Mindrolling with Raghu Markus

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 Path

This time on Mindrolling, Samuel and Raghu explore: 

• Dipping a toe into all religions and learning how to meditate
• The humble beginnings of Shambhala Publications
• Addictions to ego and so-called reality 
• Witnessing the beautiful emptiness within Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
• How Ram Dass moved within many different spiritual circles
• Entering the mind of Buddha through meditation 
• Stepping out of the bureaucracy of ego
• Not being too serious / blending love and humor

About 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 title Acharya (religious instructor). He has taught extensively in North America, Europe, and Australasia. He was particularly empowered by Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche to teach from A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar.

“What I’ve learned through Buddhist practice and being with great teachers is that the fixed ideas of reality and viewing the world were 180 degrees off. We experience things exactly backwards. Our habit of reality is so skewed that it makes all perceptions backwards. We choose our realities, and we become addicted to keeping that reality going.” –Samuel Bercholz

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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 deeds
• Calling in the names of our ancestors as a path to honoring all of our human relations
• John’s experience being raised through Apartheid in South Africa
• How Nelson Mandela spread the teachings of Ubuntu
• Connecting to our dreams to connect to our humanity and our ancestors
• The circle of Ubuntu and realizing that we are all equal 
• Humility as the foundation of any spiritual practice
• A guided ancestral practice from John

About 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 tribe. His remarkable journey through the constraints of Apartheid is a testament to the human spirit, and to the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. Find out more about John’s work and learn more about his numerous upcoming events, retreats, and other offerings at JohnLockley.com.

“Wherever you are, whatever you’re experiencing, know that you’re a child of nature, a child of the great one.”  –John Lockley

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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 whole
• Quantum physics and the observer effect
• Impermanence and seeing the eternal in all things
• Sacred friction and ‘irritating the status quo’
• Abhaya: shedding the illusion and revealing fearlessness 
• How Maharaj-ji led people to both Bhakti Yoga and Buddhism
• The inseparability of love and discriminating wisdom 
• Trust, sincerity, and courage in practice

About 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, he also holds certifications in addiction counseling and mindfulness meditation teaching. He earned a BA in psychology from Georgetown University and MS in Advanced Clinical Social Work from Columbia University. In addition to 25+ years of professional mental health work with diverse populations, his academic expertise and research include international welfare, psychedelic practice, advocacy, psychopathology, and more. A lifelong student of meditation, Todd works fervently to help guide individuals, organizations, and communities toward ecological balance, well-being, and peace.

“Love isn’t what we get or what we lost, but really that’s what we are. Same with meditation—meditation isn’t something we do. Meditation is what we are. When we sit, when we chant, or when we pray, it gives us a chance to strip away the pretenses.” –Todd Fink

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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 Relationships

This time on Mindrolling, David and Raghu discuss: 

• Retaliation and separateness as the ego’s favorite sports
• Rolling with the punches and not expecting full acknowledgment from everyone
• Expanding our ability to handle whatever happens in life
• Saying ‘yes’ to the opportunity of grace
• Righteousness versus healthy communication
• Forbearance: how long-term mindfulness practice can help us be less reactive 
• Opening the path to enlightenment through forgiveness

About 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 psychological and the spiritual. His books and workshops include attention to Buddhist and Christian spiritual practices. Check out David’s website to learn more.

“What is ego? The insertion of our entitlement to be treated with honor, respect, and full acknowledgment by everyone. Some people like us and some people don’t. You gotta roll with those kinda punches rather than take revenge on anyone that doesn’t come through positively for you.” –David Richo

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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 business
• Gagan’s first meeting with Ram Dass
• Integrating the eight limbs of yoga into leadership 
• How authenticity beats perfection every single time
• Gagan’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, The Organic Alliance, Bring Change to Mind and many natural products brands, including EO / Everyone Products, OM Mushroom Superfoods, and REBBL. Gagan also serves as Chief Evangelist at MAHA Global, a platform focused on helping businesses adapt to stakeholder needs using data-driven reputation intelligence. As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, Gagan leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just, and prosperous for all. Gagan Levy is also a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation. 

“I am so committed on my individual level to my practice to be a better father, a better partner, better human, but I haven’t integrated the eight limbs into my leadership. What could that mean? What could that look like?” –Gagan Levy

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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 mother
• Spreading Ram Dass’s love and legacy through the Be Here Now Network
• How the universe guides us right to where we need to be
• Moving 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 full-length documentary.

Kelly is the Marketing Director for Ram Dass’s Love Serve Remember Foundation, as well as the project manager of Be Here Now Network, a podcast network dedicated to spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth.  

About Duncan Trussell:

Duncan Trussell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor. His popular podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, has been downloaded over 25 million times and is known for its blend of humor, fringe ideas, eclectic guests, and great interviews. The DTFH is the foundation for Duncan’s Netflix animated series, The Midnight Gospel, which he co-created with Pendleton Ward in 2020. To learn more about Duncan’s work, visit his website at duncantrussell.com.

“At the time, I was living in a roach motel. Literally roaches everywhere, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, super depressed. I would just lie on this mattress listening to Ram Dass; it was really helping a lot. LA can be so lonely and weird. On the website, it said you can arrange these phone calls with Ram Das—I signed up. All of a sudden, Ram Dass is on the screen...beaming out from Hawaii into this garbage apartment” –Duncan Trussell

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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 Phuntsok
• Reframing 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 Rinpoche
• The 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 world
• Discriminating awareness, deciding what to accept vs. what to reject

About Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche:

Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche is a meditation teacher and master in the Nyingma lineage of the Buddhist tradition residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of Our Pristine Mind: A Practical Guide to Unconditional Happiness, and is known for his accessible, passionate, and joyful approach to personal transformation. Rinpoche teaches regularly in the Bay Area, and travels throughout the world speaking to a broad range of audiences about how to improve their lives through meditation. He received his education and training for nine years starting at the age of fourteen at Larung Gar in Serta, eastern Tibet, with his teacher, the great Jigmed Phuntsok Rinpoche, who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the twentieth century. Learn more about Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche’s work and his non-profit, The Pristine Mind Foundation.

“Even if someone is in conflict, you need to be mindful, reliable, you need to be a decent person at the same time. Then, it works. If your mind is in conflict, if there’s anger, resentment, that totally destroys communication.” –Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche

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Be Here Now Network invites you to listen to this special look back at Dr. Robert Thurman’s many appearances on Mindrolling. We hear about Ram Dass, surfing reality, keeping an open heart, and so much more. 

You can help continue Dr. Thurman’s life’s work to preserve Tibetan culture. Visit Tibet House to learn more.

Spanning 10 years of collaboration with the podcast, Dr. Thurman talks about: 

• His decades-long friendship with Ram Dass
• Unclamping the heart and seeing our connection with all people 
• Clearing out the poison of fear and judgment 
• The precious gem of our human embodiment, the waking bardo 
• Surfing through reality, rather than trying to control it
• A realistic take on the Eightfold Path and right livelihood 
• How releasing selfishness actually benefits us and creates joy
• Lessons on altruism & education from the Dalai Lama 
• Cultivating both a clever mind and an open heart 

About Dr. Robert Thurman:

Robert Thurman (1941-2026) was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated many books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University before retiring in June 2019. He held the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West. After education at Philips Exeter and Harvard, he studied Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism for almost thirty years as a personal student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He wrote both scholarly and popular books and lectured widely all over the world. As President of the American Institute for Buddhist Studies, he convened the First Inner Science Conference with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Amherst College in 1984. He was also a founding trustee of Tibet House New York. Check out his most recent book Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life. 

“When you’re not generous enough, when you’re not open-hearted enough, when you haven’t cultivated opening yourself, then you shoot right past it, just like we shoot through our life. At the moment of death, people report, ‘My life flashed before my eyes in a split second.’ What that means is they didn’t live lucidly. They ran around making money, getting pleasure, doing things, and they have only one split second of quality time when they were there now somewhere” –Dr. Thurman

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Author Phil Goldberg explores the laws of karma as an educational tool for awakening rather than as a system of spiritual judgment. 

Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday Fundraiser

This week on Mindrolling, Phil and Raghu discuss: 

• The rise of karma in American pop culture 
• The Law of Karma by Dr. Robert Svoboda 
• Looking to science to understand the laws of karma 
• Exploring consciousness through The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
• How the same action can produce different karmas depending on our states of mind
• Every moment as the result of karma

Grab a copy of Phil's book, Karmic Relief, and explore more about karma and how it can be used.

About Phil Goldberg:

Philip Goldberg is the author or co-author of numerous books, including the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the World (2010); the definitive biography of Paramahansa Yogananda, The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru (2018); the timeless Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage (2020); and his latest, Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life (2025). His numerous articles have appeared in publications ranging from the Los Angeles Times to Huffington Post to Spirituality & Health. As a public speaker and workshop leader, he has presented at leading venues online and in person. A spiritual counselor, meditation teacher, and ordained Interfaith Minister as well, he hosts the Spirit Matters podcast and writes substantive essays on his Substack, Practical Spirituality with Philip Goldberg. He is also an active board member of the Association for Spiritual Integrity.

“The same action can produce different karma depending on the state of the mind of the person doing it and their intention. Someone can write a big check, but if they’re doing it to get their name on a plaque, it doesn’t have the same karmic impact as a humble person giving what they can without any hope of recognition or any ego.” –Phil Goldberg

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Old friends RamDev and Raghu revisit memories of Maharaj-ji as they explore the wisdom of holding both joy and sorrow in the awakened heart.

Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday Fundraiser

In this episode, Raghu and RamDev have a conversation on: 

• Memories with Maharaj-ji from Allahabad (now Prayagraj), India
• The Tibetan Buddhist concept of Rigpa (the awakened mind)
• K.C. Tewari’s constant mindfulness and advanced yogic state
• Honoring the religion of our roots as we explore spirituality 
• Compassion: keeping your heart open when there is suffering 
• Tantric Buddhism and empowerment 
• Holding both joy and sadness at the same time 
• Shifting from the cerebral to embodied mindfulness practice 
• ‘Minding the gap’ between thoughts and the breath 

Coming out on June 16th, preorder RamDev’s newest book: How to Live So You Can Die Without Fear

About RamDev:

RamDev Dale Borglum is the founder and Executive Director of The Living/Dying Project. He is a pioneer in the conscious dying movement and has worked directly with thousands of people with life-threatening illness and their families for over 30 years. In 1981, Dale founded the first residential facility for people who wished to die consciously in the United States, The Dying Center. He has taught and lectured extensively on the topics of spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, on caregiving as a spiritual practice, and on healing at the edge, the edge of illness, of death, of loss, of crisis. Check out RamDev’s podcast, Healing at the Edge, on the Be Here Now Network.

“He’s looking at this picture, and the feeling started getting so thick. Some tears started coming down Maharaj-ji’s cheeks. The feeling was that he was remembering the moment when Ram embraced Hanuman. All the people in the front began weeping; there was so much love.”–RamDev

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