Beyond Names: Spirituality for Anyone and Everyone

In this deeply expansive and intimate conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger sits with psychologist, mystic breathwork practitioner, and author Dr. Colleen Quinn to explore the transformative power of breath, love, and spiritual awakening.Colleen shares her extraordinary journey—from childhood spiritual sensitivity and profound trauma to two near-death experiences that reshaped her understanding of life, love, and the Divine. What emerges is a path rooted in direct experience where everything becomes a conversation with God.Together, Habib and Colleen explore:Breathwork as a gateway to healing, presence, and mystical union The idea of “love squeezes” — how pain and challenge become catalysts for growth The integration of trauma through somatic and spiritual practices The shared wisdom across mystical traditions pointing toward oneness The difference between knowing spiritually and experiencing truth How everyday moments can become portals to the sacred Colleen also offers a guided breathwork practice and shares insights from her book Essence Merging, including a powerful story of awakening into unity beyond the illusion of separation.This episode is an invitation to soften, to listen, and to remember: love is not just a feeling—it is our deepest nature, our greatest teacher, and the legacy we are here to create.Pause, breathe, and notice what within you is ready to come home.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by Dr. Rose Aslan—community healing practitioner, former professor, and guide in somatics, breathwork, and embodied spirituality. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of trauma, healing, and faith.Dr. Aslan shares her remarkable journey—from a childhood marked by fear to a passionate spiritual seeker, to her conversion to Islam through Sufism, and into the complexities of spiritual abuse, academia, and ultimately, profound healing. Her story is one of courage, unraveling, and reclamation.This episode dives into:The impact of trauma and disconnection from the body Spiritual abuse and reclaiming personal agency The relationship between somatics and embodiment in faith practicesRelearning prayer (salat) as a source of presence and regulation The deep wisdom embedded in Islamic ritual Rahmah (divine compassion) as the heart of Islam Together, Habib and Rose reflect on their shared and divergent paths, exploring how embodied spirituality can open the door to deeper connection, healing, and intimacy with the Divine.This is a conversation for anyone who has struggled with faith, questioned inherited beliefs, or longed to experience spirituality as something lived, felt, and embodied.May this episode help you reconnect—with your body, your breath, your heart, and the compassion that flows through it all.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and timely conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined by returning guest Abdul-Karim Pinckney—musical artist, former imam, and spiritual thinker—to explore the deeper meaning behind his unreleased single, “Here We Go Again.”Together, they reflect on the repeating patterns of war, the emotional and spiritual toll of global conflict, and the systems that perpetuate division and injustice. This episode invites listeners to look beyond headlines and ask deeper questions: What is really happening? How are we participating—consciously or unconsciously—in these cycles? And what is ours to do?Through honest dialogue, personal stories, and spiritual insight, this conversation moves from global issues to deeply personal responsibility—highlighting the importance of awareness, truth-telling, and cultivating mercy in our own lives.Rather than offering easy answers, this episode holds space for complexity, encouraging each of us to begin where we are: within our own hearts, our choices, and our communities.Topics include:The repetition of warMedia narratives, fear, and perception Personal responsibility within systemic injustice The power of awareness and inner work Community, connection, and collective change Spiritual clarity in times of uncertainty May this conversation invite you into deeper reflection, greater compassion, and a renewed commitment to truth and justice. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply insightful conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger sits down with psychotherapist and relationship expert Ray Rivers to explore what it truly means to put love first—not as a feeling, but as a way of being.Drawing from decades of experience working with couples, Ray shares how conflict in relationships is not a problem to avoid, but a doorway into deeper connection, healing, and growth. Together, Habīb and Ray unpack how our childhood wounds, survival strategies, and unconscious patterns show up in our relationships—and how awareness can transform reactivity into presence.This episode explores:Love as a state of consciousness rather than an emotion Why conflict is an opportunity for deeper intimacy How early life experiences shape our relational patterns Practical ways to regulate emotions and respond with awareness The role of spiritual practice in transforming how we show up in relationships How these principles extend beyond marriage into our wider world At its heart, this conversation is an invitation to accept every moment of tension—within yourself, your relationships, and even the world—with the question, “How do I meet this with love?”Whether you’re in a relationship, healing from one, or seeking to live with greater presence and compassion, this episode offers both profound insight and practical wisdom. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What happens when a single moment reveals the truth of reality—and changes everything? In this deeply moving and wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger sits down with radio host Cathy Antunes to explore a profound spiritual awakening that began with the birth of her child—an experience of unity, love, and connection that challenged everything she had been taught about sin, separation, and the nature of God.From her Irish Catholic roots to her journey through A Course in Miracles and ultimately Sufism, Cathy shares a path shaped by direct experience, inner knowing, and a relentless search for truth.Together, Habīb and Cathy explore:the difference between religious teaching and lived spiritual reality;experiences of oneness and unitive love;the heart of Sufism and the inner path of Islam;activism, politics, and the role of spirituality in a fractured world;what it means to “do your part” without losing your center; andthe power of humility, being teachable, and returning to the heart.This episode is both mystical and practical—an invitation to reconnect with the light within, to stand in truth, and to embody compassion and courage in a complex world.Whether you’ve had a spiritual awakening or not, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: the path back to unity begins within. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined once again by musical artist, former imam, and spiritual thinker Abdul-Karim Pinckney for a powerful conversation centered on his new single, “You Ain’t Gotta Believe Me.”Together, they explore the Qur’anic teaching that there is no compulsion in religion, reflecting on faith as invitation rather than force, character as the first form of da‘wah, and the spiritual maturity required to let others choose their own path. Along the way, they discuss religious exclusivism, anti-Muslim stereotypes, emotional reactivity, human interconnectedness, and the challenge of holding onto light in a world shaped by fear, violence, and othering.This episode is a thoughtful and timely reflection on free will, accountability, self-awareness, and what it means to embody mercy without trying to control others.If you’ve ever wrestled with judgment, belonging, difference, or the tension between conviction and compassion, this conversation offers wisdom, spaciousness, and hope.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In times of violence, hatred, and deep collective pain, many of us are asking the same question: How do we stay rooted in peace without turning away from the suffering of the world?In this special episode, Dr. Habīb offers something different from the usual conversation—an invitation into a guided spiritual practice for peace.Through breath, somatic grounding, and heart-centered awareness, we turn inward to reconnect with the light of the soul and the spaciousness of the spiritual heart. Together we enter a contemplative prayer for peace.This episode is a quiet space to pause, breathe, and remember the deeper current of peace that runs beneath the turmoil of our world.In this episode we: • ground the body and calm the nervous system through breath, • open the spiritual heart as a space of compassion, • offer a prayer for peace, • extend peace to ourselves, our communities, and all creation, and • align inner peace with a commitment to justice.Whether you listen as a meditation, a prayer, or simply a moment of stillness in your day, may this practice help you reconnect with the light within you and the peace that sustains all things.May it be peace.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What happens when our spiritual experience expands beyond what we’ve been taught about religion?In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb Boerger speaks with actor, writer, and secular chaplain Elizabeth Morton about the lifelong path of seeking the sacred in unexpected places.Elizabeth shares her journey from a Catholic upbringing in Kentucky to becoming an interfaith minister, spiritual director, and ultimately a secular chaplain—someone who companions others spiritually without requiring religious belief. Along the way, she reflects on the power of ritual, the freedom of living in the questions, and the spiritual courage required to unlearn fear-based religious ideas.Together, Habīb and Elizabeth explore:What it means to be a spiritual seekerThe role of ritual in cultivating reverenceWhy many people today feel wounded by religion yet still long for the sacredThe spiritual journey of authenticityUnlearning fear-based images of God and rediscovering the Divine as LoveThe conversation also touches on mystical awakening, surprising spiritual moments, and the profound realization that the holy can be encountered anywhere—if we are willing to see it.Whether you identify as religious, spiritual-but-not-religious, or simply curious, this episode invites you to explore how reverence, authenticity, and compassion can guide your own path.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger sits down with Dr. Jihad Turk, founding president of Bayan Islamic graduate school, to explore the beauty of religion when it is lived with depth, discipline, and love.Dr. Turk shares his journey as a Palestinian-American growing up in Arizona, the shock of his parents’ divorce that propelled him into spiritual seeking, his formative studies in Medina and Iran, and the ecstatic experiences that anchored his faith. He shares an experience of feeling truly seen by the Divine. Together, Habib and Jihad reflect on how those moments sustain us for a lifetime.They explore:The true meaning of jihad as the struggle to do the right thingSpirituality vs. religion — and why religion, “when done right,” can deepen the soulThe importance of practice, discipline, and communityInterfaith education as a path toward healing and peaceFounding Bayan Islamic graduate school in partnership with Claremont School of TheologyMystical moments at the Dome of the Rock and in Hebron at the resting place of AbrahamThis episode is about inner peace in a fractured world. It is about cracking the door open. It is about finding your keel in the storm. And it is about remembering that the deepest struggle is not against others — but within ourselves. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Habib sits with interfaith minister and author Liza Rankow, whose book Soul Medicine for a Fractured World explores the healing that emerges from our deepest fractures.Together they reflect on:Illness as a spiritual teacherWoundedness and wholeness as two sides of the same coinThe Japanese art of Kintsugi as a metaphor for the soulSuffering as a “discipline of the Spirit” (in the lineage of Howard Thurman)The choice to open—or close—in the face of painHow personal healing becomes medicine for the worldFrom Crohn’s disease and near-death experiences to mystical union, surrender, and the return to our inner child, this episode is an honest exploration of how hardship can clear away the veils that keep us from Love.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What does it mean to remain faithful while navigating injustice, distraction, social pressure, and the constant pull of the ego?In this powerful episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib Boerger sits down with returning guest Abdul-Karim Pinckney — musical artist, former imam, and spiritual teacher — to explore the deeper meaning behind his single “Living in These Lands.”Together, they reflect on:Maintaining orientation toward the Divine amid cultural chaosThe tension between spirituality and religionMercy, accountability, and radical self-honestySocial media, performance, and distractionPolitical polarization and remembering our shared humanityPresence vs. egoWhy sincerity matters more than appearanceAbdul-Karim speaks candidly about lived experience, spiritual grounding, and the daily choice to “face God” — even when the world feels unstable.This conversation is both contemplative and practical, inviting listeners to examine their own hearts while remembering that hardship need not close us — it can deepen us.If you’ve ever wondered how to stay rooted in faith while living fully in today’s world, this episode is for you.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

Dr. Habib sits down with Zen teacher, author, and spiritual director Busshō Lahn for a deeply timely conversation about awakening, truth, and what it means to live from love in a world marked by suffering.Raised within the Catholic tradition and later drawn into Zen practice, Busshō shares how a single spiritual seed can grow into a life of “multiple belongings.” Together, he and Dr. Habib explore the mystical heart shared across traditions — a place where differences soften and love becomes the center.But this conversation moves beyond personal spirituality into urgent territory. As communities grapple with violence, fear, and collective grief, Busshō invites us into a challenging yet transformative question: Where is the war inside of me?Rather than meeting fire with fire, he suggests that authentic spiritual practice calls us toward radical honesty — the courage to name our anger, face our wounds, and recognize even the shadow within ourselves. From that clarity emerges a love strong enough to say both yes to humanity and no to harm.Listeners will discover:Why the goal of spiritual practice is to leave “nothing between you and love”How contemplation prepares us for compassionate actionThe hidden miracle within ordinary lifeWhat it means to awaken during times of societal upheavalHow truth-telling becomes a path to freedomThis episode is an invitation — not to escape the world — but to meet it with a wiser, braver, more spacious heart.If you’ve ever wondered how inner transformation can shape outer change, this conversation is for you.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by artist, spiritual companion, and grief tender Susannah Crolius for a wide-ranging exploration of spirituality as movement, unbinding, and belovedness.Susannah shares her spiritual journey—from a childhood shaped by art and nature, through decades of institutional ministry, to leaving the church in search of a more authentic, embodied spiritual life rooted in creativity, wonder, and trust. Together, they reflect on shame and healing, art as a gateway to the sacred, the soul’s thread that runs through our lives, and what it means to live both tethered and free.The conversation also touches tenderly on near-death experience, grief, trauma, and the practice of remembering our belovedness—even in seasons of darkness, loss, and uncertainty. This episode invites listeners into a spacious, honest exploration of spirituality beyond performance and institution, toward a life grounded in presence, compassion, and returning home to the true self.Perfect for seekers, soulful misfits, creatives, and anyone longing for a spirituality that feels real, embodied, and alive.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and deeply moving conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by Rev. Dr. Tomeka Jacobs, theologian, former chaplain, and author of Ecocosmological Spirituality of Southern Queer Black Women: Remembering and Reconnecting Identity. Together, they explore spirituality beyond rigid categories—toward embodiment, wholeness, justice, and belonging.Dr. Jacobs shares her spiritual journey from Baptist–Pentecostal roots to an expansive understanding of the Divine as All Life—a sacred, interconnected reality that transcends gender, doctrine, and religious boundaries. Drawing from chaplaincy, womanist and feminist theology, mysticism, ecology, and lived experience as a Southern queer Black woman, she reflects on deconstructing oppressive theology, reclaiming ancestral wisdom, and remembering the sacred goodness of the self.This episode touches on:The difference between religion and spiritualityDecolonizing the spirit and reclaiming embodied faithQueerness, race, gender, and divine belongingMysticism, unitive love, and compassionate justiceSpiritual practices rooted in nature, stillness, and everyday lifeActivism as love, presence, and communal liberationThis is a conversation for spiritual seekers, soulful misfits, and anyone who has ever asked: Does God love me as I am? Is my embodiment enough? Is there more?Whether you call the Divine God, All Life, Mystery, Love, or are still searching for language, you are welcome here.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving and contemplative conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined by Hossam Ibn Yusuf, musician, Sufi practitioner, and spiritual seeker whose life has been shaped by sound, nature, and surrender.Hossam shares his remarkable spiritual journey—from a childhood influenced by Christian and Sufi lineages, to formative years at Dar al-Islam in New Mexico, through loss, resistance, music, and finally a lived embrace of Islam as a verb rather than an identity. Along the way, we explore grief as an opening, faith as direct experience, and the ways the heart softens when it is ready to receive.Together, Dr. Habīb and Hossam reflect on:Sonic theology and the spiritual power of soundQur’anic recitation and dhikr as vibrational medicineNature as the Qur’an al-Takwīnī — the unwritten revelationMusic, silence, and remembrance as pathways to healingSurrender not as dogma, but as lived realityThis episode is especially resonant for those drawn to contemplative spirituality, interspiritual wisdom, and anyone curious about how sound and remembrance awaken the heart beyond belief.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by Abdullah Pat Aylward—board chair of the Shadhiliyya Sufi Communities and founding leader of the Sufi Center Minnesota—for a wide-ranging and heartfelt conversation about spiritual seeking, transformation, and embodied love.Pat shares his remarkable spiritual journey, beginning with a Catholic childhood and early yearning for meaning, through decades of study and practice across traditions including Vedanta, Hinduism, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, mystical Christianity, and ultimately Sufism. Along the way, he reflects on the teachers and saints who shaped him—Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharshi, Dr. Usharbudh Arya, Dr. Ibrahim Jaffe, and Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal—and the ways presence, not concepts, became his true guide.At the heart of this episode is Pat’s honest account of “breaking the tomb”: a profound period of personal collapse that stripped away identity, image, and certainty, and opened him to a deeper integration of love, humility, and compassion. From this breaking emerged a seamlessness between inner spiritual life and outer engagement in the world—work, relationships, leadership, and service.Together, Dr. Habib and Pat explore:What it means to love ourselves without needing to fix or perfect ourselvesHow spiritual practice becomes real in everyday lifeThe deep unity of spirituality and social justiceWhy compassion, inclusion, and joy are not ideals, but lived realitiesHow suffering can become a doorway into freedom and belongingThis episode is an invitation to rest in the truth that there is only one heart, one life, and one love—expressing itself through us all. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined by spiritual healer and artist Michele Hamida Rabinowitz for a rich exploration of spirituality lived through the body, creativity, and presence.Michele shares her life story as a series of sacred doorways—birth trauma, dance, motherhood, bodywork, loss, healing, movement, and art—each one drawing her closer to God and to her true self. From myofascial release and spiritual healing to expressive movement and intuitive painting, Michele reflects on how the body remembers, how creativity heals, and how art becomes a spiritual practice of unveiling.Together, Dr. Habīb and Michele explore embodiment as a path to the Divine, the role of joy and curiosity in spiritual life, the courage to say “yes” to transformation, and what it means to become “everything but nothing.” This episode invites listeners to consider how creativity—whether through art, movement, prayer, or simple presence—can dissolve the masks we wear and return us to the light within.A tender, expansive dialogue for anyone longing to integrate spirituality with the lived realities of body, emotion, creativity, and everyday life. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by Dr. Sabrina N’Diaye—therapist, teacher, author, peacebuilder, and founder of the HeartNest Center for Peace and Healing—for a wide-ranging conversation on spirituality, trauma, transformation, and the lifelong work of love.Dr. Sabrina shares her spiritual journey from Catholic childhood to Sufism, reflecting on identity, ritual, motherhood, caregiving, and the call to become a bridge between worlds. She speaks tenderly about being named Saarah by her teacher, about patience (sabr), and about embracing the sacred assignment of caring for elders, clients, and communities with compassion and presence.Together, Dr. Habib and Dr. Sabrina explore spiritual memoir as a healing practice, the power of storytelling circles, forgiveness as a daily discipline, and why only a heart that can break can truly let the light in. Drawing on Qur’anic wisdom, interspiritual teachings, psychotherapy, and ancestral memory, Dr. Sabrina invites us to see our lives through a wider lens—where trauma rests in one hand and transformation in the other.This episode is a soulful offering for anyone longing to heal, to remember who they are, and to consciously participate in growing their light. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply honest and compassionate conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by writer, speaker, and professor Dr. Alane Daugherty to explore the lived intersection of spirituality, somatic awareness, trauma healing, and emotional resilience.Dr. Alane shares her personal journey through severe anxiety and emotional distress—and how meditation, Quaker spirituality, Zen practice, and somatic approaches became gateways to profound healing. Together, they reflect on why spiritual awakening and healing includes the body, why safety and trust are essential for healing trauma, and how heartfulness emerges when mind, body, and spirit are integrated.This episode explores:How trauma lives in the nervous system—and how it can be gently healedWhy somatic practices can feel overwhelming for some—and how to honor thatThe role of divine connection, safety, and compassion in embodied healingHeartfulness as a lived experience, not a belief systemSimple physiological practices that support spiritual receptivityWhy there is no single “right” entry point to healing or awakeningThe conversation concludes with a guided somatic-spiritual practice led by Dr. Alane, inviting listeners into grounded presence, gentle awareness, and connection with the Sacred—however they name it.This episode is for anyone navigating anxiety, trauma, spiritual disconnection, or the longing to feel whole again—and for those seeking a spirituality that honors the wisdom of the body and the wisdom of the heart. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this luminous episode, Dr. Habib sits down with renowned Sufi teacher and author Dr. Rosina Fawzia Al-Rawi for a conversation that moves from the streets of Cairo to the heart of Jerusalem, from the inner meaning of la ilaha illallah to the healing language of nature.With profound clarity and gentleness, Fawzia shares:Her early spiritual awakening and the moment that changed her lifeThe inner essence of unity and how to live la ilaha illallah beyond dogmaHow mercy (rahmah) becomes the force that transforms ego into universal consciousnessThe role of nature as the first book of revelationHow to balance religion and spirituality – outer knowledge of religion and inner experience of spirituality, of being with GodThe Sufi understanding of adab, respectful presence, and how to respond to a culture of increasing disrespectWhat it means to stand for justice, protect the vulnerable, and hold even those who harm others within the one human familyWhether you’re grounded in a religious tradition or exploring spirituality with curiosity, this episode invites you into a deeper way of seeing—one that honors multiplicity while revealing the oneness beneath it.May this conversation help you return to your heart, soften into compassion, and remember the light that lives in you. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

Dr. Habīb welcomes spiritual director and emotional-integration practitioner Nina Lau-Branson for a deeply compassionate exploration of the inner life. Nina shares her powerful spiritual story — from growing up in a Chinese immigrant family, to a midlife awakening that led her away from corporate achievement and into a 15-year contemplative “wilderness,” and eventually into transformative work with emotional integration.Together, Dr. Habīb and Nina explore:How early experiences shape our image of GodThe sacred role emotions play in our spiritual growthWhy no emotion is “good” or “bad” — and how each carries intelligenceWhat happens when communities suppress emotional expressionThe path to reclaiming the freedom and authenticity we see in sacred storiesHow contemplative practices, silence, and presence support emotional and spiritual healingThis conversation invites you to welcome all parts of your humanity — body, mind, spirit, and emotion — as companions on the journey home to yourself and to the Divine. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined by healer, teacher, and author Debra Mastura Graugnard for a journey into awakening, embodiment, and healing the sacred feminine. Debra shares her extraordinary spiritual opening, the childhood wounds and life events that shaped her path, and the profound moment she met her Sufi teacher, Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal.Together, Dr. Habīb and Debra explore:What it means to experience “everything is love”How trauma and self-soothing shape our relationship with food and our bodiesThe deep connection between fear, food, and feminine powerThe healing process of CARITAS and the path from clarity to sovereigntyHow embodiment, nervous system safety, and spiritual remembrance restore us to our true selvesThe higher calling of the feminine—and how it invites all of us into collective evolutionDebra also reads from her Sacred Essence Manifesto and guides a grounding spiritual practice to help reconnect you with your own inner light.If you’re seeking a heart-centered conversation about healing, embodiment, and returning to Source, this episode will stay with you. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this rich and heartfelt conversation, Dr. Habib sits down with psychotherapist-turned-spiritual-healer and painter Yasmine Rahmana Cindy Libman to explore the transformative power of creativity. Cindy shares her journey from lifelong anxiety and illness to profound inner peace through mysticism, healing, and the unexpected emergence of art as a spiritual practice.Together, they reflect on art as a form of meditation, purification, and openness—a way of clearing what constricts the heart so that the light can flow more freely. Cindy reveals how colors, movement, and spontaneous images become doorways into unity consciousness, and how creativity can help us find our unique voice, return to the truth of our being, and reconnect with the One Light we all share.Whether you consider yourself an artist or haven’t picked up a brush since childhood, this episode invites you into a deeper understanding of spirituality as something available in every moment—and within every act of creation.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What happens when a meditation retreat unveils a hidden ancestral truth—and transforms how we understand peace itself? In this intimate conversation, Dr. Habib welcomes psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author Margaret Cullen, whose upcoming book Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity explores the heart of balance amid life’s joys and sorrows.Margaret shares the extraordinary story of discovering her rabbinical lineage through a powerful spiritual vision, how Buddhist practice became the living expression of that heritage, and why equanimity is not detachment but a dynamic dance of resilience, compassion, and humor. Together, she and Dr. Habib reflect on mysticism, the healing of mother wounds, and the possibility of living with an open heart—even when it’s breaking.This episode includes a short equanimity practice at 46:30. Enjoy!Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this profoundly tender conversation, Dr. Habīb speaks with Dr. Frank Rogers Jr.—author, teacher, and co-founder of the Center for Engaged Compassion—about healing from trauma through the steady presence of Divine compassion. Together, they explore the lifelong process of recovering from abuse, the courage to face betrayal and rage, and the transformation that comes from knowing we are held—always—in compassion. Frank shares how his own journey led him to reimagine God beyond patriarchal images of power and control, toward a maternal, merciful Presence that never turns away.This episode is a sacred space for survivors, seekers, and anyone yearning to experience love that does not flinch in the face of pain.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What does it mean to care for ourselves in a way that’s truly spiritual? In this episode, Dr. Habīb explores self-care as sacred practice — a way of honoring the holiness of our minds, bodies, hearts, and souls. Drawing from Sufi wisdom, contemplative psychology, and interspiritual insights, he offers practical guidance for nurturing each dimension of our being. From noticing and nurturing our inner life to somatic grounding and heart-centered prayer, this episode is an invitation to return to your true self — with compassion, dignity, and love. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

Dr. Habīb Boerger welcomes Dr. Ibrahim Jaffe — physician, Sufi master healer, and Chancellor of the University of Sufism — for a profound conversation about healing, truth, and divine unity in a polarized world. Together they explore how to discern God’s comprehensive truth amid conflicting narratives, how personal healing mirrors global healing, and why mercy, compassion, and love are the only paths to peace. Dr. Jaffe shares Sufi insights and spiritual practices for awakening the heart, cultivating self-awareness, and living as instruments of divine love — both in our personal lives and in our collective healing as humanity.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What if friendship itself could be a spiritual practice? In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Habīb is joined by Dr. Seth Schoen and Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter—co-creators of Racial Resilience—to explore how compassion, contemplation, and community sustain the work of racial and social justice. Together, they reflect on moral injury and healing, the role of the Compassion Practice, and the unitive experiences that remind us we are all part of one sacred whole. A conversation about courage, connection, and what it means to live the project of being pulled toward Love.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

Author and spiritual director Felicia Murrell joins Dr. Habīb for a luminous conversation about awakening to Divine Love, releasing inherited images of an angry God, and rediscovering the boundless compassion at the heart of all being. Together, they explore the practice of stillness, the wisdom of the body, and the invitation to return home—to Love itself. Drawing from Felicia’s book AND: The Restorative Power of Love in an Either/Or World, this episode invites you to soften into receptivity, listen to your soul’s remembering, and live from the truth of your sacred goodness. Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb is joined once again by artist and former imam Abdul-Karim Pinckney (The Man of Real) for a heartfelt conversation inspired by his song “Can We Be Family.” Together, they explore the challenges and beauty of family life—our biological family, our family in humanity, and our family in creation—and how to approach these relationships “in a manner that’s Godly.”Through stories, scripture, and song, they reflect on forgiveness, mercy, and the call to hold onto love even amid conflict. What does it mean to bring God into our family dynamics? How can our closest bonds become a pathway to nearness with the Divine? And how might letting go of old stories and illusions open us to a deeper experience of love and unity?This episode invites you to reimagine family—both in the home and in the human community—as a vessel of light, mercy, and connection.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this heartfelt episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib is joined by Rahima Susan Schmall, a psychologist, healer, and Sufi teacher who has spent over four decades weaving together psychology, spirituality, and embodied wisdom. Rahima shares her remarkable spiritual journey—from early awakenings in Al-Anon to the St. Francis Prayer, Buddhist practice, and finally the Sufi path. Together, she and Dr. Habib explore surrender as a doorway to love, the role of hardship in deepening trust, and the healing difference between cure and true wholeness. This rich conversation invites us to reconnect with awe, taste the love at the heart of existence, and remember our inherent value simply as human beings.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Habīb is joined by psychotherapist and family therapist Vanessa McNamara to explore the deep overlap between spirituality and relationships. From Vanessa’s Irish Catholic upbringing and mystical encounters to her discovery of Sufism, Buddhism, and shamanic traditions, she shares how personal crisis and ego-death opened her to an integrated path of spirit and healing. Together, Habīb and Vanessa reflect on marriage and partner relationships as a crucible for transformation, the courage to face our shadows, and the practice of compassionate self-witnessing. With honesty, humor, and wisdom, they invite us into the sacred work of moving from struggle to presence, from ego to soul, and from separation to connection.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What if music could be more than entertainment — what if it were a doorway into wisdom, healing, and the unseen world of Spirit? In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb sits down with award-winning composer and world music artist Yuval Ron to explore the intersection of sound and spirituality.Yuval shares his multi-path journey through Kabbalah, Sufism, Buddhism, yoga, and psychoacoustics, and how each deepened his understanding of music as a universal language of the heart. From mystical encounters in Boston to producing Sufi Qawwali albums, from Hebrew prayers set at 40hz for brain health to Buddhist-inspired compositions, Yuval shows us how vibration and sound can transform both body and soul.If you’ve ever felt the mystery in music — the way it unites, heals, and carries us beyond words — this conversation is for you.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib sits down with Dr. Ron Banuelos, licensed acupuncturist and spiritual seeker, for a heartfelt conversation on the intersections of healing, spirituality, and nature. Dr. Ron shares his journey of reclaiming cultural identity, exploring men’s work and shadow healing, and learning from shamanic traditions of South America. Together they reflect on the ways body, emotion, and spirit are intertwined, how grief and ancestral wounds can transform into wisdom, and how stillness in nature opens us to divine connection. This episode invites listeners into the depth of healing as an ongoing process of returning to wholeness. To make an appointment with Dr. Habib, please visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib is joined by Dr. Dana Maxwell, a family medicine physician, yoga teacher, and retreat leader in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Together they explore the intersections of spirituality, nature, and health—how slowing down, connecting with the body, and spending time outdoors can bring us back to our still center. Dr. Maxwell shares her journey from growing up in an agnostic home to finding meaning through yoga, wilderness medicine, and community retreats. She offers wisdom on listening to the body as a sacred vessel, making small sustainable changes, and remembering our shared humanity. A conversation rich with humility, heartfulness, and the healing power of nature.To make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this moving episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb sits down with Rev. Dr. Aizaiah Yong—minister, scholar, healer, and author of Trauma and Renewal. Together they explore how profound suffering and ecstatic encounters with the Divine can coexist, how communal care transforms trauma, and how love and interconnectedness invite us to begin again and again.Drawing on Aizaiah’s story of surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident and the mystical experiences that followed, this conversation opens into themes of interfaith compassion, social justice, monastic yearning, and the deep wisdom that arises when we say “yes” to what is most vital.Whether you are walking your own healing path, seeking courage for justice, or yearning for deeper intimacy with the Divine, this episode will inspire and strengthen your journey home.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Habīb Boerger sits down with Rev. Julie Davis and Rev. Madison Jones McAleese to explore the journey from exclusion to belonging in faith communities. They share their personal stories of leaving—and then reimagining—the traditions they were raised in, finding inclusive spaces that affirm their full humanity, and rediscovering the beauty of ritual and embodiment in spiritual life. Together, they reflect on mysticism, community, and the call to live with love at the center. This episode is an invitation to see the sacred in every person, every moment, and every breath.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and tender episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb Boerger is joined by educator, author, and spiritual health advocate Julia Considine Pierce. Together, they explore the deep connections between spirituality, nature, public health, and the sacredness of the body.Julia shares her spiritual journey—from the mountains of Appalachia to mysticism and public health research—and how it led to her writing My Body Is Sacred, a book that blends spiritual affirmation, accurate reproductive health education, and practices like mindfulness and deep breathing. She speaks candidly about why naming body parts without shame is a crucial form of protection for children, and how teaching young people body safety is an act of love and empowerment.Dr. Habīb offers personal reflections on how this work resonates with his own life, and together they invite listeners to consider what it means to treat the body as a holy vessel and the self as inherently beloved.Whether you're a parent, educator, spiritual seeker, or someone healing from shame or wounding, this conversation offers practical wisdom, deep compassion, and sacred invitation.Topics include:The intersection of spirituality and public healthMindfulness as a spiritual and educational practiceEmpowering children with body literacy and consentNaming and healing body shameNature, awe, and Divine LoveHow to help children build a resilient spiritual coreJulia’s inspiring book My Body Is Sacred and her vision for future titlesFind Julia’s work at juliasumaya.com and on Instagram @mybodyissacredbook.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb is joined by guest co-host Abdul Karim Pinckney—artist, former Imam, and spiritual teacher—for a rich conversation inspired by his powerful song Grateful. Together, they explore the depths of gratitude: not just as a fleeting feeling, but as a lived practice that shapes the heart, mind, and body.Abdul Karim shares personal stories, spiritual insight from the Qur’an and Sufi tradition, and the transformative moment of recording with his daughter. He offers reflections on being grateful not only for blessings but even for trials—pointing to an “attitude of gratitude” as a path to wholeness, awareness, and divine connection.This episode also explores:The difference between gratitude of the tongue, heart, and limbsPracticing presence amid global suffering and injusticeHow gratitude can ground us in mystical unity and social responsibilityThe spiritual power of Surah Ikhlāṣ and remembrance of the DivineWhat it means to act from God to GodWhether you're a spiritual seeker, artist, parent, or simply navigating difficult times, this conversation invites you into a deeper relationship with the sacred through the doorway of gratitude.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this powerful and heart-centered episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habīb Boerger sits down once again with artist and former imam Abdul Karim Pinckney (aka The Man of Real) to explore the deep terrain of forgiveness and reconciliation. Inspired by Abdul Karim’s soulful country song “Sorry” from his AI-performed album Manipulations of the Unreal, this conversation dives into why the simple act of apologizing is often so hard—and why it matters so much.From the everyday difficulty of saying “I’m sorry” to the inner work required for genuine healing, Dr. Habīb and Abdul Karim reflect on personal experiences, spiritual teachings, and practical methods for moving from reactivity to repair. They explore Divine Names from the Islamic tradition (Ya Ghaffar, Ya Ghafur, Ya Tawwab, Ya Afuw), interspiritual alternatives, and a full process for doing the internal work of forgiveness—whether or not reconciliation is possible.You’ll hear about:The ego’s resistance to apologyWhat to do when someone says “sorry” but doesn’t mean itWhen to forgive, when to walk away, and how to discern the differenceThe danger of bypassing conflict with “just let it go”And why real forgiveness always begins withinWhether you’re seeking to repair a relationship or release an old hurt, this episode offers a practical and soulful path forward.🎧 Featuring the full audio of “Sorry”Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this deeply moving and thought-provoking episode, Dr. Habib Boerger is joined by artist, former imam, and spiritual thinker Abdul Karim Pinckney to explore one of life’s biggest questions: What does it mean to be human?Blending personal stories, spiritual insight, neuroscience, and poetic reflection, the conversation travels through themes of compassion, purpose, trauma, identity, and the soul’s longing to return to its True Self. Abdul Karim shares the inspiration behind his new AI-assisted album Manipulations of the Unreal, including the track “People,” which anchors a raw and beautiful dialogue on our shared humanity and divine potential.Whether you're rooted in a spiritual tradition or simply wrestling with your own meaning-making, this episode invites you to witness yourself and others with greater empathy, honesty, and love.Key themes:·         Self-discovery and inner truth·         Neuroscience and empathy·         Trauma, healing, and compassionate self-witnessing·         Music as spiritual reflection·         Unity without uniformity·         Sufi insights into the human soulSupport the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this heartfelt and nourishing conversation, Dr. Habīb welcomes chef, spiritual facilitator, and podcast host Aliye Aydin (@soulspacechef) to explore the deep connections between food, spirituality, and the senses. From her Turkish-American heritage to her spiritual awakening through cooking, chant, and movement, Aliye shares how she experiences connection—her definition of spirituality—in every ingredient, sound, and shared meal. Together, they reflect on the sacredness of nourishment, the healing power of radical hospitality, and the role of embodied practices like chanting and gratitude in cultivating inner light.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

What does it mean to live from the heart in a world full of hardship, division, and longing? In this soul-nourishing episode, Dr. Habīb speaks with beloved Sufi teacher and interfaith minister Jamal Rahman about the mystical path of Islam, the sacred work of transforming the ego, and how laughter, silence, music, and service can all become gateways to the Divine. Together, they explore “the inconvenient inner work,” how to polish the heart, the power of unity across difference, and why telling your own heart “I love you” might just be the most powerful spiritual practice of all.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib welcomes artist, former imam, and spiritual teacher Abdul Karim Pinckney — also known as The Man of Real — for a heartfelt conversation on faith, transformation, and his latest project, Project Inspire. From his journey through Islam and Sufism to his love of music as a vehicle for sacred expression, Abdul Karim shares how life itself becomes a spiritual practice. Together, they explore themes of remembrance, mercy, culture, and connection — and how hip-hop can be a bridge between worlds. This episode includes a special listen to his track “We Give It All We Got” and a moving reflection on spirituality as a lived, embodied experienceHighlights include:A powerful spiritual turning point from the Bronx to the Qur’anThe roots of Project Inspire and using music as a teaching toolCultivating mercy in daily life and building spiritual resilienceThe sacred role of curiosity and living remembranceWhy “spirituality starts in the stomach”Tune in for inspiration that’s real, grounded, and full of heart.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.

In this first episode of Beyond Names, Dr. Habib shares a little from his personal spiritual journey — from growing up in a conservative Christian family in rural Texas to discovering Sufism, embracing Islam, and earning advanced degrees in spiritual healing, spiritual counseling, and spiritual formation.He opens up about loss, doubt, religious wounding, and healing — and how the search for meaning eventually led him to a deep, heart-centered spirituality that transcends labels and welcomes all.You’ll also learn what this podcast is about, who it’s for, and what to expect in future episodes — including interviews, reflections, and simple spiritual practices to help you reconnect with your true self and the sacred, however you name it.The episode closes with a guided practice to help you center in your heart, settle your spirit, and begin your own journey inward.Support the showTo make an appointment with Dr. Habib, visit https://www.habibboerger.com/.