Spirit Matters

Psychologist Rachel Harris, author of Listening to Ayahuasca, joins us to discuss her fascinating new book, Swimming in the Sacred. In recent years, entheogens, aka psychedelics, have enjoyed a resurgence of interest since research on the substances was halted amidst the abuses of the 1960s. Studies undertaken at prestigious universities have been demonstrating the therapeutic applications of the...

A deep and far-ranging conversation with the renowned spiritual teacher, poet, storyteller, and prolific author, Mark Nepo. Mark's 25 nonfiction books have sold more than a million copies. They include The Book of Awakening, which topped the New York Times bestseller list; More Together Than Alone; and most recently Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity. In addition, he just cam...

The spiritual memoir is an extremely popular genre and a time-tested vehicle for conveying spiritual wisdom as well as the blessings and challenges of life on the razor's edge we call the spiritual path. In this conversation, Richard Lischer -- an ordained Lutheran minister and a professor at Duke Divinity School -- discusses his book, Our Hearts are Restless: The Art of the Spiritual Memoir, and...

The culmination of the ancient Vedic tradition, Vedanta represents the core teachings of what we call Hinduism. In its modern expression, it has had a huge influence on spiritual seekers around the world, and its impact continues to grow. In this interview, Swami Sarvapriyananda, the Minister and spiritual leader of the Vedanta Society of New York, and one of the primary proponents of Vedanta toda...

World Music pioneer and leading kirtan artist Jai Uttal joins us for a probing conversation about the spiritual value of music in its myriad forms and expressions. We talked about his musical roots, his discovery of the increasingly popular Indian style of call-and-response mantra chanting (kirtan), and how he and others have integrated Western instruments and motifs into traditional Indian music....

Since 1980, Gayatri Naraine has served as the United Nations representative of the Brahma Kumaris, a worldwide spiritual organization founded in India in 1937 with a strong orientation toward service work and the practice of Raja Yoga, which Gayatri has practiced for over 45 years. She is also a senior teacher at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. We spoke about the origin and unique f...

Matthew Fox, the eminent theologian, author, and former Catholic priest, discusses his estrangement from the Church and his highly influential reframing of the Christian tradition with concepts such as Creation Spirituality and Original Blessing. A treasure trove of insights for everyone regardless of their path. Find out more about Matthew Fox Connect with Phil Goldberg Author, Speaker, Spiritual...

The first major Indian guru to come to America, Swami Vivekananda set the template for all the teachers who followed - and his enormous impact persists. Here, Oxford historian Ruth Harris, author of the landmark biography "Guru to the World," explores Vivekananda's fascinating life and enduring legacy. Get the book- Guru to the World: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda Find books by Phil Goldberg...

As longtime teachers and practitioners, and as co-founders of the Association for Spiritual Integrity, Jac O'Keeffe and Rick Archer have seen the good, bad, and ugly of contemporary spirituality. Here they dive into the need to promote ethical standards among spiritual teachers and ways to help seekers and students guard against spiritual abuse. Find out more about the Association for Spiritual In...

A lively conversation with Robert Mulhall, CEO of The Kripalu Center for Yoga, and Stephen Cope, author, psychologist, and longtime Scholar in Residence at Kripalu. They discuss the fascinating history of the most prominent yoga retreat center in America, the challenges of adapting an ancient tradition to modern life, and yoga's (and Kripalu's) role in generating personal and cultural transformati...

A penetrating conversation with the passionate and prolific expert on the world’s mystical traditions, Andrew Harvey. Andrew, the founder and director of the Institute of Sacred Activism, and author of more than 30 books, including Radical Regeneration, discusses the vital need for engaged spirituality in our times -- and much more.  Find out more about Andrew Harvey Find out more about Philip Gol...

In this deep conversation with renowned spiritual teacher Sally Kempton, author of Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga and Meditation for the Love of It, we dive deeply into a variety of valuable topics, such as the practical implications of nonduality, the relational aspect of spirituality, working with personifications of the Divine, and meditation as play. And Sa...

In this episode, the interspiritual rabbi Rami Shapiro shows us the transformational value of exploring traditions other than our own. Listen as we discuss perennial teachings across boundaries, Rami's notion of "nondual aliveness," and much more. Find out more about award winning author Rabbi Rami Shapiro Connect with Philip Goldberg here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

In this first episode of the new Spirit Matters, we have a far-ranging, illuminating, and practical conversation with the renowned scholar of Buddhism, Robert Thurman. A close friend of the Dalai Lama and author of many books, including Wisdom is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life, Bob’s ability to communicate complex ideas in ways that everyone can understand and apply to th...