Ep. 553 – Ordinary Mysticism with Mirabai Starr

Amidst election results, environmental crises and more, Raghu and James Baraz consider how to awaken joy in times of disillusion.To learn more about James’ work with the environment and to see how you can help, check out One EarthThis time on Mindrolling, James and Raghu have a talk on: Vulnerability and unconditional loveAwakening Joy in times of disillusionJames’ definition of Joy as the sense of well-beingMaking space for all the feelings we feelTraining ourselves to look for the goodHow we have lost our connection to the landBeing courageous and coming from loveIndigenous and Buddhist teachings that point us to our place in the worldUnderstanding the consequences of our actionsSila and acting with integrity as a path to inner peaceWhy meditation is so essentialThe joy of connection and a closing gratitude practice About James BarazJames Baraz has taught mindfulness meditation since 1978 and is co-founder of the world-renowned Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. He is co-author of two books Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to a Happier Life and Awakening Joy for Kids. James has taught the Awakening Joy course to over 24,000 people from 30 countries since 2003, as well as retreats and workshops in the U.S. and internationally. Learn more about James HERE.“Actions have consequences, that is what karma is. What we do now has an effect on what’s to come in our children and future generations. Those are the dots that somehow the rich, supposedly brilliant minds, haven’t seen.” – James BarazSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Dan Engle joins Raghu to discuss how to integrate the ineffable into our daily lives after profound psychedelic experiences.In this episode, Dr. Engle and Raghu have a conversation about: How Dr. Dan’s life was profoundly changed after a serious accidentIntegrating psychiatry and neurology togetherDr. Dan’s introduction to psychedelics in the jungleHow the psychedelic experience opens us up but can’t be sustainedIntegration of the ineffable into our daily livesLooking at science and spirituality in a productive wayThe fundamental questions that arise out of the psychedelic experiencePsychedelics as a catalyst for personal change and authentic self-discoveryThe soul as a drop in the ocean of spiritRegressive hypnotherapy and unwinding past life eventsContinuing to evolve toward greater understandingPsychiatry’s place in spiritual endeavorsLiving into the movie of we and building upon pillars of wisdomAbout Dr. Dan Engle:Dan Engle, MD, is a psychiatrist with a clinical practice that combines aspects of regenerative medicine, psychedelic research, integrative spirituality, and peak performance. Dr. Engle is an international consultant to several global healing centers facilitating the use of long-standing indigenous plant medicines for healing and awakening. He is the Founder of Full Spectrum Medicine, a psychedelic integration and educational platform; and Thank You Life, a non-profit funding stream supporting access to psychedelic therapies. Dr. Engle is the author of The Concussion Repair Manual: A Practical Guide to Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries, as well as his new book, A Dose of Hope: A Story of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy. To learn more about Dr. Dan’s offerings check out his website HERE.“The ceremony space, the experience with the ineffable, that opens us up (ideally) to our more divine nature, our more true self. That’s the catalyst. But, the real work happens in the integration. How do we make that real for the rest of our lives?” – Dr. Dan EngleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Offering a beautiful ode to India, Raghu and Andrew Harvey discuss divine truths and the oxymoron of beauty and pain.This time on Mindrolling, Andrew and Raghu go over: Andrew’s experience being born and growing up in IndiaIndia as a sacred world filled with divine beauty and painThe divine feminine and masculineRaghu’s experience bringing his father to IndiaThe gift of Ram Dass and tying Hinduism to modern lifeRevelations of incarnationAndrew Harvey’s return to India and encountering great beingsBeing mindful of our anger and transforming our emotionsAbout Andrew Harvey:Andrew Harvey is a British author, religious scholar and teacher of mystic traditions, known primarily for his popular nonfiction books on spiritual or mystical themes. Andrew Harvey is also the founder and director of The Institute for Sacred Activism, an international organization focused on inviting concerned people to take up the challenge of our contemporary global crises by becoming inspired, effective, and practical agents of institutional and systemic change, in order to create peace and sustainability. Check out Andrew Harvey’s many book offerings HERE.“Being born in India is for me the absolutely central and original and primordial and evolutionary event for me. That’s it. Because to be born in India is to be born into sacred world and a sacred culture that is alive with divine beauty, pain, passion, magic, veracity, truth. That’s India. – Andrew HarveySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Influencer and cosmetic artist Chrisspy shares how Ram Dass inspired her to change her life after a traumatic accident.In this episode of Mindrolling, Chrisspy and Raghu discuss: - Chrisspy’s near-death experience and how it transformed her life- Discovering Ram Dass, Eastern Philosophy, and connecting to spirituality- Elements of influencer culture that are toxic- Chrisspy’s decision to delete social media for a year and go on a spiritual journey- Not taking ourselves so seriously or castigating ourselves- The pressure to share every part of ourselves online- Connecting through storytelling- Gratitude practice and paying attention to what we take for granted- Making a positive impact by showing up for others- The ways that we view love versus real loveAbout Chrisspy:Christina, aka Chrisspy, is the second-youngest of four children, raised on non-sugar cereals and 2% milk, in a home chock full of bluster and strong opinion. Displaying a penchant for the artistic from an early age, in order to make her voice heard, she learned to be concise, bold, and avant-garde. After working for MAC cosmetics in San Francisco, she moved to Los Angeles, earned a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, and began posting pictures online to showcase her make-up techniques under the name, Chrisspy. She hopes to curry favor and influence friends, but more importantly, she hopes to empower women with the tools to look their best! Check out her website HERE and find her @Chrisspy on Youtube, Tik-Tok, and Instagram.“I didn’t feel comfortable acting as a reality star in certain ways. It felt performative and it robbed me of so many experiences because I always was gauging is this shareable, how is the audience going to like this, instead of just living it.” – ChrisspySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anita Sanchez and Raghu Markus confront the impacts of global warming, celebrate indigenous traditions, and explore the deep connection of nature and humanity.This week, Raghu and Anita Sanchez have a compelling conversation on:Anita's recent journey into the Amazon RainforestThe intense impact of global warming on Amazonian landscapesThe strength and leadership of indigenous amazonian womenClimate change as the biggest threat to national securityViewing plants and nature as our relativesAsking our ancestors for answers in our dreamsThe way that mother earth cares for usGetting rid of the illusion of separatenessAnita's epiphany at a Sundance ceremonyGetting involved with protecting our planetReconnecting to sacred, ritualistic ways of beingIndigenous plant medicine and the potency of AyahuascaAppropriation of indigenous practicesWhat the four sacred gifts areAbout Anita Sanchez, Ph.D:Anita was born into a Midwest family that was economically poor, yet rich in Mexican-American and Nahua (also known as Aztec) heritage. Fortified with the strength of her elders and connection to the earth, she became the first in her family of over one hundred first cousins to earn a doctorate degree. She has gone on to a career as an international transformational leader.Dr. Sanchez is committed to bridging indigenous wisdom and science with or contemporary work and life, to support our individual wholeness and collective conscious evolution in partnership with People, Spirit, and the Earth. With her loving spirit, presence and skill, Anita inspires people around the world to discover and trust their gifts, to become life-giving connections to all, in service and joy.Learn more about Anita’s work at anita-sanchez.com and check out her own podcast on Be Here Now Network, The Four Sacred Gifts“80% of the most biodiverse places left on this earth are lands that indigenous people live on. Yet, we’re only 5 or 6 % of the world’s population. That’s not a coincidence, that’s because we have this relationship.”– Anita Sanchez, Ph.DSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bridging science and spirit, Stephanie Karzon Abrams chats with Raghu about integrating psychedelics and soul into the medical community.This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Stephanie delve into: Out-of-body experiences through musicAddressing identity changes after Traumatic Brain InjuriesUtilizing plants to promote better healthReconnecting to ourselves through psychedelic therapiesTrauma from displacement and immigrationBridging science and spirit by integrating holistic views into medicineThe mental health impact of physical health issuesGetting the medical world to want to heal the mind and soul as well as the physicalThe ways that psychedelic experiences can change usThe importance of having a guide through psychedelic experiencesSitting with discomfort and being open to the lessonsHow music expands our minds and creates a space for connectionAbout Stephanie Karzon Abrams:Stephanie Karzon Abrams, a neuropharmacologist with a Masters of Science in Clinical Pharmacology, is the founding advisor of Beyond The Bench consultancy. The firm provides science, research, operations, and strategy solutions to organizations and clinics in the natural product, plant medicine, and psychedelic sectors. A recognized leader in shaping the future of integrative and innovative healthcare, Stephanie Karzon Abrams champions the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches. Her interests extend beyond neurology, encompassing plant medicines, women’s health, and the potential of music to enhance healing. Check out Stephanie’s music label, Public Secret.“Anybody who has any kind of health challenge will have their mental health affected. There is an impact. Just treating that illness or symptom is not enough; you need to heal the mind. You need to heal the soul. They’re all interconnected. There’s no reason why medical science, especially when we talk about psychedelics, can’t address all of that. For me, that’s the ultimate goal, if I can use research as a tool to achieve this then I’ve succeeded.” – Stephanie Karzon AbramsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Written in the key of grief and the melody of praise, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer sits down with Raghu to discuss her newest poetry book, The Unfolding.Enjoy your own copy of The Unfolding to read Rosemerry’s heart-opening poems! Purchase the book HEREThis week, tune into Rosemerry and Raghu’s conversation on: The loss of Rosemerry’s son and fatherLiving through seasons of extreme griefUnderstanding the gift of a poemOppositional feelings experienced at the same time (pain + joy, etc.)Recognizing how desperately we need eachotherThe Grand Quilt, The Medicine of Surrender, and more poems written and read by RosemerryBrave prayers and the things that open us / help us growInspiration from Gregory Orr and Leonard CohenHow grief strips us naked and makes us vulnerableRaghu sends us off with a beautiful Kabir poem from the book Painting from the Palette of LoveAbout Rossemerry Trommer:Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is an American poet associated with Colorado. She was Poet Laureate of San Miguel County, Colorado from 2006–2010, and was named Poet Laureate of Colorado’s Western Slope by the Telluride Institute from 2015–2017. Most recently, Rosemerry published The Unfolding, a book of poetry exploring grief. Rosemerry was featured on TEDxTalks to discuss the art of changing metaphors and created an album of poetry called Dark Praise with Steve Law. Check out Rosemerry’s website, Wordwoman, and her daily poetry blog, A Hundred Falling Veils. You can also join Rosemerry in an immersive daily experience of poetry and reflection on the Ritual app.“So many people reached out to help me… they’d say, ‘What can we do?’ And I’d just say, ‘Open me. Help me stay open. Please, help me stay open.’” – Rosemerry TrommerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniele Bolelli contrasts the beauty of community and selfless leadership in Native culture with the epidemic of loneliness in America.In this episode, Daniele and Raghu roll through: Native American history and lessonsDaniele’s first exposure to Native culture through his journalist motherHow the Sundance ceremony shifted Daniele’s entire worldThe purpose of Sundance ceremony and praying for the welfare of all living beingsThe beauty and power of community we can see in Native American cultureLoneliness in America as an epidemicDiscussing a few of the great Native American chiefs, like Crazy Horse and Sitting BullThinking collectively for the well-being of an entire villageWhy a functioning community or tribe is essential for collective ideologies to workThe Native American myth of the Wendigo as a metaphor for insatiable cravingGrab the book Daniele suggests, Black Elk Speaks, for more Native American wisdom and stories.About Daniele Bolelli:Daniele Bolelli is an Italian writer, philosopher, and professor of comparative religion. Currently living in Los Angeles, Danielle Bolelli is also a martial artist and podcaster. Learn more about Danielle Bolelli and his published works as well as his suggested reading list on Daniellebolelli.com.Be sure to subscribe to Danielle’s podcast, History on Fire.“Loneliness is one of those epidemics that is killing us on a mental health level. When you see functioning communities, it’s a beautiful thing because that sense of relation that exists with this group of people that are not just your nuclear family but extend beyond that.” – Daniele BolelliSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharing inspiration from the monk Thomas Merton, James Finley explains what he has learned about God, healing, and mystical paths.Grab James Finley’s Memoir, The Healing Path, HEREThis week, James and Raghu have a deep conversation about: How James discovered a connection to God through Thomas MertonJames’ time living in the Abbey of Gethsemani immediately after high schoolThe resonance that happens between awakened peopleThe secret, safe place that God can commune with usNever forgetting what we learn from dark timesHaving empathy for others through our own sufferingSeeing children as our mentorsBecoming an act of acceptance for the unexplainable mysteryThe healing stories in the gospelsAbout James Finley:James Finley is an author, clinical psychologist, and spiritual director. He is one of the core faculty members of the Center for Action and Contemplation (with Richard Rohr) and is host of the CAC podcast “Turning to the Mystics.” A former novice under Thomas Merton at the Abbey of Gethsemani, he is the author of the classic book Merton’s Palace of Nowhere: A Search for God through Awareness of the True Self. A leading figure in the integration of psychology and spiritual direction, he has led workshops and retreats around the country.“Often, when the terror is overtaking us, it isn’t until later that we reflect on it. We realize it isn’t that it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t just terrible. That precisely because it got so dark I was able to see a light shining in the darkness that had come in looking for me, or it was there all along and I didn’t know it.”– James FinleySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Turning to Celtic wisdom, author and teacher John Philip Newell chats with Raghu about reconnecting to our home, Mother Earth.Pick up your copy of John’s new book, The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home, HERE.This week, John and Raghu get into: John’s upbringing and being drawn to the natural worldThe Celtic lineage and having awareness for the sacredness of natureKnowing that wisdom resides deep within us, not outside of usSeeing the universe as an expression of the divineWhat we can learn from native traditionsA radical new beginning through humility and relation to earth and one anotherAddressing the divine in one another and in every life formBreaking cycles of war and repetitionThe contributions of Carl Jung on the collective and individual unconsciousMerging Eastern and Western traditionsCheck out The Marriage of East and West to learn more about the topics John and Raghu referenceAbout John Philip Newell:John Philip Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being. In 2016 he began the Earth & Soul initiative and teaches regularly in the United States and Canada as well as leading international pilgrimage weeks on Iona in the Western Isles of Scotland. His PhD is from the University of Edinburgh and he has authored over fifteen books, including his award-winning publication, Sacred Earth Sacred Soul, which was the 2022 Gold Winner of the Nautilus Book Award for Spirituality and Religious Thought of the West. His new book, also with HarperOne (and published in the UK by Wild Goose), is The Great Search (August 2024), in which he looks at the great spiritual yearnings of humanity today in the context of the decline of religion as we have known it.Join senior meditation teachers David Nichtern and Rebecca D’Onofrio for a free online discussion on the path of developing one's own meditation practice and supporting others who wish to explore this transformative path. Register for free today: The Journey of Becoming a Meditation Teacher | Sep. 19th @ 6:00pm ET“For me, it was the introduction to Celtic wisdom that awakened me to knowing that wisdom is deep within us and the divine is at the very heart of our beings. We don’t have to somehow invoke or implore a distance presence.” – John Philip NewellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.