Ep. 48 – Friendships and Runanubandh

Robert Thurman joins Dr. Svoboda once again for a vast discussion on his lineage, karma, and the chain of being.Get a free 50-page ebook, Analyzing Karma: Fate or Free Will, by Dr. Svoboda here.In this episode, Dr. Robert Svoboda and Robert Thurman converse about:Robert Thurman’s lineage, upbringing, and young adulthoodRobert’s experience losing his eye and having a spiritual vision while in the hospitalRobert’s journey to and through India and finding home with the TibetansRobert’s instruction to bring Buddhism to those seeking enlightenment through psychedelicsKarma producing an effect of biological evolutionThe danger of solipsism and how we have all been everythingLiving in inter-tangled subjective fieldsAstrology and the ZodiacAbout Robert Thurman:Robert Thurman is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University and President of the Tibet House U.S., and is the President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. His new book, Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life, is now available.About Dr. Robert Svoboda:Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983.In the years since 1986, Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending three months per year on average in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and allied subjects in locales across the world.Join Dr. Svoboda’s courses, watch the latest video in Dr. Svoboda’s 5 Minutes series on Youtube and follow Dr. Svoboda on Facebook and Instagram for updates, events, and new content. You can also check out www.drsvoboda.comAbout Paula Crossfield:Paula Crossfield is Vedic astrologer and Business Coach dedicated to helping a million spirit-led entrepreneurs make more money and impact so they can bankroll the change they want to see in the world. Her insights on astrology and business strategy have helped her clients build sustainable five figure+ per month incomes while still embodying their values.For more information on 1-on-1 opportunities and group coaching programs with Paula, go to www.weaveyourbliss.com, where you can also get the 2023 Astrology Guidebook“I consider karma to be Buddha’s Darwinian theory.” – Robert ThurmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Focusing on the value of relationships, Robert Svoboda discusses genuine friendship and the concept of Runanubandh.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowThis time on Living with Reality, Dr. Robert Svoboda lectures on:True friendship and a familial connectionThe root of the Sanskrit word for friendVimalananda and the quality of friendlinessSangha, Satsang, and what real friendship is all aboutBeing mindful of who we associate withRecognizing when our friendships are beneficial or notRunanubandh and the karmic debts that may bring people togetherKnowing when to end a relationshipHaving patience when enduring a disconnectionThe positive imprints from real friendships"In satsang, we should come together and attempt to assist one another to go beyond our limitations. That’s what real friendship should be about. Devoting your attention and your energy, your life force, your prana, to extending yourself out to your friends to attempt to assist them to be able to live their lives better and more satisfactorily, more meaningfully, and investing some of your prana, investing some of your life force in order to do this.” – Dr. SvobodaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Svoboda is joined by Dr. Fred Smith & Paula Crossfield to share the many cosmic lessons learned from Vimalananda.This time on Living with Reality, Dr. Robert Svoboda , Dr. Fred Smith, and Paula Crossfield discuss:How Dr. Svoboda and Dr. Smith met VimalanandaTransforming what we ingestThe unusual and auspicious things that Vimalananda made happenVimalananda’s capacity to enliven tantric forcesDealing with karmic debtBeing attuned to the celestial realmVimalananda’s lessons on the cosmic forces in treesBecoming sensitized to our own sensesMagic and mantras in the kitchenThe challenges of being born in the westRead more about Vimalananda on Drsvoboda.com.“This was a way that he was teaching, by just sensitizing us to use our own senses” – Dr. Fred SmithAbout Dr. Fred Smith:Dr. Fred Smith studied Sanskrit for more than a decade in Pune, Madras, and elsewhere in India, and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He is known for his work on Vedic ritual and the early sixteenth-century philosopher Vallabhacarya, whose work he has been translating. With his work on deity and spirit possession, his interest in Indian religious and spiritual experience has assumed a unique form. He teaches at the University of Iowa.About Paula Crossfield:Paula Crossfield is Vedic astrologer and Business Coach dedicated to helping a million spirit-led entrepreneurs make more money and impact so they can bankroll the change they want to see in the world. Her insights on astrology and business strategy have helped her clients build sustainable five figure+ per month incomes while still embodying their values.For more information on 1-on-1 opportunities and group coaching programs with Paula, go to www.weaveyourbliss.com, where you can also get the 2023 Astrology GuidebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looking at the Microbiome from the perspective of Ayurveda, Dr. Scott Blossom and Dr. Robert Svoboda discuss a sustainable path to human health.Check out Dr. Svoboda’s course on Ayurveda and the Microbiome! In this course you will receive a comprehensive deep-dive based on proven science and the ancient Indian knowledge of Ayurveda with practical things you can do right away to support mind and body.In this episode, Dr. Robert Svoboda and Scott Blossom cover:Modern medicine and meta organismsThe microbiome viewed through AyurvedaHow the microbiome impacts so many human systemsThe way our gut can impact our psychologiesThe relationship between human biology and microbial biologyTaking control of our own health through microbiome scienceThe ways that our social and natural environment affects our microbiomeThe multifactorial nature of human conditionsLooking at the forest instead of the trees when considering human healthThe types of foods we should eat for a healthy microbiomeIntermittent fasting, exercise, and soothing the vagus nerve for homeostasis“We also know that our internal proclivities towards imbalance or balance in our lives, in our health, is deeply, profoundly influenced by our social environment, by our natural environment. That is precisely what is being unearthed for microbiome science. For example, it is now well established that our gut microbiome is primarily influenced by the people that we live with, that would be the people we’re breaking bread with, the people were having healthy or not healthy social relationships with, the spaces we inhabit, the way those spaces are kept, etc.” – Dr. Scott BlossomAbout Dr. Scott Blossom:Dr. Scott Blossom is a Traditional Chinese Medical Practitioner, Ayurvedic Practitioner and yoga teacher. He has been studying yoga since 1990 and teaching since 1997. Scott lives in Berkeley, CA. You can find out more at www.doctorblossom.com.About Dr. Robert Svoboda:Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983.In the years since 1986, Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending three months per year on average in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and allied subjects in locales across the world.You can find out more about his work at www.drsvoboda.com and follow him on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.About Paula Crossfield:Paula Crossfield is Vedic astrologer and Business Coach dedicated to helping a million spirit-led entrepreneurs make more money and impact so they can bankroll the change they want to see in the world. Her insights on astrology and business strategy have helped her clients build sustainable five figure+ per month incomes while still embodying their values.For more information on 1-on-1 opportunities and group coaching programs with Paula, go to www.weaveyourbliss.com, where you can also get the 2023 Astrology GuidebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Explaining the Hindu goddess Kali, Dr. Svoboda lectures on disrupting structure in order to see supreme reality.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowThis time on Living with Reality, Dr. Robert Svoboda explains:The 700 verses of Shri Durga SaptashatiA description of Kali’s attributesAyurveda and the separation of the desirable versus undesirableThe manifestation of MahamayaBlood as the representation of PranaHow Kali fights off the enemies of our spiritual developmentKali Shakti and awakening awarenessKundalini and identifying with ShivaRemoving Maya and turning it into consciousnessThe difference between Kali and Kali YugaTime, death, and darknessThe liberation that comes from destructionImages of the goddess as incarnations and invocations“Everything you see is in the process of falling to pieces … and Kali is standing there as the manifestation of what will happen to everything and everyone. There will be that total destruction and that reversion of everything into something new.” – Dr. Robert SvobodaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the Ancestor Fortnight on the way, Dr. Robert Svoboda and Paula Crossfield discuss the importance that honoring your ancestors can have for creating harmony in your life.This episode originally aired on The Cosmic Business Podcast with Paula Crossfield, a show for spirit-led entrepreneurs who want to create purposeful and profitable businesses aligned with the planets. Learn more at weaveyourbliss.com/podcast.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow In this episode of Living with Reality:Paula and Dr. Svoboda discuss the Ancestor Fortnight, which runs this year from September 29 through October 14 They focus on the importance that honoring your ancestors can have for creating success and harmony in your own lifeDr. Svoboda explores some of his own relationships with troubled ancestors and how he’s worked with the karma that is passed down from generation to generationDr. Svoboda provides detailed instructions on how to perform the ancestor worship ritual, as it was taught to him by his guruJoin Dr. Svoboda’s Satsanga on Teachable for access to 200 hours of courses, live monthly Q&As, and more. Registration for the Satsanga is only available until October 1, so join today!“Here it’s like part of the challenge that we’re experiencing in society is the fact that these ancestors are all trying to grab our attention and they have not yet found a good way to be really harmoniously aligned with one another. So part of what our responsibility as natives of the United States is, when we’re doing ancestor worship, to acknowledge the ancestors of everybody in the country and how we salute them, but we have to encourage all of them to do what they need to do. And part of what they need to do is to learn how to cooperate together for the benefit of everybody who is in the country.” – Dr. Robert SvobodaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Explaining the origin and evolution of Ganesha, Dr. Robert Svoboda dissects numerous ancient stories about the remover of obstacles.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowThis episodes contains a discussion with Dr. Svoboda on:Maharashtra as the hub of Ganesha worshipGanesh Chaturthi, the annual festival of GaneshThe Eight Temples of Ashta NayikaHow we can seek wisdom and cleverness through GanapatiGanesh as the remover of obstaclesRecognizing Ganesha through the popular Elephant Head imageShiva, Parvati, and the many tales of Ganapati’s birthThe verses of the Mahabharata and how Ganesh became a scribeThe competition between Ganesh and his brother KartikeyaSantoshi Maa and the modernist story of Ganesha’s daughterThe myth of Ganapati cursing the moon to wax and wane“Ganesh is continuing to evolve. The goddess is continuing to evolve. All these Devatas and Devis are continuing to evolve. It seems very interesting to me to see how this evolution takes place. We haven’t come to the end of the stories of Ganapati yet. Time will tell what happens next.” – Dr. Robert SvobodaDr. Robert Svoboda mentions Shri Moraya Gosavi, a prominent Hindu saint. Learn more HERE about Gosavi and his influence in spreading the worship of Ganapati.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Svoboda sits down with Dr. Ramkumar Kutty for an eye-opening conversation about the past and future of Aryuvedic medicine.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this conversation, Dr. Svoboda and Dr. Ramkumar Kutty discuss:The state of Ayurvedic medicine and the practices that support it Vaidyagrama and applying the principles of Ayurveda more broadly Learning to be less rigid with our practice, not getting too heavy with rigid doctrines"I think Ayurveda is something that we should enjoy, it should make us light. The moment we say restrictive, it is making us heavy. It means we are becoming obsessive about it. And the same thing happens when people work with have organic food or exercise or asana practice. We can enjoy the process or we can become obsessive about it and thereby become very heavy and weighed down. " - Dr. Ramkumar KuttyAbout Dr. Ramkumar Kutty:Dr. Ramkumar is a lifelong student of Ayurveda and other traditional Indian knowledge systems. Over the last 2 decades, he has given talks and conducted workshops in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Australia and many parts of Asia, promoting health, happiness and contentment.Learn more at vaidyagrama.comAbout Dr. Robert Svoboda:Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983.In the years since 1986, Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending three months per year on average in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and allied subjects in locales across the world.You can find out more about his work at www.drsvoboda.com and follow him on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.About Paula Crossfield:Paula Crossfield is Vedic astrologer and Business Coach dedicated to helping a million spirit-led entrepreneurs make more money and impact so they can bankroll the change they want to see in the world. Her insights on astrology and business strategy have helped her clients build sustainable five figure+ per month incomes while still embodying their values.For more information on 1-on-1 opportunities and group coaching programs with Paula, go to www.weaveyourbliss.com, where you can also get the 2023 Astrology Guidebook See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Robert Svoboda and Paula Crossfield discuss how we can honor and work with Saturn to lessen its negative effects on our lives.This episode is a re-airing of a discussion on Paula’s Cosmic Business Podcast, click here to subscribe for more content like this: weaveyourbliss.com/podcastIf you would like to study more with Dr. Svoboda check out his available courses on Teachable: https://drsvoboda.teachable.com/This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this episode, Paula and Dr. Svoboda illuminate:Why we need to pay attention to the greatness of Saturn and it’s relentless impact on all of us, our karma, and the worldThe qualities of Saturn (Lord Shani): remoteness/isolation, slow-moving, separation, delay of gratification, sickness, old age, death, discipline/refinementHow we can work with Saturn to lessen it’s effect on us through developing discipline, impulse-control, hard work, and honoring our lessons and trialsWhat it is that the difficult karmic lessons of Saturn are trying to teach usIf you would like to learn more about working with Saturn, please read Dr. Svoboda’s therapeutic myth, The Greatness of Saturn “Saturn is furthest away and Saturn is slowest moving, so the influence of Saturn is felt for longer than any of the other planets. That means, whether it is for good or not so good, Saturn is going to relentlessly provide you the results of certain karmas of yours. It’s that quality of inexorable relentlessness that really makes Saturn the planet you need to pay the most attention to.” – Dr. Robert SvobodaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Describing the conjuncture of the material and immaterial, Dr. Robert Svoboda teaches us how to work with Prana through Pranayama and the wisdom of Hanuman.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this episode, Dr. Robert Svoboda enlightens us on:Prana as a bridge between the material and non-material worldsHow Prana influences every part of us that moves around, from our minds, digestion, to our circulatory systemCultivating Prana through Pranayama: perceiving Prana within our bodies and working with itAchieving Pranayama with breathing control, devotion to a diety, meditation, and moreConstriction and control versus a steady alignmentPoetry, personal experiences, and connecting to realityLearning about Prana through the wisdom of Hanuman“The mind itself is conscious only because Prana provides it that quality of connection to a supreme consciousness that facilitates our being able to mirror that consciousness in whatever limited way we are able to do so.” – Dr. Svoboda Discover Dr. Svoboda’s online courses here: https://drsvoboda.teachable.com/About Dr. Robert Svoboda:Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983.Dr. Svoboda was born in Texas in 1953, and in 1972 earned a B.S. from the University of Oklahoma in Chemistry with a minor in French. After being ritually initiated into the Pokot tribe of northern Kenya as its first white member in June 1973 he moved to India, where he lived from 1973-80 and 1982-86, receiving his Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (Ayurvedacharya) from the University of Poona in 1980. In his final year of study at the Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya he won all but one of the University of Poona’s awards for academic excellence in Ayurveda, including the Ram Narayan Sharma Gold Medal.The Aghori Vimalananda also owned thoroughbred race horses, and Dr. Svoboda served as his Authorized Racing Agent at the Royal Western India Turf Club in Bombay and Poona between 1975 and 1985. He later served as Adjunct Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, and at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.In the years since 1986 Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending three months per year on average in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and allied subjects in locales across the world.You can find out more about his work at www.drsvoboda.com and follow him on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.