Ep. 410 – After Skool with Mark Wooding

Taking us through her 3 near-death experiences, Michelle Clare joins Raghu to talk about the afterlife, mediumship, and finding true purpose.This time on Mindrolling, Michelle and Raghu have a conversation about:Michelle’s experience growing up catholic and praying to saintsMichelle’s first experience connecting to loved ones who have passedNear-death experiences (NDEs) and sensing peace and perfectionHow the religion we believe in will be what we are greeted by in the afterlifeTelepathic communication and the soul’s ability to travelMichelle’s second NDE and meeting Jesus in an operating roomThe parallels between psychedelics and NDEsSoul planning and understanding our dharmaRaghu’s psychic experiences with Neem Karoli BabaOur spirit team and the web of love that supports usIntuition, the gift that each one of us carriesAbout Michelle Clare:Michelle Clare is a certified medium, psychic, energy healer, and life coach. She is guided by spirit and uses her gifts to heal, enlighten, encourage, and inspire others while empowering them to connect to the light within themselves. A three-time near-death experience survivor, she receives messages from loved ones who have crossed over, as well as angels and life guides. Learn more about Michelle’s offerings on her website.“There is a divine orchestration to our time here and the lessons that we learn, and I believe that none of that is accidental.” – Michelle ClareSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we take a look back at a conversation that Raghu had with Gabor Maté about trauma, desire, addiction, and getting honest with ourselves.In this remastered episode, Gabor explores these struggles through the lens of the Hungry Ghost Realm of saṃsāra.To learn more about all six realms of saṃsāra and the Wheel of Life in Buddhist tradition, check out this episode of the Mindrolling Podcast with Buddhist teacher, David Nichtern: Ep. 168 Awakening from the DaydreamGabor Maté is a renowned speaker and bestselling author. After 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, Gabor worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of four books published in over thirty languages, Gabor is sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship between stress and illness. His latest book, released in 2022, is titled the Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture. In the Realm of Hungry GhostsGabor Maté has been exposed to so many patients suffering from addiction through his work as a doctor in Vancouver, BC, which has one of North America’s worst drug abuse problems. He and Raghu discuss the connection between addiction, in its many forms, and what Buddhist philosophy refers to as the Hungry Ghost Realm.Healing Trauma, Breaking Addiction Gabor talks about the role of trauma in addiction. He shares his own traumatic experiences being a Jew born in Nazi-occupied Hungary. Raghu and Gabor also discuss the ways that trauma and suffering are handed down from parent to child.The Pursuit of Desire In his book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Gabor writes about the drive behind addictions. He and Raghu discuss how the energetic charge behind addiction is more about desire than attainment.Equal Parts Honest and CompassionGabor examines how we can look at ourselves honestly and constructively by practicing compassionate inquiry.Psychology of Spiritual SeekingThe spiritual path is a way to transform some of the wounded natures that we all grow up with. Gabor speaks about this and the risks of spiritual materialism that come along with it.“The hungry ghosts are depicted as these creatures with large empty bellies and small scrawny necks with narrow gullets and small mouths. No matter what they do, they cannot ever fill that emptiness inside, and that relates to me as the realm of addiction.” – Dr. Gabor MatéSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Explaining the concept of mirror eye, Loch Kelly chats with Raghu about non-self and effortless mindfulness.Click HERE for some complementary resources from Loch Kelly to deepen your experiential exploration into Effortless Mindfulness.This week on Mindrolling, Loch and Raghu get into:How mindfulness can be effortlessLoch’s transformative experience in NepalA down-to-earth explanation of no-self or ‘mirror-eye’Sustaining the state of awakeningPsychedelics as treatment for PTSDEgo dissolution and other dimensionsReturning home through mindfulness practiceKarma yoga and realizing our self-interested motivationsA guided meditation from Loch“If you ask someone or take the time to feel the mirror-eye that’s listening to these words, and then feel where is it located in your body. Most people will feel it in the middle of their head behind their eyes. Feel that location and thank it for all its hard work. Appreciate its functionality and ask it for some space and then open to a mindful witness of this mirror eye.” – Loch KellySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Expanding our notions of love to a universal state, ecologist and peace-pilgrim, Satish Kumar, joins Raghu to talk about his new book, Radical Love.Get your copy of Radical Love HEREThis time on Mindrolling, Satish and Raghu journey through these topics:How Gandhi was a great influence on Satish’s lifeLoving people with whom we do not agreeThe ultimate love, knowledge, and heroism we receive from our mothersThe feminine motherly quality we can find in gurusSatish’s experience in the Jain traditionNegative consequences from materialism, consumerism, and the industrial way of lifePollution, global warming, and harm to bio-diversity as our collective karmaWhy everyone should take a Hippocratic oathRemembering we are all human beings and can all practice love as our primary religionScience, gravity, and the capacity to understand the non-physical realityHow love holds together the spiritual worldUnilateral love and not waiting to love another until they love usGandhi’s concept of Sarvodaya, or the uplifting of every living being without exceptionAbout Satish Kumar:Satish Kumar is a peace-pilgrim, ecologist, life-long activist and former monk who has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. A world-renown author and international speaker, Satish founded The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity that seeks to inform and inspire a just future for all. Satish has been the guiding spirit behind several other internationally respected ecological and educational ventures. He co-founded Schumacher College which he continues to serve as a Visiting Fellow. He appears regularly on podcasts and on radio and television shows and continues to teach, run workshops, and write about reverential ecology, holistic education and voluntary simplicity. Check out Satish’s book offerings HERE.“Do no harm to yourself, do no harm to other people, do no harm to nature. That is the Hippocratic oath a doctor takes. I would like to suggest that everybody should take that. Politicians should take that. Scientists should take that. Economists should take that. Business and industrial leaders should take that. Do no harm. If you do no harm to yourself, and you do no harm to other people, and you do no harm to nature, then you can have a more positive karma. The consequence will be a more harmonious relationship, and a more peaceful world, and a better relationship among all humans.” – Satish KumarSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raghu’s original Mindrolling partner, David Silver, returns for a beautiful homage to the genius of Aldous Huxley.Learn more about Aldous Huxley HEREThis week, David and Raghu talk about:How Aldous Huxley showed Ram Dass and Tim Leary the Tibetan Book of the DeadDavid Silver’s initial reading of Brave New World and the prophecy it heldAldous Huxley’s backgroundHuxley’s Doors of Perception and Heaven and HellHuxley’s perspective on non-dualism and childrenRam Dass’ and Aldous Huxley’s friendshipAldous Huxley’s end-of-life experience with entheogensSystematic reasoning versus direct perceptionThe fear that can arise when we have a mystical experienceThe transformational power of psychedelics in the field of mental healthJim Morrison, The Doors, and Ram DassAbout David Silver:David Silver is the former co-host of the Mindrolling podcast. He is a filmmaker and director, most recently coming out with Brilliant Disguise. Brilliant Disguise tells the unique story of a group of inspired Western spiritual seekers from the 60s, who in meeting the great American teacher, Ram Dass, followed him to India to meet his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, familiarly known as Maharaji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. K.C. Tewari—in the guise of a headmaster of a boys school in the foothills of the Himalayas—was secretly a High Yogi, frequently able to go into altered states of trance, known as Samadhi, at any moment.“I think the greatest compliment that Ram Dass gave him, and it wasn’t an exclamation of any sort, he said Aldous Huxley had a very great relationship with the mystery” – Raghu MarkusSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sarah Anderson joins Raghu to explore her new book, The Lost Art of Silence, and how we can reconnect to the beauty of quiet.Get your copy of Sarah’s book HEREIn this episode, Sarah and Raghu delve into:How crucial and nurturing silence can beSarah’s childhood traumaSilence’s relationship to the inner journeySarah’s investigation into the art of silenceSilence as the link between so many religions and traditionsThe way that being quiet makes us a better listenerRaghu’s story of meeting Ram DassHow nature can teach us about silenceThe fear caused from sensory deprivationsBecoming aware of God through silent meditationConcerns for our youth and the loudness of technologyAbout Sarah Anderson:Sarah Anderson founded the Travel Bookshop in London in 1979, the shop later featured in the film Notting Hill. She studied Chinese at the London University college of SOAS, and at Heythrop, where she earned an MA in the psychology of religion. She has taught travel writing at City University, writes regular travel pieces, reviews books, and gives talks worldwide. Also an artist, Sarah’s paintings have been exhibited throughout London. Sarah is the author of several books. Her most recent book, The Lost Art of Silence, celebrates the power in being quiet.“Even in the cacophony of going into the woods, of the birds singing, animals speaking to each other, in that cacophony is a delightful silence. Because the real silence, to me, is that your mind stops turning out this avalanche of thoughts and stories.” – Raghu MarkusSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Philosopher, author, and activist Peter Singer joins Raghu to chat about his new book, The Buddhist and the Ethicist.Pick up your copy of Peter Singer’s book HEREThis week on Mindrolling, Peter and Raghu have a comprehensive conversation on:Singer’s coming of age in the 60’sThe background of Venerable Shih Chao-HweiThe ethical outlook of utilitarianismExamining the consequences of our actionsThe problems that come with not thinking about the futureThe Bodhisattva traditionBhakti Yoga and merging with the supreme beingHaving compassion for those that suffer, human and non-humanLooking at theories of human nature and basic goodnessKarma’s compatibility with utilitarianismThe ways that we leave traces in the worldAbout Peter Singer:Peter Singer is an Australian moral philosopher and Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. He also is also an author, and is best known for his writings about poverty and liberating animals. He wrote the book Animal Liberation, in which he argues for vegetarianism and co-founded the Australian Federation of Animal Societies, now Animals Australia, the country’s largest and most effective animal organization. Most recently, he published a book of eye-opening dialogues with Venerable Shih Chao-Hwei, a Taiwanese Buddhist monastic and social activist. Learn more about Peter Singer on his website.“Compassion is one way of looking at how we ought to be thinking about all sentient beings. We ought to be thinking about them with concern for their well-being. When you use the term compassion, at least to westerners, that suggests a feeling, an emotion, something like we might say empathy that we have with them. That’s something that utilitarians would want to encourage because we need to think about what its like for other beings in the various possible states of the world that could result from our doing a variety of things.” – Peter SingerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Indigenous healer Paul Callaghan teaches us about aboriginal wisdom and being a part of the collective story of humanity.Check out Paul’s book, The Dreaming Path, to learn more about contentment, purpose, healing, and reconnecting with your story—and ultimately the universe.In this episode of Mindrolling, Paul and Raghu get into:Aboriginal Dreamtime storiesThe creation myth of mother earthBeing still in nature to receive insightsHow acute anxiety and a mental health crisis lead Paul to a life changeWhy reconnecting to his aboriginal roots lead to Paul’s healing and self-discoveryDefining the dreaming path and promoting individualityHow does relying on nature and living sustainably allow one to slow down?Finding power in unity and getting resources to all peopleExamining whether we add or take away from the collective story of humanitySelf-care and finding out who we really areGoing with the flow of lifeAbout Paul Callaghan:Paul Callaghan is a First Nations custodian in the land now called Australia and a leading Indigenous healer. Paul belongs to the land of the Worimi people which is located on the east coast of Australia about 2 hours north of Sydney, New South Wales. He is an Aboriginal storyteller and dancer. Paul has held a number of senior executive positions in his career and has qualifications in a diverse range of disciplines including surveying, drafting, accounting, economics, training, executive leadership, emotional intelligence, company boards, and executive/organizational coaching. Paul has been ‘going bush’ for many, many years and learning traditional ‘Lore’ from his Elders much of which he is willing to share with those who respect it. Check out Paul’s cultural consulting website to learn more.“We are one thing. We are one. Humans aren’t separate from the trees, aren’t separate from the soil, aren’t separate from the waters. We use this in our western aboriginal medical systems and organizations; our definition of well-being is ‘I can’t be well if everything around me isn’t well’. So that’s non-aboriginal people, that’s my brothers and sisters, that’s everything, and then we’re all well.” – Paul CallaghanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Focusing on the uniqueness of each of our brains, Dr. Nicole Tetreault sits down with Raghu to discuss her book, Insight into a Bright Mind.Get your copy of Dr. Nicole’s book HEREThis week on Mindrolling, Nicole and Raghu go over:Nicole’s devotion to Maharaj-ji and her background in neuroscienceNicole’s research in Parkinsons and AutismHow cancer influenced Nicole’s life course as a scientistFixing models of healing versus bearing witnessComing to terms with death and sufferingImpermanence and remembering to be presentChanging our karmas through shifting into compassionThe definition of neurodiversity and advocatingNeuroplasticity and the capacity for changeHallucinogens and opening a doorway for learningLetting go of our self-critical voiceMirror neurons and empathyThe pros of anxietyThe gut-brain connection and the microbiomeAbout Dr. Nicole Tetreault:Dr. Nicole Tetreault is a compassion-based neuroscientist, international speaker, author, and meditation teacher, fusing ancient Asian meditation with modern neuroscience to support people accessing the vast benefits of wiring their minds for love! Keep up with Dr. Nicole on her website.“A big part of the advocacy around neurodiversity is to say no, different isn’t less, it’s just different, and there are so many beautiful strengths about it.” – Dr. Nicole TetreaultSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nina Rao and Chandra Easton join Raghu to talk about embodying the goddess Tara through chanting.Interested in seeing Nina and Chandra? Here are two upcoming events on the East Coast: Tibet House, NYC, May 11 and Kripalu, MA, May 12-17Raghu, Nina, and Chandra spend this episode discussing:Chandra’s Buddhist upbringingThe deity Tara and the sacred feminineNina and Chandra’s collaboration with chanting and mantrasAn acapella chant offered from NinaTara for harmonyTantra and spirituality for the peopleThe 21 praises to TaraDurga, Saraswati, and other feminine deities we can invoke through mantrasThe eighth Tara as a fierce and invincible embodimentThe mara of doubtAbout 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. You can keep up with Nina on her website or find her on Instagram @nina_rao and on Facebook @NinaRaoChant.About Chandra Easton:Chandra Easton is a teacher, scholar, practitioner, and translator of Tibetan Buddhism. She has taught Buddhism and Hatha Yoga since 2001. In 2015, she was given the title of Vajra Teacher, Dorje Lopön, for Tara Mandala Retreat Center by Lama Tsultrim Allione and H. E. Gochen Sang Ngag Rinpoche. Seeking to bring forth the voice of the empowered feminine in Buddhism, Lopön Chandra regularly leads retreats and classes on Tara for various organizations, develops programs and curricula for Tara Mandala, and teaches nationally and internationally. She has also co-written melodies and recorded music for the twenty-one-Taras mantras found in her new book, Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom. You can find Chandra on Instagram & Facebook @loponchandra.“The main purpose of doing this aspect of the 21 Tara’s practice through chanting and more of a kirtan style is to uplift people, just like kirtan does. To bring joy, open people’s heart to the blessings of these Taras and to Devi and to the universal way. And also to help them remember the mantra, because some of them are pretty long they can be a little challenging to remember.” – Chandra EastonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.