Mindrolling with Raghu Markus

Facing the truth of death, Roshi Joan Halifax and Raghu Markus delve into compassion, surrender, and self-less love.This time on mindrolling, Roshi Joan Halifax and Raghu Markus ponder:Soul and the Depth of CharacterRoshi Joan’s relationship with Ram DassKindness and Love across all spiritual traditionsTransforming from the we to the meHolding a loving space in the face of deathFundamental impermanence as an ultimate truthA.I., predictive responses, and a pseudo-realitySurrender, Joy, and starting practices early in lifeAwareness of one’s motivations and self-interestsRam Dass and opening up the path of loveA Buddhist story on facing the truth of old age, sickness and deathAcknowledging the past and honoring our ancestors“All of us little human beings, we grip onto this small-self identity that gives us a sense of security, but all of that will be let go of as we meet death and certainly if we let go into authentic love.” – Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D.Are you interested in contributing to the wildfire recovery efforts in Maui and in the most impacted areas of Canada? Check out these resources below to find out how you can help:Hawaii Community FoundationCanadian Red CrossLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:Check out Roshi Joan Halifax’s new contemplative card deckTo further the discussion on death and mindfulness, pick up a copy of Roshi Joan Halifax’s book, Being with DyingLearn more about joining The Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program at the Upaya Zen CenterAbout Roshi Joan Halifax:Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. is a Buddhist teacher, Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a social activist, author, and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University (1964-68) and University of Miami School of Medicine (1970-72). She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meditation teacher and author Sharon Salzberg, along with Buddhist scholar and author Robert Thurman, join Raghu Markus on the podcast to discuss loving our enemies, transforming our lives, and bringing love into the world. They explore the concept of love as a source of strength, the importance of self-love, and the antidote to fear. They also delve into tough love, insightful patience, and the power of love in overcoming hatred and internalizing our enemies.

Paul Austin and Gagan Levy join Raghu Markus to discuss the origins of psychedelics in Western culture. They explore topics such as microdosing, spirituality, psychedelic literacy, set and setting, propaganda, the cultural context of the 1960s, indigenous roots, trip-sitting, intention in microdosing, and necessary spiritual practices for psychedelic integration.

This week on the Mindrolling Podcast, contemplative scientist Cortland Dahl and Raghu Markus discuss the Tibetan Buddhist perspective of a healthy mind and how to transition from rumination to exploration.In this conversation, Cortland Dahl and Raghu chat about:Cortland Dahl’s journey to mindfulness practiceYongey Mingyur Rinpoche and loving the worldBeing Human, meditation, and coping with anxietyEmbracing and Exploring the nature of our mindsLanguage Immersion and translating Tibetan textsThe story of Asanga and the Buddha NatureTransformation through compassionate actionWise-selfishness and looking at our motivationsTurning the narrative mind into a new directionGamma Oscillations and the ‘aha’ momentThe practice of non-referential compassionIntersections between science and mindfulnessLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:Raghu and Cortland talk about the book: In Love with the World: A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying by Yongey Mingyur RinpocheLearn more about Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche on Tergar.orgCheck out The Center for Healthy Minds and discover the fusion of science and mindfulnessDownload the Healthy Minds app for a guide to well-beingWhy We Meditate by Daniel Goleman and Tsoknyi RinpocheAbout Cortland Dahl:Cortland is interested in exploring the interface between the body, mind and brain, and especially in the question of how various forms of meditation may help us cultivate positive qualities like mindfulness, compassion and resilience. His current work focuses on studying the psychological and neural mechanisms of different families of meditation practice. He is also the creator of the Healthy Minds program, a well-being training program that integrates insights from scientific research with a comprehensive path of contemplative training.Cortland has an eclectic background and has spent years studying and practicing meditation in Asia, including eight years living in Tibetan refugee settlements in India and Nepal. He has published numerous collections of translations of classic works on meditation and Buddhist philosophy from the Tibetan tradition. In addition to his work with the Center, Cortland is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tergar International, a global network of meditation groups and centers.Learn more at hminnovations.org“Instead of ruminating about our stressful day, we’re exploring the dynamics of our inner experience; and we just start to discover things the were always there, but we just hadn’t seen. The narrative and the conditioning just hadn’t been directed in that way.” – Cortland DahlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raghu shares a conversation with Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD, RN about climate crisis and our interconnection with all things.In this episode of the Mindrolling Podcast, Susan Bauer-Wu talks about her work as a teacher, clinician, and academic researcher and discusses the public meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Greta Thunberg that inspired her new book – A Future We Can Love.In this episode, Susan Bauer-Wu and Raghu speak about:Our interconnection with the natural world and all thingsThe need for humanity to move into better balance with our environmentHis Holiness the Dalai Lama’s public chat about climate crisis with Greta Thunberg – an inspiration for Susan’s new book, A Future We Can LoveRaising awareness about climate change within spiritual and faith-based communitiesLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:His Holiness the Dalai Lama In Conversation with Greta Thunberg and Leading ScientistsMind & Life InstituteThe Loka Initiative | Center for Healthy MindsIt Can’t Happen Here by Frank Zappa“Just imagine that we are these, these gems, these jewels, and in it, we are reflecting all the other gems that we’re connected to that in the universe that every single one of us is part of this. I just imagine these beautiful, you know, sparkling web of all of us that we’re not we are all we are who we are because of each other and we can’t, we don’t, exist in isolation.” – Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD, RNAbout Susan Bauer-Wu:Susan Bauer-Wu is a warm and gifted teacher with a distinctive background as a meditation practitioner and teacher, clinician, and academic researcher, is the president of the Mind & Life Institute. Prior to her recent appointment at Mind and Life, she was the Kluge Professor of Contemplative End-of-Life Care and director of the Compassionate Care Initiative at the University of Virginia (UVa) School of Nursing and associate faculty in the UVa Department of Religious Studies and member of the UVa Contemplative Sciences Center. Besides many academic publications, Susan is the author of the book for the lay public, Leaves Falling Gently: Living Fully with Serious and Life-Limiting Illness through Mindfulness, Compassion, & Connectedness.For Susan Bauer Wu’s dharma talks, click here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bestselling author Carol Sanford and Gagan (Jared) Levy sit down with Raghu Markus for an insightful conversation about transforming our cultural perception of death and infusing consciousness into all aspects of life.Carol Sanford has been an inspirational catalyst and guide, helping change agents and businesses around the world realize their aspirations to make a difference. Now she needs our help!Last fall, Carol learned that the cause of a suite of mysterious symptoms she’d been dealing with was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease)—an inexorably debilitating, ultimately fatal disease. Each month brings changing and expanding needs for multi-specialist medical attention, home retrofitting, access to 24-hour caregivers, special transportation for care, and increasingly sophisticated adaptive technologies and equipment to enable basic life functions – much of which is not covered by insurance.Carol’s incredible capacity for caring and giving has been a hallmark of her life. On behalf of all of us who love her, thank you in advance for anything that you can contribute to support Carol and her family through this challenging time: gofundme.com/f/critical-help-for-carol-sanfordIn this episode, Raghu and his guests discuss:Opening up our worldview by recognizing the paradigms that are in placeThe concepts of conscious living and conscious dyingTransforming the way we think and talk about the stages of dyingBringing mindfulness into the workplaceLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, translated by Sogyal RinpocheThe Regenerative Business & No More Gold Stars from Carol Sanford“I believe we need to change people’s worldview of death and dying and what its purpose is.” – Carol SanfordAbout Carol Sanford:Carol Sanford is a consistently recognized disruptor and contrarian working side by side with Fortune 500 and new economy executives in designing and leading systemic business change and design. Through her university and in-house educational offerings, global speaking platforms, best-selling multi-award-winning books, and human development work, Carol works with executive leaders who see the possibility to change the nature of work through developing people and work systems that ignite motivation everywhere.Learn more at carolsanford.comAbout Gagan (Jared) Levy:As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, he leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just and prosperous for all. As a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation. Learn more at WEAREGURUSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author Andy Karr invites us to look into the mirror, speaking with Raghu about why it is so essential for each of us to develop the habits of self-reflection and mindfulness practice.In this week’s episode, Raghu speaks with Andy about:The themes of self-reflection, applied mindfulness and cultivating a personal practice that are explored in Andy’s newest book, Into The MirrorAndy’s connection to Ram Dass, Buddhism and his study under Chögyam Trungpa‘Crazy wisdom’ and the teachings of Chögyam TrungpaThe importance of holding a personal practice of some sort, and what that offers to our lives“There is no substitute, in my mind, for just developing the habit of practicing. I think alongside of that is perspective, because you see yourself and then it goes back to mindfulness. You see your resistance, your fear, your boredom, whatever it might be.” – Andy KarrLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen HerrigelCrazy Wisdom by Chögyam TrungpaWhy We Meditate by Daniel Goleman and Tsoknyi RinpocheSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the 500th episode of the podcast, Mindrolling co-founder David Silver and old friend Danny Goldberg return!In this special episode, the group reflects on the question, “Are we living in the darkest hour of a dark age?” and explores different sources of light that can guide us through the darkness.In this episode, the group talks about:Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s belief that our era of human history is “the darkest hour of the Dark Ages”Looking towards spirituality and religion for the answers to humanity’s biggest problemsRam Dass and Alan Watts – and the theme of interconnectedness found at the heart of their teachingsPolitics, polarization and the manifestations of darkness that each generation must face"I think we have to look towards spirituality and religion for the answers to try to mediate unbridled materialism, which we know is a death trap." - Danny GoldbergLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:“In Search of the Lost Chord: 1967 and the Hippie Idea” by Danny GoldbergKesha’s new album Gag Order, with a track featuring Ram DassThe Beatles – All You Need Is Love (Broadcast live on BBC’s Our World)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

South African Shaman John Lockley returns to the Mindrolling podcast to share his experiences as a Sangoma in the Xhosa tradition and speak with Raghu about bringing indigenous wisdom into the modern world and opening the doors of our perception.In this episode, Raghu speaks with John Lockley about:Different methods for opening the doors of one’s own perceptionHow plant medicine is used in the Xhosa traditionShamanism as a path for exploring the ineffable experiences had through inner work and psychedelicsWorking with dreams and the spirit realm“The next part of the circle is going into the wilderness and seeing what needs to be done to stretch consciousness and help bring more healing. To maintain some mindfulness is extraordinarily important, which includes meditation and walking.” – John LockleyLinks & Recommendations From this Episode:Sharon Salzberg’s new book, Real LifeJohn Lockley’s NewsletterShift Network Courses (new course with John Lockley coming soon)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tim Burkett joins Raghu to chat about his journey and the lessons along the way of writing his book, Enlightenment Is an Accident.Tim joins Raghu to shine light on:Stories of studying zen with Suzuki Roshi The various perceptions of the term, “enlightenment”“Idiot compassion,” spiritual bypassing, and authentic generosity The amygdala’s role in our behavior The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, and manifesting non-dual feelingCheck out Enlightenment Is an Accident hereExplore Suzuki Roshi’s books hereAbout Tim Burkett:Tim Burkett began practicing Zen Buddhism in San Francisco in 1964 with renowned teacher Shunryu Suzuki (author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind). After completing his BA at Stanford University, Tim and his family moved to Minnesota.Tim’s first book, Nothing Holy About It, discusses how Zen’s core teachings unfold within the ordinary comedies and tragedies of everyday life. In his books, as in his life, Tim reveals how to live in the world with a deep joy that comes from embracing the work and play of this very moment.Tim is the former CEO of the largest non-profit organization in Minnesota for individuals with mental illness. He is a psychologist, a Zen Buddhist priest, and the Guiding Teacher of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center. He and his wife, Linda, have two grown children and two grandchildren.“Compassion begins with embracing the flaws of others. Healing begins with embracing our flaws.” - Tim BurkettSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.