Mindrolling with Raghu Markus

Discussing the loving-kindness lessons in Kind Karl, Sharon’s first children’s book, Raghu, Duncan, and Sharon chat about raising mindful kids who can become mindful adults.  Kind Karl will be released on 12/9!  Co-authored by Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a new children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness. To learn more about Sharon’s forthcoming children’s book, Kind Karl, and pre-order a copy with a special pre-order gift, you can visit Sharon’s website, right here. This time on Mindrolling, Duncan, Sharon, and Raghu connect over:Sharon’s upcoming children’s book on mindfulness and loving-kindness, Kind KarlUnderstanding how habits like greed and fear begin in early childhoodHow issues like greed have roots in early childhoodLearning from Karl the Crocodile: navigating big feelings, mistakes, and emotional complexityKarl the Crocodile as an inspiration for parents dealing with guilt and stressMaking mindfulness accessible and engaging for children of all agesPutting our thoughts onto clouds and allowing them to float awayLoving-kindness meditations for kids: getting the whole family into mindfulness practiceAbout Sharon Salzberg:Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed five million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. Learn more about Sharon and her books at www.sharonsalzberg.com and check out Insight Meditation Society. “It’s not a small thing to have even a little act of kindness because of what’s happening to us inside. That’s something Karl the Crocodile gets into. He really decides to change when he makes that experiment, which can be kind of radical: help them instead of hurt them, help yourself, and forgive yourself. How does it feel inside when we choose that?” –Sharon SalzbergAbout  Duncan Trussell:Duncan Trussell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His popular podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, has been downloaded over 25 million times and is known for its blend of humor, fringe ideas, eclectic guests, and great interviews. The DTFH is the foundation for Duncan’s Netflix animated series, The Midnight Gospel, which he co-created with Pendleton Ward in 2020. To learn more about Duncan’s work, visit his website at duncantrussell.com. "It starts right at the beginning, they want each other's toys. This is built into us. Whenever you look out into the world at the stuff going on and the big picture, it really isn't that different from siblings, except the problem is that these are adults and there isn't anyone to tell them, okay, you're getting a time out." –Duncan TrussellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrating the release of There Is No Other, a new book of teachings from Ram Dass’ lectures, Parvati Markus and Raghu Markus listen to and reflect on some of the material used in its creation.This special episode of Mindrolling celebrates the new book, There Is No Other, a collection of teachings taken from Ram Dass’ lectures. In these times, Ram Dass’ teachings on wholeness and unity are more needed than ever.We begin with a clip of Ram Dass exploring the mindset of “us versus them.” Who exactly is us? Who is them? Raghu and Parvati reflect on how this clip is central to the theme of There Is No Other.The next clip features Ram Dass talking about the balance of heart and mind. Sharing a powerful real-life example, he explores how we cut ourselves off when we veil our hearts. Raghu and Parvati share how the book is about walking a path to harmony and wholeness.The third clip finds Ram Dass examining Ramana Maharshi’s concept of “God, Guru, Self,” and how we can begin to appreciate that the Spirit is everywhere. Parvati and Raghu discuss how Ram Dass’ new book speaks to this really important moment in our lives.We end with a brief clip of Ram Dass talking about the path of love. “Finally,” he says, “you become an environment, a vibratory rate…”The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.“So the mind, if it gets too strong, out of balance with the heart, shuts down all the information that the heart can give. It cuts you off from your wisdom, really. You don’t even see all the stuff. I mean, you and I are simultaneously existing on so many planes of reality, but because of the power of our minds, we keep limiting which realities are real, and the rest of it we either treat as error or we don’t even notice. It’s so deeply unconscious, we just don’t even notice all the rest of us, of ourselves.” – Ram DassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raghu Markus and Psychoanalyst Dr. Jeffrey Rubin unpack how mindfulness, empathy, and self-understanding connect the worlds of Buddhism and Western therapy.In this Mindrolling episode, Raghu and Dr. Rubin discuss:Jeffrey’s traditional upbringing and the unexpected spiritual experience he had during a basketball gameKey parallels between Western psychotherapy and Buddhist wisdomHow “hovering attention” and mindfulness support both therapists and clientsIdentifying pure presence in numerous activities, from chanting to sports and beyond The marriage of Buddha and Freud: moment-to-moment non-judgmental, non-interfering presence Why some Buddhist practitioners can be “one with experience” but struggle to articulate what that truly meansViewing our symptoms as beautiful gateways to transformation rather than obstaclesPutting practice into everyday life and helping people truly live differentlyEmpathetically understanding those we disagree with Becoming open to feedback and growth instead of shutting down new ideas The ways in which we maladaptively try to cure ourselves What real, sustainable transformation actually looks like in practiceGrab one of Jeffrey’s central works, Meditative Psychotherapy: The Marriage of East and WestAbout Dr. Jeffrey B. Rubin:Dr. Rubin practices psychoanalysis and psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy and teaches meditation in New York City and Bedford Hills, New York. Widely regarded as a leading integrator of the Western psychotherapeutic and Eastern meditative traditions, Dr. Rubin created Meditative Psychotherapy based on decades of study, teaching and helping people to flourish. Dr. Rubin is the author of six books and numerous publications. He has taught at universities, psychoanalytic institutes and Buddhist and yoga centers. Dr. Rubin lectures in the US and has given workshops at the UN, the Esalen Institute, the Open Center and the 92nd Street Y. His pioneering approach to psychotherapy and Buddhism has been featured in The New York Times Magazine.​ Sign up HERE for a workshop on self-transformation with Dr. Rubin“I call it the marriage of Buddha and Freud. It’s any practice that cultivates moment-to-moment, non-judgmental, non-interfering presence. That can be qigong, prayer, or Sufi dancing. I don’t want the audience to think it has to be Buddhist; it can be many things. It just happens to be very well done in Buddhism. It’s any sincere path that will help you focus, concentrate, have more self-compassion and compassion for others.” –Dr. Jeffrey B. RubinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of Mindrolling is a collection of some of the most potent teachings from Raghu’s conversations with experts and researchers in the field of psychedelics.In this Mindrolling Anthology:Clip 1 (Ep. 348) – We begin with a clip from one of Raghu’s conversations with Rick Doblin, who is a leader of the current psychedelic renaissance. They discuss grief, PTSD, and the role of psychedelics in trauma processing.Clip 2 (Ep. 497) – Next up is a snippet from Raghu’s talk with Dr. Sylvestre Quevedo, a psychedelic researcher who has practiced medicine for over 40 years. They explore how ketamine fits into the picture of psychedelics and share stories of their own experiences.Clip 3 (Ep. 505) – We move on to a discussion with Paul Austin, an entrepreneur, author, and coach. He and Raghu talk about how psychedelics can help us remember who we truly are and the potential they hold for healing relationships.Clip 4 (Ep. 563) – Next, we have neuropharmacologist Stephanie Karzon Abrams. She and Raghu discuss bridging the gap between science and spirit, and how psychedelics can help change our perspectives.Clip 5 (Ep. 596) – The final clip is from a conversation between Raghu and neuroscientist Gül Dölen. They talk about how psychedelics induce meta-plasticity and why “critical periods” after psychedelic therapies are similar to the Buddhist concept of beginner’s mind.“But really, what psychedelics are teaching us is the importance of presence, how to listen, how to slow down, right? They’re helping to sort of take us out of this rigamarole, this hamster wheel of existence, and see that another way of being is actually possible. And really, what’s required more than anything is a loving, compassionate presence.” – Paul AustinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raghu sits down with clinical psychologist and meditation teacher Dr. Tucker Peck to explore the meeting point of dharma and psychotherapy.If you are in the U.S., you can directly purchase a paperback copy of Sanity & Sainthood HERE. Otherwise, head over to Amazon for both paperback and ebook formats. In this episode of Mindrolling, Raghu and Tucker discuss:Tucker’s first mind-altering meditative experience on the beachIncluding the dharma in psychotherapy and Tucker’s work in meditation as a therapeutic modalityHow Tucker developed a relationship with Sharon Salzberg and learned mindfulness techniques from herThe eccentric story of Grandma Allegra: enlightenment, humor, and being in love with the world The question of psychedelics—are they ‘necessary’ for elevating consciousness?Working with the mind and the difference between content and process The pros and cons of the ego and why we need to first know ourselves before dissolving the selfThe Elephant Path, a nine-step practice for building concentration, insight, and awakened awarenessAbout Tucker Peck, Ph.D.:Dr. Tucker Peck is a meditation teacher, clinical psychologist, and bestselling author of Sanity and Sainthood.  His specialties include working with advanced meditators and using meditation to help those suffering from psychological disorders.  He hosts the podcast Teaching Meditation. Tucker began formal training in meditation in 2005 and has studied with, among other teachers, Sharon Salzberg and Upasaka Culadasa.Tucker received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Brown University, and he received his Masters and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the College of Science at the University of Arizona. Tucker is a published author on the scientific study of meditation, focusing on how meditation affects the brain. He is a former faculty member of both the University of Arizona Department of Psychology and College of Medicine, and he is the founder and former Director of Palo Santo Psychotherapy & Wellness.  He is the founder, treasurer, and past president of the Open Dharma Foundation, which provides scholarships to meditation retreats, and for four years served as the president of the Tucson Community Meditation Center.  Keep up with Tucker and his upcoming retreats HERE.“The trouble is, the ego is trying to protect you from threats and it is very, very unclear on what does and doesn’t constitute a threat. It tends to think any sort of emotion constitutes a threat, any sort of insight into how the mind or perceptual system works is more than you can handle, so what you want is to slowly get to know yourself.” –Tucker Peck, Ph.D.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of Mindrolling is a collection of some of the best moments from Raghu’s conversations with his podcast guru, the one and only Duncan Trussell.In this Mindrolling Anthology:Clip 1 (Ep. 4): From the very beginning, it was love at first sight. In their first Mindrolling conversation, Duncan and Raghu talk about how they met.Clip 2 (Ep. 94): Recorded live at the 2014 “Open Your Heart in Paradise” retreat in Maui, Duncan explores his crippling video game addiction, his early connection to Ram Dass, and a beautiful moment he shared with his mother before she passed away.Clip 3 (Ep. 144): From Sartre to Skinner to Gurdjieff, Raghu and Duncan get philosophical about gratitude, ego structures, and premeditated murder. Get your insanity defense ready!Clip 4 (Ep. 297): In this conversation about identity, personality, and motivation, Duncan and Raghu invoke the wisdom of Trungpa Rinpoche and his lack of glue when it came to his Trungpa-ness.Clip 5 (Ep. 385): Everybody watch out, the mischief man is here. Duncan expresses some of his frustrations with the spiritual path, while Raghu talks about how honest intention allows for transformation.Clip 6 (Ep. 518): What is the movie of me? Raghu and Duncan discuss an idea so essential to their ongoing conversation that they wrote a book about it. Just don’t tell Krishna Das!Pick up a copy of There Is No Other, a new book of essential wisdom from Ram Dass & Friends for an age of disconnection: Click To Learn MoreAbout Duncan Trussell:Duncan Trussell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His popular podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, has been downloaded over 25 million times and is known for its blend of humor, fringe ideas, eclectic guests, and great interviews. The DTFH is the foundation for Duncan’s Netflix animated series, The Midnight Gospel, which he co-created with Pendleton Ward in 2020. To learn more about Duncan’s work, visit his website at duncantrussell.com.“When my mom was dying, I said to her, ‘What do you want me to do?’ Something you ask your mom when they’re dying. And she had a spiritual practice, a real spiritual practice; she was very dedicated to it. Every morning, she would wake up and meditate for a long time. And you see, when someone’s dying, holy cow, you see how incredible that practice can be, because the grace with which she left the universe was just stunning. It’s beautiful. I was like, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And she said to me, ‘Expand.’” – Duncan TrussellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susan Magsamen, founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab, and Ivy Ross, a designer and wellness advocate, delve into the transformative power of art on the brain. They discuss how redefining art as personal expression can rewire neural pathways through creativity. Music’s role in fostering connection and community is highlighted, along with the importance of play in the creative process. They emphasize integrating art into daily life, ritualizing creativity, and how these practices contribute to well-being and personal growth.

Carried by a discourse on The Heart Sutra, teacher and author Susan Piver joins Raghu to explore the truth of emptiness.Grab your copy of Susan’s book: Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart SutraThis week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Susan chat about:Practicing The Heart Sutra with only one syllable: ahhThe truth of emptiness through recitation of non-truths Understanding emptiness as bliss, not as voidnessThe commitment to self interest that many westerners experienceReleasing the ego as the first step towards embracing emptiness Being both empty and luminous at the same timeThinking of emptiness as complete interconnection and fullnessSusan’s psychedelic experience: staying in the present, being in the womb of blissThe six transcendent actions and how they all spring from generosity Check out this free, downloadable translation of The Heart Sutra from Plum Village“You’re empty of separate existence. Your parents, their parents, their parents, if someone ate a different sandwich a thousand years ago, you wouldn’t be here. Emptiness could just as easily be called fullness, completely connected.” –Susan PiverAbout Susan Piver:Susan Piver has an international reputation as an exceptionally skillful meditation teacher. She teaches workshops and speaks on mindfulness, innovation, communication, relationships, and creativity. Susan has been a student of Buddhism since 1995, graduated from a Buddhist seminary in 2004, and was authorized to teach meditation in 2005. In 2012, she founded The Open Heart Project, the world’s largest online-only meditation center. Susan is also a New York Times bestselling author. Her most recent book, Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart Sutra, is now available. You can keep up with Susan on Instagram or on her website.Join Susan for a 5-day Kripalu meditation retreat this NovemberSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author and changemaker Shermin Kruse examines the timeless principles of Stoicism and their power to foster mindful, intentional, and empathetic living.Grab a copy of Stoic Empathy HERE to learn more about living a Life of Influence, Self-Leadership, and IntegrityThis week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Shermin Kruse:Embracing discomfort and challenges as catalysts for personal and spiritual growthShermin’s powerful story of growing up in Iran during the wartime of the 1980s and 90sHow Stoic philosophy transformed Shermin’s approach to work, meditation, therapy, and daily lifeThe profound relationship between Stoicism and empathyShermin’s Stoic inspiration mother, aunt, and cultural rootsUnderstanding the Stoic ideal of the dichotomy of controlShermin’s mystical, otherworldly experience while giving birthPracticing intentional pause and mindful response to life’s stimuliMoving beyond the ego and awakening to loving awarenessAbout Shermin Kruse:Shermin Kruse is an award-winning idea curator, global change-maker, complex-system negotiator, lawyer, speaker, and storyteller. Shermin has nearly two decades of experience working in competitive strategy and game theory applications, corporate and community advocacy, brand protection and augmentation, as well as dispute resolution for individuals, public-company boards of directors, international corporations, and Fortune 500 Companies. Shermin also has a decade of parallel experience producing thought-leadership events, including TEDx conferences and a network of salon series. She teaches Negotiating with Tactical Empathy, Global Transactions, Cross-Border Deals, and Leadership at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Shermin is a mother of four, living in the heart of Chicago. Her personal journey from the war-torn streets of her native Tehran to the elite corporate boardrooms of the world informs her deep commitment to fostering empathy, control, justice, and global understanding. Learn more on Shermin’s website.“It’s a kind of resilience and a kind of Stoicism that is very counter to the image of the statue, stoic, white, male figure that we think about when we imagine Greek Stoicism. The interesting thing about Stoicism is all that it has in common with Buddhism, meditation, dance, passion—all of those things.” –Shermin KruseSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Silver and Raghu Markus explore the life and teachings of George Gurdjieff, the Russian-born mystic and philosopher of consciousness.This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and David have a discussion about:How a teenage David Silver was first introduced to Gurdjieff’s teachingsGurdjieff’s influence on the 1960s counterculture and the evolution of consciousness movementsThe call to “do only what is new and fresh” and live in search of the miraculousDoing the work literally and figuratively; supporting oneself and moving towards clear mentation Gurdjieff’s view of humans as incomplete sleepwalkers, mechanically reacting to lifeGradual awakening through self-observation, inner struggle, and conscious effort Shedding false pretenses to discover a unified, authentic selfHow Gurdjieff’s philosophy inspired Ram Dass’s spiritual visionThe Seekers of Truth and The Sarmoung Brotherhood The transformative and ongoing practice of self-remembering Pre-order your copy of There Is No Other: The Way to Harmony and Wholeness a profound collection of newly gathered writings from Ram Dass and edited by Parvati Markus. Ram Dass shows us how a house divided against itself—whether that “house” is our individual self or the society in which we live—can come together in wholeness. Learn more: There Is No Other Way Pre-OrderAbout George Ivanovich GurdjieffGurdjieff, who was born in the late 1800’s, was a philosopher, mystic, spiritual teacher, composer, and movements teacher. Born in the Russian Empire, he briefly became a citizen of the First Republic of Armenia after its formation in 1918, but fled the impending Red Army invasion of Armenia in 1920, which rendered him stateless. Gurdjieff taught that people are not conscious of themselves and thus live their lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep", but that it is possible to awaken to a higher state of consciousness and serve our purpose as human beings. Learn more about Gurdjieff HERE and pick up some of Gurdjieff’s most famous work, Meetings with Remarkable Men.About 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 Maharaj-ji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaj-ji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. Silver’s #1 charting MGM/UA/Warners film, “The Compleat Beatles” is the critically acclaimed biopic movie about history’s most famous band. The term ‘rockumentary’ was first applied to this two-hour movie. Rolling Stone recently described the film as a “masterwork.” Silver’s Warner Brothers’ feature film, “No Nukes” also started the whole trend of music/activism feature documentaries.“His father basically said to him, you must not do anything old, you must always try and do something new and fresh, you must already be honest, you must always support yourself, These were all important in Gurdjieff’s life. You must be in search of the miraculous, because what else is there?” —David SilverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.