Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

Outlining the seven factors of awakening in Buddhism, Gil Fronsdal offers an accessible perspective on the glory of the dharma. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal shares: Seeing the glory of the dharma in all experiences Mindfulness: the simple offering of presence for what’s happening right now Being present for our emotions rather than for or against them Mindfulness as the bridge between the five hindrances and the seven factors of awakening How differentiation gives rise to wisdom and understanding The choice between being caught up and letting go Persisting in our effort to practice, moment by moment Witnessing when our mind wanders off during meditation Having an equanimous mind, being both tranquil and alert This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “With mindfulness we’re just trying to be present, and in that, find a certain kind of freedom. So, if it’s not simple, it’s not mindfulness.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman shares stories and teachings about the Buddha's one fortunate attachment: sacred longing. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Trudy Goodman gives a lecture on: Getting ‘everything’ when sitting in meditation practice Learning how to be present with the experience of suffering Growing from the mud: the metaphor of the lotus flower The deadly process of applying ideals of perfection to ourselves Finding the source of happiness in our own hearts Looking at grief as another form of desire Trudy’s explanation of what she calls ‘crooked grief’ Attachment as addressed by Buddhist psychology The world that opens to us when are not caught in anything About Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA . For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel . You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed . “Don’t be deceived by any others that claim they will bring you lasting love and happiness. Understand that the source of love and happiness is in your own heart, in your own ability to be present, in your own mind. This is what transforms our wants and our longings—the ability to shine this light of presence.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin of the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order, explores how she has cultivated community and diversity through interfaith dialogue, spiritual practice, and a commitment to making Buddhist teachings accessible while honoring tradition. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin and Vincent chat about: Being grateful for the good in our lives Finding support in spiritual community The emotional process of shaving one’s head for the priesthood Being a female in a male-dominated spiritual world Creating community and diversity in Houston, Texas Working to make Buddhist teachings accessible while preserving the integrity of traditions Addressing trauma in the prison system and learning how to support each other Hope for the future and finding common ground in the intersection of faith traditions The great change that naturally arises from a dedication to practice Lessons from the Lotus Sutra on respect Finding the purpose and benefit in all that happens to us “Everything about us is perfect, whole, and complete for the path that we’re walking. It may be horrible, some of the things that have happened to us, but they’re a preparation for us to walk the path in the way we need to walk it. We have to be able to look at everything that happens to us as a benefit. There is a purpose to this happening to us. We can be a gateway for others to walk a better path for themselves. We are perfectly gifted by the experiences we have had.” –Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin About Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin: Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin, stands as a beacon of pioneering spirit, being the first American woman and the first of African Japanese descent to attain full ordination as a Nichiren priest. She holds the esteemed position of bishop for the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order of North America, the first woman and Westerner to do so. Her guidance emanates from Houston, where she leads as the principal teacher of Myoken-ji Temple . She is among the few westerners, specifically one of three, to undertake and complete the rigorous Aragyo [ascetic practice] at Saijo Inari in Okayama, Japan. Passionate about bringing Buddhism beyond temple walls, Myokei Shonin actively supports three prison sanghas within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system. Her interfaith endeavors have seen her as a Fellow with Interfaith America, championing dialogue between Buddhists and Muslims in incarceration. Her roles extend to being a board member of Lion’s Roar Magazine and Dharma Relief 2: Healing Racial Trauma . She's actively engaged in programs such as Healing Warrior Hearts, Texas for Heroes, The Gathering, and the International Western Dharma Teachers Gathering. Beyond these, her contributions span across various socio-religious platforms, underlining her commitment to spreading compassionate teachings. As a writer, her voice echoes through publications in Lion’s Roar and Tricycle magazines, and she has made notable contributions to The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five Centuries of Awakened Women . About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Master's in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE . This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Subscribe on Spotify , YouTube , or your favorite podcast app! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Joined by long-time friends Nina Rao, Krishna Das, and Sunanda Markus, Mirabai Bush shares stories from her memoir Almost Home. Pick up your copy of Almost Home over on the Ram Dass Shop today: Click Here To Learn More Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Mirabai, Nina, Krishna Das, and Sunanda discuss: Mirabai’s catholic upbringing and working to understand her place in the world How Mirabai became the only woman to work on the Saturn Apollo project Mirabai’s meditation studies with Goenka When Krishna Das, Mirabai, and Sunanda met Maharaj-ji Learning about the grace in suffering Knowing that love is real and available to us all “That hard childhood creates that longing for belonging; with Maharaj-ji I felt like at last I belonged—in this moment, in this body, in this world, because I was so totally loved. He changed my idea of what this life could be. I had such a small idea of who we could be in this world, and it just became vastly expanded with him.” –Mirabai Bush About Mirabai Bush: Mirabai is an author, social entrepreneur, teacher, and spiritual leader. She is recognized for her pioneering role in integrating mindfulness and contemplative practices into secular sectors of American life, including business, higher education, law, and social activism. Mirabai’s contributions include co-founding influential organizations such as the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and the Seva Foundation and co-developing Google’s Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. She is also a longtime board member of the Love Serve Remember Foundation . Her latest book, Almost Home , is a memoir published in 2025. About Nina Rao: Nina Rao is a devotional singer. She tours with Krishna Das, singing and accompanying musically, and is also his business manager. Nina has recorded three solo albums, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts” , “Anubhav” , and " Bhumi Devi” . Nina regularly leads kirtan, workshops, and retreats in her home state of New York and around the world. Together with Chandra Easton and Genevieve Walker, the trio released 21 Taras Collective Mantra Mala Vol 1 . You can keep up with Nina on her website and find her on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook @NinaRaoChant About Krishna Das: Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Grammy nominee Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das – known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD – has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time. His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Krishna Das now travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and wonderful stories of his life, of Maharaji-ji, of his life on the Path and discusses bringing chanting into our lives through retreats and workshops. To date, KD has released 15 well-received albums, most recently Trust in the Heart released in October 2017. MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas About Sunanda Markus: In India in 1972, Sunanda met her guru, Neem Karoli Baba, as well as studied meditation with Theravada Buddhism teacher Shri S.N. Goenka. She has continued her practice of Vipassana meditation since that time, along with actively practicing yoga. Currently the finance and operations director for the Love Serve Remember Foundation , Sunanda spent decades as the finance director of a small publishing company, while also being involved in the field of contemplative studies. She spent a dozen years as the program coordinator for the Academic Program of the Center for Contemplative Mind, and then managed the grants program for the Mind & Life Institute. As part of the nonprofit world, Sunanda has served on the boards of the Insight Meditation Society and the Seva Foundation, chairing the foundation for three years. She was an active member of the Seva Guatemala Project, supporting integrated community development. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

From nature’s patterns to the creative process, filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg explores how beauty, awe, and wonder can help us truly “be here now.” Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Louie and Jackie explore: Becoming a creative conduit and aligning with the vibrations of the universe The movement from reaction, to judgment, to feeling, to devotion, to love Opening our minds and hearts to experience beauty, wonder, and awe Redefining the concept of beauty across cultures Witnessing interconnectedness through presence Louie’s time-lapse cinematography and Moving Art Sharing the sacred energy of rhythms, patterns, and colors Staying present while creating About Louie Schwartzberg: Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer recognized as a pioneer of high-end time-lapse cinematography. Schwartzberg explores the connections between humans and the subtleties of nature and the environment. He directed the 2019 film, Fantastic Fungi , and the 2014 Netflix series, Moving Art. Schwartzberg's recent theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film, Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker, and the documentary Wings of Life for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep. Check out Louie’s breathtaking streaming library of nature films HERE and keep up with him on Facebook. About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves. “If beauty activities you and you go to wonder and awe, that means it makes you present. There you are, amazed by something and one with it, you finally become present, which is really the goal of most practices and certainly the essence of ‘be here now.” –Louie Schwartzberg See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Gil Fronsdal explores how Vipassana practice helps us embrace change and release attachment, transforming the way we experience ourselves and the world. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal shares: Change as the heart of Vipassana practice Delusions of permanence and having an ‘upside down’ perception of reality The freedom in holding things more lightly The juxtaposition of perfection with room for improvement Breaking down our attachment to the way things are supposed to be Being challenged in the dharma and questioning our identity Individual culture versus collective culture Watching thoughts arise and pass away The problem with retrospective thinking This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “People tend to see permanence in what is impermanent. They tend to find self in what is not self. They tend to find happiness in things that are not really that happy. The path of practice is to perceive things in a way that things aren’t distorted. The task of mindfulness practice is to break through distortions so we can see more directly.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

In a culture that values productivity over wellness, lawyer and teacher Gullu Singh explores how to navigate stress and high-pressure careers with mindfulness. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gullu and Vincent chat about: Living in Los Angeles during times of unrest The power of awareness and befriending our emotions The RAIN technique, a 4-step mindfulness practice for difficult emotions How lawyers and other professionals in high-stakes fields can benefit from mindfulness Shifting our society and creating a culture of wellness versus productivity The importance of making the space to maintain your practice Gullu’s auspicious experiences with Jack Kornfield & Spirit Rock Finding your own voice and playing your “music” out in the world This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE . About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE . About Gullu Singh: Gulwinder “Gullu” Singh is a mindfulness and Dharma teacher who also practices corporate real estate law. Although he was exposed to meditation as a child, he found his own practice after law school when he found himself working at high-powered law firms where the job was extremely stressful. Gullu completed the four-year Spirit Rock Meditation Center Teacher Training Program and qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Gullu is core faculty in the Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training, the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioner Program, and a mentor for the Sounds True Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. He is also a core teacher and board member for Sacred Mountain Sangha, a senior teacher at InsightLA, and a member of the guiding teacher’s council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Gullu is deeply inspired to share meditation as an antidote to stress, a path to well-being, and a way to inject more sanity, compassion, and wisdom into this world. For more information, please visit Gullusingh.com . “I don’t think we as human animals were designed for the kind of professions that we’ve created where people work 14-16 hours a day on stop. We end up being in a state of constant adrenaline which has all kinds of negative health impacts.” –Gullu Singh See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Jackie Dobrinska speaks with devotional musician Benjy Wertheimer about dharmic shifts, discovering how our unique gifts can evolve into deeper forms of selfless service. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Benjy and Jackie explore: Benjy’s unconventional journey from music and technology to spiritual service The idea of a “dharmic shift” and how life can redirect our path Ram Dass’s influence on Benjy’s music and spiritual calling Using our unique gifts in service of something larger than ourselves Walt Whitman’s shift from poet to Civil War nurse Deep practice as a form of service and connection Balancing personal gifts with humility and non-attachment Listening, finding common ground, and navigating disagreement Grief, anger, self-care, and “healing the healer” Service as an evolving practice of love and compassion “The Dharmic shift that I went through from that point, somebody who was maybe helping a lot of people with computer systems, and I was maybe pretty good at it, but I never would have been great because my heart wasn't there, was suddenly called into service with music and with the practice of kirtan, using whatever gifts I could bring to honor something bigger than myself.” –Benjy Wertheimer About Benjy Wertheimer: Benjy Wertheimer is an award-winning devotional musician, composer, vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist equally accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar, and keyboards. Benjy’s connection to Ram Dass predates his birth. His father, Professor Michael Wertheimer, was Richard Alpert’s Masters Thesis adviser at Wesleyan in the early 1950s. Some half a century later, Benjy joined Ram Dass and Krishna Das in Berkeley for a joint program in 2002, and since 2003 Benjy - along with his wife Heather - has often provided music and kirtan for Ram Dass pilgrimages and retreats in Maui. Keep up with Benjy on Instagram . About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

With compassion and presence, Trudy Goodman teaches listeners how to bear the unbearable through our own willingness to hold it. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. https://youtu.be/TwYZlCsBKnc In this episode, Trudy Goodman offers her perspective on: Learning to be present and okay with our strong emotions Recognizing our emotions as the first step in working with them Allowing difficult emotions without being swept away Surrounding our pain with compassion Noticing the bodily sensations that arise with strong emotions Self-regulation and soothing the startled heart The powerful statement “it’s like this” Merging with the world of intuitive wisdom This was recorded at Spirit Rock and was originally published on Dharmaseed About Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA . For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com “By allowing reality to be as it is, since it is that way anyways, we’re making a relationship with it that’s based on clarity. It is a paradox that I think most therapists know: that by allowing something and accepting something and even by positively connoting what needs to change, not struggling with it, surrounding it with metta and compassion, we actually stop our war with reality. When we stop resisting what’s true, we aren’t fixating on it, and it’s free to move and change. This is called radical acceptance.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Sharing meaningful stories from a life of practice, Gil Fronsdal chats about the impact of spiritual community, simplicity, and generosity. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal outlines: Honesty, communication, and understanding as an alternative to LSD The impact of reading Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind , and going to the San Francisco Zen Center The importance of doing spiritual practice with other people and finding community Finding freedom within simplicity and generosity The practice of working through fear and becoming relaxed Gil’s mindful founding of the Insight Meditation Center , balancing the commercial forces of society How growing up in wartime inspired Gil’s interest in nonviolence and civil disobedience About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed “When I went to the Zen center, people didn’t participate; they didn’t pick up the cues and act accordingly. They became a mirror for me, and I said, ‘This is fantastic’, to be able to see myself clearly through other people. I wanted that mirroring to be seen. In that time of living at Zen Center, I am very confident that I couldn’t have practiced as much as I have done over the years without the support of the community that I was with.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Expressive artist & healer Phoenix Song explores the voice as a path to freedom and a means of releasing trauma. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Phoenix and Vincent chat about: Connecting to our full emotional life via voice work The preciousness (and difficulties) of being born into this incarnation How breath impacts your speaking voice and your singing voice Phoenix’s profound experience during an ancestral healing ritual at Plum Village Focusing on voice work after recovering from dengue fever in India The journey to reclaim and inhabit our own bodies The invitation to ask yourself “what season am I in?” Crafting rituals for others and for yourself The importance of taking your time and healing at your own pace This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE . About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. About Phoenix Song: Phoenix Song is a queer, nonbinary Korean American adoptee teacher, performer, writer, and healer featured in SF Magazine’s Best of the Bay for yoga music. Phoenix was initiated on the spiritual path at Plum Village with Thich Nhat Hanh and is a dharma teacher at East Bay Meditation Center and Spirit Rock. They believe that everyone can sing and love to help people free their voices and rhythm in private and group classes. Much of Phoenix’s life has been about exploring identity issues and healing ancestral, racial, sexual, and gender wounds. They offer tools that have helped them by leading ancestral healing, grief, and diversity/solidarity workshops and trainings that use expressive arts and somatic processes. To learn more about their sound healing offerings, classes, and performances, please visit phoenixsongmusic.com . “By doing more voice work, people start to shake up their breath, their emotions, their body instruments so more of their colors, emotions, personality, what’s happening with them, can come through their voice, you start to hear a more expressive, free, emotional voice. It starts to feel like more colors are coming out than just a few.” –Phoenix Song See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Duncan Trussell joins Raghu Markus and Kelly Rego for a heartfelt conversation on Ram Dass’s enduring legacy and the auspicious experiences that brought the Be Here Now Network team together. Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday Fundraiser Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Duncan, Raghu, & Kelly discuss: Duncan’s introduction to Ram Dass: swimming, playing, and seeing the light again How Ram Dass helped Duncan process the loss of his mother Spreading Ram Dass’s love and legacy through the Be Here Now Network How the universe guides us right to where we need to be Moving through a dark night of the soul The lasting love we have for those we have lost The profound generosity of giving our full attention to another About 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 . “An ex-Ivy League acid-head runs into a guru in India, and now we’re at the point where that convergence of minds is being technologically amplified around the planet. We live in an algorithmically controlled world. My algorithm, oh my god, the horror that I have seen. The more of Ram Dass’s lectures, the more Kornfield, more of the people in this community that you signal boost out onto the world, I don’t think there’s any way to quantify the benefit of that, what that’s doing for the world.” –Duncan Trussell About Kelly Rego: Kelly Rego is an Integrated Marketing & Media Specialist. An Emerson College alumni, Kelly has over 15 years experience of facilitating projects into reality. She has worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer with women’s groups and dairy cooperatives in Costa Rica, a media strategist and buyer in New York City, and has produced a full-length documentary. Kelly is the Marketing Director for Ram Dass’s Love Serve Remember Foundation, as well as the project manager of Be Here Now Network , a podcast network dedicated to spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth. “Ram Dass had this ability to listen on such a deep, deep level, that is how he was able to reflect such interesting things. He was so much in his heart space that whatever you were expressing with your words, he was able to go down deeper to where your heart was coming from. It’s rare to feel so listened to these days; people can be so distracted. He was so one-pointed with that attention. That was part of the magic of being next to Ram Dass.” –Kelly Rego About Raghu Markus: Raghu Markus spent 18 months in India with Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. He has been involved in music and transformational media since the early 1970s, when he was program director of CKGM-FM in Montreal. In 1974, he collaborated with Ram Dass on the box set Love Serve Remember . In 1990, he launched Triloka Records, which established itself as a critical leader in the development of world music. For 17 years, Triloka was home to such artists as Krishna Das, Hugh Masekela, Walela, Jai Uttal and transformational media projects that featured Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, and Les Nubians. Raghu lives in Ojai, California, and is the Executive Director of the Love Serve Remember Foundation. In 2016, he co-founded the Be Here Now Network , where he hosts the Ram Dass Here & Now podcast, as well as his own Mindrolling podcast. He is the producer of Becoming Nobody , a Ram Dass documentary feature film that was released in 2019. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Followed by spoken-word poetry from Dreaming Bear, Ram Dass and Uma Reed explore how the union of Bhakti and Vedanta leads to unchanging bliss and eternal awareness. Recorded in 2008 at Studio Maui, this mini-series features Ram Dass and guests from his satsang. Check out the first two episodes of this mini-series on episodes 245 and 255 of the Be Here Now Network's Guest Podcast. Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday Fundraiser Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Uma Reed and Ram Dass share insights on: Weaving together the paths of Bhakti and Vedanta Connecting to our blissful nature and a joy that is unchanging Ram Dass’s mushroom trip at Tim Leary’s house: seeing the roles vs. the soul Stripping everything away until you are pure awareness and love Spoken word with Dreaming Bear Loving all of each other the way we love our beloved Giving yourself permission to become wild and undomesticated About Uma Reed: Uma was first exposed to Hindu devotional chanting in the early 1970s, while studying meditation and spiritual practices with Ram Dass and various other teachers. Kirtan was a practice that touched her deeply, and as a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, she often participated in kirtan gatherings with fellow devotees, as well as in other ashrams and spiritual communities. For years she held kirtan in her home, and for the past dozen years or so, she has led kirtan formally in yoga studios, spiritual centers, and retreat settings. She has taught workshops and led kirtan on numerous retreats and in satsang with Ram Dass and other spiritual teachers in the U.S. and abroad. About Dreaming Bear: Dreaming Bear is a master word-smith delivering his fervent message with extraordinary verbal dexterity and relevance. He's a nomadic bard, a hip mystic and modern-language Sufic style philosopher-poet. If you'd like to experience a living combination of Spaulding Gray, Rumi, Jack Kerouac, Robin Williams, Shel Silverstein, Michael Talbot and Thich Nhat Hanh, you owe it to yourself to see Dreaming Bear. The foundation for Dreaming Bear’s work as a transformational epic orator and poetic storyteller is deeply attuned to the natural world. His work as a university teacher/researcher was further defined by years spent living 'off the grid'. While in a deep communion with what the Hawaiians call the a'ina, or life force of the land, he began to take his artistry to a new level and developed many of the works that have proven to be inspiring to so many. Find out more about Nature’s Poet Laureate by reading a book of his poetry. “You will always exist. Isn’t that reassuring? You always exist.” –Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

With humor and wisdom, Duncan Trussell shares how the ego can turn spirituality into another achievement, and why freedom comes from realizing there's nothing to prove. Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday Fundraiser Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Duncan chats about: Lessons on spiritual materialism from Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Staying connected to everyday life while being spiritual Transcendental common sense vs. getting puffed up in the ego Staying connected to everyday life while being spiritual The trouble with actively ignoring parts of ourselves Reconciling higher consciousness with everyday affairs Surrendering to all of it and becoming ‘normal’ again Hyperfixating on suffering rather than the end of suffering About 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’s a very frustrating thing to our ego to imagine that you don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to learn Sanskrit, know about your chakras, have those scars on your arm from frog venom, do 90 ayahuasca retreats, go to the Ram Dass retreats, listen to Alan Watts lectures. You don’t have to do anything because you’re already there.” –Duncan Trussell About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Exploring the factors of enlightenment, Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman offers listeners ‘the good news’ of Buddhist Practice. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman explores: The balancing factor, energizing factors, and calming factors of enlightenment Manifesting metta through mindfulness Investigation into the truth of the dharma Offering compassion to the pain we feel The beauty and profound stillness of a unified heart-mind Being both the subject and object of experience Having faith in the strengthening of our mindfulness skills This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed About Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA . For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel . You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com “We can be both the subject and object of experience. We can drop the whole thing and be neither. We have this capacity when we are willing to focus our attention, and, to focus our attention somewhere besides here, we discover a whole world of empathy, love, and intimate connection.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

While offering a guided meditation, Gil Fronsdal traces the movement between knowing, feeling, and relaxing in our practice. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into: The 3 levels of mindfulness practice (knowing, sensing, relaxing) Considering what it feels like to be thinking Knowing the changing phenomena of the moment Allowing yourself to be both alert and relaxed Feeling the activation of our thinking minds Calming the brain and body "You’re just kind of flowing along with the changing phenomena of the moment. And the changing phenomena of the moment might just be the changing sensations of breathing. You’re just knowing them in a very, very simple way, maybe even a non-cognitive way. You’re not necessarily thinking about them, having words, but you’re really letting it register, this is the changing sensation of breathing." –Gil Fronsdal This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Embracing the ever-changing nature of identity, queer somatic experiencing practitioner Coral Short discusses Buddhism’s place in polyamory, trans-embodiment, and more. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Coral Short and Vincent explore: Bringing Buddhist insights into polyamory Encouraging others to share their truth Anattā (non-self) and accepting the fluidity of identity and body Performance art and celebrating community through joint creativity Digital dharma offerings and eco-somatic hikes The importance of sangha and exploring what forms of Buddhism resonate with you The book Transcending: Trans Buddhist Voices Taking the practice off the mat and into the world Coral’s performance art and the somatic element to many of their creative avenues The radical act of taking up the full space of your body This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE . “I think I am just at home in my body. I’ve been on testosterone, I’m off testosterone. I'm aging, I had a menopause party with my friends. I am constantly changing, hormones, aging, whether you like it or not everything is changing. This idea when I was younger of an attachment to gender, I remember teachers telling me this gender will shift, and watching gender shift as people age across genders and sexualities is fascinating.” –Coral Short About Coral Short: Coral Short is a queer, non-binary, white settler born in 1973. They completed their Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) training in March 2023 with Dea Parsanishi. They specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ folks, recovery, activism, creativity, and all forms of radical sexuality. They are a graduated active Community Dharma Teacher at True North Insight in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal and co-lead a weekly Queer Sangha. Coral has been working with the Stretch Festival in Berlin for several years at the Somatische Akademie/ Village Berlin and at the Montreal Somatics Festival. They offer anti-racist courses, somatic workshops, and eco-somatic walks to international communities. They have been an organizer, activist, and artist for the last two decades.For more information about Coral, please visit the following website: https://www.coralshort.com/ “Knowing that there is that freedom inside my body and that there’s sangha members who also know, people coming together and being like ‘this is possible’. We can be super gay and also in a state of bliss. It is possible to get these glimmers of joy in the body.” –Coral Short About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Ram Dass and Uma Reed lovingly explore bhakti yoga, fierce grace, and the spiritual practice of seeing beyond incarnation to the soul in everyone. “I love you. We are in love. We ARE love.” –Ram Dass Recorded in 2008 at Studio Maui, this mini-series features Ram Dass and guests from his satsang. To start at Part 1, click HERE . In this episode, Uma Reed and Ram Dass share insights on: The yoga of your life and all roads leading to God Fierce Grace and reinterpreting ‘negative’ life events How Uma met Maharaj-ji in blue light Hinduism and the many faces of God Working with the suffering that the mind introduces into our lives Not mistaking ourselves with our incarnation Singing, chanting, and being brought closer to God Bhakti yoga and merging together with the beloved “Don’t mistake your self with your incarnation. I’m a nurse, I’m a doctor, I'm a student, I’m a yogi. You’re something in this incarnation, but, you really are a soul. You’re a spiritual being. If you are a soul, then you will see souls. If you be one, you will see one and just like that, officer of the law I saw a soul. Your children, souls. Your parents, souls. Your partners, souls. Your enemies, souls. Then, you live in paradise.” –Ram Dass Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. About Uma Reed: Uma was first exposed to Hindu devotional chanting in the early 1970s, while studying meditation and spiritual practices with Ram Dass and various other teachers. Kirtan was a practice that touched her deeply, and as a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, she often participated in kirtan gatherings with fellow devotees, as well as in other ashrams and spiritual communities. For years she held kirtan in her home, and for the past dozen years or so, she has led kirtan formally in yoga studios, spiritual centers, and retreat settings. She has taught workshops and led kirtan on numerous retreats and in satsang with Ram Dass and other spiritual teachers in the U.S. and abroad. “Finally I screamed out loud, 'I’ll do anything for God', and everything stopped and got very clear. There was this, almost like a rain, a very light sprinkle, and everything was completely peaceful. My mind was completely quiet. I opened my eyes and sitting in the room was Neem Karoli Baba. This was not a dream, not a vision, he was sitting there, bathed in blue light. I was looking at him and I noticed that he wasn't speaking out loud, but he was mouthing some words. I understood I was to repeat it with him. I realized he was saying Om Namah Shivaya.” –Uma Reed See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Teaching listeners to incline the mind towards peacefulness, Trudy Goodman offers practical ways to be calm and experience the blessings of tranquility. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Trudy Goodman holds a talk on: Calm as a factor of enlightenment Having an intimate connection with our own experience Practical ways to calm down Making our lives a living vigil of silence Being in the holding presence of another The mothering nature of mindfulness How metta brings us self-compassion and calm Inclining the mind towards practice and peacefulness Witnessing the blessings of tranquility This was recorded at Spirit Rock and was originally published on Dharmaseed About Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA . For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com “One person happily reported in our meeting, I asked, ‘What is happening in your practice? How are you doing?’ This person said, ‘Nothing, nothing is happening. It took 30 days, but finally nothing is happening.’ This is calm. It’s really very neutral.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Resting in the field of love that ‘just is’, Gil Fronsdal explores how to live for the benefit of both self and others. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal explores: Resting in the field of love without expectations Love that does not require anything of others Appreciating the simplicity of love through the simplicity of awareness What the Buddha said about becoming a wise person Living for the benefit of both self and others The selfless nature of parenting Understanding the circle of ‘we’ and the dynamics of family, society, and being a part of a whole Taking time to be with reality rather than immediately responding and reacting This episode was originally recorded at a family retreat and published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011, he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “Love that just is, it’s not something that requires something of others. It doesn’t require them to be any particular way, to perform, to reciprocate, love is just there.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .