Banyen Books ~ Branches of Wisdom

Lorie Eve Dechar discusses her alchemical approach to acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. An approach that integrates psychology and spiritual insight. Lorie Dechar is a senior faculty member at the Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City and has spent many years teaching at institutes and retreat centres throughout the world. She is the author of the influential class, Five Sp...

Merlin Sheldrake discusses his new book Entangled Life, a mind-bending journey into the hidden universe of fungi. Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist and a writer. He received a Ph. D. in tropical ecology from the University of Cambridge for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute....

Dr. Robert Svoboda discusses Ayurveda, Tantra, and Jyotish Astrology. Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. Dr. Svoboda has serv...

Julie Daniluk – Nutritionist, “Healthy Gourmet” host, and award-winning author of Meals That Heal Inflammation, Slimming Meals That Heal, and Hot Detox – shares anti-inflammatory tips & wisdom for health, happiness, and longevity.

Jungian Analyst and author James Hollis, PhD, speaks with Banyen's podcast host Ross McKeachie on the themes explored in his book, 'Living Between Worlds: Finding Personal Resilience in Times of Change'. Dr. Hollis shares wisdom on finding our inner compass in shifting times, attending to the psyche’s inner guidance, discovering ourselves anew through the different stages of life, and living a lif...

In this episode of In Conversation, Lalitha speaks candidly, and with humour, about the fiery path of Guru Yoga and what it takes to cultivate spiritual maturity. Lalitha is a lineage holder in the Western Baul tradition, and has been a disciple of Khepa Lee Lozowick for nearly 40 years. She is the author of several books published by Hohm Press, including 10 Essential Herbs, 10 Essential Foods, T...

Doña María Apaza, Andean Alto Misayoc Priestess, shares spiritual wisdom from the Q'ero culture and guidance for navigating the challenges of our contemporary world. Dona Maria is accompanied by translators Maco Peña García and María Belen Meneses. Doña María Apaza is the last living Priestess of the Q'ero Peoples of Peru. This interview was recorded in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2019. It is a...

Banyen Books & Sound presents Lama Tsultrim Allione, In Conversation with host, Ross McKeachie for a down-to-earth and illuminating look at the arising of feminine wisdom in our times. They cover topics like women in Buddhism, patriarchy in spiritual traditions, what the experience of the feminine brings to the spiritual path, and more. Lama Tsultrim offers special insights into her personal journ...

Join In Conversation host, Ross McKeachie of the Banyen Books & Sound podcast, for an intimate and inspiring conversation with spiritual teacher and highly attuned empathic healer, Matt Kahn. Matt welcomes us in with his warm, heart-centred approach, his humanity and his humour. Matt and Ross dialogue on the distinctions of masculine and feminine approaches to the spiritual path and how they can u...

Banyen Books & Sound presents IN CONVERSATION with host Ross McKeachie speaking to Toltec shaman and New York Times best selling author of The Fifth Agreement, don Jose Ruiz. Don Jose speaks in his unique, heart-centred story-telling style and shines a light on the energy of fear and how, through gratitude we can move into love. He points towards the connection between all of the world's spiritual...

Dr. Martin Shaw, one of the great master storytellers of our time, discusses the mythology and meanings of our current cultural moment and the global coronavirus pandemic. Interview host Ross McKeachie got ahold of Dr. Martin Shaw in his cottage in Dartmoor, UK, where he was on the 10th day of 14 days of isolation before being able to go home and see his daughter. With the COVID-19 pandemic at the...

Sufi teacher and author Jamal Rahman speaks joyfully about the Sufi path of the heart and the importance of laughter in awakening the soul. This delightful podcast brings levity into spiritual teachings and brings insight into the cosmic joke of duality.

Caroline Myss speaks about a profound crisis facing humanity: the crisis of faith and the loss of connection to the Divine. Myss articulates what it means to be on a spiritual path, the importance of understanding our connection to the whole, and the deeply personal and impersonal aspect of God. Invoking prayer, inner guidance, and grace, Myss offers hope for restoring the connection to our sacred...

Loch Kelly, spiritual teacher, author, and founder of Open-Hearted Awareness Institute, shares a radically different and simple approach to meditation- effortless mindfulness. Rooted in spacious awareness and connection to the heart, Loch offers glimpses into a state of being accessible to all and available in every moment. Students of meditation from beginners to long-time practitioners can tune...

In this poignant and moving interview, Carina Stone, the wife of Michael Stone, an internationally recognized Buddhist teacher whose life ended tragically and suddenly, speaks about Michael's latest book and the legacy of his life and teachings. She is joined by Erin Robinsong, editor of Michael's book- The World Comes to You. This is a tender interview about life, loss, spiritual practice, imperm...

In June 2011, Abbott of a monastery in India, Mingyur Rinpoche, left his esteemed post and spent four and a half years in a wandering Retreat. Living without money, clothing (other than the dhoti cloth on his body) or material comforts, he tested the boundaries of his meditation practice and found a freedom and happiness not bound by external conditions and comforts. In this illuminating interview...

Swami Lalitananda, president of the Yasodhara Ashram, speaks about Divine Light and the re-building of the Temple of Light; a metaphor for the forces of destruction and creation and a testament to the possibility of creating opportunity and possibility in the moment of loss.

Buddhist wisdom and cognitive science teach that we create the world with our thoughts. This inspiring podcast with beloved Buddhist teacher, poet, and author Norman Fisher is all about using the imagination to create a different world and reality that allows us to honor the truest part of our human existence- that we are here to love and serve others in all ways and for all time.

Banyen's new interview with Deva Premal & Miten: A testament to the healing power of prayer and community, Miten speaks about his recovery from open heart surgery and the insights from having a second chance to live, love, and sing. Deva Premal and Miten speak about their life together touring the world on the wings of sacred music and the blessings it brings to them and to all those to gather and...

With poetic language, inter-spiritual teacher, author, mother and lover of the Beloved, Mirabai Starr takes listeners on a journey invoking the awe of the feminine. Calling on women mystics of all traditions and Lineages, Mirabai weaves a tapestry of stories that have relevant lessons for our modern, broken world. This is a tender interview with a fierce message to rise up, love more, and give our...

In this episode of Banyen Books & Sound's In Conversation, spiritual teacher and author Gangaji speaks about coming home to our inner freedom, a state that transcends emotions and suffering and is not subject to loss or gain. This requires a willingness to have no future and no past and to recognize what’s here. Gangaji eloquently speaks about how to overcome the trance of suffering, the illusion...

Sanskrit scholar, founder of Vijnana Yoga International, and respected Yoga teacher Orit Sen-Gupta speaks about stillness and spaciousness and the practice of movement and sitting that bring us closer to the experience of the sacred.

Steven Halpern, Grammy-award nominee and pioneer in the field of sound healing, discusses his career in using sound to facilitate higher states of consciousness. Steven speaks about noise pollution, brain entrainment, and the power of intention in creating music. This fascinating podcast weaves together the fields of science, spirit, and sound.

Archariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, co-founders of the Clear Sky Retreat Center and authors of Wasteland to Pureland, speak about spiritual awakening as the only sustainable mindset in a universe that appears chaotic and for a planet that is in crisis. Offering practical tips gained from their experience in setting up a Retreat Center, Doug Sensei and Catherine offer insights from the p...

John Lockley, renowned sangoma/South African Shaman, speaks with Farah Nazarali in this Banyen interview. John Lockley is a fully initiated traditional sangoma in the Xhosa tribe of South Africa – the same tribe as Nelson Mandala and Desmond Tutu. He uniquely bridges African spirituality with Zen and Western Psychology. Leopard Warrior, his bestselling new book, is published by Sounds True, with a...