Ep. 138 - Punk Rock, Ego and the God Shaped Hole With Ray Cappo

Blending together hardcore punk and spirituality, Ray Cappo inspires listeners to deflate the ego and serve something bigger than themselves.

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This time on The Indie Spiritualist, Chris and Ray delve into:

• The powerful intersection between hardcore punk and spirituality
• Living on the fringes of society
• How the hands of God can touch anybody, even in the most unexpected places
• The beginning of Ray’s spiritual path and being inspired by Harley Flanagan of hardcore punk pioneers Cro-Mags
• Shifting inward: moving beyond the senses and the mind into subtle awareness
• From chaos to calm: being in Samadhi rather than emotional turmoil
• Kirtan and serving something bigger than ourselves instead of being the center of attention
• The presence of ego even in yogic and spiritual communities 
• Finding oneness and connection with all beings, beyond outer labels
• Letting go of idolizing people or things and reserving reverence for the divine
• Considering how being in the spotlight can inflate the ego if one does not offer praise back to God and surrender
• Recognizing rock bottom as a spiritual turning point and a hidden blessing

"Nothing else will fit in that God shaped hole. If you make your spouse your God, or your dog your God, your house your God, that God is always going to let you down." –Ray Cappo

About Ray Cappo:

As a teen in the 80s, Ray Cappo founded the hardcore punk band Youth of Today, which championed the principles of clean living, vegetarianism, and self-control. After experiencing a spiritual awakening in India, he formed a new band, Shelter, devoted to spreading a message of hope through spiritual connection. Ray currently leads yoga retreats, trainings, and kirtans at his Supersoul Farm retreat center in Upstate New York, as well as annual pilgrimages to India. He is the co-founder and co-host of Wisdom of the Sages, a daily yoga podcast that has been ranked #1 on Apple for podcasts about spirituality. Check out Ray’s recently released memoir, From Punk to Monk.

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