Spirit Matters

This is the second episode in which Spirit Matter's host, Philip Goldberg, moves to the other side of the interview table. The occasion is the publication of his latest book, Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life. In it, he dives into what karma is, what it is not, and all the practical implications of understanding the laws of karma. His interlocutor this time is Beryl Bender⁠, who has been teaching yoga and meditation since 1971 and has been training yoga teachers through her school, The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute, for nearly 50 years. She’s also the best-selling author of several books on yoga, including ⁠Power Yoga⁠; ⁠Beyond Bower Yoga⁠; and ⁠Yoga for Warriors: Basic Training for Strength, Resilience, and Peace of Mind. She also co-founded the Give Back Yoga Foundation has been a leader in addressing the relationship between yoga practice and activism and service. [Listen as well to an earlier interview about the book with Rabbi Rami Shapiro interviewing Phil.] ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Muller-Ortega was a distinguished professor of the Indic religious traditions who retired from academia in 2006 and founded his school, Blue Throat Yoga. Since then, to quote from his website, “Paul has been teaching practices of deep meditation and the theories of meditation studies. His primary theoretical focus is founded on the teachings of lineages of the Śakta-Śaiva Tantra, particularly as brought forward by the extraordinary medieval siddha guru, Rājānaka Abhinavagupta. Paul is particularly committed to  bringing forward deeply authentic and highly effective practices and teachings of modern meditation practice in the context of householder spirituality. And doing so always on the direct basis of the theoretical and philosophical teachings of this important ancient esoteric lineage of the Kashmiri śaiva masters.”  He is also focused on training teachers to help carry on his work.  We spoke about what distinguishes Kashmir Shavism from other systems, the practical value of integrating deep meditation and other transformative practices into daily life, and other vital topics for living a spiritual life. Learn more about Paul and Blue Throat Yoga here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Yvonne Kason is a retired family physician, psychotherapist, and faculty member at the University of Toronto. She is also an internationally known expert on near-death experiences, kundalini awakening, and other spiritually transformative experiences (STEs). In 1990, she became the first Canadian MD to specialize in researching and counseling patients with diverse types of STEs, a term she coined in 1994. She is past-president of the International Association for Near-Death Studies and the current president of the organization she founded, Spiritual Awakenings International (SAI). SAI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about all types of spiritually transformative experiences. Dr. Kason has published six books, the most recent of which is Soul Lessons From the Light: How Spiritually Transformative Experiences Changed my Life. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Learn more about Dr. Kason here, and Spiritual Awakenings International here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judith Carlisle, Ph.D., has a masters degree in Management Information Systems and a doctorate in Computer Information Systems from the University of Arizona. She also earned a masters degree in Yoga Studies from the first-of-its-kind program started by a previous guest on Spirit Matters, Christopher Key Chapple, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Judith, who began practicing yoga with her grandmother as a young child, is now an adjunct professor in that same Yoga Studies program, She also teaches at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Her teaching integrates the rigorous exploration of yogic and Buddhist texts, philosophies, and history with practices from the Dharmic traditions, e.g. Yoga and Buddhism. Her teaching is dedicated to supporting students and practitioners as they seek to understand how yoga study and practice support personal and worldly transformation, enlightenment, and liberation. She is a credentialed yoga teacher, registered with Yoga Alliance, and her work has included the development and delivery of trauma-informed yoga curricula and the training of Yoga teachers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jacob Kyle is a scholar, educator, yoga teacher, meditation teacher, and writer. He holds a master of philosophy degree in classical Indian religions from Oxford University, an MA in philosophy from the New School for Social Research, an MS in political theory from the London School of Economics (2007), and is currently earning a doctorate at Oxford, researching a philosophy of creativity rooted in Kashmir Shaivism. A passionate advocate and practitioner of Kashmir Shaivism, he is the founding director of Embodied Philosophy, an online learning platform with an extraordinary collection of courses, lectures, and workshops, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. He also hosts the podcast “Chitheads” (chit means consciousness in Sanskrit). His guiding mission, he says, is “to re-imagine the modern function of the yoga teacher so as to be in greater alignment with the teachings, texts, and traditions of yoga's rich and profound history.”  We spoke about the challenges of doing that, the origin and purpose of Embodied Philosophy, and more. Jacob's website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramdev Dale Borglum has been a pioneering figure in the conscious dying movement for decades, beginning when he founded and directed the Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in collaboration with Ram Dass, Philip Levine, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, and others. Since 1986, he’s served as Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project, which is now based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The program guides individuals through the sacred journey of death, combining Eastern spirituality and Western psychology. He is also a meditation teacher, a workshop leader, the host of the podcast Healing at the Edge. He is the co-author of Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook, and his forthcoming book, How to Live So You Can Die Without Fear, will be released in 2026. He also offers one-on-one support to select individuals. This conversation focuses mainly on what he's learned in his decades of work with the dying, and also his fascinating spiritual journey, which brought him into the company of extraordinary individuals such as Ram Dass, Ananda Mayi Ma, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and his guru, Neem Karoli Baba.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special episode of Spirit Matters. Regular host Philip Goldberg moves to the other side of the table, turning over hosting duties to Rabbi Rami Shapiro for a conversation about Phil's forthcoming book, Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life. It's an in-depth discussion of the concept of karma, which is at once simple and complex. The term, which is used more and more frequently in ordinary conversation, is often misconstrued. The conversation delves into common misunderstandings of karma and teases out a lot of its nuances and its relevance to everyday life. Karmic Relief will be released in October; click here to pre-order it on Amazon (authors are grateful for pre-orders as they upgrade the book's position on Amazon). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamla K. Kapur was born and raised in India and studied in the United States. Her writing has included plays, novels, poetry, essays and re-imaged Indian and Mid-eastern spiritual writings. She is the author of 8 books, including: The Singing Guru, which is a novel about Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh tradition; Ganesha Goes to Lunch: Classics From Mystic India; Rumi’s Tales From the Silk Road; and her latest, The Privilege of Aging: Savoring the Fullness of Life. She is based in the seaside town of Del Mar, which is just north of San Diego, where she taught literature, creative writing, mythology, and Shakespeare at Grossmont College for 15 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Robert K.C. Forman had a distinguished, twenty-year career as a professor of comparative religion at the City University of New York, during which time he had a major influence on the study of mysticism and authored several books and more than forty academic articles. A writer, popular public speaker, and spiritual counselor, he has shared his insights in Sweden, Iran, Finland, Israel, England, and across the U.S. After retiring from academia, he founded and ran the Forge Institute for Spirituality and Social Change (full disclosure: I was on the board), and also served as a board-certified hospital chaplain, an ordained interfaith minister, and a certified meditation teacher. His academic books include The Problem of Pure Consciousness and his books for the general reader include Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up to Be, and his latest work, which we’ll be discussing here, Christianity Reimagined: A Mystical Approach for Doubters and the Dubious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is an American woman who was raised in Hollywood and educated at Stanford before her life was unexpectedly transformed by a journey to India. For the last 30 years, she has lived at Parmarth Niketan ashram in Rishikesh, the famously sacred city in the Himalayan foothills. At the direction of her guru, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, she serves as Parmarth’s international director and gives daily spiritual teachings to ashram residents and guests. A popular public speaker, she has addressed various worldwide forums, including the United Nations, on issues ranging from sustainable development to gender equality. She also serves as the Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith Wash Alliance, the world’s first interfaith initiative for water, sanitation, and hygiene, and as President of the Divine Shakti Foundation, which is dedicated to uplifting women and children. Her work earned her a presidential lifetime achievement award for service from President Joe Biden. She’s also the author of the memoir Hollywood to the Himalayas and her new book, Come Home to Yourself. We spoke about the substance of that book, about Sadhvi's unique and fascinating path, and about today's spiritual challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Prendergast Ph.D. is a nondual spiritual teacher who is now retired from psychotherapy practice and his role as Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he taught masters level counseling students for twenty-three years. Among his major spiritual influences are Jean Klein and Adyashanti. John offers residential retreats with his wife, Christiane, at leading venues in the U.S. and Europe as well as online. He’s also an author. His books include Listening From the Heart of Silence; The Sacred Mirror; In Touch; The Deep Heart; and his latest, Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality. We spoke mainly about the content of that last book and the importance of remaining deeply grounded as we evolve on the spiritual path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Macpherson is a widely respected contemporary spiritual teacher who has been guiding others into the direct experience of the sacred for more than 30 years. Born and raised in Australia, she founded the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in London, where she trained and ordained more than 600 ministers and spiritual counselors over the course of ten years. Now based in the San Francisco Bay area, she leads the Living Grace Global Sangha and offers retreats internationally and online. Among her spiritual influences are Sri Ramana Maharshi, A Course in Miracles, and The Diamond Approach, in addition to her extensive study of the world’s wisdom traditions. Her books include The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation; Boundless Love; and Meditations on Boundless Love. She is also a kirtan musician whose albums of mantra chanting include Streams of Grace and The Heart of Being. We spoke about her remarkable spiritual history (from which there is much to learn), how to recognize and abide in Grace; turning suffering into transformation; the proper understanding of nonduality; and appropriate spiritual responses to challenging world conditions. The episode ends with Miranda leading us in a guided meditation. Click here to learn more about Miranda and her work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leon Logothetis had a highly successful career in London's financial industry, but he was deeply depressed. So he switched gears entirely and became a global adventurer, a TV host, a motivational speaker, and a bestselling author. All of which was fueled by an exploration of kindness – both the giving of it and the receiving of it – and shining a light on the best of the traits human beings have in common. This led to a hugely successful television series called The Kindness Diaries, and to other globetrotting projects that combined adventure with meaningful causes. They raised a great deal of money for people in need. It also led to best-selling books such as Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, The Kindness Diaries, and Live, Love, Explore. He recently produced a fascinating film called The Kindness Within: A Journey to Freedom. The film, which is streaming online, follows Leon on his spiritual quest in India, where he searched for answers to questions that still plagued him and the chronic depression that continued to plague him. The answers he found can illuminate all of our spiritual paths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone wants to be wise. But what is wisdom, and how does one acquire it? We spoke about that and more with Peter Bolland, professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College near San Diego, California. Peter has taught world religions, Asian philosophy, world mythology, and ethics there for the past 34 years. In addition to being an award-winning singer-songwriter and poet, he was a columnist for 15 years at both Unity Magazine and the Dan Diego Troubadour, and has given presentations and workshops at lifelong learning communities and spiritual centers all over the U.S. His YouTube channel has over 400,000 viewers. He also has Substack titled "Finding a Way" and a guided meditation on the Insight Timer app. He’s also the author of The Seven Stone Path: An Everyday Journey to Wisdom, which was the focus of much of our conversation. His website is peterbolland.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Carol Orsborn received a master degree in theological studies from Vanderbilt Divinity School and a doctorate in religion from Vanderbilt University with a specialty in adult development. She has taught at Georgetown University. An internationally recognized thought leader on fulfilling human potential through all life stages, she is the guiding force behind the spiritual aging study and a support group movement that offers in-person and online gatherings of "old souls" worldwide. She’s also the author of 36 books about life stage and spiritual development, including her newest publication, Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections on Embracing Life. Our conversation focused on that book and the overall challenge of aging as a path of spiritual development. We spoke about working through common stumbling blocks and aging with self-acceptance, freedom, and joy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We’re now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired. The late Sally Kempton was a renowned spiritual teacher and author of books such as Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga. As Swami Durgananda, she was a monastic in the Siddha Yoga tradition for 20 years, teaching, editing, and leading workshops.  After setting aside monastic life in 2002 she taught students around the world until her passing in 2023. In this interview, she shared yogic wisdom for building resilience, finding meaning in upsets, developing the inner witness, and integrating the energy centers of the mind, heart, and belly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We’re now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired. Mirabai Starr is a celebrated author and expert on mysticism who teaches and speaks in various venues on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. Her earlier books taught readers about Christian mystics such as John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila. Her more recent books include Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation, and her latest, Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground. In this conversation, she shares the blessings of the Sabbath, the deep meaning of the dark night of the soul, the wisdom of the divine feminine and turning loss into transformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We’re now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired. Rabbi Rami Shapiro is a self-proclaimed “Jewish practitioner of perennial wisdom,” who was ordained by Hebrew Union College and earned a Ph.D. in religion from Union Graduate School. He writes the Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler column for Spirituality and Health magazine and has written more than thirty books, including Holy Rascals – Advice for Spiritual Revolutionaries; The Tao of Solomon: Unlocking the Perennial Wisdom of Ecclesiastes; Judaism Without Tribalism; and his latest, Zen Mind, Jewish Mind: Koan, Midrash, & The Living Word. In this interview, he shares perennial wisdom about grieving for the dead and the dying, addiction and recovery, the profound concept of being surrendered, and what it means to be a holy rascal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We’re now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired. Swami Sarvapriyananda is a Hindu monk belonging to the Ramakrishna Order. The current resident swami and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society of New York, he is a renowned expert on Vedanta, the culmination of the ancient Vedic tradition, whose online videos are known for making this practical wisdom easily understandable and accessible. Here he shares traditional teachings on topics such as impermanence, detachment, the true nature of the Self, and the four keys to managing life’s challenges.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has heard of Dante Alighieri, the great Italian poet whose Divine Comedy is a staple of Western literature and religion. Some of us have read the monumental poem, or parts of it, while others have a vague idea of Dante's conception of sin and the afterlife. Frank Ambrosio, an associate professor of philosophy, emeritus, at Georgetown University, contends that Dante's great work of art is a guidepost for spiritual development and portrays spiritual transformation through metaphor and imagery. Dr. Ambrosio taught at Georgetown for 40 years after receiving his doctorate from Fordham University. During his professorial tenure, he received five distinct awards for excellence in teaching. He is also the author of Dante and Derrida: Face to Face and the founding director of Georgetown's online platform “My Dante Project,” which takes readers on a unique experience of The Divine Comedy. It has so far been utilized by over 20,000 students worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices