Mirabai Starr writes creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. She has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of the mystics:

John of the Cross - Saint John of the Cross: Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom

Teresa of Avila - The Interior Castle, and

Julian of Norwich - The Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation

She is the award-winning author of:

God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,

Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation, and

Mother of God Similar to Fire, a collaboration with iconographer, William Hart McNichols.

Her latest book, Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was published in Spring 2019.

She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

Website: mirabaistarr.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

First BatGap interview with Mirabai.

Interview recorded October 28, 2019

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump

00:03:28 - Suppression of Women Mystics and the Rebalancing of Power

00:07:10 - The Burial of Feminine Wisdom in Religion

00:10:57 - The Dark Night of the Soul and Feminine Mysticism

00:14:34 - The Blend of Mysticism and Activism

00:18:39 - Finding Solace in Not Knowing

00:22:38 - Teresa's Second Conversion Experience

00:25:56 - The Gaze of Unconditional Love

00:29:17 - The Power of Spiritual Friendship

00:31:49 - Mystics and Wisdom Beings

00:34:32 - Non-duality and Surrender

00:37:00 - Dissolving into Sweetness

00:40:01 - Feminine Wisdom: Love and Embodiment in Spirituality

00:43:09 - Harmonizing Devotion and Non-Duality

00:45:24 - Devotion and Non-Dual Consciousness

00:48:40 - Mirabai: A 16th century woman mystic

00:50:44 - Krishna's Love and Protection

00:53:10 - The Life of Mirabai

00:55:56 - The Birth of Mirabai and Spiritual Awakening

00:58:46 - An Encounter with Anandamayi Ma

01:01:29 - Ram Dass and Anandamayi Ma

01:03:42 - Embracing Our True Selves

01:06:18 - Redefining Masculine Dominance and the Rise of the Divine Feminine

01:09:17 - The Reclamation of Mother Earth

01:12:36 - The Power of the Feminine

01:14:35 - The Dark Side of the Feminine

01:17:02 - Dropping into the Fierce Feminine

01:20:07 - Multiple Spiritual Belonging

01:22:25 - Women Mystics: Sharing Stories of Awakening and Service

01:25:13 - Finding Divinity in Everything

01:27:10 - End of Video