Mindrolling With Raghu Markus

Discussing her book Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy, Anne Lamott highlights the importance of showing mercy to ourselves as much as we do others.Grab a copy of Anne’s book HEREThis time on Mindrolling, we revisit a 2017 talk with Anne and Raghu on:Mercy as grace put into actionRediscovering mercy and its importance in our lives and the worldFinding deeper connections with ourselves and others through loving-kindness, generosity, and forgivenessThe wisdom of humility and generosity in spiritual practiceUnderstanding the deeper meaning of mercyLearning to extend the same compassion and mercy to ourselves that we offer othersLetting go of the need to please everyone and embracing our authentic selvesDiscovering happiness and purpose through service to othersAllowing mercy to protect us from our own darkness and create space for equanimity “If you were here and you were hungry, I would feed you. That’s what Jesus says.Go get everyone some water. If you have some food, share it. I would automatically know h

John Pattern joins Raghu in a heartfelt exploration of embodiment and enlightenment, inspired by the music of his upcoming Ram Dass-infused album, Rainbow Body.Pre-save Rainbow Body HERE and watch the official music video for “Sun in Your Heart”. This week on Mindrolling, John and Raghu discuss:Awakening the power of the human heartGetting back into the body through music and mantraThe choice-point of awareness and helping the mind and heart work togetherJohn’s work as a psychotherapistThe benefit of regular mindfulness practiceSpiritual bypassing as a fog covering our livesWhen Raghu first heard Ram Dass speak in MontrealThe making and meaning of “Rainbow Body”Check out the book referenced in this podcast, Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself by Mark EpsteinAbout John Pattern:John Pattern is a multidisciplinary artist and music producer whose work is rooted in healing, transformation, and reconnection with the higher self. As a licensed psychotherapist, he brings a deeply integrative appro

From the mountains of Nepal to the nature of mind, author and alpinist Michael Schauch shares insights on nonself and interconnection.Grab a copy of Michael’s recently released book, Anatta: Heart of Wisdom.This week on Mindrolling, Michael and Raghu discuss:Michael’s early call to visit Nepal and his work with youth in KathmanduThe translation of the Pali word Anatta: NonselfHow all suffering comes from the view that we are an independent, separate selfThe necessity of practice and direct experienceRegularly walking in nature as a form of spiritual practiceDepathologizing mental health and our idea of ‘sanity’The limits of our conceptual mind “We are not an independent separate self. Nothing on earth can exist by itself. Everything in nature, including ourselves, exists in a highly interdependent existence. The core practice of Anatta is recognizing that interbeingness in the world.” —Michael SchauchAbout Michael Schauch:Michael Schauch is an alpinist and award-winning author who lives to explore the depths

From gang violence in LA to the beauty of belonging, Father Greg Boyle inspires listeners to recognize our shared humanity and put love into action.Grab your copy of Father Greg’s most recent book,  Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times.This week on Mindrolling, Father Greg and Raghu discuss:Becoming anchored in the truth of interconnectednessThe ‘Decade of Death’, a period of severe gang violence in LABeing with suffering and allowing it to transformThe unshakable goodness within us allBelonging as the vitality of relationships Inviting people rather than indicting people How God sustains us through all thingsCompassion as the answer to every question “Belonging is more than inclusion, it’s the vitality of relationships. What makes it vital is the rolling up of sleeves. Cherishing is love with its sleeves rolled up, it’s connective tissue. It can’t stay in the air, your head, or even your heart—it gets to your feet.” —Father Greg BoyleAbout Father Greg Boyle:Father Gr

Author and music executive Danny Goldberg joins Raghu to talk about tapping into the basic goodness inside us all.This week on Mindrolling, Danny and Raghu discuss:Our basic goodness as human beingsThe deep spiritual experiences that can happen outside of organized religionBreathing contemporary life into ancient spirituality Govinda, a famous devotional track produced by George Harrison Universalism and taking different paths to the same placeGandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and nonviolent resistance Seeing everyone as the Buddha, as ‘God in drag’Wise Compassion: Using your brain and your heartAbout Danny Goldberg:Danny Goldberg is an author and music executive who has spent decades in the business. As a manager, Danny represented Bonnie Raitt, Nirvana, The Allman Brothers Band, and Sonic Youth. As a label executive, he was President of Atlantic Records, and Chairman of Warner Bros. Records and the Mercury Records Group – among others. Danny Goldberg’s previous books include Bloody Crossroads 2

Outlining our inevitable oneness with the world, Buddhist scholar Jack Petranker joins Raghu to explore letting go of habitual stories and fully inhabiting each moment.Check out Jack’s recently released book, One with the World: A Path to Living with Presence and AppreciationThis week on Mindrolling, Jack and Raghu discuss:Jack’s teacher, Tibetan lama Tarthang TulkuHow we often take our experiences too seriously Krishna Das’s perspective on the stories we tell ourselvesTreating each moment as an ongoing adventureThe logic of experience and our inevitable oneness with the worldThe habitual beliefs that get us into troubleWays in which the self makes us smallCausality vs. the truth of the way things areThe quiet courage to accept whatever arises “If we learn to inhabit our experience fully, then, every moment becomes a kind of ongoing adventure and opportunity to open out into our experience in new ways. That’s really what I mean when I talk about being one with the world. In the logic of experience, we ar

From Bob Marley to Chogyam Trungpa and Ram Dass, David and Raghu explore the many paths that lead us back to one love.This time on Mindrolling, David and Raghu discuss:David’s work filming Bob Marley The attempted assassination of Bob Marley in Jamaica, 1976 David’s encounter with Bob after his cancer diagnosis The profound impact of Bob Marley on David Silver’s lifeThe many forms that transformation comes inAn explanation of Mahayana Buddhism How Chogyam Trungpa made complicated concepts more practicalTrungpa’s teachings in Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving KindnessRam Dass’s book There is No OtherCheck out the book recommended by David in this episode: A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James “Bob’s friendship had metamorphosed my whole life. His magnitude as a divine messenger was enough to change me. That coupled with the most potent music I’d ever heard was enough to seep Bob’s special essence into my own heart and recover me so often from despair, doubt, or depression

Drawing on mythology and ancient storytelling, author Michael Meade shares how we can renew the earth through personal and cultural transformation. You can now pre-order Michael’s book, The Heart of Transformation!In this thought-provoking episode, Michael and Raghu discuss:Bringing mythology into the modern worldCreation and recreation: how the end times lead to the next times Our responsibility to aid in the healing of the world Returning to the etymology of apocalypse: collapse and renewal Transformation on a cultural and collective level Michael’s life-changing experience of solitary confinement in military prison How unity is revealed through unique expressions of the deep self The imagination that exists in the void Recognizing our own genius qualities The relationship between fate and karma About Michael Meade:Michael Meade is a renowned storyteller and author who combines hypnotic storytelling, street-savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretati

Duncan Trussell and Raghu Markus examine cynicism, bewilderment, and spiritual materialism, considering what can happen if we drop our defenses and experience the present moment fully.Check out Duncan Trussell and Kurt Metzger’s new podcast, The Mystery Boys, where ancient mysteries, modern misinformation, and aggressively positive curiosity collide.In this episode, Duncan and Raghu chat about:Being cynical versus being rational Chogyum Trungpa Rinpoche’s perspective on spiritual materialism Letting go and swimming through the moment Meditation as the remedy for bewildermentLarry David, Ram Dass, and working with cynicism Navigating fear, anxiety, and troublesome global news How religious fundamentalism steers people away from practiceCheck out Chögyum Trungpa’s books Cynicism and Magic and Cutting Through Spiritual MaterialismAbout Duncan Trussell:Duncan Trussell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His popular podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, has been downloaded ov

David, Raghu, and Sharon consider how devotion, meditation, truth, and compassion can tend the love already within us, bringing it into the way we meet ourselves, others, and the world.This episode was recorded live from the 2026 Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain Retreat. Watch the full event on the Ram Dass’ Inner Academy, a curated collection of deep wisdom from Ram Dass, practice, and community: Learn MoreIn this episode, David, Raghu, and Sharon discuss: The compassion to let people be as they are (so long as they aren’t harming others)Love as an ability rather than just a feelingTending to the love that already exists within us Approaching situations from wisdom and balance rather than reactive emotionsDevotion and objects of refuge in meditation practiceA straightforward instruction from Maharaj-ji: love everyone and tell the truthRemembering that having boundaries does not mean a lack of loveAbout David Nichtern: David Nichtern, founder of Dharma Moon, is a senior Buddhist teacher who has been

Turning back time to 2018, we revisit a conversation between Dr. Thurman and Raghu Markus about facing reality, transforming our reactivity, and understanding karma.You can help continue Dr. Thurman’s life’s work to preserve Tibetan culture. Visit Tibet House to learn more.In this episode, Robert Thurman and Raghu explore: Buddhism as a realistic approach to understanding realityThe projections and stories we tell ourselves every dayWorking with fear and judgment in meditationEntering the gaps of mental reactivityKarma: an intentional action with evolutionary consequencesThe relationship between self-awareness and the direction of our karmaBuddhist perspectives on rebirth and reincarnationThe distinction between unconscious rebirth and consciously choosing to returnNeem Karoli Baba and the experience of living completely in realityThe intimate connection between absolute reality and unconditional loveAbout Dr. Robert Thurman: Robert Thurman (1941-2026) was an American Buddhist author and academic who wro

Tommy Rosen, Gagan Levy, and Raghu Markus explore addiction and the everyday choices that shape recovery and a meaningful life.Be part of the Recovery 2.0 community with online recovery meetings that are open to anyone: Click Here to RegisterThis time on Mindrolling, Tommy, Gagan and Raghu explore: Growing up in a home filled with anxiety and developing a sense that something is always wrongHow oftentimes addiction comes from seeking relief and homeostasis Distraction and Procrastination as forms of addictionRam Dass’s approach to working with habits of the mindFacing the long, dark night of the soulThe ‘nitty-gritty’ of how we choose to live our livesThe five core tenets of Tommy’s program, ‘Recovery 2.0’How working the 12-steps guarantees a spiritual experienceTending to the needs of mind, body, and soul About Tommy Rosen:Tommy Rosen is the founder and host of the Recovery 2.0: Beyond Addiction Online Conference and presents workshops annually at Esalen, Omega, and Kripalu. One of the pioneer

Melvin McLeod, editor of Lion’s Roar, shares his new vision of mindfulness as a complete way of living, from cultivating concentration and awareness to understanding our place in the universe.Check out Melvin’s podcast series, The Complete Path of Mindfulness, where he talks with leaders in the field about a groundbreaking new advance in mindfulness practice. Melvin and his guests explore mindfulness as not only a helpful meditation technique, but as a complete, transformative path of life. This time on Mindrolling, Melvin and Raghu explore: Looking into what this life and universe is all aboutLeading happier and more meaningful livesSeeing mindfulness as a complete path of lifeMelvin’s four identified keys of mindfulness Inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most important spiritual teachers of this ageDeveloping the power of concentration Following a path without adopting a formal religion Recognizing our deep, intimate connection with all thingsInvestigating the nature of aw

Challenging our perceptions of reality, Samuel Bercholz and Raghu discuss loosening the ego’s grip through meditation and opening to the humor beneath it all.Click HERE to preorder Samuel’s upcoming book, Rude Awakenings: An Unconventional Guide to the Buddhist PathThis time on Mindrolling, Samuel and Raghu explore: Dipping a toe into all religions and learning how to meditateThe humble beginnings of Shambhala PublicationsAddictions to ego and so-called reality Witnessing the beautiful emptiness within Chogyam Trungpa RinpocheHow Ram Dass moved within many different spiritual circlesEntering the mind of Buddha through meditation Stepping out of the bureaucracy of egoNot being too serious / blending love and humorAbout Samuel Bercholz:Sam Bercholz is a senior teacher in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of Shambhala Publications. He was a close disciple of Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and was empowered by them to teach and given the

Explaining the South African Philosophy of Ubuntu, traditional healer John Lockley discusses ancestral connection and the wisdom of our collective human story.In this episode, John and Raghu explore: Giving thanks to our biological ancestors Reconciling with ancestors who may have done bad deedsCalling in the names of our ancestors as a path to honoring all of our human relationsJohn’s experience being raised through Apartheid in South AfricaHow Nelson Mandela spread the teachings of UbuntuConnecting to our dreams to connect to our humanity and our ancestorsThe circle of Ubuntu and realizing that we are all equal Humility as the foundation of any spiritual practiceA guided ancestral practice from JohnAbout John Lockley:John Lockley began his journey as a young medic drafted into the South African military. He then trained under Zen master Su Bong from South Korea, and returned to post-Apartheid South Africa to spend 10 years in apprenticeship with MaMngwevu, a medicine woman from the Xhosa trib

Philosopher-artist and psychotherapist Todd Fink joins Raghu to trace the threads that connect art, science, and mysticism.Grab a copy of Todd’s first book, Losslessness: reflections on impermanence, glimpses of forever, HERE!This time on Mindrolling, Todd and Raghu chat about: Diving into mysticism and how every part contains the wholeQuantum physics and the observer effectImpermanence and seeing the eternal in all thingsSacred friction and ‘irritating the status quo’Abhaya: shedding the illusion and revealing fearlessness How Maharaj-ji led people to both Bhakti Yoga and BuddhismThe inseparability of love and discriminating wisdom Trust, sincerity, and courage in practiceAbout Todd Fink:Along with his brother E. Fink, Todd co-founded the acclaimed music group The Giving Tree Band. He’s had an album reach the Top 40 on the Americana Radio Charts, and the Kind Mind podcast has been a top show globally in the categories of philosophy and self-help. An Ivy League-trained licensed psychotherapist,

Psychotherapist and author David Richo shares how to move past the destructive urge to retaliate through principles of psychology, Buddhism, and more.Grab a copy of David’s newest book, Sweeter than Revenge: Overcoming Your Payback Mind and Achieving Real Connection in all Your RelationshipsThis time on Mindrolling, David and Raghu discuss: Retaliation and separateness as the ego’s favorite sportsRolling with the punches and not expecting full acknowledgment from everyoneExpanding our ability to handle whatever happens in lifeSaying ‘yes’ to the opportunity of graceRighteousness versus healthy communicationForbearance: how long-term mindfulness practice can help us be less reactive Opening the path to enlightenment through forgivenessAbout David Richo:David Richo, PhD, MFT, is a psychotherapist, teacher, workshop leader, and writer who works in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California. He combines Jungian, poetic, and mythic perspectives in his work with the intention of integrating the psycholog

Gagan Levy, founder/CEO of Guru, explores how to integrate the eight limbs of yoga into business and leadership practices. Grab a copy of Gagan’s book, Start Your Own Damn Cult, A Founder's Field Guide, for a practical and actionable framework for building from coherence, holding power without unraveling, and winning without wrecking yourself, your team, or the planet.This week on Mindrolling, Gagan and Raghu discuss: Bhakti Yoga and sitting in moments of joy Incorporating spirituality into businessGagan’s first meeting with Ram DassIntegrating the eight limbs of yoga into leadership How authenticity beats perfection every single timeGagan’s explanation of the ‘integrity inventory’Hanuman as a helpful reminder of the aspirational self About Gagan Levy:Gagan Levy is the Founder/CEO of Guru, an award-winning creative agency dedicated to serving purpose-driven movements, brands, and organizations. They work with impactful brands like Patagonia, Traditional Medicinals, Nalgene, Non-GMO, T

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.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 motherSpreading Ram Dass’s love and legacy through the Be Here Now NetworkHow the universe guides us right to where we need to beMoving 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 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 fu

Meditation master and teacher Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche explores tools for success from Tibetan wisdom on mindfulness, gratitude, and more. Get your own copy of The Tibetan Book of Success HERE.This week on Mindrolling, Orgyen and Raghu discuss: What life was like for Orgyen growing up in a remote village in Tibet The Tibetan Buddhist leader Khenpo Jigme PhuntsokReframing the construct of ‘success’The 10 powers that lead us to success: wisdom, integrity, decency, mindfulness, fairness, reliability, gratitude, hopefulness, faith, generosity Lessons from Mipham RinpocheThe necessity of respect for good communication Navigating conflict through mindfulness and decency Self-awareness as the number one tool for good communication How inner emptiness shapes how we see the worldDiscriminating awareness, deciding what to accept vs. what to rejectAbout Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche:Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche is a meditation teacher and master in the Nyingma lineage of the Buddhist tradition res