of Becoming Nobody, a Ram Dass documentary feature film that was released in 2019.

John Snyder, pioneer of guitar pedals and founder of Electronic Audio Experiments, explores the intersection of engineering, creativity, and the endless pursuit of great sound. This week on The Indie Spiritualist, Chris and John discuss: - John’s journey as a musician, creating guitar pedals and altering sound - What it was like finishing a PhD in an electrical engineering program during the coronavirus pandemic - How Electronic Audio Experiments took off - Blurring the lines between art and science - Guitar gear as an extension of the instrument itself - Navigating creative burnout and the gap between efforts and outcomes - How neurodivergent traits can be valuable in the creative industry and beyond About John Snyder: John Snyder is a long-time guitarist with a PhD in electrical engineering. John combined these passions and became the owner and head designer at Electronic Audio Experiments (EAE). EAE is an exploration in sound and texture via electronics. EAE focuses primarily on stompboxes for electric guitar and bass, with occasional ventures into amplification and synthesis. “It’s very edifying to do something like this that is really blurring the art that I want to make with the science background that I have. There’s so much subjectivity to it that it feels like an art project rather than an engineering project much of the time.” –John Snyder

Contemplative Scholar Andrew Holecek joins David Nichtern to delve into the powerful practices of dark retreat, bardo yoga, and dream yoga. Grab a copy of Andrew’s book, Total Eclipse of the Mind, to discover more about the power of darkness for creativity, healing, and transformation. In this episode, Andrew and David explore: - An inquiry into the nature of mind and reality - How asking questions is much more important than having answers - Going into dark retreat and practicing bardo yoga - Entering spiritual teachings as if immersing into a different realm - The Buddha as the ultimate lucid dreamer - Dream interpretation and liminal dreaming for insights into the self - Working mindfully with artificial intelligence - The balancing principle that darkness represents - Becoming sensitive to other beings and archetypes when in dark retreat About Andrew Holecek: Andrew Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. He is currently writing two books on dark retreat. Holecek holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. Learn about his upcoming retreat events. “I have died so many times with psychedelic experiences, with extended meditations; I’ve been doing dark retreat for 30 years. This is what dark retreat is largely about; it’s fundamentally a bardo yoga designed to bring about highly concordant experiences with the death process.” –Andrew Holecek

Sharon comes together with Mark Epstein to remember the life of dear friend and colleague, Robert AF Thurman, for episode 290 of the Metta Hour. Robert AF Thurman (August 3, 1941 – June 16, 2026) was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated books on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics, and culture. He was the first Westerner to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University before retiring in 2019. He was the co-founder and president of Tibet House US in New York, New York, and Menla Retreat in Phoenicia, New York. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there is a 49-day period of mourning after an individual dies, which is considered a transitional “bardo” time. This is a time to honor the individual and support them as they transition into their incarnation through ceremonies, offerings, and prayers. In that spirit, Sharon and Mark Epstein come together to share stories and reflections about Bob after his unexpected death. Mark Epstein, M.D., a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City, is the author of a number of books about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy, including “Thoughts without a Thinker” and “Going to Pieces without Falling Apart.” His latest work, “The Zen of Therapy,” was published in 2022 by Penguin Press. He has been a student of Vipassana meditation since 1974. This episode also includes an excerpt of an archival recording of Sharon interviewing Bob from 2021. Originally aired on the Metta Hour in celebration of Bob’s book “Wisdom is Bliss,” this recording includes some classic zesty-Bob-banter with Sharon, as well as some wonderful teachings. The recording closes with Bob leading a guided meditation. Please join us as we celebrate and honor a dear friend and dharma teacher who filled our lives with such joy, wisdom, and laughter. "When we opened the Insight Meditation Society in 1976, we discovered we had a near neighbor, about 40 minutes away in Amherst, MA: Professor Bob Thurman. I’ve felt so lucky to know him as a friend, to have the chance to teach with him through the years, and to collaborate with him on a book, “Love Your Enemies.” Though he was widely known as a dedicated scholar, I was always most struck by Bob as a person of faith in the best sense of the word— faith in each of our potential, in the very real possibility of freedom, in the blessings of lineage and the enormous gifts of people like HH Dalai Lama to the world. Before the sudden, unexpected news of his passing, I noted how much content he was putting on his Substack, what seemed to me almost like a drive to help as many people as he could, to remind us all of hope in these very troubled times. His impact on so many people and the light he spread is so clear right now." - Sharon Salzberg

Touching into the selfless nature of experience, Joseph Goldstein explores uprooting the defilements through the clarity that comes from practice. This episode is the 3rd and final part of a 3-part series. It was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice. To start at the beginning, check out Ep. 261 – Gradual Cultivation in Buddhist Practice: https://soundcloud.com/beherenownetwork/joseph-goldsteins-insight-1 This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein provides his perspective on: - Engaging with mindfulness - The radical uprooting of self and identification with experience - Seeing a glimpse of the deathless in our practice versus the transcendent moment of the unborn - Slowly seeing clearly over time with dedicated practice - The emptiness within the defilements - Taking all things as an invitation to explore rather than to believe - A brief guided meditation with Joseph - Moving our mental dialogue into a passive voice “If you put your hand in fire, do you know that it burns? Do you have any doubt about it? In the genuine experience of things being uprooted, there is that quality of certainty. It is very different than what you were saying about ‘Yeah, it looks to me that the defilements are uprooted.’ The experience that results in the uprooting, which is the experience of the unborn. It has that same immediacy and certainty as putting your hand in fire and knowing it burns.” –Joseph Goldstein