Ep. 188 – Suffering & Self-Created Stories

Guiding us toward balance, connection, and freedom from suffering, Krishna Das explores letting go of our numerous self-created stories.This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das responds to questions on:Devotional literature and poetryWhat to do when feelings of boredom arise during practiceUsing pain as an object of awarenessHow mantra practice helps us remain balanced in daily lifeDetaching from our thoughts and feelings rather than identifying with themFreeing ourselves from the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselvesThe difference between letting go and pushing awayThe illusion of separation and how recognizing our connection to all beings releases us from suffering Check out this Tibetan devotional poem mentioned by Krishna Das, Life Beyond Time“When there is a lot of physical pain, it is really hard to be present, which is why they always say practice when you can. It is inevitable that people get sick and suffer and die. People we know will get sick, suffer, and die, and we’re going to have to deal with those situations. We must find a way to live everyday in the best way we can.” –Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drawing on over five decades of devotional practice, Krishna Das offers down-to-earth spiritual guidance for beginners and seasoned seekers alike.This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gives wisdom on:The miracles that happen around enlightened beingsHow to cleanse and open the heart by letting go of old patternsKrishna Das’ lifelong journey of awakening, surrender, and trusting life’s unfoldingPreparing the heart for prema-bhakti—the experience of real, unconditional loveLearning to trust yourself and discovering what’s truly right for your unique spiritual pathMoving away from the ego and going further into our true nature Seeing the guru in everyone and living with less fear, doubt, and mistrustRemembering the essential truth of impermanence—nothing lasts forever, not even sufferingAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas“In those days, my heart was full of many things that the last 50 years have flushed out—sometimes, against my will. I didn’t want to let go of things, but you have to.” –Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Through soulful insights on detaching from the ego and expanding the heart, Krishna Das reminds us that surrender is not defeat, it’s the deepest devotion to God.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gives wisdom on:Listening to the heart and paying attention to our motivationsWhy Krishna Das started to chant with people rather than aloneWhat surrendering means in spiritual life: bowing at the feet of GodRemembering that everything is all grace, but acting like it isn’tLoneliness and how feeling alone comes from within our own belief of separateness rather than physical closeness to other peopleGrief and longing for the things we do not haveRefining oneself through eliminating the parts of our lives that do not workNavigating morals in practice when a spiritual teacher has been denounced Keeping our hearts open and engaging with life fully regardless of our quickly passing feelingsGet a copy of Krishna Das’s book, Chants of a Lifetime, to hear more stories about his chanting epiphany.Plus, grab this FREE download of The Divine Reality for stories of Neem Karoli Baba.“If we were ripe, if we were ready, if we were fully cooked, the moment we heard that, there would be nothing going on in our heads except the name. But we are not ripe, our lives are very busy, our minds are very distracted, so let's do the best we can to remember the name until the point that the name remembers us and it repeats itself within us.” – Krishna DasAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas“Over the years I’ve done lots of stuff, I’ve gotten in as much trouble as humanely possible, and I’m still here. So, that’s the most important thing, find out what you want and pursue it. If it’s not working, keep going, keep fine-tuning. How else will you find yourself except to eliminate everything that does not work?” – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Krishna Das explores how spiritual practices like chanting and loving-kindness can calm anxiety and free the mind from the trap of overthinking.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das shares his thoughts on:Maharaj-ji, beyond the physical formDiscovering the guru’s presence everywhereOur limited, human way of conceptualizing GodSpiritual life and relieving suffering in ourselves and others Loving people as they are while still being able to set boundaries when necessaryThe challenge of leaving relationships after they’ve served their karmic purposeAllowing the mind to settle and becoming accustomed to the feeling of letting goThe illusion of control and the ridiculousness of trying to control othersFinding ways to give ourselves a break and ways to show ourselves kindnessWhy we practice: feeling the suffering of the world without letting it destroy usOffering loving kindness to those we are struggling to acceptPracticing the Hanuman Chalisa as a coping mechanism and a way to change karmaAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas“Let the mind settle a little bit, get used to the feeling of letting go. Thoughts will cut you up, cut your mind up. Just keep practicing, letting go, that’s what we can do. If we don’t do it, we’re constantly going to be the target of our own anxiety and fear. We have to do some letting go.” – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Encouraging listeners to take responsibility for their own inner healing, Krishna Das discusses cleansing the heart of betrayal, hurt, and grief.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das provides wisdom on:Meeting Anandamayi Ma and what it means to have darshan with a guru Accepting people as they are and loving unconditionallyRecognizing where we really are on our spiritual journey so that we can see where our work liesHow all things are accomplished through the repetition of the name Navigating parental relationships and seeing our parents as people instead of only parentsTaking responsibility to cleanse our hearts of betrayal, hurt, and painPracticing seva (selfless service) and offering love to the world around usHolding grief with compassion and allowing ourselves to move through it with careSimplifying our practice: treating others the way we want to be treated How Maharaj-ji scoffed at superficiality and preferred authentic practice, even if it wasn’t meditationAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas “Our relationship with our parents can be very difficult. We don’t know our parents as people; we only know them as our parents. We don’t know how many times their hearts were broken. We don’t know how their parents treated them. We don’t know what they’ve gone through that made them into the person they are now...When your parents lay a trip on you, if you get caught in reacting, that's your problem, not theirs. They are allowed to be who they are.” – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Krishna Das shares time-tested practices and spiritual wisdom for easing suffering, letting go, and treating others with the same compassion we wish for ourselves.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das provides wisdom on:Navigating the challenges of family relationships and untangling the knots of triggered emotions.Channeling our energy into chanting, meditation, and treating others with compassion and respect.Working skillfully with the mind rather than trying to control it completelyTraining ourselves, transforming ourselves, and opening ourselves to real grace and loveInvestigating deeply into the roots of our thoughts and emotions to understand their true sourceTurning inwards and knowing that we can find answers to all of our questions within ourselves Krishna Das’ go-to practice when he is having a difficult time: chanting 108 Hanuman Chalisas Making daily space for spiritual practice to strengthen the heart and mindRelieving suffering through deidentification with the stories that we tell ourselves The difference between letting go and pushing away This episode is brought to you by Dharma Moon.Join Senior Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern for a provocative and playful online discussion exploring the profound practices of mindfulness and the journey of becoming a meditation teacher.Learn more and sign up for a free online talk about becoming a meditation teacher with David at dharmamoon.com/deepening.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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas “We can’t push people around, abuse people, hurt people, and think we're gonna get everything we want. That’s creating terrible negative karma for ourselves. We have to learn to treat others the way we ourselves want to be treated. If you think that’s easy, you've got another thing coming.” – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reminding us that there's no need to escape our daily life in search of spirituality, Krishna Das explains that our relationships, struggles, joys, and routines are the spiritual path.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das opens our hearts to:The divine play (Leela) and mysterious grace behind Maharaj-ji Neem Karoli Baba’s actionsKrishna Das’ experiences with the Dalai Lama Embracing aging with grace, staying rooted in present-moment awareness, and living in truthThe story of Neem Karoli Baba and the haunted treeOffering the positive karma and merit from chanting practices for the healing of all beingsHolding space for global peace, collective happiness, and the end of suffering and warWorking skillfully with sexual energy as a natural part of the human experienceLearning through our relationships with others and all thingsUsing daily life, with all its challenges, as our spiritual practice instead of seeking escapeAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas“When we’re not here, when we’re lost in dreamland, busyness, distraction, we don’t experience time going by, and then boom, a breath does not come in and we’re gone out of this body. To age gracefully is with awareness, to be aware of what’s going on in your life every minute.” – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Krishna Das gives insights on continual grace and transforming our self-limiting inner narratives through spiritual practice.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best selfThis week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das thoughtfully discusses:What it means for the guru to have a key to our mindsTeachings from Siddhi Ma: knowing that everything is grace, but acting like it isn’tPutting effort into loving everyone, serving everyone, and remembering GodThe story of Maharaj-ji in England with a military devotee Our subjective reality as the product of our karmic cycleReconciling our faith with spiritual practice and seeing God in many formsKrishna Das’ take on Buddhism and dealing with the afflictions of the mindUsing chanting and mantra to release shame and stay rooted in the present momentLetting go of the stories we tell ourselves and reclaiming the power to change our livesAbout 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.MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas"We have to make our effort to open to that grace, calm the mind, repeat the name, think of others. Like Maharaj-ji said, ‘serve everyone, love everyone, remember God’. There's not one of those three things that I can do completely, and so, my effort is required to open to the space where that's reality." – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharing personal stories of his time with Maharaj-ji, Krishna Das walks us down the path of recognizing grace, loving all beings, and keeping the heart open, no matter how hard it gets.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self."Grace is always here but we're too busy, too involved in our stuff, our thoughts and emotions. We're too identified with our negative emotions. From our side, it appears we lose contact with the grace. But, that's not the case. We just lose awareness of the presence. Maharaj-ji doesn't go, doesn't come, doesn't leave us. He never lets go. Once he takes your hand, he never lets go." – Krishna DasThis time on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das responds to questions about:Hanuman’s favorite food and providing offerings from the heartThe ever-presence of Maharaj-ji and his grace, even when we are too busy to noticeThe struggle to connect with others and find a community Loving everyone, regardless of their actions or if we like/dislike themA short retelling of the story of Hanuman’s birth Working through addictions and the avoidance of painA memory of an almost-marriage in India, and how Maharaj-ji always saw right through Krishna Das’ egoHow it took Krishna Das 21 years to begin singing to Maharaj-ji as his primary practice"The big community is human beings, that's our real community. Our work is to allow our hearts to open to all beings, even the ones we don't like, even the ones that are doing terrible things. It's not our job to judge—it's our job to love everyone as best we can, and that's hard enough." – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Krishna Das shares a realistic path for resting in the true nature of love that is always accessible to us all. In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das thoughtfully discusses:The many versions of The Bhagavad Gita from different lineages Figuring out which practice works for youHow the soul/buddha-nature is always present, even when we aren’t lookingMeditation practices that increase the awareness of being (I am-ness)Appreciating and accepting all the different parts of ourselves A mantra given to Krishna Das from Ram Dass, “When the sun is kept in the heart, all evils vanish from life”How relationships can help us see the work we need to do Calming down the mind via chantingThe magnetic force and energy within in India Being in relationship with everything all the time How real love does not come and go, and is not conditional “We're in relationship to everything all the time. We have relationships with this table, the computer, the harmonium, the iPad, the floor, the walls, the house, with other people. We're in relationship to everything in the world all the time. When we're in a romantic relationship, we feel loved in the way we want to be loved and we think it's coming from the other person—it isn't. It's coming from our own hearts.” – Krishna DasCheck out the harmonium tutorials mentioned by Krishna das to learn about playing KD-style chords and chalisas!“If you don't love yourself, then what? Where do you sit? Where do you rest? Your self, your true self, is not different than God, not different from the guru. If you don't learn to appreciate and accept all the different parts of yourself, you can't find rest inside." – Krishna DasSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.