Pilgrim Heart With Krishna Das

In this episode of the Pilgrim Heart Podcast, Krishna Das explores matters of faith and the heart.

Krishna Das explores questions about the roots of our identity, finding purpose in life and planting the seeds of practice.

On this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das talks about the ripening of our spiritual practice and finding the Guru within.  

On this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das speaks on the nature of consciousness and fate. 

On this episode of Heart Wisdom, Krishna Das encourages us to break down the walls of our ordinary minds by planting the seeds of practice.

Live from the 2016 Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat, Krishna Das performs kirtan and delivers heartfelt wisdom. On this special episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das touches on the power of love and the grace of the Guru.

Krishna Das imparts wisdom on the role of practice in our lives. He shows us how practice cultivates capacity through repetition and return.

On this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das shows us how through practice we can find our way outside of the room of our ego and find liberation. Our ego can be like a dark room with no sign of an exit. Spiritual practice provides the light necessary to find our way outside of the room and into the realm of the divine.

Krishna Das answers questions about practice, desire, and enlightenment. How do we balance our desires? Does a person need to travel to the other side of the world to find enlightenment? Krishna Das addresses these questions and more on this week's episode of Pilgrim Heart.

On this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das talks about our illusion of separateness and the reality that all is one, "sub ek." In this simple phrase, "sub ek," Maharajji summarizes the same thing wise men have always reminded us, that we are all one being. Krishna Das shows us how through practice we can dispel the illusion of separateness and begin a better way of being.

Krishna Das shares his wisdom on faith and spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is not an end in itself, it is a way to develop the strength to live a good life. KD gives a lesson on cultivating strength through spiritual practice.

This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gets real about scandalous acts and relationships.   Everyone is susceptible to getting caught up in their own trip, no matter how far into their inner journey they might be. Krishna Das speaks from his heart about Maharajji and what he taught KD about love. 

This week on, Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das answers questions about spirituality & music.   What is the best way to deal with prejudice and misconceptions about our personal practice? KD answers this and addresses where the real power of chanting and kirtan comes from.

In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das answers questions from students on mantra, devotion, and practice. KD comments on spending time on worrying what others believe and listening to advice on what is and is not correct spiritual practice. What is the heart of devotion? Listen as KD reminisces about past "love" and learning what love and devotion really mean to him. "Devotion is when love is not attached to an object, another person or thing. It is almost like being in love with the love." -KD

Krishna Das takes questions from his audience about desire, grace, and the call of the guru. We are given a glimpse of KD's life after the death of Maharajji. KD speaks about the role of willpower and the importance of taking control of our lives. Where do we turn in our darkest hour? Is there anything wrong with desires, or simply how we manage them? When we hear the call of the Guru all we must respond by accepting the call with open hands and heart.

Krishna Das reminds us that our basic spiritual work is a means for gathering the inner strength necessary to be a better human being toward ourselves and others. If those who are closest to us do not feel loved, then we likely need to reevaluate the motives and intentions that shape our relationships. He also discusses some of the lesser known details of Maharajiǯs mysterious early life.

In this latest Pilgrim Heart episode, "Your Future is Now", Krishna Das discusses how a human birth is an opportunity to overcome our animalistic tendencies and remove ourselves from the gravity of our own projections. In not knowing who or what we are, we learn that the only real security comes from entering into the presence of our own hearts. The names of God carry a magnetism that has the power to bring us home. The strength to let go comes from practice alone, so find what works and commit to a more peaceful you.

"Devotion is part of our nature, we love to be involved, we love to connect. This is the deepest connection a heart can make, this connection to deep devotion and unconditional love…” -Krishna Das Krishna Das and David Nichtern sit down for an interactive discussion on devotion, tapping into their experiences with both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, respectively. When it comes to devotion these two spiritual paths overlap is in the Vajrayana form, or tantric style of Buddhism, when a teacher appears in the form of a master/guru. This is seen to be extremely special as a focal point in practice, because they have accomplished what you yourself would like to accomplish. For even in the three refuges of Buddhism—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—the guru is considered the forth refuge. Krishna Das recounts how life-changing it was to experience the unconditional love that radiated from his guru, Neem Karoli Baba aka Maharaji, in India, and how slowly through just hanging out, Maharaji's presence opened

Krishna Das recounts one of his favorite Maharaji stories involving a miraculous act of compassion that illustrates the selfless nature of these great beings. He then tells the origin story of the ubiquitous red shirt that he has worn for so many years. Attempting to understand the true meaning of the concepts we explore is also discussed, with the caveat that our confusion and suffering are an inevitable part of the work we must do.

KD describes the intensity of emotion with which Maharajji discussed Jesus, and the value of the teachings he studied involving stories of Christ. Organized religion is also discussed as it relates to the coopting of fundamentally pure teachings as a means of control.